argument from the place which we haue now in hand whereas they of the old time neuer vnderstood of the same before Such at this daie are the Seruetians The Seruetians who greatlie deceiue and be deceiued How dare they saie this if they embrace the new testament Doubtles Paule affirmeth vnto the Galathians Gala. 3 16. that The same seed promised vnto Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed was Christ And séeing he beléeued and was iustified certeinelie he had not that by the faith which was of temporall things or of the multitude of posteritie but of Christ the sonne of God For as it is written vnto the Romans Rom. 4 23. We are iustified euen after the same sort that Abraham was namelie by faith in Christ who also saith of him Ioh. 8 56. He sawe my daie and reioised Besides this the prophets did so manifestlie foreshew the mysteries of Christ as they may séeme to be no prophets but euangelists But did they speake write those things which they vnderstood not Surelie that had not béene the part of prophets but of mad men Neither is it likelie that this meaning of Christ was vnknowen otherwise the Saduces would easilie haue answered that that place was not so vnderstood by the forefathers neither that it was so interpreted of the life of the fathers But the matter was so euident that some of the Scribes said openlie Luk. 20 39. Maister thou hast said well And as the euangelists teach The Phariseis perceiued that Christ had put the Saduces to silence which declareth the matter to be so manifest as there should be no place left to cauillation Further Acts. 23 8. the Phariseis affirmed the resurrection of the dead and séeing they were interpretors of the scriptures there can be no doubt but they prooued the same by the scriptures And that they were before the comming of Christ it is sufficientlie declared out of the historie of Iosephus who affirmeth that they were in the time of the Assamonaeans Wherefore Christ was not the first that auouched this opinion neither did he so peruert the waie of teaching as he prooued his owne saiengs by obscure and vncerteine things Whensoeuer he handled anie thing out of the scriptures he alwaies brought foorth those things which were plaine and manifest When he demanded of the Iewes what they beléeued concerning Messias and they had answered that he should be the sonne of Dauid Matt. 22 42. he answered And how commeth it to passe that Dauid in spirit calleth him Lord Psa 110 1. citing the psalme The Lord said vnto my Lord And if it had not appéered vnto all men that the same psalme was written of Messias he should haue preuailed nothing In like maner when he spake of diuorse he cited a place out of the booke of Genesis Male and female created he them Gen. 1 27. And that saieng also which Adam spake This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Gen. 2 21. and they shall be two in one flesh Here also he compiled not his reason of obscure but of manifest things In like maner when he treated of the order and dignitie of the commandements he declared this to be the first and greatest commandement Matt. 22 37 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and the other is like vnto this Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherefore séeing he alwaies grounded vpon manifest and certeine things why then will we onlie in this place haue his reason to be vncerteine and obscure and neuer knowen before But I will passe ouer these things and will obserue this that these two vices namelie ignorance of the scriptures and of the power of God may also at this daie be obiected to all them which be mainteiners of wicked opinions for they are infected with the ignorance either of both or at the least wise of the one or of the other So as when we haue accesse to the reading of the scriptures we must indeuor to be deliuered from both those vices whereby we may well vnderstand the scriptures and iudge rightlie of the power of God Thus much shall suffice concerning the testimonie brought by Christ 26 Now hauing respect to the course of times I will handle the text of Iob Iob. 19 23. A place of Iob touching the resurrection expounded which is in the 19. chapter of his booke but before I set foorth the words themselues it séemeth good to touch that which he treated of before To the intent that those things which were to be spoken should the more diligentlie be considered he did mooue men after this sort to giue eare to him I would to God my words were written not in papers but in a booke yea and grauen with an iron pen in lead or in stone for an euerlasting continuance So the lawes in old time were grauen in tables of brasse least the writing should weare out And in Ieremie we read Iere. 17 1. that the sinne of Iuda was written with a pen of adamant so as it could not be wiped out The words therefore be woorthie of memorie which Iob desired to print after this maner The words are these And I knowe certeinlie not by naturall knowledge but by faith that my redeemer liueth He beginneth the saieng with the letter Vau which coupleth togither as if he should saie Séeing other faithfull men beléeue this I also knowe and confesse this with them that my redéemer liueth He calleth him A redeemer to wit from death from sinnes and from all euils He saith moreouer that He liueth bicause he is the fountaine of life and quickeneth all things that haue life This vndoubtedlie is Christ the sonne of God for there is no other redéemer giuen vnto men besides him And therefore a little after he calleth him The last bicause there were manie partlie and vnperfect redéemers But Christ is the last and perfect beside whom no other ought to be looked for Albeit the Hebrue word Acharon may be referred to the time as to saie That redéemer of mine liueth and at the last time he shall rise out of dust This doo some attribute to the resurrection of Christ for he was raised vp with his bodie which after the maner of the scripture is called dust And vndoubtedlie Christ in rising againe was the first fruits of them which sleepe 1. Co. 15 20. And he is said to haue risen in the last time bicause his resurrection happened in the beginning of the last age for there is no other age to be looked for than that which we now liue in 1. Ioh. 2 18. so that of Iohn it is called the last houre We may verie conuenientlie also refer that saieng to the resurrection of the dead so as of that liuing redéemer it may be said At the last time that is At the end of the
against an ill feare 17 Against such feares Seneca hath inuented remedies namelie that we should liue vprightlie and commit nothing that is wicked But who can by this meanes be secure at anie time For who is he that sinneth not But we much better repose our selues in the faith of Christ put all our confidence securitie in his mercie onelie This maner of waie Paule teacheth vs Rom. 5 1. Being iustified saith he by faith we haue peace with God This medicine hath vertue against all diseases Also carefulnes which séemeth to be contrarie vnto securitie Carefulnes is not alwaies to be praised is not alwaies to be praised bicause therein are two vices to be taken héed of The first is that being mooued with it we séeke not by vniust meanes to remedie an euill that commeth vnlooked for as the Iewes did when they said Ioh. 11 48. If we suffer this man to liue the Romans will come and othrowe our place and nation wherefore they decréed to destroie him Furthermore we must beware that we be not so mooued for temporall things as we should cast awaie our hope and confidence of the goodnesse and prouidence of God Wherefore the true securitie is that Which is a true and laudable securitie Rom. 8. 31 which is receiued by faith and consisteth of the promises of God Paule did put vs in mind hereof when he wrote to the Romans If God haue giuen his sonne vnto vs how shall he not also giue vs all things with him Who shall laie any faults against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ which died yea and which rose againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall affliction Shall trouble Shall persecution Shall hunger Shall nakednes Shall danger Shall the sword I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor anie other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now it sufficientlie appéereth as I thinke what maner of securitie is allowed and which is condemned VVhether true Faith may be seuered from Charitie 18 But now let vs propound thrée things to be inquired the first In 1. Co. 13 verse 3. whether true faith may be seuered from charitie as our aduersaries persuade themselues that it may another is whether charitie be the forme of faith according as the Schoole-men teach lastlie Wherein charitie and faith excell one another let vs sée wherein charitie is more excellent than faith and likewise how faith dooth excell charitie Concerning the first it shall be conuenient before all things that we by some certeine definition set foorth the nature of faith for then we may easilie discerne how much it is ioined with charitie Let vs rip vp the matter throughlie first let vs make a difference betwéene supposing and beléeuing The difference betweene supposing and beleeuing When anie man dooth giuen his assent vnto one side of a controuersie he is said to suppose or haue opinion which thing is not without suspicion and a doubtfull mind least peraduenture the matter should be otherwise But we are not said to beléeue vnlesse we doo alreadie giue a firme and assured consent vnto the one side so that we suspect nothing at all of the truth of the other side Wherefore to beléeue according as serueth to our purpose What is to beleeue is by the inspiration of the holie Ghost to giue a firme assent vnto the word of God and that by the authoritie of God himselfe We saie that the inspiration of God is required bicause humane reasons in those things doo faile and The naturall man perceiueth not those things which be of God for he thinketh them to be but foolishnes and he cannot giue credit vnto them And that a firme assent is required in a true faith Augustine Augustine declareth in his 109. treatise vpon Iohn when he saith We must beléeue immooueablie firmelie stedfastlie and couragiouslie least a man wander about his owne affaires The word of God of two sorts and abandon Christ And we must giue our assent vnto the word of God which is of twoo sorts written and not written For those things which God spake vnto the prophets the prophets beléeued yet were not those things written by others before them Gen. 15 6. Abraham beléeued that he should be blessed so as all nations should obteine blessing in his séed also he beléeued that God was to be obeied Gen. 22 3. when his sonne was demanded for sacrifice and yet had he not read anie thing written thereof Wherefore that which we haue spoken of faith maketh nothing against them which saie that faith is an assent giuen to the Gospell of Christ or to the mercie of God giuen vs through Christ or else offered vnto vs by him for the remission of sinnes Forsomuch as these be the most high and principall things in the word of God vnto the which the lawe the prophets the threatenings promises and histories how manie soeuer be found in the holie scriptures be directed Wherefore I agrée with them and what they imbraced in the Gospell but as touching remission of sins through Christ I also doo affirme to be conteined in the word of God Heb. 11 1. The definition of faith which is in the epistle to the Hebrues 19 The epistle to the Hebrues the eleuenth chapter hath a most plaine definition of faith where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The ground or being of things which are hoped for in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And surelie in this respect faith comprehendeth the Gospell eternall life the fellowship of Christ and thereby the remission of sinnes for these be the things which wée hope for But séeing those things cannot appéere by naturall euidence neither yet sticke fast in our minds or can firmelie abide by the industrie of our owne reason or by the helpe of humane knowledge they haue néed of faith as a prop or ground-worke vnto the which surelie they may leane Afterward is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is An euident token or argument of those things which appeere not For those things which be taught vs in the scriptures vnlesse they be admitted by faith will not séeme of themselues verie likelie to be true vnto our reason And whereas there is mention made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A being or euident token that firme assent is declared the which we saie we haue néed of in beléeuing Wherevnto there is no let that we being compassed on euerie side with the flesh are oftentimes put to trouble by wauering and infirmitie If at anie time wee wauer in faith that is not faiths fault but ours
