force as contrition and repentance is deferred touching the sinnes committed And when repentance is performed then also let an end of the punishment of excommunication be appointed For which cause Christ being demanded of Peter How oftentimes a man should forgiue them that offend Ibid. 21. whether seuen times which séemed to be much answered Euen so often as they shall returne againe to better life For that be awointeth when he saith Seuentie times seuen Wherefore they which by repentance returne to the church must euermore be admitted And least peraduenture so often separation and receiuing reiterated by the ministerie of men against one and the same man should séeme to be of small importance and reputed for sport and mockerie as a thing procéeding from the will of man he addeth that He giueth them the keies of the church The keies of the church that is to saie the power that Whatsoeuer she should bind or loose vpon the earth should be established in heauen And this doth the church vnderstand in the same sort as the holie euangelist writeth it By this article therefore we beléeue that such diuine authoritie is committed vnto the church that it may absolue and set at libertie the persons excommunicate which repent them of their sinnes committed and may reconcile them to hir selfe whereby they may be restored vnto that place of a healed bodie whereof Christ is the head Which absolution being performed with publike vowes and praiers in the church no doubt but the church forgiueth them their sinnes committed Wherefore after the grant of this authoritie of the keies Matt. 18 19 and 20. Christ not in vaine added Whatsoeuer ye aske in my name it shall be giuen vnto you And Wheresoeuer two or three shall be gathered togither in my name I am in the middest of them Whereby it is gathered that the church is neuer present either to excommunicate or to reconcile them that be excommunicated but that Christ himselfe also is present 2. Cor. 2 7 8 Wherfore Paule to the Corinthians the second epistle writeth to the church that forgiuing the fault of that sinner of whom he had made mention in his first epistle they should confirme charitie towards him in renewing with him their old fréendship Behold how we contemne not the authoritie of the church but we denie it to be in the will and authoritie of one We confesse this power therfore to be in the earth among the godlie But euen as the multitude of beléeuers gathered togither in Christ haue onelie the right of excommunication so haue they also of reconciling and admitting and that which is so performed by them we beléeue also to be doone and confirmed in heauen Howbeit note that in this third meanes is conteined the forgiuenesse of publike sinnes onelie And as concerning the two former meanes the church hath belonging vnto it the forgiuenesse of all sinnes in generall Here onelie that absolution taketh place which apperteineth to publike crimes the which through euill example hath offended and doone harme vnto them to whom the knowledge thereof hath come Wherefore with all the hart and voice let vs giue thanks vnto God who hath granted vnto vs so great a benefit vpon the earth and hath laid vp greater for vs in heauen as afterward we shall sée The Resurrection of the flesh ¶ Looke more hereof in the third part 47 How these articles should be knit togither After remission of sinnes followeth life by a more fit method I cannot perceiue Sinne as it is knowne hath béene the onelie and whole cause of mans death and that we haue remission of sinnes through Christ it was shewed a little before Now then remaineth this one thing to wit that by him we shall be deliuered from death and released from the tyrannie therof so soone as euer we haue accesse vnto Christ by faith sith then shall perish in it the continuall iurisdiction which it obteineth against vs. For séeing the naturall power hereof is such as what it hath once seasoned vpon it firmelie holdeth therefore the philosophers write that it must not be granted that from such a priuation men can returne to their ancient habit In which matter certeinlie they be not deceiued if thou shouldest but consider the power of nature But we which be indued with faith doo so tast of death as we knowe that there is an end and limit appointed to the working thereof we being confirmed through the promise of Christ himselfe Iohn 6 39. who in the sixt of Iohn saith that He will loose none of them which his father hath giuen him but will raise them vp at the latter daie But if so be thou obiect that he will raise vp not onelie them that be godlie but also the vnbeléeuers and shall therefore the faith in Christ as touching the resurrection profit anie thing I answer that the confidence in Christ shall nothing at all profit vnto the méere and absolute resurrection séeing that degrée both the godlie and the wicked shall obteine but the resurrection vnto felicitie vnto life eternall and vnto heauenlie blessednesse is onelie granted vn-them which by faith are vnited vnto Christ Howbeit I thinke not méet to passe ouer this to wit that whereas the wicked shall rise againe they obteine not that by the power of their owne nature but by Christ For séeing we confesse that by the death of that one first man we were all made subiect vnto death it is reason also we should grant that how manie soeuer be made partakers of this second life should also obteine the same by that one man Christ who first was raised vp Wherefore the wicked whether they will or no shall féele in themselues the power of Christ but that which these shall obteine to their great harme iust men shall receiue to their great benefit This is the doctrine of Paule to the Corinthians when he saith As by one man came death 1. Co. 15 21. so by one man came the resurrection of the dead And as by Adam all men die so by Christ all shall be made aliue but euerie one in his owne order The first fruits is Christ then they which be of Christ And in the last and most vnhappie state shall they be which be strangers from Christ And as there shall be a difference in the state condition so shall there be also in the place For the saints then raised vp 1. Thes 4 16 and 17. shall togither with the godlie which then perhaps shall remaine aliue be caught vp to méet with that high King our Lord IESVS CHRIST in the aire Who vndoubtedlie as we haue alreadie confessed shall come to iudge the quicke and the dead as wée haue expresselie shewed in the article of the last iudgement Wherefore Christ will shew foorth his power generallie towards all as well good as bad not onelie in the iudgement it selfe but in the resurrection also He therefore is the first that hath
may doo without anie acknowledgement of particular sinnes either of this person or of that a commandement they haue to forgiue sinnes but not to take knowledge of them Otherwise the whole state of saluation would be made vncerteine no man should be sure of a full confession Christ saith Iohn 5. 22. that All iudgement is giuen vnto him whie then will they iudge of particular facts as to ordeine certeine yéeres and penance for particular faults and for deadlie sinne seuen yéeres penance So great account they make of their owne decrées as for the breach of them they exclude men out of the church and consequentlie from euerlasting saluation God saith in the prophet Esaie Esaie 43 verse 11. 43. I am he who doo forgiue sinnes and besides me there is none other Wherefore séeing this matter is so intricate and as it were a certeine tyrannie it is not frée to take the vse of it from such men bicause some thinke that they doo verie well if they doo make themselues subiect vnto such tyrannie 26 As concerning their argument of the lepres we saie that it is most féeble A confutation of the arguments of the aduersaries and it séemeth maruellous that at this day they claime not to them selues the knowledge of outward leprosie séeing the priests in old time had the knowledge thereof by the commandement of God But they saie that it is an allegorie and that the sinne of the mind is called leprosie But an allegoricall argument is not of strength in allegories euerie man dallieth as it séemeth best vnto him Howbeit let them knowe Heb. 7 8. 9 and 10. The priesthood translated vnto Christ that the priesthood is translated vnto Christ he is now our high priest to him therefore doo we confes our sinnes The same was a certeine ciuill action of those times it bindeth not vs in this age Christ sent them vnto the priests bicause at that time the lawe of Moses was in force Christ would not be ill reported of as though he had taken awaie the same leprosie by his miracles Much lesse doo they conclude by the other place out of the historie of Lazarus Iohn 11 44. Christ raised him vp from the dead he commanded that his graue cloths should be vndone Whom commanded he so to doo Those which stood by therefore the confession should be made to all others and not to the sacrificing priests onelie Christ raised vp Lazarus to him therefore let vs confesse our sinnes he would haue him to be loosed and least they should thinke the matter to be counterfeit he would haue him to be knowen with open face Matt. 3 6. They came vnto Iohn Baptist confessing their sinnes and no maruell bicause baptisme is an outward token of repentance In baptisme men are dipped in rise out againe the old man is laied awaie and the new man is taken to vs. They confest that they had sinned but the confession was openlie doone not whispered in the eare When there is a speaking of confession before baptisme what is this to auricular confession For the papists iudge not that men should confesse themselues before baptisme wherefore this place is impertinent Acts. 19 18. In the Acts the Ephesians came they shewed their dooings how they were beguiled by satan they brought foorth their superstitious bookes that they might be burned The bearing witnes was publike what maketh this vnto auricular confession Iam. 5 6. Iames saith Confesse your faults one to another and praie one for another that you may be preserued Two things he would first that men should powre out their infirmities into the bosome of some good men by whom they might receiue consolation counsell and helpe of praiers Further if one man had hurt another they should forgiue one another acknowledging their owne infirmitie and should not iustifie themselues So Christ teacheth in the fift chapter of Matthew Matth. 5 23. that if a man had offended the whole church he should doo in like maner If Iames had spoken of auricular confession it should behooue the priests also to confesse themselues to laie men Touching the keies Matt. 18 18 Whatsoeuer ye shall bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen we might saie that they themselues should first agrée as touching those keies and afterward let them dispute with vs. For of the keies euerie man feineth what he will some appoint them to be the keies of knowledge others of power others of iurisdiction Vnto vs they be nothing else but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers promise forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto them that repent What will they saie which confes manie of their ministers to be vnlearned who knowe not how to vse the keies rightlie What shall they doo which repaire vnto them and doubt whether they vse well the keies of knowledge Pro. 27 23. In knowing thou shalt knowe the face of thy cattell This commandement is profitable bicause it teacheth how men should order their substance after the right forme of a good house-kéeping If God haue giuen wealth let them not suffer it to perish let them vse their owne goods let them absteine from other mens And séeing these temporall goods which be granted vnto vs are so vnstable and that the crowne that is to saie the glorie of works dooth not alwaies indure there had néed some care and diligence be applied These men passe it ouer vnto priests that they should knowe the face of their flocke that is to saie that they should examine all their acts by priuie confession After what maner are these things obserued The bishops doo scarselie heare anie confessions they referre them ouer vnto the order of begging friers while they in the meane time will be pastors and enioie the wealth They heare no confessions naie rather they hire verie abiect men to heare them for a péece of bread wherefore they giue an ill interpretation Further they doo not obserue things according to their owne interpretation In the 28. chapter of the Prouerbes it is written He that hideth his sinnes verse 13. shall not prosper in the land but who so acknowledgeth them and forsaketh them he shall obteine mercie According to the interpretation of these men that confession should haue béene in the old testament for if they will prooue such a confession by these places of necessitie the same must haue béene at that time But it is spoken of that confession whereby we confesse our sinnes before God and desire pardon the which in that place is promised 27 They said that in the church there hath béene a continuall vse of confession The antiquitie of confession confuted whereby they concluded that the same sproong frō Christ This is false In ancient time there was a kind of confession in the church but the same was the confession of wicked men it perteined nothing vnto this kind It was lawfull for the bishops to receiue the penitent persons and
but by their owne lustes They regarded their owne affections and not the lawe of God Further they inuaded kingdomes being stirred vp by their owne lustes and driuen by their owne ambition not as they which felt the calling of GOD vnto a kingdome Neither did they take authoritie vppon them with a will to obay God but to satisfie their owne ambition Ier. 27. 6. This was not to reigne by God But that they were not promoted to the kingdome by the will of God that is contrarie welneare to the whole scripture For God called Nabuchad-nezar his seruant because he would vse his labour to afflict the Israelites whereas notwithstanding it might haue bin said that he reigned not by God because he fought against the Iewes for his owne pleasure sake and not of a zeale to fulfill the will of God So that the saying of Osea the Prophet is nothing against vs but that we may beléeue that the Magistrate is of God and that we ought to obay him Paul saith Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers Rom. 13. 1. The same is written to Titus Tit. 3. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. 1. Tim. 2. 2. And in the first Epistle of Peter the 2. Chapter And Paul to Timothie addeth That we should praie for them But the Papistes and they which will be called Ecclesiasticall men will not giue eare hereunto That the ministers of the Church are not exempted from the ordinarie power Rom. 13. 