7. for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God no verelie nor cannot be And as manie as are not set at libertie by Christ doo liue vnder the lawe and as Paule addeth to the Galathians are vnder the cursse Gal. 3 10. Places to prooue that before regeneration we be not free Which thing should not be true if they could fulfill the lawe of God for they incurre not the danger of the cursse vnlesse they transgresse the lawe Further Paule expressedlie saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth Rom 9 16. but of GOD that hath mercie For our saluation is his worke and not the worke of our strength It is he that worketh in vs both to will and to perfourme Before he doo that whatsoeuer he dooth with vs either by the lawe or by the instruction of his word he dealeth with stones for our harts be stonie vnlesse God doo change them into fleshie harts which he promiseth in Ezechiel that he would doo Eze. 11 12. and would bring to passe that we should walke in his waies And surelie if we might liue well and rightlie without grace we might also be iustified by our owne works which doctrine is vtterlie condemned both by Paule and all the holie scripture Ieremie saith Conuert me ô Lord Iere. 31 11. and I shall be conuerted And Dauid saith Psal 51 18. A pure hart create in me ô God The which thing that it commeth not to passe in all men we perceiue by the 29. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 4. where it is thus written The Lord hath not giuen vnto you eies to see nor an eare to heare nor an hart to vnderstand And in the thirtie chapter God promised that he would circumcise their harts and the harts of their séed that they shuld walke in his commandements For he both beginneth finisheth our saluation for this Paule saieth to the Philippians Phil. 1 6. I hope that he who hath begun in you will perfourme it euen vnto the daie of Christ This thing the holie men right well vnderstanding doo praie with Dauid Psa 119 36. Incline my hart vnto thy testimonies and with Salomon The Lord shall incline our harts that we may walke in his waies with Paule vnto the Thessalonians 2. Thes 3 5. The Lord direct your harts in patience and in the expectation of Christ And Salomon in his prouerbs saith The hart of the king is in the hand of God and he inclineth it to what end he will Prou. 21 1. It is the worke of God not our owne that we be conuerted vnto God The end vse of the lawe Esaie 1 19. These testimonies doo sufficientlie declare that it is Gods worke and not ours to be conuerted vnto him and to doo vprightlie 5 Here some obiect vnto vs the commandements which are set foorth vnto vs in the holie scriptures for they séeme to signifie that it lieth in our selues to obserue those things which we be commanded For Esaie saith If ye will and will hearken vnto me ye shall eate the good things of the land And the Lord oftentimes commandeth vs that we should conuert our selues vnto him Be ye conuerted saith he vnto me I will not the death of a sinner Eze. 18 30 and 32. I had rather that he conuerted and liue And when he had published the lawe he said that He had set before them life and death blessing and cursing Deu. 30 15. And an infinite sort of other such like testimonies might be brought But here it must be considered that these things in verie déed are commanded vnto men Lawes indeed are Lawes indeed are giuen but it is not taught that mans strength is able to performe them but we are no where taught that a man is able to performe them of his owne proper strength Neither is it méet that we measure the greatnesse of our owne strength by the precepts of Gods lawe as though so much can be doone of our owne accord as Gods lawe hath commanded naie rather our infirmitie is to be measured hereby that when we sée the excellencie and woorthines of Gods cōmandements to excell our strength by innumerable degrées By the law of God we may measure our infirmitie but not our strength we may remember that the lawe hath a certeine other end than that it should be performed of vs. Paule sheweth that end to be manifold By the lawe saith he commeth the knowledge of sin Rom. 3 30. Rom. 7 13. which he saith was therefore made that the number of transgressions might be increased For by this meanes The lawe is become a schoole-maister to lead men vnto Christ that when they sée themselues ouercharged with the heauie burthen of the commandements and the greatnes of their sinnes they may perceiue their saluation to consist onelie in the mercie of God and redemption of Christ For the weakenes and vnwoorthines of our selues being considered we foorthwith begin to praie vnto God that both he will for Christs sake pardon our sinnes and giue vs sufficiencie of his spirit that we may indeuour to followe his will Giue what thou commandest saith Augustine and command what thou wilt Further another vse of the lawe is that we should sée wherevnto we must applie our selues Also it may be that if through the grace of God there be an accesse of obedience begun men may applie themselues vnto the lawe Lastlie though in this life it be not giuen vnto vs that men can in euerie condition satisfie the lawe yet we shall fullie obteine the same in another life when we shall cast awaie all this corruption Yet God ought not to be accused of iniustice by reason hereof for he is not in fault that men be not able to kéepe his commandements Neither can anie of vs be excused Why God is not to be accused of iniustice bicause that willinglie and gréedilie we doo breake the lawe that is appointed vnto vs. The same was giuen in such sort as it might best agrée with our nature when the same was first instituted for the image of God could not by anie other meanes more plainelie and effectuallie be expressed But and if by reason of sinne we be not able to accomplish the lawe yet this at the least-wise we sée namelie what maner of persons we ought to be Looke In 1. King 16. at the beginning and in the booke De votis pag. 279. put foorth at Basil 6 But that sentence which is commonlie obiected that Nothing is to be counted sinne which dependeth not of election must be vnderstood as Augustine dooth interpret it of that kind of sinne which is not the punishment of sinne for otherwise originall sinne is neither voluntarie nor receiued by election But thou wilt saie Séeing the matter standeth thus we shall séeme of necessitie to sticke fast in sinne which thing indéed I denie not Necessitie of sinning is without
vs such formes or denominations but yet it behooueth that there be a choise had therein Moreouer choise is occupied in pursuing or flieng but so is not opinion for when anie thing is offered vnto vs we begin to conceiue an opinion what it is what comâ—oditie may be gotten thereby and how it must be vsed But we doo not so much conceiue in our opinion whether the thing should be shunned or followed for that rather apperteineth to choise Yea rather betwéene these things there séemeth that there should be a certeine order set for first as I said we conceiue in opinion what it is what profit it bringeth and how it will serue our turne Which things being coÌ„ceiued in opinion then we procéed either to pursue or to eschew the matter The third Chapter Of the Lawe HEre I thought it good to speake somewhat concerning the nature of the lawe In Rom. 5. Of the nature of the lawe the Manicheis and Pelagians vnderstood it not and therewithall to shew how the Manicheis and Pelagians vnderstood it not and what the same worketh in vs either before regeneration or after we be iustified First as touching the forme thereof the same must be affirmed which Paule saith in his epistle to the Romans when he writeth that it is spirituall But the vniuersall end therof and which apperteineth vnto all men is to bring men vnto the knowledge of sinne Which thing Paule signified saieng Rom. 3 20. that By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Here if thou demand wherefore the apostle said not rather By the lawe commeth the knowledge of righteousnesse I answer bicause a man not yet regenerate so long as he is without Christ can not haue in himselfe the féele of good works or of true righteousnesse which may satisfie the lawe of God Wherefore when he compareth his dooings with the lawe he perceiueth them to be onelie falles and transgressions But if we doo speake of the end of the lawe as touching the elect that is Christ And this dooth also Paule teach saieng Rom. 10 4 The end of the lawe is Christ vnto saluation which yet he speaketh not vniuersallie but Vnto euerie one that beleeueth The lawe by it selfe dooth not lead to Christ and to saluation For the lawe it selfe by it selfe dooth not bring a man to this end The Ethniks said that The end of the lawe is a knowledge which it bréedeth as touching things to be doone Wherevpon Chrysippus as he is cited in the Digests saith that The lawe is the knowledge of things diuine and humane Howbeit this end and this definition be to largelie extended for all wisdome and all good arts doo teach some knowledge of diuine and heauenlie things Now there remaineth that we diligentlie consider what is the matter anâ— efficient cause of the lawe The matter and efficient cause of the lawe And to comprehend these things bréeflie I saie that The lawe is the commandement of God wherin both his will and also his disposition or nature is expressed What the lawe is When I saie A commandement I note the generall word for there be commandements of the people of the senate of kings of emperors But when I saie Of God I make a difference which betokeneth the efficient cause Whereas I saie that in the lawe is expressed the will of God that is more euident than néedeth exposition But perhaps it may séeme more obscure that I said The lawe teacheth vs concerning the nature and disposition of god we be taught in the lawe concerning the disposition of God and be stirred vp to the knowledge of his nature wherefore we will make the same plaine by examples When God commandeth vs that we should loue him he teacheth vs thereby that he is of a nature to be beloued for things can not rightlie be loued vnlesse the verie same are worthie to be loued And vnlesse he were well affected towards vs he would not set foorth vnto vs that chéefe good which we should loue wherfore he chéeflie persuadeth vs vnto this bicause he desireth to haue vs partakers of himselfe We perceiue therefore that he is such a one towards vs as he also desireth vs to be And when he forbiddeth that we should not kill first he sheweth his owne will Further he declareth himselfe to be a God which detesteth violence and iniuries and he had rather doo good vnto men than hurt them After the same sort these two things might be shewed in the rest of the precepts And out of this definition those things may be also gathered the which we spake aboue touching the forme and end of the lawe bicause it is of necessitie that such a doctrine be spirituall that it bréed an excellent knowledge And we be taught The benefit of the lawe that it is no small benefit that God hath thereby giuen vnto men for he bringeth to passe that both we knowe our selues and vnderstand the properties of God Platos definition of the lawe Plato in his bookes of the lawe of a publike weale and in Minoe séemeth thus to define a lawe namelie that It is a right waie of gouerning which by profitable meanes directeth vnto the best end by setting foorth punishments vnto the transgressors and rewards vnto the obedient This definition may verie well be applied vnto the lawe of God yea verelie there can be no such lawe vnlesse it be of God It is no maruell then The old Law-giuers made God to be the author of their lawes if the old Law-makers when they would haue their lawes commended did feigne some god to be the author of them for Minos ascribed his lawes to Iupiter Lycurgus his to Apollo Solon and Draco theirs to Minerua Numa Pompilius his to Aegeria And we are assured out of the holie scriptures that our lawe was giuen of God by Moses in mount Sina 2 And these things thus ordered concerning the nature and definition of a lawe we may easilie vnderstand how fowlie the Manicheis haue erred which blasphemed the same The Manicheis condemned the lawe as euill and cursed it as euill For séeing the lawe commandeth nothing but things to be commanded and forbiddeth nothing but things to be forbidden how can it iustlie be accused For there can be no iust or honest duetie found out but that by the lawe of God it is commended and nothing fowle or dishonest but it is forbidden in the same nor onelie wicked dooings are prohibited by the lawe but also wicked lusts are condemned Wherefore that sheweth It biddeth both the works and will to be corrected that not onelie the outward works but the mind and will must be corrected And since a great part of felicitie standeth in the acknowledging of God that philosophers doo so greatlie commend the knowledge of our selues both which things the lawe of GOD doth appoint the same cannot without gréeuous offense be blamed as euill and pernicious Yet the place wherein it is
forced to indure some bondage thereof when as we can neither will nor choose but haue the same in the secret places of our soule Wherfore Paule in his latter epistle to Timothie writing of the wicked saith that Satan holdeth them captiue at his owne pleasure 2. Tim. 2 26. which cannot be séemelie for the elect Wherefore the iustified persons may wrestle against sinne but they cannot vtterlie be rid of the same Rom. 7 15. 5 That which I doo saith he I knowe not This doubtles he spake not as though he were altogither ignorant what he should doo but he vsed knowing in sted of allowing So the sense is Those things which be doone by me in that I am not yet regenerate I doo not allow And thereby we gather That men be not maisters of their owne actions that by reason of the remnant of corruption or sinne originall we be not maisters of our owne actions affections and inclinations Wherefore Ambrose vpon the Gospell of Luke wrote trulie that Our hart is not in our owne power For oftentimes when we praie we are desirous to be attentiue but sundrie and manifold cogitations enter into our mind drawing it to and fro doo violentlie plucke the same awaie whether we will or no. And he saith that It is hard to bridle such motions but to take them awaie it is a thing vnpossible This saieng of Ambrose Augustine vpon a time recited But I returne to Paule who addeth that he dooth not the good which he would but the euill which he hateth Wherby we may perceiue that the forces of the mind which stir vs vp against the commandements of God can of themselues be called neither good nor euill but so farre foorth as they be compared to the lawe of God So then being repugnant vnto the same they be euill but agréeing therevnto they be called good Neither must they be harkened vnto The first motions vnto euill are sinne Looke part 2. place 1. Art 31. which neglect the first motions of the mind and thinke that there must no héed be giuen vnto them But against these men we must reason on this wise The motions which be of this kind we will appoint either to be good or euill or neither of both Good they cannot be séeing they are commanded by the scriptures to be mortified and kept vnder which for things that be good is not conuenient For good things must neither be kept vnder nor mortified but rather quickened and stirred vp And againe we must not affirme them to be neuters bicause the lawe of God dooth not suffer that For no part of the mind neither action nor motion is left as neuter or frée vnto vs séeing we be commanded to loue God with all our hart with all our mind and with all our strength so then they shall be reckoned among sinnes and euill things Séeing therefore Paule saith that he dooth that which he would not it is gathered that he indéed did not satisfie euen himselfe much lesse then the lawe of God And euerie man easilie iudgeth of his owne selfe that he performeth a great deale lesse than he ought to doo and that if he doo anie good at anie time he doth not the same without striuing and wrestling Whereby it is declared that as yet there remaine faculties in vs which be repugnant vnto God Wherevpon he inferreth Now is it not I that worke that Rom. 7 17. but sinne which dwelleth in me And he saith that he dooth not worke namelie in that he is new borne Who then worketh sinne Euen sinne it selfe that is the euill froth and naughtines of corrupted nature So as we will proue that Paule dooth not commit the sinne as touching all the parts of his mind neither dooth he wholie consent to that euill which he committeth And that which is concluded touching sinne must be affirmed of the obedience and loue of GOD. For in Paule other regenerate persons there be yet some parts remaining which doo not loue God We loue not then God with all our heart with all our soule with all our strength And when he saith that Sinne dwelleth in him he teacheth that men although they be godlie doo with this corrupt mansion omit manie things which the lawe commandeth and admit things which be contrarie to the lawe Rom. 7 18. 6 It followeth To will is readie with me but I find no meanes to performe that is By regeneration I haue a good will now put into me Both to will and to performe are giuen by God the which of my selfe I had not Here the Pelagians did excéedinglie erre who taught that we our selues ought to beginne yet that it is Gods part to prosper our determinations But Paule on the other side sheweth that we of our selues are not apt once to thinke anie good thing And while he saith now I find no meanes to performe he agréeth verie well to himselfe who teacheth in his epistle vnto the Philippians that It is God which worketh in vs Phil. 2 13. as well to will as to performe Neither are the things which he now writeth against those words For to performe perfectlie that which the lawe commandeth we find not in vs but after a sort we may performe it and that not of our selues but we haue it of God And whereas to vs that be regenerate to will things that be right is present that commeth likewise of God Also both good and euill are readie with vs and in that good taketh place we wrestle against sinne but in that euill is also therein we be hindered from our right purpose Such is our condition while we are in this life Wherfore Augustine De nuptijs concupiscentia the first booke and 29. chapter saith that Loue is then performed when the impediments be absent For when we are lett it can be no perfect thing but a certeine mixture contriued of contraries Moreouer he noted the apostles words who saith I find no meanes to performe it and not simplie To doo it For it is granted as we haue said that we may doo well in some respect Augustine further addeth that The commandement Thou shalt not lust cannot be fulfilled in this life But hereof I haue noted else-where Howbeit Why the lawe is giuen when as it cannot be fulfilled some man will demand If the lawe cannot absolutelie be performed wherefore is it set foorth vnto vs Herevnto I answer that we must not gather by the lawe how much we be able to doo but how much we ought to doo Besides there is no doubt but that the lawe hath manie ends First it sheweth sinne for it is written By the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne And vnto the Galathians it is written The lawe entered in Gal. 3 19. bicause of transgressions namelie to make them manifest And to the Romans Rom. 5 20. It entered in that sinne might the more abound Ouer this It is our schoolemaster vnto
in righteousnes and true holines And in the third chapter to the Colossians verse 10. Ye haue put on the new man which is renewed to the knowledge and image of him that created him And a little after he sheweth the properties of this image verse 12. Put ye on the bowels of mercies goodnes modestie meekenes gentlenes forbearing one another and forgiuing one another And in the eight chapter to the Romans Whom he before knew verse 30. he also predestinated to be made like vnto the image of his sonne All these things doo sufficientlie declare what maner of image of God the holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs in the creation and instauration of man neither did the fathers mislike of this opinion Irenaeus in his fift booke saith that by the infusion of the holie Ghost man is made spirituall euen in such sort as he was created by God And Tertullian against Marcion saith that that is the image of God which hath the selfe-same motions and senses with God and the reason which persuadeth vs herevnto is that man was therefore made at the beginning like vnto the image of God A reason why man was made to the image of God bicause he should be the gouernour of all things created as if he had béene a certeine deputie of God And no man can doubt but that God will haue his creatures to be well gouerned for he continuallie biddeth vs that we should not abuse them And we are bound by a lawe to ascribe vnto God all those things whereby we are holpen as from whom all things doo flowe But a good vse and right administration of things cannot appéere vnles we be furnished with those conditions which we haue said doo belong to the image of God And whereas Augustine assigned the image of God to be in the vnderstanding memorie and will we saie he did it to the intent he might set foorth vnto vs some forme or example of the diuine persons how one of them doo respect another But he must not be so vnderstood Augustine defended The powers of the mind not despoiled of vertues be the image of God By the lawe of nature we are bound to haue originall righteousnes as though he would make these faculties of the mind to be the image of God they being naked and despoiled of those vertues which we haue declared Wherefore we haue a lawe giuen vnto vs either by the institution or by the restitution of man which Paule commandeth and by this bond we are bound to haue the originall righteousnes which we haue lost We haue also the lawe of nature and to liue agréeable vnto it as Cicero saith in his third booke De finibus is the principall and last end of mans estate and this lawe dependeth of that other which we before spake of For of no other thing dooth it come that we in cogitations haue our mind Rom. 2 15. which accuse and defend one another but that they are taken from the woorthines of nature as it was first instituted by God For whatsoeuer either the philosophers or lawe-giuers haue commanded as touching the duties of mans life The precepts of mans life proceed from the forme of a most vpright nature the same dooth wholie depend of the fountaines of our creation For those precepts cannot come out of a corrupt nature out of selfe-loue and out of malice whereof it coms that we are prone vnto euils but they come from that kind of most vpright nature which they feigne to be doone by the worthines of man and which we knowe out of the holie scriptures to be instituted by God Rom. 7 23. By this cōmandement Thou shalt not lust the want of originall iustice is condemned and commanded to be renewed by vs. And herevnto as some will haue it dooth apperteine that lawe of the mind which the lawe of the members dooth resist There is also a third lawe which God would haue to be put in writing namelie Thou shalt not lust which commandement although our aduersaries doo wrest vnto actuall sinnes yet we haue shewed that the same belongeth also vnto originall sin and that God by his commandement would haue all kind of naughtie concupiscence to be vtterlie cut off from men 15 Now therefore we haue lawes which so long as they be extant shall perpetuallie bind vs and make vs debtors to performe that righteousnes which they require Infants feele not the lawe but sinne lieth asleepe in them Rom. 7 9. True indéed it is that infants féele not those lawes and therefore sinne lieth asléepe in them as Augustine saith in his second booke De peccatorum meritis remissione following that which Paule saith I sometimes liued without a lawe not that there was at anie time no lawe prescribed vnto Paule but bicause in his childhood he felt not the same by reason of yoong age Wherfore Paule saith that Sinne was dead which Augustine interpreteth was on sleepe but when the commandement was come that is when the lawe began to be knowne of me sinne did reuiue No doubt but it was in him before sinne but when he felt it not it séemed dead Now it appéereth how those things with we haue spoke agrée with the holie scriptures An obiection of Pighius But Pighius vrgeth yet further that these doo perteine nothing vnto infants for that a lawe ought not to be made as touching those things which cannot be auoided But when he speaketh thus he followeth not the sense of the holie scriptures for theyr sufficientlie teach that those things which be commanded in the lawe cannot be perfectlie fulfilled when neuerthelesse they be straitlie commanded A lawe may be made of such things as cannot be fulfilled Rom. 8 ◠Paule saith in the epistle to the Romans that Looke what was vnpossible to the lawe forasmuch as it was made weake by the flesh God sending his onlie sonne c. By these words it appéereth most plainelie that the lawe as it is commanded cannot be performed for if it could we should be iustified by works Neither had it béene néedfull that Christ should suffer death for vs. Vtilities of the lawe There be also other offices of the lawe for which it is written For assuredlie the same is profitable to direct the actions of godlie men but most profitable of all to discouer sinne Rom. 3 20. Rom. 7 7 Rom. 5 20. 1. Cor. 15 verse 56. Gal. 3 24. for By the lawe saith Paule commeth the knowledge of sinne Againe I had not knowne lust vnlesse the lawe had said vnto me Thou shalt not lust Besides by the lawe sinne is also increased and dooth burthen vs the more and dooth the more gréeuouslie presse vs for The lawe entered in that sinne might abound And to the Corinthians The power of sinne is the lawe All these things tend to this end that man as by a schoolemaister should be brought vnto Christ and should craue his helpe
Ephes 5 3. and 4. nor couetousnesse be named among you as it becommeth saints Then is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 foolish talking and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iesting which are not comelie By these words he reprooueth all communications which are defiled either with dishonestie or scurrilitie The verie same sawe Plato Plato in his third booke De Repub. where he excludeth poets that spake of gods as though they should speake of men bicause they in so writing doo both dishonourablie treate of the nature of God which is the best and most excellent and also excuse the sinnes of common men when as they testifie that both the gods and also noble men did things alike Which certeinlie we may perceiue in the comedie of Eunuchus in Terence where Chaerea Terence a wicked yoong man beholding a wanton table in the harlots house wherein was painted Iupiter comming into Danae by a shower began to haue a pleasure in himselfe séeing he being but a séelie man did those things which he perceiued by that table that the chéefe god in old time had committed I did it saith he yea I did it with good will Also Cicero saith Cicero that Homer feigned these things and translated humane things vnto the gods But I would rather they had transferred diuine things vnto vs 46 Augustine in his second booke of confessions the 15. and 16. chapters Augustine complaineth and soroweth that he being a child and a yoong man learned profitable words but yet in vaine things I would to God saith he I had béene instructed in profitable writings I heard Iupiter thundering and therwithall committing adulterie The minds and affections of men are prone enough vnto vices Wherefore it is wickedlie doone that children and yoong men should in that age be stirred vp to sinne by vile and filthie fables But apollogies are profitable which consisting both of honest words and good arguments doo rightlie instruct that first age Aesope the ancient writer Aesope happilie exercised himselfe in this kind although some doo ascribe his fables vnto Hesiodus who was before Aesops time But this one apollogie whereof we now treat was written long before the time of Aesope Hesiodus For the time of the Iudges and namelie of Gedeon was an hundreth yeares and more before the war of Troie There is an other apollogie also in the second booke of kings verse 9. the 14. chapter where Amasias obteining victorie of the Edomits prouoked the king of Israel to make warre with him Vnto whom king Ioas answered thus The thistle of Libanon sent vnto the cedar that is of Libanon and said Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife And a wild beast went out of Libanon and trode down the thistle By which apollogie he shewed that he was so much greater than Amasias the king of Iuda as the cedar trée excelleth the thistle and gaue him warning that he should after that sort be troden downe and oppressed by his host as the thistle perisheth that is troden downe by wild beasts The vse of apollogies 47 These things haue I therefore rehearsed bicause the Gréeke and Ethnike writers should not be thought to be the first inuenters of these profitable deuises All men agree that the vse of apollogies is then to be added when we haue to deale with rude persons For they vnderstand not what a perfect argument or an vnperfect meaneth neither are they able to perceiue inductions so that of particulars they might gather vniuersals And they passe not vpon the examples of noble personages bicause they themselues are abiect and base Wherefore séeing they be smallie instructed by those meanes there remaine fained narrations where they being allured with the strangenesse of the matter giue great héed to the things that are spoken and are otherwhiles at length persuaded Moreouer they are good to helpe memorie for things that are so new and pleasant doo verie much delight and those things that be so pleasant be not easilie forgotten Furthermore men can sooner abide themselues to be reprooued by apollogies than by euident spéeches For the plaine truth ingendereth hatred but being couered with apollogies or darke spéeches it may be abidden At the beginning the hearers know not wherevnto the matter tendeth therefore being ignorant what will be spoken they tarrie out the end and perhaps be persuaded at the length Christ finished the whole parable of the vine Matt. 21 33. and at the end the Scribes and Pharisies perceiued that it was spoken against themselues So also among the Romans Menenius Agrippa by an apollogie wan the cōmon people which had diuided themselues from the Senators to ioine themselues againe with them For these causes are the parables dreames and visions of the prophets verie much vsed in the holie scriptures The xiiij Chapter The last precept Thou shalt not lust Wherein is treated of the comparison and connexion of sinnes one with an other Also of the summe of the lawe the which consisteth in charitie PAule In Rom. 7 verse 7. in disputing of the knowledge which we haue of sinne among all others precepts bringeth this onelie one precept Thou shalt not lust which vndoubtedlie the apostle did as all other things most prudentlie séeing he ment speciallie to speake of that kind of naughtinesse which is most hidden from the iudgement of men and is not set forth in other lawes For the naturall lust and corruption which driueth vs into all euils is in this place touched and discouered as the fountaine and head of all euils Lust is here touched bicause it is the head of other euils Wherefore it is verie well said of Augustine that there is no sinne committed without lust For this cause Paule would not speake of the grosser outward sinnes bicause he sawe that they perteined vnto discipline and are not onelie set foorth by the ciuill lawes but haue also their punishment prouided for them Neither would he speake of wicked affections and perturbations bicause he perceiued them to be condemned by the philosophers in their morall discipline and that they gaue precepts for bringing of them to a mediocritie He went rather vnto the roote of all sins and sheweth that the same being vnknowne and hidden is manifested and brought to light by the lawe of God And to expresse this more plainlie we must consider that all the commandements of God doo either command or forbid something The precepts of God are distinguished into commandements and prohibitions And they not onelie command that a thing be doone lightlie but also that it be doone with all the heart with all the soule and with all the strength and most exactlie so that there be nothing in vs which should not be obedient to the will of God And what they forbid they not onelie forbid that it selfe should not be in vs but also that there should be left in vs no desire or inclination therevnto And
