both diuine and humane is notwithstanding the onely begotten son of God the father from whome the holy Ghost doth proceed How then doe we say that Christ was borne of the H. ghost if the holy Ghost did not beget him or is it so said because he made him The reason is because as Iesus Christ is God all things were of his creation but as hee was man he himselfe was created made according to the saying of the Apostle For he was made of the seed of Dauid according to the flesh But seeing the whole Trinitie did create and make that creature which the virgin did conceiue and bring forth tho appertaining and adioyned to the person of the sonne for the workes of the Trinitie be inseparable why is the holy ghost onely named in the making of this creature Is it because whē one of these three bee named in any one worke that the whole Trinitie is assistant in that work It is euen so and may be made plaine vnto vs by example or demonstration Howbeit wee must no◠any longer stand vpon this point For it remaineth that wee declare how it is said that he was borne of the holy Ghost beeing no way the sonne of one same holy Ghost For no more may the world without impietie be called the sonne of God because God made the same neither else that it was borne of him but rather wee may rightly say that it was made or created or builded or ordained by him or vse wordes of the like sense Seeing therefore wee doe confesse that hee was borne of the holy Ghost and the virgin Marie it is a matter of great difficultie to discusse how he should not bee the sonne of the holy Ghost but the sonne of the virgin Mary notwithstanding that hee was begotten both of the one and of the other Without all doubt he was not borne of him as of a father though hee were so of her as of a mother CHAP. 39. Not euery thing that is said to be borne of any thing may properly be called the sonne of that it is said to be borne of IT is not therefore to be granted that whatsoeuer is borne of any thing it should straightway bee called the sonne of the selfe same thing For to omit other instances the begetting of a sonne by a man is after one manner and the growing of the haire of a mans head the breeding of a lowse and of a worme in mans body is after another sort not any of which kinds is to be tearmed a sonne Therfore to speak no more of these because it is vnseemly to compare them with a thing of so diuine a nature they verely which be born of water and the holy Ghost no man can properly call them the sonnes of the water but be truely called the sonns of God of the Church their mother In like manner therefore is Christ beeing begotten of the holy Ghost the sonne of God the father and not of the holy Ghost For that also which we haue spoken touching the haire of the head and the rest maketh onely for this purpose to let vs to vnderstand that not euery thing begotten of any mās body may consequētly bee called the sonne of him of whom hee is so borne no more than it followeth that all they which be called the sons of any person must therefore of necessitie be begottē of the same person whose sonns they be called such as be they which be adopted sonnes Againe some be called the sons of Gehenna or hell not because hell was their father or begot them but because they be prepared for that place Much like to them which be called the sons of Gods kingdome because they are prepared for the same CHAP. 40. In that Christ is said to be borne of the holy Ghost is meant that man in like manner by the meere grace of God which is called the holy Ghost and the word of God is partaker of the diuine nature and vnited or ingrafted into the person of Christ SEing therefore something may bee borne of any creature and yet not so as it needs must bee his sonne Neither on the other side euery one which is called a sonne must necessarily be the naturall childe of that person whose sonne hee is called Then without all doubt this maner of generation wherby Christ was borne of the holy Ghost not as it were his sonne and yet as it were the sonne of the virgin Mary doth couertly conuaie into vs the grace of God whereby man without any workes or merits precedent in his first conception or generation whereby he had his beeing is so vnited to the word and the diuine nature in the vnitie of the person of Christ as that consequently one and the same creature should be the sonne of God which was the sonne of man and likewise the sonne of man beeing Gods childe By which incarnation or assumption of humane nature in Christ the grace of God should be after a sort naturall to that man which was the childe of God the same being incapable of sinne which grace was in that regard to bee expressed vnder the name or title of the holy Ghost Because he is so properly God that also hee may bee called the gift of God Whereof to speake sufficiently were too tedious in discourse TOVCHING REGEneration and the parts thereof CHAP. 41. That Christ was without original sinne and that he was that sacrifice for our sinnes by the which wee were reconciled to God HEe therefore beeing not ingendred or conceiued by any pleasure of