teach a resolution from works vnto faith Againe from faith vnto his obiect And that we should not thinke that faith by his owne power hath anie thing whereby it can iustifie he againe passeth from it vnto the obiect saieng How shall they beleeue without a preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent Also Faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God Wherefore the vttermost point of the resolution is the word of God the promise touching Christ from whence as from the fountaine is deriued our saluation and iustification In the 11. chapter is set foorth the Antithesis or contrarie position betwéene incredulitie and faith verse 19 which séemeth verie much to confirme that which we now teach The branches were broken off that I might be graffed in this was an obiection of the Gentiles against the Iewes Paule answereth Thou saiest well bicause of vnbeleefe they were broken off but thou standest by faith Here is giuen the reason of the fall and destruction of men and on the other side of saluation and constancie namelie vnbeléefe and faith And of the Iewes which should one daie be restored he addeth And if they abide not still in their vnbeleefe they shall be againe graffed in The restoring of them that be fallen is prooued to be and to be doone by faith for God is of might to graff them in Here we sée that by departing from vnbeléefe which consisteth in beléeuing men that haue fallen are restored This maketh verie much against the error of those which although they after a sort confesse that the first iustification is giuen fréelie without anie works going before yet vnto men that haue fallen they grant not restitution vnto iustification but by satisfaction and manie works preparatorie 50 These things out of the epistle vnto the Romans In the first epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter it is thus written verse 21. Bicause the world in the wisedome of God knew not God by wisedome it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue Bicause the wise men of this world saith the apostle by their naturall searching out could not take hold of the wisedome of God whereby they might be saued God of his goodnes hath instituted a contrarie waie namelie the preaching of the Gospell which vnto the flesh séemeth foolishnesse that by it saluation should be giuen vnto men but yet not to all sorts of men but to those onlie that beléeue Wherefore in the second to the Corinthians verse 24. the 1. chapter it is thus written By faith ye stand by which words we vnderstand that the foundation whereby we are confirmed and established in the waie of saluation verse 14. is faith Further Paule to the Galathians the 2. chapter where he reprooueth Peter for his simulation whereby he séemed to lead the Gentiles to obserue the ceremonies of the Iewes thus speaketh If thou being a Iew liuest after the maner of the Gentiles and not as doo the Iewes why compellest thou the Gentiles to liue as doo the Iewes For we which are Iewes by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles knowing that a man is not iustified by the works of the lawe euen we beleeue in Christ that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the lawe bicause by the works of the lawe shall no flesh be iustified Here we sée that the apostles therefore followed Christ that they might be iustified by faith which they could not obteine by works Gal. 2 20. And afterward In that that I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith in the sonne of God which is all all one as if he should haue said As yet in déed sinne sticketh in my flesh and in it I carrie death about but yet notwithstanding I haue life not through mine owne merit but by the faith of the sonne of God Gal. 3 2. In the 3. chapter he thus writeth I would knowe this of you Receiued ye the spirit by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith And straitwaie he addeth He which ministreth vnto you the spirit and in you worketh miracles doth he the same by the works of the lawe or by the hearing of faith By these words we sée that it is faith and not works whereby we take hold of the gifts of God verse 7. And he addeth Ye know that they which are of faith the same are the children of Abraham and that vndoubtedlie for no other cause but for that in beléeuing they doo followe and resemble him verse 8. Wherfore saith he The scripture forseeing that God would iustifie the Gentiles by faith shewed before hand glad tidings vnto Abraham saieng In thee shall all nations be blessed This blessing spred not abroad vnto them bicause they had their beginning of the flesh of Abraham but bicause they followed the steps of his faith Otherwise of Abraham as touching the flesh came not as farre as we can read anie other nation than the Ismaelites Edomites and Israelites Then followeth the conclusion verse 9. Therefore they which are of faith shall be blessed with faithfull Abraham But To be blessed in the Hebrue phrase is nothing else than To receiue the gifts of God amongst which iustification is the most principall Wherefore it followeth that Vnto the Gentiles through Christ verse 14. might come the promise made vnto Abraham that we might receiue the promise of the holie Ghost through faith So then we sée that the promise of the holie Ghost is not taken hold of by works as manie faine it is Which thing euen reason sufficientlie declareth for séeing the Lord as it shall a little afterward be declared had by promise giuen this blessing vnto Abraham we must sée what is referred vnto the promise as a correlatiue which as we haue said can be nothing else but faith for faith setteth foorth vnto it selfe the promises of God as an obiect 51 Paule furthermore addeth Ibidem 22 that The scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the faith of Iesus Christ should be giuen to them that beleeue This is the cause why the holie scriptures so diligentlie shew vnto men how they be guiltie of sinnes namelie that they should the more be stirred vp to imbrace the promises of God by faith at the least when they haue not good works whereby they might take hold of them And this vnderstand we by that which is afterward written verse 24. The lawe is our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith These words signifie nothing else but that the lawe therefore sheweth sinnes and setteth foorth vnto men their infirmities and stirreth vp their lusts whereby sinnes are more and more increased that they being thus admonished should returne vnto Christ and might from him thorough faith receiue righteousnesse Which thing they vndoubtedlie did of whom it was said verse
But none which is faithfull ought in anie wise to doubt of himselfe but to beléeue that the promise is particular as touching himselfe when he perceiueth himselfe to beléeue trulie Further when promises are set foorth in a generall proposition we may most assuredlie of them gather their particular proposition And Christ saith in Iohn Iohn 6 40. This is the will of my father that euerie one that seeth the sonne and beleeueth in him should haue eternall life Wherefore we thus inferre But I beléeue in the sonne of God Therefore I haue now and shall haue that which he hath promised 73 Pighius still goeth on and to prooue that the faith of euerie other article and not that onlie which is referred vnto Christ touching remission of sinnes iustifieth he vseth the example of Noe for he saith Heb. 11 7. that He beleeued onelie those things which perteined to the safegard of his familie and to the destruction of the world and by that faith he saith he was iustified Here saith he is no mention made of Christ or of the remission of sinnes But it séemeth vnto me that this man hath not verie diligentlie read that which Peter writeth in his first epistle and third chapter for Peter saith verse 20. When once the long suffering of God expected in the daies of Noe while the arke was preparing wherein few that is eight soules were saued through the water vnto the figure whereof baptisme now agreeing maketh vs also safe whereby not the filth of the flesh is put awaie but thereby is brought to passe that a good conscience is well answering vnto God That which Peter sawe was signified by the arke and by those things which Noe did can we thinke Noe was iustified by faith in Christ that the patriarch himselfe sawe not This vndoubtedlie were too much derogation vnto him and if he sawe those things which Peter maketh mention of he beléeued not onelie those things which were then doone but also those which were looked for to be accomplished by Christ And therefore of good right it is written vnto the Hebrues that He was by such a faith made the heire of righteousnesse Heb. 11 7. But Pighius nothing passeth vpon this who so that he may be against vs is nothing afraid to fight euen against the apostles themselues for he is not afraid to affirme that our first father Adam was iustified but yet not with that faith which we speake of which concerneth the remission of sinnes through Christ for he saith that thereof he had no promise as touching that so farre as may be gathered out of the scriptures But doubtlesse this man is both farre deceiued Adam was iustified by faith wherby he beleeued the remission of sinnes through Christ Gen. 3 15. and also hath forgotten his fathers whom he would séeme to make so much of Was not the selfe-same thing said vnto Adam which was by God promised vnto Eue his wife namelie that his séed should bruise the head of the serpent Christ was that séed and he hath so broken the head and strength of the diuell that now neither sinne nor death nor hell can anie thing hurt his members This place all the fathers in a maner thus interpret But Pighius which yet is lesse to be borne withall is not afraid to saie that iustification is not giuen vnto vs by the promise In which thing doubtles he is manifestlie against Paule for he vnto the Galathians thus writeth God gaue vnto Abraham by the promise Gen. 3 18. And there is no doubt but that vnto vs it is giuen after the selfe-same maner that it was vnto Abraham But this is to be knowne that this word Promise Promise vnderstood two maner of waies is taken two maner of waies either for the thing promised and so it is not to be doubted but that we are iustified by the promise that is by Christ and by the forgiuenesse of sinnes which is promised vnto them that beléeue or else it is taken for the verie words of God in which he through Christ promiseth vnto vs remission of sinnes And in this maner also we maie be said to be iustified by the promise for although the cause of our iustification be the méere will and mercie of God yet is not the same offered or signified vnto vs but by the words of the promises and by the sacraments for these haue we as sure testimonies of the will of GOD towards vs. And so vnlesse faith be wanting whereby we apprehend the things that are offered we are iustified by the promises A place in the 5. of Genesis expounded 74 Afterward Pighius to prooue that God attributeth more vnto works than vnto faith citeth a place out of the 22. chapter of Genesis There is described that excellent worke of Abraham that he refused not to slaie his onelie sonne to offer him vnto God and therefore God said vnto him from heauen Bicause thou hast doone this thing verse 19. I haue sworne by my selfe that in blessing I will blesse thee and in multiplieng I will multiplie thy seed that it shall be as the starres of heauen and as the sand of the sea It shall possesse the gates of his enimies and in thee shall all nations be blessed Behold here saith he are promises giuen for works sake and therevnto is added a most faithfull oath but there is no mention at all made of faith wherfore saith he God hath more regard vnto works than vnto faith This speaketh he with a wide mouth but according to that prouerbe The mountaines will be brought a bed and out will spring a sielie mouse For if you aske what I thinke as touching this matter I will answer that it is a notable and most excellent historie whereout that cannot yet be gathered which this man exclaimeth First here is no mention made of iustification what serueth it then to that matter whereof we now intreat So often as anie thing is called in controuersie we must run to such certeine and assured places in which the selfe-same thing is intreated of and not vnto those places wherein it maie be answered that they intreate of another matter Of this nature is that place which Paule citeth Gene. 15 6. Rom. 4 3. as touching this thing Abraham beleeued in God and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes But as concerning this historie I willinglie grant that Abraham by that worke obteined a certeine more ample benefit than he before had by faith howbeit not in substance or number or quantitie of the promises but in a sound and firme certeintie For although he doubted not but that whatsoeuer things he beleeued God would faithfullie render vnto him yet afterward when he had doone those excellent déeds he was more fullie persuaded of the veritie of his faith and constancie of the promise and strength of the righteousnes imputed vnto him I denie not but that by that excellent worke
remaineth two things to be examined one whether the Angels hauing in this wise put on humane bodies may be called men I thinke not for if we vnderstand humane flesh which is formed and borne a soule reasonable surelie it cannot be said that Angels in this sort haue humane flesh What then will some saie were the senses beguiled when men sawe them No verelie for the senses doo onlie iudge of outward things and of such things as be apparant but what dooth inwardlie force or mooue those things which they sée they iudge not this is the part of reason to séeke and search out It must also be added that Angels did not alwaies kéepe those bodies with them bicause they were not ioined vnto them in one and the selfe-same substance so as the Angel and the bodie should become one person The holie Ghost also although it was a verie dooue wherein he descended Matth. 3 16 yet was not he togither of one substance with it wherefore the dooue was not the holie Ghost nor yet the holie Ghost the dooue The dooue was not the holie Ghost nor the holie Ghost the dooue Num. 12 18 Gene. 3 1. otherwise Angels as we taught before may enter secretlie into a bodie which was made before and which before had his béeing as it is read of the Angel which spake in the asse of Balaam and of the diuell which spake vnto Eue by the serpent But of this kind we dispute not now but onlie saie that Angels abiding after this maner in sensible creatures are not ioined to them in one the selfe-same substance Wherefore the asse could not be called an Angel nor the Angel an asse no more than the serpent was in verie déed the diuell or the diuell a serpent But the Sonne of God for somuch as he tooke vpon him the nature of man The Sonne of God was man and man was God was man and man was God by reason of one and the selfe-same substance wherin were two natures Before which time when he appeared vnto Abraham and vnto the fathers although he had true flesh yet bicause the same was not ioined in one substance with him neither might he be called flesh neither was the flesh God But afterward when he tooke vpon him both flesh and soule so as there was onlie one substance or person then might it be trulie said that man was God and God was man By which meanes it came to passe that he should verilie be borne that he should suffer death and redéeme mankind Matt. 8 â—0 Looke part 2 place 17. art 6. Iohn 8 40. Roma 1 3. Acts. 2 22. Esaie 7 14. wherefore he trulie called himselfe The sonne of man And in Iohn he saith Yee seeke to kill me a man that hath told you the truth And in the scriptures it is said Made of the seed of Dauid And Peter in the Acts Yee haue killed saith he a man ordeined vnto you of God And Esaie Behold a virgin shall conceiue and shall bring foorth a sonne These words haue great force for vnlesse Christ had béene verie man a virgin could not haue conceiued him neither haue brought him foorth nor yet haue called him hir sonne This dooth Tertullian consideratelie note Tertullian If he had béene a stranger saith he a virgin could not either haue conceiued him or borne him Also the Angel saluted Marie on this maner Feare not saith he for thou shalt conceiue a sonne Matt. 1 22. Luke 1 43. c. And Elizabeth said How hapneth this to me that the mother of my Lord commeth vnto me If shée had had Christ onlie as a ghost she might not be called his mother Elizabeth Luke 1 42. Also the said woman said Blessed be the fruit of thy wombe But how could it haue béene called the fruit of hir wombe if he had brought a bodie with him froÌ„ heauen And in Esaie it is written Esaie 11 1 A rod shall come foorth of the stocke of lesse a blossome shal flourish out of hir roote Iesse was the stock Marie was the roote and Christ was the blossome which tooke his bodie of hir Matthew also thus beginneth his gospell Matth. 