1. Ib. ver 2. Looke the 3. Chapter of this booke Act. 6. Chrysost For they cry that they are exempted from publike and ordinarie powers whereas yet the Apostle vsed no exception when he said Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers Againe He which resisteth the power resisteth the ordinance of God Yea and Chysostome also vppon that place saith that the Apostles Prophets Euangelistes and Moonkes are comprehended vnder that Lawe And Chrysostome wrote these thinges of Ecclesiasticall persons whenas neuerthelesse he himselfe was Byshop of Constantinople and we had then Christian Emperours 7 But it is a worlde to heare the arguments which these false ecclesiastical mē vse In the Extrauagants De Maioritate Obedientia in the Chapter Vnam Sanctam Bonifacius the eight whom they write to haue entred in as a Fox raigned like a Lyon and dyed like a dog saith that there be two swordes in the Church And least he should séeme to speake it rashlie he citeth these wordes out of the 22. Verse 35. Chapter of Luke When I sent you without bagge or scrippe did ye at anie time want anie thing They saide vnto him No. Christ added But now I saie vnto you let euerie man take his scrippe and wallet and he which hath none let him sell his coate and buye a sworde They saide vnto him behold heere are two swordes Christ answered it is sufficient The trifeling which the false ecclesiasticall men make about their double sword Looke before pl. 3. Art 6. Boniface saith Two swordes are sufficient for the Church namelie the spirituall sword and the temporall Wherefore they which saie that Peter had not an outward sword doe séeme not to vnderstand the wordes of Christ wherein he saide vnto Peter Put vp thy sworde into thy sheath Thy sword saith he and not an other mans For he had a sworde of his owne although he were bidden to put it vp But there must néedes bée some order kept in these swords séeing what powers so euer bee they bee ordained by God And there would be a great confusion if two swords being in the Church the one should not be gouerned by the other So then the Temporall sworde ought to bée gouerned by the spirituall And to make this Argument more plaine The Church saith he hath two swordes but it vseth not them after one and the selfesame manner For it exerciseth the spirituall sworde but the temporall sworde ought to be drawen onelie at the becke sufferance of the Church This is so obscure that it may in a manner séeme to be a riddle Howbeit this is his meaning The Emperors sword subiected to the Pope that the sworde of the Emperour ought to be drawen onelie at the will and pleasure of the Pope That when he commandeth he must strike and by sufferance that is he must goe foreward in striking so long as he listeth and will suffer it These things therefore must be in order and the order is that the temporall sworde be reduced vnto God by the spirituall For as saith that Dionysius The supposed Dionysius Areopagita who is thought to be the Areopagite wheras he is another All inferiour things are referred to the chéefest but yet by a meane Wherefore saith he the temporall sworde must be drawen at the Popes becke that so it may be referred vnto God Thus we sée it to be doone at this day For so often as the most holie father doth hold vp his finger to make war against the Lutherans he wil haue the Emperor foorthwith to obay And if any prince will not with competent submission obay him straight way legates are sent vp downe that all other Kinges and Princes should bend themselues to his becke and to vex and withstande him that will not obaie him 8 Boniface addeth moreouer The Pope preferreth himselfe aboue all Kings and Princes that he himselfe is aboue all Kings and Princes For principallitie is to be estéemed according to the dignitie of the things which be exercised by it We saith he exercise spiritual things and they temporall their sword therefore is inferior to ours and they vnto vs. He addeth also an other reason They pay vnto vs tenthes but tenthes are paide by the inferior vnto the superior wherefore séeing kings and Princes pay tenthes they testifie that their lands and reuenewes belong to the Church and that they are subiect vnto it Besides this he which blesseth is greater thā he which is blessed but Byshops consecrate annoint Kings The Glosse addeth that of Kings onely the right shoulder is annointed but Byshops haue their heads annointed Kings are annointed with Oyle but Byshops with Chresme So then wée must néedes confesse that Kings are inferiour to Byshops Furthermore Kings receiue their crowne and scepter of Byshops For who saith he inuested Saul 1. Sam. 10. 1. 1. Sam. 16. 1. 2. kings 9. 1. Reasons why the Pope will not be iudged or gouerned of any man Mat. 16. 19 Ier. 1. 10. and who Dauid but Samuel Who annointed Iehu but a Prophet sent by Helizeus The thing also which is exercised by Byshops is greater than that whereabout Kings are occupied For Christ saide vnto Peter Whatsoeuer thou shalt binde in earth shal be bound in heauen This power is greater than all humane power And God saide vnto Ieremie I will set thee ouer nations and kingdomes that thou maist roote out destroy scatter and plant therefore wee are greater than all the power of Kings
doe vse his key and doe beléeue The holy Ghost is author of both for neither doe men preach well nor yet beléeue rightly vnlesse he doe assist them Yea and in trueth when Christ himselfe preached heauen was not opened vnto all men by his preaching neyther were sinnes forgiuen vnto all men but to those onely which vsed his key and beleeued Wee confesse in déede that the worde of God of whom soeuer it be spoken is all one as if it were spoken out of the mouth of GOD howbeit this maketh not but that all men haue the keyes Yea and it is said as touching the beléeuers and hearers Iohn 1. 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God And neither is the key of vsing the worde of God onely giuen vnto Masse Priests but to the whole Church Now then it is the holy Ghost that giueth the keyes and all that beléeue haue the spirit of Christ otherwise they should be none of his wherefore they all haue the keyes But yet must not all as touching the outwarde function preache and administer the Sacraments but Paul woulde haue all things to bee doone in order Therefore are some of the learneder better sort chosen which deale in place of the whole Church they be called Ministers of the Church For if we would all preach together it would be like a noise of Frogges Howbeit euery priuate man hath keyes with his neighbour and may deale with him by the worde of God and if he shall discouer vnto him his sinne he may comfort admonish and exhort him by the worde of God which worde of GOD if he beléeue his sinnes be forgiuen him and heauen is opened but if he beléeue not his sinnes are retained and he is bounde And thus much of the keyes Blessed bée God which hath giuen such power to men An Oration or Sermon out of the 2. Chapter of Malachie of the profit and worthinesse of the holy Ministerie WHen it was thought méete good people and deare brethren in Iesus Christ that in this distribution of monie somewhat should be said for the perswading and comforting of you that euen as the outward want of the bodie is somewhat relieued so your mindes might be incouraged to goe foreward in the studie of Diuinitie It was laide vppon me who albeit I want no good will to yéeld vnto honest and iust requestes yet doe I féele that those thinges doe in a manner faile wherewith I vse to exhort vnto that indeuour which is most necessarie to the Church aswell for that my witte serues me not readilie to inuent as because I haue both here and in the schooles oftentimes spoken of this matter And that all these thinges might nothing hinder me I haue had in verie déede but small time to consider hereof not onelie in respect of the short space of time but by reason of the excéeding griefe of minde conceaued for the lamentable and vntimelie death of our most excellent king The vntimelie death of King Edward the 6. Howbeit that I neglect not in this duetie those thinges which God would minister vnto vs I will in fewe wordes set forth vnto you that which the text dooth offer I beséech Christ that those thinges which I shall speake to his glorie your profit may reape such fruite as I desire whereof I shall be in great hope if you willinglie and diligentlie giue héede vnto me I sée déere brethren that the chiefest cause why manie are called back from the studie of the holie scriptures and from the Ministerie of the Church is because both this function at this day is accounted vnprofitable and as thinges goe at this day without estimation And therefore mans nature desiring profitable goodlie thinges flieth from the perfect knowledge of the holie scripture as a thing barren and vnfruiteful and it also refuseth the Ministerie of the Church because there is scarcelie séene in it anie authoritie anie honour or excellencie Wherfore since herein consists the whole summe of this matter I thinke it good to set forth two thinges vnto you First that there are singular commodities and great honour in the holie function Secondlie that the despising and contemning of the Ministers procéedeth of farre other causes than from their nature and propertie the which if Ministers would take héede of both they should be happie and without doubt be had in great honor and estimation These thinges if I shall make plaine especiallie by the authoritie of the word of God there shall be no more cause but that you may desire with a glad and chéerefull minde to enter into this office whereunto you be called Albeit there are in the holie scriptures manie thinges which doe much serue to this purpose yet will I at this time take in hand to interprete a péece of the 2. Chapter of the Prophet Malachie Mal. 2 4. And ye shall know that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you that my couenant which I haue made with Leui might stand saith the Lord of hostes My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked with me in peace and equitie and he turned manie from their vnrighteousnesse For the Priestes lippes shal keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassadour of the Lord of hostes But ye haue gone out of the way ye haue caused manie to fall in the lawe ye haue made voide the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes Therefore haue I also made you despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the lawe To the Priestes dooth the Lord say that his purpose was euen from the beginning that the couenant betwéene him and Leui that is the order of Priesthood should be established The fruite and profite of the ministerie And séeing in a manner in the first wordes are comprehended whatsoeuer fruit and commoditie there is in the priesthood I beséech you that ye will diligentlie consider of those wordes with me The couenant saith he with him was of life and peace and I gaue him those thinges c. Here first of all would I vnderstand of you what as the last and chiefe end should be desired I knowe you will say that felicitie is to be wished for But the same vnlesse I be greatlie deceaued consistes in two thinges First that there be no want of anie honest good thing which may serue to adorne and make vs perfect For our minde is neuer pacified nor yet is it euer at rest vnlesse it haue attained to a ful measure of all good thinges And this dooth God now comprehend vnder the name of peace Hereof it comes that the Hebrewes when they salute anie bodie doe say Schalomlac Peace be vnto thee Euen as they
and grant their bodie and outward parts vnto the diuell 38 Forsomuch as by the parts of the distinctions before put we haue spoken sufficientlie as concerning the dwelling togither of priuate men with infidels now remaineth to treat of princes and magistrates A distinction of powers and they are either principall as they which depend of no other nor haue superiour powers aboue them or else they be inferiour officers which lawfullie of right are subiect vnto superiour potentates as it were by fealtie or for bicause they are their deputies or ministers that is officials or vicars as commonlie they be called Let vs first therefore speake of such as be absolute and méere higher powers searching whether they in their dominions may suffer the faithfull to be conuersant with infidels I thinke it be lawfull so that there be certeine conditions or cautions put For when as the Romane Empire receiued christianitie euerie one which liued vnder the same Empire did not straitwaie beléeue who yet were suffered to liue and dwell peaceablie Yea in the time of Ambrose Symmachus who was a stranger from Christ was so hardie to craue of the emperors that the rites of the Ethniks might be restored which was not granted vnto him And now when as kingdoms and dominions haue admitted the preaching of the Gospell there be still manie suffered which are woonderfullie affected toward the Pope and his wickednesse bicause they cannot without great perturbation of the state be separated from them which are of the Gospell So that the princes are forced to suffer such conuersation Neither is that to be ascribed a fault in them if that they depart not from these iust cautions The first whereof is The first caution that they constraine not the faithfull to anie vngodlie worshippings for then should they not execute the office of the ministers of God but rather of the diuell and of antichrist they should be a terror to good works and not vnto euill neither should they set forward the worke of God but the tyrannie of Sathan The second caution Secondlie let them beware that they permit not vnto the infidels wicked rites and vngodlie ceremonies in their dominions Of this crime was Salomon guiltie not that he compelled the Iewes to worship idols 1. Kin. 11 7 but bicause to his wiues and concubines which were strangers he permitted temples in Iurie wherein they might worship Astaroth and Chamos and other strange gods But how gréeuouslie God was offended with him the holie historie declareth He was iustlie punished by the lawe of like for like Ibidem 11. that euen as he had made diuision of the seruice of God giuing part therof vnto God and part vnto idols so was his kingdome diuided wherof a part was granted vnto his sonne and a part was giuen to Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat And his fault spred abroad vnto his posteritie for Achas Manasses and manie other vngodlie kings had wicked detestable worshippings at Ierusalem for the which they were by the prophets gréeuouslie and sharplie reprooued And vndoubtedlie a magistrate cannot but be blamed when he worshippeth idolatrie séeing he beareth the sword to reuenge wicked acts Wherefore we must determine A Magistrate must punish idolatrie either that idolatrie is no sinne or else that it ought to be punished by the magistrate as well as other sinnes be 39 Augustine manie times dooth verie well intreate of that place of Dauid Augustine Psal 2 10. Be wise now therefore ô ye kings be learned ye that be iudges of the earth serue the Lord in feare c. It is méete saith he that euen kings doo serue the Lord. Neither speaketh Dauid of them How and in what respect kings ought to serue God in that respect that they be men for so are they bound as well as others to obserue common lawes In that therefore that they be kings surelie they be warned to vse the power and swoord giuen them by God to defend the veritie of the true faith and to represse the vngodlie that the Catholike truth and church of God so farre as their dominions extend be not assailed So that it is not lawfull for princes to grant vnpure worshippings vnto the vngodlie naie rather it is their part speciallie to be earnest in setting foorth of sound doctrine ceremonies and rites which agrée with the word of God And yet neuerthelesse to speake thereof by the waie I thinke not that we should too much contend that rites and ceremonies may be all alike and obserued euerie where after one maner But this must be regarded that they be not repugnant vnto the word of God but that they approch therevnto as nigh as is possible that they tend as much as may be to edifieng and to the promoting of decencie and order Of standing sitting or kneeling at the communion For otherwise it maketh no matter whether we receiue the sacrament of the Lords supper standing or sitting or knéeling so that the institution of the Lord be kept and occasion of superstition be cut off Neither is it anie matter when the brethren be communicating whether one certeine place of the holie scripture be recited or whether psalmes and thankes-giuing be soong of the people Yea and I thinke that this varietie of rites How profit is had by the varietie of rites dooth not a little further to the obteining of a true opinion concerning ceremonies namelie that all men may vnderstand that those ceremonies which are not set foorth in the holie scriptures are not necessarie to saluation but may be changed for edification sake as time shall serue And Augustine to Ianuarius and Cassulanus was of this opinion Augustine The third condition or caution that must be regarded is The third caution that princes take héed that those infidels whom they suffer in their dominions be continuallie with diligence instructed and not neglect them as commonlie the maner is in things perteining vnto godlinesse Otherwise we are not to looke that the patience wherwith the prince suffereth them can set foorth the glorie of God if they may be suffered continuallie without teaching to abide in their vngodlie opinion for in processe of time they become not the better on whit but a great deale the worse The fourth caution Furthermore princes must beware that those sort infect not the people committed to their charge with the corruption of infidelitie and errors by meanes of the mutuall conuersation betwéene them The fift caution And finallie when they be well instructed and taught they must compell them to the sound and pure worshipping which the holie scripture hath appointed For the magistrate may not suffer his subiects to liue without the exercises of godlines The end of ciuill gouernment for the end of ciuill gouernment is that the citizens should liue vertuouslie and happilie And who séeth not that godlines and worshipping of God is of all other vertues the
