to their home bicause there only they finde peace rest to vv ch their nature inclineth Brute beasts also of one kind coÌ„monly Keep together and follovve one head as it vvere vvith common consent bicause one easilier makes peaceble aggreement then many Li. de vaâ—â—â— Idolorum Bees follovv one king sayeth sainct CypriÌ„an and obey the huÌ„ming of one master-bee In all flocks of sheep ther is one Belvvether and in euery heard one is the ring leader yea sayeth sainct Hierome Cranes follovv one in a longe order vvhich they do for loue of peace for in follovving diuers heades they vvould be more diuided and lesse vnited lib. ciu c. 1â— Yea sayeth S. Austin no tigre is so cruel vvhich doth not licke and like her young ones noe Kite but loues her brood and seekes to conserue her familie in peace much more doth man vvho is indevved vvith reason couer and desire peace seem he othervvise barbarouse and deuoid of humanitie The Passionate man vvho fights coÌ„tinually against reason to satisfie his passions seekes to giue theÌ„ their desire vvithout contradiction of reason and consequently coueteth peace but this is an inordinate peace The reasonable vertuouse man vvho seeks to subdevv his passioÌ„s and to make them to yeeld to reason vvithout repugnance seeketh an attonement betvvixt passion and reason and this is an orderly peace The rebelliouse and mutinouse subiectes vvho rise in armes against their lavvful Prince are desirouse to enioy their ovvn vville to possess vvhat they desire vvithout resistaunce and consequently intend a peace but this is an iniust peace And all though by rebellion they breake coÌ„mon peace yet that is not bicause they hate peace but bicause they enioye not that peace vvhich they desire The iust Prince vvho maketh vvarre against iniust vsurpers Aug. ibidem euen then vvhen he biddeth vvarre aymeth at peace and intends not vvarre as vvarre but as a meane to come to peace and this is a iust peace Cacus that barbarouse fellovv vvho liued in caues as beastes doe fedd him selfe of the spoyles of others vvas desirouse to enioy his ovvn desires vvithout molestation and so desired peace but a brutish peace And aâ— peace is most pleasaunt and therfor desired of all so is it most soueraine and therfor preserueth all Peace betvvixt the humours and elementarie qualities in mans body is health peace betvvxit the tvvo repugnant partes in mans soule reason and sensualitie is vertu peace betvvixt God and man is Charitie betvvixt man and man is frendshipp peace and consorte in voices or instruments is musick peace and aggreement in colours is beautie peace in proportioÌ„s is good making peace in the heauens motions and in the Elementes qualities is the coÌ„seruation of all Peace is the maintenaunce of families the preseruation of cities the establisment of Colleges the strength of common vvelthes the force of Kingdomes and the felicitie of all societies Peace vpholdeth heauen Mar. 12. Marc. â— vvithout it hell could not stande bicause euery Kingdom vvhich is diuided in it selfe shal be made desolate Peace and vnitie sayth the Philosopher makes naturall causes to passe them selues in force and efficacie bicause force vnited is stronger then it selfe diuided You may breake a thousaunde arrovves one being taken from another but in a bundell or sheafe not so Diuide the greatest riuer vvhich is and a childe vvill passe it but vvhen the vvater is vnited you must haue a shippe or boate to sayle ouer Lay one cole in one corner of the hovvse and a nother in a nother and you may Stand in the middest and blovve your fingers for colde but vnite them together and they vvill vvarme the vvholle hovvse OxeÌ„ diuided can not dravv that vvaight vvhich they can vnited The greatest armie vv ch is if it be diuided is soone defeated but vvhen the forces are vnited it is inuincible To be breefe peace preserueth all thinges and giues streng the and force to all And contrarivvise dissension is the bane of all dissension or distemperature of humours in mans body is sicknes disagreement of reason and sensualitie in the soule is vice iarring of voices or instruments is vngratefull discord in colours it