1 â— The booke of the generation of Iesus Christ the sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham If Christ brought a bodie from heauen how was he the sonne of Abraham or of Dauid Moreouer the promise made to Abraham concerning Christ is on this wise Gen. 22 18. In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth bee blessed Paule intreating of these words in the epistle to the Galathians He said not saith he in seeds Galat. 3 8. as though in manie but in thy seed which is Christ And in the epistle to the Romans Gen. 9. 5. we read Of whom Christ came according to the flesh All these saiengs prooue most euidentlie that Christ was verie man and that in him was one substance of God and man Rom. 9 5. These things cannot be said of the Angels nor yet of the sonne of God before he was borne of the virgin although when he appéered he had verie flesh as we said before but not ioined to him in one and the selfe-same substance Neither yet could it be said of the holie Ghost that he was a verie dooue indéed although the same wherein he once appéered was a verie dooue Matth. 3 16 And according to this sense wrote Tertullian those things that we cited before which being not rightlie vnderstood might bréed either error or offense vnto those that shall read them If Angels did trulie eat drink when they appeered 16 Now remaineth the other question to wit Whether Angels clothed with bodies taken did eate and drinke indéed Of the Schoolmen some thinke that they did eate indéed and some denie it Scotus thinketh that to eate is nothing else but to chawe meate Scotus and to conueie it downe into the bellie but this did the Angels wherefore he gathereth that they did verelie eate Others thinke that to eate is not onelie to chawe the meate or to conueie it downe into the bellie but further to conuert it into the substance of his owne bodie by concoction through the quickening power which thing séeing the Angels did not they did not trulie eate The booke of Tobias The booke of Tobias is not in the canon of the Hebrues but yet we might applie the same to our purpose sauing that there is a disagréement in the copies For in that booke which Munster set foorth in Hebrue in the twelfe chapter the Angel Raphael said Tobi. 12 19. I seemed to you to eate and to drinke but I did not eate nor yet drinke The common translation hath I seemed to you to eate and to drinke but I vse inuisible meate and drinke Neither text denieth but that the Angel did eate after some maner But whatsoeuer may be gathered of these words me thinketh that the interpretation of
daughter and néece when they were vnchaste Also Tyberius sorrowed that he did nourish in his house for the people of Rome Caligula a most cruell snake 22 Furthermore What helpe true friends bring to felicitie how fréendship dooth fortifie men with excellent helps to the leading of a good life may be gathered sufficientlie by good writers and by humane custome But he is far more to be reprooued which hath ill fréends than he which hath corrupt children For sometimes it may so happen that through an ill nature what diligence so euer be vsed in education we cannot haue such children as we would but there is no excuse if we haue ill fréends bicause we make a choise of them and they may be forsaken Moreouer the losse of these I meane of honest children and fréends Aristotle testifieth may be a great hinderance vnto blessednes bicause their death cannot be without great sorrowe and mourning And although we suffer those calamities with an indifferent mind if we be indued with the vertue of fortitude yet are we subiect therevnto not without detriment which detriment no doubt dooth not a little blemish our felicitie Neither dooth the holie scripture disagrée touching the commendation of outward good things for as concerning children What the holie scriptures teach touching outward good things Psal 127 4. they be promised of GOD Thy children shall be like the oliue branches And among other blessings this is reckoned vp that there should not be vntimelie births in Israel Genesis 22 vers 17 c. 2. Kin. 2 4 And in manie places there is promised abundance of children to them that feare him Which selfe-same thing we may easilie knowe as touching riches God inriched Abraham Isaac Iacob and the rest of their fréends He granted of his owne accord riches vnto Salomon 1. Kin. 3 13. which desired wisedome And he would that his people if they behaued themselues well should so abound in riches that they might lend vnto other nations but not borrowe of them Nobilitie was in such estimation with the people of God as euerie familie would haue his owne genealogies wherin they reckoned vp their ancestors among the heads of the tribes of the children of Israel And the préests which in the time of Esdras could not doo this were remooued from their place and office Yea and the Euangelists Luke and Matthew rehearsed the genealogie of Christ Matth. 1. Luke 3. least he should séeme to be of an vnknowne stocke according to the flesh Againe the apostle in the ninth chapter to the Romans described what nobilitie the Israelites were of Rom. 9 4. To whom perteineth the adoption and the glorie and the lawe that was giuen and the couenant and the seruice of God of whom are the fathers of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came which is aboue all things c. A beautie of the bodie I shewed before was graunted vnto those two kings Saule and Dauid I shewed also that the same was so requisit in the préests as none that was lame blind crooke-backed Leui. 21 18 19 c. or blemished with anie notable deformitie might execute the roome of high préest Moreouer that frendship might increase among the Hebrues God prouided speciallie by his lawes all which if they be narrowlie considered doo serue verie much for the ioining of men together Wherefore these things which Aristotle hath rehearsed must not be reiected yet as touching felicitie there must be no more ascribed to them than is méet It is said indéed in the booke of Ecclesiastes the tenth chapter that Vnto monie all things are obedient Eccl. 10 18. But that sentence is rehearsed as a common saieng of the people not as a true saieng but that thereby mans error might be reprooued Naie rather the scriptures else-where doo teach namelie in the 17. chapter of the Prouerbs What doo riches profit a foole Prou. 17 16. seeing he cannot buie wisedome for himselfe These things then being some-what narrowlie and diligentlie considered we saie that these gifts of God are not to be contemned séeing they further verie much to the good and right execution of manie ciuill duties belonging to blessednes but wée must not relie altogither vpon them yea rather if at anie time we want these good things the true and perfect felicitie which we séeke for is not for this cause taken awaie And if we for the name of Christ and confession of his faith be depriued of these things so far is it off that true blessednes is blemished as it is rather made a great deale the more excellent First that pouertie is no let vnto vs it appeareth séeing not the least part of the saincts was collected of poore men And Christ commanded the yoong man Matt. 19 21. that he should sell that which he had and giue it to the poore whome neuerthelesse he would without all doubt haue made happie which in verie déed could not haue bin done if pouertie had bin a hinderance vnto felicitie Yea and Antisthenes and Crates the Theban that they might in their philosophie be made the more happie cast from them their monie and treasure And the Lord promised a hundreth fold Matt. 19 29. and eternall life to them which for his sake should lose all things which are of this kind What shall we saie as touching nobilitie 1. Cor. 1 26. Looke to your calling saith Paule not manie wise not manie mightie not manie noble are called c. Also the lacke of children is no let for in the 56. chapter of Esaie the Eunuches are said to haue the better place in the house of God not in respect they be Eunuches or leade a single life Esaie 56 4. but in as much as they shall more diligentlie kéepe the commandements of God than other men In like maner if frendships faile they exclude not men from true felicitie séeing it commeth to passe sometime that for the name of Christ the godlie are become hated of all men which neuerthelesse is not against Aristotle séeing he writeth but of a politike or ciuill blessednes Of contemplation and what Felicitie is therein 23 Eustratius in expounding of Aristotle who in the tenth booke of his Ethiks affirmeth contemplation to be the chéefest perfection of our felicitie saith that There be some which are not men exercised in ciuill and politike administration but altogether giuen to contemplation and these separate themselues from domesticall and ciuill cares and do flie from companie and societie yea and they studie all that they can to be seuered euen from their owne flesh whereof it coms to passe that to the obteining of felicitie there néedeth not as Aristotle would the goods of the mind for the teaching counselling and ruling of others nor the goods of the bodie for defending of their countrie nor yet the goods of fortune for reléeuing succouring and helping of the poore and that onlie it is inough to applie the mind to
honour and worship the true God but an idoll the which in our mind we haue fansied And verelie to this effect we ought to vnderstand Paule where he saith in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 8 4. We knowe that an idoll is nothing in the world Paule teacheth not that an idoll is nothing as touching the shape and outward forme for no man douteth but that the idols themselues haue place either in the outward matter or else inwardlie in our minds By an idoll then he ment not the verie signe but the thing wherevnto the same hath relation And he vnderstood that the thing it selfe which is signified in the idols is nothing at all séeing there is no where a god which is either represented or delighted with such images VVhether it be lawfull for Christians to dwell among Infidels 9 Séeing the Israelites fell In Iudges 1 verse 36. bicause they dwelt togither among the vnbeléeuing nations and rather exacted tributes of them than according to the commandement of God wéeded them out I thinke it good to intreate whether it be lawfull for godlie men to dwell and haue conuersation with the vngodlie And surelie there be manie reasons wherby the same might séeme to be indifferent The first is The 1. reason Matth. 9 10. The 2. reason 1. Cor. 7 12. bicause Christ did not shun the feasts of the Publicans Pharisies and sinners Secondlie Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians admitteth not that the beléeuing wife should depart from hir vnbeléeuing husband if so be that he be content to liue and dwell togither with hir Moreouer The 3. reason 1. Co. 10 27 the same apostle writeth that If anie infidell bid you to a feast and ye be willing to go then eate such things as are set before you By these his words therefore he maketh it frée Furthermore the same apostle in the same epistle saith The 4. reason 1. Cor. 5 10. that he warned the Corinthians that they shuld auoid whooremongers raueners and euill speakers and such like but not all saith he for so must ye go out of the world but if anie be called a brother c. Wherefore it is not forbidden vs to auoid the fellowship of all the vngodlie The 5. reason Gen. 12 1. Besides this Abraham was called out of Chaldaea and was commanded to dwell as a stranger among nations which were strange from true religion Gen. 13 1. The 6. reason and so he dwelt in the land of Chanaan and in Aegypt which places were fraught with idolatries The 7. reason Gen. 13 12. Yea and Lot separated himself from the conuersation and houshold of Abraham his kinsman went to dwell at Sodom Also Naaman the Syrian The 8. reason 2. Kin. 6 18. returned to the idolaters his countrimen In like maner Christ did not retaine all those with him which he had healed from diseases Luk. 8 38. but sometime he sent them home againe that they might shew there what was doone vnto them The 9. reason Finallie by ciuill lawes certeine heretiks haue had places appointed vnto them as the Nouatians in the citie of Constantinople And it is granted at this daie to the Iewes to haue euerie where libertie to dwell among Christians 10 Now this question as it is weightie so hath it also verie manie difficulties A distinction 1. Wherefore it séemeth that we shuld first make a distinction what may be lawfull vnto magistrates or what vnto priuate men Distinction 2. Then must we vnderstand that the conuersation with infidels is of two sorts one is whereby men are compelled vnto idolatrous and vnpure worshippings and an other is whereby they remaine at libertie Distinction 3. Moreouer it must be considered that they which dwell togither with the vngodlie be sometimes as concerning religion skilfull and constant and sometimes both weake and also vnlearned It séemeth good therefore They that be learned and constant may dwell with infidels that we declare as touching priuate men that if they be learned and haue stedfastnesse ioined with learning so they be not compelled to cōmunicate with vngodlie ceremonies may lawfullie haue their conuersation with infidels yet so as there be vsed certeine cautions The first caution The first caution is that they doo it with this mind to instruct those which be strangers from godlines and to induce them to true religion And therefore while they be conuersant among them they must not cease but euer busie themselues about those things for the which they dwell in those places And that their instruction and doctrine may be fruitfull it is a singular point of wisdome that they be familiar gentle and courteous toward those whom they meane to win vnto Christ For vnlesse they fullie persuade themselues that they are beloued and greatlie estéemed of those which teach and admonish them the thing well purposed shall but vnhappilie procéed The second caution Furthermore there must be héed taken that they liue godlie iustlie and honestlie for if so be that the infidels should be offended at their behauiour their ministerie would vtterlie become vnprofitable for so much as it nothing auaileth to build that with one hand which thou destroiest with the other Moreouer The third caution this must especiallie be regarded that vnder the cloke of courtesie and friendship they mingle not themselues with vngodlie vsages no not although they were persuaded that by such meanes they could with more ease allure them vnto Christ For the rule of the apostle ought to remaine inuiolate Rom. 3 8. The fourth caution that Euill things must not be committed that good things may come therof Let them also beware that they séeke not their owne commoditie while they be conuersant with them For some there be which although they make a pretence to haue the Gospell published abroad yet in verie déed doo hunt after their owne pleasures gaine or aduantages Wherefore if it be past hope of the saluation of these infidels which thing neuerthelesse can sildome iustlie happen we must no longer deale with them but so far as either their necessitie or ours dooth require That is if peraduenture they should be verie sore sicke and could not otherwise be holpen than by our trauell or else if we our selues should not be able to get such things as be necessarie for our sustentation by anie other meanes than among them Also it may be lawfull to be in the companie of them so much as naturall and ciuill courtesies require or if they shall be our princes parents our wiues our maisters and such like 11 There remaineth Proofes out of the holie scriptures that we confirme this doctrine either by testimonies or by examples of the holie scriptures So indéed Christ did which for this cause kept companie with Publicans sinners Pharisies and Scribes that he might instruct them concerning saluation and conuert them from sinnes vnto godlinesse
