Magistrate are seditious 4 323 b His charge according to Aristotle 4 38 b Whether Religion and the determining thereof belong to the Magistrates 4 246b 247ab The Magistrate is the principall part of the Church 4 237 b To what ende hee is appointed â— 226 b The manifold forme of a Magistrate 4 226 b Whether Ecclesiasticall matters belong to the ciuill Magistrate 4 243 b 244 a What things are to be considered in the Magistrate 4 233 ab In what thinges hee is to be obeyed or disobeyed 4 241 b 242. 243. Whether a Magistrate may iudge another in that crime whereof himselfe is guiltie 4 259 a The dutie and office of a Magistrate in the Church 4 2 7 b Differente betwéene him and a minister 4 226 a An example of obedience to the Magistrate 4 226 b Magistrates Magistrates may not forgiue punishments and why 2 41â— a The diuerse wayes whereby they doe punish 4 61 b How it is ment that they would rather diminish than increase punishments 2 414 b Their office is to see that euerie man vse his owne well 2 526 a Manie executions no lesse dishonourable to them than manie funerals to Phisicians 2 414 a What Magistrates may doe with things superstitious 2 517 b Whether it be lawfull for them to lie as Plato gaue them leaue 2 544 b 545 a Why citizens must be sworne to defende them 4 298 a What thinges they shoulde respect in their punishments for adulterers 2 464 ab Of the reuenge that they ought to execute 2 417 b 418 a A lesson for them touching the execution of punishments 2 416 ab They must be intreated to determine in a case of diuorse 2 459 a In what cases the superiour sort are to be forced vnto order by inferiour 4 324 b Without their consent matrimonie is not so to be dissolued that another shoulde be aduentured 2 458 b Drunkennesse more tollerable in any than in them 2 500 ab 501 b Magistrates must not spare to punish others though themselues bée guiltie of the same crime 2 495 a Their sinnes may be reprooued 1 324 a Howe farre foorth they must be obeyed 4 323 b 324 a and why 41 a Whether Christian Magistrates may vse exile for punishments 4 273ab 274 ab In what respects ciuill Magistrates haue power ouer ministers 4 232 a 61 b They and ministers haue their functions ioyned together 4 22 a 232 a 233 a By whom they are appointed 4 227 ab 276 a It is lawfull for Christians to be Magistrates 4 276 b They are called fathers 4 227 a A definition of their office 4 270 b 246 b A cauill whether all Magistrates be ordeined of God 227 b What woulde insue the want of Magistrates 4 276 ab A distinction betwéene superiour and inferiour Magistrates 4 254 b Howe they and ministers of the Church shoulde behaue themselues one to another 1 10 a Causes for the which Magistrates may sometimes deferre punishmeÌ„ts 4 257 b Whether Magistrates may let the guiltie passe vnpunished 4 248. 249 250. 251. 252. 253. 254. 255. 256. 257. 258 259 The Church vsed Ethnicke Magistrates 4 228 b Magnificence Of Magnificence and howe offence is doone therein 3 269 b Mahomet Of Mahomets doctrine and that it is heresie 4 6 a Maiestie Of the Maiestie of God wherein the same consisteth 1 11 a ¶ Looke God Maisters Howe Maisters must handle and vse their seruantes 4 314 b Paul and Christ were Maisters in what respectes 2 381 a Howe Christes wordes are to bee meant in forbidding vs to be called Maisters vpon earth 2 380 b Malice The Diuell deceiued through his owne Malice 1 33 b ¶ Looke Enuie Man The true notice and knowledge of Man his nature properties and end 1 125 a The opinions of Ethnikes declaring what he is by nature 2 227 a The ende whereunto he is instituted and ordeined 2 231 b No creature in a manner more miserable than he proued 2 227 a Howe euerie creature toyleth and laboureth for his sake an excellent place 2 247 b 248 a In him are foure differences of state which they be 2 253 a In him as in a certaine litle worlde are comprehended al thinges 2 248 a Destitute of grace described 3 94 ab Wherein hee is like and vnlike vnto grasse 3 366 b A place whereby he is admonished of his duetie manner and forme of his actions 1 125 a Of the Image of God in him and wherein the same consisteth â— 23 b What wee must call to minde when wee heare that God created him 1 125 b Augustins allegoricall exposition about the worde Man and woman and the reason of the names and howe they bée applied vnto vs. 1 124 a Men. Two kindes of Men noted in the holy Scriptures 2 546 a As touching nature there is no difference in them 3 15 b 16 a The diuerse endes whereto they are appointed 2 573 b The condition of carnall Men of two sortes 2 563 b Two kindes of euill Men. 4 63 a Mankind Mankinde diuided into two sorts and which of them waâ—…e for the reuelation of the sonnes of God 2 248 ab Manna The difference betwéene the Iewes Manna and our Manna called honie of the â—et 2 5â—0b What it signified and of the receiuers of the â—…e 2 â—…b Howe it rained 〈◊〉 heauen and why it is called Angels foode 2 590 a A most excellent analogie betwéene it Christ 2 591 ab In what respect Christ denied that it came from heauen 2 588 b 589 a What Phisitians doe say thereof 2 560 b Giuen on the Lords day as Ambrose saith 2 591 b None giuen to the Israelites in the wildernesse on the Sabboth day and why 2 374 b 375 a A figure of our Eucharist 2 591 b Manners What thinges Plutarch saith are verie necessarie for men to bee made perfect in ciuill Manners vertues 1 57 a Manners are more iudged by making of choise than by actions 2 293 b The iudgement of Manners by actions is deceaueable and why 2 293 b 294 a Manslaughter What manner of Manslaughter is condemned by God 2 385 ab Punished by exile and how 4 271 b who they be that though they kill a man yet are not guiltie thereof 2 385 ab Whether Manslaughter disable a man from the ministerie 4 265 a In what cases therof cities of refuge Were appointed 2 385 a Whether that that Elias did on the Baalites was lawfull 2 386 ab c. 388 a 389. A certaine kinde of Manslaughter acceptable to God 3 185 a Marie the virgin Whether Marie Christes mother abode perpetually a virgin 3 58 ab Whether she had vowed her virginitie to god 3 62 b Certaine titles giuen vnto her reprooued 4 22 a Marrie The degrées of kinred forbidden to Marrie is morall 2 453 b It was lawfull for a man to Marrie his brothers wife 2 426 a The Gardian might not Marrie his pupil by the Romane lawes and why 2 449 b
forme or as if ye did saie A shape But an idoll as we now speake of is euerie forme or figure which men haue inuented vnto themselues to resemble and expresse God And as there be found out sundrie and manifold matters of these formes so be there also diuers kinds of idols Wherevpon if the matter be stones wood or metall whereby God is outwardlie counterfeited to the intent he should be there worshipped those be grosse and most manifold idols There may be vsed also a spirituall matter which then happeneth when those formes and images are nothing else but conceits of the hart and mind which men doo frame to themselues to represent GOD himselfe not as the scripture declareth him but according to their owne opinion and rashnesse Wherefore according to the properties of the matter Visible idols and inuisible an idoll is diuided into two kinds the one is outward or visible and hath recourse to the outward senses of men but the other is inward that is wrought in the inward parts of the mind There be also two parts of religious worshipping The one is inward whereby we beléeue in God himselfe trust in him giue him thanks submit our selues and all that we haue vnto him and deuoutlie call vpon him in our praiers in these actions no doubt consisteth the inward worshipping But the other part hath outward tokens wherein we giue a testimonie of this mind of ours by prostrating the bodie and bowing the knée by vncouering the head by speaking and by exercising rites and ceremonies by God appointed And this is an outward worshipping or adoration 2 But we must note Outward signes of worshipping are giuen vnto princes that such outward kind of signes of bowing the bodie or knées and such other like are doone also vnto creatures I meane vnto princes and kings which in earth doo represent vnto men the authoritie of God and doo supplie his place in the administration of things And verelie then they are nothing else to be estéemed but certeine sure testimonies whereby as manie as are subiects doo trulie and from the hart confesse that they in the name of God will be subiect and obedient vnto such powers so farre as pietie and the word of God shall permit But we must beware lest in our inward iudgement we attribute more vnto them than is méet or expect more of them than their power and might is able to performe for otherwise we should not scape idolatrie Wherefore if anie by bowing himselfe to his prince would signifie that he can not erre and that it is lawfull for him to doo whatsoeuer him listeth to command anie thing whatsoeuer his pleasure is doubtlesse such a one should be counted an idolater and should commit the crime aswell inwardlie as outwardlie And whether the Popes hirelings doo vse this trade we may héereby easilie gather The Papists doo commit idolatrie towards their Pope in that they so cast themselues at his féet to testifie that they will be subiect vnto him as to the onelie vicar of Christ vpon earth as to the vniuersall bishop of the church as to him that can not erre in decrées of doctrines concerning faith and finallie as to whom onelie it is lawfull as he list himselfe to determine of religion and christian discipline Note a rule certeine Let this then be euerie where a sure and firme rule that these outward submissions of the bodie doo then apperteine to idolatrie when they shall be testimonies that the mind attributeth more vnto the creature than is méet or which are onelie proper vnto God For they be not referred vnto God himselfe or to the obedience of his commandements but to vaine formes and similitudes which we our selues haue imagined to our selues and conceiued in our mind 3 Héereby we may also gather The inuocation of saints departed perteine to idolatrie that the inuocations of saints which are vsed by the Papists are idolatrous For they attribute vnto saints those things which belong onelie vnto God namelie that they being absent heare our praiers or that they can be present at one time either euerie where or else in manie places at once thereby to be able to succour those which call vpon their names in diuerse parts of the world Augustine in his epistle to Dardanus Augustine durst not thus affirme no not of the soule of Christ to wit that it might at one time be in manie places Wherfore that which Christ spake vnto the théefe Luke 23 43. This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise the same he expoundeth should be vnderstood as touching his diuine nature séeing the bodie of Christ should the same daie be in the sepulchre and his soule in hell neither could that soule be both in hell and in paradise all at one time Basil Didymus Basilius De spiritu sancto and also Didymus would not grant this vnto the angels that they may be in diuers places at one time affirming that that thing ought onelie to be granted to the sole nature of God But they which call vpon saints beléeue that they heare them and that they are present with them which without doubt is to attribute more vnto them than the power and course of a nature created can suffer 4 But here they trifle and saie that they doo not so thinke but that God himselfe which heareth their praiers dooth open vnto the saints what is required of them But thus I answer They deceiue as well themselues as others for they knowe not whether God will shew vnto the saints their petitions wherefore the praiers which they powre out cannot be grounded vpon faith which ought to be sure and vndoubted They bring also a feigned lie of the glasse as they call it of the diuine essence A feigned tale of the glasse of the diuine essence wherein the saints behold all things but their feigned deuise hath no ground at all in the holie scriptures Ouer this séeing they will néeds haue it so admit it were so as they feigne it to be yet must they be compelled to grant that the same their glasse hath not a naturall but a voluntarie representation so as there is onelie so much séene of the saints as God will haue to be knowne For else without all exception the saints should behold all things therein Which is both false and manifestlie repugnant to the holie scriptures for Matt. 24 36. Of that daie saith the Lord the verie angels shall not knowe which neuerthelesse doo behold the face of the father which is in heauen Moreouer the Papists doo not after this maner call vpon saints for by this reckoning they should thus saie Cause O God that this or that saint may knowe those things which I require of him and that he may be with me and grant me that which I desire But they deale far otherwise O holie Peter saie they O holie Paule praie for me bring this or that thing to passe
Pighius bicause our aduersaries count him for their Achilles or chéefe champion and thinke that he onelie by his subtill sharpe wit hath pearsed euen into the secretest mysteries of the truth And this man vseth this cauillation A Cauillaton Ye are not iustified by that from which this iustification maie be separated for it is not possible that the causes should be pulled awaie or separated from their effects But faith is separated from iustification Whether iustification maie be separated from faith for manie that beléeue doo notwithstanding liue most shamefullie so farre is it off that they séeme to be iustified But bicause he thinketh that this maie be denied he bringeth a reason to prooue that it is not against the nature and definition of faith but that iustification maie be separated from it And he maketh an obiection out of the 13. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 3. If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing By these words he concludeth that faith maie be separated from charitie and therefore from all good works He citeth this also out of Matthew Matt. 7 22. Manie shall come in that daie and shall saie Lord in thy name we haue prophesied and haue cast out diuels and haue wrought signes But vnto them shall answer be made I knowe you not These signes saith Pighius can not be doone without faith Wherefore séeing that they are shut foorth from the kingdome of heauen which doo yet these things it is cleare that they were not iustified wherefore in them faith was separated from righteousnes But this he thinketh is much more plainlie confirmed by Iohn for he saith That manie rulers of the priests beleeued in Christ Iohn 12 4◠which yet durst not openlie professe him But they which flie from the confession of the name of Christ are farre from saluation for Christ himselfe saith Mark 8 28. He that is ashamed of me before men of him will I be ashamed before my father These arguments although at the first sight they séeme to haue some shew yet if a man more narrowlie examine them he shall sée that that well agréeth with them The iudgement of Epictetus touching his owne books which Epictetus pronounceth of his books 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is These are but sights or ghosts of the dreames of hell Wherfore we must diligentlie ponder these reasons and not iudge of them by the first sight And euen as in coines of monie we vse not so much to haue a regard vnto the inscriptions A similitude or images as to the goodnesse and weight of the matter so also in arguments ought we to weigh and regard not so much the shew and colour of them as the thing it selfe and the strength of them We first denie that faith can be separated from iustification And whereas Pighius saith That that is not repugnant vnto the nature and definition of faith we in no wise admit it for against that opinion are all the holie scriptures and the true sense of the definition of faith and also the Fathers For as touching the scriptures Iohn saith He that beleeueth that Iesus is Christ 1. Iohn 5 1. the sonne of God is borne of God and he which is borne of God sinneth not For so long as faith beareth swaie in our harts we commit not those sinnes which destroie the conscience and alienate vs from GOD. How then saith Pighius that it is not against the nature of faith to be separated from iustification and from good works especiallie séeing Iohn saith Iohn 3 6. He which sinneth knoweth not God This thing also sawe the Fathers for Cyprian Cyprian De simplicitate praelatorum where he complaineth of the vngratiousnesse of his time for that charitie feare good works and such like were waxen verie cold thus writeth No man thinketh vpon the feare of things to come no man considereth the daie of the Lord and the wrath of God and that vpon the vnbeléeuers shall come punishments and that euerlasting torments are appointed for the vnfaithfull of which things our conscience would be afraid if it beléeued but bicause it beléeueth not therefore is it vtterlie without feare and if it beléeued then also would it beware and if it did beware then also should it escape These words declare that with true faith is ioined the feare of God and the eschewing of eternall punishments and auoiding of sinnes Now let Pighius go and saie that true faith can be separated from holie motions of the mind and from good works This selfe-same thing doth Ierome togither with Cyprian affirme against the Luciferians Ierome And if saith he I beléeued trulie I would cleanse that hart wherewith GOD is séene I would with my hands knocke my brest I would with teares water my chéekes I would haue in my bodie a horror I would be pale in mouth I would lie at the féete of my Lord and would wash them with wéeping and wipe them with my haires I would vndoubtedlie cleaue fast vnto the stocke of the crosse neither would I let go my hold thereof before I had obteined mercie Hereby also it is manifest that with true faith are ioined good works and repentance The definition of faith declareth that it can not be separated from iustification A similitude 56 But as touching the definition and nature of faith it may easilie be prooued that it can not be separated from iustification and from good works that is from his effects For faith is no common but a firme and vehement assent and that procéeding from the holie Ghost And if a poore caitife being condemned to die should receiue a promise onelie at the hand of a man that he should be deliuered and should giue credit vnto those words straitwaie his mind would wholie be changed to mirth and would begin inwardlie to loue the man that promised him such things and would pleasure him in what thing so euer laie in his power How much more is to be attributed to the true faith which is giuen to the word of God and is inspired by the spirit of God Wherfore if that humane faith doo drawe with it woonderfull motions of the mind how can we saie that the true and christian faith is naked without good works and destitute and alone Wherefore we now plainlie sée both by the holie scriptures and by the fathers and by the definition and nature of faith that it cannot be separated from righteousnes from godlie works Now let vs come to Paule he saith 1. Cor. 13 3. If I haue all faith c. But how knoweth Pighius that Paule there speaketh of that generall faith which cleaueth vnto the promise of God and iustifieth and not rather of a particular faith whereby are wrought miracles and which is a frée or gratious gift of the holy Ghost This faith is not applied to all things
the elect of God It is God that iustifieth c. Wherefore if God doo not accuse vs neither in verie déed shall our hart accuse vs while we haue respect vnto Christ for now we haue trust vnto Godward we shall obteine And while we be conuerted vnto Christ not onlie sinne and accusation is abolished but repentance is also increased 9 But it is doubted of some In 1. Sam. 1 9. whether it be lawfull to desire of God things that be indifferent for as they saie we be ignorant whether those things will be profitable or hurtfull vnto vs which doo aske And Plato in Alâ—ibiade 2. saith Looke In Rom. 8 26. that It is a difficult thing to define our praiers and therefore thinketh that God must be desired onelie in generall and vniuersall termes Chrysostome vpon the epistle vnto Timothie the eight homilie How saith he can I knowe that I shall obteine that which I desire The answer is If thou desire nothing against the will of God or vnwoorthie of his maiestie no earthlie thing no worldlie thing but altogither spirituall things and so foorth The Lord in his praier teacheth that onlie things spirituall must be desired for all other things he comprehendeth generallie saieng Matt. 6 11. Giue vs this daie our dailie bread And in another place he saith First seeke the kingdome of heauen Ibidem 33. and these things shall be added vnto you Howbeit Augustine in his epistle vnto Proba affirmeth that this kind of things may also be desired of God for whatsoeuer things are lawfull for vs to wish those he saith are also lawfull to be asked Further these things God hath not seldome promised therefore we may craue them also And herevnto there doo serue examples Exod. 17 11 For Moses desired victorie against the Amalekites Gen. 17 18. Abraham desired that Ismael might liue he was heard Paule also desired to be deliuered from affliction 2. Co. 12 8. But here there be two things which must be considered What is to be considered in the desire of things indifferent The first is that in those things which be indifferent we doo not firmelie settle our selues but let vs perpetuallie refer them to the glorie of God Further we must determine to vse them well if they doo happen But some man will saie that séeing we be men we may be deceiued about the right vse of children for onelie God knoweth how well or how ill we will vse our children Moreouer the nature of man is inconstant and therefore we may be changed and may refuse that which we first desired Indéed these things be true But if thou with a faithfull and godlie mind shalt desire issue of God there is no danger bicause the successe is put in the hand of God by whose will all things to come are gouerned He regardeth not that which thou desirest but that which is most profitable vnto thée Rom. 8 26. And Paule saith What we may desire we knowe not but the spirit helpeth our infirmitie by his wisdom correcteth our praiers Neither must this be past ouer that sometimes God séemeth not to heare vs when as neuertheles he then heareth vs most of all as when Paule praied 2. Cor. 12 9. that the sting of the flesh might depart from him he heard that the grace and fauour wherewith God indued him should be sufficient for him Therefore when we make such kind of praiers we ought to be of this mind that whatsoeuer shall happen we may be contented with the iudgement of GOD. And when as Christ saith Matth. 6 33. First seeke ye the kingdome of God and then other things shall be giuen vnto you he saith not that the things not desired shall be giuen Indéed he will giue them but he forbiddeth not but that they should be asked so that they be the latter part of our requests Further he did not there speake of praiers but he spake onelie of the carefulnesse studie and disquietnes had about things fraile and transitorie In 1. Sa. 1. Matth. 6 7. 10 Moreouer Christ warneth that in praieng we should not vse much babling But we must vnderstand that he when he spake these things forbad not long praiers for he himselfe continued a whole night praieng on the mountaine Matt. 14 23. and before his death he praied abundantlie Luk. 21 37. 22 41. and he commandeth vs to be euer praieng and neuer to be wearie And the better to beate this into our heads he vsed parables namelie of the vniust iudge reuenging the cause of the widowe woman Luke 18 1. by reason of hir importunitie and of the man who being in his bed Luke 11 7. and would not rise yet at the last opened the doore vnto his fréend that continuallie knocked and gaue him so much bread as he was willing to take Yea and the Lord himselfe at the length heard the woman of Chanaan Matt. 15 23. that constantlie cried vnto him without ceasing Babling in praier is multiplieng of words without faith and the spirit 1. Kin. 18 27 In 2. Sam. 7 at the end So now it must be considered that much spéech or babling is then vsed not when we praie long but when we multiplie words without faith and the spirit being persuaded that we may be heard through the number of those words So Helias derided the Baalites and exhorted them to crie out lowder whereby they might at the length be heard of their God being either asléepe or else otherwise occupied Wherefore that is a foolish cogitation for God heareth vs not for our words sake but for his owne goodnes and mercie Another cause is if we will as it were prescribe vnto God and teach him what things we haue néed of Matth. 6 32. For God knoweth whereof wee haue need euen before we begin to praie These two causes being remooued we may praie so much as we will In what respect our praiers ought to be either long or short And how farre foorth our praiers ought to be either long or short Augustine verie well describeth vnto Proba The brethren saith he in Aegypt haue praiers short and often vsed as it were certeine darts cast out of the soules and that saith he least the zeale which they haue should wax cold Therefore he addeth If we sée our indeuour and feruentnes of praier beginne to wax faint we must not dull it with continuance but if so be that our attentiuenesse be chéerefull and readie bent it must not be left Brieflie he saith that praier ought to be much and the talke little And those saith he are much in praier who in déed desire things that be necessarie but with words superfluous but that praier is much when our hart being stirred vp we continuallie persuade him whom we praie vnto He saith that we ought to deale more with teares than with words and with wéeping rather than with speaking for
séeing we shal be one people and shall haue one and the self-same countrie But vnto such as shal be importunate to demand what toong that shal be which the saints shall then vse I grant fréelie that I knowe it not Whereas notwithstanding I remember there be some who affirme that the Hebrue toong shall then be in vse but vpon what certeintie they affirme it let themselues take héed Of the change of all things In Rom. 8. 15 These things being declared the place it selfe séemeth to require that I should speake somewhat of the change of things that shal be in the end of the world Of the change of things at the end of world First I thinke it good to rehearse those things which the Maister of the sentences writeth as touching this matter in the fourth booke distinct 48. When the Lord shall come to iudge the sunne and moone shal be darkned not saith he bicause the light shal be taken from them but through the presence of a more plentifull light For Christ the most splendent sunne shal be present therefore the starres of heauen shal be darkened as are candles at the rising of the sunne The vertues of heauen shal be mooued which may be vnderstood as touching the powers or as some speake of the influences whereby the celestiall bodies gouerne inferiour things which then shall forsake their right and accustomed order Or else by these vertues we may vnderstand the angels which by a continuall turning turne about the spheares of the heauens Perhaps they shall then either cease from the accustomed worke or else they shall execute it after some new maner Matt. 24 29. Luke 21 25. Ioel. 2 31. After he had gathered these things out of Matthew and Luke he addeth out of Ioel that there shall be eclipses of the sunne and of the moone The sunne saith he shal be darkened and the moone shal be turned into bloud before that great and horrible daie of the Lord come And out of the 65. chapter of Esaie Behold I create a new heauen verse 17. and a new earth And straitwaie Esai 30. 26. The moone shall shine as the sunne and the light of the sun shal be seuen fold that is of seuen daies And out of the Apocalypse Acts. 21 1. There shal be a new heauen and a new earth Albeit no mention is there made of amplifieng the light either of the sunne or of the moone Ierom interpreteth that place that such shal be the light of the sunne as it was in those first seuen daies wherin the world was created For by the sinne of our first parents the light saith he both of the sunne and of the moone was diminished Which saieng some of the Schoolemen vnderstand not as touching the verie substance of the light but that as well the world as men receiue lesse fruit of those lights after the fall than they had before Howbeit all these things are obscure and vncerteine Wherevnto I ad that some of the Rabbines thinke these to be figuratiue spéeches for that in the starres there shall be no change but they saie that vnto men being in heauinesse and bewailing the vnhappie state of their things shall come so small fruit by the light of the sunne and moone as vnto them these starres may séeme to be darkened and altogither out of sight But contrarise when they beginne to be in happier state and to liue according to their owne harts desire then at the last the light of the sunne and of the moone shall séeme to be doubled vnto them and to be lighter by manie degrées than it séemed before Which exposition as I denie not so I confesse that at the end of the world shal be a great change of these things Wherefore I grant both to be true either that in this life there happen things oftentimes so sorowfull as the daies which otherwise be most cleare séeme most darke vnto vs and also that when all things shall haue an end the state of creatures shal be disturbed Yea also it happeneth that sometimes while we liue héere those lights of heauen are remooued from their naturall order as we read that it came to passe Iosua 10 12 Mat. 15 33. when Iosua fought and when Christ suffered 16 Ierom in the interpretation of that place addeth that the sunne shall then receiue the reward of his labour to wit such great augmentations of his light Zach. 14 7. Zacharie also testifieth that Then there shall be one perpetuall daie for that the light shall be so great as there shall be no difference betwéene daie and night If these things be true we may perceiue in what state the glorious bodies of the saints shall be after the resurrection Mat. 13 43. of whom Christ said The iust shall shine like the sunne They shall then haue a light seuen fold greater than this sunne which we now inioie Neither is it anie maruell saith Chrysostome if the creatures at that time shall be beautified with so great light A similitude For kings on that day wherin they will haue their sonnes to be established vnto the kingdome are woont to prouide not only that they may be set forth with excellent apparell and solemne shew but also that their seruants may be verie comlie and orderlie apparelled Wherfore when Christ shall then sit manifestlie in his throne and the iust which be the sonnes of God shall come into the kingdome and inheritance of their father God will bring to passe that all creatures shall be beautified with woonderfull ornaments and excellent brightnesse Esai 60. 19. Albeit Esaie saith that It shall come to passe that the sunne and moone shall giue no more light but that the Lord himselfe shal be an euerlasting light By which words he meaneth not that those starres shall perish but onelie that their light shall not be necessarie vnto the saints for those things peraduenture shall no more rise and go downe as they doo now But if thou aske of him what vse they shall haue after the iudgement he plainelie confesseth that he knoweth not for that he in this matter is destitute of the scriptures All these things in a maner we haue out of the Maister of the sentences 17 Now as I thinke there be foure things for me to examine First what vse we shall haue of the creatures when we shal be adorned with that glorie Secondlie whether their laboures shall continue Afterward whether the nature and substance of creatures shal be preserued and what manner of substance the same shall be Lastlie whether all the parts of the world or onelie some shall be repaired As concerning the first they which would diligentlie search out what commoditie shall come vnto the saints in the other life by the creatures renewed haue taught vs that while we liue héere we are by them holpen two maner of waies For first the nature of the bodie and the life Two