is deformitie in proportions mishape Diffension is the vndoing of families the dissolution of Colleges the vveakning of cities the ouerthrovv of armies the ruine of kingdomes the bane of all societies Vvhat Kingdomvvas more likely to haue stood then that of the Angells DissensioÌ„ vvhich Lucifer sovved had allmost quite ruined it Vvhat place better fenced more fertile and frutfull then paradise yet dissension betvvixt God and man yea betvvixte man and him selfe for vvhen man disagreed from god his fleshe beganne to resist his spirit and all creaturs before obedient to him began to rise in armes against him banished theÌ„ce the happy inhabitaunts and vvith theÌ„ all foelicitie Vvho more neare then Cain and Abell dissension vvas the death of the one and the reprobation of the other Vvho more likely to haue liued louingly together them Abraham and Lot Ioseph and his brethern dissension seuered and separated them Vvhat kingdomes more strong and poteÌ„t then those of the Medes Persians Chaldies and Romaines read histories and you shall see that dissension vvas the cheefest cause of their ruines If then the Maxime of the philosopher be true that one contrarie setteth forth another by the destroying nature of dissension you may easily perceiue hovv souerain a preseruatiue peace is and hovv iust cause all creaturs haue so vehemently to desire it This Ievvel Christ bequeathed vnto his deare spouse the Church vvhen sone after his resurrection standing in the midst of the apostles he sayed vnto them Io. 20. Pax vobis peace be vvith you Io. 14. Of this peace in another place he maketh meÌ„tioÌ„ vvher he sayeth Pacem relinquo vobis pacem meam do vobis I leaue peace vnto you I giue my peace vnto you Vvhere for a legacie he bestovveth on his Church not gold and siluer nor kingdomes nor possessious thoughe he permitteth kings to bestovve these things also vppon her but that vvhich is more vvorth then all the diadems and scepters in the vvorld to vvit peace vvith out the vvhich noe societie can endure This peace the prophet Esaie longe since forsavv and forthold Isâ— 81. 65. vvhen he sayed That the vvolfe and lamb shall dvvell to gether and the Lion Bear and Calfe liue peacebly one vvith another and that a litle boy shall driue them a feeld For his meaning is that in the Church shall be such agreemeÌ„t at least in matters of religion that they vvho before their conuersion vvere persequuting vvolues and Beares shall liue peacebly vvith the harmless lambs and Christians and that a litle boy Christe Iesus the autour of all this peace shall driue them a feeld that is shall rule and gouern them The same prophet by another metaphore describing the same peace â—bidem sayeth In those dayes the
sonne of God But thou vvillt say that in many places Caluin others graunt that Christe is true God the sonne of God I vvill graunt it also l. 1. Inst c. 13. for Caluin in the first booke of his Institutions and thirteenth chapter indeuoureth to proue Christes diuinitie but yet thou seest also hovve they eate their vvords deny in one place vvhich in another they affirmed And so to conclude ether they speake thus vvittingly of Christe and so they are noe Christians but renouncers of Christ or of ignoraunce so thy are not men to be fellovved in so great mattets as faythe is vvho haue need thē selues to learne their Catechisme vvhich teacheth hovv to speake and to beleeue of Christ and God The second chapter shevveth hovv by their doctrine they make Christe an absurd redeemer MAN once vvas free of condition as being created lord ouer all and subiect to none but God vvhose seruice is no seruilitie he vvas noble of birthe as being framed by God his ovvn hands of virgin earth Mannes felicitie in paradise vvhich yet vvas not stained by sinne he vvas happie in state as being indevved vvith a body immortall freed from diseases deaths and distemperaturs nether benummed vvith cold nor parched vvith heat nor pined vvith honger nor molested vvith thirst enriched vvith a soule filled vvith grace and spiritual treasures vvhich vvas prone to vertue not inclined to vice nether molested vvith concupiscence nor overruled by passion