of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. Herevnto also had Ambrose a respect who thus interpreteth this place that Christ is called the end of the lawe bicause GOD by him bringeth things to passe which he had promised and commanded These words of the apostle teach that the principall office of the lawe is to direct vs vnto Christ and therefore vnto the Galathians it is called a schoole-maister Gal. 3 24. So then they are worthilie to be reprooued which of a schoole-maister make it a father séeking for righteousnesse at the lawe which ought onelie to be looked for at the hands of Christ Let vs therefore learne héereby to consider two things in euerie precept of the lawe namelie our sins and Christ our redéemer whom all the commandements doo set foorth for otherwise we shall vnprofitablie consider of the lawe And the Iewes for that they excluded Christ boasted of the law in vaine as they which had not the law but a shadowe of the same 29 But now let vs sée what testimonies there be out of the lawe and the prophets In Rom. 3. verse 21. of this righteousnes which Paule affirmeth was made manifest in Christ Iohn 5 39. And although Christ hath spoken generallie that Moses had written of him Luke 24 27 and that it is shewed by Luke that in the habit of a stranger while he was by the waie he talked with two disciples beginning to teach them at Moses and after by the prophets and psalmes yet is there no certeine place brought foorth in the which is expresse mention of Messias Neuerthelesse if we shall speake particularlie of Christ we read in Genesis that The seed of the woman should bruse in sunder the serpents head Gen. 3 15. And to Abraham it is said In thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gen. 22 18. Gen. 15 6. And of the same man it is written Abraham beleeued and that was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes Héerevnto is added that which Paule saith Deu 30 12 Saie not in thy hart Who ascendeth into heauen or who shall descend into the depth The word is neere euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10 6. Paule addeth And this is the word of faith which we preach if thou wilt beleeue with thy heart and confesse with thy mouth Againe Gen. 49 10. The scepter shall not be taken awaie from the tribe of Iuda neither a captaine out of his loins till he be come which shal be sent and he shall be the expectation of the Gentils Ier. 23 6. Ieremie writeth of Christ He shal be called God our righteousnes And in the same prophet we read Iere. 31 33. that God appointed to giue a new testament not according to that which he made with the fathers but by writing his lawe in their hearts and in their bowels Abacuk saith The iust man shall liue by faith Abac. 2 4. Esaie saith I am found of them that sought me not Also God hath laid vpon him all our iniquities Esai 65 5. and 53 6. Dauid also saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Psal 32 1. and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne Another kind of testimonies are the acts of the fathers Also an other kind of testimonies is had out of the acts of the old fathers which were certeine foreshewings that Christ should come to redéeme mankind For as he is said to liue in vs for we be members of him so also he both liued and was in the old fathers wherefore they were no lesse his members than we are But how the head suffereth and is recreated in his members it is most manifestlie declared in Paule Acts. 9 4. when it was said Saule Saule whie persecute thou me And in the last iudgement Christ will pronounce Matt. 23 35 that whatsoeuer hath béene giuen vnto the least of his is giuen vnto him Wherefore so often as we read that the ancient fathers were ouercome brought into captiuitie and oppressed with calamities we must vnderstand that Christ in them suffred the selfe-same things And againe when we héere that they gat the victorie and were restored and deliuered let vs thinke that Christ also was in like sort affected in them And in the one we haue a shew of his death begoonne and in the other a shadowe and beginning of his resurrection And that this is so we are taught by that which Christ said Matt. 12 14 that He should be in the heart of the earth three daies and three nights like as Ionas the prophet He also likened himselfe vnto the brasen serpent which Moses set vp Iohn 3 14. wherevpon whosoeuer looked obteined health being otherwise in danger to die of the venemous stinging And in the prophet Ose we read Osâ— 11 1. Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne Which Oracle the Hebrues labour to wrest vnto Pharao which was destroied and vnto the people of Israel deliuered from his tyrannie Which if we should in the meane time grant then yet would I aske of them of whence that nation had the preeminence to be called by the name of the children of God That vndoubtedlie could not be proued to come by anie other meanes than by Christ which is the sonne of God being the first begotten among manie brethren By whom others also as manie as are numbred to be the children of God haue aspired to such a diuine adoption So as the apostle saith that Christ was the first fruits and pronounced 1. Co. 15 â—0 and 23 Col. 1 18. that he hath the principalitie ouer all things Wherefore not without cause hath our Euangelist cited this place of the prophet touching the Lord forsomuch as he also was by the admonishment of the angell called backe out of Aegypt Lastlie the sacrifices oblations and ceremonies of the fathers beare witnesse of this kind of righteousnesse séeing in those beasts which were slaine the death of Christ was manifest to the faith of the old fathers For euen as the thing sacrificed which otherwise had not offended at all was slaine for the sinne of another which escaped frée so was thereby shewed that Christ should be slaine for vs which were guiltie of death that by pacifieng of the heauenlie father we might escape the punishments which we had deserued 30 But some man will demand In .1 Sam. 3. verse 14. by what reason it may appéere vnto vs that the death of Christ was shadowed in the sacrifices of the forefathers I answer that first God saith that he granted bloud vnto the Iewes to the intent they should vse the same at the altar for purgings by sacrifice but not to eate the same and he added a reason namelie bicause bloud is the life So he would signifie by the rite Gen. 9 4 that sinne might not be purged by sacrifice vnlesse it were by death Séeing therefore
that death was due to sinne as Paule dooth verie well declare Rom. 6 23. saieng The reward of sinne is death and that God in Genesis warned Adam saieng In what daie soeuer ye shall eate of that tree Gen. 2 17. ye shall die the death And they that offred sacrifices would not die themselues wherefore in stéed of them selues they put to be slaine a bullocke or a gote laieng their hand vpon the heads of those beasts as if they had declared that they themselues indéed were sinners but that they would laie their sinnes vpon the sacrifice so that it should be punished for them But this was no iust mends making bicause the life of man is of much greater value than is the life of a beast Wherefore by this ceremonie the people was taught that they should wait for that sacrifice which of all other was most perfect namelie IESVS CHRIST our sauiour of whom Iohn in plaine words testified Iohn 1 29. Behold the lambe of God which taketh awaie the sins of the world And Esaie prophesied of him that he should be led as a shéepe to the slaughter Esai 57 3. After this maner therefore was Christ figured in the old sacrifices But thou wilt demand moreouer whether the old church vnderstood this Truelie I doubt not but that the same was knowne in those daies I meane of godlie men and such as were studious in the lawe of God but not of idle persons and contemners For they might consider Leuit. 1 4 and in manie places more Psalme 50 verse 8 c. Esaie 1 11. Ierem. 6 20 and 7 22. Amos. 5 22. that God first said that he would be pleased with the bloud of sacrificed beasts and yet that he afterward in the Psalmes and in the Prophets testifieth that he is not delited with those sacrifices These two places séeming in outward shew to be repugnant must so be reconciled as the people by meanes of the latter sentence should be taught that those sacrifices of their owne strength and nature were not sufficient to please God who onelie for Christ his sake sheweth himselfe to be gratious and mercifull and in those sacrifices setteth foorth the Messias to be beholden who was looked for But thou wilt saie that all did not behold him Concerning those which were idle and negligent I grant no lesse when as notwithstanding this was beaten euen into their memorie by the prophets séeing by them was often repeated the promise made before time vnto Abraham touching Messias As manie therefore of them as did earnestlie applie their minds vnto that doctrine might easilie behold Christ in those sacrifices But it is yet obiected Why did they neuer expresselie call vpon Christ Why did they not praie for forgiuenesse of sinnes for Messias sake I answer that they performed those things abundantlie when as they said Remember Lord the couenant that thou hast made with Abraham Song of the three children 35. Psal 132 2. Isaac and Iacob and also with Dauid For euen to those fathers was promise made of the séed wherin all nations should be blessed that is to saie of Christ as Paule to the Galathians dooth expresse Wherefore Gal. 3 16. so often as the old fathers called these things to remembrance they no lesse included Christ in their praiers than we at this daie doo when we praie for anie thing to be granted vnto vs in the name of Iesus Christ The xvj Chapter Of the likenesse and vnlikenesse of the Old and New league or couenant THE word league in Latine Foedus In Iudg. 2 about the end is deriued of the verbe Ferire To strike bicause the ambassadors of each partie killed a hog from which etymologie perhaps the Hebrue word Kerith differeth not much By which outward signe also they wished by praier the destruction of that part which should violate the couenant as we may gather out of Liuie in his first booke after the building of the citie and as the same author writeth in his fourth booke De bello Macedonico There be thrée kinds of leagues The first kind is where the conquerours make lawes vnto them whom they haue conquered in punishing and commanding them in such things as they will afterward haue them to doo The second kind is when things being yet in their owne state and neither partie ouercome they agrée togither that such things as are taken from ech partie may be restored and that couenants of peace may be established The third kind is when there hath béene no war betwéene the parties and when certeine cities or princes are ioined togither by some couenants either to liue the more peaceablie or else to take some publike affairs in hand These things being on this wise declared let vs shew what a league is A league is that bond betwéene men What a league is whereby they testifie both by words and signes one to another that they are bound to performe certeine things so long as they deale faithfullie either towards other And if it be a bond and perteine to relation it is grounded vpon humane actions and is referred to those things which the parties confederate ought to performe one towards another It is expressed by words and for the most part signes are added When God made a couenant with mankind after the floud Gen. 9 9 and 13. he not onelie set foorth the forme of the bond by words but he also put the rainebowe in the clouds as a witnesse And in the couenant which he made with Abraham Gent. 17 10 he put the signe of circumcision Furthermore in the same which was made by Moses at the mount Sina Exo. 24 4 8 there were twelue pillers erected and the people was sprinkled with bloud Iosua 24 26. Iosua also when he should die erected vp a verie great stone thereby as it were to signe the league renewed betwéene God the people And what the promises were which should be kept of ech partées the scripture oftentimes teacheth The couenants that were made both on the behalfe of God and of man For GOD promised that he would be the GOD of his people namelie that he would be with them to helpe them to deliuer them and by all meanes as touching all kind of good things to blesse them The people againe promised that they would count the Lord Iehouah for their God in beléeuing worshipping and obeieng him And Christ was in the league as the mediatour betwéene ech partie This is the exposition and nature of the couenant betwéene God and man How the league is diuided into the old and new league 2 League is diuided into the new and into the old which diuision is not of a generall thing into speciall things but of the subiect into accidents Forsomuch as in either league the thing it selfe and the substance is vtterlie one and the selfe-same onelie certeine qualities doo varie For the old league was made with one onelie