Moreouer they saie that whatsoeuer we doo we must doo it for his sake We must worship God also in that he is felicitie and blessednesse in the first consideration and not in respect that he is our chéefe goodnesse and felicitie And this they thinke that Barnard ment by the words now recited For they alledge him who after this maner writeth in another place namelie that he suspected all that loue wherewith we loue anie thing besides God Howbeit these men doo not marke that by this distinction which is found out rather by the iudgement of men than by the veritie of the scriptures they are against the meaning of God Sith he said vnto Abraham as it is written in Genesis Gen. 15 1. I am thine exceeding great reward walke therefore before me and be perfect Vndoubtedlie by these words God offereth himselfe vnto vs not imagined by himselfe or plucked awaie from our commodities but in respect that he is our reward Moreouer as I alreadie said at the first God would not adioine promises gifts rewards to his coÌ„mandements in vaine or without effect but most prudentlie and with consideration did he this I praie thée that our eies being shut we should ouerskip them I thinke not Neither canst thou saie that they serue for the ruder sort and such as be not yet singular and perfect For I will demand straitway of thée whether Abraham Moses Dauid the prophets and apostles were not so perfect as either the nature of men in this life can be or is required of vs If thou wilt saie they were vnperfect then can I not tell what excellencie or perfection of men thou fainest to thy selfe Vndoubtedlie Paule setteth foorth himselfe vnto others as a perfect man in such sort as a man in this life may be perfect when he wrote Be ye perfect as I am perfect I speake not how the scripture yea God himselfe pronounceth Moses to be most méeke He commendeth Dauid also that he was made according to his will and heart Wherefore if thou wilt grant that these men were notable excellent and perfect men as men may be in this world neither canst thou denie the promises and rewards offered to them of God This without doubt followeth that men of the more excellent sort may in well liuing and dooing lift vp their eies to the reward Augustine 20 Howbeit I thinke that Augustine hath verie well opened all this matter when he saith in his booke of Confessions He loueth thée not speaking to God which loueth anie thing besides thée that he loueth not for thy sake By these words is gathered that we may loue gaine and rewards for Gods sake séeing it is lawfull to imbrace the meane ends for the last and chiefe goodnesse sake Neither are wée forbidden but that we may sometimes wish for meate drinke and cloth and such things as are néedfull for this life Yea and Christ hath commanded by expresse words that we should aske them and he hath promised them to those which séeke for the kingdome of God when he hath said First seeke the kingdome of God and all things shall be ministred vnto you Mat. 6 33. Wherefore it is true that these things may be so hoped for regarded and receiued of God as gifts and rewards and not as the principall things For they are also to be referred to a further end according to Paules most holesome admonition who hath written 1. Co. 10 31 Whether we eate or whether we drinke or whether we doo anie other thing let vs doo it to the glorie of God What is the foundation of earthlie promises And finallie séeing God himselfe his glorie good will and fauour be the roote and foundation of other promises and of euerie reward so often as we shall behold these other things séeing they are comprehended in those former things we must take héed that we neuer separate them one from an other but in the latter continuallie looke vpon those that are first Whereby as Augustine hath counselled we shall loue nothing besides God but that we loue it for his sake And this much of this question Of the vse and abrogating of the lawe 21 The mind of God must be reckoned the beginning of all lawes In Rom. 3 20. The mind of God is the originall of all lawes for whatsoeuer is accounted iust and honest in anie lawes that hath generallie flowed from thence So as we may saie that all lawes are interpretations of the mind of God whereby it commeth to passe that the lawes which be not iust ought not to be accounted lawes The knowledge which we haue by the lawe as touching sinne is of two sorts One is altogither weake and without effect whereby our minds be not terrified nor yet our consciences deiected As when we sée droonkards otherwhile which in the minds of their cups condemne the vice of droonkennesse Also the Poets in their verses and miters cunninglie described vices but yet they themselues did not refraine from them anie whit more than others And certeinlie that knowledge of sinne which terrifieth dooth not alwaies bring saluation If it be without hope of remedie it is pernicious As it came to passe in Iudas Esau and Caine who hauing knowledge of their wickednesse fell into despaire But as touching the elect there is a hope of obteining saluation by Christ the which hope like a perpetuall companion is ioined with the knowledge of sinnes If we shall by particulars reckon vp the sinnes which are knowne by the lawe the first we account to be that which is ingendred in vs by nature which is called originall sinne and it is the filth corruption of all our whole nature Of the which we be taught in the psalme Psal 51 7. I was shapen in wickednesse and in sinnes my mother hath conceiued me Secondlie from the same doo perpetuallie flow the motions and assaults which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they resist the lawe of God Concerning the which Paule saith that He felt another lawe in his membâ—…s Rom. 7 23. resisting the lawe of the mind and leading him awaie captiue vnto the lawe of sin Then thirdlie commeth the consent of the will and then sinne is made more gréeuous And as touching this we doo read Rom. 6 12. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie Moreouer there also followeth a custome and by the bonds thereof wée are more strictlie held vnder the power of sinne so as it is in a maner impossible to put awaie the vse which hath now béene brought in séeing Ieremie saith Iere. 13 23. An Aethiopian cannot change his skinne Lastlie the wicked are sometimes thrust downe so farre as they sinne against the holie Ghost the forgiuenesse of which crime is vtterlie denied Matt. 12 31 32 Ierem. 7. 16 11. 14 14. 11 as Christ in the Gospell hath taught and it was commanded vnto Ieremie that he should not praie
be obserued of men by naturall strength and ablenesse But these men doo right well declare that they neuer exactlie considered in the scriptures what are the offices of the lawe for if they had pondered them they would neuer iudge it vnprofitable although it cannot fullie be obserued of vs. The first part or office thereof as Paule teacheth is to shew sinne for By the lawe is the knowledge of sinne Againe it prouoketh the wrath of God Ibid. 4 13. for The lawe worketh wrath Moreouer it augmenteth the hainousnes of sinne Ibid. 5 20. for The lawe entered in that sinne should abound It bringeth also a curse for Gala. 3 10. As manie as are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse But to what end are these things That it might be as it were our schoolemaister vnto Christ Ibidem 24. For they which acknowledge their sinnes doo sée that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and féele that their sinnes doo dailie increase and that they continuallie more and more are vnder the curse at the length when the spirit of God shall breath vpon them they begin to long for Christ that they might by him be deliuered from so great euils And this is the schoolemaistership of the lawe vnto Christ Now séeing it is so how can the lawe séeme vnto anie man vnprofitable Further who will saie that Aristotle laboured vnprofitablie An example of Aristotle when with so great cunning he did set foorth in his bookes called Analytica posteriora the nature of a Syllogisme demonstratiue when as yet notwithstanding there are scantlie found anie reasons framed with so great cunning in anie facultie or sciences of wise men For séeing we are ignorant of the last perfectest differences of things we cannot either perfectlie define or make a perfect demonstration But yet notwithstanding Aristotle bestowed good and diligent labour for by those his most excellent rules he sheweth wherevnto at the least we should leuell if anie man will surelie and firmlie prooue anie thing Cicero also when he described vnto vs such an Oratour as there neuer hath béene or shal be yet looseth not he his labour for this at the least waie he sheweth what patterne he ought to set before him which desireth to excell in that art So hath God set foorth his lawes that men should alwaies haue an example before their eies wherevnto they should frame their life Besides this vnto men that are regenerate in Christ the lawes of God are not vtterlie impossible to be obserued The lawe of God is after a sort obserued of the godlie for séeing that they by the spirit of God haue their strength after a sort renewed and the rage of the flesh somwhat repressed they maie accomplish manie things which are gratefull and acceptable vnto GOD. Further also men not yet regenerate maie neuerthelesse as touching outward discipline after a sort applie themselues vnto the lawes of GOD. Which thing where it is exercised publike wealths flourish and the wrath of God is not so much kindled against men By ciuill discipline the scourges of the wrath of God are auoided and the punishments which God vseth sometimes to powre vpon open sinners are for a time auoided 28 And these are no small or vulgar vtilities of the lawe which they séeme to be ignorant of which make those obiections vnto vs. But they not being content with these saie further that the lawe maie be kept euen of men not yet regenerate And if a man obiect the excellencie and difficultie thereof they answer that our righteousnes if it be compared with the righteousnes of God which is on euerie side absolute and perfect or if it be applied vnto the lawe as the lawe by it selfe is considered it is no righteousnes But if our righteousnes be so compared with the lawe as God of his goodnes condescendeth vnto our infirmitie after that maner we maie obserue it and be iustified by good works It lieth in no mortall man to moderate the lawe of God But this you must knowe is a sophisticall distinction of Pighius wherby he took vpon him the authoritie to moderate the lawe of God which authoritie doubtlesse can perteine vnto no mortall men And this maie we prooue both by the lawe of man and also by the lawe of GOD for it is written in the Digests De legibus senatus consultis As touching those things which are first in a common wealth An argument taken of the Romane lawe decrées ought to be made certeine either by interpretation or by the constitution of a good Prince namelie that it be not in the hand of anie man or Iudge to mitigate the lawes at his pleasure or to transgresse them vnder the name of anie equitie For so in déed lawes should be made Lesbiaregula that is A rule of lead and all things would be confounded at euerie mans pleasure But rather this rule is therefore giuen that if the extremitie of the lawe be set foorth in anie decrée and the equitie and moderation of that extreame lawe be no where expressed the iudge ought to followe the extreame lawe and ought not to vse equitie which equitie yet he maie then followe if it be expressed in anie lawe As for example All lawes agrée that if a debtor paie not his monie at his daie and the creditour by that meanes sustaineth losse the debtor is bound to beare the losse And this they call to paie the interest or as other speake to paie the damage But bicause we find in the Digests De regulis iuris In all causes that thing is taken for a fact wherein it commeth to passe that by another mans meanes there is a staie whie it is not doone therefore if the debtor can prooue that the fault was not in him why the monie was not paid for that he had the monie and offered the same and that the creditor was in fault of non paiment although the creditor susteine neuer so much losse by forbearing his monie yet is not the debtor bound in equitie to make recompense For by written equitie it is counted for a déed when the let came by reason of another Wherefore it manifestlie appéereth that it is not in the power of a iudge or of anie other man to moderate lawes as he list himselfe And if the case be so in the Romane lawes inuented set foorth by men what shall we thinke of the lawe of God The lawe of God is infinitelie more firme than the lawe of man Gene. 9 6. For it ought infinitlie to be more firme than the lawe of man neither is it lawfull for vs to faine anie equitie therin vnles when we sée expreslie written As for example The lawe is He which shall shed mans blood his blood also shal be shed Here haue we the extremitie of the lawe which vndoubtedlie we ought alwaies to followe vnlesse in some other place equitie had taught that the same extremitie ought
things which are offered by the word of God For who can woorthilie expresse vnto what miserable and horrible mischances this bodie of ours is cast out It is sicke it is wounded it is dissolued made crooked torne and maimed Oftentimes men become blind oftentimes deafe And as touching the mind they are oftentimes mad oftentimes frantike and they that most labour about the truth can not attaine to the knowledge of the same without intermingling of infinite errours How could the Ethnikes boast of vertues Naturall vertues are testimonies of our calamities The end of temperance as the chéefe good things séeing we haue them as witnesses of our calamities To what purpose serueth temperance which is therefore giuen to bridle drunkennes gluttonie lusts and the foule and shamefull motions of the mind For these things declare that it hath no place but in minds which be yet subiect to corruption The which corruption the more inward it is the more miserable it maketh vs and as a domesticall enimie violentlie assaileth the secret parts of our harts These affections saith Augustine are vices Rom. 7 19. bicause as Paule saith they hinder vs that we cannot doo those things which we would Besides The end of wisedome what is the part of wisedome but to foresée that by errour we be not deceiued in the choise of good things and auoiding of euill Certainlie if we were not bewrapped in errours and darknes we should not néed of this remedie But séeing it is vsed it argueth that men are not yet happie but are folded in great and gréeuous errours vnlesse wisedome doo helpe on euerie side Also iustice The end of iustice whereby euerie man commeth by his owne is necessarie for none other cause but to suppresse robberies extortions and violent dealings And yet neither can that so preuaile among men but that iust and honest men oftentimes suffer manie things both shamefullie and vniustlie The end of fortitude Now what shall we speake of fortitude The same doubtlesse armeth men patientlie to abide all sorrowes dangers torments yea and death it selfe if necessitie shall require Among those so great euils these wise fellowes durst appoint the chéefe goodnes Which euils neuertheles they said might sometime be so increased as a man may kill himselfe Oh happie life crieth Augustine that séeketh the helpe of death to finish it For if it be happie why doo they cut it off and shun it But if it be miserable why doo they place in it the chéefe goodnes Thus are they derided of God bicause they despised that hope which is neither séene nor attained vnto by mans reason And bicause they mocked it when they heard it preached in the woord therfore hath God by his heauenlie doctrine condemned them as fooles ridiculous persons Out of the Preface vpon the Epistle to the Romans 2 Another sort doubtlesse perceiuing the often fallings into wickednesse and that of verie excellent men thought by their religious procurements yea rather by their superstitions and worshippings deuised of themselues to cause God to be fauourable vnto them of whom afterward they might obtaine all good things The commō opinion of the chiefest good The Philosophers puffed vp thorough their knowledge of naturall things And this for the most part was the opinion of the common people who after a sort iudged not so euill as did the Philosophers For these men were so puffed vp in the pride of their vertues and ciuill duties and with the knowleges of natural things that they thought these things to be sufficient vnto themselues for the obteining of felicitie But the common people were not ignorant both of the filthines of sinnes and of the dailie offendings of the Maiestie of God Wherefore they thought it good to flie vnto religions the which since they had them not pure and vncorrupt they fell into idolatrie The Hebrues opinion of the chiefest good And here came in the Hebrue people among them and tooke part with both For by reason of the ten commandements they boasted that they had the summe of all vertues among them and that if they fell at anie time from them they had ceremonies prepared for them whereby they might make satisfaction Against these things Paule disputeth in his Epistle to the Romanes Paules iudgement concerning the chiefest good and sheweth that it cannot be that we should obtaine righteousnes by morall or naturall duties bicause as well the Iewes as the Gentiles doo not in their life and maners expresse so much as they acknowledge that the lawe of nature or Moses lawe requireth Neither must we grant that we can fullie and perfectlie obserue the lawe For then might we attaine vnto perfect righteousnes by woorks which would be a plaine absurditie For herein standeth our righteousnes that our sinnes shall not be imputed vnto vs but the righteousnes of Christ shall be imputed to the beléeuers No doubt but there happeneth some renewing when we being iustified doo worke rightlie but yet this is not through perfect Also grace is giuen to the regenerate but yet not such as remooueth all the lets which doo hinder the perfect kéeping of Gods lawe Neither doo wée in the teaching herof affirme paradoxes or strange opinions or set forth things that be contrarie vnto Paul but wée chéeflie maintaine those things which are most agréeable to the apostolicall doctrine But as for the rites and ceremonies which on the other side the Iewes brag of when they be without Christ and faith they are accounted detestable before God as Ieremie Esaie and the prophets which were interpreters of the lawe haue most plainelie taught By all these things it is easilie gathered that whereas all men of all ages professed themselues to séeke for the chéefest good yet that they which wanted the true and perfect knowledge of God did as it were but grope after it in the déepe darknes and weried themselues in booteles labors These things being on this wise declared I will now more largelie and particularlie treat of humane ends following speciallie the course of Aristotle and will shew betweene-whiles wherein he as touching this matter agreeth or disagreeth with the holie scriptures 3 Aristotle in his first booke of Ethicks In the commentaries vpon Arist Ethicks Cap. 1. indeuoreth to prooue that before humane things there is set foorth some certeine end bicause all humane things desire some good thing and that good thing wherevnto they tend hath the consideration of an end and so humane things haue a prescribed end And therefore doth he make mention of good bicause it is the chéefest thing whereof felicitie hath his name and bicause the respects of good and end be verie néer alike in so much as some haue thought that good and end are all one And therfore Aristotle commendeth the old prouerbe that All things doo couet good which may not be vnderstood of anie one thing for it can not be that there should be some one certeine
is none of all these faculties which hath not speciall precepts appointed vnto it in the holie scriptures and dooth vse all these magistrates and princes for the defence of godlines and for the true worshipping of God eloquence that it may persuade profitable and godlie things gouernement of houshold that new ofsprings may alwaies growe vp vnto Christ and finallie all Arts aswell to the glorie of Christ as to the profit of our neighbours How magistrates and ministers of the Church must behaue them selues one towards another 15 And now as I thinke it may appeare how the ministers of churches which professe these holie scriptures should behaue themselues towards magistrates and magistrates towards them They out of the holie scriptures drawe precepts and rules of the princes function those precepts ought the magistrate to heare which also if he otherwhile transgresse must suffer admonishers and must not be offended if modestlie and with iust reuerence he be corrected And on the other side when ministers shall behaue them selues either negligentlie in their office or against the rules of Gods lawe they may be kept in their duetie by the magistrate and if they will not amend their faults they may be remooued from their place And thus let the ministerie of the church helpe the ciuill power and againe the ciuill power ouersée the ministerie that it may be pure and profitable to the christian Common-weale And in that wée attribute the chéefe power vnto that wisedome which we haue in the holie scriptures it must not be thought that anie thing is plucked awaie or diminished from ciuill administration for that authoritie remaineth still vnto princes and magistrates but we would onelie shew from whence they them selues ought to take the rules and principles of their authoritie that they should not so estéeme of the doctrines of the philosophers and lawes of men as they would straie from the most pure fountaines of iustice and honestie which flowe in the holie scriptures And they shall be able to get vnto them selues this knowledge either be diligent reading of the holie scriptures by them selues which God commanded kings to doo or else they may bée instructed by ministers of the church And whereas it is said that it belongs to the ciuill power to haue authoritie ouer those professions which are to be reteined in a citie and ouer those which are to be reiected from thence let princes magistrates vnderstand that the regard of diuine worship belongeth vnto them namelie that they preserue promote and defend that which is lawfull and that they prohibit and vtterlie roote out that which is vnpure forbidden The second Chapter Of the naturall knowledge of God by the things created whervnto this knowledge tendeth And whether there be anie that knoweth not God Out of the Epistle to the Romans Cap. 1 verse 19. Looke In Sam. Cap. 6 vers 22. PAule in the Epistle to the Romans disputing of the naturall knowledge of God In Rom. 1 verse 19. saith Read after in the fourth Chapter that that which is knowne of God is manifest among them In the Gréek we read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As if wée should saie That which may be knowen of God Which therefore is said bicause there be many diuine mysteries Naturallie we can not vnderstand the mysteries of God vnto which wée cannot by nature attaine as is this that God would iustifie vs fréelie forgiue our sins through Christ crucified and restore these verie bodies of ours vnto eternall felicitie These such other like the nature of things teacheth vs not Therfore saith Paule That which might be knowne of God is made manifest in them In that place he declareth what maner of truth it is that they withheld in vnrighteousnes It was the knowledge of things pertaining vnto God which they attained vnto by a naturall instinct And Paule reduceth all those things Two things of God wee naturallie knowe that they knew into twoo principall points namelie the euerlasting power of God and his diuinitie For by the very workmanship of this world they knew God to be most mightie Further they knew by the beautie shew distinction of all things that so great a power was administred by a most high prouidence and wisedome Wherein chieflie consisteth the maiestie of God Also the commoditie and profit of things created taught them the Maiestie of God which consisteth chieflie in this that he dooth good vnto all things These be the things which God bestowed vpon the Ethnikes but they abused the gifts of God Wherfore verie well agréeth with them that similitude A similitude which Chrysostome vseth For thus hée saith If a king should giue much monie to his seruant for the furniture of his houshold amplifieng of his gorgious estate to the end that his magnificence and honor might be the more manifest and the wicked seruant should lewdlie spend the monie vpon brothels and harlots should not this seruant saith he séeme woorthilie rightlie to haue deserued punishment Euen so did the wise men among the Ethnikes behaue themselues The wise Ethnikes abused the gifts of God For they receiued of GOD a verie excellent knowledge of things wherewith when they should haue worshipped and adorned him they turned it to the worshipping of stones and stocks and of images Wherfore not without cause did the wrath of God waxe hote against them 2 And whereas it is written It was made manifest in them neither is it said In all the Scripture dooth seuer the wise and the philosophers from the barbarous vnskilfull multitude For all things were not knowne to all alike which neuertheles happened by the fault of these philosophers For they ought to haue preached openlie and beaten into the eares of the common people those things which they knew The Philosophers hid the knowlege which they had of God Aristotles words vnto Alexander And yet this they did not as did the prophets and apostles but with a proud mind kept these things among themselues yea and after a sort hid them that they should not be vnderstood of all men Wherevpon the epistle of Aristotle to Alexander is much spoken of wherein he saith that his bookes of naturall philosophie are so set foorth by him as if they were not set foorth For the philosophers séemed of set purpose to make their writings obscure to the intent they should not be vnderstood by others Besides this through their arguings they polluted those excellent things which they knew to be pure When they vnderstood that there is but one God and iudged that hée ought to be worshipped they gathered afterward of themselues The original of signes and superstitions Séeing the common people are not apt to worship the high diuinitie that is spred ouer all things for they cannot perceiue it after this maner it shall be well doon to diuide it and to assigne it vnto images The Philosophers diuided the vnitie of
therfore demanded of the Lord what he might doo to obtaine eternall life But contrariwise Matthew so soone as he heard of his calling Matth. 9 9. imbraced the same with so great faith as leauing his monie and customership he straightwaie followed Christ And Zacheus otherwise a man gréedie of gaine Luke 19 6. when he had heard of the Lord that he would turne in vnto him he not onelie receiued him into his house with a glad hart but also offered immediatelie to distribute halfe his goods to the poore and to restore fourefold to those whom before he had defrauded Wherfore the whole difference consisteth in the power whereby the truth is taken hold of Manie mo things are reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures than we knowe by faith which must not so be vnderstood as though we affirme that we haue not more truth reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures both of the old testament and new than we doo naturallie knowe Onelie we haue made a comparison betwéene the selfe-same truth when it is naturallie knowne and when it is perceiued by faith Out of the preface vpon Genesis 12 And forasmuch as God may be knowen of vs thrée maner of waies the first is deferred vnto another life Which waie when Moses desired it was said vnto him No man shall see me and liue Of the second did Paule make mention vnto the Romans For the inuisible things of God Rom. 1 20. c. Last of all we perceiue him by faith whereof mention is oftentimes made But in the first to the Corinthians they are both compared togither 1. Cor. 1 21. and the one shewed to be but smallie profitable as it was shewed in the epistle to the Romans But in Genesis when as Moses expresseth vnto vs the workmanship of the world How God may bee knowne by the workmanship of the world he sheweth things whereby we may picke out the inuisible knowledge of God But this waie leaneth altogither vpon faith for except we beléeue the words of God we shall obteine nothing Wherefore it is written vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 3. By faith we vnderstand that the worlds were made Wherefore in beholding the creatures of God let vs alwaies put to the strength of faith if we will not loose our labour and busie our selues to our owne hurt As for these inuisible things of God which we perceiue they are innumerable but they are all drawen to thrée principall points his power his wisdome and his goodnes The greatnes of the things brought foorth the making of them of nothing and the sudden making of them by the commandement of his onelie woord doo inferre his most mightie power But the workmanship the fourme the comelines and the singular disposition of them doo testifie the wisedome of the maker The profit which we gather of them declareth how great his goodnes is Of so great importance it is that we should comprehend this creation of the world by faith as euen the articles of our beléefe haue their beginning hervpon For this being taken awaie neither will the first sinne be extant the promises concerning Christ will fall and all the strength of religion will be ouerthrowne And séeing that all the articles of the faith are certeine rules and principles of our godlines among them all this is reckoned the first in order the which since we must learne by the reuealing of God as we must also doo all other not by the feigned deuises of satan or precepts of men we must first speake of all these things before we come to the creation it selfe 13 In the holie scriptures we haue a knowledge of God contemplatiue In the preface of the commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethicks and that which consisteth in action Among the philosophers actuall contemplation goeth formost but in the holie scriptures contemplatiue hath the first place insomuch as we must first beléeue Of contemplatiue and actuall knoledge and be iustified by faith afterward followe good works and that so much the more and more abundantly as we be renewed dailie by the holie Ghost So dooth Paule shew in his epistles for first he handleth doctrine afterward he descendeth to the instruction of maners and to the order of life So likewise the children of Israel were first gathered togither vnder the faith of one God the sauiour Afterward in the desert they receiued lawes which serued vnto actuall knowlege And in the table of the ten cōmandements the same order is obserued For first he saith I am the Lord thy God which belongeth to faith or speculatiue knowledge Afterward followe the precepts which belong vnto the works required by God Why theologicall cōtemplation goeth before actiue The cause of this difference is that mens contemplations are gotten by searching out and by the indeuor of meditation and therefore moderate affections are necessarie But those things which we beléeue are receiued by the inspiration of God so that we néed not those preparations And in mans reason it behooueth men first to do before they be iustified But the order of diuine sanctification is far otherwise appointed for first we beléeue afterward we are iustified then by the spirit and grace the powers of our mind are repaired and then followe iust and honest déeds Moreouer the end of philosophie is to obteine that blessednes or felicitie which may here by humane strength be obtained but the end of christian godlines is that in vs should be repaired that image wherevnto we were made in righteousnes and holines of truth that we may euerie daie growe vp in the knowledge of God vntill we be brought to sée him with open face as he is We can not in Aristotles Ethicks heare of the remission of sinnes nor of the feare and confidence of God nor of iustification by the faith of Christ and of such like things For these things are opened by the will of God which can not bée gathered by naturall knowledge through anie of the creatures How one selfe thing is taught one waie by diuinitie and an other waie in the Ethicks Neither doo I denie but that it happeneth oftentimes that the selfe-same things are commended in Aristotles Ethicks which are cōmanded in the holie scriptures but then are those things the selfe-same in matter and not so in forme properties and beginnings for the respect in those things is diuers the properties diuers and the beginnings are not all one Euen as the matter of raine-water and of anie fountaine is all one but the power propertie and originals are farre diuers for the one commeth by the heat of heauen and by the clouds and coldnes of the middle region of the aire but the other is brought foorth from the passages of the earth and from the sea and is so strained as it becommeth swéet or else it so happeneth by conuersion of the aire into water through the coldnes of the place where the fountaine ariseth Euen so those things which
a Christian dooth he dooth them by the impulsion of the spirit of God Those things which the philosophers doo according to morall precepts they doo them by the guide of humane reason The philosophers are stirred vp to doo those things bicause they so iudge it to be honest and right but the Christians bicause God hath so decréed Those doo thinke to profit and make perfect themselues these bicause the maiestie of God must be obeied Those doo giue credit to themselues but these giue credit to God and to the words of the lawe which he hath made Those séeke the loue of themselues these are driuen by the loue of God alone And of this manifold difference it commeth to passe that one and the same thing as touching the matter dooth please God and by his iudgement is condemned Which knowledge is preferred aboue other So now we sée that the speculatiue knowlege is preferred aboue the actiue For dooing is ordeined for contemplation and not contrariwise And no man doubteth but that that which is ordeined for another thing is lesse honorable than it But it is obiected that the contemplatiue kind dooth belong vnto action therefore indéed we behold nature that we may make much of the author thereof and therefore we séeke to knowe God to the intent we may worship him And our diuinitie is for this cause by some called actuall Howbeit these men reasoning after this maner are excéedinglie deceiued For no science is therefore called actuall bicause the worke attaineth vnto that knowledge except the selfe-same thing be performed which was first knowne When we behold nature and the heauen although we obtaine thereby a worship and loue towards God yet such a knowledge must not be called actuall bicause that is not brought to passe which we behold For there is no man that can make nature and heauen and other works which followe thereof accidentally they are said to behold them For not all men which behold these things doo loue and worship God nay rather they be oftentimes most farre from him Againe the works which folowe that knowledge and also our diuinitie haue respect vnto this that we may knowe God more and more vntill we shall behold him face to face in the kingdome of heauen And Christ our sauior confirmed this opinion saieng Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life to knowe thee the onlie true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent The third Chapter Concerning Prophesie out of the first of Samuel the 19. Chapter verse 33. SEing therfore that God would be knowne vnto men by prophesie I thought it not from the purpose to speake somewhat thereof And that I may doo it the more bréeflie and plainlie A distinguishing of this question I will first shew what is meant by this name or word prophesie then what are the causes of it next the definition and lastlie the properties and effects As touching the name of prophesie What is ment by the name prophesie A prophet is in the Hebrue toong called Naui which noune commeth of the Hebrue verbe Bo that signifieth to come And it is in the passiue coniugation Niphal Looke in the fourth part cap. 1. art 8. Khimhi dooth interpret prophesie to be a certein facultie receiued from GOD. For prophets doo suffer a certeine breathing on them and instinct from God and that word dooth signifie sometime an interpretor or messenger And a prophet is called somtimes in Hebrue Roe that is a seer sometimes Chose that is a watchman sometimes Isch Eloim that is a man of God as in the first of Sam. the 9. chapter Sam. 9 10. and first of Paralipo the 29. In the Greeke he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to foretell or as some rather will of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to shew Whervpon among the Latins temples are called Phana and as Festus Pompeius thinketh the bishops of the temples were called prophets There were also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit interpretors which did seruice to the greater prophets They were also called among the Gréeks 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Among the Latins mad men are called Fanatici yet further they were called of the Gréekes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to stir vp and driue forward They were called in Latine Vates as some suppose of speaking although there were that thought otherwise A prophet is he which being stirred vp by the spirit foretelleth things to come The causes of prophesy The matter of prophesieng Prophesie is vsed about things past present to come Acts. 5 3. 2. King 5 26. 2 Now that we may also speake somwhat of the causes a prophet is occupied about heauenlie and hidden matters Somtimes he séeth the things that be present as Peter did of Ananias and Saphira and Elizeus of Gehezi saieng Was not my spirit present with thee Somtime he séeth things that are past as Moses concerning the creation of the world For as touching things to come no man doubteth but he foreséeth them Also they which expound other mens prophesies are prophets A prophet is an interpreter of the word For so was Aaron said to be the prophet of Moses vnto Pharao and the expounders of the holie scriptures are called prophets Also it belongeth to the office of a prophet to praie vnto God wherefore Paule saith that euerie man praieng or prophesieng c. And in Genesis 1. Cor. 11 4. God answereth Abimelech concerning Abraham Gen. 20 7. when he had taken his wife from him Giue him his wife againe for he is a prophet A prophet must praie for others and shall praie for thee And Paule in the first Epistle to the Corinthians the 14. chapter setteth foorth more at large the office of a prophet When ye come together saith he euerie one hath a psalme 1. Cor. 14 27 or hath doctrine or hath reuelation or hath interpretation let all things be done to edifieng They may also make hymnes and thanks-giuing and exhort the people For Paule saith He that prophesieth speaketh doctrine Ibidem 3. exhortation and consolation Which facultie pertaineth to the mind and power of vnderstanding And a prophet differeth from a préest Wherein prophets differ from priests in that a préest should not onelie exhort teach and comfort but also minister holie seruices which thing a prophet may not doo Besides the préests were of the tribe of Leui the prophets were of other tribes Moreouer the préests might erre often did erre but the true prophets in that they were prophets could not erre Indéed they somtimes added somwhat of their owne but therein they were not prophets Lastlie the préests were chosen onlie by succession and had an ordinarie ministerie but the prophets were sent by an extraordinarie means according to the will of God 3 The forme of prophesieng is the reuelation of God