perfect reason 39 Now let vs sée How the affects may be gouerned how those affects may be ruled and corrected The first waie is ciuill to wit through morall vertues For those doo reduce them to a mediocritie and those would suffice if we should onelie haue respect vnto the present life But in truth before God they are not sufficient neither dooth this ciuill iustice suffice before his tribunall seate And therefore another rule is yet necessarie namelie the rule of the diuine scriptures the which doo profit nothing at all vnlesse they be apprehended by faith This rule bringeth two maner of commodities with it The first is that that which is wanting vnto true righteousnes considering the morall state wherein we be is not imputed to vs and that the whole fulfilling is ascribed to vs out of Christ his fulnesse Besides this there is giuen vnto vs greater strength to withstand lusts And finallie by faith the verie actions of vertues good affects are altogither referred to God which without faith cannot be doone And therefore in men which are estranged from Christ those moderate affects how gorgious soeuer they were are sinnes not that they be so in their owne nature but they so become through our naturall corruption For we be euen as fustie vessels the which doo corrupt the wine though it be good that is powred into vs. And therefore sith God is the author of all creatures and that he made nothing but is good and made no bare substances and such as are furnished with no kind of helps but gaue vnto euerie one a pronesse and inclination vnto those things which be holsome and profitable it followeth that not onelie natures and substances be good but also the affects which are by God ingraffed in them Albeit that in those which be wicked men they drawe vnto them these two euils which otherwise of themselues are good First by reason of originall sinne nature is so corrupted and weakened that good affects are not of such efficacie as they ought to be Secondlie they are not directed vnto God as it behooueth that they should be but rather to the imbracing of pleasures and earthlie delectations Foure degrees of men Wherby we may perceiue there are foure degrées of men The first are the basest who be neither indued with morall vertues nor yet with godlinesse in these we may perceiue all things to be fraught with perturbations and disorder Secondlie there be others as yet aliens from godlinesse howbeit ciuill men who by a certeine kind of habit haue after a sort reuoked their affections to a mediocritie The third sort are beléeuers in Christ who notwithstanding they are not without sin no more than are other mortall men yet is not their sinne imputed vnto them In the fourth last place must those be put which either were made by God at the beginning or else are loosed from hence and be now with Christ They indéed haue no corrupt affections neither on the second nor yet on the third cause but they haue them altogither good absolute and perfect Howbeit in nature there be not anie affects so corrupt and so vicious but in them may be séene somwhat that is good In all affects there is som good thing For in all of them there dooth appéere some part of the institution of God For that same first beginning or as I may so saie the facultie strength of these qualities had his originall from God but the confusednesse either of imperfection or of deformednesse which commeth by reason of sinne hath corrupted the same Neither doo those euill affects hurt alone the grosser parts of the soule Ill affects hurt the will and reason but they also hurt the will and reason For so did God fasten and bind togither those powers of the mind as they might serue one another namelie that the affects should obeie reason and that reason should rule and gouerne the affects and temper the motions of the hart Howbeit it fareth otherwise and so great a féeblenesse there is of the will as being compared with the affects it may séeme to be euen a fearefull child sitting vpon a verie fierce horsse Wherefore the morall philosophers haue prefixed to themselues this end namelie to qualifie the affections by vertues and to strengthen reason being weake In what parts of the mind be the affects 40 But which be the parts of the mind that being instructed by vehement affects doo disturbe reason and make it féeble Plato declared who in the chéefe place appointed * The part that ruleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in the inferiour place * The lusting part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and * The wrath full part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So that in these latter parts of the mind are placed the affects And these powers of the mind as it was said before he iudged to be in the head in the liuer and in the hart But Aristotle for the generall word tooke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which he diuided into thrée parts to wit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Gréedie desire Affectation or Couetousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Anger or Vehemencie of the mind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Will. Which parts bicause they are apparant of themselues there is no néed to expound them anie further Yet this neuerthelesse will I adde that according to right order the inferiour appetites ought to be mooued gouerned and ruled by that same superiour which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit Will euen as the vppermost sphere doth guide the lower as Aristotle writeth in his 3. booke De anima And thus doubtlesse the case standeth the inferiour powers when they be stirred vp and compell vs to the dooing of anie thing are gouerned by the cogitation and the cogitation by reason Yea and euerie man hath experience in himselfe that when anie naturall reason is applied the disturbed affections are set in quiet euen as the winds are feined to be suppressed by Aeolus Wherefore in man the affects are obedient vnto the will it selfe whereas in brute beasts action immediatelie followeth vpon the motion of the affects But our affections do perpetuallie expect the commandement of the will vnlesse that some impediment doo oppose it selfe as in children and in mad men we sée it falleth out Here perhaps thou wilt saie Doo we not sée Whether the affects be mooued against the will that in those which are incontinent the affects are mooued euen against the will We answer that indéed they rebell against the will but that as touching the motion and actions they bring nothing to passe vnlesse that the will doo command them Indéed the affections doo resist the will and trouble it and finallie ouercome it and lead it awaie to their owne opinion which will when it shall haue giuen hir assent and shall haue ouerruled the matter actions doo followe not as it decréed at the beginning
reioiser in euill things Neither must we omit that euerie enuious man is a reioiser in euill things for he delighteth in the aduersitie of his equals Yet must not both these be accounted for one and the selfe same vice séeing they apperteine to contrarie motions of the mind For enuie is a gréefe or sadnesse whereas he that reioiseth in euill things is affected with delight Otherwise these vices although they be diuers yet are they so linked togither as there can be no enuious man which is not mooued with a gladnesse of other mens harmes And héereby it euidentlie appéereth that enuie is méere repugnant vnto mercie séeing mercie sorroweth for an other mans miserie but an enuious man reioiseth for the same by reason of the delight wherewith he is affected to other mens harme This motion of the mind is in him also that is vexed or angred at the prosperitie of the wicked for he that becommeth sad for the prosperitie of the wicked the verie same man taketh pleasure when he perceiueth them to be suppressed and in trouble Of Emulation Of emulation 55 After this we are to speake of Emulation that is to wit the greefe of mind which we run into for other mens goods which we our selues want when as those things may become vs and we be able to obteine them We desire not by this motion of the mind to haue other despoiled of those ornaments that they haue but it gréeueth vs that we our selues be destitute of them and it cōmeth of a good nature thus to be affected Emulation is reckoned among laudable affects Wherefore emulation is reckoned among commendable affections Cicero in his Tusculane questions defineth that héerof commeth a gréefe of mind when an other man inioieth the good which we our selues desire The same author obserued that emulation is otherwhile so taken as it differeth nothing from enuieng and therefore is sometimes reprooued But if we vnderstand it in such sort as we haue said it is a commendable affect bicause it maketh men the better for it is accustomed to ingender the imitation of good things We must take heed that emulation degenerate not into enuie But we must take héed of that which indéed we are prone vnto namelie that it degenerate not into hatred and that emulation haue no such scope as we should desire to despoile men which be fortunate honourable and honest of their ornaments and good things And for this cause Cicero said Cicero that that emulation is praise-woorthie which is not like vnto the emulation that is in wooing séeing this is the propertie of wooers that they would so enioy their pleasures as they may vtterlie exclude others These cautions being had emulation is both good and godlie Wherefore Paule exhorted the Corinthians that they should striue to excell one an other in charitie 1. Cor. 1 31. and in the better sort of graces This affection is most occupied about vertues and about all such things as are had in honour and admiration for what soeuer thing a man contemneth and despiseth he dooth not emulate Emulation hath hope ioined with it Emulation hath ioined with it a perpetuall hope of obteining that which it desireth for if a man despaire it is not possible for him to emulate And so much of these affects Of Reuenge 56 Reuenge is of two sorts one publike In Gen. 42 verse 7. Looke part 4 chap. 15. art 16. and an other priuate And as for publike which ought to be exercised by the magistrate so far is it off from prohibiting therof as God commandeth the same warning alwaies the magistrates that they should execute iustice and iudgement and not suffer wickednesse to escape vnpunished It is lawfull to repell violence by violence But it is not lawfull for priuate men to reuenge vnlesse it be according to the prouerbe To repell violence by violence This is not prohibited them when the magistrate cannot helpe them For somtime the case happeneth so vpon the sudden as a man cannot straitwaie flie to the helpe of the publike power Wherefore we may then defend our selues vsing neuerthelesse great moderation to wit that we onelie indeuour to defend our selues and them that be committed vnto vs not wishing with a mind of reuenge to hurt our aduersaries in such sort as that action may procéed not of hatred but of charitie Yet neuerthelesse publike reuenge as we haue said is commanded by God By the which precept not onelie magistrates are bound but the guiltie also are bound that they should with a patient mind beare the correction and punishment that is laid vpon them by the superiour power for the crime which they haue committed Which if they doo let them vnderstand that it belongeth vnto the commendation of iustice But doo not thou obiect vnto me the saieng of Aristotle in his Rhetoriks that according to other vertues it is honest and laudable not onlie to doo but also to suffer And he onelie excepteth iustice for he saith They which are punished and doo suffer iustlie must rather be dispraised than praised For that which he héere saith is true if thou respect the cause for the which they be punished that without doubt is not praise-worthie sith they are punished for offenses Yet on the other side if thou respect his mind in suffering which for a publike commoditie and for other mens instruction bicause of the commandement of God that he may obeie him and in detestation of the wickednesse committed dooth willinglie submit him selfe to the lawes which are decréed it must not be denied but that such a one dooth iustlie and is to be praised in such a stedfastnesse iust determination of his mind But yet the praier of Samson may séeme at the first sight not to be verie godlie Iud. 16 28. Whether the praier of Samson in the 16. of Iudges were good or ill for he praieth that it might be granted him to take reuenge vpon his enimies bicause they put out both his eies In verie truth if he had ment to fulfill his wrath we might not iustlie allow of his praier for he should no more haue béene allowed of God than if he had said expreslie I beséech thée Lord to prosper either my theft or my adulterie Augustine saith that Samson did these things not of his owne accord but by the drift and counsell of the holie Ghost Besides we must not thinke of Samson as of a priuate man but as of a magistrate whom God himselfe had appointed And surelie it was not lawfull for him as a priuate man to reuenge iniuries but as a magistrate both he might and should doo it If we speake of a priuate cause that must be of force Rom. 12 19. which Paule said Giue place vnto wrath vengeance is mine and I will repaie saith the Lord. But in a publike cause the magistrate by the commandement and authoritie of GOD must reuenge the iniurie doone vnto him for he is
expoundeth of those which vow vnto God certeine sharpe and hard things which serue to the subduing of the flesh change not that which they haue promised But the sentence me thinketh séemeth more plaine if it be largelie taken namelie of an oth that is hurtfull vnto vs which a good and godlie man will not breake or change Ierom. Ierom also vpon Ezechiel the 17. chapter is of this opinion For there the Lord saith that he was verie angrie with Zedechias verse 15. bicause he brake the oth which he had made with Nabuchadnezar king of Babylon For though the Iewes counted him as an enimie yet as Ierom declareth he was now a friend when he had by oth promised his faith vnto Zedechias Séeing it belongeth vnto friends one to be faithfull vnto another so as euill guile ought not there to haue béene vsed Augustine And Augustine in the 32. cause question the first the chapter Noli existimare writing vnto Bonifacius admonished him to kéepe faith euen with his enimie Ambrose Ambrose also in the 22. cause question the fourth the chapter Innocens dooth so aduise And the same sentence he hath in his booke De officijs where he bringeth the example of Iosua Iosua 9 4. towards the Gabaonites who notwithstanding that he ought to haue made the oth void and of no force yet by the consent of God he caused it to be kept and ratified Neither suffered he the Gabaonites to be slaine whom neuerthelesse he punished bicause of the guile which they vsed But if an oth be giuen for fulfilling of an vniust or vngodlie thing An oth giuen for an vniust cause must be cut off it must wholie be made frustrate bicause an oth ought not to be a bond of iniquitie Neither is it necessarie therevnto that anie man should come before a iudge to be absolued of this kind of oth Which I therefore speake bicause the Pope claimeth this right to himselfe namelie to release such kind of oths and as they commonlie saie to dispense with them As it appéereth in the 15. cause question the sixt where Nicholas absolueth the bishop of Triers The Pope cutteth off oths both lawfull and vnlawfull And his pride and arrogancie hath now at length brought his lawe and power to that passe that he not onelie breaketh vnlawfull oths but also abrogateth iust and lawfull oths when it séemeth good to himselfe So Pope Zacharie loosed the French men from their oth wherein they were bound vnto their king and he deposed the king from his kingdome and placed Pipin in his stéed But this is not to be maruelled at A prouerbe in the court of Rome séeing it is commonlie said at this daie in the Court of Rome that It is not méet for kings and great personages but for merchants to kéepe their oths 19 So then if there be an oth made guile must not be vsed vnlesse perhaps the one partie to whom the oth is made shall first depart from couenants and conditions for then the common saieng must take place He that