said Blessed is the wombe that bare thee Luke 11 27 and 28 and the paps that gaue thee sucke Christ answered Yea rather happie are they which heare the word of God keepe the same But Christ by this answer reiected not the fréendship of his mother but he shewed which was to be counted the better degrée of felicitie Besides this they alledge The 10. reason that the angels in the old testament could take humane flesh vpon them and indue themselues with our bodies who for all that were not borne of women And what shall let saie they but that we may saie the verie same of Christ that he put on the forme of man and yet tooke not the same of Marie We answer that according to the power of God it was no hard matter for Christ to be clad with an humane bodie by anie other meanes than by the virgines wombe But the similitude of angels appéering in humane forme must not be compared with the incarnation of the Lord for they tooke no bodies vpon them to be crucified to die and to redéeme mankind but to execute the message that was committed vnto them But Christ to the intent he might redéeme men would be in verie déed a man Which had not happened if his bodie had béene brought out of heauen séeing that celestiall and terrestriall natures doo differ more than in kind Also they thinke Hilarius that Hilarius is on their side who in his treatise De trinitate wrote that Marie the virgine added nothing of hirs vnto the flesh and bodie of Christ besides the ministerie of conceiuing bearing and bringing foorth when as this sentence neuerthelesse dooth vantage them but little For Hilarius most manifestlie beareth witnesse that the bodie of Christ is a creature but he saith that the virgine Marie added nothing of hirs as touching those thrée ministeries which he mentioneth of conceiuing bearing bringing forth For the 4. ministerie had béen to haue had the companie of man to haue ioined with him and to haue admitted his séed which Marie did not of hir owne Looke par 1 place 12 art 15. Manie proofs that Christ had a true humane bodie The first reason Luke 3 28 Matth. 1 1. 9 But on the other side that he had a true humane bodie it is prooued manie waies For by the euangelists his genealogie is set foorth the which by Luke is finished in Adam In Matthew it is begon at Abraham Neither is it anie hinderance that he nameth Ioseph as the father of Christ bicause Ioseph and Marie were both of one kindred wherefore both their petigrées be ioined togither Which whether it be doone in the great grandfathers grandfather or afterward it is no néed at this present to inquire Further The second reason Matth. 8 20 9 6 and in manie other places Gen. 3 15. The third reason The fourth reason Gen. 22 18 The fift reason Rom. 1 3. The sixt reason Rom. 9 5. The seuenth reason Gal. 4 4. Gal. 3 16. The eight reason The ninth reason Christ euerie-where pronounceth himselfe to be the sonne of man And vnto Eue was promised the séed that shuld breake the serpents head And vnto Abraham was promised a séed wherin all nations should be blessed And Paule in the first to the Rom. writeth of Christ Who was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh And againe in the ninth chapter to the Romans Of whom are the fathers of whom concerning the flesh Christ came who is God ouer all blessed for euer Moreouer vnto the Galathians we read When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh made of a woman made vnder the lawe And also in the same epistle is treated of the séed of Abraham by which the blessing should afterward come And the apostle vrgeth the word Seed that it is not spoken in the plurall number Seeds as though we should vnderstand the same of manie but the scripture vseth the singular number that we should haue respect vnto one man Christ The tenth reason 2. Tim. 2 8. Vnto Timothie it is written Remember thou that the Lord Iesus Christ of the seed of Dauid according to my Gospell is risen from the dead But most euidentlie of all dooth the epistle to the Hebrues prooue this doctrine Heb. 2 16. The 11. reason where it is said that God tooke the seed of Abraham not of angels and affirmeth that Christ is like vnto vs in all things was tempted in all things and that séeing his children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe tooke part with them I meane of flesh and bloud Heb. 5 2. The 12. reason Heb. 2 11. And he is declared to be our high priest which could suffer infirmities with vs and was taken from among men And againe He that dooth sanctifie and they that are sanctified be all of one And we are called his verie brethren The 14. reason Tertullian 10 Tertullian bringeth another argument wherein he prooueth that Christ had a verie humane bodie Nothing saith he is taken out of anie matter but it reteineth some tokens and marks of the same Bicause the bodie of the first man was wrought out of claie therefore it reteined the kind of the two elements for flesh representeth the earth and bloud the water The bodie is declared to be earthie by manie tokens And manie things declare vs to be earthie in respect of our bodie In the earth thou maiest sée clods in our bodie muscles the earth hath stones our bodie hath bones in the earth there be séene riuers and flouds ouer all our bodie veines be deriued which water all the members with bloud in the earth are spred the roots of plants and trées in the bodie are placed sinewes in all the parts in the earth are found pibble stones neither is our bodie destitute of grauell-stones nailes and such other like the earth within hir bowels and secret places hath metals our bodies doo hold marowe in the hollownesse of the bones we sée mosse and herbs to spring out of the earth also vpon our bodie there doo growe haires beard and bush of haire All which things séeing they tooke place in the bodie of Christ there is no cause why the aduersaries should indeuour to make Christ of heauenlie nature séeing these be tokens of earthie matter Their opinion might séeme to be probable if they could shew in the bodie of Christ anie token of the seuen stars of Orion Lucifer or Arcturus for then after a sort they might prooue the matter thereof to be brought from heauen ¶ Of the personall vnion of the two natures into one person of Christ looke the dialog of P. Martyr speciallie set forth touching that matter 11 Iesus in Latine Seruator a sauiour An interpretation of the word Iesus and Christ In 1. Cor. 1 verse 3. Matt. 1 21. Why prophets priests and kings
sinnes and filthines Wherefore séeing these things séeme to be so far off from vs it is néedfull that we haue boldnes strength and the assurance of a most firme assent which maie make these things to abide and to stand with vs as things most assured With such a most strong shield of defense ought we to be armed Ephe. 6 16. wherby we maie quench all the firie dartes of the diuell when they are cast against vs that we maie also ouercome euen the world for as Iohn testifieth This is the victorie 1. Iohn 5 4. which ouercommeth the world euen our faith Further we must note that this word Argumentum that is Argument which in Gréeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is turned of some Demonstratio that is a Declaration bicause by faith are shewed declared those things which appéere not But me thinketh Augustine although perhappes not so Latine-like yet verie faithfullie turned it Conuictio that is An ouercomming for by faith our mind is ouercome to grant that those things are true which God either speaketh or promiseth 4 But Hostiensis intreating of the holie Trinitie and the catholike faith laboureth by two reasons to shew that faith by these words of the apostle is not defined bicause that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance agréeth also with hope For as much therefore as it is not proper to faith he saith it cannot be applied to the definition thereof Further bicause faith hath not a regard onlie to things to come and those things which are hoped for but also is referred vnto things past for we beléeue that God created heauen earth that Christ was borne of a virgine that he suffered for vs and was raised from the dead but all these things are past neither are they hoped for to come againe These two reasons of Hosâ—iensis are verie weake neither doo they prooue that these words vnto the Hebrues cannot be applied vnto the definition of faith I grant indeed that the intent of the apostle in that place was not to define faith bicause he spake of patience chéeflie Whether in that place to the Hebrues faith is defined and would shew that it is most néerelie knit to faith bicause faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A substance c. But by this reason are touched all things that expresse the nature of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 must be applied vnto faith And to the first obiection we saie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or substance must indéed be applied vnto hope but yet that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which it draweth from faith not that which it hath of it selfe Neither ought it to séeme anie new matter if these things which are of a diuerse nature Things differing in nature haue some things common in their definitions haue some thing common in their definitions for a lion a dog and a man although they differ much in nature yet herein they agrée that they be liuing creatures And therefore in their definitions is something put which is common vnto them all séeing both they are bodies and are also things hauing life and indued with senses Wherefore it ought not to séeme maruellous if faith and hope agrée in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forsomuch as they are distinguished by other differences What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred to in faith in hope For in faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred vnto the assent but in hope to the expectation whereby we patientlie abide vntill the promises and such things as we haue receiued by faith be rendered vnto vs. To the other reason we answer that Paule made mention of things past which are made sure and plaine vnto vs by faith for he saith not onlie that it is a substance of things to be hoped for but addeth that it is an argument or conuiction of things that appéere not Now these things which are past appéere not for by that word Faith hath respect vnto things past present and to come so they be hidden Paule comprehendeth whatsoeuer is beléeued and is not euident whether it be past or whether it be to come or whether it be now present But peraduenture thou wilt demand why in the first place he maketh mention of those things which are hoped for We answere that it is rightlie doone bicause these things are for good cause put first which are more hard to beléeue for peraduenture there be some which will easilie enough grant that God created all things that Christ the sonne of GOD came into the world and was borne of the virgin and such like but yet they will much doubt of the remission of their sinnes of the resurrection of the flesh to come and of the eternall glorie which shall be giuen to the iust Wherefore aptlie and orderlie are those things placed which are read in the epistle to the Hebrues 5 But what the nature of faith is Esaie the prophet hath aptlie expressed in the 26. chapter in which place is described the church as a citie built of God Esaie 26 2. The prophet crieth Open your gates and a iust nation shall enter therein and he addeth the cause of that righteousnes Schomer emunim that is Preseruing or keeping faith where thou séest that by faith the beléeuers are iustified Then he addeth the thing wherein consisteth that faith whereby the people of God is iust namelie bicause Ietser samuchthitt sor schalom that is With a constant affection thou shalt keepe peace This is the true faith whereby we are iustified namelie that we beléeue that God will be vnto vs the author of peace and felicitie and a faithfull kéeper of his promise And Augustine in his fortith treatise vpon Iohn saith What is faith but to beléeue that which thou séest not Which selfe-same thing he writeth vpon the words of the apostle in his 27. sermon but in his booke De spiritu litera the 31. chapter he writeth that To beléeue is nothing else but to consent that that is true which is spoken The Maister of the sentences in the third booke the 23. distinction saith that Faith somtimes is that which we beléeue The Creed of Athanasius For in the Créed of Athanasius it is said And this is the catholike faith that we should beléeue c. Sometimes it is that whereby we beléeue and in this latter signification doo we vnderstand faith in this discourse A distinction of faith into a liuelie faith and a dead faith He separateth also a liuelie faith from a dead faith which distinction is to be liked bicause Iames maketh mention of a dead faith Iam. 2 20. But we must knowe that a dead faith is onelie a faith in name neither is it anie more a faith than a dead man is a man For euen as a dead man is called a man A dead faith is no faith although he be none so a dead faith although it be called a faith