carnall concupiscence and therefore not infected with any originall sinne also by the grace of God beeing in respect of the vnitie of his person by a wonderfull and vnspeakable meanes annexed and conioyned to the worde which was the onely begotten sonne of God not by grace but by nature and therefore no actuall sinner himselfe yet was hee notwithstanding in respect of the similitude of sinfull flesh wherin he came called a sinner or sin beeing to become a sacrifice for satisfaction of sinnes Which sacrifice or oblation he truely became whereof other sacrifices performed in the old law were but shadowes Hereupon after the Apostle had said Let vs beg reconciliation or attonement with God for his Christs sake he forth-with addeth this affirming That God for our sakes made him to become sinne who was of himselfe blamelesse and without sin that through him we should be righteous in Gods sight He saith not as it is reade in certaine vitious books He that knew no sinne becam sinful for our sakes as thogh Christ in regard of vs should commit sin But he saith That man which knew no sinne which was Christ was made sin by God to whome wee were to be reconciled that is to say was made an oblation or sacrifice for sinnes wherby that attonement should be wrought He therfore was made a sinner that wee might be righteous Yet is hee not our righteousnes but Gods neither
without sinne wee deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs as the holy Apostle saith CHAP. 65. Wee are not to despaire of any sinner in the Church in respect of the benefitte of penance left thereunto Howbeit the solemne and set times appointed for those which are to do open penance in the Church were ordained to a good ende NEither are they to despaire of the mercie of God in the remission of their sinnes be they neuer so great in his holy Church which performe penance according to the qualitie of the sin which euery one particularly committeth And in the dooing of penance when the fact committed is of that qualitie as the offender is cut off from the body of Christ in such a case the measure or limitation of time is not so much to be respected as the sorrow and griefe of the offender For God doth notdespise an heart that is contrite and humbled But because for the most part one man doth not knowe the sorrowe of another mans heart the same not being made apparant to other men either by wordes or other kind of demonstration because it is onely knowen to him to whom it is said My mourning is not hidden from thee Times therefore of penance were well appointed by those which beare authoritie in the Church that the Church might be satisfied in the which such sinnes are committed For out of the Church there is no remission of sins Because the Church most properly retaineth the holy Ghost for an earnest without whome no sinnes be forgiuen in so much as whosoeuer be absolued therby such be made partakers of euerlasting life CHAP. 66. That the force and effect of remission of sinnes as also the punishment of our sins is rather found and felt in the world to come then in this world FOr Remission of sinnes is ordained chiefly in respect of the day of iudgement which is to come For in this life that saying of Ecclesiasticus falleth out to bee true That there is an heauie yoak vpon the sonnes of Adam from the day of their comming out of their mothers woombe vntill the day of their burial into the earth the mother of all mankind insomuch as wee see that infants after their baptisme bee tormented with the affliction of many euills Whereby we may learne that whatsoeuer is accomplished by the sacraments for our saluation is rather to giue vs hope of future ioyes then hould or adeption of present felicities For in this life many sinnes seeme to be pardoned and not reuenged by any correction but their punishments reserued till the later day which is not vainely as it is properly called the day of iudgement wherein the iudge of the quicke and the dead shall appeare Euen as on the contrary many sins bee reuenged in this world and not withstanding they be here not forgiuen shal not stand vp against vs in the world to come Wherfore touching certaine of those temporall punishments which bee inflicted in this life vpō sinners to those whose faults are forgiuen the Apostle saith For if we would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged by God But when wee are indged wee are chastned of the Lord because we should not be cōdemned with the world TOVCHING PVRGArie Fire CHAP. 67. To those that liue wickedly in this world neither faith doth auaile any thing neither doth there remaine for them any fier of purgatorie to purifie them from their sinnes after this life CErtaine there be which beleeue that they which renounce not the name of Christ are baptized in his baptisme in the Church being not cut off from the Church by any schisme or heresie shall be saued by fier whatsoeuer sinnes they commit in this life although they neither put them away by repentance nor yet redeeme them by almes deedes but obstinately continue in them vntill the last day of their life