Genesis anie let vnto this renewing where God said vnto Noah that All the daies of the earth shall be sowing and haruest cold and heate summer and winter daie and night for these things he saith shall come to passe in the daies of the earth but those daies shall be the daies of heauen Esaie 66 23 and as Esaie saith A sabboth of sabboths Also Ieremie in the 33. verse 20. chapter saith Can the couenant be made void which I haue made with day night As though he would saie It cannot be made void So saith he shall the couenant be established which I haue made with the house of Iuda and with the house of Dauid The couenant whereof the prophet now speaketh as touching the sending of Messias in his time appointed must not be drawne beyond the time of the present state But Christ when he saith in the Gospell that Heauen and earth shall passe awaie Matt. 24 35. but my word shall not passe awaie How the heauen and earth shall passe away meaneth not Passing awaie for destruction but foretelleth that a certeine change shall one daie come Which yet shall neuer happen vnto his words for they shall alwaies abide vnmooueable and the truth of them shall neuer be peruerted Of this interpretation Dauid is author in the 102. psalme verse 26. The heauens saith he are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure as a garment shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Herevnto also agréeth Peter for when he had said that The heauens shall perish 2. Pet. 3 12. and the elements shall melt awaie with heate he added that We according to the promise shall haue a new heauen and a new earth Esaie 65 17 And Ierom expounding the 65. chapter of Esaie vnto this sense alledgeth a sentence of Paule out of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 31. the seuenth chapter For he saith that The figure of this world passeth awaie as though he would not saie that the nature of things or the world it selfe shall perish but onelie the figure that is the state and forme of this time And that the same renewing which we affirme signifieth not a destroieng of nature he prooueth it by a similitude taken of the degrées of our age A similitude For when of children we are made yoong men and of yoong men men and of men old men we are not as touching the nature of man destroied but by those changes we are transferred from a lower estate vnto that which is more excellent Wherefore when that last burning shall come which the scriptures plainlie teach shall come the whole world shall be set on fire A similitude And as gold and siluer when they are melted in the fire perish not but are made more pure so the world shall not by that fire be destroied but be renewed Of this mind also were some of the Ethnike writers as Heraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Siculus and others who peraduenture had receiued these things of their elders but had corrupted them with wicked opinions An opinion of the heretiks called Millenarij 21 There haue béene also manie of the christians in ancient time which thought that the creatures shall remaine after the comming of the Lord and that they shall serue vnto some vse for the elect For they thought that when Christ shall returne there shal be then onlie the resurrection of the godlie which also they called the first resurrection betwéene which the latter wherein the wicked shall be raised vp there shall be the space of a thousand yéeres and during this time shall Christ wholie reigne in this world togither with the saints and all this space the diuell shall be bound as it is described in the booke of the Apocalypse Apoc. 20 3. And they séeme to haue taken an occasion of their opinion not onelie out of the Reuelation of Iohn but also out of the prophets For they when they prophesie of the kingdome of Christ make mention of manie things which séeme to perteine to the kingdoms of this world and vnto pleasures and delights And they which were in this error were of the Graecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latins Millenarij Neither doubtlesse were there onelie of the common sort patrones of this opinion but euen the principall and most ancient men in the church Certeine principall men of the church were of this opinion as Papias Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Victorinus Lactantius Tertullian and manie other famous Ecclesiasticall writers Whom I ioine not with Cerynthus for he sowed manie other errors as touching our Sauiour for vnto that which we said that these fathers held he added a double impietie First that the saints shall so reigne in this life with Christ as they shall abundantlie enioie all the pleasures of the bodie which is nothing else but againe with lusts droonkennes gluttonie and such other filthines to contaminate nature being renewed by the resurrection Another error of his was that in that kingdome of Christ the ceremonies of the lawe and sacrifices of Moses should be reuoked which errors none of those fathers whom we spake of did followe 22 Neither should it be anie hard matter to confute that madnes by the scriptures but bicause we haue doon this else-where at large we will now cease to speake thereof Onelie this I will adde that Augustine in the twentieth booke De ciuitate Dei the seuenth chapter writeth If these men had said that Christ in that space of a thousand yéeres will bestowe vpon his saints some celestiall graces their saieng should haue béene the more tollerable In which place he signifieth that he also was sometime of the same mind Howbeit afterward weihing things better he iudged that place of the Apocalypse A place of the Apocalypse diuerslie expounded from whence all that suspicion séemed to flowe must be otherwise expounded namelie by these thousand yéeres to vnderstand all the time which passeth from the ascension of Christ vnto his last iudgment Neither ought the number of a thousand yéers anie thing to offend vs for it is common to the holie scriptures by a number certeine and definite to signifie another number vncerteine and not definite Which thing although it may by manie other places be prooued yet here it shall be sufficient to note onelie two Christ said vnto his apostles Matt. 19 29. He that forsaketh his house or father or mother or children or wife or brethren c. shall receiue a hundred fold where by An hundred fold we vnderstand a certeine great and in a maner infinite recompense So God promiseth in the lawe that He would doo good to them that serue him Exod. 20 6. vnto a thousand generations which signifieth nothing else but to their posteritie for a verie long time Wherefore Christ as thinketh Augustine reigneth with his saints all this time which is signified
of Iayes Againe the same father vppon Matthew the 26. Chapter Homilie 83. They were about to iourney frō Egypt into Palestina and therefore they did weare the habit of a traueler thou from the earth must ascend into heauen And in the 3. booke De Sacerdotio Doost thou thinke to dwell among mortal men and to stay and be in the earth And doost thou not rather thinke that thou shalt foorthwith be translated into heauen And in casting away all cogitation of the flesh doest thou not with a single heart and pure minde consider those things that be in heauē 73 Augustine vnto Boniface hath all these things after the same order and sense The time of Easter being at hand hee saith As this or the next day saue one Christ dyed and on the Sonday This day Christ rose againe Baptisme is faith and the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ is the bodie of Christ And wee sée that in all the sayings which we haue reckoned The thing absent is really spoken of the thing present Acts. 9. 4. that which is absent is really pronounced of that which is present The same Father vpon the 54. Psalme The head was in heauen and he saide Why doest thou persecute mée Wee are with him in heauen by hope he is with vs in the earth by loue And in the 119. Epistle to Ianuarius Wherefore to that persecutor whom with his voyce he slue and translating him into his bodie after a sort hath eaten he sounded frō heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Vpon Iohn the 30. Treatise and we haue it in the Title de Consecratione distinction the 2. yet the first in déede The Lord is aboue but here also is the truth of the Lord For the Lords body wherin he rose againe ought to be in one place his trueth is euerywhere spread Also vpon Iohn the 50. Treatise For according to his Maiestie according to his prouidence according to this vnspeakeable inuisible grace is fulfilled that which was spokē by him Behold I wil bee with you vntill the ende of the world Mat. 28. 20 But according to the flesh which the word tooke vpon it according to that which was borne of the Virgin according to that which was taken holde of by the Iewes which was fastened to the trée which was taken downe from the crosse which was wrapped in cloathes which was buried in the sepulchre which was made manifest in the resurrection Ye shall not alwaies haue mee with you Mat. 26. 11. Wherefore after he had béene conuersant as touching his bodilie presence fourtie daies with his Disciples they leading him foorth while they saw him but not followed him he ascended into heauen and is not here for there he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and is héere for he departed not with the presence of his Maiestie we haue Christ alwaies As touching the presence of the flesh it was rightlie saide vnto the Disciples Mat. 26. 11 Me ye shal not haue alwaies For the Church had him but a fewe daies as touching the presence of the flesh Nowe it houldeth him by faith it séeth him not with the eyes And the same Father vpon the Epistle of Iohn at the end Wherefore our Lord Iesus Christ did for this cause ascend into heauen on the fortie daie hee in this respect commended his bodie because it was to be left on the earth in his members for that he sawe that many would honor him for that he ascended into heauen and perceaued that their honoring is vnprofitable if they tread downe his members vppon the earth And that none might be deceaued nor when he should woorship the head in heauen should oppresse the séete vppon the earth he tould them where his members should be For when he was about to ascend he spake the last wordes after these wordes he spake no more vppon the earth The head being about to ascend into heauen commended his members vppon the earth and so departed Thou shalt not now finde Christ to speake vppon the earth Thou findest him to speake howbeit in heauen and out of heauen it selfe Wherefore because the members were ouertrodden vppon the earth For vnto Paul the persecuter he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts. 9. 4. I ascended into heauen but I lie still vpon the earth Here I sit at the right hand of the father there I still hunger thyrst and am a straunger After what sort then commended he his bodie vpō the earth being about to ascend Acts. 1. 6. When his disciples had demaunded of him Lord if thou wilt at this time be presented when wilt thou restore the kingdome of Israel He aunswered vpon his departure It is not for you to know the time which the father hath layd vp in his owne power but ye shal receaue the power of the holy spirit comming vppon you ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem Behold in what respect he spreadeth out his bodie behold when he wil not be trodden vppon ye shal be my witnesses in Ierusalem and ouer all Iury and Samaria and vnto the endes of the earth Behold I lie which doe ascend For I ascend because I am the head my bodie yet still lyeth In what sort dooth it lie Ouer the whole earth 74 Vnto Augustine Cyrillus dooth consent who saith vppon Iohn the 6. booke and 14. Chapter Here must we note that although he tooke from hence the presence of his bodie euen as he promised that he would be away from his disciples yet in the maiestie of his Godhead he is alwayes present Behold I am with you alwayes euen vntill the end of the world And the same father in the 9. booke vppon Iohn the 21. Chapter And Christ said that he would be with his disciples a little while not because he would vtterly depart from them for he is with vs alwayes euen vntill the end of the world but because he would not liue together with thē as he did before For the time was now at hand that he should goe euen into heauen vnto the father And the faithfull ought to beléeue that although he be absent from vs in bodie yet that we and all thinges are gouerned by his power and that he is alwaies present with all men which loue him Therfore he said Mat. 18. 20 Verilie verilie I say vnto you that wheresoeuer two or three be gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them For euen as when he was conuersant vppon the earth as man he then also filled the heauens and left not the fellowship of the Angels after the same manner now he being in the heauens filleth not the earth with his flesh and yet is with them that loue him And it must be obserued that although hee should be absent onely according to the flesh for he is alwayes present by the power of the Godhead as we haue said yet he said he would be a little while with
bread is broken and our sense perceiueth the breaking of the bread let this first be determined Afterward when the scripture saith that the bodie of Christ is broken if you will vnderstand by a metaphor figure namelie that it is broken bicause the sacrament thereof is broken we agrée But first of all must the ground of this figure be granted euen that it is bread which in very déed is broken this dooth the sense it selfe knowe to be doone But as for the words Take ye and eate ye I saie that they must be thus vnderstood As ye receiue this bread and eate it with your bodie so receiue ye my bodie by faith and with the mind that ye may be strengthened thereby in stead of meate M. Morgan This in my iudgement is but a wandering disputation wherfore I come néerer to the matter Take ye and eate ye are metaphoricall speaches and after this maner they agrée verie well with the bodie of Christ and therefore the breaking may be attributed vnto the metaphoricall bread that is vnto the bodie of Christ for in the like sense is breaking taken D. Martyr If it be a wandering disputation the fault is yours bicause you frame no argument or reason And whereas you obiect that euen as eating may agrée metaphoricallie with the bodie of Christ so may breaking agrée with the same I affirme that a far other reason both of eating breaking is had in these words forme of speaking of the scripture which we haue in hand to wit Is not the bread which we breake For I suppose you would vnderstand this word To breake in such sort as it should be referred metaphoricallie to the crucifieng vpon the crosse Howbeit you must consider that Paule saith 2. Co. 10 16 The bread which we breake where it is not lawfull to vnderstand that we our selues doo crucifie Christ Well may we saie that we doo eate him metaphoricallie bicause we doo féed vpon him but that we doo crucifie him that is a verie hard and absurd speach M. Morgan If we eate him metaphoricallie that is by the spirit and by faith why doo we not also breake him metaphoricallie especiallie sith all eating hath in it a breaking D. Martyr Paule saith The bread which we breake And if you will vnderstand To breake for To crucifie we by a metaphor shall be said to crucifie Christ Howbeit I grant that all naturall eating hath in it selfe as you saie a breaking but yet all spirituall eating hath not so bicause that eating hath this respect that we should inioie the thing receiued as meate but it is not extended vnto this point that we should breake and grind with the téeth that which cannot be grinded or broken M. Morgan When we behold particularlie the gréefs which Christ indured vpon the crosse we are said metaphoricallie to be broken For the same agréeablenesse that is betwéene To eate and To receiue by faith the selfe-same is betwéene To breake and To behold or To knowe the gréefs of Christ vpon the crosse D. Martyr I woonder that you say there is an agréeablenesse betwéene To breake that is To crucifie Christ and To behold or knowe his gréefs vpon the crosse for we behold or sée with the eies and we breake with strength and with the hands Verelie I thinke you knowe that metaphors ought not to be so wide asunder Againe you double the metaphor séeing if we followe your mind one is in respect that To breake signifieth To crucifie and another that you refer this vnto knowledge And you that cannot abide that we in the words of the Lord This is my bodie should affirme anie figure doo frequent manie figures and those hard vnusuall And to the end you will not grant in the supper of the Lord the breaking of verie true bread you run headlong into what else soeuer M. Morgan To breake is a metaphor apt enough for that which is To behold and with the mind to remember the passion of Christ For Paule saith This is my bodie 1. Co. 11 24 which is broken for you And Bucer Contra Abrincensem episcopum alloweth that breaking may metaphoricallie be spoken of Christs bodie And this same conueniencie that To breake should be transferred vnto our knowledge is vsed in the English toong for we are said to breake doubts to our scholers D. Martyr And if anie where else this metaphor perhaps might be apt yet taketh it no place where Paule saith 1. Co. 10 16 The bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the bodie of Christ Where without doubt he respecteth the outward breaking and distribution of the Eucharist Trulie I confesse with Bucer that the bodie of Christ may be said to be broken that is to saie to haue suffered but I doo not allow that we can breake him that is to saie crucifie him Furthermore as touching your toong séeing I vnderstand it not I cannot shew the reason of such an english metaphor vnlesse perhaps you meane that To breake difficulties is as much to saie as to assoile them But those things which I haue said I haue spoken according as the Gréeke and Latine toong wherein we haue the scriptures of the new testament haue béene accustomed to speake The Visitors transferred the disputation to Doctor Tresham D. Tresham I Am constrained to omit those things which I purposed to speake séeing both the disputation is gon a good waie forward and the time is spent Therefore I humblie desire you his Maiesties Commissioners that you will as fauourablie heare this daies disputations as you did the other which were made the daies before which vndoubtedlie ye did most fauourablie Now our praiers premised let vs come to the matter The praier of Doctor Tresham O Most benigne Lord Iesus Christ the bread of eternall life who of thy vnspeakeable grace in thy mercie descendedst from heauen into mankind to take flesh of the virgins flesh and hauing taken vpon thee the same diddest vouchsafe to giue it a meate vnto vs euen that we should diligentlie eate the same in remembrance of thee and by the participation thereof to be made all one bodie grant vnto thy humble suppliants to feed and nourish vs perpetuallie with that most deintie food which we beleeue to be thy liuelie flesh and with that most pleasant drinke which we confesse to be thy verie bloud that thy light and truth being spread ouer all men we may be of one mind in thy house speaking and iudging all one thing and that there may be in vs no schismes but being perfect in the selfe-same mind and the selfe-same vnderstanding we may walke valiantlie in the strength of this meat euen vnto thy holie hill and by thy grace may be lead vnto thy tabernacles who with the Father and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest one and the same GOD world without end Amen I Remember Maister Doctor Peter that you promised when you disputed with me the first daie
vs to suffer Christ hauing suffered in the flesh arme your selues with the selfe same minde especially since he as it is said vnto the Hebrues suffered such gainesaying of sinners And againe Peter said Christ suffered for vs leauing an example that ye shoulde followe his steppes An Oration concerning the Resurrection of Christ CHrist in the Prophets is called the Sunne not onely because it lighteneth but because it setteth afterward riseth againe Ioh. 12. 24. So Christ died and rose againe He called himselfe a wheate corne which sufficeth not to be sowen for vnlesse it be corrupted and deade it brings foorth no fruite so was it not ynough for Christ to be borne but he would die that he might bring foorth fruite We haue made mention of his death now will we speake of his resurrection First we shall sée that Christ is risen Secondlie that we are risen together with him Thirdlie what we must now doe being raised vp As touching the first The resurrection of Christ Matt. 28. 1. Matthew saith that the women came earlie in the morning They say that vnto women was first shewed the resurrection to the intent that they which first brought death into the worlde might first bring tidings of the resurrection because they be weake and Christ vseth the ministerie of féeble things Leauing these allegations we must rather say that they had earnestly sorrowed at his death and for a certaine recompence it was good right that they should first reioyce So do the penitent with sorrow for the death of Christ especiallie because they crucified him receiue comfort Further they sought Christ and they which séeke him lose not their labour Wherefore if we do not finde Christ it is for that we do not repent and because we séeke him not These women worshipped him while he liued also they meant to do him the last honours when he was deade They did not as doth the world which first killeth the saintes and afterwarde worshippeth them when they be deade Howbeit if we shall speake the trueth the zeale and feruencie of these women was without faith and without a iust knowledge They had heard Christ tell them as touching his resurrection euen as the Angell tolde them nowe and yet they carried oyntments confections as though he shoulde not rise againe either they beléeued verie little or else they were forgetfull They were onely mooued of a certaine affection but not of faith Therefore they dealt vnwisely in their iourney Mark 16. 3. At the length came to their minde the rowling away of the graue stone which if they had considered of before they might haue brought one or two men with them So doth it happen where the wisedome of faith is not Mat. 26. 51. So did Peter thinke that hee had doone worthily when drawing out his sworde he cut off the eare of the high Priests seruant When we deale without faith manie thinges are foolishlie committed and oftentimes is giuen to God that which he requireth not as these women which vainely carried these swéete oyntments with them and as many at this day vse masses and choise of meates and such other kinde of thinges An Angel descended from heauen the testimonies of men wanted an Angell was present to shewe the resurrection By one and the same worke in the selfe same thing is shewed the state of the life to come Wee shal be as the Angels of God and shining as the sunne Wherefore the Angel did shine marueilously There was made an earthquake because in the resurrection is inuerted the nature of things And it behooued that the kéepers were terrified The women at the sight of the Angell were afraide by reason of the discorde which through sinne sprung vp betwéene our nature and the nature of Angels with whom neuerthelesse we ought to be familiar for they be our kéepers This dissention will indure vntill we haue put off our bodie The kéepers became as it were deade men they meant to haue kept downe Christ in the graue So woulde princes at this day by armes and councels haue the gospell to be buried Let mans counsell breake out it can preuaile nothing against God nay rather all things do happen quite otherwise They meant to terrifie all such as came and they themselues were made afraid They intended to let Christ from comming foorth and they themselues were let and became as deade men The Angell comforteth the women Feare ye not The Godly after feare doe receiue comfort by Angels because they speake the words of God and the worde of God doth comfort vs. The kéepers are not comforted because they be enimies of God and in enmitie doe perseuere He is risen he is not heere Against the vbiquitie of Christs bodie The bodie of Christ is not eueriewhere Tydings is brought vnto the disciples When we haue obtained any good thing we must communicate it with others He shall goe before into Galile Yet appeared he vnto them the viij dayes together wherein they were to tarry at Ierusalem by reason of the feast They were to returne into Galile because from thence they came The Lord was oftentimes conuersant with them in that place Acts. 1. 4. c. Vntill the time of Pentecost it behooued them to returne to Ierusalem then vpon mount Oliuet they saw him ascend into heauen and they were commaunded to tarrie at Ierusalem vntill they should be indued with power from heauen Nowe that the Lord is risen againe it appeareth by the testimonie of the Angel of the women and of the Euangelist But in the olde testament wheresoeuer we read that Christ shal reigne for euer there is shewed his resurrection In the oppression and deliuerance of the godly which is read in the olde Testament we haue the death and resurrection of Christ not in a figure but truely because Christ truelie suffereth in his members As for example Saule Saule whie doost thou persecute me Acts. 9. 4. Mat 12. 40 Psal 16. 10 Ionas shewed both as Christ saith And Dauid saith Thou shalt not leaue my Soule in hel nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption Christ foreshewed the same Destroy this temple Iohn 2. 19. and in three dayes I will builde it vp againe Mat. 17. 22. And in other places he oftentimes spake of betraying the sonne of man He prooued his resurrection by appearing the space of fortie daies Acts. 1. 3. He saith to his disciples in Emaus that Moses the Prophets Luk. 24. 26. and the Psalmes doe beare witnesse that it behooued Christ should suffer and so enter into his glorie Vnto the Corin. 1. Co. 15. 14 If Christ be not risen againe vaine is our preaching and vaine is your faith We are founde false witnesses They that bee deade in Christ are perished Neither should Christ haue béene the Lorde of the liuing and of the deade And vnto the Romans it is saide vnto this ende he is risen againe This much for