but ruled reason vvhich vvas ruled by grace His superiour parte vvas obedient to God his inferiour parte to the superiour sensualitie to reason the flesh to the spirit and all creaturs to him vvere buxome and obedient Besides this invvard foelicitie of soule and body he vvas placed in Paradise vvhere he vvas enuironed and compassed about vvith all delightes and pleasures and farre from all displeasurs Mannes seruitude after sinne But vvhen by sinne man vvould not be subiecte to God hee became a slaue to his ovvne flesh passions and sensualitie a bond man to sinne captiue to the deuill subiect to death and mortalitie hell and damnation And of all this seruile subiection sinne vvas the cause for vvhen Adā sinned and vvee in Adame transgressed vve vvere by by guiltie of death vvhich is the revvard of sinne Rom. ◠and by sinne vve became slaues to sinne and concupiscence For as Christe sayeth vvhosoeuer sinneth is a slaue to sinne Io 8. l Io 5. 2 Pet 2. Rom. 6. and being slaues to sinne vve vvere slaues to the deuill vvhoe hathe noe authoritie nor povver ouer vs but by sinne and being slaues to the deuill vvee vvere captiues of hell vvhich is the prison vvhere the deuill holds sinners perpetually And behold here breefly in vvhat bondage by sinne the deuill had gotten vs. After that by sinne vve vvere despoiled of grace if he had tempted vs vve could not haue resisted and if vve had fallen by sinne Th. ◠2. q. 109. a. 7. vve could not haue risen again by force of nature and force of grace vve had none bicause sinne had depriued vs of it and so vve vvere slaues to sinne and the deuill also and captiues also and prisoners of hell vvhich is devv to sinne vvherfore sainct Paule sayeth that Vve vvere deteyned captiues at the deuils vvill and pleasure 1. Tim. ◠To ransome this prisoner and to redeme this bondslaue by vvay of aequitie and iustice it vvas necessarie that a diuine person should become man Mannes Redeemer for God only could not satisfie bicause he vvas the partie offended and in that he vvas God could be indebted to none Man only vvas not able to paye so great a ransome as sinne required only God and man vvas a fitte pay-master For as S. Leo sayeth if he had not been true god he could not haue giuen vs a remedie Ser. 1. Nat. Domini and if he had not been true man he could not haue giuen example yea he could not haue suffered and so could not haue satisfied And amongest the three diuine persons the second vvas the fittest For vvho fitter to be a mediatour then the midle person Vvho fitter to be the sonne of mā by incarnatiō then he vvho from all aeternitie vvas the sōne of god Vvho fitter to repaire the image of god in mā thē hevvhoe vvas the image of his father Vvho fitter to make an amendes for Adames inordinate desire of knovvledg Gen. ◠then he vvhoe vvas the vvisdome of his father Vvho fitter to abate Adams pride vvho vvould haue been like to God then he vvho vvas in deed the likeness of god his father and yet by incarnation of purpose became in outvvard shovve as vnlike him as man is to God Breefly vvho fitter to appease the storme then Ionas for vvhom the storme vvas ray sed for it vvas no other then the sonne of God for vvhō the storme in heauen vvas raised vvhen Lucifer vvould be like the highest It vvas no other then the same sonne of God for vvhō in paradise that storme arose vvhen Adam puffed vp vvith pride vvould be like to god in Knovvledg of good and euil for to him is proper the likenesse and image of God vvhich they inordinately affected The anciēt then of yeares became a child the vvord vvas mute God became man the second and middle person played the mediatour the sonne of God became the sonne of man and in mans nature vvhich hee had takē vppon him repayred vvhat man had ruined and destroying sinne by fleshe vvhich by flesh vvas committed ouercame the deuill by fleshe by vvhich he had ouercome and vvher as vvith one teare yea one vvorde he might haue redeemed vs he vvould shed his blood for vs and vvheras one dropp had been sufficient he povvred out all to shevv the greatnesse of his charitie and the greatnesse of our ingratitude vvhich still commit sinnes