vpō earth Howbeit that in respect of the greatnesse of such horrible and execrable sinnes they shall not bee punished with an euerlasting fier but with a fier that lasteth long But they which be of this beleefe and yet beare the name of Catholickes bee deceiued in mine opinion through a kinde of humane charitie or good will For if wee aske counsell of the holy scripture in that point it giueth an other resolution thereof And for mine owne part I haue written a booke touching this question intitled Of faith and workes Wherein I did demonstrate according to the holy scriptures so well as I could by Gods assistance that that faith did worke saluation Which Paul the Apostle most plainly expresseth saying For in Iesus Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Againe in in case it worke wickedly and not well truely according to Iames the Apostle that faith is dead in it self who saith againe If any sayth hee hath faith when hee hath no workes can the faith saue him Now if a wicked man shall bee saued by fier through faith alone that it is to be taken on that sort which the blessed Apostle Paul saith But hee shall be safe himselfe neuerthelesse yet as it were by fier then consequently may faith saue without workes and that bee false which his fellow Apostle Iames formerly affirmed And that also shall bee vntrue which Paul also himselfe deliuereth in an other place saying Be not deceiued neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor wantons nor buggerers nor theeues nor couetous persons nor railers nor drunkards nor extortioners shall inherite the kingdome of God For in case they shall bee saued by faith notwithstanding their perseuerance in these sinnes how then shall they not bee partakers of the kingdome of God CHAP. 68. What these words of Paul do signifie that the fier shall trie the qualitie of euery mans worke BVt forasmuch as these most manifest euident testimonies of the Apostle cannot bee false that which is darkely spoken of them which build vpon that foundation which is Christ not goulde nor siluer nor pretious stones but wood grasse and stubble for of those it is saide that they shall bee saued by fire because they shall not perish euerlastingly by reason of the merit of Christ their foundation is so to bee vnderstoode as these thinges precedent being apparantly so in the letter there bee not any thing contradictorie to the same For wood grasse and stubble may not absurdly bee taken for such loue of worldly things although lawfully giuen vs to vse as that wee cannot yet lose thē without anguish of minde For when as sorrow is a fier which inwardely burneth if then Christ be layde as a foundation in our heart that is to say that nothing bee preferred by vs before the loue of him and that the man burning inwardly with such sorrowe had rather want the thinges hee so much affecteth than Christ this man is saued by the fier But on the contrarie If hee had rather houlde these temporall and earthly things in time of
temptation then Christ then had hee not him for his foundation in as much as hee preferred them before Christ the foundation being the first thing that is to bee layed in any building For fier whereof Paul the Apostle spake in that place ought to be taken for such a thing as thorow which both these parties which are to bee tried must passe that is to say as well as he which buildeth gold siluer pretious stones vpoÌ„ this foundation as hee which buildeth wood grasse and stubble vpon the same For after hee had deliuered this doctrine he addeth thereunto this saying The fier shall trie euerie mans worke of what sort it is If any mans worke that hee hath built vpon abide hee shall receiue wages If any mans worke burne hee shall lose but hee shall bee safe himselfe nouerthelesse yet as it were by the fier The fier therefore shall trie not one but both their works For fier is the touchstone of tribulation whereof in another place it is plainely sayd That the fornace tryeth the potters vessell and tribulation tryeth the righteous This fier while wee are in the flesh hath this effect which the Apostle spake of saying If it happeÌ„ vnto two which be faithfull the one whereof hath his minde fixed vppon celestiall things thinking how to please God that is to say building vpon Christ his foundation golde siluer and pretious stones and the other hath his thoughts vpon worldly things studying how to please his wife that is to say building vppon the same foundation wodde grasse stubble The first mans labour burneth not because hee set not his fancie vpon those things the losse wherof might grieue him But the other mans labour burneth because the losse of those things is greeuous which are possessed with pleasure and delectation Howbeit in either of these two cases forasmuch as the partie thus tried had rather lose worldly delectation then Christ and doth not forsake Christ vppon any feare to lose those transitorie things albeit it grieue him to part with them hee saueth himselfe no doubt therein and yet as it were by fier Because the griefe of the losse of things which he loued doth burne him but