is no more to be found vnto which opinion I might easilie subscribe For séeing that place was assigned vnto man when he was innocent he ceasing to be such a one vnto what vse should the garden serue Wherefore this place either was taken awaie when the floud drowned the world or else immediatelie after the curse giuen to the man the woman and the serpent when as the earth also was cursed and then all those pleasures and delights perished Against which opinion that neuertheles may séeme to be which is spoken of the Cherubim that was set with a two edged sword for kéeping of the same But it may be answered that this was then doone for the terrifieng of Adam or else that kind of custodie remained vntill Noahs floud These things may we declare vnto you out of the saieng of diuerse interpretours when as yet there is no certeine determination made of this thing out of the holie scriptures That Adam vsed the Hebrue toong ¶ That Adam vsed the Hebrue spech it is noted vpon Gen. the first verse the eight And of the confusion of toongs looke the eleuenth chapter of Genesis Also if anie be desirous to knowe the originall of diuerse nations and countries let him read in Genesis the tenth chapter and Iudg. 12 verse 6. Of the long life of the Fathers 31 But some men might muse in their mind In 2. Sam. 19 verse 35. how it happened that the old Fathers before the floud and a while after liued so long and that this age afterward was shortened by little and little vntill it was brought by a common course vnto fourescore yéeres Manie were the causes of that long life in the old time An addition And it hath beene the generall opinion as well among the philosophers as Diuines Causes of the long life of the fathers that those ancients liued al that while by nature and not miraculouslie And the first reason that mooued them thervnto was that our first parents Adam and Eue were created immediatelie by the hand of God without anie meanes of man or of anie other corruptible thing wherefore it is presupposed that he made them of an excellent complexion of a perfect agreement and proportion of humors by which meanes the children proceeding from them resembled their parents in sound and good complexion vntill the third generation Secondlie in those daies they had no such cause to breed diseases and infirmities as did afterward followe to their succession Thirdlie their temperance in eating and drinking as well in quantitie as in qualitie did much further them bicause they were not acquainted with the eating of flesh nor yet with the confection of so manie deintie dishes as we are in these daies Furthermore in those daies fruits plants and hearbs were of more vertue than now they be bicause they sprang from a new made ground as yet became not barren with the inundation of waters Also Adam out of all doubt knew the propertie of all hearbs and plants for the preseruation of health more than we at this daie doo and brought the same knowledge to his succession after him Moreouer the course of the heauens and the influence of the stars planets were then more fauourable vnto them than they be now vnto vs when as they haue passed so manie eclipses aspects and coniunctions whereof proceedeth so great alterations and changes vpon the earth Besides this many children were then to be procreated and the world to be replenished which was doone by the meanes of long life Arts were to be found out wherefore long life was requisite for they are learned by experience And that which was the chéefest cause it behooued that the worshipping of the onlie true God should be reteined among men which thing in so great a varietie of people might hardlie haue béene doone Afterward when so great a procreation was not néedfull when artes were found out and the holie scriptures vnto which the seruice of God was fastened were giuen vnto vs long life would haue béene tedious Gen. 5 32. Gen. 47 9. The patriarch Iacob said Few and euill are the daies of thy seruant if they should be compared vnto the age of our forefathers not to our age So this shortening of mans age was doone of a certeine mercie of God towards vs. But whie did those first men absteine so long from procreation of children For it is written Why it was so long before the fathers did procreate Gen. 5. that they begat children at the age of fiue hundred yéeres at a hundred and thirtie and not before Augustine in the 15. booke De ciuitate Del the 15. chapter saith that It may be answered two maner of waies the first is that in these men it was long before they came to the age of procreation that they inioied not the power of séed so soone as we doo Which answer may thus be confirmed our age is diuided into infancie childhood youth and mans state Wherein if so be the number of yéeres be proportioned to the rate of our whole age so was it then And therefore if their life did so greatlie excéed ours it behooued also that the time of their infancie childhood should be more at length extended and inlarged The second answer is that in that genealogie the descent is not reckoned from one first begotten to another For it may be that there were others begotten euen before them which thing is after this maner declared The purpose of the scripture is to conueigh the course of the narration vnto Abraham from whom the people of Israel had their beginning wherefore in the genealogie those children are chosen to be described by whom they descend vnto him But it is of no necessitie that those had béene of the first begotten Matt. 1 1. Euen as in the gospell of Matthew where the meaning of the Euangelist in describing of the stocke of Christ is to descend by Dauid vnto Christ himselfe therefore he dooth not alwaies take the first begotten for Ismael was borne before Isaac Esau went before Iacob and in the order of the procreation Iuda among the children of Iacob was not the first begotten And by Iuda himselfe other children were begotten before Phares Zeram of Thamar Neither was Dauid the eldest son of his father but the yoongest among the rest of his brethren But by others the stocke would not haue descended vnto Christ But whie speciallie it was so long before that Noah begat children was as saith Rabbi Selomoh bicause that the children which should haue béene begotten before of him might easilie haue béene infected with the vices of other men And God would that they at the time of the floud should be yoonger wherby they might not be infected with such horrible vices as others were Finallie it is thus argued These if they had béene borne long before the floud would either haue béene iust or wicked if they had béene wicked they must
the molten calfe Exod. 32 20 Other good princes also and Serenus the bishop of Massilia Neither haue we euer perceiued that the scripture condemned ouerthrowers of images but the workers of images The first perhaps Who first painted churches which painted the church was Paulinus the bishop of Nola which yéelded this reason for the fact When the faithfull sort met togither vpon the holie daie to celebrate the memorie of Felix the martyr they were interteined with a religious banket and when they were more giuen to féeding of their bodie than reason would that father deuised to paint vpon the wall the histories of the old testament of the new to the end that the people by beholding of them might the more soberlie behaue themselues in their banket But howsoeuer that holie and godlie father ment in other matters yet in this matter he offended double For first he should not haue banketed the people in the church séeing we know that in the church of the Corinths there were manie things found fault withall by the apostle 1. Co. 11 22 concerning those feasts Moreouer he did amisse in that he thought men were more instructed by dumbe pictures than by the liuelie word of God Wherfore did he not rather teach them by a liuelie voice that they should temperatlie and soberlie spend out the time of the holie feast This had béene the ordinarie waie and meanes and most void of all danger Prudentius Prudentius also which liued in the time of Honorius and Theodosius singing the passion of Cassianus the martyr said that The historie of him was pictured in the church And in the seuenth Synod which was holden vnder Constantius and Hiren Nilus a bishop one Nilus a bishop is brought in which counselleth him that should build a new church to garnish the wals on euerie side with images and pictures But what bishop this was it is not knowen a martyr indéed he is called in this respect that he so became for Christ in the time of Dioclesian But it can not be he bicause it was not then permitted vnto the christians to build churches publikelie Further in that second Synod of Nice we read manie feined things and those things which were cited by those fathers for the most part are not extant in the booke of those men which were of sound iudgement There also it is reported that Gregorius Nissenus wept at such time as he passed by the image of Abraham but whether that image were in the waie or in the temple it appéereth not There also it is read that the martyrdome of Euphemia the virgine was painted out in the temple of the citie of Calcedonia howbeit so farre as I can gather these pictures were in the church-porch Augustins temple had no images But that Augustine had no images in his temple it appéereth hereby that he expounding those words of the 113. psalme The images of the Gentiles be siluer and gold euen the works of mens hands he writeth The works of mens hands for they worship that which they themselues made of gold and of siluer Doubtlesse we also haue manie instruments and vessels of such kind of matter or metall for the vse of celebrating the sacraments the which vessels being consecrated to the ministerie it selfe are called holie in the honor of him whom hereby we serue for our saluation And these vessels I beséech you are they anie other thing than the works of mens hands Yet notwithstanding haue they a mouth speake not Haue they eies yet will not sée Doo we praie to them bicause through them we make supplications vnto God That is a verie mad cause of impietie Wherefore it is manifest that images were not there for otherwise he would haue confessed himselfe inexcusable 24 Moreouer in the same Synod they cite Basil in his oration of the fortie martyrs A place in an oration of Basil expounded But that which they alledge maketh nothing to the matter now in hand For Basil affirmeth not that the acts of these martyrs were described in the temple but in the commending of them in his oration he saith that he would doo rightlie and orderlie whereby others might againe and againe be strengthened in faith For painters while they paint foorth the acts of valiant men they stirre vp others vnto laudable enterprises Men began euen at the first vpon a readie good will borne vnto Christ and to his apostles to haue some of their images at home with them Afterward being not satisfied with the priuate vse of them they set them not within the temples but in the porches Againe they considered with themselues What if they should be put in churches would they not bring such and such things vnto our memorie And finallie there insued an adoration Constantine with his sonne Iustinian at the temple of Sophia made pictures the which afterward Philippicus tooke awaie for which cause there followed afterward verie fierce contentions And séeing Paule saith 2. Cor. 6 16. How agreeth the temple of God with idols Is it not a shame at this daie that churches should be fraught with images How the ancient Christians ordered themselues in praiers Tertullian expresseth in his Apologetico the 30. chapter We saith he honor GOD with our eies lifted vp to the heauens and not vnto pictures Lib. Instit 2 cap. 2. Lactantius reproouing the Ethniks saith If ye thinke that those whom the images doo represent be in heauen whie doo you not lift vp your eies vnto heauen Wherefore it is lawfull so to saie vnto our aduersaries If ye thinke that the saints be in heauen whie doo ye not lift vp your eies vnto them which ye turne vnto the images in the temples Also we may prooue by an other argument Other arguments to proue that the Christians had no images that Christians had no images in their temples For Aelius Lampridius describing the liues of the thirtie tyrants among other things saith that Adrianus the emperor had decréed to appoint churches vnto the Christians but that there was one which did dissuade him that he should not doo it For he said If thou doo this the temples and images will be forsaken and all men will become Christians For those churches which the emperor was minded to giue them he builded without images Insomuch as those churches which were afterward erected without images were called the temples of Adrian Moreouer it must be considered that those things ought not to be had in the churches which call men backe from the religion of Christ Vndoubtedlie verie manie as well of the Turks as Iewes would be content to become christians were it not that they be greatlie offended at our images Paulus Ricius a learned Hebrue Wherevpon Paulus Ricius a verie learned Hebrue which was christened at Pauia said It was verie expedient that images should be remooued out of churches bicause manie of the Hebrues by the meanes of them be called
had them to make peace with the Chananites of their owne accord but it is added Vnlesse they had demanded peace but they alone desired it This therefore is not against the commandement of God especiallie séeing they not onlie did receiue the religion of the Israelites but also were appointed for perpetuall seruice vnto the tabernacle Also the Israelites thought themselues to be deceiued by their owne fault bicause they had not taken counsell from the mouth of the Lord. The promise which Dauid made was not lawfull namelie that a wicked man should be spared Therefore it is no maruell if afterward he warned Salomon that this euill might be amended 13 But verie manie doo doubt In 1. kin 8. verse 31. Whether an oth must be giuen vnto him that is suspected of periurie whether it be lawfull to offer an oth vnto him which is suspected of periurie and by great coniectures is thought that he will be forsworne For not onelie sinnes must be auoided but also there must be no occasions of sinning offered vnto our neighbours To this I answer It is necessarie for vs to ponder that they which offer an oth be not all of one sort Wherfore if they be iudges that doo it and that the order of lawe require that an oth should be offered in obeieng of the lawe they sinne not Let them commit the matter vnto God and diligentlie warne him of his dutie vnto whom they offer the oth For as it hath béene said the lawe of God in Exodus commanded that in certeine cases an oth should be taken This if the iudge obserue it can not rightlie be said that he giueth a true occasion of periurie But if so be the oth shall be voluntarie to wit betwéene priuate persons it must not be offered to such a man as vpon iust cause is suspected of periurie For it is not lawfull to anie man for his owne aduantage sake to prouoke an other man vnto sinne As touching priuate conclusions bargains and couenants let them be omitted rather than for our sakes the name of God should be made a iesting stocke 1. kin 8 31. Wherefore that which Salomon desireth is holie and iust namelie that euill may be taken awaie from the people and that men may be terrified from taking of the name of the Lord in vaine either by denieng of a truth or affirming a falsehood by the testimonie of his name King Salomon desired nothing but that he knew God himselfe did like of For in the ten commandements it is written Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for God will not account him innocent that so dooth but will gréeuouslie punish him as one that is guiltie That this might come to passe Salomon desired and especiallie vnto them that forsware themselues in that house which he had latelie builded The oths which as I said were taken were accustomed to be doone ouer against the altar of sacrifice that is in the court of those men that were cleane But the oth of prophane persons which commonlie they call the laitie was doone at the wall whereby the court of the priests was seuered from the same Whie an oth was inuented and how inuiolablie it should be kept Certeinelie an oth was inuented for the honour and glorie of the name of God and was commanded in the lawe So then it is the part of a good prince to be verie circumspect that it fall not out otherwise namelie to the contumelie and iniurie of God And therfore Salomon is to be commended when he praieth that the honour due vnto the name of GOD might remaine entire and that euerie mans owne so far foorth as is possible might be rendered vnto him and that the lawe of laieng to pledge or of stealing or of dooing harme might be kept inuiolate But at the first shew it séemeth that Salomon did not the office of a godlie king bicause he desireth iustice and damnation vnto sinners To this may be answered that he likewise on the other side desireth good things vnto those that were innocent namelie that right iudgement might be ministred vnto them and that God would defend their cause Further it must be considered that the glorie of God and publike safetie is to be preferred before the commodities of priuate men But God hath delt much more seuerelie against periurie The seuere chastisement of periurie verse 3. as it is in the sixt chapter of Leuiticus for there he not onelie condemned the periured man but also all those which being priuie of the periurie held their peace For the lawe commanded that they which for a certeintie knew that an oth was falslie taken shuld in stepping forth reueale the same that the name of God might not be had in derision Wherefore Salomon praieth God that he will heare it out of heauen The seuenth Chapter The fourth precept of sanctifieng the sabboth daie In Gen. 2 at the beginning IN the seuenth daie God finished his worke which he had made not that he created anie thing the seuenth daie but that so farre forth as our vnderstanding reacheth it might be knowne that he finished all things the seuenth daie when as we knowe that there was nothing made by him vpon that daie Some thinke that the letter Caph which is added vnto Iod dooth signifie Before and they cite the place out of the 25. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 4. Thou shalt not moosill the oxe before the treading out of the corne But it prooueth it not bicause héere we may also vnderstand it in the treading out Howbeit héere in verie déed there is no question for the same consummation perfection or finishing of cretures is not anie worke added to things created the sixt daie but that on this seuenth daie the things are noted to haue béene finished and made perfect In that he rested the seuenth daie vnderstand it not from labour but from the worke of creating For Rest may betoken two things How the word rest is to be vnderstood either the end and termination of that which is doone and so it is taken in this place or else as a refreshing after labour which thing must not be ascribed vnto God for without anie maner of labour did he create the world But as the Hebrues saie in the letter He which is vttered with a breth onelie By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hoste of them with the breath of his mouth verse 6. The number of seuen Psalme 33. Let vs héere passe ouer the mysteries of the number of seuen wherewith vndoubtedlie God is delighted séeing he hath comprised in that number the great and noble things which he made and commanded And this onelie let vs note that of euerie seuen daies one must be reserued vnto God How did God cease from working Ioh. 5 17. séeing he now also worketh Yea and he is a pure and méere act neither is that most
that Christ was therefore come to lead vs vnto a higher philosophie The true religion he calleth philosophie to take awaie the pride of the Graecians who attributed so much vnto their philosophie Ierom. Ierom writeth héereof in diuers places to Geruntia to Eustochius and against Iouinianus And among other things he writeth that Christ was Alpha Omega Apoc. 1 8. that is The first the last And when the mater was now come to Omega that is Vnto the last the same was reuoked by Christ to Alpha that is Vnto the beginning for that it pleased God as Paule saith to the Ephesians to bring althings into one Ephe. 1. 10. restore them in Christ that such things as yet were vnperfect might be brought to perfection Vnto Eustochius he saith that the world before time was vnreplenished but when the haruest was ripe God put to his syth that is to saie he cut off such libertie The Valentinians and Martionits by reason of this fact of the old fathers accused the God of the old testament but Christ they said the sonne of the good God reuoked this sufferance of the euill god Ierom answereth We diuide not the lawe and the Gospell neither doo we set Christ against his Father but we worship one God who would haue it for that time but now hath decréed against it For that then was the time to scatter stones abroad now is the time to gather them vp then was the time of imbrasing now is the time to absteine from imbrasings Bréefelie he saith that the fathers serued their times And that that saieng Gen. 1 28. Increase and multiplie is not in the same force at this daie for in old time virginitie was reprochefull that now Paule writeth The time is but short 1. Cor. 7 29 and therefore they which haue wiues let them be as though they had none And he addeth that Christ dooth allow of them Matt. 19 12 which haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauens sake Also Augustine De doctrina christiana Augustine in the third booke and 13. chapter saith that Those forefathers were so chast as if they had happened to be in our daies they would haue made themselues chast for the kingdome of heauen These things among the fathers must be read with iudgement for their mind was by all meanes to extoll virginitie and single life In verie déed Paule praiseth virginitie yet so 1. Cor. 7 26. The reason of Pauls praising virginitie as if a man perceiue that by that meanes the kingdome of heauen may be enlarged or if by dooing otherwise it may be hindered He praiseth it I saie not as a thing which of his owne force and of it selfe pleaseth God but as a state wherin we may the more commodiouslie and readilie spred the Gospell Augustine saith that now we cannot haue manie wiues but with lust bicause it would be against lawes and customes which cannot be violated without vnlawfull lust Also against Faustus he saith Bicause it was then the maner it was no sinne but now bicause it is not the maner it is sinne Clemens Clemens in his Stromata which place I cited before when he had said that God in the lawe required polygamie added afterward that the same is not now lawfull And Iustine against Tryphon saith Iustine that now euerie one dooth reioise vnder his vine that is Euerie one hath his owne wife and that is but one onelie And he reprooueth the Rabbins who as yet gaue leaue to themselues to haue more than one Out of Origin we cannot learne anie thing for a certeintie Origin he so plaieth in his allegories and manie wiues he maketh manie vertues and he saith that he is most happie that hath manie By all these things it appéereth that polygamie is at this daie forbidden And to all these I also adde this that the Romane laws did neuer permit polygamie and it is the part of a good citizen to obeie good lawes Yea and Plutarch saith that There followed a most gréeuous disturbance of the publike weale and of the whole world when that lawe was broken For after that Antonie who alreadie had in marriage Octauia the sister of Octauius Caesar had also married Cleopatra the people tooke it in ill part and Augustus most of all so as they put themselues in armes one against another with all their indeuour and power 15 Now must I confute those arguments An answer vnto the reasons making for polygamie To the first reason which we brought at the beginning for polygamie Abraham saie they and other fathers were holie men and had manie wiues Here might I make answer at a word that we must liue by lawes and not by examples But I adde moreouer that God either willed it or bare with it It is therefore a paralogisme A paralogisme or false argument A secundum quid ad simpliciter that is when that which is but in some respect is put for that which is absolute God dispensed with them will he therefore with vs also Or else it was a good thing in them is it therfore good of it selfe But the prophets reprooued not that fact To the second What maruell is it For they sawe it was either licenced by God or else doubtlesse permitted Howbeit A paralogisme here there is a false argument when that which is not the cause is put for the cause séeing it was permitted them for propagation or for figure sake Now there is no néed either of so populous a propagation or else of such a figure To the third They repented not It is no maruell bicause no man can repent him of the fact which he is ignorant of For it was a tollerable ignorance or else that which I rather beléeue they sawe it was lawfull for them GOD gaue the wiues of Saule into the bosome of Dauid 2. Sam. 12 8 It was lawfull insomuch as he had dispensed with his lawe To the fourth Or if anie man will saie that God permitted that vnto Dauid onelie this is the meaning namelie that God gaue the kingdome vnto Dauid then it followed that he might marrie the wiues of Saule if he would sith no man could then let him But the first answer pleaseth me better To the fift God made no lawe against polygamie And no maruell for his will was that that people should mightilie increase Afterward by Christ he reuoked it to the first institution So that which was wanting in Moses is supplied by Christ A brother although he had a wife yet he was compelled to marrie the wife of his brother that was dead To the sixt The case is particular and prerogatiues must not be drawne vnto examples God would haue that to be doone for certeine causes not onelie in the lawe but also before the lawe as appéereth by the children of Iuda and his daughter in lawe Thamar Moreouer the Rabbins saie
it was necessarie that other signes should be ordeined Neither ought this to séeme absurd For when we signifie anie thing that is doone or that is to be doone we vse diuers and sundrie maner of spéech The verie same he writeth vnto Ianuarius to Optatus and else-where Neither is that anie lett which the same father vpon the 73. psalme speaketh on this wise Their sacraments promised saluation our declare a Sauiour Of these words the Papists doo woonderfullie boast and crie out that our sacraments doo giue grace which the sacraments of the Hebrues could not giue Howbeit How our sacraments are said to giue saluation what Augustines mind was in that place they cannot tell He ment nothing else but that which he taught against Faustus namelie that our sacraments doo giue and exhibite Christ that is they testifie and beare record that he is giuen and exhibited For he addeth I saie not that it hath now saluation but bicause Christ is now come And if Augustine at anie time saie that the thing which is now vnto vs and that was in time past promised vnto the Iewes is not all one vndoubtedlie he dealeth concerning other things and not touching that which was principall in the promises of God For in them besides Christ there was promised an earthlie kingdome Also the countrie of Chanaan being a land flowing with milke and honie and such other like things were promised which be strange and differing from the promises of the Gospell But Christ is common both to vs and to them and is to vs no otherwise than he was vnto them 13 Now come I vnto the former demand wherein was asked How our sacraments be of greater vertue How our sacraments can be of more vertue if the thing be one on both parts Hervnto I answer when the selfe-same thing is set before vs of the which one man taketh more than another there is no difference in the thing it selfe but in the instrument wherwith it is taken A similitude As if so be that a heape of monie be set before anie man from whence it may be lawfull for euerie one to take so much as he is able to hold in his hand the larger and more strong hand euerie one hath so much the more may he take of the monie set before him euen so séeing our faith wherewith we comprehend Christ is greater and more strong than was that of the Iewes we take more of Christ than they in the old time did Whether our faith be greater than the faith of the Iewes But thou wilt saie How can our faith be greater than was the faith of the Iewes Here it behooued to answer warilie For there were some among the Hebrues indued with excellent faith namelie the prophets and patriarchs of the which diuers spent euen their life for religion sake Neither is there anie more beléeued of vs than was of them séeing their Church and ours is all one Christ is ours alike but the difference is in the perspicuitie of the things beléeued For to vs in these daies all things are more cléere and manifest than they were to them Vnto vs Christ is borne is dead is risen out of the graue and is taken vp into heauen all which things they also had but more obscurelie and as it were in a shadowe Séeing therefore these things are more bright and manifest vnto vs our faith also may be called greater and more sure bicause it is more stirred vp by things that be manifest than it is by obscure things For which cause in times past the faith in Christ was verie smallie aduanced beyond the borders of Iewrie whereas at this daie it is spred ouer all the world And when I saie that our faith is greater than the faith of the Iewes I meane of the vniuersall state of them and as it happened for the most part and in most places generallie and not of particular persons For I dare not affirme that the faith of anie man was more stedfast than the faith of Abraham of Dauid of Esaie and such like For Christ testified of Abraham that He sawe his daie and was glad Esaie also Iohn 8 56. in the 53. chapter All the chapter so expressed the whole kingdome of Christ and his death as Ierom pronounceth him rather to be an Euangelist than a prophet And Dauid Psalme 2 verse 22 c in his psalmes most plainlie prophesieth manie things of Christ 14 But there séemeth to be no small controuersie In .1 Cor. 10 verse 3. betwéene those words in the tenth chapter of the first to the Corinthians and that which Christ taught in the sixt of Iohn where he said Iohn 6 32 and 49. that the meate which he ordeined was a great deale better than that which the fathers had by Moses in the wildernesse who he saith were dead although they vsed that meate And he declared that they which did eate him being the true bread should not die Moreouer he addeth that Moses did not giue them bread from heauen and that he is the bread the which God the father sent from heauen These things doo shew that Christ put no small difference betwéene our sacraments and the sacraments of the old fathers whereas Paule indeuoureth to make them all one Howbeit in the holie scriptures things be sometimes intreated of according to their owne nature but otherwhiles according to that that men with whom they haue to doo estéeme of them Paule so writeth of the sacrament of the old-fathers as the nature thereof was and as it was granted by God But Christ hath a respect vnto the iudgement and disposition of those men which came vnto him who repaired to him for no other cause but to be satisfied with the bread For they sawe that a few daies before he had satisfied a verie great number with a few loaues for which cause they said vnto him What signe doost thou that we may beleeue thee For Moses gaue Manna vnto the fathers in the wildernesse As if they had said It behoueth thée also if thou wilt haue the multitude to obeie thée to susteine them no lesse than Moses did Séeing therefore Christ perceiued before hand that these men estéemed or imbrased nothing in this meate which the fathers receiued in the wildernesse saue onelie the outward substance which filled the bellie he tempered his doctrine to reprooue this base and vile vnderstanding of theirs and speaketh of the outward substance of that meate and not of the spirituall thing which was represented thereby and as he might called their minds from that earthlie meate In what respect Christ denied that Manna came from heauen vnto the spirituall foode and denied that Manna as concerning corporall substance was from heauen For as it was vnderstood by them the diuine and heauenlie nature of Christ was secluded there-from And so he concluded that they which were like vnto these might not be quickened with that meate
conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead buried who descended into hell the third daie he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from thence shall hee come to iudge both the quicke and the dead In the person of the sonne fiue things to be noted In these articles whereby we are led to beléeue those things which be necessarie to saluation we are to note fiue things of the greatest importance concerning the second person in diuinitie which as I haue said is called the sonne The first is that this sonne of God Iesus Christ is our true and lawfull Lord Secondlie that he was made to be such a one for our vse and behoofe Thirdlie that whatsoeuer he suffered hée suffered for our sakes Fourthlie that he was also for our commoditie exalted aboue all heauens Finallie that he shall come at the last day for our succour Now therefore let vs sée touching the first That Iesus Christ is truelie and properlie our Lord. to wit that Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God is truelie and properlie our Lord. Of which matter that we may intreat orderlie let vs first sée who this is that we set foorth with the title of Lord for afterward it will easilie be iudged whether so excellent a prerogatiue be fit for him or no. And we be constrained as faith it selfe witnesseth to vs to confesse that this Christ is nothing else but a particular person in whome are ioined togither the diuine and humane nature with an indissoluble knot And this dooth Iohn in the first chapter manifestlie declare verse 14. saieng that The word became flesh Whereas by the names of Word and Flesh hée meaneth nothing but these two natures Christ both God and man namelie that God and man is a perpetuall societie in the person of Christ And as concerning the word it may easilie be gathered bicause it is written before verse 1. And the word was with God and that word was God Also that Flesh in the holy scriptures betokeneth humane nature Flesh in the scripture signifieth humane nature it is verie euident vnto him that diligentlie and manie times peruseth them ouer But to procéed no further without some testimonie of this matter I will bring two whereof the first is in Esaie Esaie 40 5. where it is thus spoken And all flesh shall see that God spake and the latter is in that Ioel 2 28. which is spoken of Ioel I will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh In the which places it is manifest that in the name of flesh there is signified men Hereby therefore it appeareth that the Euangelist when he said that the word was made flesh ment no other than that which he had first declared namelie that the natures diuine and humane were vnited togither in Christ 6 Moreouer that humane nature was in him the things which follow in this place doo plainlie enough declare to wit that he suffered death and was buried Wherefore the enimies of christian religion I meane the subtiler and more wittie sort doo not for the most part oppose themselues much against the humane nature of Christ and they which at a certeine time went about to make triall of it were easilie conuicted and confuted But the number of them was greater which stirred vp often tumults The diuinitie of Christ was more oppugned than was his humanitie and that with greater vehemencie concerning the deitie of Christ Neuerthelesse their false and peruerse opinion was constrained of necessitie to their great shame to giue place to the cléere and comfortable light of the holie scriptures For besides that testimonie of Iohn now cited Iohn 1 1. And the word was God we haue that saieng of the apostle which he wrote vnto the Romans Rom. 9 5. to wit that Christ according to the flesh should come of the people of the Iewes And therewithall he addeth Who is God blessed for euer These two places being so manifest they ought to suffice for the confirming of the mindes of faithfull men in the truth of God But yet the holie scriptures doo furnish vs with manie other places besides these if we will ponder them well Wherefore I leaue it wholie to the iudgement and wisedome of them which frequent themselues modestlie in the reading of the scriptures I for my part am satisfied with this one reason which I would not passe ouer in silence For it is fit enough not onelie to prooue but also constraineth to confesse that Christ is the true God This expresse prohibition is plainlie vttered in manie places namelie that we must not put our trust in anie creature no not in verie man by name as in Ieremie this is manifestlie shewed Iere. 17 5. Curssed is hee that trusteth in man and putteth flesh for his arme Further Psal 146 5. Dauid dooth earnestlie reprehend the confidence which they vsed to put in men and in princes Wherefore if Christ be a méere man and by no meanes God it may not be lawfull for vs to trust in him at all which notwithstanding the holie scriptures doo not onelie permit but also command expresselie that our faith be fastened with a liuelie hope in Christ or in Messias if so be thou list to call him as the Iewes did that on the other side whosoeuer dooth not beléeue nor trust in him is subiect to the cursse Herby therefore we boldlie conclude that this particular person of whom we presentlie intreat hath verelie in himselfe the nature both diuine and humane What the names of Iesus and Christ signifie 7 For which cause it is not in vaine that he is described vnto vs in the bookes of the holie scriptures by this famous double name IESVS CHRIST Whereof the one namelie IESVS signifieth nothing else but A sauiour which hath deliuered the children of God from their sinnes and therefore from all euill Matth. 1 21 For Ioseph the husband of Marie was commanded by the angel to call him IESVS séeing Hee shall saue his people saith he from their sinnes And I haue added further From all euill bicause there is no euill which hath not his originall from sinne So as he that can glorie that the root of euill is taken from him may also affirme iustlie that he hath rid awaie all euill But this if we doo not perfectlie as yet perceiue we shall at the length prooue it in that happie time of resurrection The other name certeinelie which is CHRIST betokeneth The annointed of God and the sanctified king which name dooth verie well agrée with him séeing that by the guide of his spirit and word he directeth and leadeth his children to life eternall Wherefore by reason of those two natures whereof he consisteth and by those two names it is easilie perceiued that the title wherewith we magnifie him calling him Our
verse 19. Which may be vnderstood after this sort namelie that he might reprooue them for their obstinacie and vnbeléefe wherein they were hardened against the word of God and against the godlie admonitions which euer among were propounded vnto them while they yet liued or else that he euen then shewed vnto them that same holsome and most true word Which word séeing they being alwaies like to themselues did obstinatelie reiect and being dead reteined still that incredulitie which they did being aliue they themselues gaue a most manifest testimonie against themselues of their most iust condemnation especiallie séeing they might not anie longer pretend anie maner of ignorance Thus the wisedome of God through his iudgements carieth perfect praise and renowme And here we are to craue of GOD that he will vouchsafe to giue vnto vs such a mind as we estéeme not more of our peruerse lusts than of a stinking carcase which is alreadie laid close in a sepulchre and that he will so open our heart to imbrace his holie promises least while our eares are striken onelie with the outward sound of them we wickedlie resist the truth certeintie of them It is our part also that séeing Christ by so manie labours and sufferings approoued him selfe for certeintie to be verie man we being comforted by his helpe should plainlie meditate diuine and heauenlie life And hauing so great a benefite giuen of God by the death and buriall of Christ we should doo him no small wrong if we would in verie déed thinke that our owne works auaile anie thing for reconcilement of vs vnto him when as we professe rather by this article of faith that he was pacified with mankind by the onelie death of Christ and by his bitter passion He rose againe the third daie he ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie 21 If Christ that onelie sonne of God Looke the dialog De vtraque in Christo natura The resurrection of Christ the triumph of our faith A similitude which came downe vnto vs and for our saluation was slaine by a most bitter death of the crosse had shroonke or not béene able to haue susteined death and being closed in the sepulchre had tasted the force of corruption as other men doo how might we haue confidence to be saued by him that had not béene able to saue himselfe In like maner as if a man that would proffer his helpe to one perishing in the water leapeth with a good courage into the water neuerthelesse he himselfe whiles he indeuoureth to saue another perisheth being swallowed vp in the déepe of the water can he that perisheth himselfe bring anie helpe to him that is perishing Vndoubtedlie no other commoditie can come thereof but that the losse groweth to be double if vnto the death of the first there is also added the death of a second who by his death should bring so much the more losse in how much his life was more pure and holie So then it altogither behoued first that for our saluation Christ should deliuer himselfe from death then to persuade vs most fullie that by faith in him saluation is obteined for vs. Wherefore they which beheld him hanging vpon the crosse did reprochfullie cast him in the téeth with these things Matt. 27 42 Let him saue himselfe and we will beleeue him he saued others himselfe he cannot saue And he rose againe from death wherein he expressed foorth a greater power than if he had then descended from the crosse He stroue in such sort with death as he mightilie conquering and destroieng the same might not be reteined thereby For this cause doo we here confesse that he was raised vp the third daie according to the scriptures and that by his fathers decrée he ascended into heauen and that he sitteth at the right hand of the father By which article of our faith we now sucke out most swéet comfort to wit Two worthie things to be noted in the resurrection of Christ The glorie of Christ that Christ is exalted for our saluation And here fall out two things most worthie to be noted the first is what maner of exaltation and new glorie of Christ the same was the second what profit may redound to the faithfull therby 22 Whosoeuer is desirous to perceiue aright vnto what a heigth Christ is raised vp first it behooueth him to weigh vnto how base an estate he first of his owne accord humbled himselfe for our sakes This dooth Paule in his epistle to the Philippians contriue in few words Phil. 2 7. He saith he made himselfe of no reputation and tooke on him the forme of a seruant and was made like vnto men and was found in shape as a man hee humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto death euen to the death of the crosse In like maner also as we haue more at large shewed before Christes spirit separated from his bodie his bodie was closed vp in the sepulchre but his soule had proofe of that state which the spirits of men enter into when they be separated from their bodies by death The viler therefore and more abiect that these things were vnto the shew so much the more honourable it was to dispatch himselfe from hence and to mount vp vnto things méere contrarie And séeing that mankind is subiect euery where to sundrie miseries those doubtlesse are no small miseries which euen they commonlie suffer who abounding in riches séeme to haue obteined the more happie state of life Yet the miseries of the poore be more gréeuous but when they serue in bondage they be much more extreame A similitude Howbeit if so be that a man which is of a couragious noble mind be deliuered into the bondage of such his enimies as not onelie are of base calling among men but also of naughtie and wicked behauiour his lamentable and miserable state séemeth then to be most intollerable Yet verelie all these things happened vnto Christ who as he vndoubtedlie put on the true nature of man so was he a seruant not onelie vnto his disciples vnto whome he said that He came into the world Mat. 20 28. not to be ministred vnto but to minister vnto others which the thing it selfe declared when as he humbled himselfe euen vnto the ground to wash their féet Ioh. 13 5. but that which is a great deale harder he declared himselfe as a seruant euen to his owne enimies namelie vnto the wicked and vnto them which were wholie couered in the sinke of wickednes towards whom he so executed the parts of a seruant as for the safetie of them he spent his owne life And this is it that Paule writeth in his epistle to the Romans Rom. 5 6. 8. 10. When as saith he wee were yet but weake sinners enimies and wicked men Christ died for vs. He therefore being so humbled and abased as he is called by the prophet A worme and no
great euils but also hearing them reported of from all parts of the world yet doo they not praie vnto God neither are they therewith anie thing touched in mind 11 But perhaps some man will saie that fastings bicause they be partlie Iewish and partlie Heathenish may séeme to be farre from our purpose Fastings commended in the new testament verse 2. But that it is not so it may easilie be prooued by the new testament In the Acts of the apostles the 13. chapter the church being admonished by an oracle that Paule and Barnabas should be chosen to visit the cities townes where the Gospell had béene preached first decréed a fast then did laie their hands vpon them verse 23. And in the 14. chapter when they returned home after the accomplishment of their busines in Iconium Lystria and Antiochia they ordeined a fast and created ministers and elders in euerie citie Augustine Augustine in his epistle to Cassulanus saith that When Peter was to talke with Simon Magus at Rome vpon the saturdaie the church of Rome vpon the sabboth daie proclaimed a fast which custome was alwaies afterward reteined Ierom. Ierom in his prolog vpon Matthew saith that Iohn being desired of the churches to write the Gospell against Ebion and Cerinthus who denied the diuine nature of Christ answered that he would doo it if the whole church would first proclaime a publike fast which also Eusebius in his Ecclesiasticall historie dooth testifie Eusebius Paule in like maner in the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 5. the seuenth chapter admonisheth those that are ioined togither in matrimonie not to defraud one another but with consent to giue themselues to fasting and praier In which place I thinke he meaneth publike praiers and also publike fast for fellowship of marriage nothing letteth but that they may be priuatelie vsed But whether he ment publike fasts or priuate it forceth not greatlie Moreouer Christ being asked of his apostles Why they could not heale the dumbe and cast out the diuell He answered Matt. 17 19. Bicause of your vnbeleefe and he added This kind of diuels is cast out onelie by fasting and praier That place is somewhat darke and therefore it shall not be vnprofitable bréeflie to expound it Is it to be thought that by the merit of fasting and praiers diuels are woont to be cast out as they vse to speake for the worke sake it selfe that is wrought Not so What then signified those words of Christ First he said Bicause of your vnbeleefe for if ye had faith as the graine of mustard seed and should saie vnto this mountaine Take vp thy selfe and cast thy selfe into the sea it should obeie you And togither with faith is necessarie a vehement and feruent praier and also fasting bicause a fixed earnest praier not onlie draweth the mind from meat drinke but also from all other humane pleasures and cogitations Wherefore Christ by the effects describeth the cause namelie faith by praiers and fasting And he speaketh of those diuels to whom God gaue a little of their will as though hée should haue said Ye must not liue easilie or idelie if ye will cast out this kind of diuels ye must haue a sure and strong faith which thing he expressed by the effects I meane by praiers and fastings 12 By these reasons testimonies fastings are also commended in the new testament But in them we must beware of faults which verie oftentimes doo happen therein both manie and gréeuous First The faults which are to be auoided in fasting bicause in Poperie are obserued fasts vpon certeine appointed daies without consideration of persons or occasions as a yéerelie ceremonie which at this daie as though it were Iewish is of little force Moreouer euerie man hath added and heaped vp of his owne whatsoeuer pleased him Fastings are brought in without measure and not that which the calamities of times and the more feruenter praiers would require For one brought in seuentie daies fast another sixtie daies fast another fiftie daies fast another fortie daies fast another brought in rogation daies another the ember daies another the éeues of the apostles another brought fridaies fast another saturdaies and another The multitude of fastings haue brought in questions and contentions fasting vpon the wednesdaie But of so manie fasts what profit hath there followed at the length Forsooth a great manie of questions and contentions for a man will scarselie beléeue how manie questions of fastings haue béene euen among the fathers Augustine vnto Cassulanus writeth that We ought therfore to fast vpon wednesdaie bicause Christ was sold vpon that daie and on the fridaie bicause he was that daie crucified But on the saturdaie he much doubted For they of Milane and of the East part affirmed that vpon that daie we should not fast bicause Christ that daie was at rest in the sepulchre Contrariewise the Romans and Affricans and certeine other doo earnestlie affirme that bicause Christ was so debased as to lie in a sepulchre therefore the saturdaie should be fasted Monica the mother of Augustine The mother of Augustine when she came out of Affrike vnto Milane and sawe that the men there fasted not vpon saturdaie began to maruell at the vnaccustomed maner Wherefore Augustine which was not yet baptised came to Ambrose and asked on his mothers behalfe what was best to be doone Doo saith Ambrose that which I doo Ambroses answer to Augustine By which words Augustine thought that he should not fast bicause Ambrose fasted not But what he ment he himselfe more manifestlie expressed I saith Ambrose when I come to Rome doo fast bicause the saturdaie is there fasted but when I returne vnto Milane bicause it is not here fasted I fast not De consecratione distinction 5. in the chapter De esu carnium It is decréed that fridaie and wednesdaie should be fasted saturdaie is left frée And in the same distinction in the chapter Sabbato vero Innocentius Innocentius hath added that the saturdaie must also be fasted But he alledgeth an other cause farre differing from that which we spake of before for séeing the apostles saith he were in great moorning and sorrowe as well on the fridaie as on the saturdaie therefore we must fast In the same distinction in the chapter Ieâ—unium Melchiades decréed that we must not fast on the sundaie nor yet on the thursdaie and he giueth a reason bicause the fasts of the christians ought to be on other daies than are the fastings of heretikes and Ethniks Epiphanius held that Christ ascended vpon a Wednesdaie Matt. 9 15. 13 Epiphanius bringeth a reason whie we should fast vpon wednesdaie namelie bicause Christ was that daie taken vp into heauen for it is written that when the bridegroome is taken from them then they shall fast And this he affirmeth to be the tradition of the apostles where as notwithstanding at this daie we
soules being loosed from the bodies with one vew and most cléere sight shall behold things celestiall Which yet Irenaeus granteth not vntill the daie of resurrection and he saith that it is the part of heretiks to persuade themselues Ireneus opinion of the sleeping of soules that immediatlie after death they passe vp vnto the heauens to him that ruleth all things and are carried to the sight of the father without attending for the resurrection of the dead And he affirmeth that we ought to suffer the verie same thing which Christ would put in triall who suddenlie after death was not raised vp neither did he foorthwith ascend to his father but he tarried thrée daies And after his resurrection he said vnto Marie Iohn 20 17 Touch me not bicause I haue not yet ascended to my father Neither is it méet Matt. 10 24. that the disciple as Christ said should be aboue the maister Wherefore euen as Christ ascended not immediatlie after his death so must we expect the daie of the resurrection Christ then hath appointed a place definit wherein when the soules haue put off their bodies they may rest euen vntill the comming of the Lord and then putting on their bodies againe they may be brought to the sight of God There are two places chéeflie which are woont to be brought out of the scriptures for the confirmation of this saieng In the sixt chapter of the Apocalypse it is written verse 9. that The soules of the dead which were slaine for Christes sake cried vnder the altar How long Lord doost thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth Ibidem 11. And long white robes were giuen to euerie one of them and it was said that they should rest for a litle season vntill the number of their fellowe seruants were fulfilled verse 13. And in the eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues when they were reckoned vp which excelled in faith in the old testament it is added that they as yet receiued not the promise and that they without vs should not be made perfect 17 This opinion séemeth to be receiued by manie of the ancient fathers but none hath more largelie written therof than this Irenaeus who not onelie vttered what his iudgment was but indeuoured to confirme the same by reasons which neuerthelesse are but weake For he chéefelie maketh this to be his foundation that herein also we ought to be framed like vnto Christ that euen as he ascended not vnto the Father till the resurrection was past so ought not we to expect the same before our spirits be exalted vnto God in heauen This comparison generallie is true That we ought to be conformed to Christ it is true but yet not in all respects for we confesse that we ought to be made like vnto Christ but yet we do not admit the same particularlie as touching all things Verie manie things did Christ which are not necessarie to be doone of vs. He tarried thrée daies before he rose againe bicause he would haue the truth of his death to be testified neither did he after his rising againe go vnto his Father immediatelie For to the intent his resurrection might be the more certeine he by the space of fortie daies both appéered vnto his disciples and also did eate with them and offered himselfe to be touched Wherefore séeing it is not for vs to indeuour such things after his death and resurrection there is no let but that our spirits may foorthwith after we be dead ascend vnto God who created them Neither doo we denie that which he obiecteth to be spoken by Christ Matt. 10 24. namelie that The seruant is not aboue his Lord nor the disciple aboue his maister But hereof there is no more gathered but that if the Lord haue suffered persecutions Matt. 12 26. and reproches as to be called Belzebub much rather shall the same happen vnto his disciples But yet must we not picke out hereof that we must suffer particularlie althings which Christ suffered He was sacrificed on the crosse and died betwéene two théeues which ought not to be expected that it should happen vnto all the faithfull We grant that there be certeine places appointed vnto the soules being loosed from their bodies where they be now kept and conteined euen vntill the resurrection yet not out of the sight of God as who should saie they slept and liued in slumber 18 That which they bring out of the Apocalypse Apoc. 6 11. maketh not against vs. Soules are described to be vnder the altar the which belongeth to their places They are said to crie out as though they expressed the desire of their expected resurrection But who séeth not that to crie out To desire earnestlie is not the part of strepers They haue alreadie receiued a part of their felicitie The old fathers must attend our resurrection verse 13. and to desire earnestlie is not the part of sléepers White robes are giuen vnto them bicause they haue alreadie receiued a part of their felicitie And they are commanded a while to looke for it vntill the number of them that are slaine for the name of Christ be accomplished for then shall they haue perfect felicitie when they haue atteined to the last resurrection And that which is alledged out of the 11. chapter of the epistle to the Hebrues hath the same meaning For we confesse that the old fathers as yet receiued not the finall perfection séeing they doo still wait for the resurrection which is méet for vs all togither to haue euen as manie as belong vnto one and the same bodie and head 19 But by what reasons this opinion maie be confuted let vs now declare First the Lord Reasons to prooue that soules sleep not The first reason Luk. 23 43. being at the point of death said vnto the théefe To daie shalt thou be with me in paradise This aduerbe of time to daie sufficientlie declareth that his felicitie was not to be prolonged vntill the last times But they which mainteine this opinion haue béen accustomed to obiect that this aduerbe to daie is not alwaies taken in the holie scriptures for one and the same daie but that it may signifie a verie large time 2. Pet. 3 8. Psal 90 4. For Peter out of the saieng of Dauid saith A thousand yeares in thy sight are as one daie so as it may be that the théefe was said to be the same daie in paradise although his comming thither should be deferred for manie hundred yeares Augustine That to Daie signifieth no long time as some inferre But Augustine vnto Dardanus hath not so interpreted that place where he writeth that this promise could not be referred vnto the humane nature of Christ bicause the bodie was that daie in the sepulchre and his soule as he saith in hell vnto whome he will not attribute that he was togither at one and the selfe same time both