breaketh faith let faith also be broken with him Wherefore Ierom to Nepotianus Ierom. commendeth the saieng of Domitius the Orator vnto Philip Séeing thou accountest not me for a Senator I also doo not take thée for a Consul But hereof we haue testimonies also in holie scriptures For Paule in the first to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter as touching faith giuen in matrimonie writeth that If an infidell depart verse 15. let him depart a brother or a sister is not in subiection vnto such but God hath called vs in peace And those things which are alledged of an oth I vnderstand them to be of like force in promises and couenants In which promises and couenants I affirme that iust and godlie men ought both to vse simple and plaine words A sophisticall act of the Thracians and also to liue with a good conscience The Thracians therfore are iustlie and woorthilie condemned who after truce had béene made to continue for the space of thirtie daies robbed spoiled by night excusing their act in that that their truce was made for the daie and not for the night Neither did the legat of the Romans plainlie A guile of the Romane legat against Antiochus but subtilie with Antiochus who hauing decréed that she one halfe of the ships should be giuen vnto the Romans and the other halfe vnto the king commanded them all in verie déed to be diuided and cut in sunder But he did it to the end the king might be vtterlie destitute of a nauie for the warres Therefore whatsoeuer a godlie man will promise he ought déeplie to weigh with him selfe before hand whether he be able to stand to his words and promises Ierom. Wherefore Ierom hath written vnto Celantia Whatsoeuer thou speakest thinke that thou hast sworne it 20 As touching the end of the question there remaine certeine doubts to be examined that the thing maie be the more manifest First if a man promise armor and succour to anie man for the space of thrée or foure yéeres and in the meane time hée becommeth a traitour to his countrie and maketh warre against it whether in this case he ought to performe his faith or else by euill guile to breake it I answer that neither in this case nor in the like is faith to be kept séeing as it is euident a mischéeuous act happeneth in the meane time which with a safe conscience we may not aid And in verie déed neither euill guile or periurie is here committed For he which hath sworne is not changed but he is changed An oth dissolueth not former bonds to whom the oth was made For oths can plucke away or diminish nothing of those bonds which went before Séeing then euerie man is bound to the word of God and to the preseruation of his countrie before he take any oth that which afterward is sworne must be vnderstood conditionallie that if the first bonds be kept vnuiolate The same also must take place in vowes that be vowed For although a man vow sole life yet forsomuch as he was before bound to the word of God wherein it is said that It is better to marrie 1. Cor. 7 9. than to burne and They which cannot keepe themselues chast let them marrie he dooth not take awaie the first bond for the vow which followeth Wherefore if he can not kéepe himselfe chast or if he burne he ought by the commandement of GOD to marrie Neither can any oth or vow that happeneth herein take awaie the power and force of the commandement of God Whether faith must be kept with Heretiks 21 Another doubt commeth to my remembrance touching those princes which haue giuen their publike faith and safe conduct vnto heretikes for their comming vnto Councelles or to conferences whether they ought to stand to their promises or else violating their oth to kéepe still the
euerie one of vs slip yet no man ought to saie that he hath slipped when he hath not We ought all to confesse our selues to be sinners but none ought to ascribe vnto himselfe anie sinne by name which he hath not committed I saie therefore that those spéeches which I haue made mention of if they be throughlie weighed they be true For some be vttered after that sort bicause absolutelie they be so some for that they be extolled by an excessiue spéech some bicause they be compared with an other thing by contention In what respect Paule calleth himselfe the principall sinner Paule calleth himselfe the principall sinner either bicause he was the first that came vnto Christ among those that persecuted the church of GOD or bicause he iudged himselfe in verie déed to be chéefe and greatest of the sinners Not as if there had béene no man that had sinned more heinouslie for there were such as had sinned against the holie Ghost there were those which had sinned without anie repentance but bicause that among all them which were redéemed by Christ and had obteined the mercie of God he thought himselfe to haue sinned most gréeuouslie For some had sinned of infirmitie some of plaine error and incredulitie some had procéeded so farre as they crucified Christ who neuerthelesse were afterward by the preaching of the word of God called home vnto repentance Acts. 3 17. Therefore saith Peter in the Acts I knowe brethren that ye did it by ignorance euen as did your rulers But Paule had no recourse vnto the sermons of the apostles there was néed of greater bonds for the drawing of him vnto Christ Wherevpon Christ spake thus vnto him from heauen Acts. 9 4. Saule Saule whie persecutest thou me With these men therefore he compareth himselfe and of these he saith he is the principall And so Chrysostome vpon this place saith that These words be against other words of his in the epistle to the Philippians Phil. 3 6. For there he saith that he was conuersant in the Iewish religion without crime and without complaint But these things saith he are nothing repugnant For euen they themselues which had performed the righteousnesse of the lawe yet were they sinners neuerthelesse And although Paule spake those things modestlie of himselfe yet did he not ascribe an vntruth vnto himselfe For notwithstanding he granteth himselfe to haue béene a persecuter and a blasphemer yet he saith not that he was an adulterer or a fornicatour or a théefe séeing these things should not haue béene true The things obiected out of the Prouerbs touching Agur the prophet How Agur had no wisdome were true by waie of comparing them vnto those things whereof a demand was made He saith that he had no wisdome not in respect that the wisdome which he had was no wisdome but bicause the same being compared vnto so great matters might séeme to be none So Socrates was woont to saie This onlie I knowe that I knowe nothing bicause that knowledge which he had would be nothing in comparison of the multitude of those things that he knew not Psal 22 6. So Christ called himselfe a woorme and a reproch of the people bicause men so accompted of him by reason of his afflictions and crosse Also in speaking there hapneth somtime an excessiue or hyperbolicall spéech such indéed as is not ioined with a a lie but which may serue for the better setting foorth of the matter VVhether faith must be kept toward him that breaketh his promise 42 In the beginning of the ninth chapter of the second booke of Samuel Dauid demandeth Whether it were lawfull to doo good for Ionathans sake Is there anie man left aliue of the familie of Saule to whom I may doo good for Ionathans sake When he speaketh of Ionathan he excludeth not God naie rather that which he did for Ionathans sake he did chéefelie for God and godlinesse sake So God saith that he would doo well to the people of the Iews for the couenant which he had made with Abraham yet dooth he not exclude his owne goodnesse Naie rather he chéefelie includeth the same therein séeing that couenant procéeded of the méere goodnesse and mercie of God But thou wilt demand whie Dauid saith that he will doo good vnto anie of the house of Saule for Ionathans sake and not for Saules owne sake For in the 24. chapter of the first booke of Samuel what time as he had cut off the skirt of Saules cloke verse 22 and 23 he being inforced by Saule to sweare promised that he would not root out his séed Whereby he was bound not onelie vnto Ionathan but also vnto Saule Some answer that Dauid was now discharged of his oth bicause Saule kept not promise with him but had doone him excéeding great wrong For he that breaketh his faith saie they let faith be broken with him And Cicero in his third booke of Offices citeth a verse out of Accius an old Poet Hast thou broken thy faith Atreus whom he bringeth in to speake answereth Neither haue I giuen neither doo I giue my faith to anie faithlesse person But this is no sure rule at all times For if one be wicked and false of promise yet oughtest not thou for that cause to shrinke from thy promises séeing God dooth oftentimes kéepe promise euen with vs that doo euill He promised that he would continue the kingdome or else some great honour in the familie of Dauid euen vnto Messias He promised that he would giue a sonne which should redéeme mankind Men vndoubtedlie were euill vnfaithfull and vnworthie to haue the promises kept with them yet did he performe these things to them according to his excellent faithfulnes Some answer on this wise that faith in déed must be kept with an euill and vnfaithfull man if he be vnfaithfull towards other so he be no such towards vs or else if he doo hurt vs so it be not in the selfe same thing wherein it was agréed vpon betwéene vs. Naie rather if he faile euen in the verie same thing which is agréed vpon yet must we kéepe promise if by that meanes neither his naughtinesse be increased nor a greater power to doo hurt be giuen vnto him We be therefore loosed of our promise if the thing cannot be which we haue promised or else if it should fall out ill vnto himselfe to whom the promise is made as if thou deliuer a sword vnto a furious man which thou didst promise vnto a man of sobrietie or if he wax woorse and woorse as though through thy patience he meaneth to reape a benefit of his vnfaithfulnesse or else if thou shalt promise such a thing as is against the word of God or the profit of the Church or Common-weale Therfore it is written in the 22. cause question second In euill promises breake thy faith But most of all we be at libertie of our promise if we being circumuented by anie fraud
be obserued of men by naturall strength and ablenesse But these men doo right well declare that they neuer exactlie considered in the scriptures what are the offices of the lawe for if they had pondered them they would neuer iudge it vnprofitable although it cannot fullie be obserued of vs. The first part or office thereof as Paule teacheth is to shew sinne for By the lawe is the knowledge of sinne Againe it prouoketh the wrath of God Ibid. 4 13. for The lawe worketh wrath Moreouer it augmenteth the hainousnes of sinne Ibid. 5 20. for The lawe entered in that sinne should abound It bringeth also a curse for Gala. 3 10. As manie as are vnder the lawe are vnder the curse But to what end are these things That it might be as it were our schoolemaister vnto Christ Ibidem 24. For they which acknowledge their sinnes doo sée that the wrath of God hangeth ouer them and féele that their sinnes doo dailie increase and that they continuallie more and more are vnder the curse at the length when the spirit of God shall breath vpon them they begin to long for Christ that they might by him be deliuered from so great euils And this is the schoolemaistership of the lawe vnto Christ Now séeing it is so how can the lawe séeme vnto anie man vnprofitable Further who will saie that Aristotle laboured vnprofitablie An example of Aristotle when with so great cunning he did set foorth in his bookes called Analytica posteriora the nature of a Syllogisme demonstratiue when as yet notwithstanding there are scantlie found anie reasons framed with so great cunning in anie facultie or sciences of wise men For séeing we are ignorant of the last perfectest differences of things we cannot either perfectlie define or make a perfect demonstration But yet notwithstanding Aristotle bestowed good and diligent labour for by those his most excellent rules he sheweth wherevnto at the least we should leuell if anie man will surelie and firmlie prooue anie thing Cicero also when he described vnto vs such an Oratour as there neuer hath béene or shal be yet looseth not he his labour for this at the least waie he sheweth what patterne he ought to set before him which desireth to excell in that art So hath God set foorth his lawes that men should alwaies haue an example before their eies wherevnto they should frame their life Besides this vnto men that are regenerate in Christ the lawes of God are not vtterlie impossible to be obserued The lawe of God is after a sort obserued of the godlie for séeing that they by the spirit of God haue their strength after a sort renewed and the rage of the flesh somwhat repressed they maie accomplish manie things which are gratefull and acceptable vnto GOD. Further also men not yet regenerate maie neuerthelesse as touching outward discipline after a sort applie themselues vnto the lawes of GOD. Which thing where it is exercised publike wealths flourish and the wrath of God is not so much kindled against men By ciuill discipline the scourges of the wrath of God are auoided and the punishments which God vseth sometimes to powre vpon open sinners are for a time auoided 28 And these are no small or vulgar vtilities of the lawe which they séeme to be ignorant of which make those obiections vnto vs. But they not being content with these saie further that the lawe maie be kept euen of men not yet regenerate And if a man obiect the excellencie and difficultie thereof they answer that our righteousnes if it be compared with the righteousnes of God which is on euerie side absolute and perfect or if it be applied vnto the lawe as the lawe by it selfe is considered it is no righteousnes But if our righteousnes be so compared with the lawe as God of his goodnes condescendeth vnto our infirmitie after that maner we maie obserue it and be iustified by good works It lieth in no mortall man to moderate the lawe of God But this you must knowe is a sophisticall distinction of Pighius wherby he took vpon him the authoritie to moderate the lawe of God which authoritie doubtlesse can perteine vnto no mortall men And this maie we prooue both by the lawe of man and also by the lawe of GOD for it is written in the Digests De legibus senatus consultis As touching those things which are first in a common wealth An argument taken of the Romane lawe decrées ought to be made certeine either by interpretation or by the constitution of a good Prince namelie that it be not in the hand of anie man or Iudge to mitigate the lawes at his pleasure or to transgresse them vnder the name of anie equitie For so in déed lawes should be made Lesbiaregula that is A rule of lead and all things would be confounded at euerie mans pleasure But rather this rule is therefore giuen that if the extremitie of the lawe be set foorth in anie decrée and the equitie and moderation of that extreame lawe be no where expressed the iudge ought to followe the extreame lawe and ought not to vse equitie which equitie yet he maie then followe if it be expressed in anie lawe As for example All lawes agrée that if a debtor paie not his monie at his daie and the creditour by that meanes sustaineth losse the debtor is bound to beare the losse And this they call to paie the interest or as other speake to paie the damage But bicause we find in the Digests De regulis iuris In all causes that thing is taken for a fact wherein it commeth to passe that by another mans meanes there is a staie whie it is not doone therefore if the debtor can prooue that the fault was not in him why the monie was not paid for that he had the monie and offered the same and that the creditor was in fault of non paiment although the creditor susteine neuer so much losse by forbearing his monie yet is not the debtor bound in equitie to make recompense For by written equitie it is counted for a déed when the let came by reason of another Wherefore it manifestlie appéereth that it is not in the power of a iudge or of anie other man to moderate lawes as he list himselfe And if the case be so in the Romane lawes inuented set foorth by men what shall we thinke of the lawe of God The lawe of God is infinitelie more firme than the lawe of man Gene. 9 6. For it ought infinitlie to be more firme than the lawe of man neither is it lawfull for vs to faine anie equitie therin vnles when we sée expreslie written As for example The lawe is He which shall shed mans blood his blood also shal be shed Here haue we the extremitie of the lawe which vndoubtedlie we ought alwaies to followe vnlesse in some other place equitie had taught that the same extremitie ought