it doth not ouerthrowe or consume him being fortified with a foundation that is permanent and euerlasting CHAP. 69. That all this disputation of purgatorie fier is doubtfull and the fier it selfe auaileable to fewe THat such a thing may bee after this life is not incredible the matter being questionable whether it be so indeed as also that it may bee found out or concealed how diuers of the faithfull bee so much the later or sooner saued by a certaine purgatorie fier by how much the more or lesse they loue these transitorie goods beeing notwithstandinge not of that sorte of whome it is written that they shall not inherit the kingdome of God vnlesse their sinnes be forgiuen as competent petitioners I say competent meaning that they should not be barren in almes deedes Wherevnto the Scripture doth attribute so much honor as the Lord affirmeth that he will impute the fruitfulnesse therof onely to those which stand on his right hand vpbraiding them with barrennesse of such fruite which stand on his left hand When he shall say vnto the first sort Come ye blessed of my father and receiue the Kingdome of God and to the second sort Goe yee into euerlasting fier Animaduersions vpon the 69. Chap. That such a thing may be after this life is not incredible the matter being questionable whether it be so indeed c. BIshop Iewell in his apologie alleageth this place and diuers others out of Saint Augustine shewing that sometime hee saieth there is such a certain place sometime denieth not but there may be such a one sometime he doubteth sometime againe he vtterly denyeth there is any at all thinketh that men are therein deceiued by a certaine naturall good will they beare their friends departed Out of which variable assertions hee gathereth verie concludently that Saint Augustine tooke this matter of Purgatorie fier neither for an Article of the Christian faith for thereof it had not beene lawfull for him to doubt nor for any tradition of the Apostles Let no man therefore bee led by this place to beleeue any such fabulous doctrine TOVCHING ALMES DEEDES CHAP. 70. Wee may not take a libertie to sin presuming of almes deedes TRuely wee must take heede least any man do thinke that those enormious crimes the doers whereof shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen may bee dayly committed and dayly redeemed with almes deedes For our life is to be amended and God to be made propitious vnto vs for our sinnes past in regard of almes deedes and not as it were hired therunto wherby wee may purchase a libertie to sinne without punishment For God hath not giuen to anie man the raines to sin although in this worlde hee pardoneth sinnes alreadie done through his owne mercie in case there bee a neglect of conuenient satisfaction CHAP. 71. That light or small sinnes obtaine pardon at Gods hands by saying of the Lords prayer â—â—ds also that it is an almes deede if any man forgiue his brothers offence THe dayly prayer of the faithfull maketh satisfaction for dayly and small sinnes without which this life is not ledde Wherfore it properly belongeth to them to say Our father which art in heauen which are regenerated to such a father by water and the holy Ghost This prayer doth whollye procure remission of small and daylye sinnes and it blotteth out all those trespasses which the life of the faithfull wickedly spent but reformed by repentance doth forsake in case as it is truely said forgiue vs our sins because there is no want of sins in vs to be forgiuen so on the other side it be as truely and vnfainedly said as we forgiue them which trespasse against vs that is to say that that bee fulfilled which is desired Because it is almes to forgiue a man that asketh pardon Animaduersions vpon the 71. Chap. The dayly prayer of the faithful maketh satisfaction for dayly and small sinnes c. THis Chapter seemeth a little to leane vnto the doctrine of Ueniall sins But Danaeus commenting vpon this very place doth discusse and clear that doubt saying that by a figuratiue kinde of speaking that thing is attributed here to the effect of prayer which belongeth onely to the passion of Christ whose blood is the expiation and cause of remission both of light and heauy sinnes For praier is the waie and meanes directed by Christ himselfe to obteine our petitions of God saying in the seauenth of Mathew Ask and it shall be giuen you Which attribute of prayer is much like vnto the Merchant who if hee haue made a prosperous voyage or aduenture vseth to saie that he hath been enriched by that his voyage or aduenture Finally Danaeus doth cite a comparatiue speech of auntient Fathers who affirmed that great sinnes were to bee done away by