vvhich cost Christ so dearly to shevv the mallice of sinne vvhose staine could not be takē out vvithout the blood of this lamb and to shevve the greatnesse of the ransom and the price of our redemptiō So great vvas this price vvhich vvas payed for vs 1. Pet. 1. that sainct Peter sayeth Vvee vvere redeemed not by gold and siluer but by the pretiouse blood of Christe 1. Cor. 6. And sainct Paule sayeth that vvee vvere bought by a great price so great Psal 13◠that Dauid calles it copiosa redemptio a copiouse redemption Prorsus copiosa sayeth sainct Bernard quia non gutta sed vnda sanguinis per quinque partes corporis manauit Copiouse in deed bicause not a dropp Ser 22. in Cant. but a streame of bloud issued out at fiue partes of his body so ritch a price vvas this blood sayeth he Ep. 190. That it vvas sufficient to haue satisfied for the sinne vvhich shed it So that Christ is our redemer Vvho hathe deliuerd vs out of the povver of darkenesse Col. 1. freed vs from the slauerie
can not do any good vvorke but must needs sinne in all our actions as shall appeare by their doctrine and their vvords in the seuenthe booke vvhich if it be true then are vve not by Christe freed froÌ„ the deuills tyrannie vvho still so tyranniseth ouer vs that vvee can resist none of his tentations then are vvee still slaues to our ovvne concupiscence and sensualitie vvhose assaults vve can not vvithstande then are vve bondemen of sinne vvhich so ouerruleth vs that vve can do no other thing but sinne then are vve not deliuered from Hell and damnation vvhich God hathe prouided against sinne and sinners And soe these fayre-spoken Christians vvhich call Christ the sole Mediatour and only Redeemer make him noe Redeemer at all The fourth chapter shevveth hovv by their doctrine they make Christ no spirituall Phisitian GOD created man in good plight sound vvholle and immortall bestovving on him atree of life vvhose frute shoulde haue preserued him from diseases distemperaturs and death of body and indevving him vvith originall iustice vvhich if he had Kept had kept him and preserued him in perpetuall health of soule But he not knovving hovv to vse such felicitie by a surfet vvhich he tooke of the forbidden frute distempered his body vvith mortalitie vvhence proceed diseases infirmites and death it selfe and caste him selfe at one tyme into noe fevver then fovvre diseases of the soule vvhich diuines commoÌ„ly call vulnera animae the vvounds of the soule vvhich reside also in fovvre partes and faculties of the soule Th. 〈◊〉 2. q. 85. art 3. The vnderstanding vvhose obiect is truthe and vvhose perfection is knovvledg vvas obscured vvith ignoraunce the vvill vvhose marke at vvhich she aymeth is Good and vvhose perfection is loue vvas infected vvith mallice The irascible part vvhose obiecte is difficultie and vvhose glorie is victorie ouer difficulties vvas vveakned vvith infirmitie and the coÌ„cupiscible parte vvhose obiect vvas moderate delight vvhose felicitie vvas contentment in the same vvas galled vvith the itching and ill pleasing sore of concupiscence And Adame vvas the man of vvhoÌ„ vve tooke this infectioÌ„ vnhappy to him selfe vnlucky to vs vvho poisoning him selfe infected vs and ronning him selfe thorough vvouÌ„ded vs. For vvhen this vnhappy vvight descended froÌ„ Hierusalem to Hierico Luc. 10. that is from Paradise the place of peace and pleasure vnto this vale of misery and changeable vvorld as mutable as the Moone vvhich the vvord Hierico importeth he fell into the handes of theeues Th. supra â—eda I meane the deuills vvho despoiled him of his garment and coate of innocencie and all supernaturall habites and graces and vvounded him euen in naturall perfection and facultie vvhich before by originall iustice vvas much confirmed and perfited and gaue him the fovvre vvounds afore mentioned Luc. 10. yet so that they lefte him halfe a liue not liuing the supernaturall life of grace bicause sinne had bereued him of it but yet liuing a naturall life bicause he had lost noe naturall perfection though he vvas vveakened and vvounded also in that bicause he lost originall iustice vv ch gaue noe small force and vigour