oppressed Hercules After which sort the Poets haue reported that Hercules wandered through the world that by his force he might subdue wicked and cruell men which miserablie afflicted mankind Neither did the Apostles for anie other purpose trauell throughout the world but to deliuer men from the power of the diuell and by the preaching of the Gospell to loose them from the chaines of errors Christ also for the selfe-same cause would trauell and iourneie among men that by his doctrine death he might deliuer mankind from eternall destruction So as the Kenites maie be numbred among these for they also ioined themselues in the societie of the Israelites to helpe them through the desart for they hauing good knowledge of those places might be a great helpe vnto the Iewes These counsels are plainlie iudged to be good and honest for whose cause trauellings which are willinglie taken in hand are honest and praise-woorthie There may be other causes also of trauelling which as they are not alwaies to be accused so are they nothing comparable to these either in praise or in woorthines Wherefore let godlie men when they trauell into other countries haue regard as much as is possible vnto these causes which I haue now mentioned And as God disappointed not these Kenites of the fruit which they expected but made them partakers and that plentifullie of those good things which he had prepared for his people euen so séeing he is now the same God which he was then we must beléeue that he will not suffer himselfe to depart from his accustomed maner and perpetuall goodnes so that we obserue the iust causes and reasons that should mooue vs so to trauell abroad 30 But in that matter we haue néed to be verie warie and circumspect namelie that as Seneca in his 150. epistle to Lucillus Seneca What it behooueth vs to take heed of in peregrinations verie well admonished we trauell from our selues that is that we laie awaie our wicked affections bicause changing of places doth little profit if we carie about with vs the same affections which we had before Yea and it maketh most of all to the renewing of godlines that we should be strangers to our owne selues for what profit had come vnto the Kenites by the good lawes honest maners and pure religion which the Iewes professed if they would haue had their owne with them and haue abidden in the same wherein they were conuersant before So then they which doo trauell into other countries for studie godlinesse sake ought not to determine with themselues to behold cities buildings riuers fields vineyards woods plaies and maners of men for all these things although they somewhat delight the beholders as children which taking pleasure in euerie new and strange thing doo maruell thereat yet are they to little or small purpose at all The summe is that aboue all other things they studie onelie to be bettered in godlinesse and learning For if they shall but smallie regard this they shall be rather iustlie said to wander than to trauell Let them not therefore reteine with them anie longer those euils which they auoid yea and aboue all things let them wander far from the ignorance of God from the vnskilfulnesse of the holie scriptures from corrupt affections from wicked and pernicious examples This is the iust cause of trauelling which the Kenites by their example doo declare vnto vs. The Lacedemonians forbad peregrinations If the Lacedaemonians had had a regard vnto this they would not by their lawes haue forbidden trauelling But I persuade my selfe that hereto they had respect that they noted it to come to passe for the most part that their countriemen by trauelling abroad learne of strangers whom they go to sée not their vertues and wisedome but rather their vices and errors and afterward being infected with manie euils they returne into their countrie where they destroie their citizens with a certeine pestilent contagion Which certeinlie no man doubteth to be a great euill and discommoditie to the common-weale And yet we maie not therefore conclude that all trauellings are hurtfull for there can be found no citie The commoditie that commeth by peregrination no people nor anie publike weale in the world which hath not manie things vnperfect both in their maners in their lands which may be amended and corrected by the sight and knowledge of others Lycurgus which made that lawe Lycurgus profited much by trauelling into strange countries Yea and the Decemuiri of the Romans The Decemuiri of the Romans went themselues into Gréece to the end they might knowe the lawes of that people by meanes whereof they did maruellouslie prouide for their owne common-weale The seuenth Chapter Of Marriage and Sole life especiallie of Ministers IT is now a thing woorthie to be noted In Iud. 4 5. Maried folks are not contemned of God Looke in 2. Kings 4 at the beginning Esai 8 2. that maried folkes are not despised of God for of them he hath chosen some to be prophets and those verie notable For Esaie was commanded to go vnto a prophetisse which both conceiued and also brought him foorth children Ezechiel also was maried Wherefore that Syricius of Rome Eze. 24 16. and his fellowes must not be harkened vnto when they forbid the whole ministerie vnto maried folke And this reason forsooth they bring namelie bicause it is written by Paule that They which be in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8 8. and bicause in the old law it is commanded Be ye holie for I am holie and againe Leuit. 11. 44 Ye are the temple of God or of the holie Ghost But these testimonies now alledged if they might serue anie thing for their purpose then vndoubtedlie should they declare that no men which be maried can please God neither that anie may be counted holie vnlesse such as be of single life 1. Cor. 3 17. The temple also of God or of the holie Ghost should be restrained to the clergie alone But how vaine these things are all men perceiue so well that they néed none of my labor to expound them For who séeth not that the sentences now alledged are not spoken particularlie to one man or to an other but are pronounced to all the faithfull The maner of the Ethniks as touching virginitie or single life It was the maner of the Ethnikes to haue their prophetisses either virgins or else such as were of sole life as it is written of the Sibyls They also appointed certeine priesthoods vnto women but yet to virgins onelie namelie the sacrifices of Vesta and also of hir that was called Bona Dea. 2 Neither must we beléeue The maried men which were called to the holie ministerie did not leaue their wiues 1. Cor. 7 5. that those maried folks which were by God taken to the office of prophesieng or to the holie ministerie did straitwaie forsake their wiues for neither
these things ouer aboue that which he ought when as Christ himselfe gaue his life for them that be weake and for his enimies Who séeth not that we must first doo those works that be necessarie before we doo aspire to works of supererogation It were a peruerse indeuour for a man to giue more than he is bound vnto and not to yéeld those things which are of dutie greatlie required The 9. reason Deut. 4 12. I let passe that which we read in Deuteronomie God would haue nothing to be added vnto his lawe Séeing then these works as they saie be not due they were added ouer and aboue vnto the lawe The 10. reason We knowe that our actions whatsoeuer they shall be do partlie perteine vnto God and partlie vnto our neighbour and in respect of ech kind we are so bound and indebted as no man séeth himselfe able to paie Either it must be said that these works of supererogation doo neither apperteine vnto God nor yet vnto our neighbour which is most absurd or else that they doo apperteine vnto them and then all supererogation shall be vtterlie ouerthrowen In the epistle to the Philippians the 4. chapter verse 8. The 11. reason it is written As to the rest my brethren whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are woorthie of loue whatsoeuer things are of good report if there be anie vertue if there be anie praise thinke vpon these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in me these things doo and the God of peace shall be with you Let these sharpe witted men find out what can be added moreouer vnto this commandement of Paule These things the holie Ghost requireth to this end that the God of peace may be with vs. I demand of thée whether thou be able or not The 12. reason to doo anie thing beyond the lawe If thou canst not wherefore contend we We agrée verie well togither But if thou wilt saie that thou canst then saie I that thou art altogither bound by the lawe séeing the same requireth both all thy power and strength and whatsoeuer thou canst doo Neither doth it helpe thée if thou faine that these works of supererogation doo serue for the remoouing of impediments and helpe vs for the more readie seruing of God bicause I will answer that wée are bound so much as we can to take awaie those things which doo hinder in so much as we are not to account of our father and mother if they call vs backe from the obedience of God Neither is it without pride and infinite arrogancie The 13. reason to saie that thou doest more than thou art bound to doo and it is no small iniurie vnto Christ who shall be said to haue died in vaine if thou mightst be able to performe the lawe or to doo more than hath béene commanded in the same And it is a maruell how they can affirme The 14. reason that there be some good works which if we will not doo when we maie yet that we sinne nothing at all séeing it is a most gréeuous sinne not to be willing to loue God more if thou canst What else will this be than to denie God to be the chéefest good when as thou wilt not loue him so much as thou canst Will not that be euen to abuse his gift and grace To this end hath he giuen thée power to loue him more than thou dooest loue that the same should neither be in vaine nor rest idle 5 They haue vsed to saie that it may be that sometimes by reason of our infirmitie weakenesse we misse of our dutie in the commandements which be necessarie to saluation and yet that in the meane time we take in hand certeine works that be not due But I will aske them what maner of works I beséech you be these To liue looselie and sometime shamefullie and to prouide that certeine Masses may be said for them to take pilgrimages in hand to make a choise of meats and other things of like sort or else to bind himselfe by a vow of single life and to forsake his parents to rehearse euerie daie a full number of small praiers no whit reforming his life and maners and to repose a confidence in these workes as though thou shouldest by them haue saluation and excell all other men These be verelie the works of supererogation vaine I meane superfluous and to saie as the Gréeks doo 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Works and by works of which the Lord shall saie in his iudgement as we read in Esaie Who hath required these things at your hands Esaie 1 12. Esaie 55 2. Whie doo ye laie out monie and not for bread Thou séemest will they saie to persuade a certeine desperation We despaire of our owne strength but not of the mercie of God vndoubtedlie this I affirme that we despaire of our owne strength and not of the fauour grace and mercie of God whereby he giueth strength to enter into an obedience of the lawe and that he imputeth not vnto vs the sinne which we commit but maketh the righteousnesse of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ common vnto vs. 6 Now that we haue alledged reasons and that out of the scriptures against this assertion we thinke it good to set downe what may séeme méet to be determined in this disputation First of all we grant What is to be determined in this question that the obseruation of the lawe is diuers and after manie sorts among the faithfull by reason of the diuersitie of degrées for all men tread not alike in the same which ariseth through the difference of mens strength and ablenesse All men cannot doo alike euerie man hath his measure of faith distributed vnto him by God And there are found among the Christians not onelie some which doo negligentlie but those also which sometimes fall and that into most gréeuous sinnes for which they deserue to be excluded from the kingdome of heauen vnlesse they should repent which thing is alwaies granted vnto them that are predestinated vnto eternall life Wherefore there be found diuers degrées of kéeping the lawe vnto the lesser sort of which degrées they that be weake of strength doo atteine and though there be much wanting in them yet haue they saluation bicause the mercie of God through faith in Christ supplieth their want But they which be the stronger sort Although the stronger sort come to the higher degrees of obedience yet they doo not more than dutie and go forward beyond the lowest degrées doo not more than is their dutie to doo séeing they haue a greater power and abilitie Wherefore they are without all doubt bound to doo more and if they go not so farre forward as they can they sinne So that there is in a maner none to be found which is not speciallie guiltie
of this vice namelie that he dooth lesse than he ought to doo And to speake bréefelie The lawe of God considered two maner of waies the lawe of God may be considered two maner of waies either as it is giuen generallie and may be exacted of men by outward iudgement in which respect I would grant that some thing may be doone of vs besides that which in mans iudgement is exacted generallie of all men For they which be the stronger doo more than the weaker and common sort of other men vnto which things no man by externall iudgement might compell them 1. Cor. 9 15. Euen as Paule receiued no sustenance of the churches therefore he procéeded further than other teachers and pastors and for the dooing héereof he could not be compelled by anie lawe of men Againe the lawe may be considered of As touching the iudgement of God we doo nothing but that we are bound to doo according as God hath required the same of vs in his owne iudgement And then in our actions we can do nothing that we are not bound vnto for God verie well knoweth what we are able to doo séeing our strength came from him he himselfe strictlie requireth so much of vs as we are able to doo through him Which if we shall not performe we are by his iudgement accounted guiltie the which thing men cannot iudge who knowe not how much we are able to doo So then that our conscience may be quiet we must not consider what is required of vs by the rule of man but so much as our owne strength is able to beare These things if we thus determine all things will be made manifest and plaine Wherefore let vs now take in hand to confute the arguments of our aduersaries 7 Touching the place of Paule Ibidem To the first argument of the aduersaries it is manifest that he had not anie respect to supererogation for he said that it was better for him to die than that anie man should make this reioising of his in vaine But there is none that would choose to die to haue an ouerplus of good woorks And he addeth further that he in performing of this shall haue a reward as though otherwise he should want the same Which is not conuenient in works that be not due for though the aduersaries in these things appoint some reward yet as I thinke they appoint them not so as in other necessarie works it should not be hoped for Wherefore if Paule should not haue had a singular reward for this thing yet in taking of necessaries for life aswell as others when he preached he should not haue lacked his reward He added moreouer That I abuse not mine authoritie which if he had committed there is none but séeth that it had béene sinne seeing it is neuer lawfull for a christian man to abuse his authoritie Dooth he not afterward saie That I may winne manie And by the commandement of louing our neighbour euerie man is bound to his power to ingraffe as manie vnto God as he can Neither did the apostle by this his singular example indeuour anie other thing than to take awaie the occasions and offenses whereby the Corinthians might haue béene drawne backe from their saluation But the Lord commanded with