with others in which the verie same matters although after a much plainer sort are intreated of And if perhaps some places be so hard as they cannot be reached vnto wée must thinke that such are not much necessarie vnto our saluation For the holie Ghost is not so without care of our saluation as of set purpose he would that to be hid from vs which we ought to knowe naie rather the difficultie of vnderstanding of the scriptures is oftentimes verie profitable vnto the faithfull For by that meanes a more honest indeuour is stirred vp in them the desire of vnderstanding is increast and they become more feruent in praier wherein they labour ernestlie with God that he will giue them grace to knowe that which as yet is hidden from them Moreouer Out of the preface In Rom. Looke In Rom. 4 13. by such meanes they are become willing to aske the aduise of others better learned than themselues whereby the hautines of mind which perhaps might arise is suppressed humilitie and mutuall loue among the members of Christ is restored Neither dooth the difficultie of the scriptures which somtimes happeneth harme vnto anie except such as be peruerse men Chrysost Chrysostome as we touched before in his preface to the epistle to the Romans taught that This darknes is mollified by often diligent reading and so mollified as he dare speake it that we of our selues without anie maister may vnderstand whatsoeuer is taught in them so that we meditate our selues therein both daie and night For I my selfe saith he did not attaine to this skill by the sharpenes of mine owne wit but by earnest indeuour For euen the dullest wits by diligent labor doo compasse hard and obscure things And he bringeth a verie apt similitude A similitude The thoughts meanings of a man are most secret yet oftentimes are the thoughts and meanings of our fréend whom we earnestlie loue and with whom we are alwaies conuersant perceiued of vs by a becke or nod without a signe of words or spéeches which he vttereth Euen so saith he it commeth to passe in the epistles of Paule so that a man loue them and be dailie occupied in them He that asketh shall receiue he that seeketh shall find and he that knocketh it shall be opened vnto him This he spake to the common people exhorting them to the studie of the scriptures 16 But there bée some others woont also to iangle that the holie scriptures In 1. Cor. 13 ver 12. for their doubtfulnes and obscuritie may be called glasses and as it were riddles and therefore would conclude that they are in no wise sufficient for our saluation but that we must refer our selues to the iudgment of fathers and councels For the principles or rules they saie whereby our life is directed must be most plaine and euident vnto vs. But these men are alreadie answered In things necessarie to saluation the scriptures are not ambiguous that in such things as are incident to saluation the scriptures want no plainnesse nor perspicuitie and those things which in one place are somewhat darklie intreated of are plainlie taught in another And who vnderstandeth not that the apostle in that place speaketh not absolutelie but by a comparison What a grosse kind of reasoning is this A grosse kind of reasoning Those things which be taught in the holie scriptures and in the sacraments be glasses and riddles of diuine things if they be compared to the knowlege that we shall haue in the life to come therefore simplie and of themselues they be so obscure as they are not sufficient for our saluation But those things which we now beléeue are not so euident vnto mans reason as that they can be shewed by causes though in the life to come all things shall be so perfectlie knowne vnto vs that we shall be able to reduce all things to their owne causes and from cause to cause till we come to the highest And what can the fathers themselues or the councels teach vs more than they themselues learned in the holie scriptures * For whatsoeuer they adde ouer and aboue these must be reiected as mans deuise 17 Those words which we haue in the latter epistle to the Corinthians the third chapter doo fitlie serue to the expounding of this matter But we behold as in a mirror verse 18. the glorie of the Lord with open face and are changed into the same image from glorie to glorie as by the spirit of the Lord. For the apostle in these words laieth togither two kinds of knowleges which we haue of heauenlie things Two maner of comparisons of our knowledge and compareth the one with that which was vnder the lawe and the other with that which we expect in the life to come And in the first comparison he saith that The knowledge vnder the lawe was secret and hidden and was signified by the vaile which Moses cast ouer his face when he spake to the people And against this obscure knowledge he opposeth the knowledge which wée haue after Christs comming wherwith we behold heauenlie things with open face the vaile being put awaie But least thou shouldest thinke that our knowledge is yet perfect he vseth this participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Beholding through a glasse For the fruition of the things themselues is reserued til we come vnto the eternall rest whereby we be changed transformed euerie daie into the image of God euen from lesser to greater glorie Augustine handleth this place verie properly in his 15. book De trinitate the third chapter We must not take offense saith he that God hath so instructed vs in the knowledge of him as it were through a glasse and in darke saiengs bicause so our nature hath required it For we be framed in such sort as we are led vnto the knowledge of causes by their effects and are trained by similitudes vnto certeine truths In 1. Cor. 2 vers 7. How the holie scriptures shuld be read of all men 18 No more are they to be heard which would persuade that the holie scriptures should be taken from laie men bicause the mysteries which are in them ought not to be committed to al persons For that is as much saie they as to cast holie things vnto dogs But the people of Christ must not be counted as dogs For they that haue beléeued be baptised and be partakers of the sacraments They haue the spirit of GOD and therefore must not be defrauded of his word And although within the whole flocke of christians there may be found some which be contemners and perhaps some blasphemers and mockers shall therefore the greatest number of the faithfull be depriued of the commoditie of the scriptures for their sakes No verelie Which thing is euidentlie prooued by the example of the apostles which were not ignorant that among such a number as came to the hearing of their seruice there were many present
it if sentence be giuen on the behalfe of custome custome is confirmed But all these things as I said before must be reduced to the rule of Gods word Onlie this séemeth now méet to be added which is in the Extrauagants De consuetudine A custome burdensom vnto the church must be reiected chapter 1. that A custome cannot be suffered if it be burdensome vnto the church Also Augustine complained that in his time there were such a number of new rites and ceremonies sprong vp that the church was gréeuouslie burdened and that the state of christians at that time was nothing at all more tollerable than in old time the state of the Iewes The same exception doo we also take against our aduersaries that the church should not be ouerburdened This is their owne lawe why doo they not acknowledge their owne words In Rom. 3 verse 21. Rom. 1 2. 12 Paule disputing in the third chapter of the epistle to the Romanes of the righteousnes of faith added that the same hath testimonie both of the lawe and of the prophets which he therefore saith bicause that the doctrine which he set foorth might séeme to be new and latelie sproong vp Newnes must be remooued from the Gospell But in the Gospell newnes must speciallie be shunned and therefore he testifieth in euerie place that the Gospell is ancient and was ordeined of God from the beginning And at the beginning of the epistle he wrote that God promised the same by his prophets in the holie scriptures And at this daie the controuersie betwéen vs our aduersaries is as touching doctrine while they affirme that we bring in new things and that themselues doo cleaue fast to the ancient doctrine But we learne of the Apostle how this coÌ„trouersie may be determined * What doctrine is old and what is new Assuredlie that doctrine is old and ancient which hath testimonie from the lawe and the prophets that is of the holie scriptures but that shall be iudged new whereof there is no mention in them They erect the Masse The popish is new for that it hath no testimonie of the scriptures where onlie one man doth communicate for others that doo stand by This hath no testimonie in all the whole scriptures We affirme that the supper of the Lord ought to be common vnto the faithfull which is most manifestlie shewed by the institution thereof as we haue it in the Gospels and in Paule These men deliuer vnto the laitie the sacrament of Christes bodie Matt. 24 26. 1. Cor. 11 verse 24. halfe maimed and vnperfect This doubtles they not onlie haue not out of the holie scriptures but plainelie against the scriptures They mainteine inuocations of the dead which they are not able to confirme by the scriptures They driue the cleargie from matrimonie They defend purgatorie They reteine images They vse strange toongs in the diuine seruice choise of meates and garments shauings annointings and an infinite number of such like things they obtrude vpon vs as necessarie to the woorship of God and that altogither without testimonie of the scriptures Let them learne out of Paule which minding to teach the righteousnes that commeth by Christ saith that It hath testimonie of the law and the prophets and not that it was deuised by himselfe But the doctrine of these men aduanceth impietie for they bring in the inuentions of men in stead of necessarie woorshipping of God which hauing no testimonie out of the scriptures The reason why newnes in religion must be auoided Deut. 12 32. must of necessitie be new And the reason why it behoueth in religion to beware of newnes is for that God commandeth in Deuteronomie that none should either adde too or take awaie anie thing from his customes and commandements Yea and Plato himselfe in his lawes and common-weale forbad that nothing should be made new in things which belonged vnto religion No doubt Mens laws may bee changed but the lawes of men may be altered bicause the fourme of a common-weale is sometimes altered Neither doo those lawes which serue for a kingdome serue also for the gouernement of a Signiorie a Common-weale of the vulgar people Moreouer séeing lawe-makers are but men they cannot perceiue all things that should be done And manie chances doo happen euer among for the which it behooueth both to amend and change lawes And as in arts something hapneth in euerie age for the more perfecting of them so lawes likewise now and then by successe of times are amended and reduced to a better fourme But none of these things takes place in the lawes of God For as touching the Church she altereth not hir fourme The outward gouernment of the church altereth not the fourme It is alwaies one manner of common-weale and nothing is hidden from the vnderstanding of God the author of the lawes he foreséeth all things neither is his knowledge augmented by the successe of time Wherefore there is no cause why men should attempt to alter anie thing in his word The twelfe Chapter Of sundrie things attributed vnto God and the holie Trinitie where his godhead is prooued to be in the Sonne and in the holie Ghost THE nature of God is infinite In 1. Sam. 17 verse 45. so as it cannot be comprehended vnder one title to knowe him by wherefore his name is verâ—e large By effects and works we gather of the nature of God yet neuerthelesse by effects works are gathered his singular properties whereby we may vnderstand all the diuine nature and power that séeing we cannot comprehend the whole we may at the leastwise come vnto the knowledge of him by parts This similitude was of strange and foren coines and could not be englished properlie If there were anie so rude and vnskilfull as he knew not the value of a double sufferant we would saie that the same conteineth in it pence grotes testers shillings crownes nobles roials and lastlie the sum of twentie shillings By these parts and small portions vnlesse he were excéeding blockish he might vnderstand how much a double sufferant is woorth Euen so men after a sort doo perceiue the nature and infinite substance of God by these parts and titles to knowe him by not that there be anie parts in God but bicause that we onlie by such effects parts may gather of his power infinit greatnes Diuers and manifold are the titles whereby he is knowne as when he is called Pitifull Mercifull Constant Iust Good The God of Sabaoth and such like In 1. Sam. 29 verse 6. 2 And that this may be the better vnderstood he is called Iehoua of Haia that is To be and that name agréeth properlie vnto God For God is so an essence or being Whereof God is called Iehoua as the same floweth from him vnto all other things Whatsoeuer things are doo depend of him neither can they be without his power helpe Lastlie they haue
suffer euen those things which Apollo prophesied to be conteined vnder destinie How we put the knitting togither of causes But we as we declared at the first denie not but that things are knit togither as God ordeined and knew before hand yet so as the nature and condition of them remaineth whole and sound For vnto whom soeuer a thing contingent as the Schoole-diuines speake is due they haue the same and to whom soeuer necessitie belongeth with necessitie they be constreined But in verie déed grace which finallie séemeth to resist frée will dooth not take the same awaie To the seuenth but rather helpeth and restoreth it But now we will cease from these matters least we dispute more curiouslie of them than beséemeth christians Let euerie one followe their owne vocation and let vs leaue inquiring more than is requisite about the secret and hidden will of God touching prescience and predestination and let vs followe that doctrine of God which is plainlie laid out before vs in the holy scriptures ¶ Looke another place of the same argument in the addition at the end of this booke Now we thinke it conuenient to ioine vnto this disputation certeine other discourses namelie of Voluntarie and Not voluntarie and also of mans choise and such like Of Voluntarie and Not voluntarie 41 Aristotle in his first booke of Ethiks treateth at large of that which is voluntarie Out of the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks and of that which is not voluntarie the reason whereof is bicause praise dispraise pardon and sometimes mercie be voluntarie The argument is taken from the consequents Praises and dispraises serue vnto morall knowledge for as commendable maners and actions are to be desired so those which are blame-woorthie are to be auoided Howbeit such praises and dispraises cannot be iudged of vnlesse we knowe whether they be doon with a willing or vnwilling mind Further he added another cause to wit that this doctrine is a part of the ciuill facultie wherto belongeth the making of lawes And lawes set foorth rewards and punishments to the obseruers and transgressors of them it is néedfull therefore that they knowe which be voluntarie things and which be not voluntarie Whether lawes may command things not possible to be performed For men that be vnwilling doo not obteine rewards and they which sinne by compulsion should not suffer punishments Some wrest this reason of lawe-makers herevnto as though they ought to regard this that they command not those things which of necessitie must be doon nor those things which are vnpossible to be doone but onlie those which be in our owne power and that therefore it behooueth them to knowe what is the nature of voluntarie and not voluntarie I knowe in verie déed A definition of lawe that this is the definition of lawe that It is a reason commanding honest things and calling backe from things that be dishonest But that which these men auouch to wit that it commandeth things which be possible I would onelie grant it as touching ciuill laws but not of diuine laws for those require things that be vnpossible especiallie in respect of the state of nature corrupt defiled Howbeit Aristotle vsed not this reson he onlie touched these things which I haue mentioned of punishments rewards Whether the affects of the mind be voluntarie or not voluntarie But whie did he speake of the affects since those be not voluntarie but are naturallie planted in our minds The Gréek scholies answer that albeit as touching substance and root they be of nature yet may they some kind of waie be called voluntarie insomuch as by vse exercise they may be inlarged or repressed Or else we will answer that Aristotle made mention of both of affects I meane and of actions but voluntarie must onelie be referred to the actions The which thing being doone it will also belong vnto the vertues which are conuersant in the affections for those also are gotten by actions which when they be right and commendable must be accounted voluntarie Morouer whie dooth Aristotle saie that somtime pardon somtime mercie must be shewed Bicause we doo not alwaies take mercie on them whom we pardon for a man in defending himself killed him which set vpō him he did it not willinglie he is forgiuen but we take not pitie on him To knowe which is voluntarie and which not voluntarie may serue to the moderating of punishment due by lawe 42 But how the knowledge of that which is Voluntarie and Not voluntarie may helpe to moderate the punishments which laws appoint it may many waies be shewed They which haue committed anie thing against their wils or of compulsion are not punished And in the ciuill lawes there be verie manie titles which prouide remedie in the case of ignorance or compulsion euen as they doo likewise concerning those things which be doone for feare and by craftie collusion and touching them which be vnder 25. yéeres of age c. Also he that is taken with madnesse or frensie is forgiuen yea and a mad man although he kill his father shall not be punished The lawes of God quit the hewer of wood Deut. 19 5. which by chance and not willinglie shall kill an other bicause perhaps the axe might flie out of the helue and certeine cities were appointed for refuge Also Plato in his ninth booke of laws sheweth that manie things are to be forgiuen where the will did not consent So as it greatlie auaileth lawe-makers and iudges of the lawe bicause of giuing punishments and rewards to knowe what is doone voluntarie and what is not doone voluntarie We will speake first of Not voluntarie for in this matter the priuation séemeth to be better knowen than the thing it selfe By darknesse is the light better knowen and sicknesse dooth make the goodnes of health the more manifest The definition of not voluntarie This definition of Not voluntarie appéereth by the reckoning vp of the parts thereof so that it is rather a diuision than a definition albeit that iust and full diuisions haue sometime the place of a definition And we then chéeflie vse them when that which is common to the parts can not be expressed by anie one certeine point thereof Howbeit we must vnderstand that it is called Not voluntarie of these two formes or kinds which be of one signification for euen that which is doone violentlie and vnwittinglie is not voluntarie And we prooue that the diuision of these two parts is rightlie made for Voluntarie which is contrarie to Not voluntarie standeth of two things of knowledge and desire First we must knowe that which we must desire then are we stirred vp therevnto by a motion of the desire But either of these two may be hindred ignorance taketh awaie knowledge and violence letteth the desire For good cause therefore be these two put contrarie to that which is voluntarie Violence is defined what it is after this maner It is a
accused much lesse excused There is an other ignorance which is so doone as a man knowing what is right and méet when he commeth to the action neglecteth that cogitation of honestie right and rather considereth his profit and pleasure And this commeth to passe either of a vehement perturbation of the mind or else of some ill habit Neither also dooth this ignorance excuse for he that so is ignorant for lacke of consideration he dooth not that which he might and ought to haue doone Now and then ignorance commeth héereof that a man will neglect to learne or else for that he shunneth labour or bicause he vseth no studie and diligence For euerie man ought to knowe the generall lawes Since therefore euen this man dooth not that which he can and ought he is not to be excused Howbeit in these actions there is something that is Not voluntarie for this ignorance preuenteth actions or the motion of the will which motion if it were present knowledge would not followe The last ignorance is that whereof we treat this excuseth it obteineth pardon and mercie bicause the circumstances are not knowen and for that after the action sorrowe and gréefe doo followe Of that which is Voluntarie The definition of voluntarie standeth vpon two parts 55 As touching Voluntarie the definition standeth of two parts First saith Aristotle the beginning thereof must be inward Secondlie the circumstances must be knowne for if voluntarie be contrarie to that which is against the will and that which is against the will consist of two parts then is it necessarie that the contraries to them must be placed in the definition of voluntarie Hervpon we sée the excellent method of Aristotle for except he had before hand shewed the nature of violence and ignorance he could not so easilie haue defined what voluntarie was Moreouer Aristotle was the rather mooued to write of these things bicause that those things which are doone of angrie men or men that are mooued with desire are comprehended in the definition of voluntarie For both the originall of the dooing is in the man himselfe which is the dooer and they doo vnderstand and verie well knowe the particulars for they vse deliberations and sharpe iudgement either to reuenge or to compasse that which they desire which would not be doon if they were ignorant of the circumstances Wherevpon it is concluded that those things are voluntarie and that those doo erre which haue thought such things to be doone against the will And what mooued them to thinke that those things are against the will it may easilie be perceiued They sawe that it was altogither difficult Why some thinke that angrie and lusting men doo things against their wils to resist those two affections namelie anger and desire as those which are more violent than the residue and therefore they thought that men are constreined by them Wherefore Heraclitus said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is It is hard wrestling against anger And Plato in his second booke De republica saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Anger is neither to be striuen with nor to be subdued But if there can be no striuing against the same nor that it can be conquered it séemeth to compell and to make that the actions be doon against the will For which cause the same Plato in his ninth booke De legibus saith that An angrie man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie Is like to one that dooth against his will He saith not that he dooth altogither against his will but like vnto him And Cato the Censor said that he which is angrie differeth from a mad man onelie in time Yea and other men as Euenus haue béene bold to saie that Wrath is much woorse than madnesse But Plato in his treatise of Cratylus writing of desire compared the same to a verie strong bond Wherefore we also doubt not but that these two affections are vehement and of great force but yet that they are not so strong as they cannot be bridled by reason Which we sée come to passe in temperate men and those which be indued with méekenesse and other vertues But yet would I not denie that those actions are more voluntarie which be doon without the inforcement of such affects which neuerthelesse is no cause that these should be excluded from the number of them 56 Aristotle saith that none of the rest of the liuing creatures doo anie thing against their wils no not children The proposition is to be confirmed Those things that are doone by inforcement or by desire be voluntarie That was declared before by the definition Now are other reasons added herevnto whereof the first is this If they were actions against the will neither brute beasts nor children should doo anie thing of their owne accord But those doo manie things of their owne accord Therefore those things are doon against the will The argument is conditionall of the consequent taken to ouerthrowe the antecedent The conclusion is prooued Bicause brute beasts and children since they be without reason whatsoeuer they doo That children and brute creatures doo some things with their wils and some things against their wils they doo it through those affects But how absurd the consequent is hereby it appéereth insomuch as we sée that these liuing creatures and children doo certeine things against their wils As when they be ouercome and shut vp in anie place but on the other side when they be loosed and set at libertie they doo manie things willinglie and of their owne accord They choose themselues meat when they will they enter into chambers dens from thence when it séemeth good they go foorth They defend their yoong ones they flie to their nests and infinite such other things they doo willinglie and of their owne accord They reioise in libertie and on the other side when they be constreined to anie thing it gréeueth them and they are not a little disquieted Alexanders horse Bucephalus admitted no man to sit vpon him but Alexander which without doubt he did not by constreint The elephants doo loue their maisters they obeie them yea they knéele downe when they be commanded But what should we speake of elephants Dogs in a house doo fawne vpon their maisters but doo barke at strangers they hunt chéerfullie they followe those which féed them all these things certeinlie they doo of their owne accord Manie things belonging to this matter might be rehearsed of birds fishes and other brute creatures which are so woonderfull things and are doone of them with so great an inclination that sometimes manie haue thought that in brute beasts there is a will whereby they choose those things which like them most refusing other things which doo displease them Yea and some men haue ascribed some reason vnto them bicause they sée that those things which they doo they doo them with great industrie Which we would not grant albeit as we haue said we must
said Rom. 5 20. that The lawe entred in that sinne should abound might séeme to make somewhat for the Manicheis As also that to the Galathians Gala. 3 19. that The lawe was giuen bicause of transgressions And that in the 7. chapter of the epistle to the Romans that Sinne through the commandement killeth Rom. 7 11. And that which is said in the second epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 3 7. that The lawe is the ministerie of death All these séeme to confirme the error of the Manicheis But there must a choise diligentlie be made of those things which of themselues belong to the lawe from those which followe it by reason of another thing and by accidentall means for sinne death damnation and other things of this sort doo spring out of the lawe by reason of the corruption of our nature But if thou compare not the lawe with our nature but consider the same by it selfe or if thou referre it to a sound and vncorrupt nature thou canst not otherwise pronounce of it than that which Paule saith Rom. 7 12. that It is spirituall holie good and that it was ordeined for life and that rather it must be said to declare than to worke sinne Wherefore A similitude if deformed men lieng hidden in the darke should saie vnto one which by chance bringeth a light Get thée awaie hence least thou make vs deformed by this thy light certeinlie we would not gather by their words that the power and nature of the light is such as it can make men deformed but this rather that those things which of themselues be deformed are by the light discouered and shewed what they be Euen so fareth it altogither with the lawe for after a sort it bringeth in light bringeth foorth to our knowledge the sinnes which before laie hidden Why men doo hate the lawe But some man will saie If the lawe be good and holie whie are men so discontented therewith and haue it in hatred Euen bicause it calleth men backe from those things wherevnto by nature they are inclined for it gréeueth them to be forbidden those things And when we looke in the lawe we sée the things which we ought to doo and by reason of the pride which is naturallie planted and ingraffed in vs we would not be restrained by anie rules Moreouer we perceiue that our actions be wrested from that vprightnesse which is set foorth in the lawe and that which is more gréeuous we féele our selues to be so weake that we cannot correct them and reuoke them to the rule prescribed But in the meane time we looke vpon the punishments and vpon the wrath of God which for sinne we doo incurre We be not angrie as it shuld be with our selues but with the lawe and with God All these things so offend our mind as we be angrie not with our selues and our sinnes as méet it were but with the lawe that is giuen by God whereas otherwise the same is most perfect and most holie Howbeit this discommoditie may be remedied and it may be brought to passe that that which before displeased may please vs afterward and this will come to passe if we ioine the lawe togither with Christ A similitude Exod. 15 25 For as the waters of Marath were most bitter to the children of Israel in the wildernes yet the verie same by casting in the wood which God had appointed were made swéete euen so although the lawe of it selfe be bitter yet if Christ whom God hath set foorth vnto vs to be an onelie sauior and the verie iust end of the lawe be added therevnto then shall we féele it to be swéet The which thing that it happened vnto Dauid verse 11. The praises of the lawe in the Psalms Iere. 31 33. it is manifestlie perceiued by the 19. Psal wherein the praises of Gods lawe are woonderfullie set foorth for it is called pleasant swéet aboue honie and the honie combe And this is it which is promised vs in the prophet that GOD would write a lawe in our harts which is nothing else than that he would giue vnto vs the spirit of Christ by whom we should be inclined to those things which the lawe hath commanded to be doone that at the least-wise the commandements of GOD may be pleasant vnto our harts Which thing the apostle also teacheth when he saith Rom. 7 25. I serue the lawe of God in my mind Wherof the regenerate haue experience who though they be not able to performe a perfect obedience vnto the commandements of God yet doo they loue them and excéedinglie desire them and imbrace them as the chiefe God and doo continuallie praie vnto God that they maie drawe most néere to the perfection of them By these things it appéereth how the commoditie and righteousnesse of the lawe is defended against the Manicheis 3 But on the other side The Pelagians iudge the lawe to be sufficient to saluation the Pelagians are no lesse to be shunned which attribute more vnto the lawe than is conuenient for they iudge the same to be sufficient vnto saluation and saie that men if they haue once vnderstood what is to be doone may be able by the verie strength of nature easilie to performe the same Wherefore Pelagius for feare least he should haue béen condemned by the bishops of Palestine as one which vtterlie denied the grace of God confessed the same grace in word for he affirmed that it is néedfull to haue the grace of God vnto saluation But by grace he ment no other thing By grace he ment nothing else but nature and the lawe but nature it selfe fréelie granted vnto vs by God insomuch as God hath made vs reasonable and indued vs with frée will Moreouer he called grace a lawe or a doctrine bicause of our selues we be ignorant what is to be doone or what to be beléeued vnlesse God doo reueale those things vnto vs. Wherevpon Augustine in his booke De gratia Christi against Caelestinus writeth that They affirme the possibilitie of nature to be holpen by grace But he addeth that If their meanings be examined and thoroughlie sifted we shall perceiue that by grace doctrine and lawe they meane nothing else but that a man hauing onelie receiued the knowledge of the lawe hath power enough of himselfe to doo the commandements Vnto which error the Schoole-diuines drawe verie néere when they teach that A man Wherein the schoolemen come neere to the Pelagians by the verie power of nature is able to kéepe the commandements of GOD as touching the substance of the worke although not according to the intent of him that commandeth By which words this they signifie that we be able to performe the verie works although not in such sort as GOD hath commanded them to be doone namelie in charitie and in the spirit which latter part I suppose they added that they might be séene in some