some iuice out of the earth and so bringeth foorth some leaues and buddeth as if it liued in verie deed likewise men saie they that are strange from Christ although they liue not by the celestiall spirit We can please God with no faith except that which is in Christ Iesus Acts. 4 12. yet by some inspiration of the spirit they worke those excellent works which we haue described But we that are instructed by the holie scriptures doo acknowledge no other faith whereby we can please God but onelie that which is in Christ Iesus For There is none other name vnder heauen giuen vnto men whereby we can be saued Rom. 2 22. 4 24. Gala. 2 20. Ephe. 1 13. 15. but onelie the name of Christ our sauiour And Paule as often as he maketh mention of faith which iustifieth alwaies declareth it to be that faith whereby we are godlie affected towardes Christ and his Gospell But least that Paule of himselfe and alone should séeme to teach this I will a little more déeplie repeated the whole matter Ge ne 15 6. Abraham beleeued God and it was counted vnto him for righteousnesse But what beléeued he Abraham was iustified by faith in Christ Galat. 3 16. Forsooth this that he should haue séed giuen him namelie that onelie séed as Paule interpreteth it wherein all nations should be blessed which is Christ Iesus This testament was confirmed of God vnto him in Christ yea the Lord himselfe when he spake of him said Iohn 8 56. He sawe my daie and reioised Iob also in the .19 chapter Iob. 19 25. I knowe saith he that my redeemer liueth which shall also rise in the last daie ouer them which doo lie in the dust And after the woormes haue destroied this bodie I shall see the Lord in my flesh whome I my selfe shall see and mine owne eies shall behold and none other for me This faith expressed in those words is in no wise generall or confused for in it are plainelie described the principall points which perteine vnto Christ For first he is called a redéemer wherein is published the forgiuenesse of sinnes Further his comming to iudgement is set foorth and also the resurrection of the dead wherein not other bodies but euen the selfe same which they had before shal be restored vnto men There is also added the humane nature of Christ which maie be séene with corporall eies Further what maner of faith I beséech you is that which these men affirme Infidels to haue For a true and firme persuasion A true faith draweth with it all good motions of the mind and a constant and an assured assent vnto the promises of God draweth with it as I said at the beginning all good motions of the mind How then can they saie that these men haue faith which lie still weltering in idolatrie and in most shamefull and grosse sinnes They may indéed haue a certeine credulitie The Ethniks male haue a credulitie but not a true faith either by education or by human persuasion or by an opinion after a sort rooted in them but to haue a true faith so long as they lead such a kind of life it is not by anie meanes possible vnlesse they will grant that the Turks haue also faith for they assent vnto manie things The Turks haue no true faith though they beleeue manie things with vs. 1. Cor. 13 2. which we professe and beléeue But that place of Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians wherein it is said If I haue all faith so that I can remooue mountaines and haue not charitie I am nothing they will haue it to be vnderstood not onelie of the true faith but they also saie that the same faith may be separated from charitie Howbeit they grant that if it so come to passe the same faith will not profit anie thing at all Séeing therefore they expound that place after this maner how agrée they with Paule séeing they saie that a generall and confused faith wherewith men be indued that are yet strange from Christ can bring foorth good works which of congruitie may merit iustification please God when as Paule saith that euen The true faith also as they interpret it dooth nothing profit without charitie But that similitude which they bring of a stake or a post fastened into the earth vtterlie ouerthroweth their owne opinion For although being dead it séemeth to liue yet in verie déed it liueth not and a wise husbandman séeth that the budding foorth is vnprofitable and therefore such leaues he casteth awaie and destroieth as vaine and nothing woorth And of the same estimation with God are those works which these men so colour and set foorth to the shew They affirme that the infidels works are not doone without grace 24 They inuent also another fond colour not much unlike vnto the former for they saie that those works of the infidels are not doone without grace For there is saie they a certeine generall grace laid foorth vnto all men and common euen vnto men not regenerate wherwith they being after a sort holpen may merit iustification and doo works which please God But in so saieng The aduersaries fall into the Pelagian heresie they fall into the heresie of Pelagius for he also taught that men without the grace of Christ might euen by the vertue and strength of nature and by the doctrine of the lawe worke good works whereby they might be iustified Neither dooth this anie thing helpe their cause in that they said that they referre not these things vnto nature but vnto grace which the Pelagians vtterlie denied For in words they will séeme to disagrée from them when as in verie déed they verie much agrée with them for in that they assigne a grace whereby they can atteine vnto righteousnes without Christ they are both against Christ and the Mileuitane Councell and the holie scriptures Further in that they make grace common vnto all men they turne it into nature and they saie that some will vse it A preuenting grace and an after following grace some will not vse it And this grace they call a preuenting grace but that other which is more absolute they call an after following grace Which diuision we denie not so that it be rightlie vnderstood for we grant there is one grace which preuenteth and another which followeth after howbeit the fauour of God through Christ wherewith we are both preuented to will well and wherewith we afterward being regenerate are holpen and stirred vp to liue well is one and the same For who euer doubted but that we are preuented of God to the intent we may be changed and renewed in Christ He were woorse than mad which would saie that we in our conuersion and turning vnto God doo preuent the aid and helpe of God He first loueth vs before we can begin to loue him he first stirreth vs vp by his fauour and
there and in paradise And therefore he wholie transferreth this vnto the diuine nature which had not béene méet if according to that promise as these men will the felicitie of the théefe should haue béene deferred vntill a thousand yeares and longer Nor dooth Peter in that place they bring will vs to interpret that a thousand yeares in euerie place should be taken for one daie he onelie indeuored most significantlie to declare the eternitie of GOD When daies are to be taken for yeeres the scripture teacheth vnto the which a thousand yeares béeing compared would be but as one daie Howbeit if at anie time daies are to be taken for yéeres that is not permitted to our iudgement but thereof we are admonished by the word of God Dan. 9 21. verse 5 6. as it appéereth in Daniel when the wéekes are reckoned vp And in the fourth chapter of Ezechiel where the prophet is commanded that he should lie vpon his left side thrée hundreth and nintie daies and againe fortie daies vpon his right side and that in the same place daies doo represent yeares the scriptures doo expresselie shew vs. 20 They haue also an other shift for they saie that these two aduerbes of time yesterdaie and to daie signifie the old and the new testament which they gather out of the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 13 8. where it is said Christ yesterdaie and to daie Christ yesterdaie and to daie how it is to be vnderstood Wherefore they would haue the meaning to be that to haue the théefe to be brought to daie into paradise should belong to the new testament But this conceit of theirs is vaine bicause in the epistle to the Hebrues it must so be vnderstood that Christ is yesterdaie and to daie and as it is added For euer that his eternitie may be vnderstood the which they are woont to distinguish into thrée times as if it should be said He was he is and he shall be The third couert wherein they shrowd themselues is that it was said vnto the first parents Gen. 2 17. In what houre soeuer ye eate ye shall die the death and yet is it euident that they did not presentlie die after they had transgressed So saie they it might be that the promise made vnto the théefe which seemeth to be spoken of that daie might be deferred vntill a longer time But that which these men take as granted we denie namelie that the first parents when they had transgressed did not foorthwith perish For death is accounted nothing else Death is a departing from life but a departing from life neither haue we life without God So then they died bicause they departed from God and their soule was not seuered from the bodie but after a sort buried therein so as if a man will iudge truelie we doo not now presentlie liue a life but a death which the longer it is the more gréeuous it is thought to be by them which iudge aright But bicause we will not séeme to hast we willinglie accept the similitude both of the théefe The first parents were dead straitwaie after sinne and also of the first parents they had the beginnings of death immediatelie after the transgression albeit they had not the triall of absolute death so also the théefe was with Christ in paradise albeit he obteined not that daie the perfect felicitie which is attended in the resurrection Wherefore the argument which we haue alreadie put foorth standeth firme neither can it with friuolous arguments be ouerthrowne Phil. 1 23. The 2. reason 21 Furthermore Paule writeth vnto the Philippians that He wished to be loosed from hence and to be with Christ for that he doubted not but it would be an aduantage to him Which desire of his had not béene godlie if after the death of our bodie we should sléepe with our soules vntill the resurrection What profit had it béene to Paule to haue béene loosed from hence if he should not straitwaie haue liued with his Christ Vndoubtedlie while he liued here he wrote of himselfe And now doo not I liue Galat. 2 20. but Christ liueth in me And according to this sentence Christ was not to liue but to sléepe in him after death Moreouer while he liued here he might acknowledge and loue Christ but after this life if he should be asléepe he was of necessitie to leaue off those actions 22 There is also another reason brought against them The 3. reason Luke 16 vers 23 c. as touching the rich man and poore Lazarus by that storie is shewed that the spirits after this life doo not sléepe but either doo enioie good things or else are tormented with punishments They answer that this is a parable and that therefore it maketh nothing against them Vnto whom we saie that all the fathers which interpret that place doo not thinke it to be a parable but manie rather thinke it an historie among whom are Gregorie and Ierom. Gregorie Ierom. Tertullian Chrysost Augustine And Tertullian goeth so farre as he thinketh the rich man was Herod and that Lazarus was Iohn Baptist Howbeit Chrysostome and Augustine sometime call it a parable But this reléeueth them not séeing a parable is nothing else but a similitude deriued from the truth of a thing A parable is deriued from the truth of things as when the parable is brought in of the good man of the house which diuided his inheritance to two of his children Albeit that the same be a parable yet is it expedient that there be a good man of the house that children be found among the nature of things and that it be a custome among them to distribute the fathers possessions otherwise parables should be taken of feigned and vaine things which is against the nature of them So as although we grant that the parable was contriued by Christ touching these two yet is it necessarie that not onelie rich men and poore men should be found but that vnto our soules departing out of this life should be giuen either a place of torments or else the bosom of Abraham Neither doo we vnderstand by the bosome of Abraham anie thing else What is vnderstood by the bosome of Abraham than a certeine place and receptacle of soules in the which is granted vnto them peace and tranquillitie in the sight of their GOD. For they haue a peaceable conscience and they looke vpon GOD being present This place is said to be the bosome of Abraham Gen. 12. 3. bicause vnto him God first promised that in his séed all nations should be blessed The same man moreouer sawe the daie of the Lord Iohn 8 56. and he reioised Of him also we first read that He beleeued Gen. 15 6. and his faith was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes Iohn 8 16. And Christ when he made mention hereof he spake vnto the Hebrues who boasted of hauing Abraham to their father In
raised vp manie tumultes against the Church That is true which is commonlie said of liuing creatures that by a dried vp member the spirite of life can haue no passage into the other mēber For if the arme be dead and withered vp the life and spirit cannot come vnto the hand But in the Church there is no such great coniunction betwéene men For the power of the Sacraments is to vs A similitude as the light of the sunne which light although it be dispersed through vile and filthie places yet is it not therefore defiled or corrupted 7 But the times of the sacramentes we will diuide into two partes Of Sacraments same were before the comming of Christ some after They differ one from another by notes and signes For some were before the comming of Christ and some after And these differ the one from the other by outward notes and signes Neither was that done rashly or without great consideration for we also as saith Augustine doe after one sort signifie thinges to be doone and after another sort affirme thinges alreadie done and this doe these two wordes now pronounced sufficiently declare But here are two errors to be taken héede of vs Two errors to be shunned in Sacraments as the same father against Faustus very well admonisheth vs first that we thinke not that though the signes be changed therefore the thinges also are diuers or that for asmuch as the thing is one and the selfe same therefore the signes ought not nor can not be changed For if an housholder may commaund straiter thinges vnto those seruantes whom he knoweth it expedient to be kept vnder with great seruitude Two similitudes and may lay easier burdens vpon their neckes whom he will count as his children why then may not God doe the same towardes men Phisitions also vse according to the diuersitie of the diseases of the sicke persons to minister diuers and sundry medicines of all which medicines yet the force is one and the same namely to restore health But whether the signes of the old testament haue now vtterly ceased or no Augustine answereth in his booke de vera religione How the signes of the old Testament remaine and how they are taken away that they remaine by interpretation and faith but are in very déede taken away But touching the very things thēselues those which were set forth vnto the Elders in their sacramentes and which are set forth vnto vs in our sacramentes were one and the same And if thou demaund what were those thinges which were common vnto the fathers and vnto vs it may in fewe wordes be aunswered God Christ Reconciliation Grace Remission of sinnes and such other lyke matters What things were common to them vs. These thinges in times past were signified and set forth to be beléeued in the sacramentes of the old fathers the selfe same are in our time signified in the newe Testament and set foorth in our sacramentes But the signes and symboles which the father 's vsed were changed by the comming of Christ At the second comming of Christ our signes shal be taken away at whose second comming also those which we now haue shall in lyke maner be taken away For when we haue once the fruition of that chiefe felicitie which we waite for we shall then néede no sacramentes Further besides the alteration of the signes are also out of Augustine gathered some other conditions whereby is declared that our sacramentes are more excellent than were the sacraments of the forefathers Our Sacraments are more excellent than those of the forefathers For ours saith he are in power greater in profit better in act easier in number fewer in vnderstanding most ful of maiestie in obseruation most pure and in signification most excellent Those things in déede are great Look part 2 cap. 16. Art 12. part 4. p◠10. Art 8. but yet they alter not the nature of the things signified Neither cause they but that our sacramentes and the sacramentes of the old lawe are as touching the substance one and the same Paul in his Epistle vnto the Romans sayth Ro. 11. 