great seueritie that offenses should be remooued Neither is it true that he did compare togither that which was of necessitie and that which he did of his owne accord for as we haue declared he said that it stood him in hand of necessitie to preach the Gospell and that wo should be to him if he did not performe the same But he addeth that he might doo this worke rightlie and with profit it was so to be determined that he should fréelie plant the Gospell otherwise he had giuen an offense and had abused his authoritie And bicause he was willing of his owne accord to obeie God therefore he gladlie and willinglie did that which was to be doone To the second out of Matt. 19 16 8 Touching the yoong man that came vnto Christ we haue spoken else-where and now we saie againe that he did arrogate ouer-much vnto himselfe For he was blinded in the error of our aduersaries and would doo more than the lawe had required for this cause he was reprooued by Christ This man sought righteousnes and eternall life by works for he said What shall I doo to atteine vnto euerlasting life Christ answered him vnto his demand If that saluation must be sought by works the whole lawe ought to be fulfilled Furthermore he reduced the yoong man who had an ill opinion as touching the obseruation of the lawe from the path of error vnto the waie of life to the intent he might perceiue how far he was from kéeping the commandements of GOD by that which Christ commanded him Neither dooth it hinder that bicause it is said that Christ looked on him loued him doubtles he intreated him courteouslie neither did sharpelie reprooue him as his arrogancie deserued Certeinlie he might haue said O hypocrite Why doost thou boast thy selfe as though thou hadst satisfied the lawe whereas thou art so farre from dooing the same His indeuour pleased also Christ in that he séemed desirous of saluation and so did his studie which from his childhood he bestowed in the lawe And finallie it might be that this yoong man perteined to the number of them that were predestinate touching the successe of whose life the scriptures make no mention onlie we heare that he went his waie There is no mention made of his blasphemies or contumelies vainlie spoken against Christ If he had loued Christ with all his hart and with all his strength séeing he heard that God required this by Christ that he should distribute his goods vnto the poore he would not haue lingered Therefore he learned by the words of Christ how smallie he had profited 9 It was obiected vnto vs as touching virginitie and sole life To the third out of 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 7 1. 26. How Paul vnderstood this word Good according as it is intreated of these things in the seuenth chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians We answer that Paul vnderstood good better not for a thing either more gratefull or more acceptable to God séeing there be oftentimes married folks which please God more than such as liue a sole life but he taketh those words for that which is more commodious or commodiouslie For in matrimonie there doo happen more occupations than there doo in single life not alwaies indéed yet for the most part The feigned deuise touching counsels commandements Those men feigne I wot not what of counsels as though they may be giuen of a better good thing and of that which is more than due But as it hath béene prooued whatsoeuer good thing we can deuise it is conteined in the lawe of God Yet we grant that if thou haue respect to all mankind sole
therefore according to the doctrine of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5. 17 They be worthie of double honour And Christ said vnto the Apostles He that heareth you heareth me Luk. 10. 16. and he that despiseth you contemneth me 1. Sam. 8. 7. And the Lord answered vnto Samuel They haue not contemned thee but mee Wherefore ministers are not to bée weighed of as they be in their owne nature but God through them is to bée beholden who speaketh and dealeth in them and whose Embacie they execute So that if their Lorde sée them to bée contemned and to haue iniurie doone vnto them hée is present and reuengeth their contumelies He distroyed Core Dathan and Abyrom Numb 16. 35. Acts. 5. 5. 9. he reuenged the false craftinesse of Ananias and Saphira neither did he suffer that they should mocke Peter Againe he punished Elimas the Sorcerer who both hindered and scorned the Preaching of Paul By reason whereof seeing the children which did outrage against Elizeus grieuouslie sinned it must bée no maruell if they suffered due punishment No doubt but they were instructed by the il education of their parentes And no maruell séeing they were Idolaters Whereby we maie perceiue Il educatioÌ„ of children bréedeth their destruction that the Parentes by the ill bringing vp of their Children doe procure death vnto them Nor is there want of expositors which thinke that the children were prouoked by their Parentes to mocke the Prophets of God whom they hated Furthermore it shoulde be the part of the Magistrate to take care that the ministers of the worde of God shoulde not be afflicted with contumelies which thing these men did not séeing they were straungers from sound religion But Princes when they had imbraced Christ sinned on the other part For to the intent that the Prelates of the Gospell might be had in estimation and honour they bestowed principalities vppon them They ordained Bishops to be Earles Marqueses Dukes yea and Kings also And by this meanes they plucked them awaie from ministring the worde of God from studying of the holie Scriptures and intangled them with the affaires of this worlde Now they béeing adorned with wealth and temporall renowne addicted themselues wholie vnto pride riote pleasures and voluptuousnesse The childrens mocking was the reproche of bauldnes which was no sinne but onelie a light imperfection of the bodie But the worlde so hateth euermore the ministers of the trueth as men haue bin accustomed for the most part to take exceptions euen to the smallest blemishes 24 And as the children of Bethel railed at Elizeus Crimes layde against the preachers of the Gospell so at this daie the Papistical people doe mocke godlie men and especiallie the ministers of the Gospell But we maie not a little reioyce that euen as they coulde not reprooue Elizeus of iust crimes and verie sinnes but onelie they obiected bauldnesse euen so the Papistes are not able to laie anie grieuous sinnes to the charge of our Preachers which truelie bend themselues to their office but onlie they obiect certaine matters of smal weight I will not saie that maie be laughed at They saie that our Pastors haue not the laying on of hands and thereof they indeuour to conclude that they are not to be counted for iust gouernours of the Church that the congregations which be taught and ruled by them be not true churches but conuenticles of Runnagates And these things they speake as though the laying on of handes were so necessarie as without the same there can be no ministerie in the church Leuit. 8. 1. Whereas Moses notwithstanding consecrated Aaron his brother and his children offering diuers kindes of sacrifices vpon which men there was no handes laide before by anie Also Iohn Baptist brought in a newe Rite of Baptisme Matt. 3. 6. and gaue the same vnto the Hebrewes when neuerthelesse there was no handes laide on him and he did minister baptisme when he himselfe was not baptised by anie Gal. 1. 17. Paul also being long called in his iourney by Christ went not immediatelie vnto the Apostles that they might laie their handes vpon him but taught throughout Arabia by the space of thrée yeares and ministred vnto the Churches before that hée went vnto his predecessors the Apostles as it is testified in the Epistle to the Galathians We despise not the laying on of hands The laying on of hands but we retaine the same in manie Churches Which if we haue not of their Bishops it must not bée imputed a fault vnto vs for they would not vouchsafe this vnto vs vnlesse we should depart from sounde doctrine and therewithall to binde our selues by othe vnto the Romane Antichrist But we for conscience sake cannot submit our ministerie to the power of them from whom wee further disagrée than heauen from the earth Further wheras they saie that we want a iust succession Succession that is the smallest matter of all séeing it ought to suffice that we haue most manifestlie succéeded that Apostolike doctrine which is truest and hath béene receiued of the godlie fathers in the best times They also obiect against vs that in the holie seruice we vse prophane garmentes and after the common vse doe not put on grauer apparell Apparell Wée in verie déede confesse that we imitate Christ and his Apostles who vsed not apparell differing from other men We haue no garmentes wholie of silke no brodered or purple garments What then Are we not therfore the ministers of Christ These things which they laie against vs are no grieuous crimes or sins But they cauil against vs euen as did the Children of Bethel they saie Go vp thou bauld pate go vp thou bald pate Howebeit euen as the bauldnesse did not pollute the minde of Elizeus so also these slender obiections hinder not our ministerie Of the office of Pastors 25 But a meane must bée obserued In 1. Cor. 4 2. that neither we attribute too much or too little vnto Pastors How much must be â—…teth need to Pastors least that either they shoulde grow too proude and tyrannicallie oppresse the people and by their preceptes and inuentions obscure the commaundementes of God or else if they shoulde be ouer much deiected not onelie themselues should be contemned but also the worde of God and Sacraments ministred by them might lie neglected They are appointed gouernours of Churches betwéene Christ and the people They be the ministers of Christ Pastors be the ministers of Christ and of vs. because he vseth their labour They are our ministers also because as stewardes and disposers of the Lord they distribute vnto vs those things which of him they haue receiued Those things which the Ministres propound vnto vs must not elsewhere be taken than out of the scriptures Wherefore they ought to receiue those things which they set foorth vnto vs from no other place than from the wordes of Christ and the holie
his own selfe neither will they besides one Pope admit an other What head therefore shall he haue They will say Christ But we will replie vnto them that if Christ be sufficient for a head vnto the Pope how happeneth it that he maie not suffice others also We haue departed from them which challenge vnto them selues an other power and habilitie of forgiuing sinne than by preaching of the Gospell and thus I knowe not what counterfeit kaies whereby they bind and loose they haue made vnto themselues They say Mat. 24. 23 of Christ Beholde he is here beholde he is there behold he is in the secret places while they offer vnto vs a small Wafercake to be worshipped in the Masse in the Pix and also in Pompe wherein they carry the same about We haue separated our selues from them which preach the merites of men and bragge of the workes which they call works of Supererogation And séeing they haue reuolted from Christ let them cease to woonder that we are departed from them The fellowship of thē is now the pillar of lying not the ground of trueth It is ruled and gouerned for the most part by Woolues couered with shéepe skinnes Neither is there among them the house of God but the receptacle of Images It is the propertie of the Church as saith Ambrose vppon Luke the 2. booke and 3. Chapter to be the mother of the liuing but those men be the councell or conuent of the dead We haue departed from that Church which consisteth in walles painted colours and vizardes whereas the true seate thereof ought to be in the heart as Lactantius in his 4 booke de vera sapientia and 13 Chapter hath written There the corrupt and vitious man is worshipped and Christ the Author of saluation is neglected We forsake the adulterous Church which besides Christ the lawfull spouse acknowledgeth the Pope for her husband We haue also departed from the old growen schisme wherein that multitude of Romanists haue seuered themselues from others by turning away her eares from the word of God and conuerting altogether vnto fables And because it hath forsaken the loue of the trueth it is giuen ouer to a strong illusion of error We are fallen away frō thē that goe astray and we goe foreward vnto the way of truth and vnto the kings high way We would not be with them which following the spirit of error haue their conscience marked with an hotte iron and forbid meates and marriages 48 Now it appeareth by these markes what maner of congregation it is from whō we haue reuolted and it is sufficiently perceiued that it is not the Church vnlesse perhaps thou wilt saie it is the Church of the malignant Other markes also might be annexed but I cease to recken vp anie more because whosoeuer is but meanelie acquainted with the holie scriptures maie sée them The marks of their Church which haue departed frō the Pope And it is not néedefull that I should now describe that Church vnto the which wee haue repaired séeing it hath properties contrarie vnto those which we haue now alleaged This one thing will I saie that it is the same which in the booke of the Apocalips is described to be like a woman Apoc. 12. which brought foorth a man childe and fled into the desert least it shoulde be destroyed by the Dragon which persecuteth her Our men are after a sort constrained to be in the desert séeing the chiefe Prelates most cruellie rage against them who neuerthelesse in the meane time doe most earnestlie complaine that we leaue them no forme of a Church Howbeit they ought not to ascribe this vnto vs but vnto themselues For they haue deceiued godlie men of that liberty séeing that the true Church should be heard and reuerenced and the faithfull sort ought to obey it But these men require such things as we ought in no wise to obey 49 But they saie It is obiected that Paul departed not from the Church of Corinth though it were corrupt 1. Cor. 1. 1. 1. Cor. 1. 12 1. Cor. 6. 1. 1. Cor. 5. 1. that the Church of Corinth was verie much inserted and corrupted which neuerthelesse Paul acknowledgeth and saluteth The Corinthians were verie much diuided among themselues One would be of Paul another of Caephas another of Apollo and so they attributed as much vnto their Ministers as vnto Christ They brought their contentions and strifes to the iudgement seates of the Ethnicks they suffered an incestuous man who had the wife of his father to be conuersant among them they thought not whoredome to be sinne 1. Cor. 6. 13 1. Cor. 8. 10 1. Co. 11. 21 they did euery where eate with the Ethnicks things dedicated vnto Idols they celebrated the supper of the Lord with vnquietnesse of minde they abused the gift of tongues 1. Cor. 14. 1 1. Co. 15. 33. neither did they iudge truelie and godlie of the resurrection These things no doubt be grieuous crimes yet did they not therefore bring to passe but that among the Corinthians there was a Church But we answere this doubt after the verie same maner that we did before as touching the Church of the Iewes that although it were distained and corrupted yet did it not constraine any to wicked opinions and rites and it exercised the ceremonies according to the prescript of the law of Moses wherefore séeing in manie things they were good men it was acknowledged as the Church of God So lykwise in the Church of Corinth the word of God was openly published and the Sacraments were soundlie administred And thus although manie were infected with sinnes and grieuous corruptions yet did they not all straie from faith holinesse wherefore the Church ceased not to be at Corinth Where the two things which we haue made mention of be soundlie kept the word of God I meane and the Sacramentes they are neuer without some fruite but as it is elsewhere said they be assured tokens and pledges of the true Church They obiect the breaking of the vnitie of the Church 50 They also crie out against vs that we haue broken the vnitie of the church But what vnion I beséech you doe they tell vs of No other verilie but the vnitie of the Pope of the seate of Rome to which they are in miserable bondage the vnitie of Idolatrie and of the Masse the vnitie of the marke of the beast which all they receiue and also the vnitie of the outward ceremonies wherein all they in a maner communicate one with another But this is not the vnion of the Church which the holie Scriptures neither acknowledge nor testifie Paul vnto the Ephesians writeth Ephe. 4. 3. Be ye carefull to keepe the vnitie of the spirite through the bond of peace Againe One bodie one spirit euen as ye be called in one hope of your vocation And againe One Lorde one faith one Baptisme one God the Father of all which is aboue all