is saide in the Psalme God is my light and my saluation To the ende his illumination might disperse the cloud of our naturall ignorance and his saluation supply our infirmitie and weakenesse CHAP. 82. That our repentance commeth from God as well in respect of the inward motion thereunto as of the effect and open confession of our fault FOr repentance it self when it is to bee performed vpon an vrgent cause according to the maner or custom of the Church is for the most part pretermitted through our own defalt weaknes Because shame maketh vs fearefull to bee a scorne vnto the world whilest we more regarde our reputation amongst men than our duetie to God The consideration wherof shuld humble vs to the performāce of penance By which reason the mercie of God is requisit not onely in the action of repentance but also to incite and stir vs vp therunto Els would not the Apostle haue said of some least perhaps God did not giue them repentance And the Euangelist foretelling the occasion why Peter wept so bitterly saith The Lord looked back vpon him TOVCHING SINNE against the holy Ghost CHAP. 83. That is sin against the holy Ghost when any man doth obstinately deny that ther can be no remissiō of sins in the Church of God WHosoeuer therfore in not beleeuing that sins are forgiuen in the Church doth contēn so great a liberalitie of Gods gift and endeth his life in that obstinate minde is guiltie of that vnpardonable sinne against the holy Ghost Of which intricate question I haue discoursed as conspicuously as I could in a Booke purposely composed of that matter TOVCHING THE Resurrection of the dead CHAP. 84. All and singular persons of mankinde which now are borne or hereafter shall be borne shal rise againe at the later day NOw verely touching the resurrectiō of the flesh which is not to be raised from death to life againe as some haue beene and to die againe but to bemoūted to eternall life as the flesh of Christ did rise is a matter beyond my reach how to handle it briefly and to discusse all questions vsually propounded therein Howbeit no Christian ought to make doubt of the resurrection of the flesh of all men either liuing or to be borne now dead or hereafter to die CHAP. 85. Touching Children borne before their time whether they shall rise againe HEereupon first of all their riseth a questiō touching children borne before their time which at this present are borne in their mothers wombe howbeit not in that ripenesse and perfection as that they come to a second birth For if wee shall affirme that they are to rise againe then whatsoeuer is said of those which are complete in forme may be admitted But as touching children borne before their naturall time and those without forme or fashion who thinketh not that such doe most quickly perish and dye euen as the seeds which neuer took root being sowen Howbeit who dare deny although none dare on the contrary affirme that the resurrection will bring to passe that whatsoeuer wanted forme shall be at that time fulfilled By which meanes there shall not want any perfectiō which might haue growen in time euen as there shall not be on the contratrary any deformities which happened to any by processe of time so as Nature should neither bee defrauded of that which fulnesse of time might accomplish in all parts nor yet bee blemished in that which time had made defectiue or deformed but that made perfect which was imperfect that amended which was deformed or monstrous CHAP. 86. At what time infants beginne to quicken and haue life in their mothers wombe BY this occasion it may be verie doubtfully questioned and disputed amongst the learned and yet can I not tell whether any man can discusse the trueth therin at what time a man doth quicken in his mothers wombe and whether he secretly liueth in the same althogh that life which is in him doth not appeare by any motions or stirrings of the creature so liuing For to denie that infants be deliuered such as bee cut out by peace meale and cast foorth of their mothers woombe least their mothers should also perish if they were left dead in their bodies it seemeth to bee a matter of great impudencie and bouldnesse For at what time soeuer a man beginneth to liue after that time also may he in like manner die And now being dead I see not in my conceit why he shuld not bee included in the number of those which rise at the later day CHAP. 87. Touching men which be monsters how they shall rise in the later day FOr neither may it be denied that monsters which are so borne and do liue afterwards although they dye presently after they are borne shall rise againe Nor yet are we to beleeue that they shall rise againe in that deformity they dyed but rather reformed and amended in that naturall defect For farre be it from vs to beleeue that the Centaure lately borne in the East parts of whom both our faithful brethren which sawe him made report and Ierome the Priest memorable for piety left a record in writing God forbid I say we should thinke that one man being in shape two and not rather two which should haue been if they had beene twinnes shall rise againe in those seuerall deformities In like man her all other humane things which be called monsters by reason euerie creature so borne haue more or lesse or bee more deformed in their creation then they should haue beene shall in the day of their refurrection bee reduced to the shape of humane nature in perfection in so much as all soules particularly shall inioy their proper bodies no such thinges cleauing vnto them as