point to disagrée from the Pelagians But Augustine so farre disagréed from these kind of opinions as vnto those which be regenerate while they liue in this flesh he granteth not a perfect obseruation of the commandements of God which euidentlie appéereth by his retractations And that his iudgement therin is most true Paule declareth in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 7. Doubtles if the matter were so The Pelagians make the death of Christ of none effect as the Pelagians taught there was no néed of Christs comming and of the sacrifice of the crosse for these things were therefore giuen bicause by our owne strength we could not atteine to the righteousnesse of works Rom 8 3 Which Paule plainlie testifieth saieng That which was vnpossible to the lawe forsomuch as it was made weake by the flesh c. These things doo manifestlie teach that man by reason of the infirmitie of the flesh might not fulfill the lawe Further he saith The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie towards God Rom. 8 7. for it is not subiect vnto the lawe of God neither can it be For although the lawe hath power to teach and to giue light vnto the mind yet doth it not therefore minister strength or change the will Wherefore Ambrose in his booke De fuga saeculi saith that The lawe can stop the mouth of all men but yet cannot conuert the mind And a little after The lawe in déed maketh the fault euident but taketh not awaie the naughtinesse Wherefore grace must be added therevnto the which bicause the Pelagians contemned they wandered from saluation and were iustlie condemned of the church The office of the lawe 4 As concerning then the office of the lawe these few things must be obserued first that the same is not altogither vnprofitable euen without regeneration for it may be auaileable to some ciuill discipline For if men doo the outward works of the lawe in such sort as they may although they be sinnes vnto them which doo them yet through them ciuill order may be preserued For where there is no obseruation of these things all things are confounded wrongs be doone naughtie lust rageth out of measure the wrath of God is kindled so as he suffereth those common-weales which be thus corrupted not long to continue Also there is an other worke of the lawe which is inward apperteining to the conscience that it should perpetuallie accuse vex whip and condemne the same And by this meane as we haue said God dooth at the length bring men to iustification After regeneration the lawe is not idle which iustification being obteined the lawe dooth not yet lie idle but is like vnto a glasse wherein the regenerate behold what fruits of faith they ought to bring foorth how much they ought euerie daie to profit what they haue to giue thanks for and how much they want of the iust restitution whereby they may the more earnestlie praie vnto God therefore Also the lawe setteth a marke before our eies whervnto they ought to leuell in all their actions vnto the which although they cannot atteine in this life yet they must applie their indeuour to depart but a little from it By these things it appéereth how much the lawe dooth auaile in outward works what it worketh in the conscience and how much it helpeth them which be regenerate Of Philosophie and of the comparison hereof especiallie morall with Diuinitie taken out of the beginning of the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks 5 All the knowledge that we haue is either reuealed or gotten by indeuour in the former part is diuinitie and in the latter is philosophie The name of philosophie is compounded Wisedome of some is called a knowledge of all the things that be extant How farre wisdomâ— knowledge extendeth But since that wisdome comprehendeth nothing but a certeine and vndoubted knowledge it cannot be as concerning all things for some certeine things are vnknowne things that come by chance and casuallie cannot be knowne bicause of their vncerteintie Others saie that the same is a knowledge of diuine and humane things howbeit betwéene diuine and humane there are found manie things namelie the circles of heauen starres elements meteors stones mines plants herbes and brute beasts But they referre heauen vnto God bicause it is a thing immortall but inferiour things they saie belong vnto men forsomuch as they be corruptible But in what place will they account the science Mathematicall Howbeit it séemeth méet that it be defined to wit A definition of wisdome that It is an habit giuen to mens minds by God increased by diligence exercise wherby althings that be are comprehended so far foorth as they can certeinlie by firme reason be comprehended that man maie attaine vnto felicitie And héere be all the kinds of causes The forme which is the habit The matter wherein it cleaueth that is to wit The causes of wisdome the mind and reason of man and those things about which as about obiects the same is occupied namelie about all things that be extant yet not simplie and absolutelie but so far foorth as they can be certeinelie knowne The worker is specified namelie in that God is appointed to be the author for he hath planted light in our minds and hath sowen in vs the séeds which are the originals of all sciences Whervpon Cicero in the first booke of his Tusculane questions saith that Philosophie is the gift and inuention of the gods And this dooth Lucretius also grant although he were an Epicure And forsomuch as an assured knowledge of all things may rather be desired than hoped for and is sooner loued than possessed and that the more we giue our selues to the same so much the more are we stirred vp towards it therfore it is called philosophie The author of this name was Pythagoras he when he was come to Philonta and had spoken with Leontes which in this place was a tyrant maruelling at the wit and eloquence of the man demanded of him what art or science he would professe who would not saie that he was a wise man but one that desired wisedome that is a philosopher 6 And this being defined on this wise it is diuided into the part actiue and contemplatiue A diuision of philosophie both which Aristotle intreated of according as the subiect required These doo so differ as contemplatiue aloneâ—ie beholdeth and actiue practiseth those things that be knowen So as they differ in their ends for contemplatiue reposeth it selfe in the verie contemplation of things for it is not able to exercise them But actiue dooth therefore behold that it may in worke expresse the thing which it knoweth And we sée vndoubtedlie that in man there be two works for he vnderstandeth and afterward he worketh And euen as God not onelie vnderstandeth himselfe and is happie and perfect to himselfe but also by his prouidence dooth create things being brought foorth gouerneth them so likewise is
in verie déed he semeth to terrifie christian men from the studie of philosophie howbeit if ye marke well the apostles meaning I am sure that ye will be nothing troubled True philosophie since it is gathered by the knowledge of the creatures and by those propositions concludeth manie things as touching the iustice and goodnes which God planted naturallie in the minds of men it cannot be iustlie accused For it is the worke of God and without his speciall gift it cannot be had of men But Paule reprooueth that philosophie which is corrupted through the inuentions of men ambitious contentions of philosophers For if they had kept themselues within certeine bounds and had onelie pronounced those things which the knowledge of the creatures did by most assured reasons declare as touching God and nature they should not haue erred from the truth Wherfore the apostle saith Through philosophie and vaine deceit In what respect phâ—losophie is condemned by Paule and he addeth Which are according to the traditions of men and rudiments of the world Not the creatures but men did teach that the world should be euerlasting It was not nature that shewed but it was vaine cogitations that deuised the world to be compact of the concourse of such small and indiuisible moates as we sée in the sunne-shine and to consist as it were of no ground And who doubteth but that the fate and impassibilitie of the Stoiks the perpetuall doubting of the Academiks and the idle and vnoccupied deitie of the Epicures was this vaine deceit Men dreamt of a communitie of things of the intermingling of wiues one with another in Common-weales of pleasure to be the chéefest good and of gods to be worshipped after the maner of common people but they tooke no knowledge by a naturall light and by vsuall propositions knowen of themselues by assured reasons These in verie déed are the venoms and corruptions wherewith the diuell by naughtie men corrupteth philosophie being the gift of God and this being so defiled and corrupted Paule would haue to be eschewed 9 Howbeit A comparison of the former things with the holie scriptures now must we sée how these things that we haue hitherto spoken will agrée with the holie scriptures for there also haue we philosophie actiue and contemplatiue Those things that we beléeue and are comprehended in the articles of the faith doo belong vnto contemplation for those we perceiue by knowledge but we doo them not and albeit they are not comprehended in science yet neuerthelesse are they vnderstood Vnto the actiue kind are those referred which are conteined in lawes counsels and exhortations Thus far doo these agrée yet doo they differ bicause in philosophie that which is actiue goeth before that which is speculatiue For as it hath béene said we cannot with humane strength behold either God or nature till first our affections be at quiet Why in diuinitie philosophie speculatiue goeth before actiue But in the holie scriptures speculation taketh the first place insomuch as we must first beléeue and be iustified by faith and then afterward doo followe good works and that the more and more abundantlie as we be dailie renewed by the holie Ghost Thus dooth Paule set it foorth in his epistles for he first handleth doctrine and afterward he descendeth to the instruction of maners and framing of the life And so were the children of Israel first gathered in Aegypt vnder the faith of one God the sauiour and afterward in the desert they receiued lawes which serue vnto the knowledge which consisteth in practise Againe in the table of the ten commandements is obserued the same order for it saith first I am the Lord thy God the which thing belongeth to faith or speculatiue knowledge afterward doo followe precepts which belong to the works required of God The cause of this difference is that humane contemplations are gotten by searching out and by the indeuour of meditation therefore moderate affects are necessarie But those things that we beléeue are receiued by the inspiration of God so that there is no néed of those preparations And in mans reason it behooueth men first to doo iust things before they be iustified But the order of diuine sanctification is farre otherwise appointed for we first beléeue and afterward be iustified then by the spirit and by grace are our minds renewed finallie there followe iust and honest déeds 10 Moreouer the end of philosophie is that we should obteine that blessednesse or felicitie which may be gotten here by mans strength but the end of christian godlinesse is to haue repaired in vs that image wherevnto we are made in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth that we may dailie growe vp in the knowledge of God vntill we be brought to sée him euen as he is with face discouered Besides this in the morall philosophie of Aristotle we shall not heare of the remission of sinnes nor of the feare and confidence towards GOD nor of iustification by faith nor of Christ or such other like things for these things are opened by the will of God being such as cannot be gathered by a naturall knowledge from the creatures And we denie not How one verie thing is otherwise taught in diuinitie than it is in philosophie but it oftentimes happeneth that the selfe-same things are commended in Aristotles Ethiks which are commanded by God in the holie scriptures but then are those all one in matter but not informe properties and principles for in them there is a sundrie respect a difference of properties and their originals not all one A similitude Euen in like maner as the raine water and anie fountaine water is all one in matter but the strength propertie originals be of great diuersitie for the one commeth by a heat of the heauens and by the clouds and coldnesse of the middle region of the aire but this other is either gathered from the sea out of the hollowe places of the earth and is so strained as it becommeth swéet or else it commeth by conuerting the aire into water through the coldnesse of the place where the spring ariseth Euen so those things that a christian doth he doth them by the drift of the holie Ghost for they which be driuen by the holie Ghost be the children of God but they which deale by philosophie according to morall rules doo worke by the guide of humane reason Such be stirred to doo these things bicause they so iudge it to be honest and right but the christians bicause God hath so decréed it Those thinke that if they so doo they profit and make perfect themselues but these bicause they may obeie the maiestie of God Those doo beléeue their owne selues but these doo beléeue God and the words of the lawe which he hath made Those be caried with a loue of themselues but these with the loue of God alone Doubtles of this manifold diuersitie it commeth to passe that one and the same
thing as concerning the matter both pleaseth GOD and by his iudgement is condemned of him And thus much of these differences and of the consent that is betwéene the holie scripture and humane philosophie 11 But to returne to that whence we digressed namelie whether this facultie be repugnant vnto godlinesse I affirme that it is no more against the same than is Astrologie than is the art of mariners or soldiers than is fishing hunting and finallie than is the knowledge of the lawe of man which all men knowe how necessarie it is for the gouernement of common-weales Verelie the same picketh out hir lawes and institutions which be ingrafted in our minds concerning iustice and goodnesse the verie which notwithstanding morall philosophers doo discusse and turne most exquisitlie in such sort as they not onelie knowe these things verie manifestlie but also can with great perspicuitie teach them vnto others Héerof it commeth that in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is wisdome is called as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is perspicuitie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wise as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 manifest or perspicuous How lawe knowledge is a part of philosophie bicause it declareth and maketh verie plaine those things which it handleth And so by this meanes the lawiers might easilie defend their science to be a part of philosophie albeit they by their lawes doo not so grauelie decrée touching vertue goodnesse and iustice as the philosophers dispute of them For example sake Philosophie detesteth ingratitude towards all states of men but the lawes doo not punish the same vnlesse it be committed by children towards their parents or of late seruants towards their patrons Humane lawes compell no man to giue their goods to the poore but philosophie commendeth bountifulnesse and liberalitie towards all men And what shall I saie more Cicero The praise of morall philosophie in the commendation of this kind of philosophie pronounceth thus in his fift booke of Tusculane questions O philosophie the guide of life O thou that art the searcher out of vertue and expeller of vice What could not onelie we but altogither euen the life of men haue béene without thée Thou broughtest foorth cities thou gatheredst togither the dispersed men into societie of life thou first of all ioinedst them togither in houses afterward in marriages and after that in the vnitie of letters and words thou wast the mistresse of maners and discipline c. All men knowe what an excellent thing is the strength of herbes stones metals and medicins and this doo not we also denie but for all that doth it not followe that this is a worthie facultie whereby the acts the choises the arts the methods the wits vertues and vices of men be perceiued What can be accounted more excellent than for a man to knowe himselfe And this doo we singularlie well knowe héerby And moreouer we must call to mind that which Plato said to wit that It may easilie come to passe that earnest loues toward vertue may be stirred vp in vs if otherwhile some image thereof might be set before our eies And on the other side we are a great deale to blame that we doo no where behold the same néere at hand There ariseth no small pleasure by this science to knowe within what bounds the light of nature ought to kéepe it selfe and how far in his owne right it may extend And Christian religion is excéedinglie kindled by considering the manners of the Ethniks since by a comparison we perceiue how greatlie those things which be taught in the holie scriptures doo excell the philosophicall precepts For it is a common saieng that Contraries when they are compared togither doo shine with the greater light And errors can not conuenientlie be shunned except they be first knowne Wherefore he that hath knowen both of these faculties shall the easilier auoid the faults of the one namelie of humane philosophie especiallie when they shall be shewed plainlie in their owne proper places Necessarie rules aswell for the expounding as for obeieng of the lawe In the Cōmentaries vpon Aristotles Ethicks 12 First we are to marke the order of the tables which we sée set foorth in the ten commandements For the first table is that which treateth concerning God without anie meane but the other is directed vnto our neighbour And we must iudge that the dignitie of the first table is the greater bicause it conteineth the other and as a principall architecture hath the same vnder it and further that the end thereof is more noble bicause the end of the latter table is ruled and gouerned by the former Wherfore Luther in his catechisme verie prudentlie in euerie one precept of the latter table rehearsed the end of the first table For example sake Bicause God must be loued with all the heart and with all the soule therefore thou shalt not kill Againe Bicause God must be loued with all the hart and with all the soule therefore thou must not commit adulterie In the ten commandements onelie In Rom. 2. Looke par 2. pl. 14. art 3. the summe of the lawe is set foorth and that after the plainer and homelier sort wherein we ought to vnderstand all the parts thereof The head and summe of all deceitfull things is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth Immoderate coueting of more or To carue himselfe a greater part than is iust Euen as against all foule voluptuous pleasures onlie adulterie is expresselie named vnder which is comprehended all kinds of vncleanes And touching the commandement of idolatrie therein is forbidden all kind of false worshipping wheras that onlie is expressed which is most grosse Where two lawes are made one contrarie to an other In 1. Sam. 15. verse 1◠the obedience must be doone vnto the latter Exod. 1◠29 God commanded that the first fruits should be offered vnto him and sacrifices to be made vnto his name but he himselfe afterward commanded that all the goods of the Amalechites should be vtterlie destroied 1. Sam. 15. 3 Vnto this latter commandement Saule should haue obeied 13 This is to be obserued in all precepts In Iud. 11. verse 11. as well ceremoniall as iudiciall and morall When two precepts of God séeme one to be repugnant to an other so as the one is a hinderance to the other that they cannot both at one time be obserued yea rather Looke in 1. Sam. 21. verse 1. it is necessarie that the one of them for the time being be omitted then that which shall be iudged weightiest and greatest must be reteined But yet in the meane time that other which is reckoned to be lesse and lighter is not violated bicause in the same there is nothing doone against the will of God The lawe commandeth Exod. 20 13 that euerie one should haue respect to the safetie of his neighbour and if one be a magistrate that he by armes defend his citie The same lawe
Herewithall adde the iustice of rendering like for like for the prophets of Baal had caused the ministers of the true God to be slaine 1. kin 18 4. and 13. as well by Iezabel as by king Achab But will some man saie By these lawes and reasons it is prooued that these Baalites had indéed deserued death but perhaps they should not haue béene slaine by the prophet for auoiding suspicion of man-slaughter Howbeit this I answere that the king was also present and consented vnto the slaughter Helias indéed preuented the kings iudgement yet it appéereth not that he did against it bicause the king being present did not withstand it But wherefore he held his peace manie reasons may be brought First it might not be but that by séeing so great a woonder he also was astonished excéedinglie amazed wherefore he could not but spurne against the pricke Adde also that the king durst not stand against so great a consent of the people Also it might be that he was verie desirous of raine and that therefore least he should be disappointed he gaue some maner of consent vnto this slaughter He caused the false prophets to be brought to the brooke Kison to wit that their dead bodies should be cast into it a brooke otherwise noble Iudg. 4 15. for the victorie gotten of Iabin and Sisara by the leading and conduct of Barach and Debora as it is written in the booke of Iudges and mentioned by Dauid in the Psalmes Psal 43 10. But to some it séemeth an vnwoorthie and cruell thing that the prophet himselfe with his owne hand as the historie reporteth slue some of them As though it were not read that Samuel smote Agag the king of Amalech 1. Sa. 15 33. Moses also with the Leuits destroied manie thousands of idolaters But and if thou wilt saie that Moses was prince of the people and as a lawfull magistrat vsed the Leuits in stéed of soldiers I grant But what should we saie of Phinees who being a priuate man slue Zimbri and Cosbi Exod. 2 12. which were taken in whoredome Did not Moses also before he receiued the principalitie slaie an Aegyptian man It is not lawfull to blame that fact Act. 7 24. séeing Steeuen in the Acts of the apostles alloweth and commendeth it We knowe in déed that it is the part of prophets and ministers to deale by the word not by violence and by the sword Wherefore Peter and Paule Acts. 13 11. Acts. 5 5. if they punished or put anie to death they did it by the word not by the sword But we saie that these things which Moses and Helias did were not ordinarie but certeine acts out of vse and common order 1. kin 18 23 Yea and wheras Helias exercised the office of a priest and sacrificed out of the place chosen by God Augustine vpon Leuiticus question 56. excuseth it by the same reason by which was excused the déed of Abraham Gen. 22 3. who ment to slaie his owne sonne All these things were doone by the priuate instinct of God against the common lawe set foorth The lawe-giuer himselfe when he commandeth anie thing to be doone against his lawes his commandement must be counted for a lawe Of Parricide or slaieng of parents In Iudg. 9 verse 5. 9 Of the wicked crime of parricide there are manie things written in the ciuill lawes Ad L. Corneliam De parricidijs And as far as may be gathered out of the lawes and histories in old time the name of that crime was giuen vnto those which murthered their parents grandfathers and great grandfathers c to those also which murthered their children and childrens children c. But afterward by Pompeius the signification thereof was further extended And they were also called parricides which killed their brothers their sonnes in lawe their daughters in lawe their fathers or mothers in lawe and such other The lawe of Numa Pompilius Although there be an old lawe and giuen by Numa Pompilius If anie man wittinglie bringeth a frée man to death let him be taken for a parricide And Augustine in his third booke De ciuitate Dei Augustine the sixt chapter counted Romulus guiltie of parricide bicause he slue his brother And there he derideth the Ethniks which affirmed that their gods suffered Troie to be destroied bicause they would take vengeance of the adulterie of Paris But how saith he were they fauourable vnto Rome when as the builder thereof committed parricide straitwaie at the beginning Augustines booke De patientia supposed not his Howbeit the same Augustine in his booke De patientia which neuerthelesse is counted none of his in the 13. chapter appointed a certeine latitude or degrées betwéene parricides for as he saith he sinneth more heinouslie which killeth his parents or children than he which murthereth his brethren And he which slaieth his brethren offendeth more than he which destroieth those that be further of kin And the wicked crime of slaieng parents or superiours séemed to be so horrible that at Rome for the space of six hundred yéeres after the building of the citie it was not committed Yea and Romulus Romulus made no mention of parricide in his lawes that made no mention of it in his lawes being demanded why he left it out answered that he could not be persuaded that anie such thing can happen vnto men Solon also being asked why he likewise by his lawes did not restreine parricide An answer of Solon answered that he wold not by anie occasion of his lawes giue men knowledge of so horrible a wickednesse and by his admonishment to stir them vp after a sort vnto it For it oftentimes happeneth that they which forbid certeine vices prouoke men to fall into them who verie often will indeuour to doo such things as they are forbidden The murther of brethren and kinsfolke hath vndoubtedlie béene from the beginning as all histories doo testifie And the punishment of those parricides which slue their parents or children was by lawes as it is perceiued Ad legem Corneliam de parricidijs that they should be sowed in Culeo The punishment of parricides that is in a leather sacke and with them also were put an ape a cocke and a viper and were throwne into the deapth of the sea or else in the next riuer adioining But they which slue of their kinsfolke or cousins were punished with the sword onelie These punishments if at anie time they were either passed ouer or winked at by the magistrates God himselfe punished them as the historie of Samuel declareth of Absolom Absolom 2. Sa. 18 14. which killed his brother and most cruellie set vpon his father He also striketh them with rage and madnesse which commit such horrible wicked acts as both the poets and also historiographers write of Nero and of Orestes Nero. Orestes For both of them hauing killed their mothers became mad And it is a
the Authentiks where it is intreated of women taken awaie which marrie the raptor was compelled to make the lawe anew bicause there were some which cauilled that if she that was taken awaie did consent to be married she might possesse the goods of the raptor For so they interpreted the first lawe that the goods of the raptor ought to come vnto hir that was taken awaie if she married him or if he in his will made hir his heire But we saith Iustinian ment no such thing for our lawes doo not appoint rewards for a wicked crime Besides neither can he make anie will forsomuch as he is now condemned to die Neither doo anie of our lawes suffer anie such matrimonies to be in force And if it be no matrimonie how then can she possesse the goods of the raptor in the name of the dowrie And so he decréed that such matrimonies should not be ratified What then shall become of the goods of the raptor If the maid saith he haue parents which haue not therevnto consented those goods shall come vnto them but if they haue consented as I haue alreadie said they were banished without anie proprietie of goods or lands Which kind of punishment was much more gréeuous than plaine exile But if the maiden had no parents or had those which consented the goods of the raptor were confiscate to the cōmon treasurie By these things it appéereth that in those times rauine was counted detestable Wherevnto I will also adde this If anie daughter had married against the will of hir parents or otherwise behaued hir selfe wantonlie and vnchastlie it was lawfull for the parents to disherit hir as appéereth in the Code De inofficioso testamento in the lawe Si filiam This one thing is excepted If the father knew that the iust time of matrimonie was past and would not bestowe his daughter then hath he nothing to deale against hir if she marrie without his knowledge or against his will naie rather he is compelled to giue hir a dowrie as appéereth in the Code in the same place in the lawe Si post viginti quinque annos Whereby it appéereth that 25. yéeres was the furthest time that matrimonie should be driuen off The same is mentioned in the Digests De ritu nuptiarum in the lawe Qui liberos Other lawiers determine the same thing if a woman take awaie a man by violence although they saie that happeneth but seldome 30 Now must be added the opinion of the Canonists The opinion of the Canonists and what they bring out of the scriptures In the 36. cause question the first Gratian bringeth that definition of rapt which we haue before confuted But this he addeth that in rauine iniurie is sometime doone to the maiden and not to the parents and sometime to the parents and not to the maiden and sometime to them both For if the maiden will be taken awaie of hir owne frée will there is no iniurie doone vnto hir but vnto hir parents howbeit if the parents giue the man power to take awaie their daughter bicause she will not consent to marrie him then there is no iniurie doone vnto them but vnto the daughter Yet there is iniurie doone to both of them when the daughter is led awaie from hir parents against their will And in the same place he bringeth the Councell of Orleance The Councell of Orleance in the chapter De raptoribus where also he confesseth that rauine was woont to be punished with death But it is further said that If the raptor take the church he escapeth the punishment of death How then If the maiden saith he consented vnto the raptor first she shall be taken from him and restored to hir parents Neuerthelesse she being excused to wit a caution being accepted let hir not be slaine or disherited but if she consented not she is by hir selfe sufficientlie purged yet shall the raptor be compelled to publike penance as it appéereth in the 36. cause question the second chapter Raptores The Councell of Chalcedon and Cabylon But what if he will not doo penance He shall be excommunicated according to the Cabylon and Chalcedon Councell Notwithstanding if he doo penance he shall be punished by the pursse And herein they saie that they followe the word of God which is written in Deuteronomie the 22. chapter Deut. 22 28 If a man dishonest a maiden he shall giue vnto hir father fiftie sickles and shall take hir to wife And so they condemne the raptor to paie a certeine summe of monie vnto the parents of the maiden the which summe if he will not paie or hath not wherewithall he is driuen to serue the father of the maiden for certeine yéeres which the Glosser contriueth into fiue vpon this condition that in the meane time he may redéeme himselfe if he will It is added also If they consent togither the matrimonie is firme so that the father agrée therevnto And that these matrimonies may be firme betwixt the raptor and hir that is taken awaie It also appéereth by the Decretals De raptoribus incendiarijs in the chapter Cùm causa and in the chapter following which without doubt is against the ciuill lawes and against the Canons of the better sort But the Councell Meldenum decréed far otherwise The Councell Meldenum for first it ordeined that the raptor and she that is taken awaie should doo publike penance afterward it permitteth matrimonie but yet not betwéene themselues but with other And it is added that If the husband or wife of either of them die he which hath committed the rauine or consented vnto the raptor cannot contract new matrimonie except the bishop release him Besides this it is decréed that by no meanes anie such matrimonie should be firme no not although the parents consent therevnto Yea and the same Gratian confesseth that the same thing was decréed in the Councell which was held at Aquisgrane The Councell of Aquisgrane yet afterward both he himselfe otherwise defineth and also the Decretals of the Popes What then make they of those Councels They answer that those Councels ment this that it should not be lawfull to contract matrimonie in that case vnlesse open penance be first doone and the consent of the parents had And to prooue that sentence Gratian in the 36. cause question 2. chapter Tria Ierom. citeth Ierom who séemeth to acknowledge thrée kinds of matrimonie to be lawfull One when a maiden is giuen in matrimonie to a husband by hir parents or tutors An other if a maiden be oppressed of a man and hir father afterward consent to giue hir to him in matrimonie The third is if the father consent not to such marriages but giue hir vnto an other man These thrée matrimonies he saith are lawfull in the holie scriptures But in the 27. cause question 2. chapter Additur by the testimonie of Ierom there is added an other lawfull kind of matrimonie namelie when a