aunswered Verse 27. A place of Matthew expounded If I in the name of baalzebub doe cast out Diuels in whose name do your children cast them out Where Ierom interpreteth that by the children of the Hebrewes maie be vnderstood exorcistes Exorcists among the Hebrewes which all that time wandered here and there coniuring il spirits by the name of the Lord. It is saide then that they shall be their iudges not by power but by comparison They doubtlesse confessed that Diuels were cast out by the spirit of GOD but these men attributed the power vnto Baalzebub wherefore they were found to be much worse than they But he addeth that that place might also be vnderstoode of the Apostles which were the children of the Hebrewes as touching the flesh and had already giuen by Christ the giftes of casting out of Diuels and are rightlie saide that they shall be iudges of the wicked and of the blasphemous seeing it is saide vnto them Mat. 19. 28 Yee shall sit vppon 12. seats iudging the 12. Tribes of Israel And hee farre preferreth this latter interpretation before the first But mee thinkes the first séemeth the more agréeable For if we affirme that these things are spoken as touching the Apostles the Scribes and Pharises shall not séeme at the full to bée reprooued of Christ For they might haue saide Thy Disciples also cast out Diuels in the name of Baalzebub euen as they be taught by thée Neither do I perswade my selfe that those wicked men make more account of the Apostles in better place than they did of their master But if so be we refer those words vnto exorcistes the Scribes and Pharisees are notablie confuted Wherefore I confesse that among the Iewes there were exorcistes Neither doe I denie but that God bestowed that gift of driuing awaie of Deuils from men to certaine men whom he would yet not vnto such as the Priestes had appointed But the Priestes therein gréeuouslie sinned in that they would at their owne pleasure appoint a felowship or colledge or order of Exorcistes as though they might binde the grace of GOD to their elections and constitutions Christ the head of new Exorcists 10 But afterwarde Christ renued that strength and power yea rather he was the a chiefe and prince of new Exorcists and he dealt against the vncleane spirits with great commaundement and absolute power as it manifestly appeareth in the storie of the Gospell Mark 1. 25 Ibid. 5. 11. Neither did he onelie cure them that were present but them also which were absent for he healed the daughter of the woman of Chanaan which was absent neither had he himself onlie power ouer the diuels but he also gaue the same gift vnto his Apostles But there is another place in the Actes of the Apostles Ver. 13. in the 19. Chapter whereby it most euidently appeareth that such Exorcists were among the Hebrewes For the sonnes of Sceua adiured ill spirites which also they attempted to doe through the name of Iesus Howbeit the auncient Prophets although I reade that sometime they did myracles yet doe I not finde that they vsed Exorcismes But that Christ gaue power of casting out the Diuell vnto his Disciples it is shewed in the 16. Chapter of Mark where it is written And there signes shall followe the beleeuers shall cast out diuels Luke 9. 49. c. And in the 9. of Luke it is declared that Iohn sawe a certaine man which through the name of Christ cast out diuels and yet he did not follow him Wherefore saieth Iohn wee forbad him which déede Iesus disallowed Manie also at the latter daie shall saie as we haue it in the 7. Ver. 22. of Matthew Haue we not in thy name cast out Diuels And Paul as it is written in the 16. Act. 16. 18. of the Actes commanded the spirit of diuination to depart which forthwith was done Howbeit we must vnderstand that the Apostles were not alwaies able by their authoritie to cast out ill spirites For as the historie of the Euangelist teacheth Mat. 17. 16. A certaine man offered to them his sonne to be cured whom they could not deliuer And Christ comming to them taught that that kinde of Diuels are not cast out but by fasting and prayers As if he shoulde saie Ib. ver 21. that therein prayers and that verie earnest are néedefull the which are verie much furthered by fasting true fasting I meane not that fained fasting which consisteth onelie of the choise of meates 11 A great while did these giftes of healing remaine in the Church How and how long the gifts of healing were in the Church The words of Christ in the last of Marke expounded And what time they vtterlie ceased it cannot precisely be defined And because that they are now no longer had we are constrained to thinke that the words of Christ wherein he said These signes shall follow them that beleeue were not generallie spokeÌ„ as if those graces should be giuen alwaies vnto all the faithfull It was sufficient that they were giuen to the Church and remained for a certaine space in it Iustinus Martyr who liued in the time of Antoninus Pius in the first Apol. page 146. writeth that the Christians ouer all the world and in the Citie it selfe healed verie manie that were possessed with euill spirits which other inchaunters coniurers sacrificers could not perfourme and that as yet those men of ours persist in their purpose Neither onelie did these graces indure vntill the time of Antoninus but as TertulliaÌ„ in his Apologie teacheth they continued still vntill the time of Seuerus the Emperour in whose time he florished We are accustomed saieth he to assaile Daemons that is spirites and to driue them awaie froÌ„ men and as it should séeme he reckoneth himselfe among the number of them which did this And in the same place he saieth We driue out ill spirits without reward or hire Likewise in his booke intreating of idolatrie in the 734. page he saieth against them who being Christians yet neuerthelesse solde frankincense and those things which were vsed in the worshipping of Idols When thou séest the Aultar smoking how canst thou contemne it and with what constancie wilt thou exorcise thy scholers And he calleth the Diuels Whose scholers the diuels are counted the scholers of these men because they made their house a Cell for Idols whereby they retayled Frankincense vnto them to the intent they might make a perfume for them By this place we are taught that the giftes of these adiurations were not onelie giuen vnto the Clergie men but that they happened euen to marchants also moreouer that they were graunted vnto souldiers For the same Author in his little Booke De Corona Militis page 454. against them which of their owne accord went a warfare with Emperors writeth Those which he by exorcisme in the day time chased awaie in the night he defended Which he therefore â—rote
in this sacramēt of the Eucharist did woonderfully beguile the simple sort For he chaunged the colour of the wine that it might altogether appeare bloud by his inchauntment he so increased a litle wine as the whole cup was filled runne ouer And when againe there was a cup longer and of more recept that also was filled vp to the top without addition of more liquor Who would saie that through these miracles his heresie should be approued If we shall make mention of Ethnicks we reade that there flowed in the earth riuers of bloud that out of the thumbe of Iubiter sprang bloud T. Liuius Titus Liuius saith that at Rome it rained flesh Quintus Curtius saith Quintus Curtius that at Tyre when it was besieged by Alexander the Great bread did openlie sweate foorth bloud And it is said that Apollonius Thyanaeus when he was in the Councell before Domitianus the Emperour suddenlie vanished away so that he was no more found And infinite be the thinges that the Ethnickes can bring for to confirme their seruice of Idols Wherefore we wholy reiect these miracles which these men say doe serue for establishing the superstition of transubstantiation Neither are we to make great account of that which they bring in here as touching a miracle wrought by Gregory byshop of Rome For it is written in his lyfe The life Gregorie Byshop of Rome that the bread of the Lord or if thou wilt call it the Sacrament of the Eucharist was turned into a finger of flesh Which if it were doone for the two causes which we our selues allow we are not much to stand vppon it Albeit that lyfe of Gregory is not of any great credit For if we shall beléeue Vincentius it was described a hundreth yeares after his death by Iohn a Deacon of Rome and sent to a certaine Emperour of Germanie But admit it were so so long as our aduersaries would thereof conclude that through the token of a fleshie finger the flesh of Christ dooth corporallie ly hidden vnder accidentes any man might by this kinde of miracles conclude that vnder Sacramentall formes are contained ashes and coles because the holy bread was once conuerted into these in the time of Cyprian as himselfe writeth I thinke also that the liegerdemaine of naughtie fellowes which they haue often times vsed to the faining of miracles is not vnknowen An argument from the glorified bodie 62 In an other Argument they very much obtruded the dignitie of the glorified body of Christ which after the resurrection is is called spiritual This we denie dot yet doe we giue warning of that which Augustine hath in an epistle to Consentius that such a body is not so spirituall as it passeth into the nature of a spirit 2. Co. 15. 44 For Paul also calleth the body a certaine naturall body which must not so be vnderstode as though the body passeth into the nature of the soule And againe the same father in his 13. Booke De Ciuitate Dei the 20. Chapter writeth The soule sometime while it obeyeth the flesh is called carnall not that it passeth into the nature of flesh so likewise the bodie is called spiritual not because it gathereth the nature of a spirit but because it will bee wholly subiect to fulfill the will thereof And Ierom in an Epistle vnto Pamachius which was an Apologie against Iohn Byshop of Ierusalem who attributed vnto the soules of them that rise againe an elementarie or ayrie bodie that should not be subiect either to feeling or feeding contended by all meanes that Christ after his resurrection had a most true body and that doubtlesse visible And he preuenteth an obiection if in such sort it were visible and one selfe same body why was it not knowen when he shewed himselfe like a stranger He aunswereth because their eies were holden that they might not know him as if he should say that which belongeth vnto the nature of a body both was visible and might be knowen but there was an impedimēt in their eies which were holden that they could not discerne Seeing therefore Christ after his resurrection had a true body bound to measure and place there is no cause why we should depriue it of these properties and cast it into the narrowe corners of a small péece of bread as though it were wholy contained therein how great so euer it be But if it be graunted that this also may be doone by the power of GOD can it straightway be concluded that it is doone The Argument as we shewed before is weake They also argued from the Gréeke Article seeing Christ saide The efficacie of the gréek article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This is my bodie as though the Article can haue strength to drawe the proposition vnto the proper sense and permitteth not a figuratiue meaning These men are deceaued For the Gréeke article hath not alwayes that strength And that appeareth plainelie in the 8. Chapter of the Gospell of Luke Luk. 8. 11. where Christ expounded that parable which he had vttered of the sower of the séede And he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The seede is the worde of God where thou séest that vnto the worde of God is added the Gréeke article Yet did not this speach woorke that the word of God is bound as though it should properlie reallie and corporallie be in that séede which is throwen into the earth whereof the parable was proposed at the beginning But it is said to be contained therein by the power and propertie of the signification after which manner we also vnderstand it in the wordes of the Lord when he saith This is my bodie For we say that it is not pronounced of the bread of the Lordes bodie vnlesse it be by signification Moreouer there was an Argument taken of the promise of Christ wherin he said Mat. 28. 30. I will be with you vntill the end of the world The which is no hinderance to our opinion After what manner Christ is presēt with vs till the end of the world For we confesse that Christ is present with vs by his diuine nature by grace also and by many giftes which his spirit bringeth vnto vs. Furthermore if we desire his bloud and flesh we may also comprehend them in this Sacrament by faith and may spirituallie eate them wherevnto there afterward followeth a most true yet a secrete and vnspeakeable coniunction of vs with Christ when we be changed into him 63 Then afterward it was proposed that if the matter be on this wise it will follow that our Sacramentes haue no more than had the Sacramentes of the olde Lawe séeing in them also Christ was signified yea perhappes if we respect the nature of signes the thing was more fullie shadowed there than it is in our Sacramentes the which be altogether vnbloudie But in the sacrifices of the olde fathers the slaughter was plainlie séene and the bloud there shed did
all created at the beginning but are dailie created of God to be put into the bodies proposition 3 Those things which are spoken of paradise must not be vnderstood so allegoricallie as the truth of the historie should not be reteined but the allegories may profitablie he ioined vnto the thing that was doone proposition 4 Whether that garden of pleasure be yet extant cannot be defined by the holie scriptures proposition 5 The dignitie of the lawe of GOD is not to be estéemed by deserts of actions commanded or forbidden therein but for that in it is conteined the iudgement of GOD for dooing of things which alwaies must be preferred before the counsell of man proposition 6 Both kinds of death as well of the bodie as of the soule was set before Adam if he transgressed the commandement of God proposition 7 The first man was created mortall albeit it was in him not to die proposition 8 It is not good for a man to be alone bicause it is not pleasant nor honest nor profitable proposition 9 Thrée exercises were set before man at his creation namelie to obeie God to behold the natures of things created and to exercise husbandrie proposition 10 The sléepe of Adam in the bringing foorth of the woman signifieth vnto vs that Christ by his death purchased his church Probable proposition 1 THe breathing of God whereby the first man was made a liuing soule is a token shewing vs that the reasonable soule is giuen vnto men not by the strength of nature but â—uâ—wardlie by the helpe of God proposition 2 The garden of pleasures was planted in the region of Eden as the name declareth not far from Assyria Mesopotamia and Arabia proposition 3 The trée of life hauing fruit which prolonged life to them that should eate of it allegoricallie signifieth Christ proposition 4 The trée of good and euill is not onelie so called of that which followed but bicause of the same there was a lawe giuen whose propertie is to shew the difference of good and euill proposition 5 By forbidding the fruits of the trée of good and euill we are taught not to be so hardie as to rule our selues by the wisedome of the flesh or else to determine by mans iudgement what is good and what is euill which neuerthelesse is requisite that we decrée by the spirit of God and by the word proposition 6 Séeing the lawe was giuen to Adam the woman being not yet created it sheweth that women should be instructed by men as touching the lawe and word of the Lord. proposition 7 The woman was made of the rib of man to declare that the church was foundes in the strength of Christ Propositions out of the second and third chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 CHildren must not for their wiues sake so leaue their parents as not to succour or reuerence them albeit they are