euen vnto nature Ibidem and greater then nature of her selfe could haue had by nature And vvhilest he laye thus spoiled and vvounded the Preest and Leuite passed by him but gaue him noe helping hande that is the lavve and Prophets could tell him the nature of the disease Io. â— but could giue him noe grace to heale it Vvherfore the Samaritane Christ Iesus vvho vvheÌ„ he vvas so called refused not the name played the part of a mercifull Phisitian Io. â— and by the oyle of his mercie and vvine of his blood vv ch he povvred into his vvounds recured him So that if novv Hieremie demaund of vs Hier. v. Nunquid resina non est in Galaad aut medicus non est ibi Is ther not rosen in Galaad or is not there a Phisitian Vve can ansvvere him quickly yes yes Hieremie in Galaad the Church of Christ vve vvant noe rosen salues nor medicins for vve haue seuen sacramentes vvhich all giue grace to heale all spirituall vvounds and vve haue a Phisitian vvhose name is Iesus vv ch importeth saluation Luc. â— Th. â— p. q. â— â— vvho came not for the vvholle but the sicke not for the iust but for the sinfull vvho in all respects hath played all the partes of a good Phisitian PhisitiaÌ„s are more in company vvith the sicke theÌ„ vvith the vvholle Mat. â— so vvas this spirituall Phisitian vvho one vvhile conversed vvith Pharisies another vvhile vvith Harlotes Mat. 9. another vvhile vvith Publicanes and allvvayes allmost vvith infirme patientes Phisitians haue their medicins Christ hath his saluing sacraments Phisitians to allure their patients to take the prescribed potions vvill tast of them first them selues and Christe to make vs patiently to drink dovvn the bitter potion of persecution and aduersitie vvhich is soueraine for the soule first began him selfe vnto vs that vvee might pledge him the more vvillingly Phisitians to recure vs do some tymes launce and cut vs some tymes they prescribe vs fasting and some tymes they let vs blood but this Phisitian in this pointe farre exceedeth them for they to diminish the disease vvill bid vs faste but vvill not faste them selues Christ fasted for vs fourtie dayes and nightes to recure our surfet Mat. 4. They to ridd vs of superfluouse humours or corrupted blood vvill launce our flesh or let vs blood in a vayne but vvill not lose one dropp of their ovvn blood for vs but Christ permitted his ovvn flesh to be cut in his circuncision to be torne vvhen he vvas vvhipped and to be perced vvhen he vvas crucified and vvould be let blood euen at the hart to make a potion for our recouery other Phisitians seek to take avvay our disease but vvill not take it vppon them to ridd vs of it but Christ hathe taken our sinnes vppon him to ease and ridd vs of them 1. Fet. 2. He hath takeÌ„ our ague to him selfe to take it from vs not that he hathe taken the mallice of our sinnes but the payne of sinne vppon him and hathe suffred it in his body vppon the vvood of the crosse Ibidem For as in a corporall ague there is the disease and the paine and the disease or agevve is a disemperatour of heate and humours the payne is not the agevve but the effecte of it so in the spirituall ague of the soule vvhich is sinne there is the mallice of sinne vvhich is the disease and this Christ could not take vnto him bicause hee vvas incapable of sinne ther is the payne also devve vnto sinne vvhich is not the agevve but a burning in Purgatorie or hell if vvee doe not preuent it by other corporall and voluntarie paynes and satisfaction And this Christ tooke vppon him in suffering honger thirste colde and other paynes vvhich vve had deserued yea suffring deathe