restored to thee in the resurrection of the iust In Iohn Iohn 12 25. He that loueth his soule in this world shall loose it and he that dooth hate the same shall preserue it vnto euerlasting life And vnder the word Soule he vnderstandeth this life of the bodie wherevnto he that is ouermuch affected and will not render it for the Gospell sake shall loose the same bicause in the resurrection it shal be iudged to perpetuall destruction But he that shall loose the same shall receiue it safe vnto eternall life In the 25. of Matthew Matt. 25 32. Before him shal be gathered all nations And in the 13. Mark 13. 27 of Marke And he shall send his angels and shall gather his elect togither from the foure winds and from the vttermost parts of the earth to the vttermost part of heauen In the 17. of the Acts Acts. 17 verse 18 31 Paule preached this resurrection to the Atheniens when there were present with him the Stoiks Epicures in the stréete of Mars who hearing of that doctrine partlie they laughed it to scorne partlie they said We wil heare thee another time of this matter And they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A carrier about of newes a setter foorth of strangs gods of new doctrine verse 6. In the same booke the 23 chapter when as Paule stood in the college of the Scribes Pharisies and priests and sawe himselfe to liue in great danger he cried out I am a Pharisie and the sonne of a Pharisie verse 15. and I am iudged of the resurrection of the dead And againe in the 24. chapter of the same booke when he had pleaded his cause before Felix the president he testified Acts. 26 8. that both the iust and vniust should rise againe The verie which thing he rehearseth againe when he was before Festus in the presence of king Agrippa and Bernice his wife 54 Yea and Peter in the first epistle vers 3. and first chapter saith that God according to the abundance of his mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuelie hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And ye by the power of God are kept through faith vnto saluation which shall be shewed in the last time 2. Pet. 3 13. And in the latter epistle the third chapter he saith that In those daies there shall be new heauens and a new earth verse 2. Also Iohn in his first epistle and third chapter writeth When Christ shall appeere then we shall be like vnto him Whereof it is gathered that séeing Christ hath a bodie and is risen againe we also shall rise againe togither with our bodies verse 12. In the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse we read And I sawe the dead both great and small stand in the sight of God c. verse 4. Also in the 21. chapter And God shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death verse 14. c. In the 22. chapter also Blessed be they which keepe his commandements that their power may be in the tree of life Rom. 8 11. Paule in the eight chapter to the Romans But if his spirit that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in you he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortall bodies verse 5. And in the sixt chapter For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be partakers of his resurrection verse 10. And in the 14. chapter For we shall all appeere before the tribunall seat of Christ 1. Cor. 15. Vnto the Corinthians the first epistle and 15. chapter he intreating purposelie and diligentlie of this question in such sort confirmeth the resurrection that of his iudgement and meaning therein it is not lawfull to doubt I will not drawe out words from thence bicause it should be méet to recite the whole chapter vers 13. c. Howbeit this I will rehearse out of the sixt chapter of the same epistle Our bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the bodie And God hath also raised vp the Lord and shall raise vs vp by his power And in the latter epistle verse 1 c. the fift chapter mention is made of our habitation in heauen Not being made with hands and that we desire to be clothed vpon and that while we be in this tabernacle we sigh bicause we would not be vnclothed but be clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swalowed vp of life Further it is added that All we shall appeere before the iudgement seat of Christ that euerie one may receiue the things which are doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill Vnto the Ephesians verse 1. the second chapter When we were dead through sinnes he quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raised vs vp togither with him and made vs to sit in the heauenlie places verse 10. c. Vnto the Philippians the third chapter That I may knowe him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions while I am made conformable vnto his death if I may by anie meanes attaine to the resurrection of the dead Vnto the Colossians verse 12. the second chapter Ye being buried togither with him by baptisme in whom ye are also raised togither with him through the faith of the operation of God which hath raised him vp from the dead Likewise in the third chapter verse 3. Your life is hidden with Christ in God wherefore when Christ your life shall appeere then shall you be made manifest with him in glorie Vnto the Thessalonians the first epistle the 4. verse 13. chapter he admonisheth them that They should not sorrowe for them that are asleepe as others doo which haue no hope for if we beleeue that Iesus died and rose againe euen so God will bring with him those which sleepe in Iesus And strait after Ibidem 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout and with the voice of an archangell and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Vnto the Hebrues the second chapter verse 14. That by death he might abolish him who had power ouer death In the same epistle the eleuenth chapter Ibidem 19. when Abraham at the commandment of God would haue sacrificed his sonne Isaac of whom he had the promise of posteritie he considered with him selfe that God was able euen to raise him vp from the dead from whence also he reduced him to be a figure of the resurrection Iude verse 15. in his epistle bringeth in Enoch for a testimonie who was the seuenth from Adam and said verse 2◠Behold the Lord commeth in thousands of his saints to giue iudgement against all men and to
resurrection and after that they shall come vnto the sight of God Origin Also Origin in his third booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 804. saith Whither the soules departing hence doo go that The soules departing from hence are diuided either into the infernall place or into the bosome of Abraham And straitwaie after The infernall place is called the vppermost earth the lowermost is called Tartarus that is the déepe botome But the name of Tartarus séemeth to be taken out of Plato which vseth the same in his tenth booke De Republica And Origin in the foresaid booke pag. 802. attributeth vnto the soules departing hence a place vpon the earth where they may learne those things which they knew not while they liued here least forsooth they which be departed out of this life should haue an excuse when they had not yet heard the preaching of the Gospell for it would séeme that such may pretend ignorance Wherefore euen as the Papists framed a purgatorie so hath this man A purgatorie and an eruditorie with certeine latter men framed an eruditorie But all these things are without scriptures Augustine interpreting the 85. psalme procéeded in this distinction of the higher infernall place the lower and he confirmeth the same not onelie by the words of that psalme but also by the euangeliall storie bicause it is said that the rich man when he was in torments Luke 16 23 lifted vp his eies and sawe Lazarus and Abraham So as it must néeds be that those blessed soules were in the higher place Yea and Abraham is brought in to haue affirmed that it was not lawfull to go from them vnto the other but that there was betwéene them a great chaos that is an excéeding great gulfe Moreouer this difference there is betwéene them that in the lowermost there are punishments and torments which are not in the vppermost Wherevpon it is written in the booke of Wisedome Wisd 3 1. that The soules of the iust be in the hand of God neither doo the torments touch them c. Yea and Christ when he hoong vpon the crosse said Into thy hands Lord Luk. 23 4◠I commend my spirit And straitwaie also he added Thou hast redeemed me ô Lord thou God of truth Whereby it is concluded that the soules of the godlie are in the hands of God and are redéemed or plucked awaie from the punishments and torments of the wicked And albeit that this be chéeflie spoken of Christ yet dooth it also belong vnto Dauid and the other members of Christ For the Lord said Iohn 17. ◠that Where he himselfe is there he would also haue his ministers to be It séemeth that Irenaeus meaning was that the soule of Christ was not onelie among the fathers in the bosome of Abraham but that it was also in the lower hell but yet without punishment and offense And this dooth he write vpon the 3. Dan. 3 92. chapter of Daniel in setting foorth the historie of the thrée children which were throwen into the fierie ouen for there did a fourth appéere with them which was called the sonne of GOD. Therein as Ierom thinketh Christ was shadowed who descended into the fornace of the wicked without anie fault of his or paine to him 10 Augustine wrote more of this matter in his 59. epistle to Euodius but verie ambiguouslie and obscurelie For he saith indéed that Christ descended into the infernall places but he saith that what he did there he was in a maner ignorant But he affirmeth that it was beléeued of the vniuersall church that the first father Adam was deliuered from thence by him But he demandeth that if so be the fathers in the bosome of Abraham were not troubled with anie sorrowe or torment what did Christ for them by his comming These things dooth he there handle in that place and disputeth at large But in his booke De haeresibus ad quod vult Deum heresie the 79. he maketh mention of them which dare affirme that Christ in the infernall places tooke out those infidels which then beléeued in him And in his booke De ecclesiasticis dogmatibus The booke De Ecclesiasticis dogmatibus ascribed to Augustine in the definition 78. 79. he declareth the matter more plainelie and manifestlie First he saith that before the comming of Christ all the soules of the godlie descended into the bosome of Abraham but that after his ascension all the faithfull soules doo go vnto God By which saieng no dout but purgatorie is ouerthrowne Howbeit we must not passe it ouer that this booke is not accounted for the lawfull writings of Augustine I know indéed that it is not reckoned among the lawfull writings of Augustine but whose soeuer it was it is an ancient worke and conteineth good instruction And certeinlie as touching either part of the definition Ierom assenteth who vpon the third chapter of Ecclesiastes interpreting the words of Salomon Eccle. 3 19. That the end of man and beasts is all one saith These things are not spoken as though Salomon thought that the soule of man was dissolued in such sort as is the life of a beast nor yet as though it should go to the selfe-same place but that before the comming of Christ all men were carried into the lower places Gen. 37 35. Which he prooueth by the words of Iacob who said He would go downe moorning for his sonne Ioseph euen to the infernall place Also he bringeth the testimonie of Iob Iob. 21 26. which saith in the 21. chapter that As well the iust as vniust are detained in the infernall place And albeit as he saith it is not all one to be dissolued and preserued yet is there but small difference betwéen the being dissolued as the life of a beast and to be kept still in darknesse Eccle. 9 10. And in the ninth chapter of the same worke the same author interpreting these woords In hell whither thou goest there is neither worke nor cogitation nor knowledge nor wisdome All the spirits of godlie men yea and Samuel himselfe before the comming of the Lord were in the infernall place Howbeit I thinke that there was particular mention made of Samuel 1. Sa. 28 1◠bicause he by a woman witch was brought vnto Saule But he added that after Christ it dooth not so come to passe and he allegeth the place of Paul which he wrote vnto the Philippians Phil. 1 23. I desire to be loosed from hence and to be with Christ But they saith he which be with Christ liue not in the infernall place We may also adde that to the théefe it was said by Christ when he was vpon the crosse Luke 23 43. This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise And this opinion is confirmed by Nazianzen Nazianzen in a funerall oration which he made for his brother Caesarius where by a conuersion vnto him he saith Thou hast ascended into heauen and
which is the head should liue and we that be his members should remaine in death And in the first chapter to the Ephesians he writeth verse 20. According to the greatnesse of his power and according to the strength of his mightie power which he wrought by raising vp of Christ from the dead Againe in the second chapter he ioineth vs vnto him saieng Ephes 2 1. When we were dead in our sinnes he quickened vs with him and togither with him raised vs vp from the dead and made vs to sit at the right hand in heauenlie places These be the arguments wherby the apostle of the Lord dooth confirme resurrection neither did he send vs to the rapting either of Henoch or Elias There be some which saie These things did therefore happen to leaue vs an example doubtlesse not of our resurrection but of our last taking vp 1. Thes 4 17 whereof there is mention made in the Thessalonians Of this opinion was Tertullian in his booke De resurrectione carnis 87. page They are not yet dead but they be documents of our perfectnes to come And Irenaeus in his fift booke writeth that they be an example of our assumption to come And I haue shewed that by the example of their taking vp the bodies which are now a burthen vnto vs shall be no hinderance to the assumption For that hand of GOD which fashioned man of the slime of the earth put him afterward into paradise And he addeth that a certeine elder which was after the apostles taught that not onelie Henoch and Elias were rapted into that place but also Paule the apostle 2. Cor. 12 2. as we read in the second epistle to the Corinthians Indéed I grant that in the words of Paule there is mention made of paradise Paradise but that the same was in the garden of Eden wherein Adam first was it is not prooued thereby For the apostle added that he was taken vp to the third heauen that is to the highest and most perfect And indéed Iohannes Damascenus affirmeth that there be thrée heauens namelie the aire wherein the birds doo flie the second heauen he accounteth to be the region of the celestiall spheres and the third to be the highest seats of the blessed saints which by a certeine elegant metaphor is called paradise The similitude whereof is deriued from the garden of pleasures wherein Adam was placed euen as the region of torments by a metaphor before declared is called Gebenna For these places are more fitlie expressed by metaphors than by proper names Also that same elder asketh the question of himselfe by what meanes they could continue there so long without meat And in answering he retireth himself to the strength of Gods power Ionas 2 2. whereby Ionas was also preserued thrée daies in the bellie of the whale and whereby the companions of Daniel remained safe in the fornace Dan. 3. 93. when it burned vehementlie We might also adde the fasting of Elias 1. kin 19 8. and of Moses by the space of 40. daies but these things are from the purpose Exod. 24 18 Others saie that Henoch was therfore taken vp that his preaching by that means might become the more fruitfull The world in that age was degenerate and the Cainits preuailed in number power aboue the children of God Their idolatrie did Henoch either by his preaching or prophesieng reproue Wherefore by a verie euident seale of taking him vp God would seale his sound and profitable doctrine verse 16. Now then in the 44. chapter of Ecclesiasticus he is said to be translated for an example of repentance vnto the generations bicause a forme and example of repentance was giuen vnto the generations that is vnto men Neither are these ment to be the last generations but rather the generations of those men which liued at that time For if he had died after the maner of other men he shuld not haue béene thought to be beloued of God or of him to haue béene assisted and sent to preach But séeing God as it were by his stretched out hand from heauen caught him vp vnto him men could not choose but haue in admiration an act or thing so vnvsuall Others there be that attribute all this to his owne honestie and righteousnesse Gen. 5 22. Eccl. 24 16. Heb. 11 5. for it is said in Genesis that he walked before God And in the booke of Ecclesiasticus and also in the Epistle to the Hebrues we read that he pleased God or he approoued him selfe vnto God And by faith as the apostle saith he pleased or approoued himselfe vnto him which vndoubtedlie was no vaine faith but was adorned with good woorks Bréeflie he was taken vp for bicause of edifieng And what is spoken concerning him must also be transferred vnto Elias Opinions touching the returne of Henoch and Elias 20 Now there resteth that we examine the opinions of them which thinke that these men were taken vp to the intent that about the latter time they should returne and should take vpon them a dangerous fight against antichrist And albeit that this were the opinion of most ancient fathers yet it is imbraced without testimonie of the holie scriptures And indéed as touching the returne of Henoch there is no word extant in the diuine oracles And those things which are spoken in the 44. chapter of Ecclesiasticus that he was an example of repentance vnto the generations must rather be vnderstood of the men of his owne time than of them which shall liue in the last time But I sée that the occasion of error came bicause it is written in the booke of the Apocalypse verse 3 c. the eleuenth chapter that two men with singular praise are extolled Two famous witnesses of the church in the last age which in the last age of the world shall fight against antichrist And we are taught that they shall be the witnesses of God against the beast and they shall preach 1260. daies Of these is described the maner of their apparell namelie that they shall be couered with sackcloth And they are commended as two oliue trées and two candlesticks in the sight of God and it is said that there is power giuen them to close heauen that it shall not raine which perhaps dooth somewhat séeme to prooue for Elias And they shall be able as it is there said to turne water into bloud It is also added that they shall be slaine of the beast but that after thrée daies they shall be raised vp by the spirit of God Vpon this occasion were the ancient fathers led to thinke that Henoch and Elias shall returne againe at the last But these are the imaginations of men neither are they taught by the holie scriptures séeing in that place is no mention either of Henoch or of Elias We must grant indéed Henoch and Elias sent in these our daies that certeine men were to be sent vnto
others And those are to be lesse estéemed who breake the lest of Gods commandements teach others to breake them Except perhaps thou wilt saie that they which breake teach others to breake the cōmandements of God To the seuenth Matth. 13 8 shal be in eternal felicitie which thing is most absurd Neither is it any difficult thing to perceiue what meneth the parable of the séed wherof a part falleth on good ground and giueth fruit thirtie fold when as of other parts there is had euen sixtie fold or an hundred fold There is none but vnderstandeth that these things belong to the state of this present life bicause Gods word fructifieth not in all the godlie after one sort To the eight Matth. 25. Neither doth the parable of the talents respect anie thing else for he that vseth Gods gifts well is made worthie to be placed ouer manie things graces are increased in him he dailie made more capable of spirituall gifts To the ninth 2. Cor. 9 6. 12 Also they cited that saieng vnto the Corinshians He that soweth sparinglie shall also reape sparinglie Which saieng also may apperteine to the receiuing of spirituall fruits in this life for they that be liberall in almes doo abound in spirituall good things and it oftentimes commeth to passe that God more abundantlie imparteth riches vnto them to the intent they may haue the more plentie whereof to be mercifull So then as touching all these things we may vnderstand that a sparing haruest shall be if we sowe sparinglie Wherefore there is nothing necessarilie prooued as touching rewards of eternall life To the tenth Matt. 20 27. And whereas the Lord said vnto the apostles He that will be greater let him become the least of all it is nothing against vs séeing it may be vnderstood as touching the church where those should be acknowledged for chéefe which doo behaue themselues lowlie But the testimonie out of the Apocalypse To the 11. Apoc. 14 4. that They which be virgins doo followe the lambe wheresoeuer he shall go and that those hundred fiftie foure thousand Ibidem 2. soong a song which might not be soong by others and those things besides which are alledged out of the same booke are obscure since it is said to be sealed vp and that it is not easilie yea rather of verie few vnderstood And it appéereth not vnto vs whether the things shewed doo belong vnto the life present or vnto the life to come We grant that they which be of the purer life be more apt to penetrate the secrets of GOD. And on the other side we are taught that where-soeuer Christ is there also shall his ministers be Wherefore it is promised not onelie vnto some but also vnto all which serue Christ that they shall followe the lambe 13 Concerning the fathers we fréelie grant To the 12. that they affirmed a difference of rewards But in this place it is onelie called into question whether this opinion may be prooued by the testimonie of the holie scriptures Further they doo not also alwaies speake with one consent Ierom in his epistles when he had commended a widowe and that he séemed to compare hir vnto a virgin saith that He liked not to put this difference betwéene the saints whereas yet he himselfe séemeth to be an earnest defender of these differences To the 13. Neither doo we make anie great account that it was said that men are made sluggish who otherwise by this diuersitie of rewards would be incouraged to liue godlie For they which be not mooued through the loue and faith of the word of God and through a hope of excellent felicitie neither also will they be easilie stirred vp to doo well in respect of these differences But if they should doo otherwise they might rather be counted hirelings than sonnes of God Neither as I said before are these things spoken by me to the intent I would vtterlie denie such a difference of rewards but this onelie I ment to saie that they cannot be prooued by the scriptures Otherwise A great difference betweene them that shall be raised from the dead among those that shall be raised from the dead we put a difference bicause the habit of the damned soules shall be one and of the blessed soules shall be another Moreouer we denie not but it may well be that when the saints consider in their mind that God by himselfe did manie acts and those verie excellent they will perhaps conceiue thereby more delight and ioie than others which cannot remember with themselues that so manie and so great acts were doon by him which neuertheles is vncerteine but is brought as a thing probable But this chéeflie I thinke to be friuolous which the School-men deuise I knowe not what as touching crownes of laurell and substantiall accidentall reward 14 The same men also reason manie things In 1. Cor. 13 vers 12. as touching the state of felicitie and they demand among other things Curious questions touching the life to come whether the knowledge which is gotten here shall so be lost as when we shall come into the heauenlie habitation there shall be no difference betwéen the learned and vnlearned This is a curious search séeing it hath small or no profit at all First it were good to come thither and it should behooue vs to be carefull of the meanes how we should atteine thither rather than with a superfluous indeuour to dispute now of the condition qualitie and forme of the blessed The holie scriptures call vs not to this indeuour and perhaps there is nothing concerning this matter determined by them But as touching the difference of the elect in the euerlasting habitation the place serueth not to dispute anie more héereof we haue spoken sufficientlie when we intreated of the conditions of them that shall rise againe But that gifts and frée graces shall at that time be abolished Whie gifts and free graces shal be then abolished it is no maruell séeing they be giuen for the aduancement of faith which then shall continue no longer Yea we haue experience at this daie when as the gospell is in a maner euerie where preached that those gifts which we spake of before are either taken awaie or else they be verie rare As touching languages whether they shal be then abolished some man perhaps will demand Shall not the saints in heauen speake Spéech to this purpose is giuen To what purpose speach is giuen that either we may communicate with others those things which we knowe or else to demand of others those things which we want But among the saints in the kingdome of God it séemeth that neither of both shal be necessarie bicause both in God and in our selues all things shall aboundantlie enough be knowen and be had But if perhaps such a familiar custome shal be granted vnto vs it is verie likelie that all shall vse one maner of language
manner of helps we haue by the creatures which we presentlie lead is by them nourished and sustained Secondlie also the mind is holpen that by these visible creatures it may arise to the contemplation of God as Paule teacheth in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 19. But when we shal be once in the blessed state we shall haue no more néed of the helps of creatures for we shall then inioie immortalitie neither shall we be anie more vexed with hunger or thirst or cold or such other discommodities And as touching the knowledge of GOD we shall sée him face to face But saie they séeing the corporall eie cannot atteine to the essence of God 1. Cor. 13 2. The corporall eie cannot atteine to the essence of God as Augustine verie well teacheth in his booke De videndo Deo therefore least the eye should be destitute of a fit delectation vnto it shal be offered then a woonderfull adorning of the heauens beautie of things now renewed that it may haue not onelie wherewith to delight and reioise it selfe but also an occasion to woonder at the power and infinit wisdome of God These things I grant indéed are probable but they are not confirmed by the holie scriptures Neither dooth it sufficientlie appéere that séeing the bodie of Christ and infinite bodies of iust men more brighter than the sunne it selfe shal be looked vpon by the eies of the blessed what delectation the beholding of the creatures restored can bring ouer and besides Wherefore the plainnesse and simplicitie of the Maister of the sentences liketh me well when he saith he knoweth not that which he remembreth not that he had read in the holie scriptures I would to God that in defining of other things he would haue vsed the like modestie and faithfulnesse 18 But as touching the actions of creatures whether they shal be perpetuall or no we cannot define anie thing for a certeintie The angell indéed in the Apocalypse sweareth by him that liueth world without end Apoc. 10 6. there shall be no more time Wherevpon some doo gather that the motion of the celestiall spheres shall then cease If time haue an end whether motion shall also cease bicause time is the number of motion But this reason is not firme for it may be that the heauens shall mooue but yet by reason of that great light of the bodie of Christ and of the bodies of all the blessed and of the sunne and moone it cannot be well obserued So that motion may indure although there be no time for time is not but by obseruing and numbring of motion But they adde also an other reason that heauen shall therefore cease from motion bicause the continuall courses doo further vnto the preseruing of generation and corruption of inferiour things Wherefore séeing there shal be no more generation or corruption there shall be no néed then of the motion of heauen The reason in verie déed is probable but not necessarie for that celestiall motion although it serue not to generation and corruption yet maie it serue vnto some other purpose which we are ignorant of Howbeit this séemeth to me most certeine and which ought in anie wise to be affirmed that these natures of things shall not remaine at the last daie vnlesse they shall haue some vse For it is both against nature and common reason to appoint anie thing which is altogither idle but what works GOD will appoint vnto these things we willinglie grant our selues to be ignorant 19 Now let vs sée as touching the substance and nature of things Whether the substance and nature of things shall be changed 2 Pet. 3 7. and 11. whether the same shall be preserued after the daie of iudgement This dooth Peter in his latter epistle séeme to denie for he saith that The heauens shall suddenlie perish and like a showre and that the elements with great heate shall melt awaie But Augustine in the twentieth booke De ciuitate Dei the 16. and 24. chapters saith that Peter maketh a comparison with those heauens which perished in the time of the floud which cannot otherwise be vnderstood than of the regions of the aire wherein raine and tempests are commonlie ingendered These heauens were after the floud put againe in their places and restored by the word of God and are now reserued vnto fire Yea and Peter addeth afterward Ibidem 13. that We according to the promise shall haue a new heauen and a new earth That promise was made in the 65. chapter of Esaie verse 17. Apoc. 21 1. and repeated in the 21. chapter of the Apocalypse although it be there written of the sea that it shall haue no more being But Augustine in the 16. chapter which we now cited doubteth whether those words must be so vnderstood as though the sea should vtterlie cease to be as being now sucked and dried vp with the burnings or whether indéed it shall remaine but yet renewed and changed Augustine in the same place saith that No man so far as he can tell knoweth what burning fire that same shall be or from whence it shall come Of the burning fire at the worlds end Neuerthelesse at this daie the Schoole-men haue not doubted at all to fansie fable infinite things as touching that matter For some saie that that fire shal be elementarie fire which shall come downe by the cōmandement of God and burne althings Others dreame that the beams of the sun shall by reuerberation be multiplied that by them all things may be kindled euen as we sée it come to passe when the sunne beames doo strike vpon a glasse of stéele if a little flax be put therevnto it will be burned Augustine addeth that the elements shall then put off those qualities which were before agreable to our corrupt bodies but shall put on other bodies which may be fit for our immortall and glorified bodies that the world being renewed may be aptlie applied vnto men being made new by immortalitie But here I would gladlie demand of Augustine whether he will appoint that the bodies of saints after iudgement shall liue in the world Which thing if he affirme he shall séeme to make with the sect called Millenarije but if he denie this and doo hold which we beléeue that our bodies shall be caught vp into heauen what maner of application of the qualities of the elements shall this be vnto our immortall bodies Vnlesse perhaps he will saie that although these things shall nothing further our immortalitie yet there shall be a certeine analogie proportion betwéene them being now made immortall and our bodies glorified For if those things were as Chrysostome saith for our sinnes made subiect to corruption it is méet that we being deliuered from death they also should be deliuered from the burthen of corruption 20 Neither doubtlesse is that Gen. 8 22. A place of Genesis declared which is written in the booke of