not rehearsed all persons or degrées in whom marriages are forbidden For there is no mention made of grandmother when as neuerthelesse all men will confesse it to be most shamefull if anie man should take his grandmother to wife who is so far aboue him in yéeres The wise also of the grandfather is not mentioned And though the wife of the vncle by the fathers side be spoken of yet is there nothing spoken concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side Yea and that we more maruell at there is no prohibition for the father to marie his daughter when as all men confesse that those marriages be most incestuous So as it is to be thought that in that place are set foorth by the holie Ghost certeine degrées prohibited and those not manie but yet such that by them as by certeine exquisite and manifest rules we may iudge of the like Wherefore we must thinke that whatsoeuer is spoken as touching the mother is also commanded as touching the grandfather or grandmother séeing that all these are reckoned to be parents Those things also which are spoken as touching the wife of the vncle by the fathers side doo manifestlie shew what is to be doone as concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side forsomuch as these affinities or degrées haue by the same space or distance relation one to another So that I am of this mind that I thinke the prohibitions mentioned in the lawe are therefore set foorth that by them we might euidentlie vnderstand what is méet to doo in the like degrées Who more than others offend against the degree forbidden I grant neuerthelesse concerning Paulus Burgensis reason that they much more breake the lawe which doo contract matrimonies with persons forbidden and that they also peruert the order of kindreds For vnto me he séemeth to doo farre woorsse which marrieth his grandmother than he which marrieth his néece of his brothers side although I thinke that both these matrimonies are vnlawfull What the Hebrues of our time doo I passe not much yea I much doubt of that which Paulus Burgensis assureth himselfe as a thing plaine and manifest namelie that the Iewes at this daie are most diligent in obseruing of their outward lawes For me thinketh I should doo well in not giuing to them more dignitie or religion than to Christians Wherefore as it is manifest enough that we haue for mens traditions straied verie much from the right obseruation of the commandements of GOD and also from the right knowledge of the scriptures so is it also likelie that the same hath happened to the Iewes especiallie in this our age So as I am not iniurious against them when I will not yéeld more vnto them than vnto our selues Vnto the degrees expressed by God the Iewes haue added manie more Neuerthelesse I will not let to declare that their Rabbins haue added to the degrées forbidden in the lawe manie more as well in descending as ascending which thing I vnderstand the great learned man Paulus Phagius hath declared in his annotations on Leuiticus Neither can I be persuaded that they were added by them for anie other cause but onelie for that they thought that those degrées were comprehended in the degrées expressed by God Wherfore that as I thinke will not be sufficient for iudging of lawfull marriages if the degrée wherein they are contracted shall not by manifest and proper words in the lawe be forbidden nor yet the order of kindred peruerted for it may be that the like degrée and of the same distance is forbidden by authoritie of the lawe Neither dooth the scripture so far as I can sée alledge in anie place such a reason as belongeth to the peruerting of order although as I haue said before I will not vtterlie reiect the same 41 Some man peraduenture will saie What matter is it for vs of this age either to knowe or to marke those precepts which are conteined in the 18. and 20. chapters of Leuiticus séeing that we after the comming of Christ are no more bound to the ciuill laws of the Iewes I grant that the Christians are not bound to the ciuill precepts of the lawe but yet I ascribe those precepts which are there giuen for marriages not to ciuill lawes but rather to morall And I thinke that I may bring a reason out of the same place to confirme my saieng For God when he gaue those lawes added these words therevnto Leuit. 18 2◠20. 23. Take heed therefore that ye defile not your selues with whooredoms and such incests as the Gentils haue doone whom I haue driuen out of those lands which I haue now giuen vnto you for seeing those nations haue beene polluted with so greeuous wicked acts I haue therefore so destroied them and will doo the like vnto you except you shall diligentlie shunne those things which I command you as touching these euils I thinke no man will doubt but that the Chanaanits which receiued not the lawe by Moses neither were citizens of the publike weale of the Israelits could not by that lawe be condemned bicause they obeied not the lawes of the Hebrues They were subiect onelie to the lawe which is called morall Séeing then God reproueth them for that cause that they were so defiled with such filthie lusts and incests and affirmeth that for the same cause he depriued them both of their land and life it is manifest that these laws must be ioined not to ciuill precepts but to morall which all men are bound to obserue Neuerthelesse it séemeth at the first sight to be against this doctrine Gen. 20 12. in that Abraham a man otherwise most holie is thought to haue married his brothers daughter namelie Sara Amram had also Iochabed his aunt to wife of whom he begat Moses Aaron and Marie And it séemeth Exod. 6 20 that so godlie and holie men would not haue doone this if the morall lawe as we haue said had béene against it To this we answer first The lawe of nature was darkened through sinne that the lawe of nature was much blotted by corruption and wickednesse which ouerwhelmed all mankind soone after sinne and for that cause they which contracted such matrimonies thought peraduenture that the same was lawfull And therefore although they cannot altogither be excused by that ignorance yet it is to be thought that they committed lesse sinne than those which durst doo such things after the lawe was giuen I adde moreouer that among the facts of the fathers certeine things are now and then spoken of by which other men must not take example séeing they are sometimes to be interpreted as prerogatiues or certeine priuiledges giuen them But how so euer it be we must not as I thinke much labour to excuse the fathers in all things Although I knowe there be which saie The fathers must not in all things be excused from sinne that Sara was not the daughter of Abrahams brother
wicked desire of fornication So that both of them as well touching the mind as the bodie are defiled But here in marriages of contrarie religion they are not coupled togither in respect of faith but in bodies onelie and Paule testifieth that from the bodie of the infidell vncleannesse is taken awaie that the other partie may not be contaminated In the meane time faith remaineth sound and the mind pure in the partie sanctified which faith hath no place in committing of whoredome The last doubt is if a Christian husband dwell with an idolatrous and an vnbeléeuing wife and that he ought not rashlie to depart and yet may depart from an adulteresse it séemeth to follow that adulterie is a more gréeuous sinne and more intollerable than idolatrie is Chrysostome answereth Chrysost that God is so verie good as sometime he preferreth our commodities before his owne for he willeth that the sacrifice be left at the altar Matth. 5 32 and before we doo offer sacrifice a reconciliation is to be made with our neighbours He sometime forbeareth to haue a debt paid vnto him and forgiueth the same but vs he will not absolue vnlesse we satisfie our neighbour Wherefore the argument is but féeble wherein thou didest gather that idolatrie is a lesser sinne than adulterie bicause the spouse is permitted to tarrie with the idolatrous wife and from adulterie he may depart But it appeareth that we may make a more perfect answer Idolatrie a greater sin than adulterie that in verie déed idolatrie in his owne nature is a more gréeuous sinne than adulterie but that adulterie is more repugnant to wedlocke than idolatrie Adulterie more against wedlocke than idolatrie wherein man and wife should be one flesh and by adulterie be drawne one from an other It is true indéed that idolatrie is more repugnant vnto God than adulterie is but adulterie is a greater enimie to marriage than idolatrie Which dooth héereby appeare for that marriages are had betwéene idolaters and Mahumets 72 But whether Dauid did well in taking of the Synamite to wife In 7. Kin. 1. at the beginning it appeareth doubtfull vnto some For those that are cold of nature when they marrie wiues they séeme not to doo the part of a married man bicause according to humane laws such marriages be not firme for cold persons doo inforce themselues to performe that which they are not able Whether matrimonie is to be cut off for the impotencie of the man Certeinlie there haue béene manie things decréed touching this matter as well by the Ciuill as by the Canon lawes First they decrée that if there be a continuall defect those which be contracted ought to be separated so that the partie which sueth for separation had no foreknowledge of that disease For if the woman contracting with a man in ill state did know therof before she cannot for that cause step backe from hir husband There is a lawe had concerning spousages in the lawe Mulier which ordeined in this wise If before matrimonie contracted the wife knew of the infamie or the impotencie of the man let hir impute it to hir owne selfe she cannot séeke for diuorse In the Digests Ad legem Iuliam de adulterijs in the lawe Si vxor about the end it is said If anie man knowe that a woman hath committed adulterie and shall afterward marrie hir he cannot accuse hir of adulterie for séeing he tooke hir to wife and had knowledge of it he séemed to allow of hir conditions The same hath the Canon lawe determined as in the 33. cause question 1. in the chapter Requisisti the Glosse saith If the woman knew the impediment of the man and contract with him she cannot step backe But admit she knew it not shall the matrimonie be firme Gregorie in the Canon alledged did counsell that they should dwell togither to the intent the woman if she cannot be a wife may be a sister But this he speaketh by counsell not by commandment For if she denie with lowd voice and saie that she would be a mother and beare children she is heard Howbeit they make a condition namelie that she shall gaine-saie it within the space of two moneths as appeareth in the Extrauagants De frigidis maleficiatis in the first Canon séeing if she abide long she séemeth by hir owne consent to haue confirmed the marriage But the rigor of this lawe is not obserued at this daie but a longer space of time is appointed and that iustlie for he perhaps may séeme cold at the beginning which will not be so afterward What shall be doone then if she gaine-saie it and yet allow it If the husband will stand at deniall he must be credited but if he confesse it they shall be separated and leaue is giuen vnto the woman to prouide an other marriage Which neuerthelesse ought not to be doone ouer hastilie for they will haue the space of thrée yeares to be expected to the end a longer and a more sure experience may be had The same haue the ciuill lawes iudged Iustinian De repudijs in the lawe In causis first assigneth two yeares but there in the Paraph Sed bodie he assigneth thrée yeares and it dooth verie well agrée with the Popes Canons The same he hath in the Authentikes in Collatione 4. in the Paraph Per occasionem namelie that thrée yeares be giuen Howbeit this must be vnderstood on this wise Vnlesse a plaine proofe therof can be had before bicause it ought not then to be deferred But some men saie that It is possible that iudges may be deceiued that the disease may somtime be cured and that the space of thrée yeares séemeth not to be sufficient that he might marrie with an other and haue children that in conuersation they might both of them sometimes confesse their coldnesse bicause they might find the meanes to be separated If this should happen they would that the man being afterward found fit for procreation should renew his former marriage But this is not obserued The same doo they affirme of them which be hindered by diuelish practises But bicause the diuell dooth sometimes hinder so as a man is able to vse the companie of one woman and not of another therefore matrimonie is assigned to be with hir from whom he is not lett These things are said touching women If the husband were ignorant before of his coldnes he may require a diuorse 73 But if the man doo either knowe or be ignorant that he is cold what then shal be doon If he be ignorant of it he is after a sort excused it is lawfull for him to aske a diuorse whereby he may be eased of the charges of marriage But if he knowe before that he had the disease of coldnesse he is compelled to find and mainteine his wife whom he deceiued The Popes canons decrée that he should marrie no more as it is read in the place a little before
donation granted in respect of marriage whereas the adulterer susteineth no losse In the Extrauagants De donationibus inter virum vxorem in the chapter Plerúnque in the end Adam and Eue being found to be in one kind of sinne haue not both one punishment Eue is punished more gréeuouslie That adulterous men sinne more greeuouslie than the women 31 On the other side the causes séeme to be verie great which persuade otherwise The first is that a woman is more weake and vnperfect than a man she wanteth vnderstanding and iudgement These things séeme to serue for diminishing the fault And manie lawes persuade vs that in punishing we should haue a consideration of the sex Some of the lawes I will recite In the Digests Ad legem Iuliam peculatus it is said that In punishment there must be consideration had of the sex the lawe beginneth Sacrilegij poenam Also Ad legem Iuliam de adulterijs in the lawe Si adulterum in the Paraph Fratres and in the Paraph Iacestam they would haue a difference to be considered of in the sex bicause women are not forced to be skilfull in the lawes sometimes they be deceiued they thinke that to be lawfull which is not lawfull Also the Ecclesiasticall lawes teach that there ought to be a consideration had of the sex In the Extrauagants De homicidio in the chapter Si dignum in the Code Ad legem Iuliam maiestatis in the lawe Quisquis in the Paraph Filias There is more fauour shewed to the daughters of conspirators than vnto their sonnes In the Decrées cause 32. question 6 the chapter Indignatur there is consideration had of women euen in the selfe same cause of adulterie There be saiengs also of most excellent men which be agréeable to this sentence Augustine in his treatise De adulterinis coniugijs ad Pollentium citeth the letters written by Antonius Pius which we may read in the Gregorian Code that It is verie vniust that men should require that faith of women which themselues will not shew In the Digests De adulterio in the lawe Si vxor in the Paraph Si iudex It is commanded that if the iudge haue knowledge of the adulterie let him looke whether the husband haue liued chastlie And so the fault of the woman is mitigated bicause the men themselues by their ill liuing be causes of their vncleane life Whervpon Seneca in his 94. epistle vnto Lucillus saith that It is a most vniust thing for men to exact faithfulnes of women when as they themselues be the corrupters of other mens wiues Neither did Augustine put this matter in silence who saith that Vir that is to saie Man hath his name of Virtus that is Vertue and that therefore he ought to excell the wife in all vertues and chastitie In his litle booke De decem chordis and it is also read in the 32. cause question 5. in the chapter Non moechaberis saith that The husband is the head of his wife if the head fall into adulterie and the wife be chast he is a man turned vpside downe the head is vnder the féet It hapneth ofttimes that the adulteries of the wife are reuengements of an adulterous husband It is said of Clytemnestra that she gaue the power of hir bodie to Aegistus bicause she heard that Agamemnō preferred Chrysis before hir That such a punishment is brought by the iudgement of God it appéereth that Iob vnderstood who in the 31. cha saith verse 9. If my hart hath been carried aside to a strange woman and if I haue lien in wait at my neighbors doore then let my wife grind vnto an other man and let hir yeeld hir bodie to other men So then there be reasons to be made on both parts What shall we saie If credit be giuen to the Schoole-diuines An vnfolding of the question the distinction must be made which is mentioned in the fourth booke of sentences in the 35. distinction If the faith of wedlocke be considered the sinne is equall on both parts either is bound vnto other whether the woman giue hir selfe to another or else the man commit adulterie If the condition of the person be respected séeing man is the more perfect he hath the firmer iudgement and ought to excell his wife his sinne is more gréeuous than hirs Howbeit if we note the confusion of things the supposed heires and the shame of the familie the woman is more gréeuouslie charged But as touching the verie lawe it selfe of wedlocke they saie well that the bond is all alike that sinne is committed as well by the one as by the other they must be brought to an equalitie Equalitie we prooue out of the holie scriptures Vnto one Adam the Lord gaue one Eue and to one Eue he gaue one Adam and he said Gen. 2 24. They shall be two in one flesh Paule when he treateth of these things in the first to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter saith that The wife hath not power ouer hir owne bodie verse 4. but the husband And on the other side he maketh this lawe equall to the one and the other Neither dooth he speake vnto the one partie of rendering due beneuolence but vnto them both And if they shall thinke good to seuer themselues for praier sake he willeth that the same be doone by both their consents In case of religion if they will not dwell togither ech partie is set at libertie The same is also spoken there concerning the vnbeléeuing husband The lawe of God commandeth that both as well the adulterer as the adulteresse should be slaine Séeing therefore he maketh this equalitie we also ought to followe the same An answer vnto the contrarie arguments 32 Now it remaineth that we answer to the arguments It was said that a woman must not be heard This lawe is ciuill and refused of the Ecclesiasticall writers and that iustlie To the first Ierom in his epistle to Oceanus vpon the death of Fabiola wrote a verie excellent sentence Those things which in the holie scriptures are commanded vnto men doo redound vnto women Wherefore if it be lawfull for a man to start from his wife for the cause of adulterie it is also lawfull vnto the wife Among vs there is the same libertie and the same bondage vnto both parties to correct after a sort the ciuill lawes Both parties must be heard Touching infamie also To the second it is mans ordinance Euen as praise is called the celebration of other mens vertues so infamie is to dispraise that which is in another And it may be they will speake more of women than of men But with God this fame is of no importance There is more spoken of the women by reason of the harme which they bring and bicause they make a confusion in families To the third As concerning that it hath béene lawfull for men to kill their wiues and not for the wiues their husbands
an other difference in that the fellowship is with that flesh which is bound vnto an other by the faith of matrimonie Why is it said Not vnto it selfe but vnto an other To the intent we may vnderstand that in the polygamie which was in old time there was no plaine adulterie For one of the wiues when she was ioined with a husband was ioined with that flesh which was also tied to another woman Therfore it is said Which is not ioined vnto it selfe but vnto an other by the faith of matrimonie Further if we will more narrowlie examine that péece of the sentence To haue carnall fellowship may be vnderstood to be either in act or cogitation For Christ saith Matt. 5 28 He that shall looke on an other mans wife to lust after hir hath alreadie committed adulterie in his hart But héere we speake of adulterie that breaketh out into act not of that which as yet is within the hart 34 Moreouer it was said to be more shamefull for women to haue bastards than it is for men This also hath procéeded of mans reason a shame it is both to the one and to the other but perhaps it appéereth more in women than in men Those places of Ecclesiasticus which vrge parents to kéepe their daughters or the bodies of their daughters haue not respect vnto this place No rather the wise man dooth consider that if daughters be corrupted they are to bring great harme ignominie to their fathers house and the father is accused of negligence But men children must also be well brought vp howbeit the fowlnes of this fact in this crime appéereth else-where not in the fathers house Neuertheles these things bring not to passe but that they both commit sin An other argument But wiues loose their dowrie whereas adulterers be not so punished That is false for euen as if matrimonie be vndoone by the fault of the woman she looseth hir dowrie and donations giuen in respect of marriage so if it be doone through the mans fault he looseth the dowrie it selfe and donations also and must restore them vnto hir Againe somwhat was said of Adam and Eue that they were in the like fault yet Eue was more gréeuouslie punished than Adam A comparison of the sinne of Adam and Eue. Here may either of both be said either that the sinne was not of like weight or else that the punishment of Eue was not more gréeuous It is excused by some that the mans fault was the greater For it is said Curssed is the earth for thy sake in sorrowe shalt thou eate of it thorne and thistle shall it bring foorth vnto thee and thou shalt eate of the herbe of the feeld in the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread c. These euils were continuall vnto man he should labour he should eate in great sweat and trauell and the earth gaue not vnto him the fruit that he looked for Women séeme to be lesse punished onelie the paines of child-birth and conceiuing are laid vpon them the which be not perpetuall but the labours of men doo alwaies continue Further the man ought to prouide not onelie for himselfe but also for his wife children and for his whole familie But if thou wilt saie that the wife is subiect vnto the husband and must be vnder his gouernement this importeth not much for by the verie constitution it selfe she is inferiour vnto man Wherefore it might by this meanes be denied that woman is more gréeuouslie punished than man But if we would grant vnto this we might also saie on the other part that the sinne in woman was somewhat more gréeuous namelie bicause she was seduced by the diuell and so seduced as she thought she should become equall vnto God and this she verie much desired Neuerthelesse Adam beléeued it not bicause he sawe it was not possible to be and therefore the apostle saith that he was not seduced but did onelie eate to the intent he might obeie his wiues mind and made more account of his wife than of God therefore he was not deceiued with the same kind of errour Moreouer the woman did not onelie sinne but she also induced hir husband to sinne But on the other part she is somewhat lightened bicause she was the vnperfecter and was seduced Howbeit if anie of their sinnes were more gréeuous than other the womans sinne was to be weighed the greater This is the opinion of the Maister of the sentences in the second booke distinction the 12 and he alledgeth manie places out of Augustine But I for my part would saie that the mans sinne was more gréeuous and that his punishment was the greater by reason of his perfection and excellencie Wherefore this argument maketh nothing to the purpose either the punishment was of equalitie or else the circumstances were not alike gréeuous to be aggrauated to them both The circumstances were manie some were more gréeuous in Adam and some in Eue. 35 Also it was alledged on the contrarie part that the sinne is lesse in women Why a consideration must be had of the sex for a consideration should be had of the sex Indéed this is to be granted yet the cause must be searched out why those lawes be fauourable vnto the sex And there is a cause brought by the lawes themselues namelie that women are not driuen to haue the knowledge of all lawes and customs and therefore may the more easilie erre and the error dooth somewhat mitigate the fault But here this erring hath no place for there is no woman so foolish but she knoweth that she ought to kéepe hir faith and promise with hir husband But in incest they rather forgaue vnto women than vnto men bicause they knew not those degrées wherein it was lawfull or not lawfull to be married and therefore they were not so gréeuouslie punished Whether adulteries of men must be punished by adulteries of women And wheras it was alledged that the adulteries of the men are oftentimes punished by the adulteries of the women as it hath béene said of Agamemnon and Clytemnestra We answer that such reuenges are not to be allowed for that they are repugnant to the word of God and therefore we allow no such forms of reuenging True indéed it is that sinnes are punished with sinnes and he that kéepeth not faith himselfe must not looke to haue another kéepe the same with him neuerthelesse this is doone by the order and prouidence of God It is not lawfull for anie man to doo ill bicause another hath sinned for by that meanes euill would growe till it were infinite In that women are somewhat forborne in the great offense of treason it is no maruell for Why in case of treason children are punished for the parents the cause why that the sonnes of conspirators which haue sinned against the prince are punished in such sort as they be is least that if they should reteine the authoritie and riches of
other cause permit a diuorsement but to take awaie the occasion from cruell husbands of murthering their wiues He also forbad matrimonie with idolaters strangers for feare of corrupting sound religion 72 Hereby we may easilie sée what account God made of occasions And it appéereth not to be true which these men suppose that we must not iudge of mens actions according to the occasions Also how we are to estéeme of occasions the Romane lawes doo teach For in the booke of the Digests in the title Si quadrupes pauperiem fecisse dicatur it is decréed that The owner of the foure-footed beast shall either deliuer the same beast that hath doone the hurt or else paie the value of the harme And in the title Ad legem Aquiliam manie punishments are prouided against occasions and against those things which are doone by chance If a maister shall be ouer-cruell to his scholer so as afterward he put him in perill of his life he is in the danger of that lawe although his mind was to teach and not to hurt or wound Also the physician standeth in danger if he cut not a seruant as he ought to doo when as there is no doubt made touching his will in the dooing of it Likewise that man which shall take mules to be handled and gouerned and afterward either for his vnskilfullnesse or for his weakenesse is not able to restraine their violence whereby there is harme doone he is punished when as yet his weakenesse and want of skill doth after a sort lighten his offense But the lawes haue a consideration that he knowing his owne infirmitie and want of skill should not haue taken that charge vpon him And they that in throwing darts or shooting of arrowes in game happen to kill a seruant passing by the high waie they be in danger of the lawe Aquilia Also they which make pitfals for to take wild harts or beares if men or cattell fall therein by chance those men be punished In like maner if he that is appointed to be the kéeper of a burning fornace fall asléepe and the fier breaking out setteth all on fier he is punished though he were the occasion not the cause of the burning Héereby it appéereth that euen the occasions of harmes are iudged to be offenses Wherefore it is a common saieng that He that giueth the cause séemeth to haue doone the harme Wherein occasion differeth from cause But our aduersaries will saie We reason not of the cause but of the occasion But I beséech you let these men tell me what is occasion The same vndoubtedlie is a cause also although not so full and perfect For euen as an offense is of two sorts giuen I meane and taken euen so we saie Offense of two sorts that occasions is of two sorts namelie taken and giuen Occasion of two sorts It shall be called an occasion taken in respect that when a man indeuoureth to doo well and according to the precept of the lawe others take occasion of defaming and slandering his good purposes in this case he that dooth well is not to be accused of sinne neither must he leaue off from his good enterprise bicause of them which speake euill But he is said to giue an occasion which by dooing of euill or by not absteining from such things as he might either by his example or by some other meanes dooth stirre vp some man to sinne Besides in this degrée are women that paint themselues to be reckoned bicause they offend and giue offense by their vnhonest dooing and by not desisting from that from which they might easilie temper themselues For whereas it is not vnknowne vnto them that manie of the beholders be inflamed and perish through their counterfet colours yet will they not refraine from them speciallie séeing that in those things a small fault yea sometimes no fault almost at all is condemned Euen as there is no doubt but that a maister which séeth his seruant strike or kill an other is in danger of the law Aquilia as saith Vlpianus in Lege Aquilia in the Digests in the same title For that the knowledge sight is taken for the suffering since he did not forbid it when he might as Paule the lawier sheweth in the lawe following in the Digests in the same title Therfore it is not true that these men affirme that we shuld neuer iudge by occasions séeing they ought to auoid all things which may giue occasion and offense as I haue declared 73 They said moreouer that in following of our opinion it might not be lawfull to make shew either of gold or of iewels least the beholders thereof should fall into naughtie desires and should wish them to be theirs although it were by wrong meanes Héervnto we answer that there is great difference betwéene counterfet colours naturall beautie such as is in gold siluer and pretious stones which sometimes are necessarie to be shewed foorth to the eie as in the crowne of a king in principall bankets and vpon certeine other causes Further it was obiected that if the matter should be thus it might neuer be lawfull for a woman indued with naturall beautie to step out of hir house least she should giue an occasion of naughtie desires Héerevnto we answer that it should be verie well doone of faire maidens The part of a beautifull damsell and comelie matrons to kéepe at home so much as is possible Wherevpon the snaile among the Ethniks was an honest matrons cognizance bicause that creature dooth continuallie hide it selfe in his shell And Paule reprooueth the widowes which wander from house to house Let them remember the ill hap of Dina which gadded abroad to be acquainted with the maners and qualities of strange women Salomon also saith that The vnchast woman is a wanderer vp and downe but the honest woman setleth hir selfe at home But thou wilt saie that she must sometimes go abroad vnto godlie sermons to comfort the afflicted and them that be sicke speciallie if they be of hir kindred I grant that these be necessarie duties in the dooing whereof let women so wiselie behaue themselues as they brag not of their beautie but let them rather modestlie dissemble it that if there happen anie euill afterward they may be excused bicause they gaue not their indeuour to anie lewd or forbidden thing Lastlie it was obiected that these things be the creatures of God therfore indifferent wherevpon it was concluded that we may vse them But we replie that we may vse them rightlie but not abuse them If this were a strong argument gluttons droonkards should be excused For they would saie that bread other victuals also wine be the works of God therefore we take our pleasure of them Also the workers of idols would pretend that the marble stone iuorie gold siluer and wood are the creatures of God and héereby would saie that it should be lawfull for them to vse them at their owne
nation of the Iewes and had certeine things annexed I meane the possession of the land of Chanaan the kingdome of the Iewes and the priesthood of Aaron and also the promise of Messias according to the birth of the flesh and the ministerie of his owne person Moreouer it had verie manie signes of ceremonies and sacrifices verie méet for that age In it also were mysteries of saluation and promises of eternall life although farre more obscure than they were afterward taught vnto vs. And on the other side in the new league there be properties in a maner contrarie For it perteineth not to anie one certeine nation but to all nations how farre so euer the world be extended neither is there anie peculiar ciuill administration ioined thereto Furthermore there are but a verie few ceremonies outward signes and they verie plaine and simple annexed vnto it And to conclude all things are conteined more openlie plainlie and manifestlie in the new testament than they are in the old By these qualities dooth the new league and the old differ one from another One and the same thing and substance is of the old and new league howbeit the thing it selfe and the substance abideth one and the same For as Iehouah would then be the God of the Hebrues so hath he now decréed to be the God of the christians And that also which they in those daies promised namelie that they would beléeue in the true God and obeie and worship him as he hath prescribed we also ought to performe Christ commeth betwéene both parties as a mediatour and forgiuenesse of sinnes yea and eternall life also is promised by him Also the morall lawes remaine the verie same now which they were then 3 Paule in the eleuenth chapter to the Romans hath verie well declared verse 16 that the league of the fathers in old time and ours is all one when he compareth the church with the trée which hath Christ as it were the root Then he addeth that from such a trée certeine branches were cut off namelie the Hebrues which beléeued not we which are Gentiles were planted in their place that is to saie we were chosen into the same league wherein they were comprehended The same trée he affirmeth to remaine into which some are graffed by faith and from the which other some bicause of their incredulitie be cut off Wherefore ech league conteineth both the lawe and the Gospell And there be in either of the testaments The selfe-same sacraments in both testaments 1. Cor. 10 1 the selfe-same sacraments as it is declared in the first epistle to the Corinthians the tenth chapter for The fathers were all vnder the cloud and were baptised in the sea and did eate the same spirituall meate and dranke of the spirituall rocke following them and the rocke was Christ Furthermore we grant that as touching outward signes there is some difference betwéene their sacraments and ours which neuerthelesse as concerning the things signified by the sacraments is found to be nothing at all Otherwise the argument of Paule might not haue persuaded the Corinthians to be subiect vnto the same punishments that the Hebrues were For they might haue said that they had farre better sacraments than had the Hebrues that therefore they should not so much néed to feare lest they should suffer the like forsomuch as the excellencie of the sacraments might put off those misfortunes from which the Hebrues could not be deliuered by the sacraments of the lawe So as the apostle tooke awaie this shift from them and maketh our sacraments and theirs equall and alike as touching the things themselues He writeth also to the Romans verse 2 the first chapter concerning the Gospell that It was in the old time promised by the prophets in the holie scriptures verse 21. And in the third chapter he speaketh on this wise But now is the righteousnesse of God made manifest being testified by the lawe and the prophets 4 Neither maist thou saie vnto me that these things were indéed promised in the holie scriptures of the old testament but not that they should be perfourmed vnto the men that liued in those daies For the apostle dooth verie well shew the meaning of this place verse 19. when he saith that Euerie lawe dooth speake to those men which liue vnder it And it is not to be doubted but that the fathers were iustified after the same sort that we are now at this present For euen they were no lesse iustified by faith onelie in Christ Gen. 15 6. than we be Wherefore it is written in the booke of Genesis of Abraham that he beleeued and the same was counted vnto him for righteousnesse Iohn also testified that Christ said of Abraham Iohn 8 26. verse 8. that He had seene his daie and reioised The epistle vnto the Hebrues the 13. chapter affirmeth that Christ was yesterdaie and to daie and remaineth for euer Wherfore euen as we are said now to be saued not by works but by the méere mercie of GOD through faith in Christ so was it with the fathers at that time for they were iustified by no merits but onelie by faith in Christ Furthermore what obedience so euer the fathers had toward the commandements of GOD and also faith in the promises those things were not deriued from their owne strength and power but euen as it also happeneth vnto vs they came vnto them by the grace of God and Christ verse 31. verse 8. 5 It is true indéed that Ieremie in the 31. chapter writeth as it is also alledged in the eight chapter to the Hebrues that There must be an other league made in the name of God not as it was made in the old time with the fathers And among other things he saith that God would giue his lawes in the hearts and inward parts of men so that none should need anie more to teach his neighbour bicause all from the least to the greatest should haue the knowledge of God And further it is said in the person of GOD I will be mercifull vnto their sinnes and will no more remember their iniquities c. As touching those words both of Ieremie and also of the epistle to the Hebreues we must vnderstand that they proue not that there is anie difference betwéene the testaments as touching the substance and the thing it selfe but touching the properties and qualities as we haue before said Neither must we thinke that the old fathers who in obeieng the commandements of GOD and in right faith worshipped him purelie could performe those things of their owne strength or naturall power For vnlesse they had had the lawes promises of God written in their hearts minds by the holie Ghost and also a will by the grace of God readie to obeie his commandements they had neuer bin able to performe such things They wanted not therefore the light of God which shined before their eies to make