begonne to blaspheme neuer leaueth blaspheming but addeth blasphemie to blasphemie and still redoubleth his blasphemies For not content to haue despoiled Christ of many noble titles not thinking it a sufficient disgrace to make him an ignoraunte and desperate man he novv openeth his mouthe to vtter his greatest blasphemie and to spitte his greatest spite against him associating him in punishement vvith the deuilles making him a member of the damned crevve and an inhabitaunte of hell it selfe and from desperation bringeth him to hell and damnation l. 2. c. 16. §. 10. In his Institutions vvhich T. N. translated into English and Richard Harison imprinted in the yeare of our Lord 1562. hauing occasion to treate of the descension of Christe into Hell he sayeth that Christe is sayed to haue descended into hell not that his soule locally descended for Caluin acknovvledgeth noe locall hell but bicause in soule he felte the paines of hell for sayeth he not only the body of Christe vvas giuen to be the price of our redemption but ther vvas another greater and more excellente price payed in this that in his soule he suffered the terrible tormentes of a damned and forsaken man And a litle after he ansvvereth a question vvhich he supposeth may be moued in this manner Novve if a man should aske of me vvhether that Christe vvent dovvne to hell vvhen he prayed to escape that death â—ect 12. I ansvvere that then vvas the beginning of it And seing that Caluin acknovvledgeth no other hell then the paines of hell that is torments of mynde vvhere vvith the damned are vexed it follovveth that Christe in the garden vvhen he feared not only deathe as Caluin sayeth but his fathers tribunall also began his hell vvhen he dispaired as he sayeth on the crosse he entered into the depthe of hell and so those vvords my God Mat. 2â— my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Vvere the vvords of a damned man O blasphemie and that of one vvho vvill needs be counted a zealous and a reformed and reforming Christian Thou a Christiane Caluin thou a Ievve and more blasphemouse then a devill Thinkest thou that Christe redeemed vs vvho could not saue him selfe If he suffred hell he vvas damned bicause none suffer hell but by sentence of damnation and seing that out of hell ther is noe redemption he his still damned and so noe redeemer But to redouble the iniurie vvith a flovvte Caluin vvill needs seeme Christes greatest freind in prefering him to hell for sayeth he it had beene but a small matter to haue suffered deathe of body Sect. 12. yea that death sayeth he vvould only haue redeemed our bodyes but not our soules and so to make Christe a complete redeemer of body and soule he bringeth him to hell SecoÌ„dly he sayeth that this highly commendeth Christes mercie and charitie And thirdly he sayeth that this also shevved the povver of Christe vvhoe not only by death overcame death but by suffring hell paines overcame hell also and by taking the paine vvhich vve deserued acquitted vs of the same Thus he shroudeth his impietie and blasphemie vnder the shevv of pietie and zeale of Christes honnour and vvhen he blasphemethe most of all hee vvill seeme to honour Christe vvith the title of a complete redeemer and to commend his charitie and povver But to the first I ansvvere that Christ by his death and passion payed a sufficient price and ransome bothe for soule and body Eph 5. and therfore sainct Paule sayeth that in Christe vve haue redemption in his blood Col 1. And again he sayeth that Christe hathe pacified all by the blood of the crosse bothe in heauen and earthe â— Pet. 1. To vvhome sainct Peter subscribing avoucheth that vve are redeemed not vvith gold nor Siluer but vvith the preciouse blood of the immaculate laÌ„be And neuer shall Ihon Caluin finde ether scripture or father that sayeth that Christe sufferd the paynes of hell for our redemptioÌ„ but rather he shall finde that they attribute our redemption to the passion and paÌ„ges of death of Christes body And therfore if Caluin vvill staÌ„de to it that Christes passion vvas only able to ransome our bodyes but not our soules he detracteth from the dignitie of Christs deathe and seing that the scriptures and fathers acknovvledge noe other price to haue beene offred for vs then Christes deathe and passion if that vvere deficient then according to Caluin Christe is noe complete Redeemer But he presseth vs vvith an argument vvhich he counteth insoluble Supra for sayeth he he that satisfieth for another must pay the debte vvhich he ovveth and susteine the payne vvhich he deserued and therfore bicause vvee deserued the paines of hell and vvere to suffer them both in soule body it vvas necessarie