vniuersallie pronounced in the holie scriptures doo alwaies admit an exception or restraint Iohn 10 8. 1. Cor. 6 12 All saith Christ as manie as haue come before me were theeues and robbers All things are lawfull vnto me but all things are not expedient Here may be vnderstood the figure Synechdoche so as it may be meant that in the same All are comprehended some parts And when as S. Paule saith that The creature shall be deliuered from the bondage of corruption it might be generallie vnderstood as touching the world bicause he is not to be anie more constrained to renew creatures by a new generation yet it followeth not thereby that all creatures as touching the particular kinds shall be preserued I thinke it therefore the part of a godlie mind to affirme neither part obstinatelie for we haue nothing on either part that is certeinelie defined Of creaturs that be dead onlie men shall be restored But yet this I dare boldlie saie that of those creatures which haue died onlie men shall be raised from death But as concerning the preseruation of other creatures after the daie of iudgement except heauen and earth whereof the scripture hath made mention I thinke nothing is to be said For séeing we lacke scriptures we must not ouer curiouslie search out anie thing It is enough if we doo vnderstand this that for our sakes was brought in the corruption of things and againe that when we shall be renewed all things which shall remaine shall be better than they were before But we must in such sort bend the strength of our knowledge We must so direct our knowledge as we let not flip the things necessarie to saluation that we let not those things escape vs which be necessa vnto saluation such as are the doctrines concerning God iustification worshipping good works and the vse of the sacraments Which vse shall neuer be sincere and pure vnlesse the nature of them be well perceiued and knowne for if we attribute vnto them more or lesse than it behooueth we shall perpetuallie erre The scriptures are chéeflie occupied about these principall points namelie that The man of God may be perfect 2. Tim. 3 1â— Those things which the scriptures haue not spoken of are not necessarie to saluation and instructed to euerie good worke But these things that the scriptures make no mention of let vs not thinke them to be necessarie to saluation for the holie Ghost is so good as if they were necessarie he doubtlesse would haue taught them in the scriptures ¶ As touching eternall life looke in the confession of the faith at the end of the second part and of felicitis looke the 14. chapter of the first part and all the whole commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks The end of the third Part. E R THE Fourth Part of the Common places of PETER MARTYR Wherein is intreated of the outward meanes which God vseth for the saluation of his people and preseruation of mans societie The first Chapter Of the Church and of the Functions Calling Office Dignitie and efficacie of the Ministerie and Ministers in the same Church In 1. Cor. 1. Looke in the booke De voris pa 440. and 456. printed in Baâ—… Whence the name of Church is deriued THE NAME of a Church is deriued of the Gréeke Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to cal For none can bée partakers thereof which come not therunto by the calling of God And to define it The definition of the Church we say that it is a companie of beleeuers and regenerate persons whom God gathereth together in Christ by the word and the holy Ghost and by his Ministers gouerneth the same with purenesse of doctrine with lawfull vse of the Sacraments and with discipline And it is euerie where called the bodie of Christ bicause all the members thereof haue him for their head of whom by the ioynts and synowes they take their growing attaine vnto life by the inspiration of the holie ghost And these meÌ„bers are so throughly ioyned vnto the head as they are called flesh of his flesh bone of his bones Ephe. 5. 30. It is the soule of Christ and wée confesse the same in the Créede when wée say I beleeue in the holie Church And wée adde straight waie by exposition Who in right and before God be of the Church Looke in 1. Sam. 15. 34. The Communion of Saincts For they alone trulie and before God are of the Church the which otherwise hath mingled therewith verie many which be strangers from Christ and these in shew onely not in déede doe belong vnto the Church Wherefore of them Iohn said They went out from vs 1. Iohn 2. 19. Matth. 13. 39. but they were not of vs. And it is in the Gospell that when the goodman of the house and his seruants were asléepe the diuell sowed tares vpon the good séede And Paul in the first to the Corinthians the first Chapter 1. Cor. 1. 2. after he had saluted the Church of God added by exposition Vnto them that are sanctified by Christ Iesus being called Saints that we may vnderstand that the wicked appertaine not in verie déede vnto the Church although they be alwayes conuersant therein and that as we said a little before we may confesse that to be the Church which we call the Communion of Saints But and if thou wilt conclude hereby that the Church shal be vnknowen we will denie it to be a firme conclusion bicause there be proper markes assigned by which the same may be verie well knowen and be discerned from prophane conuenticles For wheresoeuer the purenesse of doctrine florisheth The marks by which the Church may be knowen the Sacramentes are purely ministred and discipline exercised thou hast a congregation whereunto thou maiest safely ioyne thy selfe although the honestie of euery particular man is not sufficiently knowen vnto thée Neither is it of necessitie required that the godlie should be discerned of men what maner of persons they bée while they liue here Christ while he liued here among mortall men was not knowen And we as the Apostle hath declared vnto the Colossians Col. 3. 3. the third Chapter haue our life hidden in God and when Christ which is our life shall appeare then we also shall be made manifest with him in glorie Againe we reade in the first of Samuel 1. Sa. 16. 7. It is God that looketh into the heart but men onely knowe those things which are apparant I know there is a fable spred abroad Against theÌ„ which say that the wicked be the members of Christ that the wicked be members of Christ howbeit dead members which neuerthelesse may be quickened But this is euen as true as if thou shalt say that a dead man is a man We wil confesse in déede that by Christ and by the holy Ghost they may be restored vnto life but in the meane time while that is not done
the wild beasts are with me If I be hungrie I will not tell thee I might cite manie other places for the confirmation hereof but it sufficientlie appeareth by these fewe that sacrifices were sometimes refused but GOD neuer refused obedience 7 But here by the waie somewhat must be spoken of those words of Ieremie how it can be said The place of Ieremie expounded by Ierom. that God spake not to the olde Iewes as touching sacrifices Ierom referreth this vnto the ten commaundements because in it there is no mention made of sacrifices but that afterward when they had made vnto themselues a Calfe God commaunded that if they would néedes doe sacrifices they should rather doe them vnto him than vnto Idols Albeit there maie be an other reason no lesse probable gathered by the Historie it selfe For when the people was brought foorth into the wildernesse when the tabernacle was consecrated and that nowe the Priestes were appointed there was instituted a most plentifull sacrifice vppon mount Sinai But after that time so long as they remained by the space of fortie yeares in the wildernesse they neither had circumcision nor sacrifices Hereunto it séemes that Ieremie had respect rather than vnto the Leuiticall lawe A third exposition may be that God required not these things that is to wit chiefelie and especiallie For this kind of speach is vsuall in the holie Scriptures that that which is not chiefelie doone is absolutelie denied to be doone So Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 17 Christ sent not me to baptise Whereas yet he said vnto al the Apostles Mat. 28. 1â— Go ye and baptise But because that séemed to be the least part of the Apostolicall office therefore Paul denieth vtterlie that the same belonged to his office Otherwise he baptised Gaius and Stephanas 1. Cor. 1. 1â— in the doing wherof he had swarued from his vocation if he had not béene sent to baptise So as God commaunded not sacrifices vnto the old Iewes that is he did not speciallie and chiefelie commaund them Also we maie saie that God required not sacrifices of them namelie after such a manner as they were done of them that is to wit with dissimulation and hypocrisie when as their heart was altogether strange from God What be sacraments For sacraments be seales of the promises of God and confirmations of our faith But if faith be absent An excellent argument to prooue that a sacrament cannot worthely be receiued without faith what can either be sealed or confirmed Moreouer God requireth no such kinde of sacrifices which for the verie worke sake shoulde be thought to purge sinnes or which should be gathered of robbery of poore mens oblations In sacrifices the thing signified did please that is to wit Christ vnto whom those things and the mortification of affections stirred vp the mindes of men So Paul saith Rom. 12. 3. I beseech you my brethren that ye wil giue your bodies a liuelie sacrifice holie acceptable vnto God which is your reasonable seruing of GOD. Without these things sacrifices were nothing else but dead bodies without life Other reasons why obedience is bâ—tteâ— than sacrifice The third reason why obedience is to be preferred before sacrifices is that sacrifices maie be common vnto God and vnto Idols but obedience is peculiar vnto God Lastlie in sacrifices a man maie make much of the bellie and of good chéere but obedience is reserued vnto God alone But that sacrifices are of some estimation it appeareth by the verie words of Samuell 1. Sa. 15. 22 to obey saith he is better than sacrifice therefore sacrifices are good so that they be doone rightlie and in order This place doe the Papistes wrest vnto that obedience which they crie out to bée due vnto them and their traditions Howbeit Samuel spake not of this obedience Of what obedience the words of Samuell are means but of that which is due vnto the commaundement of God So Paul saith that he receiued grace Apostleship to the obedience of faith that al the Gentils might be brought vnto Christ But Christ saie they saith Luk. 10. 16. He that heareth you heareth me he that despiseth you despiseth me These things indéede agrée vnto you but yet so as you must alledge the word of God Of Traditions In 1. Cor. 4 ver 17. In 1. Cor. 1. 10. 8 Moreouer false Apostles are by Paul reproued because they brought in maners and doctrin altogether without Christ Let them consider therefore howe far they straie which earnestlie affirme that traditions should be vrged séeing the same be not taught euerie-where in the Church neither were alwaies receiued and yet are they called Apostolical There was a tradition in Tertullians time The traditions called Apostolical Milke and honie giuen to the baptized The Eucharist giuen to Infants that milke and honie should foorthwith bée giuen to them that were baptised that so as he speaketh they might he fed like infants Also it was a tradition that the Eucharist and that vnder both kindes should be giuen to Infantes in the time of Augustine and Cyprian and should so be giuen as things necessarie vnto saluation Epiphanius in Doctrina compendiaria contra haereses Reasons for fasting Thursday and Fryday saith that it was an Apostolicall tradition that they should fast the day before the Sabboth which is called Fridaie because Christ as that daie suffered Also the fourth daie of the weake because Christ on that daie was assumpted into heauen And when he liued on the earth he said that the Apostles should not fast so long as they had the bridegrome with them Matt. 9. 15. But that they should then fast when the bridegroome should be taken from them It is there added and confirmed by Augustine Augustine No fasting betwéene Easter and Pentecost in an Epistle to Cassulanus that there is a tradition that we should not fast from Easter vnto Pentecost There is also a tradition as Basil confirmeth in his booke de spiritu Sancto that during all those daies we should not worship vppon our knées The verie which he affirmeth of the Lords daie The tradition was Apostolicall at Ephesus and in Asia that the feast of Easter should be kept after the fashion of the Iewes In the Church of Rome that the tradition of the Apostles was said to be otherwise Séeing therefore they be so diuers and are repugnant in them selues they cannot be the waies of Paul or of the Apostles For he saith that hee himselfe taught euerie where and in euerie place one and the selfe same thing Wherefore Cyprian writeth vnto Pompeius Cyprian alloweth no traditions but such as are in the Gospel that he alloweth not of traditions vnlesse it be those which are in the Gospels Apostolicall Epistles and Actes of the Apostles whereto I adde those which necessarily are inferred out of the holie Scriptures Whatsoeuer things else are brought they be vncertaine and
not in that it is spoken but it that it is beléeued But in Infants which by reason of age cannot yet beléeue The word clenseth not because it is spoken bu◠because it is beléeued The holie Ghost worketh in the steade of faith Tit. 3. 5. the holie Ghost worketh in their heartes in the stead of Faith The effusion also of the holie Ghost is promised in baptisme as it is expresselie writen in the Epistle to Titus Who hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and renewing of the holie Ghost which he hath plentifully powred vpon vs. 3 Neither are these two things in such manner offered vnto vs in Baptisme The things offered in Baptisme are also had euen before Baptisme Rom. 4. 11. Act. 10. 44. as though we in no wise might haue them before baptisme For it cannot be denied but that they which bee of full age if they beléeue are iustified euen before they be baptised For so Abraham beleeued and was iustified and after that hee receiued the seale of Circumcision And Cornelius the Centurion when hee had heard Peter and beléeued was not onelie iustified but also visiblie receiued the holie Ghost Neither would we baptise Infants but that we suppose that they alreadie pertaine vnto the Church and vnto Christ And yet are not such baptised in vaine For we must obaie the commandement of GOD which if anie man should contemne though hee boast neuer so much of his faith yet should he sufficientlie declare that hee neither beléeued nor is iustified nor yet hath receiued remission of sinnes Furthermore although they beléeue In Baptisme the gifts which are had before are increased yet when these promises are againe offered that by the appointment of the Lorde and they through faith and instinct of the holie Ghost doe effectuallie take holde of them the benefites of God cannot but be increased in them And why the holie Ghost is powred into the heartes of them that be regenerate this is the reason Why the holy Ghost is powred into the heart when we be regenerate Eze. 36. 26. By Baptisme we are visiblie grafted into Christ and his Church 1. Co. 12. 13 Because they must be made men againe and their stonie heart as the Pophete saith must be turned into a heart of flesh which is not possible to bee doone by mans reason And that we are by the visible sacrament grafted into Christ into the Church is first declared out of Paul For Paul saith that they which are baptised are grafted into Christ And in the first to the Corinthians the 12. Chapter By one spirit saith he all we are baptised into one bodie And that this bodie is the Church he teacheth at large in the same Chapter We added in the definition by a visible Sacrament because so soone as we be iustified we are verilie in minde and in spirite grafted both into Christ and into the Church But because that is vnknowen vnto men it is afterward knowen when we are entered by the outward sacrament By Baptisme the right of eternall life is sealed 4 Also the right way vnto eternall life is sealed vnto vs by baptisme So soone as we be iustified we haue it giuen vnto vs and it pertaineth vnto vs by right not of desert but of the liberall gift of God and by baptisme it is sealed A similitude As the giftes of kings so soone as euer they be graunted vnto vs doe without doubt pertaine vnto vs but afterwarde are sealed that the will of the king if it be néedfull maie be testified vnto others Neither is this part to wit The right vnto eternall life Not all which be not baptised doe perish so to be vnderstoode as though they ought to be excluded out of the kingdome of heauen which were not baptised For if they beléeued and that there was no let in them that they were not baptised there is no doubt of their saluation For Christ saith Iohn 11. 25. He that beleeueth in mee hath life euerlasting And in an other place although he saie that he which beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued Mar. 16. 16 yet straight waie he added He which beleeueth not shal be condemned A faithful man may be saued without Baptisme By which words he gaue vs to vnderstande that baptisme is not of such necessitie but that a faithfull man maie be saued without it so that there happen therein no contempt nor disobedience The Schoolemen also confesse that besides the baptisme of water the godlie are sometimes baptised with martyrdome and with the inspiration of the holie Ghost Death called baptisme Mat. 20. 22 so much as suffireth vnto saluation Christ also called death it selfe Baptisme when he said that he should bee baptised with an other baptisme and foretold that the Apostles should be baptised with the holie Ghost not manie dayes after his ascension into heauen Acts. 1. 6. Repentāce must be ioyned with Baptisme Lastlie we againe in baptisme professe death toward sinne and also a newe life Which profession sheweth nothing else but that vnto this Sacrament is ioyned repentance Mat. 3. 2. 28. 20. which both Iohn and Christ taught when they spake of Baptisme And the fathers waen they passed ouer the sea escaped into liberty Exod. 14. but Pharao with his host was drowned in the waters wherby was signified that by baptisme we ought so to be renewed as there we should forsake our sinnes and issue out with a newe purpose to holinesse of life All these things ought we when we are baptised often to consider out of the testimonies of the Scriptures and continuallie admonish our selues thereof For although this sacrament be but onelie once giuen We must continuallie carie our Baptisme in remembrance yet ought it neuer in our whole life be forgotten For euen as it behooued the Iewes euermore to remēber that they were circumcised so also we ought cōtinually to cal to mind our baptisme 5 But it is woonderfull how some dare affirme Baptisme of children is no new thing in the Church Cyprian Looke In. 1. Cor. 1. 16. and in the Booke De Votis pag 73. 〈◊〉 foorth at Basil that the Baptisme of Infantes is a newe institution in the Church For Cyprian a verie auncient writer maketh mention of it and aunswereth that it is not of necessitie that we should tarie till the eight daie for the baptising of them For that the trueth of the Gospell hath deliuered vs from obseruing the number of daies and that therefore they may well be baptised what daie soeuer the Church shall be assembled together Origen also writing vppon the Epistle to the Romanes and vppon Leuiticus sufficientlie declareth that Infantes were in his time accustomed to be baptised And since that these men were not long after the Apostles times and that they make not mention of it as a thing inuented by them or in their time it sufficiently appeareth
his disciples manifestlie naming him selfe that none should be so hardie as diuide Christ into two sonnes Among these comes Vigilius Vigilius which in the 1. booke against Eutiches writeth The sonne of God as concerning his humanitie departed from vs as concerning his Godhead he saith vnto vs Behold I am with you vnto the end of the world And straightway after Because whome he left from whom he departed with his humanitie he neither left nor forsooke them with his diuinitie For according to the forme of a seruant which he tooke froÌ„ vs into heauen he is absent from vs according to the forme of God wherewith he departeth not from vs he is present with vs vppon the earth yet both present and absent he is one and the selfe same to vs. Also in the 4. booke If of the word and the flesh the nature be all one how is it that séeing the word is euery where the flesh also is not found euery where For when hée was in the earth hée was not also in heauen and now because hée is in heauen verilie he is not vppon the earth And it importeth not much that we should expect Christ to come out of heauen as touching the flesh it selfe whom we beléeue to be with vs vppon the earth as concerning the word Therefore as you will haue it either the word is contained in a place with his flesh or the flesh with the word is euerywhere because one nature dooth not receaue a thing contrarie or diuers in it selfe But it is a thing diuers and farre vnlyke To be limited in a place and to be euery where Forasmuch then as the word is euerywhere but the flesh thereof is not euery where it appeareth that one and the selfesame Christ is of both natures That both he is euerywhere according to his diuine nature and that according to the nature of his humanitie he is contained in a place that he is created and that he hath no beginning that he is subiect vnto death and that he cannot dye And straightway he addeth This is the Catholick faith and confession which the Apostles haue taught the Martyrs haue confirmed and the faithfull doe to this day kéepe 75 Moreouer Fulgentius vnto Trasimundus the King the 2. booke One the selfesame man locall of a man Fulgentius which is God immensible of the father one and the selfesame according to humane substance absent out of heauen when he was in earth and forsaking the earth when he ascended into heauen but as touching the diuine and immensible substance neither leauing heauen when he descended out of heauen neither forsaking the earth when he ascended into heauen And this appeareth certainlie by the assured word of the Lord himselfe who to shew that his humanitie was locall said vnto his disciples Iohn 2. 17. I ascend vnto your father and my father vnto my God and to your God Of Lazarus also when he had said Lazarus is dead Ioh. 11. 14. he added saying I am glad because of you that ye may beleeue because I was not there He shewed vndoubtedlie the infinite greatnesse of his diuinitie vnto his Apostles saying Beholde I am with you euen to the end of the world How ascendeth he into heauen but for that he is in a place as very man Or how is he present with his faithfull sauing because he is one immensible and very God The same father in the 3. booke The very same and inseparable Christ as touching his flesh onelie rose out of the sepulchre The very same and inseparable Christ according to the whole man which he receaued forsaking the earth locallie ascended into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of God According to the selfesame man he shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead and to crowne the faithful and godlie Lastlie Bernard vppon the Canticles the 33. Bernard Sermon I also haue the word but in the flesh and before me is set the trueth howbeit in a Sacrament The Angell is fatned but yet with the fatnesse of Corne and is now filled with graine In the meane time it behooueth me to be content with the barke of the Sacrament with the branne of the flesh with the chaffe of the letter with the couering of faith And these thinges be such as being tasted bring death if they haue not receaued some seasoning of the first fruites of the spirit Death is altogether to me in the potte vnlesse it should be swéetened by the little meale of the Prophet 1. Kings But certainelie in how great aboundaÌ„ce soeuer these things doe waxe fatte the booke of the Sacrament and the fatte of the wheate faith and hope memorie and presence eternitie and time the visage and a glasse the Image of GOD and the forme of a seruant are not receaued with like pleasantnesse Verilie in all these thinges faith vnto me is rich and the vnderstanding poore And is the sauour of faith and vnderstanding all one when as this tendeth vnto merit and that vnto reward Thou séest that there is asmuch difference betwéene the meats as betwéene the places And euen as the heauens are exalted from the earth so are the inhabitantes therein Here thou plainelie séest that Bernard maketh an Antithesis or contrarie comparison betwéene the remembrance and presence of a thing and speaketh of many other thinges which serue much to that we haue in hand But let vs returne vnto the aduersaries they haue fathers to oppose against vs. They haue Irenaeus who saith that the Eucharist consisteth of two thinges the one earthlie and the other heauenlie the which also Gelasius supposeth Howbeit these thinges conclude not vnlesse thou shalt vnderstand the whole Sacrament After what maner the sacrament may be said to consist of two things so that thou make it one thing consisting of the signe and the thing signified then we graunt that it standeth of two partes But if afterward thou wouldest appoint so great a coniunction betwéene the bread the bodie of Christ as is betwéene the diuine and humane natures in Christ that should in no wise be graunted because it were necessarie that of bread and of the bodie of Christ should be made one substance that is one subiect so as they might neuer be sundred one from an other the which is most absurd Out of the other fathers they obiect in a manner the very same which the Transubstantiatours cited before The third opinion deâ—…red 76 Now let vs sée what they which imbrase the third opinion saie against these men First they admit not that same scattering of the body of Christ so as it can be euery where because it is against the propertie of mans nature And Augustine vnto Dardanus doth most plainly write otherwise Furthermore they contend that the eating set foorth in the 6. of Iohn and this last eating is altogether one sauing that in this are added signes And that they prooue by this Argument that Iohn