17. that the Iewes as vnprofitable brāches were cut off from the holy trée and we grafted in their place And the roote saith he caryeth thée and not thou the roote How we and the Fathers are both in one stocke and in one roote Whereby it is manifest that both we and the fathers as touching the substance of saluation are in one and the same stocke and in one and the same roote The nature of the things signified is one and the same So then the better and worthier part of the sacramentes is one and the selfe same And whatsoeuer difference there is betwéene vs and them the same consisteth wholy in the comming of Christ past and to come Wherefore Augustine against Faustus saith that our sacraments are signes of things now fulfilled but the sacraments of the forefathers were signes of things to be fulfilled And vppon the 6. Chapter of Iohn he saith that in signes they were diuers from ours but in signification of thinges they were both alike The fathers extenuate the sacraments of the old fathers 8 I know in déede and I remember that the fathers are sometimes woont aboue measure to extenuate the sacraments of the olde lawe Chrysostome in his 27. homilie vpon Genesis denieth that circumcision any thing profited vnto saluation but that the Israelites caried it about with them as a token of gratitude and as a signe and seale to the end they should not be defiled by mingling themselues with other nations And in his 39. Homilie he saith that it was a bridle and a payre of fetters vnto the Iewes that they should not mingle themselues with other nations And he affirmeth that God commaunded it vnto Abraham and vnto his posteritie that by an outward signe he might declare that he was the possessor of him And for that cause he changed his name A similitude For so doe we also when we take into our possession a beast or bondman for we giue vnto them a name and we marke them with our signe or marke And vppon the same booke in the 40. Homilie he saith that the Iewes by circumcision might be knowen And hereunto may be added Ambrose for he declareth that circumcision did onely put a difference betwéene the posteritie of Abraham and other nations The Fathers speak not of this thing after one maner Howbeit they doe not euery where speake after one maner For the same Ambrose when he expoundeth that place in the 10. Chap. of the first to the Corinthians That the olde fathers were baptized in the sea saith that their sinnes were not imputed and that they were without doubt purified These thinges are of much more excellencie than to be separated or to differ from other nations Augustine admitteth vnto the old Fathers true Baptisme And
guiltinesse whereby God imputeth these things vnto sinne and vnto death Wherefore the first part all our children vndoubtedly haue when they be borne but the other part I meane guiltinesse imputation vnto death vnto euerlasting damnatiō those which not only are born of their parents according to the flesh but also appertaine to the election promise of God haue not because it is takē away by the mercie of God by the holy ghost and by the grace of Christ neither is that corruption imputed to them vnto death They therefore which be so borne of Christians are called holy because they are iudged to belong vnto grace and election séeing nothing perswadeth otherwise Now then the Church doth seale these thinges vnto them in Baptisme as to these which belong vnto the promise and alreadie haue the giftes of God I meane the remission of sinnes and grace of Christ Rom. 4. 11. A declaration of a place in the 4. Chapter to the Romanes 10 But one thing séemeth to make héere against which is written vnto the Romanes the 4. Chapter That it was giuen vnto Abraham to be the father of Circumcision and not onelie of Circumcision but of them also that walke according to the steppes of the faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Whereupon it is concluded that the Ethnicks which are ioyned vnto the stocke of Abraham haue not that by the séede of the flesh but by the power of faith which séeing the Infants haue not they shall not be vnderstoode to be ingraffed into the stocke of Abraham But we must vnderstand that the Apostle spake there of them which be of ripe age and of the first graffing in of the Gentils whereby they were coopted into the stocke of Abraham which none of vs doubteth to be done by faith But when as nowe that the Gentils our families or Churches be grafted vnto that stock all the priuileges are communicated with them that were graunted vnto Abraham among which this was the chiefe that God woulde be both his God the God of his séede So as it is graunted in like maner both vnto vs and ours in maner and forme alreadie declared Verse 6. Further it is written in the ix Chapter of the same Epistle A place of the 9. Chapter to the Romanes Not all they which be of Israel be Israelites nor all they which be of the seede of Abraham be all children but in Isaac shall thy seede be called That is not all they which be the children of the flesh be the children of God but they which be of the promise Whereupon it séemeth to be gathered by these wordes of the Apostle that the generation of the flesh bringeth nothing at all to passe that our children be called holie But vnto this we haue sufficiently answered For wee haue declared at large that this must not be attributed to the generation of the flesh as to the proper and chiefe cause when as our saluation as Paul saieth consisteth onely of the grace of God and of the election or promise But because the reason of this election is hidden and that the first token which we haue thereof is if children belong vnto them that be holie and be offered by them in the sacrament of regeneration therefore doe we call them holie although as it hath bin said this token may deceiue euen as also the confession of faith which is expressed in wordes by them that be of ripe age when they are to be Baptized may lie and procéede of hypocrisie Moreouer the Apostle would by that place call backe the Iewes who disdained the Gentils vnto the first and principall cause of our saluation which he had propounded vnto them not to be the workes of ceremonies or our merites or the stocke according to the flesh The electiō and predestination of God cannot be deceiued which they alwaies boasted of He set before their eies the election of God and the promise which cause is of that kinde that it cannot be deceiued but that it hath perpetuallie an effect Yet his minde was not to make voide all these second instruments or meanes and also tokens which God vseth as he would vtterly saie that they were nothing The linage of the flesh is not sufficient of it selfe vnto righteousnesse and true holinesse For sometime the children of holie men maie belong vnto perdition When they be growen to rype yeares they may degenerate from their good and goodlie bringing vp They may also depart from religion which they séemed to receiue from their childhood as we knowe the Iewes did which haue denied Christ and haue no more to glorie of concerning the holy séede although the promise of God in that stocke shall neuer be vtterlie voide For afterward in the xj Verse 16. Chapter the same Apostle most plainlie sheweth that he tooke not from the Iewes the gifts of kindred and progenie when he saieth If the roote bee holie the branches are also holy if the first fruites be holie so is the whole lumpe 11 Neither doeth Christ shew these promises to be vaine when as in the séede of Abraham according to the flesh he became man Rom. 15. 8. Although it were no certain signe yet no vaine signe to be borne of the Saints and was so conuersant in that nation as in the Epistle vnto the Romans he was said to be the minister of Circumcision for confirming the promises of the fathers This vndoubtedlie had not the Iewes by their merites that Christ vnto them before others ministred the word of life but they had it by the promise which was made vnto their stock whereby it appeareth that it is not altogether a vaine and néedelesse thing to bée borne of a godlie kindred And in the Actes of the Apostles Peter saide vnto the Iewes Acts. 2. 39. that vnto them speciallie pertained the Gospell by the right of the couenant as it is in the second Chapter Further in the next chapter Acts. 3. 25. they be called children of the Testament And euerie where in Paul thou readest First to the Iewe Rom. 1. 16. 2. 9. 10 and then to the Greeke And the Apostles obserued this that they went not to preache vnto the Gentils vnlesse they had first ministred the worde of saluation vnto the Iewes An excellēt promise of God And more than all these things thou hast in the ten Commandements an excellent promise of God Exod. 20. 6. that God woulde doe wel vnto those that feare him and vnto their posteritie vnto a thousand generations Although we denie not but that oftentimes ill children haue succéeded in the place of good parents because such promises as I haue saide be not common vnto all the séede but onelie vnto that séede wherein euen the election of God and predestination doe méete together the which oftentimes as we faithfulfullie beléeue hath place in the séede of the Saints God doeth not so binde his
with the vngodlie that séemeth to be denyed An example of Iosaphat For Iosaphat had euill successe when in making of warre against Ramoth Gilead he ioyned himselfe with the king of Israel Neither sped the same king luckilie when he sent ships together with the king of Israels shippes to Tharsis insomuch as there arose a tempest in Asehougaber wherein they suffered shipwracke and so he lost his Nauie And as it is written in the latter booke of Paralipomenon God by the mouth of his Prophet reprooued Iosaphat 2. Par. 18. because he had ioyned himselfe with an vngodlie king An example of the Machabites The Machabites also made league with the Romans and Lacedemonians but what displeasure they had thereby their historie declareth But now that we haue made the matter plaine by examples The question is confirmed by reasons let vs confirme it also by reasons This no man can deny but that in such hostes as consist of the godlie and vngodlie together the sincere Religion and Idolatrie are mingled one with an other whereby it easilie commeth to passe of such weakenesse is our nature that the vnpure doe infect them that be holy And it seldome happeneth but that some impietie cleaueth vnto the children of God Further when they come to handie strokes they must call vppon God and when the victorie is obtained they must also giue thankes vnto God And in dooing of these things what inuocation I pray you what Sacrifices what thankesgiuing shall there be The true God shall be mingled with Beliall Idolatrous rites with lawfull rites and true godlynesse with superstition These thinges vndoubtedlie displease God For if he would haue thinges on this sort mingled together why choosed he a peculiar people vnto himselfe Vndoubtedlie he did it that the faithfull might liue purelie by themselues and woorship the true God sincerelie And séeing the matter is so it is not lawfull confusedlie to deale with the vngodlie otherwise the order which God hath appointed should be troubled Gen. 14. 13 Of the League of Abrahā with the Cananites 25 A man might peraduenture say that Abraham made league with Abner Escol and Mambre and with their ayde tooke in hand an expedition wherein he deliuered Lot his kinsman who was led away captiue But they which obiect this example where finde they that these men were Idolaters I vndoubtedlie doe not sée that it can be gathered by the holy Scriptures I rather suppose that they were woorshippers of the true God Gen. 15. 16 For God said vnto Abraham that he would not straightwayes giue vnto him the land of the Cananites because the sinnes of that Nation were not yet at the full Wherefore it is not absurd to say that those thrée men were yet there and did woorship the true God simply Forasmuch as we knowe assuredlie that Melchisedeck also was in those regions Gen. 14. 18 who blessed Abraham and was the priest of the most high God But admit that they were Idolaters as these men will haue them shall that which was lawfull by a certaine special prerogatiue vnto Abraham be straightway counted lawful vnto all men to doe it iustlie without punishmēt I thinke not Furthermore we must marke that the Commonwealth of the Iewes was not yet ordained And Abraham alone could not dwell among the Cananites without some couenants or leagues made with them Whereunto thou maist adde that God had not yet giuen a lawe wherein he speciallie forbad anie thing as touching this matter 26 But if a prince or Christian publike weale as sometimes it chanceth should be in danger Whether a Christian may desire help of Infidels 1. Cor. 6. 6. may they desire helpe at the hands of Infidels They may not For if Paul will rather haue vs to suffer wrong and hurt than that we should goe to the iudgement seate of the Infidels when we are at controuersie with our brethren how much lesse is it lawfull to vse the helpe of the vngodlie to deliuer vs from other Christians which vniustlie oppresse vs I know that Asa king of Iuda sent mony Gold and siluer vnto Benhadab king of Siria 3. kings 15. 18. An example of king Asa to make warre against the king of Samaria that thereby he might be deliuered from him which in a manner oppressed him Howbeit I doe not thinke that the Act of this king though it had good successe is to be followed séeing he was reprooued of God for it And though it be not expressed in the booke of Kinges yet in Paralip it is manifestly described 2. Par. 16. ver 7. For there we reade that the prophet was purposelie sent of God vnto Asa the king to reprooue him gréeuously for this his act Yea and there is an other notable example of this sort written in the same booke An example of Amasias namelie that Amasia did hire against the Edomits C. thousand Israelits which the prophet in the name of God greeuously reprehended and commaunded that he should put away the Israelitish soldiers frō his host 2. Par. 25. because the will and good pleasure of GOD was vtterlie from them The king answered vnto the Prophet But now I haue giuen them an hundreth Talents for their stipend The man of God answered that the Lorde could aptlie and easilie repay him as manie Talents and that for so small a losse he should not suffer Idolaters which were hated of God to be in his campe I will not tell how often the Iewes were forbidden by the Prophetes that they should not require help of the Egyptians or of the Assyrians 27 But it is a worthie thing for Princes and people to note In Iud. 6. 6. that when God was angrie neither dennes nor caues nor most strong Castels coulde helpe the miserable Israelites For sinners must not onely take héede of outward enemies but they must chiefelie auoide the anger of God From the which vndoubtedly no man can escape by caues dennes or munitions And as long as that indureth these humane helpes doe not defend from outwarde enemies But if any man will not beléeue this Iudith let him call to rememberance the bredth of the walles of Ecbatanus The height and breadth of the wals of Ecbatanus and of Babylon which as it is written in the booke of Iudith the first Chapter was thirtie foote brode and seuentie foote high and had in it an hundreth Towers and yet all those things could not withstand them which besieged it And of Babylon also it is written that the walles of it was an hundreth foote in height and fiftie foote in bredth And it is said to haue bin so large as it might haue bin a prouince rather than a Citie and yet it was conquered and vtterly ouerthrowen These their hornes are erected against God These things leade vnto desperation the afflicted which thinke not vpon GOD as though Tyrants by whom they be oppressed could neuer be plucked out