that Christ in soule should suffer the paynes of hell else had he beeÌ„ but halfe a redeemer But by this argument Christe should haue endured in hell perpetuall tormentes and so should neuer haue redeemed vs bicause he should him selfe haue been a perpetuall prisoner for if Christe must needs suffer the selfe same paine vvhich vvee deserued then must he according to Caluins rule haue endured a perpetuall hell bicause that vvas the punishement prepared for vs and seing that eternall punishement neuer comes to an ende Christe should neuer haue payed the ransome devv for sinne and so vve should neuer haue been redeemed Vvherfore I saye that Christes passion to the sufferaunce of vvhich bothe Christes body and soule concurred for the body by it selfe alone can not suffer paine vvas a sufficient ransome to redeeme bothe our soules and our bodyes from hell and damnation and therfore to that only and not to the paynes of hell the scriptures fathers do attribute our redemption See the third booke third chap. And this as I haue proued allready vvas a moste sufficient price and so sufficient that in that it vvas the passion and deathe of him that vvas God and man it vvas sufficient to haue redeemed a thousand vvorldes yea the deuilles damned also nether must Caluin bee so rigorous as to thinke that noe satisfaction can bee sufficient vnless it bee of the same kinde vvith the debte vvhich is to bee payed or the harme vvhich is to bee repaired for if one of Caluins brotherhood had cut of the arme of another brother vvould not a peece of mony haue made satisfaction for the mayme or vvould Caluin haue exacted arme for arme And if one had ovvght Caluin an hundred crovvnes vvould not he haue beene content to haue taken the vvorthe or more then the vvorthe in corne sheepe or suche like but needs must haue crovvne for crowne as thoughe there vvere noe other lavve but lex talionis or if satisfaction for these debtes and losses may be made by other paymentes vvhich are of aequall valevve then might Christe by sufferinge deathe vvhich vvas of infinite price and valevve make a full satisfaction for the paines
can they giue none vnto their Iudges and consequently nether the Prince nor the Iudge hathe authoritie to giue sentence or to punishe any malefactours bicause if they haue no authoritie they are but priuate men For although priuate men may vim vi repellere repelle force by force and stande in their ovvne defence that is vvarde a blovve vvhen it is offered and strike rather then be stricken yea kille rather then be killed bicause this is but to defende them selues and to repelle iniurie yet after that the iniurie is receued and quite paste they can not them selues requite the euill receiued vvith a like euill bicause that vvere not to defende but to reuenge them selues vvhich God hathe reserued to him selfe to them to vvhome hee hathe giuen authoritie and vvill not in any vvise that priuate mē bee their ovvne Iudges and reuengers bicause that vvere to open the gappe to all outrages much lesse vvill hee permit them to punishe them vvhoe haue doone iniuries vnto others vvherfore if Princes haue noe authoritie to commaund as in the last chapter by this nevv doctrine I haue proued that they haue not thē are they priuate men so can nether reuēge their ovvne nor others iniuries and consequently vniustly they condemne malefactours to prison to death and other paines and penalties And truly if it be true vvhich Luther and Caluin and their follovvers also affirme that noe man can bynde vs in cōscience by lavve and commaundement yea if it bee good doctrine vvhich is their doctrine as in the nexte booke shal be related Chap. ◠that by Christ and Christian faythe vvee are freed from all obligation of diuine lavves also then the malefactour hathe great scope giuē him to auoyd the Iudges sentēce although the offence be manifest For suppose the Iudge condemne him for transgression of the Princes lavve he may confesse the faulte and cōtemne the sentence And first he may saye that his sentence can not bynde him in conscience to accepte of it bicause by Christe hee is made a free man subiecte in conscience nether