wouldest not But here also is ment of the antecedent will of the signe Whether Christ were let that he could not gather the elect together whereby God by his prophets preachers apostles and scriptures manie times inuited the Iewes to flie vnto him by repentance which yet they refused to doo But yet God by his effectuall will which they call consequent perpetuallie drew to him those that were his neither was there euer anie age wherein he gathered not togither as manie of the Hebrues as he had predestinated Therefore Augustine said Those which I would I haue gathered togither although thou wouldest not They thinke also that this maketh on their side which is written in the beginning of the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 20. How the Gentiles were said to be inexcusable concerning the Gentils namelie that they were inexcusable which they saie could not haue bin said vnles vnto euerie man were giuen so much grace and helpe as might suffice vnto saluation But this is to be knowen that the apostle in that place intreteth only of knowledge namely that the Gentiles could not excuse their sins for that they had not a lawe giuen vnto them of God as had the Iewes neither for that God had not in such sort opened himselfe vnto them as he manifested himselfe vnto the people of the Iews Ye knowe God saith he by his creaturs and by the light of nature ye wanted not the knowledge of right and of wrong therefore ye are inexcusable Wherefore wée must not thinke that this sentence extendeth further than for the which Paule spake it And if also thou weigh the matter better thou shalt sée that the Ethniks and vngodlie men against whom the apostle writeth thought not that they wanted strength to performe those things which they knew to be vpright forsomuch as they ascribed all things vnto frée-will So as the apostle verie well concludeth against them as if he should haue said Doo ye thinke that ye haue strength inough so that ye iudge that ye haue no néed of Christ But forsomuch as I haue prooued that ye wanted not knowledge haue notwithstanding liued wickedlie I doo therefore inferre that ye are inexcusable Furthermore infirmitie and want of ablenesse excuseth not séeing that we haue it not in our selues by creation and by our first institution but by the fall and sinne which was brought in into our whole kind by the first man The Ethniks also were inexcusable for that they performed not that in ciuill iustice which laie in them to doo Wherefore nothing can bée inferred of this palce which can prooue the sentence of the aduersaries They thinke that this also maketh with them Rom. 3 29. which is spoken in the selfe-same epistle to the Romans Is God the God of Iewes onelie and not of the Gentiles also Yes of the Gentiles also They labour of this place to inferre that God giueth vnto all men sufficient aid for that he is the God of all men But they should consider that Paule there reproueth the Iewes for that they thought that the beneuolence grace of God was so bound vnto them that the Gentiles were vtterlie excluded so then he declared that God hath not only elected som of the Iewes but also hath his elect amongst the Gentiles Neither followeth in therefore of necessitie that vnto all the Gentiles should be giuen grace which might suffice vnto saluation séeing that neither all the Iews were partakers of such grace And wée speake this God is the God of all men not as though we denie God to be the God of all men for we knowe that euen the wicked also will they or nill they are subiect vnto him neither can they auoid his prouidence whom although he bring not to eternall saluation yet at the least waie he punisheth them for their euill deserts Whose God God is peculiarlie said to be But he is peculiarlie said to bée the God of them vnto whom he hath giuen to acknowledge him for their God and hauing acknowledged him to worship him 47 But that place séemeth to be of more difficultie 1. Tim. 4 10. which is written vnto Timothie where God is called the sauiour of all men and especiallie of the faithfull How God is said to be the sauiour of all men In which words this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Sauiour is to bée taken not as though God giueth vnto all men eternall saluation but as it signifieth that he preserueth and defendeth all men from manie euils which otherwise the diuell practiseth against them For so great is his rage against mankind that if he were not restreined of God he would destroie all things he would suffer no common-welth nor church but would bring to naught both goods and all things whatsoeuer perteine to mans life So therefore God is the sauiour of all men in that he driueth awaie so great euils from men But as touching eternall saluation that is to be vnderstood of the elect onelie and therfore it is added Rom. 10 21. And especiallie of the faithfull For séeing they are predestinated they aboue all other attaine vnto this benefit They wrest that also out of the prophet Esaie Esaie 65 1. which also Paule hath a little after in the same Epistle All daie long haue I stretched out my hands vnto a people that beleeueth not but speaketh against me Out of which place they can gather nothing else but that which hath oftentimes bin said namelie that all men vniuersallie are inuited of God that the prophets were sent indifferentlie vnto all men that the scriptures are set foorth to all men But this makes nothing to the grace of efficacie whereof we speake we grant also that he standeth at the dore and knocketh Apoc. 3 20. will enter in if anie man will let him in But this they should adde that there is no man who can of himselfe open but it is necessarie that it be first giuen vnto him of the méree goodnes of him that knocketh And to commend also the mercie of God they bring a sentence of Esaie Though a mother can forget hir children Esai 49 15. yet will not I forget thee Which sentence doubtles verie little or nothing at all perteineth to this matter wherof is now intreated Who euer denied but that God is constant of faith standeth to his promises couenants This doth God in that place promises of himselfe namelie that he will not forget his promise And we also eueriewhere hitherto haue taught that the predestination of God is most certeine wherfore whether this place of Esaie be vnderstood of predestination or of the couenants and promises yet dooth it not therof followe that it is to be vnderstood of all men Pighius also cannot abide that which both Augustine and we saie namelie that The reprobate doo serue the purpose of God Whether the reprobate doo serue the purpose of God to
séeing this commeth not to passe by anie error of faith but by our owne fault Wherefore we define faith by itselfe according to the propertie thereof and not as it is weakened in vs. Wherevpon the doubting and infirmitie of such an assent is the cause of notable falles The weakenes of our assent is the cause of sinnes which haue happened vnto godlie men and which we sée doo euerie daie happen For whatsoeuer naughtines men doo commit they doo sinne thorough the want and imperfection of faith bicause either they beléeue not that God ordeined lawes against the sinnes which they commit or else those lawes which are made they consider not as they ought to doo or somtimes they giue but weake assent vnto those things that be read and deliuered vnto them 20 Aristotle in his Ethiks maketh diligent inquirie how it can be Aristotle that when as yet there is a knowledge of diuine things anie thing can be committed against the same and he saith It may be that there is reteined onelie a generall knowlege but séeing that particular things doo vrge speciallie the force of a particular thing laid before vs easilie ouercommeth the generall knowledge and maketh the same more féeble If anie man haue assured himselfe that all theft is an vniust and infamous thing and on the other part conceiueth that it were fit for him to followe all his owne commoditie it may soone come to passe that he will not bring in the particular thing of the first sentence whereby hée should earnestlie reckon with himselfe on this wise That which thou now attemptest is theft a thing vniust and infamous For if he did thoroughlie cast in his mind these things and fixe his eies vpon them he would not steale but these things being verie off times abandoned and not considered of he onelie respecteth the particular thing of the other proposition namelie that this monie this garment this stuffe will both be commodious to him and serue him to great vse About which things his mind being bent and occupied he is soone snarled bicause that true knowledge while it is but smallie regarded by him is vnperfect and in a maner extinguished So Dauid as concerning faith An example in Dauid knew verie well that all adulterie both is sinne and displeaseth God excéedinglie 2. Sam. 11 4 but when he committed the same he had euen then but onelie a generall knowledge thereof the which was weake and of verie small efficacie and he conuerted in a maner all his cogitations vnto speciall and present allurements so euidently was the beautie of the woman which he beheld fixed in his mind Vnto which delights he gaue more of his consent than vnto the generall sentence drawne out of the word of God and perceiued by faith wherefore thou séest that through the weakenes of faith he came to his fall An example in Peter Also Peter knew with a generall knowledge that the libertie of the Gospell should be kept that corrupt opinions should not be brought in through his example on the other part he sawe that offense should be taken awaie from the weake brethren Gal. 2 12. Wherefore when the Iewes had come vnto him he began to withdrawe himselfe from the Ethniks neither did he eate with them bicause he did not remember himselfe so much as he ought to haue doone that by this act euill opinions would créepe in and by that meanes the libertie of the Gospell be ouerthrowne but he chéefelie had in his mind his weake brethren the Iewes toward whom he was more affected than it was méet he should And therefore he fell bicause he thought that they ought by no meanes to be offended So that he was vpon iust cause blamed by Paule that he walked not vprightlie By these things it appéereth of how great importance is the strength stedfastnes of the assent of faith which I repeated before 21 I confesse that while we liue here the same cannot perfectlie be had bicause we now knowe in part onelie There is no whole firme assent in this life 1. Cor. 13 6. whereas vnto a strong assent is required a full knowledge But bicause that desire may not suddenlie turne vs from the right nor yet affection disturbe the iudgement of faith this notable remedie we haue A remedie against the weaknes of faith namelie that with a fixed and attentiue mind we be continuallie occupied in the word of God and that we examine our actions by the same therein let vs exercise our selues therein let vs imploie our businesse and therein let vs earnestlie spend our whole time and trauell We must not behold with our eies nor fasten our mind vpon those things that are against the commandements of God which cause Gods word not to be beléeued Abraham being now a hundred yéeres old heard that he should beget a sonne Gen. 17 1. An example in Abraham Rom. 4 19. he respected not as the apostle saith his owne dead bodie he gaue the glorie to God remembring with himselfe that he which was able to doo all things and which failed not nor might not faile promised this vnto him Hereby it came to passe that neither he doubted nor yet mistrusted These things haue we said touching the stablenes and strength of the assent of faith And of what efficacie this strength of of faith is in the beléeuers Augustine declared vpon the ninth treatise of Iohn when he said Augustine To beléeue in Christ is in beléeuing to looue in beléeuing to go vnto him to be made a member of him Now doo we gather A definition of faith that faith is a gift or power inspired into vs by the spirit of God by which faith we giue a firme and stedfast assent vnto the word of God through the authoritie thereof This definition I doubt not but is made plaine by those things which I haue alreadie spoken 22 I am not ignorant that the apostle Iames mentioned that It is a dead faith which is destitute of good works howbeit that is no faith Iame 1 20 A dead faith is no faith when it is pronounced to be dead euen as a man when he is dead cannot be called a man vnlesse we vse a figuratiue spéech And when they saie that a man is buried they vnderstand the same of the dead carcase A dead faith is the dead carcase of faith euen so this is not to be accounted faith but rather a dead carcase of faith neither dooth it in nature agrée with true faith but in name onelie The apostle Paule also writing vnto Timothie called the same feigned saieng on this wise 1. Tim. 1 â— Paule called it a â—eigned faith Matt. 13 21. Temporary beleeuers Let charitie proceed from a pure hart a good conscience a faith not feigned And Christ in the Gospell described certeine beléeuers but those temporarie or which beléeued but for a time Wherefore when as in the
also forgiuenes of sinnes vnto Monks coules to candles and the ashes of the boughes of the oliue trée and the palme trée and vnto pilgrimages Wherefore they procéeded vnto such fond and vngodlie trifles by meanes of those things which they so peruerselie interpreted in the holie scriptures concerning merits Vndoubtedlie none vnderstand but they which haue experience how hard a thing it is that a hart brused ouerthrowne and laden with the burthen of sinnes should when it is gréeued and oppressed quiet it selfe in the frée promises of God through Christ It is a verie difficult thing to rest in the promises of God for such a hart earnestlie laboureth that once at the length it may with a firme faith be established If we should with the Sophisters will a man to haue a respect vnto his works then should he neuer be in quiet but should alwaies be vexed and alwaies doubt of his saluation and at the last be swallowed vp with desperation I would not that anie man should thinke that when we reason of this matter we take in hand a vaine thing or a strife about words The fruit and end of this disputation It is a thing whereby is defended the honour of Christ and that which is proper vnto himselfe onelie namelie to iustifie and to forgiue sinnes We séeke that the same should in no case be attributed vnto works or to anie other thing else of ours We séeke that the promise should be firme and that afflicted consciences should receiue consolation in the words and promises of God Lastlie we séeke that the Gospell should be distinguished from the lawe and the lawe from the Gospell but this cannot they doo which ascribe iustification to works and confound and perniciouslie mingle them togither And for the confirmation of this proposition although I could bring a great manie more reasons in a maner infinite yet these which I haue alreadie brought shall suffice and I will omit the rest for they which are not mooued with these reasons neither will they be touched with anie other 19 Howbeit I thinke it not good to passe ouer with silence the trifling shiftes and wilie deceites whereby the Sophisters vse to auoid and obscure this doctrine which we haue now put foorth Whether iustification he denied to be onelie as touching the ceremonies First they saie that the holie scriptures as often as they take awaie the power of iustifieng from workes doo that onelie as touching the ceremonies of the old lawe and not as touching iust and vpright workes which commonlie they doo call morall workes In which thing how much men are deceiued euen the testimonies of the scriptures and especiallie of Paule whome they affirme to be most of all on their side as touching that matter will most plainlie declare For although this apostle speaketh of manie things which séeme to perteine both to the rites and also to the ceremonies of the lawe yet in his declaration he writeth a great manie mo other things Testimonies of Paul wherby is proued that morall workes are excluded from the power of iustifieng Ro. 1 23. c whereby he declareth that he speaketh not onelie of ceremonies but also euen of the other lawes of righteousnesse and goodnesse yea rather altogither of those which perteine to maners and euen vnto the table of the ten commaundements And in the .1 chapter when he reprooueth the Gentiles that without the faith of Christ they could not be iustified he setteth before their eies their works namelie idolatrie and shamefull lusts And toward the end of the chapter he rehearseth a verie long catalog of vices wherewith they were infected neither speaketh he anie thing of the ceremonies of Moses Wherefore forsomuch as those vices which he there mentioneth are against the ten commaundements and the morall lawe we can not thinke but of that also he vnderstandeth those things which he writeth And in the second chapter he reprooueth the Iewes for the like kind of sinnes vers 21 for he saith Thou which teachest an other doost thou not teach thy selfe Thou which teachest that a man should not steale doost thou steale That a man should not commit adulterie aft a fornicatour Yea and thou which detestest idols doost rob God of his honour Who séeth not that these things are conteined in the lawe of the ten commandements And in the third chapter he yet more manifestlie intreateth of the same when he writeth vers 11 c. There is none iust there is none that vnderstandeth or inquireth after God All haue declined and are together made vnprofitable there is none that dooth good no not one These things we sée are of the same kind and perteine vnto maners If the apostle would haue spoken onelie of ceremoniall lawes he would neuer haue made mention of these things And this is also more euidentlie gathered that when he had said Rom. 3 20 No flesh is iustified by the works of the lawe he addeth For by the lawe commeth the knowledge of sinne Wherefore that lawe whereby we knowe sinne iustifieth not According to which meaning he said also in the fourth chapter The lawe worketh wrath so farre is it off that it should iustifie Rom. 4 15. But it is verie manifest vnto all men that sinnes are better perceiued and the wrath of God against transgressours more prouoked by reason of the ten commandements than through the precepts of ceremonies I will not speake also of that generall sentence wherein it is said in the fourth chapter that Vnto him which worketh vers 4. a reward is not imputed according vnto grace but according to debt and also That God would haue the inheritance to consist of grace that the promise should abide firme and not be changed that our glorieng might be excluded which glorieng commeth no lesse of good workes morall than of ceremonies It is written also in the fift chapter that The lawe entred in Rom. 5 20. that sinne might abound and where sinne hath abounded there also hath grace more abounded These things also can not be drawne vnto ceremonies onelie Moreouer in the sixt chapter Rom. 6 1. when it was obiected vnto him that by so depressing the worke and the lawe he did séeme to open a gate vnto loose life and vnto slouthfulnesse and vnto sinnes as now dailie they obiect vnto vs he answered that We ought not to abide in sinne forsomuch as we are now dead vnto it By baptisme saith he we are buried with Christ that euen as he died and rose againe so likewise should we walke in newnesse of life And he admonisheth vs that euen as Christ died once and dieth no more so also we should estéeme our selues dead to sinne but liuing vnto God And he addeth that we must haue a diligent care that sinne raigne not in our mortall bodies and that we giue not our members the weapons of iniquitie vnto sinne but giue ouer our selues vnto God as of dead
Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion saith that Decrées of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those things which are alreadie determined in the lawes So in ecclesiasticall councels there ought no new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things onlie which are either expreslie named in the word of God or else may assuredlie and euidentlie be gathered out of it First we will begin with the African councell where The African Councell in the 80. chapter a curse is pronounced against the Pelagians who said that The grace of iustification is therefore giuen that by grace we may the easilier fulfill that which we were cōmanded As if euen without grace although with more difficultie we might by our fréewill fulfill the commandements of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruits of the commandements said not Iohn 15 5. Without me ye can hardlie doo anie thing but Without me ye can vtterlie doo nothing By these words are reprooued the Papists of our time which are not ashamed to saie that A man before iustification maie doo the works which are commanded in the lawe and which doo please God and doo prepare to regeneration For what thing els is this than with the Pelagians to saie that A man may euen before iustification performe the lawe although not so fullie and easilie as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they saie to wit that they put a certeine grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those works which they call preparatorie For in speaking after this maner they differ in name onelie from the Pelagians for they also taught no lesse than these men doo that a certeine grace of the lawe and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination goeth before whereby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they doo attribute it to fréewill which thing these men doo also And that the Pelagians were of that opinion The Mileuitane councell the Mileuitane councell declareth wherein it is thus written in the 4. chapter We curse all them which saie that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onlie for that by it is reuealed and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commandements of God that we may knowe what we ought to desire what to auoid and that by it also is not giuen vnto vs to loue and to be able to doo that which we knowe ought to be done For whereas the Apostle saith Knowledge puffeth vp but grace edifieth it is a verie wicked part to beléeue that we should haue the grace of Christ vnto that which puffeth vp and not to that which edifieth especiallie séeing it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn verse 16. that Loue is of God The Arausicane councell 43 Moreouer in the second Arausicane councell the 4. chapter it is thus written that They resist the holie Ghost which saie that the Lord waiteth for our will Pro. 16 1. séeing Salomon saith The will is prepared of the Lord and also in that Paule saith vnto the Philippians Phil. 2 13. It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reprooued those which affirme that by the grace of Christ is giuen an increase of faith but not the entrance or beginning thereof For the beginning also of faith commeth by the inspiration of the holie Ghost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundrie places of the scriptures Phil. 1 6. for Paule saith vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begun a good worke in you shall accomplish it in the daie of the Lord. And againe Ibidem 29. in the same epistle Vnto you it is giuen not onelie to beleeue in him but to suffer for him Ephe. 2 8. And vnto the Ephesians By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Moreouer they were accursed which said that The mercie and grace of God is giuen vnto the willing to the beléeuers to them that desire it to them that indeuour to haue it to them that labour to them that watch to them that studie to them that aske to them that séeke to them that knocke but would not confesse that by the infusion and inspiration of the holie Ghost and by the gift of God is giuen vnto vs to haue a will to beléeue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the holy scriptures 1. Cor. 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued why bostest thou as though thou hast not receiued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe 1. Co. 15 10 By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chapter are condemned those which déeme that by the strength power of nature we can thinke or atteine vnto anie thing that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illuminatiō of the holie Ghost giue credit vnto the words of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures for Paule saith 2. Cor. 3 5. that We cannot thinke anie thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Christ also saith Iohn 15 5. Mat. 16 17. Without me ye can doo nothing Also Blessed art thou Simon Bat-iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee They also are cursed which grant the fréewill is after some maner weakened and hurt yet not so but that men by it may be turned to saluation Against these men the scriptures doo openlie reclaime for the Lord doth saie Iohn 6 44. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father shall drawe him Paule also to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie The Lord Iesus but in the spirit of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs being such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merit And in the 13. chap. it is thus written Fréewill being lost in the first man cannot be repaired and bicause it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whom it was giuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe saith Iohn 8 36. If the sonne shall make you free then shall ye be free in deed Further in the 17. chapter is decréed that The strength of the Ethniks commeth of worldlie lust which words declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other fathers were not true vertues chieflie forsomuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the same chapter that The loue of God maketh the force and
which are found in the holie scriptures but onlie is a certeine vehement confidence wherby we certeinlie beléeue that God will doo this miracle or that miracle Chrysost Of this faith Chrysostome interpreteth Paule in this place And to th' end that of this distinction either part might haue a peculiar name the one they call The faith of doctrine The faith of doctrine and faith of miracles the other The faith of signs and miracles And vnto this latter faith Chrysostome applieth these words If ye haue faith as a graine of mustard seed Matt. 17 19. ye shall saie vnto this mountaine Get thee hence and hurle thy selfe into the sea and it shall be done Neither vndoubtedlie can it be denied but that there is such a kind of faith for Paule in the 22. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 8. when he rehearseth vp the frée gifts which the holie Ghost distributeth vnto euerie man as pleaseth him thus writeth Vnto one is by the spirit giuen the word of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to an other is giuen faith by the same spirit and to an other the gifts of healing by the same spirit Here we sée that amongst the frée gifts of the holie Ghost is reckoned faith and that in the third place the which Paule would not haue spoken of the generall faith wherby we are iustified And if we diligentlie peise these things we shall sée that Paule kéepeth the selfe-same order in the 13. verse 2. chapter of the 1. to the Corinthians For as here in the first place he putteth the word of wisdome so there he putteth prophesieng and as here in this second place he putteth knowledge so there also in the selfe-same place he putteth knowledge and as here so also there he putteth faith in the third place and as here the gift of healings and of miracles followeth faith so doth it there the remoouing of mountaines And therefore those things which Paule hath spoken of a particular faith ought not to be wrested to the vniuersall and iustifieng faith for that is to make a false argument which they call A secundum quid ad simpliciter to wit A paralogisme From that which is in some respect vnto that which is absolutelie As if a man should saie This faith may be separated from iustification which is called faith Secundum quid to wit in some respect Ergo the true faith and the iustifieng faith which is called faith Simpliciter that is absolutelie maie be separated from iustification If a man should so compare two seuerall kinds that he will ascribe one and the selfe-same propertie vnto either of them he shall soone be deceiued 57 But Pighius sawe that by this easie and plaine exposition all his reasoning might be ouerthrowen and therefore he went about to wrest it out of our hands forgetting in the meane time that the author and patrone thereof is Chrysostome And to infringe it he vseth this argument Paule manifestlie saith All faith Ibidem wherefore we may not vnderstand it of anie singular faith For the Apostle maketh an vniuersall proposition But this man ought to know Vniuersall propositions must be streitned vnto that matter at that time intreated of that vniuersall propositions are to be streictned abridged vnto that matter whereof the words are meant and spoken And although this might be declared by manie examples yet at this present onlie one shall suffice vs. Paule in that selfe-same epistle vnto the Corinthians the 1. chapter saith that He giueth thanks vnto God for them that they were enriched in all kind of speach and in all knowledge And it is not verie likelie that they were by the spirit of Christ indued with naturall philosophie with metaphysicall and mathematicall knowledge with knowledge of the lawe and with other liberall sciences but onlie with all knowledge which should perteine vnto pietie and vnto the gospell Neither is it likelie that they by the power of the holie Ghost were adorned with all kind of Rhetoricall Logicall Poeticall and Historicall speaches but onelie with those which should perteine vnto the edification of the church with sound doctrine godlie admonitions Wherefore propositions although they be vniuersall yet are they not alwaies to be vnderstood simplie but ought sometimes to be abridged vnto the matter which at that time is entreated of So likewsie that which Paule saith If I haue all faith we vnderstand of all that faith which serueth vnto the working of miracles And that in this sort they must be taken of necessitie the words following doo declare for Paule straitwaie addeth So that I can remooue mountains Chrysostome also saith Chrysost that He in that vniuersalitie sawe that this particular sentence is of necessitie to be vnderstood for he saith that It may be doubted how Christ saith that to remooue mountains a little faith is sufficient which is in smallnes of quantitie resembled to a graine of mustard séed when as Paule saith If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountains as though to bring that to passe is required a woonderfull great faith He thus expoundeth the question and saith that Christ spake of the truth and nature of the thing for the gift of faith although it be neuer so small sufficeth to worke miracles be they neuer so great But Paule had a respect vnto the common opinion and iudgement of men for they when they looke vpon the greatnes and hugenes of a mountaine thinke that it cannot be remooued without a certeine incredible efficacie and greatnes of faith Neither helpeth it much Pighius his cause that Erasmus making answer vnto the Sorbonicall doctors Erasmus reiecteth this our interpretation For first his reason is verie weake and secondlie false for he saith that The purpose of the apostle was to praise charitie by comparison But what praise should that be saith he if it should be compared with faith which is one of the frée gifts of the holie Ghost and may light as well vpon the wicked as vpon the godlie For he should but coldlie praise a man which would saie that he is better than a dog or a beare First this is false that Paule compareth not charitie with frée gifts of God for he maketh mention of prophesieng of knowledge and of the gift of toongs and preferreth charitie before them Secondlie it is weake that he saith that if our interpretations be receiued the apostle should compare charitie onlie with frée gifts for we confes that toward the end he compareth it with the true faith For Paule saith There are three things faith hope and charitie but the chiefest is charitie And he bringeth a reason why For it abideth and the other shall cease Further it is a full comparison if as we haue said we begin at the frée gifts and so afterward come in order to the vertues Theologicall yea rather by that that