were coherent and borne with them in their natiuitie but contrariwise euery one particularly being furnished with his proper parts and members whereby the bodie of man may be complete in all perfection CHAP. 88. That it is an easie matter with God to restore vnto vs our flesh againe howsoeuer it be consumed THis earthly matter whereof the flesh of man is created is not lost with God but into what soeuer dust or ashes it is resolued into whatsoeuer vapors or coasts it is carryed into whatsoeuer substance of other bodies or the elements themselues it bee turned into the flesh of whatsoeuer beasts or men it is incorporated and changed It returneth again in a moment of time to the same soule of man which at first breathed life into it whereby it was made man increased and liued CHAP. 89. In the Resurrection of the dead the question is whether the whole substance of the flesh shal be restored or that euerie particular part member therof shall come together again as where it was at the first and whether the excrements shall be in like sort restored THat same earthly matter therefore which becommeth a dead carcasse when the soule is gone out of it shall not so and in
in IN which soeuer of these fower ages or conditions the grace of regeneration findeth each man there are all his sinnes past remitted vnto him and the guilt contracted by the first birth is dissolued by the second And of so great force is that the spirit breatheth where it wil that there bee some which neuer enter into that second estate of seruitude vnder the lawe but in the first receiuing of the commandemēt haue the hands of Gods helping grace reached forth vnto them CHAP. Cxx. That they which die immediately after baptisme are happie BEfore a man can receiue commandement it is of necessity that he must first liue according to the flesh But if being initiated with the sacrament of regeneration hee presently departe out of this life death shall not hurt him because Christ therefore died and rose againe that he might haue dominion ouer the liuing and the dead Neither shall the kingdome of death hould him for whom he died that was free among the dead CHAP. Cxxi That Charitie is the Law and the Gospell which now hath her dayly increases but in the world to come shall haue her absolute perfection THat all the diuine precepts are referred vnto Charitie whereof the Apostle sayth The ende of the commandement is charitie out of a pure heart a good conscience and faith vnfained The ende therfore of euerie precept is charitie That is euery precept is referred vnto charitie But whatsoeuer is so done either for feare of punishment or any other carnall respect that it is not referred to charitie which the holye Ghost doth shedde abroade in our hearts it is not done as it should bee done though it seeme to bee done For charitie reacheth both to God and our neighbour And truely in these two precepts hangeth all the Lawe and the Prophets Whereunto wee may adde the Gospell and the Apostles also For whēce haue we that saying The ende of the Lawe is charitie and God is charitie but out of their writings What-euer things therefore God commandeth of which one is Thou shalt not commit adulterie and what-euer things are not commanded but men are aduised thereunto by speciall counsaile of which one is It is good for a man not to touch a woman both these kindes of things are then well performed when they are referred to the loue of God and of our neighbour for God both in this world and the worlde to come The loue of God I say whome now wee behould through faith but then shall see him face to face And our neighbour also now we knowe but by faith For wee mortall men know not the harts of mortall men But then God shall enlighten the hid things of darkenesse and manifest the thoughts of our harts Then shal euerie one haue prayse of God because each neighbour shall prayse and loue that in other which diuine illumination will not suffer to be hid in them but will present it to the viewe of each other Now concupiscence is diminished and weakned charitie increasing till it come euen in this world to such a greatnes as greater it cannot be No greater loue then this can any man haue than that a man should giue his life for his friends But who shall bee able to expresse what height of loue shall bee there where there shall bee no concupiscence nor no inordinate desire to be repressed how whole sound all things shal be there where there shall be no striuing◠of direfull death CHAP. Cxxii What name is most fitly to be giuen to this worke BVt let vs now at the last make an end of this worke which chuse you whether you will call or vse in the nature of an Enchiridion But I truely not thinking your studies and endeuours in Christ Iesus to be such as should be despised and promising my selfe all good of you trusting hoping in the help of our redeemer and louing you most dearly in the sweete fellowship of his members I haue written and dedicated vnto you endeuouring my self to the vttermost a Book of faith hope and charitie Which God grant bee as pleasing profitable vnto you as it is large FINIS