is knowne the church and the spirit I perceiue not howbeit this I knowe that the Euangelists Paule and the holie fathers whom I haue named doo testifie that here is bread and the holie scriptures doo most manifestlie speake the same And without these things which I haue rehersed there is no church neither dooth there anie good spirit make against these D. Tresham These words of Christ Doo ye this in remembrance of me be words of commandement and command vs to doo that which Christ did And he gaue his owne bodie which said that it was his bodie and looke what Christ the spouse of the church hath doone that by his commandement the church dooeth through the scriptures D. Martyr Of these words which you recite wrote Chrysostome vpon the first epistle to the Corinthians the eleuenth chapter the 27. homilie For Christ in the bread and in the cup said 1. Co. 11 24 and 25. Doo this in remembrance of me Also Cyrill vpon Iohn the 14. booke and 14. chapter He gaue them péeces of bread D. Tresham The fathers name it bread of the terme from whence it came to wit bicause of the former name it had D Martyr You doo but haste and stand vpon the terme from whence you forbid a figure and yet you alwaies defend your selfe by a figure D. Tresham I haue manie places of Chrysostome that make for me and I laie Chrysostome to Chrysostome and the doctors when they speake obscurelie must be interpreted by places more plaine But Chrysostome in the sermon of the treason of Iudas confesseth that the bread is changed D. Martyr It is not now my turne to answer When you oppose me I will answer to that which you obiect out of Chrysostome Howbeit in the meane time bicause I will not séeme to be too precise I hold with Chrysostome that the bread is changed but yet into a sacrament but that the substance of bread is doone awaie that doo I denie neither shall you euer prooue it out of Chrysostome Yea and Cyrill saith Euen in the bread we receiue his pretious bodie and in the wine his bloud D. Tresham We receiue it in the bread and wine that is to wit in the shewes of bread and wine D. Martyr What doo you call the shewes of bread and wine D. Tresham The accidentall formes of bread and wine D. Martyr Assuredlie you haue not this signification from the fathers for they by Species that is forme or kind vnderstood the verie natures of the things not the accidents Ambrose in his booke Eorum qui in tiantur mysterijs the last chapter But and if the spéech of Elias were of so great force as it could fetch downe fire from heauen shall not the saieng of Christ be forcible touching the kinds of the elements He treateth of a sacramentall change Wherefore if he should meane the kinds to be the accidents it would followe that the accidents shuld be changed in the Eucharist but that dooth the sense denie Againe this father in the same chapter Before the blessing of the heauenlie words another kind is named after consecration the bodie of Christ is signified And Augustine vpon Iohn the 26. treatise One thing did they and another thing we but yet in a visible kind which neuertheles signified all one thing And he speaketh there concerning the difference of the sacraments of the old and new lawe And euen the verie same in a maner is said by Augustine in his treatise De catechizandis rudibus the first booke and 16. chapter D. Tresham The fathers call the forme or kind sometimes the substance and sometime the accident for it is an ambiguous word and that which the scriptures call bread and the fathers also name bread we call the kinds or forms Here it seemed good vnto the Visitors that wee should dispute in the second question D. Martyr We denie the bodie and bloud of Christ to be in the bread and wine carnallie and corporallie or substantiallie and reallie as ye saie it is or vnder the shewes of bread and wine And this will I prooue out of the scriptures Mark 16 19 In the last of Marke The Lord Iesus after he had spoken vnto them was taken vp into heauen sitteth at the right hand of God In the 26. The scriptures testifie that Christ departed from vs in bodie Matt. 24 23 of Matthew The poore shall ye alwaies haue with you but me shall ye not haue In the sixt of Iohn I leaue the world and I go vnto my father Manie shall saie in those daies Behold here is Christ or there is Christ beleeue them not In the third of the Acts Whome it behooueth the heauens to hold vntill the time of the restitution of all things And vnto the Colossians the third chapter Seeke ye those things that be aboue where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God Since therefore it appéereth by these saiengs that Christ being taken vp from hence liueth in the heauens and that it is not agréeable to the nature of a true humane bodie to be in manie places at once it followeth that the bodie of Christ is not reallie in the bread or wine D. Tresham I denie that it cannot agrée to an humane bodie to be in diuers places at once for the holie scriptures teach the contrarie that Christ after the ascension was with his apostles euen according to his humanitie In the first epistle to the Corinthians the 9 chapter Paule saith Did not I see the Lord And in the 15. chapter of the same epistle And last of all he was seen of me as of one borne out of time And in the ninth of the Acts Saule Saule why doost thou persecute me And againe I am Iesus whom thou persecutest And a little after Ananias said Brother Saule the Lord hath sent me euen Iesus which appeered to thee in the waie And Barnabas said afterward vnto the apostles concerning Saule how he in the waie had séene the Lord and that he had spoken vnto him During the which time it behooueth to beléeue that Christ was in heauen at the right hand of his father bicause it is an article of the faith and yet neuerthelesse he was then vpon the earth in visible forme Wherefore you haue concluded nothing and verie well may the bodie of Christ be in the sacrament vnder an inuisible forme when he was otherwhile in the earth in a visible forme as we haue prooued Wherefore your reasons doo not conclude D. Martyr The answer dooth not suffice When Christ appeered vnto Paule he was in heauen for how knowe you that Christ appéered not vnto Paule abiding in heauen according as he was séene of Steeuen sitting at the right hand of God Yea and Augustine vpon the 54 psalme saith that the head which was in heauen cried for the bodie which was vpon the earth and said Saule Saule whie doost thou persecute me Acts. 9 4. Moreouer was not Paule rapted into the
third heauen when he had power to sée Christ The which he testifieth vnto the Corinthians For there he onelie saith that he sawe Christ but speaketh nothing of the place or time Indéed he appeared vnto Paule as he was in the waie and while he was in the waie did speake vnto him neuerthelesse as I haue said he might doo this remaining in heauen and frame a voice from thence which shuld be heard vpon the earth Furthermore put the case that the Lord exhibited himselfe to be séene of Paule vpon the earth you shall not be able to shew that he was in heauen at the selfe-same time We beléeue the article of our faith to wit that he was assumpted into heauen and sitteth at the right hand of the father but that he cannot sometime transferre himselfe from thence and appéere to whome he will that are not we bound to beléeue It is inough to confesse that he hath his proper mansion in heauen D. Tresham Wheras Augustine saith vpon the psalme that Christ was in heauen when he cried Saule why persecutest thou mee it is agréeable to my opinion For it signifieth that he was at one time both in heauen and in the earth or else I answer that the heauen is ment by him to be th' aire where perhaps Christ was when he cried Saule Saule why persecutest thou me And that the aire is called heauen the scripture testifieth when it saith The soules of heauen D. Martyr Whereas you doo saie that Christ according to Augustines iudgement is in both places to wit in heauen and in earth Gen. 1 30. Iob. 28 21. Psal 8 9. you learne not that of him naie rather he sheweth himselfe else-where to be of an other mind And to appoint Christ to hang in the aire is an absurditie and you séeme thereby to make him a foule of the aire D. Tresham I make not Christ a foule of the aire for then should he be such a one when he hoong vpon the crosse D. Martyr No verelie for he was then fastened to the crosse But let these toies passe If we will see what Augustines iudgement was as touching this matter let vs consider his epistle vnto Dardanus where he wrote as concerning the glorified bodie of Christ that it is in some certeine place bicause of the measure of a true bodie The question was propounded vnto him how the théefe was with Christ in paradise that same daie wherein he died as he promised he should be And he answereth that if for paradise we vnderstand heauen it was not so as touching his humanitie bicause his bodie was in the sepulchre and his soule in the nethermost places wherevpon he decréed that this should be vnderstood as touching his diuinitie And thereby I gather this argument If Augustine durst not admit vnto the soule of Christ to be at one time both in hell and in heauen much lesse must it be granted vnto his bodie D. Tresham I saie with Augustine Distribute the times and the scripture agréeth Thrée errors did Augustine impugne at that time one is of those men which did take the word that is to saie the Godhead in place of the soule of Christ another tooke the word for the mind of the soule of Christ the third was of them which made the bodie of Christ to be spread euerie where Augustine therefore in that place speaketh of the bodie of Christ so far foorth as it hath a visible forme and after that maner he saith that it is onelie in heauen vnlesse that at anie time it doo miraculouslie happen otherwise Howbeit he is in the sacrament according to an inuisible forme according wherevnto Augustine beléeued that it is in diuers places at once for euen in the selfe-same epistle he maketh mention of our sacrifice Neither is it to be doubted but that Christ dooth offer himselfe visible and againe inuisible euen as pleased him As in the fourth of Luke When he withdrew himselfe from the multitude went through the middest of them on the mount Thabor he shewed his glorified bodie And therfore vnto Augustine I answer that much rather now he dooth these works at his owne pleasure D. Martyr You haue gathered manie things togither but yet can it not be gathered of all these that Augustine would haue the bodie of Christ to be in manie places at once Albeit he made mention of our sacrifice that was for an other cause neither dooth it belong vnto this article as may appeare vnto them which read it Yea rather he referreth our sacrifice to the vnitie of the mysticall bodie and maketh no mention at all of the flesh or bloud of Christ himselfe Neither taketh he in hand to confute the error touching the soule or mind of Christ Naie rather he supposeth that Dardanus was not intangled with them And it appeareth how greatlie he writeth there against you sith he will haue no accidents if the subiect be wanting nor bodies if you take place awaie from them And vndoubtedlie if he did make for your part when he wrote these things If Christ might be in manie places at once he may also be euerie where it behooued to except the Eucharist Besides all this if we should grant that anie bodie may be in manie places at one time it must be granted that it can also be in all places and that likewise did Scotus sée Howbeit as I haue alreadie affirmed it standeth as yet firme by the saieng of Augustine that bicause of the measure of a true bodie the bodie of Christ requireth a place certeine D. Tresham And yet if God will it may be in manie places yea euen in so manie as he himselfe will Neither must it be ascribed to anie want of diuine power in him which includeth not anie contradiction in the termes D. Martyr There is no part of the diuine power diminished by me although I haue spoken after this maner And I speake of the power of God with all modestie but yet there be manie things which therefore cannot be doone bicause the nature of things dooth not permit being such as are méere contraries and as it is said of you doo implie contradiction and this must not be imputed to an infirmitie in God Howbeit you haue not prooued that there is héere no repugnancie of the termes as you speake onelie you saie it D. Tresham Here there is no difficultie on the behalfe of the things for Paule distinguisheth betwéene a naturall bodie and a spirituall bodie But the bodie of Christ is spirituall and hereby is taken awaie all the difficultie on the behalfe of the thing And not onelie is the bodie of Christ spirituall but euen so shall our bodies be after the resurrection D. Martyr I knowe that the bodie of Christ is spirituall but Augustine saith in an epistle to Consentius It is ment that a naturall bodie is said to be like vnto other liuing creatures bicause of the dissolution and corruption of death but a spirituall
that righteousnesse is set before vs by the word of God it is also manifested and signified by the Sacramentes which he visible wordes of God Therewithall comes faith which is the gift of God and by it we doe apprehend the righteousnesse that is shewed Wherefore Christ sent his Apostles saying Mar. 16. 15 Preach ye the Gospell to all creatures and he added He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued In Esai the 53. Chapter is said Verse 11. that with his knowledge he shall iustifie manie This is the life eternall Iohn 17. 3. that they may know thee the onelie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Col. 2. 14. The death of the Crosse is a new kinde of sacrifice and therefore a new altar He fastened to his crosse the handwriting of ordinances that was against vs and he triumphed ouer his enemies This is the triumphant chariot of Christ The crosse was the cuppe wherein the bloud of Christ was hanged vp It was giuen a price for the whole worlde and vnlesse it had bin better than the whole world it had not redéemed the world Here it should behooue vs to runne through all the gréefes which the Lord suffered vppon the Crosse for vs but that is vnpossible For euen as wise painters doe shewe vnto the world more than they paint so dooth there here remaine more to be considered of than can be spoken euen of those that should haue an iron voyce an hundreth tongues and an hundreth mouthes But yet wil I distribute the griefes of Christ into certaine principall partes otherwise as mercies did abound so it should be necessarie that miseries should abound but vnlesse that mercies had conquered the miseries we should still haue bin in miserie The first calamitie is to lose estimation The théefe was preferred abooue Christ Mat. 27. 26. Barrabas was dismissed Christ was accounted among the wicked An other calamitie As touching bodilie deliuerance he was left destitute of Gods helpe Ibid. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Augustine vnto Honoratus maketh a difference betwéene the new and old Testament In the new Testament the holie men doe not receaue redemption that they may haue a better resurrection therefore are they left in death that they may haue eternall life But in the olde Testament they were in ieopardie as touching their goods as touching the life of their bodie but they were deliuered a hundreth fould was restored them there were Iudges giuen for the deliuerie of them c. Not that there were some in the olde time which were not left in death as Abel Nabaoth Esay c. they had the portion of the new Testament and manie also in the new Testament are sometime deliuered But Augustine speaketh as in the most part and of the publike state and of the promises And therefore Christ the head of the new Testament was forsaken and truelie cryed My God thou hast forsaken me And that the contrarie may be knowen it is said in the 22. psalme The fathers cryed and were deliuered Verse 5. they cryed and were not confounded Ibid. 6. But I am a worme and no man and the wordes of my faultes are farre from my saluation The third griefe was suffered at the handes of ill ministers Namelie of the Iewes of Iudas and of the priestes and also for many euil and vngratefull persons vnto whome that death should bring no commoditie The fourth He was forsaken of his owne Moses when he sawe his rodde turned into a Serpent fled from it Exod. 4. 3. Christ deliuered manie from sundrie diseases None stepped forth amongest his persecutors and said Abstaine ye from this man for he is holie this or that hath he doone for me The fifth calamitie They which remained and were present to behold increased his temptation they mocked him they thought him to be vniust and with whome God was angrie Iob. 4. 6. So did Eliphas the Themanite thinke of Iob that he was an enemie of God Iohn 9. 3. So the Apostles thought of him that was borne blinde So the inhabitantes of Melitum iudged of Paul because of the viper Acts. 28. 3. But an extreme temptation was that when they said He trusted in God Mat. 27. 43. let him deliuer him let him saue him if he will haue him They doubted whether God loued him and predestinated him We say O Christ deliuer vs from this temptation at our death but when it cōmeth let vs hold our peace let vs imitate Christ say vnto the father Into thy handes I commend my spirit Also let vs imitate the théefe that had so great a faith who when all men denied him confessed him Luk. 23. 42. Remēber me when thou commest into thy kingdome He aunswered him This daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise O good Iesu thou wert fastened to the crosse and yet thou wilt bring this man vnto heauen Howe with what kay wilt thou open vndoubtedly great was the faith of this theefe which hoped in so miserable a Christ Let others woonder at the darkenesse of the Sunne at the shaking of the earth at the renting of the Rockes c. This doe I maruell at that the théefes heart could be in such wise inflamed with so great a faith Peter denied him vppon the earth this man confessed him vppon the crosse He had not séene the miracles of Christ Christ had not saide vnto him I will make thee a fisher of men Mark 1. 17. I will make thee sit vppon the twelft throne and yet hee not onelie beléeued but he also confessed he opened his sinne and had a care of the saluation of his neighbour There is no king that assoone as he commeth into his kingdome taketh a théefe to be his companion Christ did this and did not defile Paradise but rather made it more honourable because it had such a Lorde that could straightwaie so purifie théeues and harlots as they should be méete for the kingdome of heauen The sixt affliction of Christ was that his bodie was on euerie side tormented Esa 53. 6. Psal 69. 2. 15. God in verie déede did cause to fall vppon him all our iniquities and punishmentes In the Hebrewe it is said Hiphghibat These be waters which Dauid saide did passe through euen vnto the soule a most déep mire wherin there was no steddy groūd Howbeit if we will fruitfully beholde these things euerie one of vs wil say My pride fasteneth the thornes to christs head my couetousnes be his nailes my leawdnes openeth his hart as a launce the vniuersal corruption of all my sins doth disquiet all his whole bodie When we beholde all these thinges I beséech you let vs with the eies of faith looke into the most sacred brest of the Lorde and we shall sée the incredible flame of charitie and inestimable fire of his loue whereby the whole world might be kindled if it were acknowledged
to vse a strange tongue in our seruice But Paul iudgeth farre otherwise Images are allowed of them The mountaine of the scripture altogether forbiddeth them to be vsed in Religion They iudge it good that in the communion one should receaue the Sacrament for the multitude In the mountaine of the scriptures Christ saith Eate and drinke ye all of this Neither shalt thou finde it otherwise as touching the inuocation of Saintes and infinite other things which the wicked Pope without the holie scriptures thrusteth vppon the Church But why doe so fewe ascend vnto this mountaine that they may prouide for themselues rules to build withall The maruell is not so great since they be not openlie handled as they ought to be and of priuate men in their houses and are not read in the Churches Now is the doctrine of Christ by the commaundement of the kinges sacred maiestie set foorth in the mother tongue but men walke vp downe neither doe they which be in the Temple giue anie héede thereunto the Ministers remaine shut vp in the Quire they say the diuine seruice hastilie and rashlie as though they should speake it to themselues onelie Neither doe they prouide that others may vnderstād it Vpon Sundaies are verie profitable Homilies read but yet with a lowe voyce and with spitting and coffing so as it may sufficientlie appeare that manie of those which reade them doe neither attend to that they say nor yet suffer that those which stand by maie receaue anie profit of the same In old time there were Ecclesiasticall méetinges wherein it was lawfull to heare to aske questions to aunswere there men dealt not onelie as concerning the trueth of doctrine but also of discipline And of those thinges Paul vnto the Corinthians and Ambrose interpreting his wordes maketh mention that they were vsed among the Hebrewes We haue it much in Luke when the child Iesus in the middest of the doctors both asked questions and aunswered but at this day this so comfortable custome is left to the great detriment of the Church and how coldlie we deale in Catechising the thing it selfe declareth They thinke they haue wrought a great matter when they haue had him once at the board but the indeuour and attentiuenesse of children is not such that they can in so short space put off their naturall ignoraunce and bashfulnesse When the Prophet had now warned what is needefull to be doone namelie to ascende vnto the hill and from thence to bring timber to the building Hag. 1. 8. If this worke be doone he ioyneth promises therewithall It shall be acceptable vnto me and I will be glorified therin If the congregation of the faithfull be both well instituted and rightlie assembled the Lord promiseth that it shall be to his wel liking for he himselfe promiseth that he will be in the middest of them that helpe and will heare the petitions and vowes of them that pray Those things are alwaies acceptable vnto God and receaue the fruites of the promises which are doone according to the rule of Gods word when as contrariwise whatsoeuer men shall bring to passe without it is not onelie vnprofitable and vaine but the Lord now reprooueth vs thereof by Esaie Who hath required these things at your hands in that house which was to be builded God promiseth that he would become glorious which assuredlie was brought to passe when his name was there published openlie by the Messias and the Apostles Men also at this day ought so to preach in the Church as they should abound in good workes which others séeing might glorifie the father which is in heauen Furthermore the glorie of God doth not shine more in any other congregation than it doth in a Church well and godlie ordained Whereuppon Paule to the Cor. saith 1. Cor. 14. 23. If an vnbeleeuing or vnlearned man come into the Church and see all things doone well as touching the administration of doctrine he will fall downe on his face and worship the Lorde and shall bee constrained to confesse that God is in vs. But alas for pitie they haue nowe transferred this honour of the Church to incense to lights to stoles to vestments of gold and silke to golden vessels and vessels set with precious stones and infinite such other more than worldly deckings Wherfore we that will do an acceptable thing vnto God and would haue God to be glorified in vs let vs edifie our neighbors when we perceiue them to be sicke of pride enuie lust wrath weakenesse of faith and coldnesse of charitie and with other diseases of the minde and this we are accustomed to doe in the sickenesse of the bodie Let vs call Phisitians vnto vs not of euerie sort but as Chrysostom hath taught vs in a certaine homilie vnto the people of Antioch Matthew Luke Iohn Marke and the rest of the Apostles and Prophets and from thence let vs séeke to get medicines and wholesome remedies for our brethren Such Phisitians as these are most skillfull and there is no kinde of infirmities of our soules hidden from them vpon them is bestowed no expense of monie and they shewe not themselues hard to helpe but if the sicke wil they be conuersant with them day and night neither shall we finde them at contention one with an other in such sort as by their Emulation they would the sooner bring to death those whom they should heale This is to fetch Timber as the Prophet saith from the mountaine to the building of the Lordes house This worke belongeth vnto all them which are called Christians as the Prophet Ezechiell saide Eze. 48. verse 19. They which builde the Citie of Ierusalem shall bee of all the tribes And our Hagge héere maketh mention of Zorobabell to whom being the Ciuill Magistrate was assigned Iesus the sonne Iosadeck the high Priest Also the Prophets themselues did helpe as did Zachary Hagge and Malachie and finallie all the people are reckoned with them whereby we are taught that from euerie place are to be gathered the builders of the Temple But at this day the Popes Ministers take it in ill part if they perceiue a lay man as they say to haue the holie Scriptures as though this building belonged not vnto them But they them selues whereas they challenge vnto themselues the Ministerie of the Church and are inriched with many fatte and goodly benefites doe vtterly neglect to edifie by their doctrine when notwithstanding Paul vnto the Ephesians reckoning vp Apostles Prophets and Euangelistes Ephe. 4. 11. as it were diuerse giftes graunted to the Church afterwarde ioyned therewithall Pastors and Teachers Which saying when Ierom interpreteth he noteth it diligently and among other things thus he wrote Neither let any man in the Church although he be holy take to himselfe the name of a Pastor vnlesse both he can and will teach them whom he feedeth And a litle after But doth it not séeme to you that there be false Pastors in the
in the power of an other man Neither is there anie further waie open of flying honestlie away But this must be vnderstoode according to the lawes prescribed For if God shoulde bring thée out of prison as in olde time he did Peter by his Angell Acts. 12. 7. that shoulde be a speciall act whereof wee at this time speake not But all this disputation of ours hath respect vnto this onelie to let thée vnderstand that the flying which is contained within the compasse of due meanes and circumstance is not repugnant to the rule of charitie but doeth rather verie well agrée therewith I haue for this cause disputed so largelie of this matter because I sée manie They that condemne flight doe it for the safetie of their goods and especiallie in our countrie of Italie which being indued with some light of the trueth are like vnto contentious aduocats For euen as they if they defend an vniust cause search out with all diligence for some lawe which maie anie manner of waie leane to their ill purpose to the intent they may séeme to defende their cause vnder the zeale of iustice so those our men doe tarie at home where they dare not come in sight for the faith and truth sake and whereas they first leaue this vndoone this other also doe they omit to wit by not flying awaie which might be a cleare testimonie of their syncere faith which they doe being detained by the linkes of commodities and benefites of this worlde Vnto whom we cannot do a greater pleasure than if by our writings and sermons wee shoulde teach that flying awaie is not lawfull vnto Christians that vnder this pretence they maie commodiouslie inioye their goods After the same manner also are the foolishe sort which be sicke affected who if they be sicke either of a wound or impostume when they will not admit either searing or launcing they most loue and giue eare vnto those Phisitians which by the testimonie of some excellent writer reprooue such a way of healing that they may séeme to refuse those remedies not because themselues are ouer-nice but because the remedies agrée not with their diseases Howbeit euen as these sicke men at the length miserablie die and as those vniust aduocates before a wise and prudent Iudge fall in their cause so these men of ours refusing the best remedie for their griefe doe defile their consciences with dissimulation superstitious ceremonies and déepe silence or else which is woorst of all by detestable abiuration For all they which in the reformed and godlie Churches doe rightlie iudge of things vnderstand that the vniust and vnbridled desires of the goods of this life haue bin the cause hereof Wherefore since the intent of their minde is euill it is no maruell if they haue a woorse end He that will not denie himselfe certainlie he shall neuer liue according to the rule of the Gospell He that will liue vnto himselfe and retaine Christian profession is like vnto him that will build without cost or make warre without anie armie Luk. 14. 28. or ouercome enemies without forces He that is not dead to himselfe nor flyeth from himselfe shall neuer confirme the Christian trueth either by triumph of martyrdome or by laudable godlie or Christian flying away Wherefore I beséech you my most déere brethren in the Lord that at the length you will deale in good earnest dissimulations and faininges must be left vnto hypocrites and stage players If Christ and his Gospell which you by the benefit of God haue both imbrased and confessed be a trueth why doe you execute his commaundementes so coldlie But if you iudge it but a Poets woorke or a fable why delay you it to speake it openlie Why make you semblance to beléeue it God suffereth not himselfe to be mocked Mal. 6. 7. Matt. 6. 24. He requireth all the strength of man No man can serue him and Mammon both together nor yet obey two Lordes commaunding contrarie things If the Gospell be true it must be preferred before life and other our worldlie thinges Souldiers dare ieopard their life for them whose partes they take A great manie of Marchants spēd all their life long in strange countries to make themselues rich They which saile by shippe enter day and night into extreme perils of sea for purposes full of vncertaintie And are we vnto whome the kingdome of heauen eternall life and true felicitie is surelie promised of God so dull slothful and slacke in laying downe this mortall life and these miserable goods for his sake when occasion is offered that we should not denie the trueth The Lord at the length take away so great offence reproch and contumelie from his children make them all faithfull constant valiant prompt and readie and perswade that they which die for this truth sake doe passe into eternall life and they which leaue this their temporall countrie doe flie from hell and doe mount to the kingdome of heauen To the College of Saint Thomas in Strasborough IT would right reuerend Sirs deare beloued brethren haue bin much more to my liking to send you rather ioyfull than discomfortable newes But since it hath thus séemed good vnto the prouidence of God which is neuer to be accused it behooueth that I also doe beare that which hath happened with as good a minde as I can Hitherto perhaps I might bee suspected of negligence that I haue not written vnto you but because I knewe that this was diligently doone by Maister Bucer I thought there was no néede of my letters for that I am sure ye did sometimes vnderstande what we both did and what expectation of things might be looked for But nowe is he departed in peace to his and our Lorde Iesus Christ euen the last day of Februarie to the great sorrowe of all godly men and most of all to mée Neither doe I doubt but that yée my reuerend associates wil take great griefe since the Church the Schoole and our College hath lost so worthie a man This man had now ouercome the greatest difficulties and troubles which are woont to hinder beginnings so that he was nowe accepted in a manner of all the godly and learned sort of that Vniuersitie wherin he professed Therefore God would that he shoulde now reape the fruite of his labours and that his long tyred warfare shoulde be adorned with the honour of triumph He is well prouided for we are to bee accounted miserable or rather vnhappie who are yet tossed in the stormes of calamities Wherefore I desire the immortall God who for his mercie sake hath made him to rest in peace will also deliuer vs from the scourges hanging ouer our heades And no lesse doe I wishe that our Chapter may bee prouided of a Deane and gouernour which may be compared in learning and godlinesse with his predecessor I bid ye all farewell in the Lorde From Oxford in England the 8. of March 1551. To the Widowe of D.