the power of vnderstanding is diuided according to the respect that it hath to diuers things And according to those things which we onelie behold and haue in contemplation the vnderstanding is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Contemplatiue but if towards those things which consist in doing then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Actiue Wherein séeing by the great goodnesse of God there is preserued for the dooing of things much naturall knowledge it is called Synteresis Synteresis of the Gréeke Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is To preserue What conscience is But conscience is a practising knowledge by the which our actions are both defended accused First preseruation Wherevpon it is not vnwiselie said that in such accusations or defenses as these be the conscience doth giue the Maior proposition for it saith From whence are the Maior and Minor propositions of accusations and defenses We must not commit fornication but liue chastlie But the conscience taketh the Minor proposition and vrgeth That which thou now doest or art about to doo is fornication or contrarie to chastitie Wherevpon it concludeth an accusation by the which it prooueth that That which thou doest thou doest most vnwoorthilie And that the conscience is the knowledge of this thing These definitions are drawne out of the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 14. Paule sheweth in the 1. chapter to the Romans When saith he the Gentils which haue not the lawe doo by nature the things perteining to the lawe and shew the worke of the law written in their hart their owne conscience bearing them record and their thoughts accusing one an other excusing Out of this place diligentlie examined we haue a description of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Conscientia Conscience God according to his goodnesse hath ingraffed these knowledges in our mind to instruct vs in stead of a schoolemaister And the conscience séemes to be as it were a lawe and it hath this propertie also that it stirreth the mind forward which the lawe doth not alwaies Verie aptlie therefore we shall call it a liuing lawe which crieth pricketh vs forward and driueth vs to good things And bicause the affects of feare and sorrowe of repentance and desperation are naturallie prouoked in our minds by reason of this accusation of our consciences The Furies the Poets feigned Furies which did sometime driue men vnto those extremities that they made awaie themselues euen as the holie scriptures testifie to haue come to passe in Iudas and Achitophel Mat. 27 5. 2. Sa. 17 23. Chrysost 9 Chrysostome vpon Genesis wrote that The conscience is a sufficient schoolemaister vnto vs. Which saieng is not in euerie point true for it behooueth It behooueth that the conscience to doo hir part aright be framed to the word of God that the conscience be framed by the holie scriptures vnto this end that it teach accuse and defend rightlie For sinne hath partlie obscured and partlie corrupted our naturall knowledge so that some nations there haue béene among whom euen fornications were counted no sinnes Further we saie not that the conscience which is well instructed by the word of God is sufficient of it selfe vnto saluation vnlesse grace and the holie ghost be present wherby strength may be giuen vs to obeie those things which are thereby prescribed Howbeit Chrysostome perhaps called the same a sufficient schoolemaister An excusing of Chrysost The conscience is a sufficient schoolemaister to condemne vs. bicause it prompteth vs in manie things and againe bicause it is sufficient for to condemne vs. For albeit that the Ethnikes be ignorant of the holie scriptures may excuse themselues that they haue not béene rightlie instructed as touching all actions yet are they most euidentlie taken tardie herein that in manie things they haue gone against the rules of conscience For as Paule writeth to the Romans They turned the truth of God into a lie Rom. 1 25. Augustine Augustine vnto Alipius writeth the which maketh verie much for this place which we haue in hand that We must specially prouide to haue an vpright conscience But in the meane time there must be consideration had of them that be weake A similitude least anie man with his conscience drinke pure water but with his féete tread the fountaine so as the shéepe cannot drinke of the same otherwise than troubled There be some which boast of a good conscience 1. Cor. 8 1. as the Corinthians did but in the meane time through the boldnesse of their dooings they disquiet them that be weake We must take heed of the Libertines Let vs beware of the Libertines as of infection it selfe who séeme to renew the heresie of the Valentinians and of Simon Magus while they persuade that all sense and féeling of sinne must be reiected bicause vnperfect men are troubled with the motions of conscience and those they saie are trulie renewed in Christ and raised vp from the dead which haue no more féeling of sinne and they iudge that whatsoeuer they doo or attempt of what kind so euer it be they please God Wherefore when such kind of adulterie and wickednes is found to be in them they denie them not at all but saie that to them they be no sinnes bicause they account them not for sinnes but to such they saie they are accounted for sinne which by reason of their infirmitie doo thinke them to be sinne Touching the choise of Meates Jn the 1. Cor. 8. 10 The matter then which we haue in hand Looke after in place 10. art 18. and In 1. Cor. 10. ver 25. In what things choise may take place Which things be necessarie In things necessarie to saluation we must not passe for offending or not offending men Mat. 10 34. Mat. 5 2◠persuadeth vs to write somewhat touching the choise of meats And first it is to be vnderstood that choise taketh not place in euerie thing but in those things onlie which cannot otherwise be done Wherefore we will make a distinction of actions that some be necessarie vnto saluation and other some indifferent or meane actions Those things be necessarie which God hath commanded and vnlesse we doo them we shall be shut out from God and from Christ In this kind of things there is no choise herein are neither the occasions nor the offenses of men to be regarded For Christ said that He came not to send peace but sword and fire he came to set the father against the sonne and the daughter against the mother he said moreouer If thy right eie offend thee pull it out and cast it from thee and the same commandement also he gaue of the right hand and of the foote By which words he declared that those things which we shall estéeme more déere vnto vs than either our eies hands or féet we must cast awaie from vs lest we should be drawne awaie from the will of God
Papists call their shauing of the head a crowne thus they inuert all things as they list themselues But what shall a man saie to them They passe not what they doo they will haue lights and censing in the temples and if thou aske them whie they answer Bicause God vsed them in the old testament But in the old lawe priests had wiues these men will haue none They suffered the haires of their head and their beard to growe but these men shaue both their head and beard Albeit at this daie there is a great contention among them about a long beard bicause the Councell of Carthage The Councell of Carthage in the 44. chapter is sundrie waies alledged for in some copies it is written Comam non nutriant nec barbam that is Let them not suffer the haire of their head nor yet their beard to grow But in other copies it is read Nec barbam tondeant Neither let them cut their beard Why the Massing priests will not let their beard growe Whether of these two saiengs will these men followe For they will not suffer to haue a long beard least as they saie anie part of the sacrifice should peraduenture sticke in it O holie men They sell that their sacrifice for thrée halfe-pence and then they carefullie prouide least it should sticke in the beard Is not this to straine at a gnat and to swallowe downe a camell Howbeit some of them least they should séeme not to doo verie wiselie and with some consideration doo saie that The cutting off of the haire signifieth that a priest must cut off all superfluities Such is the religion of these men to haue the signes when as they haue not the things signified But I rather ascribe that shauing of our Papists to an ouercurious trimming of themselues For Suetonius in the life of Otho saith Suetonius that He was woont oftentimes to shaue his beard and to behold his face in a glasse whether the same were trim enough I will not speake of others which vsed not to shaue their haires but rather plucked them out that their skin might be the softer The next thing was that the Nazarites should absteine from wine and not onlie from wine but also from vineger from grapes and from strong drinke What kind of drinke Sicera was This strong drinke called Sicera as Ierom writeth to Nepotianus was a kind of drinke much like vnto wine which was made of wheate or of aples or daies or else of other fruits Further they were forbidden to eate huskes of grapes or kernils which should be taken out of the wine presses They were commanded also that they should not drinke Miserath which was nothing else but the washing of the grapes for the wine being pressed out there was water powred vpon the grapes that were pressed which when it was boiled reteined some tast of the wine this we call the second wine But the Chaldaean interpretation calleth Sicera Old wine And it is manifest enough whie the Nazarites were forbidden to drinke both wine The discommodities of wine and strong drinke for these things both trouble the head and stirre vp men vnto lust as Salomon giueth aduertisement in the twentie chapter of his Prouerbs verse 1. Wine maketh a man to be scornefull and strong drinke causeth a man to be vnquiet and whosoeuer is deceiued thereby shall neuer be wise Paule also Eph. 5 18. in the fift chapter to the Ephesians saith Be not droonken with wine wherin is excesse but be filled with the spirit Moreouer the priests in the old lawe were forbidden to drinke wine before they came to holie seruices Leuit. 10 9. wherefore it behooued the Nazarites bicause they were like to priests that they should absteine from wine The third thing was that they should not violate themselues with anie moorning for the dead Moorning for the dead for as through ioie we be ouermuch puffed vp so are we sometimes gréeuouslie troubled with heauinesse and moorning But God would that his ministers should be void of affections especiallie of the vehement sort of affections séeing by them men are more greeuouslie troubled than is méet And yet were not these obseruations anie merits wherein they placed righteousnes but were onelie rites and exercises whereby after a sort men were kept in their dutie For the vow of a Nazarite was a certeine separation from other men But what they did in the meane while it is not prescribed howbeit manie thinke that they were commanded to indeuour themselues to the contemplation and knowledge of the lawe and to woorship and call vpon God trulie 9 We sée that God of his especiall wisdome would teach the people by this kind of vow The Philosophers write that a man must earnestlie indeuour that he may be able to behold high things and with his knowledge to comprehend the nature of all things But this they saie can neuer be vnles the affections be tempred in vs otherwise we be verie oftentimes carried away with rage and lust Wherefore God would haue his to be void of these affections namelie of moorning pleasure too much care and thought about decking of the bodie for these doo not a litle hinder the tranquillitie of the mind and the spirituall cogitations thereof Wherefore in the lawe he as it were taught his people to make preparation to higher things least they should with vnwashen féete haue accesse vnto holie things Vndoubtedlie they which be indued with the knowledge of God ought to prepare and make readie themselues before they come to the hearing of the word of God or to the receiuing of the sacraments verse 4 Ieremie in the fourth chapter verie well admonished vs Turne vp your fallowe ground and sowe not among the thorns And they vowed this kind of vow as we haue said for a certeine time either for a yéere or for a moneth or as euerie man thought it most profitable for himselfe For the natures of men are oftentimes changed and the studie of godlinesse soone waxeth cold therefore it must by some meanes be restored Hereof arose the departures which the father 's vsed into solitarie places for a time So they which gouerned the publike weale when they were tired with businesse kept themselues secret manie times in their priuate féelds and manors not for idlenesse or sluggishnesse sake but to refresh their minds and that they might returne the more prompt and better prepared to accomplish matters And the noble Rhetoricians being weried with pleading of causes sometimes went into the countrie to heare to talke to read somewhat to meditate in their minds the orations that they had made and heard before and so to returne againe more perfect and readie to the pleading place So the Nazarites for a certeine time departed from the companie and fellowship of other men that they might afterward returne the better and purer to execute the state wherevnto they be called Christ also in the night
Ciuill trouble was that the King would haue had his dominion to inioy the commodities of life and to florish in wealth and abundance but those good things were maruelouslie diminished and extenuated through want of Raine and dryth of thrée yeares space So as the common wealth was troubled both as touching Religion and also the necessarie helpes of this life This in effect is the chyding of Ahab the King against Elias But now must we consider how Elias behaued himselfe with the King Doubtlesse he committed nothing vnworthie of a Prophet and legate of God He dealt constantlie Elias defended the dignitie of his office and with valiant courage defended he the ministerie of Gods worde He humbled not himselfe at the Kings féete he craued no pardon neither did he promise that he would amende if he had doone any thing vnacceptable vnto him not that he was proud or arrogant but because hee sawe that this accusation did directly assaile the word of God as though the disturbance had risen thereby If hée had béene to deale in his owne priuate businesse I doubt not but that he would haue vsed modestie méete for a godlie man but to haue the estimation and dignitie of the high God to be impaired he might not abide Wherefore he aunswered It is not I that trouble Israell but thou and thy fathers house 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He vseth a contrarie accusation and returneth the crime vppon the accuser that is vpon the wicked King Neither must he be accused of insolencie because as Paule hath declared to the Galathians the 1. Gal. 1. 8. Chapter Hee must bee taken accursed whosoeuer although it shall bee an Angell that teacheth otherwise than the gospell or truth of God sheweth it selfe And if Angelles are not exempted Kings also must not be exempted Doubtlesse it behooued Elias to haue a great spirit that hée should aduenture to oppose himselfe against a furious King The selfe same thing also did Iohn Baptist shew Matt. 14. 4. who set himselfe against Herod otherwise a most cruell King Helias addeth a cause why Achab his ancestors troubled Israel namely for that they forsooke the true God and who was the GOD of their Fathers and contemned his commaundementes and lawes seruing strange Gods This he saith was the originall fountaine and roote of disturbance And for because this is a great matter and that the knowledge thereof serueth verie much for these times wherein the Papistes say that we be the disturbers of the Church and the authors of sedition and we in like manner returne vpon them that these euils haue sprung vp from themselues it shall be verie necessarie for determining of the cause Of trouble or sedition to speake somewhat herein as touching trouble or sedition And what the worde of troubling signifieth and from whence the translation was deriued I haue expressed a little before Now let vs come to a iust definition of the thing The Etymologie of trouble or sedition Vlpianus But first I thought it good to shew the Etymologie of that worde namely Trouble Vlpianus according to the opinion of Labeo in the Digestes in the Title Vi fractorum bonorum saieth in generall that this worde Tumultus is deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Cicero Tumultuari Cicero in the 6. Booke De Republica as it is reported wrote that sedition is a disagréement of men among themselues when one draweth one waie and another another waie The Gréekes call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But the Authors of sedition and trouble the Hebrewes call Hakerim the Gréekes cal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is troublers And thus much as touching the word 3 But as concerning the true nature or definition Sedition defined Sedition or trouble belong to the predicament of Action For they which make any trouble doe it either by iudging of contrarie and diuerse things or by vttering of the same or else by perfourming of them by the worke it selfe It is an Action I say not naturall but voluntarie which is referred vnto vice The next generall worde thereof is contention Séeing in euerie trouble men contend one against another Vnder this generall worde there may be reckened foure kindes The kinde◠of sedition For the same happeneth either amongst many or else betwéene one or two If there be many that contend those either bee kinsfolkes and néere friendes or else they be forreiners and straungers Plato in the 5. Dialogue De Republica saieth that the Gréekes be kinsfolkes and friendes and the straungers he calleth Barbarous If wee shall contende with such men he thinketh it to be warre but when the Grecians fought among themselues that he said belonged vnto sedition But and if the contention be about holie and religious things that is commonly called Schisme When a contention is named Schisme but if a contention be stirred vp betweene one or two then it is a braule as the same Vlpian affirmed according to the opinion of Labeo in the Lawe before alleaged Neither will they haue it to be a trouble or Sedition if two or thrée or foure contend among themselues but as they say there must be a good manie These be the chiefe kindes of contention Howbeit of warre brawling I will not now treate But trouble Schisme that is sedition aswell in religious things as in ciuill things I will comprehend in one 4 And forsomuch as Actions are woont to be knowen by the obiectes that is by the matter about which they bee occupied as sight is knowen because it consisteth in the apprehending of light and discerning of colours also hearing because it admitteth soundes and wordes therefore must wee consider what doeth sedition or trouble and about what things it is conuersant We say that the same argueth a Priuation of two most excellent things to wit of Order and of vnitie What is Order Order if we credite Augustine is a disposing of things like and vnlike giuing to euerie thing their owne places All things in the world be not equall and after one sort But then are they said to be in order when they be well disposed obtaine places fit for themselues And mens actions haue then an order when they are tempered to things according to their owne state and dignitie Whereuppon Chrysostom excellentlie well wrote in the 23. Homilie vppon the Epistle to the Romanes That God appointed amongst men manie differences of Rule and subiection For we finde there be Maisters and seruants Parentes and children man and wife Magistrate and subiects Olde men and young men but the Actions of men will not be set in order vnlesse they be made agréeable vnto these and such like degrées But this cannot be doone vnlesse things be ordered according to the rule of the lawe Wherefore séeing trouble is said to take away order we perceiue that the same taketh away the lawe which
not by a perfect But by the commandements what is concluded as touching men not yet borne anew Mans strength and power cannot thereby be prooued but that they haue a will it may be prooued which being mooued by grace they shall haue some power to obeie or to doo their dutie since it is not repugnant vnto it to be renewed as being of such a nature that it may be regenerated of GOD and at the leastwise to obeie him with an obedience vnperfect Further if outward things be considered it hath some libertie but this is not to doo the law which speciallie requireth the verie inward motions that doo procéed of faith and inspiration of the spirit of God Wherefore I grant some such kind of libertie bicause experience teacheth that it is so not that I am constreined by that argument to confesse that if the lawe cannot be kept by a frée will magistrates shall punish offenders in vaine and that the lawes were giuen in vaine For if this argument were firme it should be concluded thereby that we while we are not regenerate haue also frée will vnto those supernaturall things séeing euen to those that be not regenerated God hath giuen lawes as touching these things and for them dooth punish except they haue them I grant therefore that as touching outward things we haue partlie this libertie but yet I could not be mooued by those arguments vnlesse there were another thing to mooue me A similitude For the magistrate himselfe if there should be brought vnto him an open robber or a théefe so they wittinglie and willinglie did anie naughtie act he will punish them The magistrate will not then inquire whether they had a frée will or whether they were mooued by affection in such sort as reason could not withstand Yea and men not as yet regenerate which are without faith hope and charitie if they should die GOD would punish them neither would he respect whether in that state they could haue them or not haue them And God himselfe punished originall sinne neither dooth he séeke when we are borne whether we may be without it or not without it Augustine Augustine in his booke of confessions saith that Infants also at that age haue their vices and sinnes for they are infected with enuie And sinnes they are when as neuerthelesse it lieth not otherwise in their power neither haue they reason to resist those motions 5 The powers of frée will are not to be gathered out of the lawe and commandements of God I grant indéed The which we doo we doo freelie that when anie thing is commanded frée will is commoned with séeing if we obeie or if we resist that doo we with the will For we doo not assent or dissent with our nostrils fingers or other members of the bodie but with our iudgement Howbeit it is not thereby prooued that we are able to doo so much as is commanded vs. Therefore although I be not mooued by this reason to affirme this fréedome yet I grant the same being mooued by experience not euerie experience but with the same which hath a testimonie out of the holie scriptures which doo not deceiue In the first chapter to the Romans is intreated of them Rom. 1 19. which were not renewed which are said to haue knowne the inuisible things of God I meane the Godhead and eternitie by the creatures The verie which thing Dauid affirmeth Psal 19 1. The heauens declare the glorie of God c. And in the same epistle The Gentils Rom. 2 14. which haue not the lawe doo naturallie those things which bee conteined in the lawe And as touching things to be doon they were said to haue had the knowlege of equitie For When as they should haue knowne the righteousnes of God and that they which doo such things are woorthie of death Ibidem 3. they not onlie doo those things but they also consent vnto those that doo them and so are made inexcusable For they cannot pretend ignorance sith they knew that they did not euen that same small thing that they atteined vnto Neither can they rightlie excuse the weakenesse of their strength séeing they themselues made a waie therevnto by the sinne of Adam in whom all men sinned Matth. 5 46 Also Christ said If yee onelie loue them which loue you the Publicans and harlots doo thus And no man doubteth but that generallie good maners are to be allowed and to regard fréendship is a rightfull thing for they are despised which either betraie or hurt their fréends Also the Lord in the seuenth chapter of Matthew Matt. 7 11. saith If you when ye be euill can giue good things vnto your children c. Neither thinke I that it is to be doubted but that naturall affection of parents towards their children whereby they wish well vnto them is good for they that contemne their owne children or doo verie cruellie handle them are greatlie despised Moreouer Paule when he was yet an enimie of God and persecuted the church did profit in outward iustice aboue verie manie of his fellowes Gal. 1 13. as vnto the Galathians he testifieth And to the Philippians he sheweth that he was vnreprooueable and faultlesse according to the righteousnesse of the lawe Also the histories of the Ethniks doo shew of manie things that Scipio Pompeie Caesar Cato and Cicero did singularlie well speake decrée and execute for the commodities of their countries and publike profit sake when as neuerthelesse they were strangers from Christ Hereby it appeareth as well out of the holie scriptures as out of the writings of the Ethniks that some thing must be granted to this libertie although that degrées must be appointed therein for it séemeth not to be granted vnto all men alike The varietie may be according to the temperatures of the bodie according to the instruction or education according to the places or countrie exercises and such like Neither are we to leaue it vnspoken that these notable acts which in the histories are mentioned of the infidels happened by some motion and peculiar instinct of God who would that such examples should be extant to the intent that Common-weales and kingdomes might be preserued And that all things should not run to confusion it behoued some to be adorned with excellent conditions who might doo good to others by kéeping them in their dutie Wherefore as we grant that the spirit of prophesieng and such other kind of graces are sometime giuen by God vnto wicked men so likewise without a iustifieng grace there might be giuen of God besides the common influence some spirits of fortitude or chastitie and of seueritie and such like Wherfore this is the frée will which I iudge is to be granted with the which neuerthelesse there are ioined woonderfull infirmities and bondages First in the vnderstanding there is great darkenes and blindnesse so that it scarselie at anie time vnderstandeth what is to be doone And in the
cause of the will of God which is reuealed in them proposition 4 The summe of those things which are conteined in the holie scriptures is the lawe and the Gospell which parts are indifferentlie conteined as well in the new as in the old testament proposition 5 The fift booke of Genesis hath a preface agréeable to the lawe and the Gospell as being that which should be capable both of the one part and the other proposition 6 They which perceiue the knowledge of God taught here by the creation doo obteine the same by faith proposition 7 We beléeue that the world was so made by God that notwithstanding there is auouched no alteration of the will of God Probable proposition 1 HEauen and earth which are written to haue béene first made doo expresse the matter of all things that were to be brought foorth both of the bodies aboue and beneath proposition 2 The spirit of the Lord which was carried vpon the waters may verie probablie be taken for the holie Ghost and for the wind proposition 3 The word of GOD in the bringing foorth of things is a manifestation of his will proposition 4 Whereas GOD might manie waies haue made the world he onelie approoued this waie and therefore it is oftentimes added And God sawe that it was good proposition 5 The euening and morning were made the first daies of the gathering togither spreading foorth of the light before the bringing foorth of the sunne proposition 6 The waters aboue the firmament be in the middle region of the aire A disputation of the article of creation proposition 1 WHen we speak of the creation of things we bring not foorth one thing out of another after Aristotles maner but we affirme all natures as well bodilie as without bodie to be created of nothing by the word of God proposition 2 For God to the intent he would make manifest both his power and his mercie created of nothing an infinit sort of men in the whole nature of things proposition 3 And thus must this creation be vnderstood not that things be here created in such wise as they should haue their being without the counsell of God but God continuallie gouerneth and directeth them as Paule in the Acts saith In him we be we liue and haue our moouing proposition 4 Further the maner of the creation was this First God made the heauen and the earth and those things which be conteined in them proposition 5 Besides this that there might be a certeine mind which should vnderstand this infinit power and wisedome of this creation he made man and gaue him rule ouer his creatures proposition 6 And bicause he had made him after his owne image he commanded also that he should be acknowledged and magnified of him aboue his works proposition 7 And this was no hard matter for man to doo when he had the whole power in his owne hand proposition 8 For the image of God according wherevnto God had made man was the mind it selfe in man in the which mind shined the true knowledge of God and in the will true obedience Propositions out of the first chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 ALbeit that names are manie times giuen by men yet this also must be referred vnto God séeing the ends conditions from whence things be named be of God and by his procurement he that nameth is rather mooued in respect of one of those things than in respect of another proposition 2 The kéeping backe of waters from drowning the earth we attribute not to the stars but to the word of GOD as also the power whereby plants and hearbs are brought out of the earth proposition 3 The great lights are set for signes to gather thereby the faire and stormie weather to come and the other dispositions of the aire and they be also signes whereby the wrath and mercie of God is perceiued before hand proposition 4 Vnto the signes of heauen must not be attributed a power ouer the reasonable part of our mind neither yet a frée power of things to come proposition 5 Albeit it is said Let the waters or earth bring foorth this or that yet the creation of all things must be attributed to God alone proposition 6 So must we occupie our selues in the bookes of philosophie and in the contemplation of naturall things as we referre all the properties instruments actions and substances of them vnto God the authour proposition 7 Whatsoeuer things are spoken in the creation of man as touching the image and similitude of God doo most fullie agrée vnto Christ and by him are restored vnto vs. proposition 8 In that that man being created according to the image of God is set ouer creatures we gather a rule what maner of elections we ought to make either of ministers of the church or of magistrates proposition 9 The perfection of life must not be weighed by abstinence from eating of flesh proposition 10 The true sabboth is the ceasing from works which be proper to our nature corrupted but not from those wherevnto God leadeth vs by his spirit and admonition proposition 11 All the life of a christian man ought to be a sabboth after the maner before said Probable proposition 1 A Man is said to be created vnto the image and similitude of God bicause since he is made of a reasonable nature and indued with all vertues whereby he should represent GOD he had by God his dominion ouer creatures proposition 2 God hath oftentimes restored by faith vnto the godlie that power ouer creatures which was giuen at the beginning proposition 3 Our bodie is partaker of the image of God bicause it is the instrument wherewith we through our actions doo expresse the properties of God proposition 4 By this reason that a man is indued with the image and similitude of God is declared the nature of true felicitie of vertues and of all laws and whome the church ought to haue for hir citizens proposition 5 When God said Be ye fruitfull and multiplie he commanded matrimonie by which precept all men are bound which can doo that dutie or by a speciall instinct of God are not mooued that in single life they should be more readie to serue the Gospell proposition 6 The eating of flesh was not dispensed with before the floud either bicause men were then stronger or bicause the earth brought foorth better fruits than now it dooth or else that men might more enure themselues to humanitie proposition 7 Whereas in the holie scriptures are taken manie arguments and similitudes wherby we are persuaded to liue well there is a forme giuen vs from plants lights liuing creatures which forme we may vse in other things when they happen Propositions taken out of the second chapter of the booke of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 MAns soule is not of the substance of God neither hath it the same nature that the soules of other brute beasts haue proposition 2 The soules of men were not
doe vse his key and doe beléeue The holy Ghost is author of both for neither doe men preach well nor yet beléeue rightly vnlesse he doe assist them Yea and in trueth when Christ himselfe preached heauen was not opened vnto all men by his preaching neyther were sinnes forgiuen vnto all men but to those onely which vsed his key and beleeued Wee confesse in déede that the worde of God of whom soeuer it be spoken is all one as if it were spoken out of the mouth of GOD howbeit this maketh not but that all men haue the keyes Yea and it is said as touching the beléeuers and hearers Iohn 1. 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God And neither is the key of vsing the worde of God onely giuen vnto Masse Priests but to the whole Church Now then it is the holy Ghost that giueth the keyes and all that beléeue haue the spirit of Christ otherwise they should be none of his wherefore they all haue the keyes But yet must not all as touching the outwarde function preache and administer the Sacraments but Paul woulde haue all things to bee doone in order Therefore are some of the learneder better sort chosen which deale in place of the whole Church they be called Ministers of the Church For if we would all preach together it would be like a noise of Frogges Howbeit euery priuate man hath keyes with his neighbour and may deale with him by the worde of God and if he shall discouer vnto him his sinne he may comfort admonish and exhort him by the worde of God which worde of GOD if he beléeue his sinnes be forgiuen him and heauen is opened but if he beléeue not his sinnes are retained and he is bounde And thus much of the keyes Blessed bée God which hath giuen such power to men An Oration or Sermon out of the 2. Chapter of Malachie of the profit and worthinesse of the holy Ministerie WHen it was thought méete good people and deare brethren in Iesus Christ that in this distribution of monie somewhat should be said for the perswading and comforting of you that euen as the outward want of the bodie is somewhat relieued so your mindes might be incouraged to goe foreward in the studie of Diuinitie It was laide vppon me who albeit I want no good will to yéeld vnto honest and iust requestes yet doe I féele that those thinges doe in a manner faile wherewith I vse to exhort vnto that indeuour which is most necessarie to the Church aswell for that my witte serues me not readilie to inuent as because I haue both here and in the schooles oftentimes spoken of this matter And that all these thinges might nothing hinder me I haue had in verie déede but small time to consider hereof not onelie in respect of the short space of time but by reason of the excéeding griefe of minde conceaued for the lamentable and vntimelie death of our most excellent king The vntimelie death of King Edward the 6. Howbeit that I neglect not in this duetie those thinges which God would minister vnto vs I will in fewe wordes set forth vnto you that which the text dooth offer I beséech Christ that those thinges which I shall speake to his glorie your profit may reape such fruite as I desire whereof I shall be in great hope if you willinglie and diligentlie giue héede vnto me I sée déere brethren that the chiefest cause why manie are called back from the studie of the holie scriptures and from the Ministerie of the Church is because both this function at this day is accounted vnprofitable and as thinges goe at this day without estimation And therefore mans nature desiring profitable goodlie thinges flieth from the perfect knowledge of the holie scripture as a thing barren and vnfruiteful and it also refuseth the Ministerie of the Church because there is scarcelie séene in it anie authoritie anie honour or excellencie Wherfore since herein consists the whole summe of this matter I thinke it good to set forth two thinges vnto you First that there are singular commodities and great honour in the holie function Secondlie that the despising and contemning of the Ministers procéedeth of farre other causes than from their nature and propertie the which if Ministers would take héede of both they should be happie and without doubt be had in great honor and estimation These thinges if I shall make plaine especiallie by the authoritie of the word of God there shall be no more cause but that you may desire with a glad and chéerefull minde to enter into this office whereunto you be called Albeit there are in the holie scriptures manie thinges which doe much serue to this purpose yet will I at this time take in hand to interprete a péece of the 2. Chapter of the Prophet Malachie Mal. 2 4. And ye shall know that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you that my couenant which I haue made with Leui might stand saith the Lord of hostes My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked with me in peace and equitie and he turned manie from their vnrighteousnesse For the Priestes lippes shal keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassadour of the Lord of hostes But ye haue gone out of the way ye haue caused manie to fall in the lawe ye haue made voide the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes Therefore haue I also made you despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the lawe To the Priestes dooth the Lord say that his purpose was euen from the beginning that the couenant betwéene him and Leui that is the order of Priesthood should be established The fruite and profite of the ministerie And séeing in a manner in the first wordes are comprehended whatsoeuer fruit and commoditie there is in the priesthood I beséech you that ye will diligentlie consider of those wordes with me The couenant saith he with him was of life and peace and I gaue him those thinges c. Here first of all would I vnderstand of you what as the last and chiefe end should be desired I knowe you will say that felicitie is to be wished for But the same vnlesse I be greatlie deceaued consistes in two thinges First that there be no want of anie honest good thing which may serue to adorne and make vs perfect For our minde is neuer pacified nor yet is it euer at rest vnlesse it haue attained to a ful measure of all good thinges And this dooth God now comprehend vnder the name of peace Hereof it comes that the Hebrewes when they salute anie bodie doe say Schalomlac Peace be vnto thee Euen as they