not cast them out now but I will tarie till their iniquitie be come to the highest afterward I will bring you in And in the second Chapter of Deuteromie it is written that the Horites dwelled in Mount Seir Verse 12. which were men expert in warres and verie valiant whome God saith he draue out of those moūtaines to the intent that the children of Esaw might possesse the land Verse 10. And in the same Chapter he testifieth that he did cast out the people of Emim and gaue their kingdomes vnto the Ammonites and draue out Zanzumim out of their seates and placed the Moabites there 10 But if thou wilt say that this was doone by GOD peculiarlie against those Nations because the Edomites had their ofspring from Esaw the Ammonites and Moabites of Lot which was the kinsman of Abraham and together with him accomplished most dangerous viages I aunswere And this may also be sayd of other Nations there which came not of Abraham The Cappadocians draue out the Heuites Deut. 2. 23. which were the first inhabitantes who going out of Cappadocia destroyed them and inhabited those Regions in their stead Deut. 32. 8. And in Deuteronomie the 32. Chapter it is written When GOD by lot diuided the Nations and the people according to the number of the children of Israel What is meant by saying that the kingdoms were distributed by lot In that it is said to be doone by lot that is all to be referred to our vnderstanding which see not the causes of things But with God nothing is doone by chance God hath distributed the Nations according to the number of the children of Israel Séeing the Israelites were not yet increased when GOD put the people into those Regions who at the last gaue place vnto the Israelites when they came Neither ought we to be offended if by this distribution oftentimes tertill and fat landes happen vnto the vngodlie Augustine Forsomuch as Augustine in his 4. booke De Ciuitate Dei the xxxiij Chapter saith That giftes which indure but for a time Matt. 5. 45. happen both to the iust and vniust séeing God maketh his sunne to shine both vppon the good and euill and raineth vppon the iust and vniust But by this common benefite the godlie sort haue this commoditie onelie that they vnderstand that these thinges are not the chéefest gifts which we ought to looke for because these are common both to the good and to the euill Howbeit the godlie waite for other more excellent giftes which are not common to the good and euill Yea and Daniel saith Dan. 2. 20. The name of the Lord be blessed for euer For it is he which translateth kingdomes and driueth out the first inhabitantes and bringeth in other Neither dooth he onelie bring men into prouinces Dan. 10. ver 13. 20. but also setteth Angels to rule ouer them as we there reade the prince of the Persians and Gretians And he hath not onelie diuided men by Regions but also by tongues and manners Further me must remember that these mutations were not onelie doone at the beginning but also in the latter times For the French men possessed Gallia and the English Saxons Britaine but the Britaines being cast out by them found newe places in Gallia by force and armes And that part which they obtained they called Britanie according to their owne name The men of Gallia also of late going out of their owne borders possessed a great part of Italy The Hunnes subdued vnto themselues Pannonia and called the countrie Hungaria So God distributeth kingdomes casteth out some and bringeth in other some as it séemeth good vnto his iust iudgement which is secret For the earth is the Lordes and the fulnesse thereof This distribution chaūced euen at the beginning to the sonnes of Noah and afterward to those which builded the Tower of Babel For God dispersed them throughout the whole world God distributeth kingdomes of his mere liberalitie 11 Now will I declare by what meanes God is woont to giue kingdomes He giueth them of his owne liberalitie no right compelling him thereto That is the true manner of gift which otherwise is not a gift vnlesse it be frée And yet nothing letteth but that God by the dueties and obedience of godlie men may be prouoked to giue He giueth in déede manie times thinges vnto godlie men but yet of no duetie Because there hath bin none at anie time so godlie as he might desire anie thing of God as his owne in his owne right For he must doe his duetie though God giue him nothing And yet there is a certaine recompensing gift A recompensing gift although it be frée and giuen without any right compelling it yet because it is after a sort bestowed vpon dueties it hath a shewe of a reward Eze. 29. 18. So in Ezechiel God gaue a gift vnto the king of Babylon Because saith he he laboured in the siege of Tyre I will giue vnto him the land of Egypt There be also amongest men * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recompenses when duetie is repayed with duetie These also are voluntarie neither can they be demaunded by Iuditiall action and therefore are they counted among giftes But we haue nothing which we can giue vnto him We haue nothing that we can giue vnto GOD. wherefore if we attempt to bring anie thing vnto him we render vnto him his owne And so no consideration of merit can be fit for vs towards him wherefore God giueth liberallie no lawe compelling him thereunto Neuerthelesse Whether such gifts may be reuoked it may be demaunded whether such giftes can be reuoked Why can they not Séeing the giftes of men also are reuoked sometimes as we haue it in the Code De reuocatione donationum First if they haue conditions annexed vnto them which haue not bin performed And assuredlie God after that manner gaue the land of Chanaan to the children of Israel namelie that they should woorship him not onelie in ceremonies but also in good manners and holinesse But séeing this condition was not performed God iustly reuoked his gift and led them away captiue and gaue the land vnto the Babylonians Assyrians Egyptians and Romans A great ingratitude also of him that is indued with the gift maketh the gift of smale force For if he be so vngratefull as he will be contumelious reprochfull vnto the giuer the gift is then reuoked So GOD in Ezechiel complaineth Eze. 16. 10. c. I haue clothed thee with vestures and garmentes of sundrie colors thou hast bestowed them vppon Idols and hast giuen them vnto Baal therefore wil I take away my garments from thee and my clothings of sundry colors c. But thou wilt saie that the giftes and vocation of God are without repentaunce The gifts of God are without repentance Ro. 11. 29. as it is written to the Romanes that I graunt but the chaunging is in vs
Nowe let vs come to the knowen * He meaneth the principall points of Religion Whether it be of necessitie to vnderstand all the opiniōs as touching Christ demonstrations and properties Séeing sayeth he there haue bin many if a man consent vnto all onely one excepted vndoubtedly it is absurde and vncharitable to exclude him from eternall saluation because he reiecteth onely one of those principles Yea saieth he there must rather be a consideration had of the number which he admitteth than of that one which he refuseth and is against Herevnto we answere that all the words of God so farre foorth as they haue flowed from him are of like weight and authoritie and therefore it is not lawful for any man at his owne pleasure to receiue one thing and to confute another thing and to reiect it as false Iame. 2. 10. Iames boldlie saieth He that sinneth in one is made guiltie of all If this haue place as touching the obedience of the commaundements it shall also be true as touching things which must bee beléeued And doeth not Hadrian sée that this reason of his being allowed euen Arrius himselfe must bee acknowledged as a member of Christ For he will say I admit all other demonstrations properties and markes which other faithful men doe beleeue onelie one excepted namelie that I affirme the sonne of God to bee a creature And not onelie Arrius but innumerable other Heretickes also by this mild and remisse censure will fill the Church with their Heresies and in the bodie of Christ there will be such a foule sincke of sects that in the ende all will become most shamefull and vncleane Neither is this true that the Anabaptists when they affirme that the sonne of God brought flesh with him out of heauen and that he tooke not the same of the virgin doe onely stande against one demonstration propertie or note of the Christian faith sith this errour of theirs doth drawe with it verie manie other For all at once they denie that Christ as touching the humane nature was the séede of Eue For vnto his substance doth her séede belong neither is it of an heauenlie nature Also they denie it to be the séede of Abraham wherein all nations of the earth should receiue blessing Neither can it appeare vnto him that Messias is the sonne of Dauid which the scripture euerie where testifieth should verilie be neither can they admit that the virgin conceiued her sonne and brought him foorth as the Prophets and Euangelists doe confirme Howe moreouer will they saie with the scriptures that Marie was the mother of Iesus Or howe will they confesse him to bee the sonne of man If their saying were true he shal be none of our brother neither hath he béene partaker with his brethren Heb. 2. 14. as vnto the Hebrues it is written that he was I coulde easilie also gather other things whereby I might declare that not onely one demonstration or principall article of the right Christian faith but verie manie are taken away of the Anabaptists through this their wicked opiniō But forasmuch as I thinke those to bee sufficient which I haue alledged I will surcease nowe touch that wherein we are saide to deale not logicallie but rather sophisticallie That Christ is no mediator vnlesse he be also a man when we affirme Christ to be no mediatour if he tooke not flesh of the virgin Marie For as Hadrian saith this is concluded of vs * Non simpliciter led lecundum quid not absolutely but in some respect namelie as touching the Anabaptists but their opinion transformeth not the nature of things I cannot sufficiently maruell what this deuise can make to the confuting of those arguments which be excéeding good plaine It is none of our minde there to shewe that Christ is not the true mediator for they affirme that same for a most certaine and vndoubted docttrine but this point wée haue to prooue that by the receiued opinion of the Anabaptists that thing doth plainelie followe Neither do they thus arguing depart from the fathers vsuall forme of disputing The way to confute false opinions For the Ecclesiasticall teachers while they dispute with heretikes are woont to bring foorth a sentence which not onelie is true but common vnto both parts For they drawe the same out of the holie scriptures afterwarde they adde the false opinion of them against whom they dispute thereof they gather some grosse and odious absurditie But since this cannot be gathered of the common proposition which is verie euident is true it remaineth that it follow by the aduersaries owne proposition It is no rare but a vsuall kinde of argument whereby those men whom we presse in disputing are driuen to confesse absurdities So likewise doth Aristotle dispute against Parmenides Melissus and others of the olde writers That he first taketh as graunted which is both verie manifest and most true then hée addeth the opinion of those olde writers whereof he concludeth most absurde sentences not being such doubtlesse as he himselfe will holde but whereby he may shewe vnto them which allowed the opinions of the olde writers into what follies and absurdities they did headlong cast themselues For not all demonstrations or arguments can be direct and absolute wherefore manie there be and are founde which are ascribed vnto some certaine men or their errours and doe refell onely them particularly and not all others generallie Further there séemes but small consideration in them to require of vs that we should shewe a place certaine and euident in the holie scriptures That errors are not particularly condemned in the scriptures wherein they are declared both to be damned and to be voide of saluation which beléeue not that Christ tooke his flesh of the virgin For it is sufficient that we are generally commaunded to giue credite vnto all those things which the sonne of God and the holie ghost by himselfe by the Prophets and Apostles hath spoken This is my sonne Matt. 17. 5. heare him Neither did it séeme good vnto God to make particular mention in the holie scriptures of all the errours which in time to come should issue out of the braine of hereticks it was suffitient there to teach those things which were to be beléeued Vndoubtedlie as it is said in the schooles by the learned A thing that is straight or right is iudge both of it selfe and of that which is crooked That expressing had béene ouer laboursome and in a manner infinite if I shoulde straie almost innumerable wayes from the scope which can be attained but one waie What ende I beséech you should there be of writing if all the peruerse opinions of them that erre shoulde in expresse words bée discoursed together with their condemnation It is generallie ynough spoken by Paul He that shall preach anie other Gospel than we haue preached let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8. Which saying I doe not thinke should bée