die but they which teach otherwise and drawe men anie other way God will destroy them And after he had thus spoken hee reaching out his hande to euerie one particularlie Fare ye wel saith hee my brethren and deere friendes Also an other day when Bullinger among other things for consolation sake had saide that our common weale is in heauen I knowe saith he it is but not in Brentius heauen which is no where And hee saide that hee willingly and from his heart forgaue that man but yet hee wished that if it had so seemed good vnto God hee might haue aunswered him aswell for their sakes that bee weake as also to haue confuted the most false slaunder made against him And to saie briefely his speeches aswell all the time of his sickenesse were like the residue of his former life namely full of Religion faith godlinesse and gentlenesse but then specially when the more neere he drewe to be dissolued and ioyned with Christ the more did a certaine diuine worke and as it were the efficacie of the holy spirite shine in him But the same day when hee died by the reason of the vehement falling of the rewne he felt a great difficultie of drawing his breath and spake with paine neuerthelesse hee vsed a loude voyce so as it coulde scarslie bee vnderstoode and therefore hee spake not verie much that day It was about x. of the clocke when the Phisitians were departed from him to returne againe in the afternoone what time hee willed himselfe to be taken vp and to bee apparelled after his accustomed manner and eating a litle quantitie he sate quietly but yet so as hee bowed his heade towardes one of his friendes that stood by because he coulde not easilie holde it vp by reason of the force of his sickenesse after this hee woulde be laide againe in his cloathes vppon his bed and there rest In the meane time came the Phisitians vnto him With him were present manie of his friends both others and also the Pastors and Elders of the Italian Church with whome after he had talked a little he required to bee taken againe out of his bed and to be set in the same place where he was Nowe were manie of his friendes gone from him that hee might rest the more quietlie the Phisitians also went their wayes of whom some prepared certaine new remedies which they ment to applie vnto him When he thus sitting in his cloathes as hee was woont to goe commending his soule stoutly vnto God hee beganne to bee at the point of death there remained yet with him Conradus Gesnerus and also his wife and two young-men besides of his familiars of whome foorthwith Bullinger and the rest of his friends which were neerest at hande were called these being present hee gaue vp his spirite verilie with so great a quietnesse as hee seemed not to die but to fall asleepe and in such sort as wee might thinke that wee sawe him not deade but sitting still aliue amongest vs. As hee died Bullinger closed vp his eyes and put vpon him a funerall garment and he beeing a friende did vnto his most louing friende this last office of pietie being yet in the meane time stricken with a great and incredible sorrow And this deere Auditorie was the ende of the life of our Maister the best the wisest and the iustest man of all that I haue knowen This may I truelie say of him which Plato left written of his Socrates His life hath beene set foorth vnto you and what his death was yee haue hearde There remaineth at the last that which perhappes yee looke for at my handes namelie that I shoulde indeuour by wordes to mitigate the sorowe which yee haue taken by his death But howe am I able to doe this who am greeued with exceeding sorrowe more than others But heere must yee take vnto you his vertue wherein hee verie much excelled and most valiauntlie ouercame all aduersities and that which time shoulde worke that must reason informed by good Artes and which is chiefest of all instructed by the scriptures bring to passe that there bee appointed some moderation of sorrowe and lamentation and seeing he departed out of this life so godly and Christianly in the true and sound faith and that it is a wicked thing to doubt whether he chaunged the great calamities and miseries of this life with the heauenly and euerlasting blessednesse and felicitie it is our part which loue him rather to reioyce in his exceeding great good than to bee mooued with any discommoditie of our owne especially since ye haue so notable monuments of his wit godlinesse and learning that by the continuall reading of them ye may not onely mitigate your sorrowe but may also haue euen the part of him present with you And verily if by those thinges which wee haue â—…ten heard of him when he was aliue we may gather what his meaning was when he was dead yee cannot doe any thing either before God more religious or vnto him more acceptable than to holde fast that pure and vndefiled doctrine which yee learned of him And yee deare Auditorie the younger men especially whose eyes the glory of his name doeth dazell indeuour ye by the same steppes to reache vnto that whereunto yee woonder that he attained Procure to your selues by watchings by labours by studie by diligence and continuance the selfe same ornaments of learning and knowledge Ioyne ye vnto your studies Religion pietie faith modestie temperaunce and other vertues wherein he excelled All which if I haue not comprised in my Oration yet doe ye which haue knowen them comprehend them in your minde and as an excellent example to imitate neuer suffer yee them to depart from your eyes and minde And for asmuch as the death of men which for their vertue are famous and excellent is daungerous to the Commonweale not onely for the losse of them but also in respect of ill lucke wee humbly pray thee Oh euerlasting and heauenly father turne away such euill hap from thy Church Regard we beseeche thee thy litle flocke and gouerne it according as thou hast promised and defend it against Wolues Giue it no hyrelings but faithfull Pastors which may leade thy sheepe vnto wholesome pastures and to the fountaines of liuely water such as if neede shall require will giue their life for them And to vs also O good Father giue if not another Martyr for that dare wee scarcely desire yet at the leastwise some teacher who being indued with thy spirit may come as neere as is possible to his incomparable learning and diuine and immortall vertues And that which I nowe desire deare Auditorie desire you humbly the very same of the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ both nowe in the ende of this Oration and also from henceforwarde incessantly with feruent prayers Amen FINIS ⧠The first Table of D. P. Martyrs Common Places amplified and inlarged comprehending in as familiar a forme as can
2 464 a Ae. Aer Diuerse regions of the Aer 3 371 ab Quieter in the night than in the day and why 1 34 b How for our sakes it is become vnwholsome 2 247 b The worde heauen taken for it 3 371 b It is no place for Gods saintes and why 3 371 b Af. Affect What an Affect is both in man and other liuing creatures 2 405 b Affectes Howe and by what meanes the Affects be gouerned 2 408 b Whether they be voluntarie or not voluntarie 2 281 a The Manichies affirme that god created them euill 2 258 b Some be both honest and profitable 2 408 a Two things to be considered touching thē that folowe féeling 2 406 b The efficient cause of them what it is 2 407 a They belong to the predicament of qualitie 2 411 a Compared to sinewes and how 2 408 a Why they are in some more feeble and in some more vehement 2 407 a Their nature must bee distinguished by their vse 2 410 b Whether they are to be reckened among euill or good things 2 411 b In all though neuer so bad there is something good 2 409 a The euill are repugnant to right reason 2 408 a Which doe spring from the cogitation 2 405 b How they are praysed and dispraised and contrariwise 2 412 a Attributed euen vnto God himselfe and why 2 411 b Whether they be opinions as the Stoiks thought 2 407 b Of some which followe knowledge and of their effectes 2 411 a They are the workes of God and that he requireth them of vs. 2 408 a How Rhetoritians frame themselues in the moouing of them 2 410b Which doe followe touching 2 405 b Whether all are to be condemned as euill 2 407 b Whether they bee violent motions of the heart 2 407 a Whence it commeth that there is a dissenting of them from right reason 2 408 b They are naturally good but accidentally euill 2 408 b 409 a Three things to be noted in moouing them 2 410 b In whom the moderate sort though seeming vertuous are sinnes 2 408 b Some simple and some compounded 2 405 b 406 a After what order the will ruleth them and whether they bee mooued against the will 2 406 b How the naturall sort doe belong to the heart 2 406 b Of tower sorts of men in whome they are contrarie 2 409 a The Organs or places of them what they be 2 406 a 409 ab Of fower which haue their originall from griefe 2 411 ab What the holie Scriptures determine of them in generall 2 411 b Affections After what Affections teares do follow 3 246 a In whom the true for doe most abound 3 298 b They be sinne saith Augustine after baptisme 2 217 b Of which God would and would not haue vs voide 3 179 a 186 a What they of the members are 3 104 a Contrarie in one will of the Godlie at once 2 400 b 401 a 3 278 b The wicked abuse the good naturall sort 2 268 a The Stoikes endeuoured to take away them quite from men 3 296 b A distinction of them and of passions 3 359 a Which Augustine calleth vices 1 1 b It is blasphemie to make God the author of euill ones as Pighuis doth 2 217 ab Of the mind cōmunicated by the Parentes vnto their children the schoolemen confuted 2 241 a Séeing euill ones shoulde be mortified in vs they bée sinnes 2 217 b The soules of the blessed indued with felicitie are not voide of them 2 249 a Whether the saincts were inferiour to the Ethniks in repressing of them 3 296 a The scripture commendeth them vnto vs. 3 297 ab How they fall in God him selfe the fountaine of all felicitie 2 249 ab 3 296 b 1 109 ab Howe they were in Christ sith his soule was blessed 3 297 b Howe Hylarie speaketh of the same in Christ 3 297b Why Christ called them his will 3 298 b The difference betwéen Christs and ours 3 298 a The blessed Angels shal not be vtterly rid of them all in their felicitie 2 249 a Affliction Affliction set foorth by an artificiall comparing of wordes together 3 281a The doctrine of resurrection comfortable therein 3 341 b Afflictions The difficultie of suffering Afflictions 3 276 a Of what happie thinges to come they are tokens 3 274 a God vseth them as medicines and to whome they are not properlie punishments 2 366 ab Causes why wee shoulde patiently suffer them 3 275 b 276 a The fruites of the same 3 273 ab 274 ab 276 ab 282 ab 3 240 b What voluntarie ones belōg not to Christes crosse 3 274 a Causes why God will lay them vpon his 3 273 a The endes why God sendeth them 3 129 b 2 235 a 637 ab Howe the godly both sigh and reioyce in them 3 278 ab The diuerse effectes of them in the good and the bad 3 278 b The consolations of the godly therein 3 85 a 279 b 351 b 352 a 250 b 348 ab Striuing with them signified by the shrinking of Iacobs sinewe in wrestling 3 283 b Why men thinke them to bee tokens of Gods wrath 3 280 b 281 ab Why the Ethniks giue ouer therein and the Saints perseuere 3 279 b Of the Iewes vnder Nabuchadnezar and Antiochus 3 352 b 353 a Ours procéede from sinne 3 129 b Howe to behaue our selues therin 2 620 ab Christ our forerunner in the same 2 620 a 617 b Howe we may wish the temporall vnto sinners 2 399 a How they though neuer so greeuous are extenuated 3 276 b Of the godly are not punishmentes 3 237 a Whether they do naturally worke patience 3 279 a Howe God assisteth vs in the same 3 283ab ¶ Looke Punishment Ag. Age A diuision of mans Age into foure degrées 1 127 b Our Age proued to be the last age 3 341 a The last houre spoken of by Iohn 3 385 b 386 a The common stature of men in this Age. 1 130 b What some haue thought touching the Age of them that shall rise againe 3 359 b The tree of life was a remedie against olde Age. 2 246 b Whether olde Age is to be forbidden or kept from marriage 2 467 ab Al. Alcoran The doctrine of the Turkish Alcoran touching resurrection 3 357 b 358 a All. This generall worde All is to be restrained 3 26 b 27 a 31. 32. 132 b 133 a 397 b 398 a 389 a.b 1 193 b Allegorie An Allegorie of building and fire 3 239. 240. 241. 242 Allegories Allegories are reiected for that they haue no certeintie 2 363 b Nothing can be certeinly gathered by them 3 239 ab With what condition they are to bee admitted 3 170 a Almes Redéeme thy sinnes with Almes expounded 3 237 a 114 b Why Paul chooseth for Almes the day of the holie congregation 2 376 a Christ and his Apostles liued thereupon 4 29 ab To whome the distribution thereof in the Church pertained 4 8 a It must
naughtie Gladnesse and what it is 1 134 b Glorie Celestiall God vsed the wickednes of the Ethnikes to his owne glorie 1 14 b Augustines definition of glorie or honour 1 142 a It signifieth the whole felicity of the saints 3 276 b What is to giue glorie vnto God 3 35 a It comprehendeth two things 3 276 b Whether â—l mens shal be alike in heauen 3 389 b 390. 391. Whether we shal bee indued with greater than the Angels as the scripture seemeth to affirme 1 119 b 3 352a 357. 358. 359. 360. What vse wee shall haue of the creatures when wee shal be adorned with it 3 394 ab Howe euerie creature waiteth and attendeth with labour moiling for the reuelation thereof a notable place 2 247 b Glorie Temporall What diuerse Ethnikes haue done for glorie sake 3 277 ab The insatiable desire thereof wherewith Alexander and Iulius Cesar were inflamed 1 144 ab Why the Hebrewes cal a toong and glorie both by one name 3 342 b ¶ Looke Praise Go. Gold Why Gold was giuen to Churches 3 323 a God Whose God God is peculiarlie saide to be 3 33 a What hee is and why he is called Father 2 612 ab Of diuerse properties in him which prooue that he is not representable in Images 2 336 b 337 ab A feigned glasse of his essence wherein the Saints beheld all things 2 308 a Howe hee is truelie saide to ceasse from his labour the seuenth day 1 122 ab How he reigneth together with good kings 4 35 a Wee are not to imitate him in all things 4 62 b 1 66 b Why he is called the God of Hosts 4 25 a How he is saide to be in heauen 3 367 a Howe he worketh together with the iudgement of the Church 4 60 a How all good thinges are comprehended in him 1 3 a The corporall eye cannot attaine to his essence 3 394 b We know two things naturallie concerning him 1 10 b and what they bee ibidem 11 a Of his vniuersall gouernement 3 9 a Whether he be the chiefest good as some hold opinion 1 3 a Why hee vouchsafed to haue his nature set foorth vnto vs vnder the names of bodilie partes and members 2 339 a Compared to a potter 3 18 a What are his chiefest properties 3 11 a What kinde of working cause hee is â— 39 b Cicero denied him to bee 3 38 b 2 276 b 277 a He reuealeth not himselfe that we shold be inexcusable but that followeth thorough our own defalt 1 14 a How he is said to be God both of quick and dead 3 338 b 339 ab How he appeared in old time in visible formes 1 200 a 2 3â—8 a 1 27a b What the cause is that men be so offended at the sight of him 1 32 a Of certaine epithets or termes which we giue vnto him and why we doe so 1 30 ab The Philosophers diuided the vnitie of him into parts and howe 1 11 ab Hee is primus actus the first agent say the Philosophers and what is concluded thereby 1 178 b Whether he be the author of sinne as in shewe it may seeme 1 176 a and so forward in that Chapter 190 b 191 a Hee hath the same place in the worlde that the minde hath in man 1 170b He is able to worke mediatelie and immediatelie 1 184 a Contrarietie in him and howe to bee meant 3 301 b Three maner of waies whereby wee may knowe him 1 16 a What is meant by sitting at his right hand 2 623 b Howe and by what meanes the wicked confesse him 1 13 b Why hee is called a spirit 1 10â—b His inuisible things drawen to three principall points â— 16 b How he may be knowen seene reade 1 24 b 25 a Augustines opinion that Paul and Moses had sometime seene the substance of him with their minde while they liued here 1 30 b Diuerse signes and tokens of his presence 1 25 b Hee was verie familiar with our first Parents in what sort 1 32 a How he is said to be made visible in Christ 1 30 b 31 a To remember doth not properlie accord with him and why 1 109 a He cannot be said to be definitelie in a place 1 87 a He is saide to doe those things which he causeth vs to doe as how 1 107 a How much and in what sort he may be seene of men 1 24 a The error of the Anthropomorphites auouching him to haue a bodie how they proue it 1 29 ab How and by what meanes the Saints in heauen shall know his essence 1 29 b Why our knowledge of him is so difficult 1 30 a Why the scriptures doe attribute parts and members vnto him 1 29 a Prooued to be without a bodie how 1 28 b How he is an esseÌ„ce or being 1 100 a A nature disseuered from any matter by what meanes he declareth himselfe 1 12 a His substance cannot bee seene 1 28 b Of his omnipotencie or almightinesse 2 613 a No refuge against his anger 4 295 b 296 a The diuerse opinions and persuasions of some touching him 1 13 a He doeth offer himselfe to be beholden of men two maner of wayes 1 14a The nature of man doth most resemble him and howe 1 12 b Wherein his maiestie doth consist 1 11 a Whether in sense or minde we knowe his essence in this life 1 30 a Whether in him there bee any chaunge or alteration 1 109 b 110 a Hee is the God of all men yea euen of the wicked 3 33 a He reuoketh his decreed purposes why so 1 82 b Howe it must be vnderstoode that he doeth deceiue no man 3 23 a What wee are taught by calling him Father 3 81 b The mind of him is the originall of al lawes 2 575 b How Augustine excuseth Tertullian saying that he is a bodie 1 28 b The answere of Simonides to king Hiero demanding what God was 1 30 a His power and his will must be distinguished 2 563 a He is the maker of heauen and earth 2 613 b How he is said to come sith he filleth all places 1 101 a Godhead Reasons obiected against the Godhead of the holie Ghost 1 107 a Against them that think Christs Godhead empaired because in the new Testament he is called Lord. 1 100 b A proofe of his Godhead manhood 1 115 ab What Augustine to Pascentius saith therof and of the holie Ghost 1 106 b Gods The meaning of these wordes The Gods came that he might redeeme vnto himselfe a people 1 100b 101 a Godlie The Godlie determine al waies with this condition If God will 2 254 b Howe all creatures doe seruice vnto them 2 251 b 252 a ¶ Looke Saints Godlinesse Godlinesse defined 3 255 b The proper notes and colours therof 3 142 a The end and whereto it tendeth 1 17 a 2 303a It cannot be ioyned with ignorance 2 259 b The chiefe vertue of all others
themselues as concerning nature and state of liuing Then when they haue made them their heires Wherin out similitude with God standeth they desire to inrich them with all their substance The similitude vndoubtedlie which the regenerate haue with God their father consisteth in wisedome iustice simplicitie of mind magnanimitie charitie and in other like heauenlie and diuine affections of the mind whereby they iudge themselues to be made according to the image of GOD as they were created at the beginning And the inheritance which they expect of so excellent a father is eternall and most blessed life And I praie you how much dooth this generation differ from that The heritage of the godlie wherein we are begotten according to flesh and bones And how great a diuersitie is there betwéene the same inheritance of eternall life and the frée gifts among them that be aliue or that are woont to be doone by testaments concerning fields vineyards houses cattell monie or anie other thing For albeit we haue not so much as these things anie other way than of him and by him now presentlie yet we speake onelie of that by reason wherof God is properlie called The father of them that be regenerate in Christ If so be that men would imbrace this thing as méet it were with faith and readinesse of mind they should not so erre from the properties and similitude of God our father neither yet could they shew the disposition of false begotten children by their shamefull actions and wicked déeds as at this daie manie are accustomed to doo This is that fatherlie image and shape whervnto Christ inuited vs in these words Be ye perfect Matth. 5 48 as your heauenlie father is perfect Yet did he neuertheles not kéepe in silence that goodlie and rich inheritance when he said vnto Peter Matt. 19 29. Who soeuer shall leaue that that is his for my names sake he shall not onelie receiue an hundreth fold for me but besides this shall haue euen eternall life also Whosoeuer therefore expecteth so great an inheritance by faith euen as he is not puffed vp by prosperitie so neither is he sorrowfull aboue measure in aduersitie but he hath alwaies his mind bent vnto greater matters neither will he euer persuade himselfe that the labours and vexations which he is subiect vnto in this life are not equiualent to the reward which he looketh for Of the omnipotencie of God 3 But now let vs come to the third point wherein we beléeue him to be omnipotent And this dooth first signifie that he of his owne onelie power was able to bring foorth as afterward shall be said whatsoeuer is conteined both in heauen and earth Further when he will protect me from all euilles and heape euerie good thing vpon me I being his owne workemanship he can shew the same by manie meanes and he being omnipotent as we beléeue him to be can easilie remooue all lets and impediments Herof dependeth as of a most sure foundation all the honour and woorthinesse of our faith For how much soeuer the wisedome of man the world the flesh our owne verie sense or temptation of the diuell is able to withstand the promises conteined in the holie scriptures by this article is beaten downe Hereof it commeth Rom. 4 20. that Paule saith vnto the Romans that Abraham gaue the glorie vnto God when he beléeued perfectlie that he was able to performe that which he promised although the same might not be granted by humane reason and power Wherefore thou must not make anie account of that which importunate men shall obiect neither yet of that which troublesome cogitations entring into thy mind and withstanding those things which be conteined in the holie scriptures diuine promises shall moue sith to thée is manifest both the infinite power of God and also his fatherlie will in whom thou professest thy selfe to beléeue Thou must also remember that neither miracles are wrought nor praiers are heard vnlesse that faith be fullie giuen vnto this omnipotencie of God and vnto the loue wherewith he loueth vs. For this cause Christ said Mark 9 22. that All things are possible vnto him that beleeueth 4 Now remaineth to expound the last part of this article namelie God the creatour of heauen and earth The maker of heauen and earth By which saieng is refelled the error which the schooles of philosophers indeuor to persuade that the world in verie déed was without beginning and that it cannot by anie possible meanes be that the same should be made of nothing séeing here all we that be indued with faith doo sée much more perfectlie than they haue séene For it shall be an absurd thing to measure the works of God omnipotent with a certeine measure of naturall works Further we also beléeue hereby that God is the perpetuall preseruer of the things which he hath made For vnlesse he should gouerne all things by the selfe-same vertue wherewith he made them without doubt all things would be reduced to naught which to haue their being were at the first brought foorth by him of nothing Wherevpon also it is lawfull to conclude another thing namelie that if all things be created by God as we haue before declared and that he is verelie a father vnto thée and so mercifull a father whatsoeuer is made by him commeth to thy vse Vnto Adam the parent of all mankind all things in a maner became subiect but seeing he was vngratefull of mind he by his gréeuous offense spoiled both himselfe and all vs of so pretious and ample inheritance the which inheritance Paule doth manifestlie shew Roma 5 17. and that with verie great most forceable arguments to be restored to vs againe by Christ teaching that the benefit of Christ is mightier and of more efficacie than the malice and wickednesse of Adam Therefore he also writeth vnto them that All things happen well vnto them which trulie loue God It is therefore our part Rom. 8 27. rightlie and iustlie to applie vnto our vse and commoditie those things that be created that for the vse of them and for the delectable fruit which we receiue by them the goodnesse of GOD may be praised and thanks giuen vnto him For as the same apostle writing vnto Timothie saith Things created by God are good that the faithfull may vse them and giue due thanks to God 1. Tim. 4 4 so as none of them be receiued as euill Yea and although the same haue drawne anie euill vnto it yet by the word and by praier it is made holie Yea and things created doo no lesse serue for the sustentation of mans life than doo giue vs an apt testimonie of the perfect and singular goodnesse of our most mercifull father which thing as it is most true so it ought not to be contemned Fiue other principall points belonging to the person of the sonne 5 I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onelie sonne our Lord