testifie in the Gospell Christ vnder the name hereof wished perfect health vnto his saying Peace be vnto you And he commaunded his Apostles that into what house soeuer they entred they should forthwith say Peace be vnto this house And thus you your selues perceiue what God meant when in the couenant which he made with the Leuites he promiseth peace He promised in verie déede abundance and plentie of all good thinges to the Leuites The other point of felicitie is that it be not flitting but firme and constant For the good thinges which we possesse séeme not to be fullie good if they may be easilie taken away Wherefore to the intent that God might assure them of the stedfastnesse of his promise he added Of life that they might not onelie know that they should haue peace but also that they should liue therein So then séeing GOD would haue these promises annexed to the priesthood can you perswade your selfe that the Ministerie is an vnprofitable barren vnfruitfull thing Let others beléeue this but he that vnderstandeth the way of the chiefe felicitie will not runne into the way of so strange and absurde an opinion Why then dooth our flesh complaine Without doubt he that is not content with the chiefe felicitie can finde nothing else wherein he may repose himself He whose gréedinesse cannot be satisfied herewith will neuer be satisfied by anie other meanes He that will not fullie replenish himselfe herewith shall be vacāt emptie whither soeuer he goe But for so great a commoditie promised vnto vs what on the other side dooth God because of the couenant require of vs Euen a due honor and obedience which in the Hebrewe he calleth Feare And I gaue those thinges vnto him in respect of feare and he feared me he was afraid before my name c. These wordes he speaketh of Phinees the sonne of Eleazer for with him the couenant was made and such thinges were then spoken vnto him But let euerie one of vs thinke them to be spoken vnto him let him obey and reuerence God aboue all thinges let him continuallie haue regard to his commaundementes let the lawe neuer slippe out of his minde let him be gréeuouslie afraid to violate euen the least of his commaundementes against which if at anie time he perceiue himselfe to haue committed anie thing that let him with excéeding gréefe of minde and with great sorowe detest This must be the first care of the Minister as touching integrite of life and these two partes of the couenant are one aunswerable vnto the other God promiseth life and peace let vs on the other side yeeld vnto him and his will woorship reuerence and feare The honour and dignitie of the ministerie But because there hath bin enough spoken of the profite and commoditie now let vs consider of the honour and dignitie The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked in peace and in equitie and turned manie from their wickednesse for the Priestes lippes shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassador of the Lord of hostes c. If we wil know what maiestie ornament and honor God ioyned to the holy Ministerie let vs consider the last wordes of the sentence rehearsed Because he is the Ambassador of the Lord of hostes c. If it be a singular gift of God to be a man not a brute beast so as manie euen of the Ethnickes thought méete to giue thankes to God for the same againe if it be so glorious a thing to excell among men so as in a manner all mens indeuors bend thereunto now dooth this without all controuersie excell all nobilitie and excellencie to knowe that we be not men but the messengers of God It is no meane gift to be an Ambassador of anie prince much more honorable to be sent of a noble king and yet more honorable to be sent of an Emperour But to haue a message in the name of God and of Christ as Paul said 2. Cor. 5. 20 is an incomparable honour Looke how much heauenlie thinges excell worldlie so much dooth the being of a messenger of God excell all the honours of this life The office of the ministers of GOD. Wherefore yée haue heard the commodities and greatnesse of this vocation it remaineth that we set foorth the duetie which wée our selues ought to shew that we dishonour not so great and so worthie gifts The lippes of the priest saith he shal keepe knowledge Malac. 2. 7. and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth c. This must they haue a speciall care of that they be skilfull in holy diuine thinges but this shall they neuer obtaine vnlesse that night and day they occupie themselues in reading the holy scriptures And it is not without force that the minister is saide to kéepe knowledge and that with his lippes For this kéeping first of al consisteth herein that he beware that no lie at any time procéede from him secondly that hee alter not those things which he teacheth out of the holie scriptures but that he defend them with a constant fortitude but not of the flesh for that belongeth to the magistrate but with the lippes that is by most assured reasons drawne from the fountaines and treasure of the worde of God Moreouer forsomuch as so great a knowledge is prepared not for himselfe alone but for others the minister must both be able and willing to aunswere concerning al things which belong vnto saluation For some there be that iudge not woorst of religion who are also learned and to say the trueth not vnskilfull of the holie scriptures but those things which they know they impart to others either no way at all or else maliciouslie But the messengers which are described by the Prophet are no such manner of men Because at their mouth the lawe of God is required therefore let them do their duetie that they be the expounders of the will of God or else let them leaue off to be the ministers of the Church or as the Prophet speaketh the messengers of the Lorde They verily that we may still continue in things pertaining to men are called lawiers which giue counsell out of the lawe and interpret the lawes For which cause these also since they bee cunning in the scriptures of God must both aunswere by them and must interpret them vnto the people of God God by the right of the couenant promiseth vnto vs as ye haue heard the honour of Angels but on the other side he requireth of vs that we shoulde be studious in the worde of God and thereof to be good and liberall interpreters where and at what time it is required of vs and required it is when wée see the people of God vntaught hungry and in a manner perishing for lacke of succour infected on euerie side with wicked and peruerse opinions Which although it
sometimes gouerneth manie things against the woonted vse custome by taking away from wild beasts the sauagenesse and crueltie ingraffed naturallie in them by taking from fiers the power of burning from the Sunne and starres their naturall light from souldiers and men of warre their strength from windes their violence and from the sea the vehemencie of waues and tempest On the other side by sending francie vpon wise men by striking the mightie with feare by inspiring the ignoraunt with learning the infantes with eloquence and the weake with strength and incredible suretie Vndoubtedlie while the Disciples of this diuine wisedome doe consider and beléeue these things they dwell in a house that is founded and built vpon a most strong Rocke which neither by anie floude of raine riuers or brookes neither by the force of storme tempest can be ouerthrowen They knowe that all thinges be theirs since they be Christes and Christ Gods and that all thinges are giuen them by God in Christ On the otherside looke vpon whō thou wilt instructed onelie with the wisedome of man and which holpen onelie by the light of reason searcheth naturall workes be certeinlie if he be most perfect and indued with noble vertue when he shall come to extreme daungers perhappes wil die for his countrie or for some iust cause and in torments will retaine his honest determination but he will looke for no assistaunce from God he will hope for no extraordinary helpe neither will he appoint vppon anie consolation of the promises of God and of the spirite of Christ he will be of a faint heart he wil be filled with desperation and he will wholie thinke with himselfe that he must yéelde to naturall necessitie hee will finde fault with fortune he wil blame his destinie or in fine he will accuse the féeble forces of the stars O vnhappie state O miserable kinde of life O intollerable disperation Beléeue me the state of men hath nothing more miserable than ignorance of the holie Scriptures and contrariwise nothing more happie than the knowledge thereof Let politike men and craftsmen and such as be learned in the laws boast as they will of their iustice and vertues which in respect of their nature I reprooue not but yet I graunt not that they can be accounted either true or profitable vnto eternall life without the certaine knowledge of the worde of God For séeing as themselues confesse all vertue consisteth in the meane so as if either thou sinne in excesse or in want aswell the name as the respect of vertue perisheth and betwéene extremities there appeareth excéeding great difference by what iudgement then shall we determine of the meane by the iudgement of reason But what reasō can you appoint me that hath not declined from the right waie by the prouocations and inticements of lustes Or shal it be by the iudgemēt of the senses much lesse For they although they be the scoutes and attendantes vppon reason yet can they not be kept in their due place by anie kinde of wisedome or vnderstanding neither are they of such perspicuitie as to iudge of so great matters Wherefore it belongeth onlie to God by his worde as by the certaine measure of all rightnesse and iustice to determine and define of the true meane of vertues Whatsoeuer hee commaundeth whatsoeuer he commendeth whatsoeuer hee alloweth is syncere vertue perfect righteousnesse which whosoeuer thinkes hee can learne else where hee séeketh water out of the flint stone wooll of an Asse he indeuoureth to take the winde in a net he buildeth vppon the sande he draweth water with a siue The vertues of the Ethnikes and he altogether looseth his cost and his labour But imagine with your selues O ye that be the wise men of the worlde that ye can by the sharpenesse of naturall iudgement shewe a meane betwéene foule extremities which indéed I minde not to grant what fruite I beséech you shall hee haue by these vertues which is a straunger from the worde of God None at all because he placing in his minde being corrupt with sinne and not yet purified by faith vertues in their owne nature good and excellent shal miserablie defile and pollute them no otherwise than if a man put most pure wine in a filthie and foule vnsauorie bottell Besides this he so farre abuseth the excellent giftes of God that aswell the vertues as ciuill actions which are allowed by the iudgement of men he directeth not as it had béene méete he shoulde to the glorie of God but wresteth them to his owne priuate aduantage and commendations For the knowledge of man and his industrie doeth lighten our vnderstanding downewarde onelie but the knowledge of the worde of God doeth set before our mindes a heauenlie great and lightsome torch shining vpwarde Wherefore in the holie Scriptures must wee continually dwel as in religious and most royall sanctuaries of the trueth In them maie you finde the assured oracles of that Themis whome the Gretians in their common spéech called the counsellor as it were the president mightie Goddesse of wholesome counsels for men Verilie when I oftentimes consider these thinges with my selfe I cannot sufficientlie woonder at their straunge wisedom which euerie where terrifie men from the reading of the scriptures and that by no other reasons but because that men be cladde with manie sinnes and iniquities and bee continuallie diseased with infinite vices of the minde and for that cause be altogether vnméete for such holie Scripture and doe manie times carrie away rather harme than profite Moreouer they are not ashamed to accuse the Scripture as full of obscuritie darkenes as it were of an euerlasting night wherin nothing for certeintie can be knowen or defined These be the things O ye Diuines which with great impudencie and intollerable boldnesse be in a maner alwaies obiected against vs. But first woulde I vnderstande of these great learned men whether they thinke that Phisicke bee ordained for the sicke or for them that be whole Doubtlesse except they be starke madde they will aunswere for them that be sicke Which also Christ shewed when he saide that The whole haue no neede of the Phisitian but they that be sicke With what face then doe they withdrawe men though they be sinners from the knowledge of Gods worde By what other kinde of medicine will they heale them There is no other remedie which may sooner put awaie euils from the mindes of men and restore health The vtilitie of the scriptures than often renuing the doctrine of the Scriptures so as it may be truely called the remedie against poyson and a most excellent preseruatiue This power is not so liberall as deliuering and setteth men at libertie from the most violent tyrannie of the Diuell sinne and death Amuletum Alexipharmacum Fomentū Wherefore let all men of euerie condition runne with great boldnesse and chéere vnto these fountaines I assure yée in Gods name that it will repent no
contemplatiue and actiue Knowledge 1 16 b The Knowledge of one the self same thing doeth not of necessitie inferre the selfe same principle of knowledge 3 137 b â—38a The speculatiue Knowledge is preferred before the actiue and why 1 17 ab Without what Knowledge Plato saith it is better to be ignorant of many things 1 168 a The reason of some touching an actuall Knowledge confuted 1 17 b Howe these wordes of Paule Knowledge puffeth vp must be vnderstood 1 156 ab Knowledge Theologicall What kinde of Knowledge is a true faith 3 131 a 1 30 b The Knowledge of God extendeth further than his prescience 3 8 a How wee come vnto the Knowledge of him by partes when wee cannot by the whole prooued by a proper similitude 1 99 b A Knowledge vnder the lawe and a knowledge vnder the Gospel 1 46 b Of an essentiall or substantiall Knowledge of God as the schoolemen terme it 1 30 a Of the full and perfect Knowledge of Gods nature substance whether any such knowledge be granted vnto any besides Christ 1 29 b Our Knowledge of God in this life is naturall and very slender obscure 1 30 a Whether our mind while wee liue here doeth attaine thereunto 1 30a The Anthropomorphits persuade themselues of a Knowledge of God by the senses 1 24b 25 a No Knowledge of God by the senses and reasons why 1 24 b Of a contemplatiue and an actiue Knowledge of God 1 16 b The bodie was not giuen vs to be any hinderance to our Knowledge of God 1 31 b 32 a The Knowledge of God is of two sortes the one effectuall the other cold 1 13 a It is taken from the wicked and how 1 13 a Of the natural Knowledge of god and what Paul sayeth of the same 1 10 b Of such as wanting the true knowledge of God sought after the chiefest good 1 2 b Gods Knowledge embaseth not his vnderstanding as Aueroes saith 1 168 b Of our Knowledge of God in the life to come 3 394ab Augustines sentence touching the Knowledge that we haue of god as it were through a glasse 1 47 a Whether the Knowledge of God is changed by the alteration of things 1 168 a The diuerse means whereby eueÌ„ the wicked Infidels come to the Knowledge of God 1 13 b 14 a Gods Knowledge is no let to his felicitie neither stirreth him vp vnto euill 1 168 ab Prouidence of God no bare but an efficient Knowledge 1 171 a That our Knowledge of God in this life is vnperfect 2 563 a An effectuall or actuall Knowledge must be ascribed vnto God 1 174 ab What righteousnesse and the Knowledge or diuine things are 1 123 b 124 a The principall Knowledge of the cheefest good is conteined in the scriptures 1 9 b What Knowledge the Diuel had of Christ 1 83a The Knowledge of sinne is of two sortes 2 575 b The ende thereof 2 265 a Hauing not his proper ende it is sinne 2 265 a Knowledges Knowledges distinguished by their obiectes 2 331 a In what respectes Knowledges among humane thinges séeme to haue most stéed fastnesse 1 161 b Two kindes of Knowledges which wee haue of heauenly things 1 46 b Of thrée kindes of Knowledges and which of them is proper vnto God 1 99 a La. Labour The Labour of Angels is sometimes disappointed of that ende wherunto it was a meane 2 249 b Labour in vnderstanding doth not disquiet God and why 1 168 b Lamiae Of the Lamiae the Empuse and Mormelycie which were delusions of Diuels 1 89. 90 a What Ieremie saith of them 89 b ¶ Looke Spirites Language Whether a straunge Language is to bee vsed in the Church 3 309 b 310. 311. ¶ Looke Seruice and Tongue Laughing Wéeping more easie in the godly than Laughing 3 246 b 247 a ¶ Looke Affectes Latria The worshipping of God called Latria doone vnto the holy Ghost 1 104 b Durandus allowed not that it shoulde be doone to the crosse 2 343 b What Augustine thought thereof 2 342 ab Why the Papistes say that the crosse of Christ is to bee worshipped therewith 2 343 ab No difference betwixt it and Dulta 2 342 ab It ought to bee doone to the Virgin Marie as well as to Christes crosse 2 343 b Peresins will not haue it doone but to Christ onely 2 544 a ¶ Looke Seruice and VVorshippe Law of God The Angels ministred when God gaue the Lawe and howe 1 28 a Why promises and threateninges are added thereto 2 573 a Infinitely more firme than the lawe of man 3 111 a Not vnprofitable though it cannot be fulfilled 3 109 b A seruaunt and in genderech vnto bondage 3 99 b 100 a It lieth in no mortall man to moderate it 3 110 b Howe it is vnpossible to be obserued 3 111 a It selfe woulde haue ceremonies abolished 2 578b The diuerse offices or ende thereof 3 149 b 110 a 2 566 a The meanes that God vsed to haue theâ— Iewes remember it 2 577 b Of the vse thereof euen in him that is towardes iustification 2 576 b Two kindes of abrogating of the Lawe 2 576 ab Two manner of wayes confirmed by faith 2 578 a What benefite wee haue thereby 2 570 a Howe the Lawe is not made for the righteous 2 576 b God dispensed therewith for propagations sake 2 425 a The obseruation of the Lawe must not be admitted with exception 2 322 b The doeings of godly men must bee weighed by the generall rules thereof and how 1 50 a Why the Lawe was not written in Abrahams time and others 3 142 b God will haue men sometimes to doe thinges repugnant to the generall Lawes 1 50 a What woonders happened when the Lawe was giuen vpon Sina 1 88a Why it sheweth men their sinnes 3 128 b It maketh vs vncertaine or Gods will 2 578 b Diuers degrees of kéeping the same 3 230 a whether wee can fulfill it in this life 2 562a b 567 a 1 2 a Of whom it is after a sort obserued 3 110 a Of the vse and abrogation therof 2 575 b 5â—0 b 255 b 256 a Their reasons which say that it may by fulfilled 2 567 b 568. 569. 570. 571. 572 Of certaine things therein which may be called peculiar 2 450 b 451 a Two things to be considered in euerie precept thereof 2 580 b How we may fulfill to 2 566 ab Christ reuoked the old and made no new 2 427 ab How Christ is saide to be the ende of the Law 2 580 ab The obseruation thereof dependeth on charitie 2 323 a The schoolemens opinion touching the measure of obseruing the same 3 227 b Considered two manner of wayes 3 230 b It teacheth vs concerning the nature and disposition of God 2 280 a It seemeth to signifie that it lyeth in our selues to obserue those things which we bee commaunded 2 255 b Of the forme thereof and the vniuersall ende of the same 2 297 b Why
it was giuen since it cannot be performed 2 552 b 506 a 3 54 b 55a 228 b The matter and the efficient cause of the Lawe 2 280 a In whome is the fault that wee be not able to kéepe and obserue it 2 256 a Of an outward worke thereof touching ciuill discipline and an inward belonging to the conscience 2 â—00 a The Pelagians iudge it to be sufficient to saluation 2 299 b The office thereof in the regenerate and the not regenerate 2 300 a A perfect obseruation of the same is not in the regenerate 2 299 ab What is required for the making thereof pleasant vnto vs. 3 46 b The Iewes suffered for it or God 3 282 a The promises of the Lawe are condicionall 2 302 b What the Lawe commaundeth touching the loue of our selues 3 258a A briefe definition of the Law 2 280b and howe it benefiteth Howe it is meant that God woulde write it in our hearts 2 299 a It remained notwithstanding the accidents were abolished 2 577a Nothing may bee added to Gods Lawe nor taken from it 3 111 a The Manichies and Pelagians vnderstoode not the nature thereof 2 297 b Places of scripture which seeme to make for them that it is to be condemned as euill 2 280 b Meanes how though it be bitter it may be made sweete a similitude 2 299 a The nature of the Lawe declared by a comparison of light brought to one in a darke place 2 2â—0 b Why men hate it and that they would not so doe if it were good 2 299 a Sinne death damnation c. doe spring out of it by accidental meanes 2 280b How we are said to be deliuered from it 2 595 b It cannot doe her office without the helpe of the spirite 2 593 a It is not idle no not after iustification 2 300a It biddeth the works and the will to be corrected 2 280b Whie it is called spirituall 2 564 b Of knowing sinne thereby diuersly 2 575 b The prayses thereof woonderfully set foorth in the Psalmes 2 299 a Howe false Apostles woulde take Christ from it 2 585 b 586 a What is the end thereof as touching the elect 2 297 b It promised eternall things as well as temporall an error noted 2 584b Without faith it is weake 2 578 b Howe Paul writeth thereof by it selfe and in respect 2 585 b If by our owne strength we cannot performe the lawe how are we inexcusable 1 â—4a Of the two tables thereof and what we haue to consider of them 2 304 a Whether of them is more excellent and why 1 8 b Luther in euery precept of the latter table rehearsed the end of the first why 2 304 a The schoole diuines teach that a naturall man is able to fulfill it 2 299 b Diuerse offices thereof and howe by the knowledge thereof sinne reuiued 2 224 a Howe it is obserued 2 577 b 578 a Whether the conditions of the same were in vaine sith they are vnperformable 3 275 b An obseruation in all precepts thereof as well ceremoniall as iudiciall and moral 2 304 b 305 a In which two commaundements the verie soule thereof is vnderstood 2 317 a Howe the fathers in saying that it may bee fulfilled of the regenerate are to be vnderstoode 2 242 a Whether Dauid chaunged Gods lawe touching their when he made it death 2 517b 51â— a How the Lawe and the Gospel are separated 3 114 b How they are ioyned together 3 66 b No contrariecie betwéene them 4 288 b Of the promises of both 3 113 b Howe they differ 3 274 b 275 ab Not the hearers but the dooers of the Law shal be iustified expounded 3 116 b Lawes of God The Lawes of God are not vnperfect 4 261 a By whom and howe they must be interpreted 4 261 a Ceremoniall iudiciall abrogated by Christ 2 427 ab Howe long they lasted 2 495 b A difference of diuine Lawes and ciuill lawes touching the thinges which they commaund 2 281 a Lawes of forbidding or denying do euermore hold 4 261 b A comparing of them together and which is chiefly to be kept 4 261 a Where two are made one contrarie to another obedience must be doone vnto the latter as how 2 304 b 305 a Law naturall morall and like for like The lawe of nature ought to bée eternall 4 283 b Much blotted and darkened through sinne 2 448 b The Romans violate both naturall and morall 2 450 a That the morall is vtterly against marriages made betwéene parties in the degrées forbidden 2 448 ab Law of like for like 2 540 b 389 a 414 b 415 a Law ciuill The ciuill Lawe defined 4 41 b 42 a 245 b 2 280 a The Ethniks opinions thereof and of Chrysippus 2 297 b The difference betwéene custome and it 2 97 b How Lawe knowledge is a part of Philosophie 2 303 b Why the rigor of the same must not be followed 4 261 a Whether it be lawfull for a Christian man to goe to Law 4 275 b 291 b vnder what cautions we must 4 277 b Lawes humane or of men The original of all Lawes 2 575 b The end of ciuil and politike 2 580 b why they are to be obeyed 4 41 a None so necessarie but must be broken when God commaundeth 2 523 a Vnto whom the canons giue the making of them 4 41 b An interpretation of humaine Lawes is néedefull 4 261a Lawes of commaunding do not euermore holde 4 261 b Howe humane Lawes are to bee counted Gods lawes 4 263 a A distinction of lawes and whie humane are neuer perfect 4 261 a Whether they may commaund those thinges which bee of necessitie or those things which be vnpossible 2 280 b Wherein the Romane and Iewish differ in the case of concubines 2 420 a Not to be moderated at pleasure prooued 3 110b Not made but of things that be and doe vsually come to passe 1 84 b They may be altered and why 1 99 b Whether they may inioyne vs the choyse of meates 3 169 ab Grauen in tables of brasse and why 3 340 b Whether they shoulde be silent in lent 3 255 b The olde lawmakers made God to be the author of their lawes as how 2 280 a The Lawes of Athens wisely inuented but vilely reiected 2 403 a To know that which is voluntarie and not voluntarie may helpe to moderate the punishments which Lawes appoint 2 281 a Diuerse Lawes of the Iewes wherein clemencie was necessarie 4 262b If there bee lawes there be also iudges and iudgement 4 277 a We must not liue by examples but by lawes 2 454 a Lawes Ecclesiasticall Of Ecclesiasticall lawes and with what condition they must be receiued 3 172 a A distinction of them 4 42 b Of what force they bee 4 43 b The end 4 42a b Touching thinges indifferent 4 42 b Wherein they and ciuill differ 4 44 a Whether Bishops may make lawes 4 41 b 42 a Lawmakers The olde
are woorthie of anie thing the same is of congruencie due vnto them and such vnto whom by an vpright and sound iudgement anie thing is of congruencie due ought to be iudged woorthie of it Wherfore it manifestlie appéereth that this distinction was both ill framed and also maliciouslie deuised to auoid our reasons 26 And yet these men accuse vs as though we neglect or rather vtterlie denie those works Works preparatorie are not vtterlie to be denied which they call works of preparation Which thing vndoubtedlie we doo not for although we admit not the preparations of these men yet some preparations we both grant and also allow For God the author of our saluation thorough Christ vseth manie and sundrie meanes and degrées and waies whereby he may lead vs to saluation which by reason of his prouidence and wonderfull power and incredible loue toward vs may be called preparations Although if a man weigh the nature of things themselues and consider also our mind and will in dooing of them they haue in them nothing why our saluation ought to be ascribed to them naie rather they are repugnant vnto our saluation For those goodlie actions which they call morall doo minister matter vnto the wicked to puffe vp themselues and are occasions to make them delight in themselues and not to séeke anie saluation either of Christ or of sincere godlines But contrarie we sée it happen oftentimes that they which haue fallen into grosse and hainous sinnes are sooner touched with an healthfull repentance and doo more readilie come to Christ Wherefore Christ said vnto the Scribes Pharises Mat. 21 31. Harlots and Publicans shall go before you in the kingdome of God Neither also will anie good man saie that men are either restrained from iustification by the fault of wicked acts or els holpen therevnto by the strength of ciuill vertues But herein consisteth all that these meanes sometimes are destitute of the grace of God The means by which we be brought vnto slauation are made effectuall by the grace of Christ and sometimes they are by him conuerted vnto our saluation so that although as touching vs they are sinnes and of their own nature doo helpe nothing yet by the gouernment of God they are alwaies brought vnto a good end A man shall sée sometimes some men liue vprightlie and honestlie as touching the iudgement of men which yet forsomuch as inwardlie they swell in pride and disdainefulnes are forsaken of God so that they runne hedlong into most shamefull falles and most hainous sinnes and yet by that meanes it commeth to passe that they more easilie acknowledge themselues and are amended doo returne againe vnto the shéepefold of Christ This is plainlie set foorth vnto vs in the gospell Luke 15 11 The prodigall sonne leauing his father and hauing spent and wasted his patrimonie An example of the prodigall sonne was at the last driuen to this point that he became a bond-man and also a swine-herd which thing vndoubtedlie he could not doo without great shame For being borne of so noble a bloud he should neuer haue embaced himselfe vnto such vile things but he being in this state began to thinke with himselfe that he should be happie if that he might but eate cods with the swine of which cods yet he had not his bellie full All these things vndoubtedlie were to be counted a reproch vnto him and yet thereby it came to passe that he began to thinke and saie with himselfe Ah! how manie hired seruants are in my fathers house which haue plentie of bread good meat but I perish here for hunger And by this means there was stirred vp in him a iust repentance wherefore he wiselie and godlie went againe to his father from whom he had rashlie departed For who knoweth the secret counsels of God and the most déepe bottomles pit of his prouidence He oftentimes prepareth men vnto saluation by those things which of their owne nature would be hurtfull and deadlie but that he of his goodnes turneth them to an other end This will I declare by a similitude so plaine and manifest that there is no man but may vnderstand the same A similitude A physician sometimes commeth to a man that hath a putrified leg which can by no means be cured vnlesse it be cut and lanced He cutteth it afterward he applieth plaisters and medicins therevnto and at the length healeth the man Here I demand whether that cutting may séeme to be a preparation to recouer health or no Thou wilt saie that it may but whether hath it that of his owne nature or els by some violence and condition of the sicke person It hath not that vndoubtedlie of his owne nature for if the sicke person being so cut had béene giuen ouer and left of the physician without doubt he had perished for he in verie déed that were left in that paine and anguish should neuer be able by his owne wit or by his owne strength to recouer health naie rather for verie paine and anguish he would die Wherefore in that the cutting and lancing was a preparation to health the same is to be ascribed to the physician and to his art Euen so if God should leaue a man in those waies and degrées by which some are brought vnto saluation he should miserablie perish in them but forsomuch as God by his most healthfull art and wisdome vseth them they are made preparations vnto iustification Means and preparations of their owne nature do nothing helpe vnlesse the grace of God be annexed vnto them The difference betweene God and physicians An example of Iudas Mat. 27 4. although of their owne nature they nothing helpe vs but through our naughtines and corrupt nature doo excéedinglie hurt vs vnles the grace of God be ioined vnto them But this similitude in this part faileth for that the physician cannot peraduenture heale the sicke person without that cutting but God can by infinite other waies and meanes bring vs to saluation which thing I will now by examples declare Iudas when he had betraied Christ acknowledged his sinne and confessed it openlie for he said openlie that He had sinned and betraied the iust bloud This acknowledging and confessing should vndoubtedlie haue béene preparatiues vnto iustification if God would haue vsed them but forsomuch as God vsed them not what other thing shall we thinke Iudas therin deserued but only damnation For certeine it is that afterward he hoong himselfe and perished for euer This selfe-same thing we sée happened in Caine Gen. 4 14. for he also confessed his sinne and yet was he swallowed vp with desperation This is the strength and nature of these things if they be not gouerned and ordered by God 27 Further our aduersaries accuse vs The lawe is not vnprofitable though it cannot be fulfilled Rom. 3 20. that we hainouslie slander the lawe of God make it vnprofitable when we affirme that it cannot