bound to liue néerer to their wiues than to their parents proposition 2 Whereas the husband and wife are said to be one flesh matrimonie is declared to be inseparable so long as they can be one flesh which is taken awaie by adulterie and for want of power to performe the dutie of marriage one towards another proposition 3 Matrimonie is therefore said to be a mysterie bicause it representeth vnto vs the most streict coniunction of Christ with his church proposition 4 The church immediatelie from hir beginning had Adam for hir gouernour not without the word of God for he being indued with the spirit of GOD spake with the selfe-same words both as touching Christ and as touching matrimonie proposition 5 Temptations are therfore permitted by God bicause they be profitable for the church proposition 6 The diuell promised vnto the woman those things which she had alreadie to wit the opening of the eies and likenesse to God Probable proposition 1 WHereas God brought Eue framed vnto Adam we are thereby taught that those marriages are not well knit where God ioineth not the parties togither proposition 2 Since that mans soule is a spirituall substance and is immortall we must not grant that it is deriued vnto the children by the séed of the parents proposition 3 The serpent was the fittest instrument in temptation to expresse the ill practises of the diuell and his craftinesse against men proposition 4 The wicked will of the tempter declareth the most skilfull wisedome of GOD whereby he knew how to vse wel euen most wicked things proposition 5 This did the diuell by his first temptation chéeflie indeuour that Gods word should not be beléeued as it was requisite proposition 6 The originall of Eues fall was that setting aside the earnest cogitation of the word of God she began to weigh in hir mind the commoditie of the forbidden fruit which the diuell set before hir togither with the beautie and swéetnesse thereof proposition 7 The shame and the deuise of the couerings are not to be ascribed to the diuell but to the goodnesse of God as a bridle whereby the euill now brought in might the lesse spread it selfe abroad Propositions out of the third chapter of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 SHame and the shunning of Gods sight are properties which followe sinne proposition 2 The enimitie which GOD put betwéene the diuell and the woman belongeth vnto all godlie men proposition 3 Albeit the power of treading downe the diuell be proper vnto Christ yet dooth he communicate the same with the faithfull proposition 4 The cursses which GOD laid vpon the first men were not onlie punishments but also they shewed men their duties and brought remedies against temptations and sinnes proposition 5 If the creatures through mans transgression fell into a woorse condition than they were it is méet that vpon the restitution of him those also should be restored proposition 6 Since God remooueth idlenesse from man they which altogither shun labour agrée not with his will proposition 7 Christ tooke not awaie by his first comming the punishments of these cursses but mitigated them howbeit at his second comming he will altogither take them awaie proposition 8 Séeing garments are inuented for the profit and honestie of this present life those garments are iustlie found fault withall which haue anie thing against these two properties proposition 9 Sacrifices be signes whereby we confesse the excellencie of God proposition 10 Anie man is accepted of GOD before his works be acceptable vnto him proposition 11 Those things which God either by exhorting or commanding sheweth should be doone those are not in our power to be doone of vs vnlesse we be holpen by his grace Probable proposition 1 THe scripture therefore saith that the eies of the first men were opened after sinne bicause there brake out a new féele of new punishments proposition 2 By the example of God who so preciselie inquired after sinne iudges are admonished that they condemne not men before they be heard and their cause examined proposition 3 In the curssing of the serpent those punishments of
4 233 b How Christ is the foundation thereof 4 83 b Church malignant The Romish Church is not the true Church 4 90 ab 2 b Whether shee is to be called Catholike 4 70 b 71 a 2 631 b 632 a What they that haue departed from her must do Full of superstitions 2 631a b 632 a Malignant 4 95 a Markes and notes thereof 4 94 ab 95 a Degrees of orders therein 4 132 a Neither Catholike nor Apostolike 4 93 a Greatly annoyed the Church of Christ 4 77 b ¶ Looke Papistes Pope Rome Church triumphant The triumphant Church vsed no strange language 3 311 a Churches Churches be publike places and not the possessions of priuate men 2 353 b Manie doe still reteine circumcision 4 110a Why they vsed lightes in them in times past 4 127 b Howe necessarie the visitation of them is 4 9a An order therein and which must bee taken for the better 4 2 b The vnitie of the dispersed described 4 82 a All be catholike and equall 4 71 b Papisticall consecration of them 4 124 b 125 a 66a Of the Churches of Adrian and why they were so called 2 352 b Schooles and Cathedrall Churches commonly went together 4 7 a What workes become Christian Churches 4 66 a Why golde was giuen vnto them 3 323 a They had seruice in their mother tongue 3 310b What reuerence ought to bee had of them 4 65 b Howe they must be adorned 4 66 a The beginning of superfluous expenses in them 4 67b Diuers particular haue fallen 3 64 b That Images are not to bee set vp therein 2 35â— b 351 ab Churchgoods Whether the vse of Churchgoods is to be inuerted 4 31b 32 ab 33 a Whether Churchgoods be at any priuate mans giuing 4 33 a For what vses they may be deliuered to princes c. 4 32 b 33 a Ci. Cicero Cicero wisheth that he had neuer béene wise 1 11 b Circumcision Circumcision still reteined in manie Christian Churches 4 110 a Baptisme and it compared 4 118 b Whether it tooke away originall sinne 4 102 a 104 a Why it bound men to obserue the whole lawe 4 110 a The manner thereof vsed among the Iewes 4 111 a The couenant of the same was before the thing it selfe 4 201 a Whether it profited vnto saluation 4 102 a 104 b What was confirmed thereby 4 98 a How it is saide to haue had remission of sinnes 4 108 a Of what things it did put in minde 4 108 b 109 a Before it there were some signes of the sacrament 4 110 a Whether baptisme and it differ not c. 4 104 a Doctrines thereabout disâ—enting 4 102 a Of women among the Aegyptians 4 111 a Why it was commaunded to be doone the eight day 4 109 ab What is to bée iudged of infants dying without it 4 110 ab Whether the knife seruing for it were of stone 4 111 a Why it might be reteined in the primitiue Church for a time 4 109. What thing therein is temporal and what perpetuall 2 375 b It was the sacrameÌ„t of regeneration among the Iewes 2 594. Cauils against it 4 111 b It was no bare signe 4 102 ab Paul speaketh both honourably and contemptuously thereof why 2 589 a At what time it was not vsed of the Iewes 2 577a It was spred among forten nations 4 111 a Why it was commanded of the part of generation 4 109 a The promises which it sealed 4 108 b 109a How it is meant that the soule which receiued it not the eight day should be cut off 4 110 ab 122 ab Why it is nowe néedelesse among Christians 4 112 a Why god wold haue the Iewes receiue it being yet infants 4 111 b Why they were in the couenant before it was receiued 4 119 a Which is the true spirituall Circumcision 4 108 b ¶ Looke sacrament Circumstances Of what force Circumstances be in actions 2 514 b 5â—5 a How they do aggrauate or attenuate sins 2 554 ab 414 b How they dispense with actions and make them excusable prooued 2 288 a They do somtimes restraine the commoÌ„ vse of things 3 108 b Actions are to be iudged by them 3 264a b Eight which be conuersant in actions 2 287 b Howe the scriptures determine touching them 2 292 b Circumstances for the which Dauid augmented the punishment of theft 2 517 b 518 a ¶ Looke Actions Occasions Cities Whether the destruction of Cities belong to the seruice of God 2 403 ab Two Cities the one of God the other of the diuell 3 32 a To what end the Cities of refuge among the Iewes serued 4 110a Citizens The part of good Citizens taught by a contrarie doing to Cato 2 393 b 394 a Why Citizens must be sworne to defende their magistrates 4 298 a Effeminate 3 188 b Cl. Cleane This worde Cleane diuerslie vnderstoode 3 116 ab God maketh meÌ„ Cleane and how they are saide to make themselues cleane 3 13 b ¶ Looke Sanctified Clemencie A definition of Clemencie and in whome it is an ornament 2 415 a 248 b Noted in diuers Princes 4 302 b 303 a Of Augustus Cesar 4 262 b 263 a The obiect effectes and extremities of the same 2 415 ab Howe it doeth diminish punishmentes 4 262 a Méete for Princes 4 248a Great vse thereof euen in the Iewish lawes 4 262 b When it must be vsed 4 248 b ¶ Looke Mercie and Pitie Cleargie men Whether Clergiemen may got to warre 4 286. 287. 327. Why they be exempted from tributes and customes 4 34 a Diuerslie punished for marrying 3 194 b To be admonished corrected of Princes 4 235 b Whether it were lawfull for Princes to exempt them from their subiection 4 239 a bound to obey higher powers 3 34 b In case of adulterie they admit no reconciliation of their wife 2 488 b 489 a Diuers orders of them acknowledge by scripture 4 55 b Married by decree of the Canons 3 193 b From what burthens or charges they are exempted 4 239 b 240 ab Deposed by Iustinian for vsurie 1 525 b Their loose life in these daies noted 2 526 b Prohibited to play at dice or to bee present thereat 2 525 b What titles they vsurpe nowe a dayes 2 381 a Popish charged with singular negligence 3 193 a ¶ Looke Priestes Ministers and Prelates Co. Cogitation What affectes doe spring from the Cogitation 2 405 b The force thereof 2 565 ab ¶ Looke Imagination Colleges The vse of schooles and Colleges 4 7 a Of colouring the face Reade at large 2 507. v. 508. 509. c. ¶ Looke Face and Painting Combate Whether a Combate betwéene twain be lawful 4 308 a Whether it maie be for safetie of a whole armie 4 31â— b The difference betwéene it and warre 4 308 ab The inconuenience and offence thereof 4 309 a The finall causes why some thinke it sufferable 4 308 b 309 a Whether for oftentation of
and Schismes Dissimulation Dissimulation of two sortes 2 541 b Not remoued from deceipt guile 2 534 b 535 a Whether it be allowable for the preseruation of the Church 2 321 b In Gods seruice it is vtterly to be shunned 2 316. 317. 318. 319. 320. The Dissimulation of the Priscillianistes 4 299 b 300a of Iulian. 2 541 a Constantius the first 4 242 a Of Iehu 2 539 b 536 a Of Dauid 2 384a 3 291. 292. 293. 294. 2 535 b Of Christ and others and whether they were sinne 2 541 b Distinctions What kinde of Distinctions are to be receiued 4 134 a Diuill The Diuell doeth imitate God howe 1 91 b 4 113 a Hee is no creator or maker of thinges but a minister seruing vnto nature 1 86 a Whether it were Samuell or the Diuell that came at the witches call 1 73 b 72 ab By naturall causes he can worke strange things 1 66 a What reasons some vse to prooue that for the working of myracles they may vse his helpe 1 66 b A rehearsall of diuers illusions doone by him 1 85 b 86 ab 87 a He sometime speaketh trueth though he be a lier proued 1 74b He can moue driue forward some things 1 86 b He mocketh beguileth simple men and how 1 91 b How tyrannously he dealeth with his Prophets 1 21 ab Hee is deceiued through his owne malice and pride 1 83 b Whether hee can appeare and giue answeres 1 77 a His double meaning dealing noted 1 83 a He doth oftentimes put on the person of God 1 76 b Hee can hurt no further than God permitteth and of his crueltie 1 90 b 85 b What knowledge hee had of Christ 1 83 a He vexeth the godlie and vngodlie after a sundrie and differing fashion 1 65 b 66 a Why he is said to be bound sith it séemeth otherwise 3 396 ab What hinderance he procureth to our callinges 4 9 b He hath power ouer the saints 4 330 a Whether he bee indued with a true faith 3 173 b He is deceiued by ambition 1 83 a He hath no faith 3 62 b Diuels The Diuels faine themselues to be the soules of men 4 131 a In what points or respects the vse of their helpe doth consist 1 91 a Of casting them out 4 129b 130 ab Why it is not lawful to vse their helpe 1 91 a Whose scholers they are counted 4 130 b Women and men sorceres in their sléepe receiued manie pleasures of of the Diuels 1 90 a ¶ Looke Spirits Diuination The word Diuination is alwaies taken in the worser part in the scripture saith Ierom. 1 61 b Romane lawes against that of dreames 1 38 b Ciceroes maner of reasoning against that of the Ethniks 2 276b 277 ab Naturall and artificiall with Ciceroes iudgement of the same 1 62 a What kinde is not forbidden in scriptures 1 61 b Two thinges are required in the Diuination of any thing by visions or dreames sent of God 1 36 a Diuinitie For what causes Diuinitie is called an actuall knowledge by some 1 17 b 2 301 ab How one thing is otherwise taught by it than it is by Philosophie 1 303 a 1 17 a Artius denied Christes Diuinitie 2 601 b Tokens thereof 3 358 a 2 600 b 601. 602. ¶ Looke Christ Diuorsement In what spiritual cause Diuorsement is permitted 2 464 b 465 a Suco for and graunted for impotencie and coldnes of the man 2 466 ab 467 a From bed but not from matrimoniall bond 2 494 b 445 446 ab What is to be done in such a case whē the lawes will not giue libertie to marrie a second person 2 459 a All meanes must be attempted before it be made 2 465 a Three causes thereof alleaged by Ambrose betweene husband wife 2 460 a Why by Moses lawe a wise after Diuorsement should neuer returne to her former husband 2 497 a Christ meant such a one wherein newe marriage was licenced 2 459 b In what cases it is lawfull betweene marryed parties 2 422 b The Magistrate must be intreated to determine in such a case 2 458 b 459 a Christ reuoked wholy the case thereof vsed in the time of the lawe 2 427 b Whether onelie the cause of adulterie doe make it 2 457 b Lawes of Emperours touching the causes thereof 2 458 a Being made for adulterie admitteth a marriage afterward 2 458 a Why Christ talking thereof mentioned adulterie onely 2 458 b Who gaue a bill of Diuorsement to his wife first in Rome 2 462 b Causes why the fathers would admit no marriages after it in a case of adulterie 2 461 b 462 b In what cases a free Diuorsement is graunted betwéene an heretike and a true professour 2 446 b Ambroses error touching Diuorsement 3 243 b No men of praise or renowme mentioned in holy scripture that gaue a bill of Diuorsement to their wiues 2 464 a Women in the time of the law gaue none to their husbands 2 460 b 461 a Diuorsements What kinde of Diuorsements Paul alloweth not 2 462 b 463 a Chrysostome and Tertullian admit iust ones 2 463 ab Why God would that in the time of the lawe they should be permitted 2 457 a 463 b 515 b How it commeth to passe that Magistrates at this day doe doubt to determine of them 2 459 b What the Church Fathers determined of them and newe marriages of the parties separated 2 459 b 460 ab Christ is not against his father for not admitting them for euerie cause 2 463 b At what time it began to bee lawfull for women to giue billes of Diuorsements to their husbands 2 461 a Do. Doctors Difference betweene Prophets and Doctors 4 6b Doctrine Doctrine is to be examined 3 240. 241. Not rashlie to be beleeued looke the place 4 52 ab The faith thereof 3 132a Christ grounded his vpon scriptures 3 340 b It is no sufficient triall therof to work myracles but this must be doone by the scriptures 1 67 b Of the antiquitie of the same and dissenting there about 1 99 a Signified by building 3 239 240. 241 242. Foure things necessarie therein 4 48 b Whether it bee lawfull to auouch one false Doctrine to supplant another 1 157 a Causes why ill Doctrine dooth long lie hid 3 240 b 241 a Mahomets soone spread and why 4 6 a A comparison betweene Papisticall and true 3 262 a Howe farre foorth that of Iudas receiued of Christ did perfect him 1 15a The perfect comming by true Doctrine 1 14b Howe the Papists haue corrupted it 4 70 a The authors thereof compared to pretious things 3 239 b 240 a Doctrines Offensiue Doctrines of two sorts 3 163 a Artes and Doctrines desire good of their owne nature 1 3 b Of diuerse papisticall Doctrines which haue no ground of Scripture to warrant them 1 99 a Doubt A Doubt whether the ende of Phisicke be health 1 7 a Why Aristotle appointed two kinds of