to man nor mans lavve nor sentence Secondly he maye confess that he hathe doone contrarie to the kinges lavve and yet plead not guiltie alleaging that the Princes lavve can not bynde him in conscience bicause hee is exempted by Christe from all humaine lavves and commaundements And then hee maye saye that vvhere noe lavve byndes in consciēce there is noe obligation vvhere noe obligation there is noe sinne and soe hee maye confesse the facte and yet plead not guiltie bicause hee sinned not and he may also refuse the punishement by sentence decred bicause vvhere noe sinne is there noe payne is due Or if the Iudge condemne him for breakinge Gods lavve in stealing murdering or such like hee maye confesse like vvise the facte and yet denye the faulte bicause hee is so free that God his lavve also can not bynde him and seing that vvhere noe obligation is there can bee noe faulte bicause euerye sinne is against some bonde or obligation hee maye claime absolution from the payne by the title of innocencie bicause vvhere no sinne is there no paine can bee devve Yea althoughe hee confesse that hee haue sinned vvhich yet hee neede not in transgressing Gods lavve yet hee may escape the sentence by appeale For hee may saye I confesse the faulte for vvhich I ame condemned but I refuse to stande to your sentence I appeale to God let him punishe mee if hee vvill vvhich I knovve not hovve hee can do iustly if I bee free from his lavves in conscience but of your sentence I vvill not accepte and if you vrge mee vvith conscience and alleage that I ame bounde in conscience to stande to your arbitrement bicause you are appointed to do iustice I chalenge Christian freedom by vvhich I ame so free that in conscience I ame not bound to mans lavve nor sentence And if this vvill not serue to free him from the sentence as I see noe reasou vvhy it should not serue then hee may defende him selfe by other opinions of the nevve reformers Hee maye saye that by Luthers and Caluins opinions vvhich are the Patriarches of the reformed Churche See the next booke chap. 6. hee is taught that hee hathe noe free vvill nor choise in anye action vv ch hee doeth vvhether it be good or badde and that therfore the iudge is vnreasonable cruel and barbarous in condemning him for thefte murder or adoultrie vvhich vvas not in his povver to auoyed And as iustly might he condemne him for not flyinge at the Kinges commaundement as for not absteining from murder vvhen ether by anger or desire of mony hee vvas moued thervnto Hee might alleage also for his defence that God moued him vnto those offences vvhich he committed and so forcibly also that hee could not resiste him In the fifte booke chap. 1. for this is Caluins opinion as before is declared yea hee might saye and haue Caluin also for his authour that God vvas the authour and principall agent of the thefte or murder for vvhich hee is cōdemned and that therfore by good consequence hee can not iustly be condemned for that in vvhich God hathe more patte then he hathe and to vvhich he moued him so forcibly that hee could not resiste Vvhat is this then gentle reader but to condemne all Iudges and tribunall seates to stoppe the Iudges mouthe from pronounncing any sentence and to loose the bridle vnto all malefactours vvho may commit vvhat outrage they vvill bicause there is no tribunall vvhich can iustly condemne them and no sentence can be pronounced against them vvhich they may not avoid by Luthers and Caluins doctrine The third Chapter shevveth hovv the former doctrine bringeth all Princes lavvet in contempte A Kingdome is commonly called a body not naturall but ciuil and political vvhose head is the King vvhose eyes are the Kinges counsaylers vvhose body and members are the people and vvhose soule is the lavve For as the natural body of man so soone as the soule hathe lefte it looseth all vitall operation becommeth gaste vgly and deformed devoide of colour and beautie and subiecte to dissolution of all the members by putrefaction So the body of a Kingdome destitute of lavve hathe noe reasonable action or motion bicause it vvantes the rule of the lavve vvhich squareth out all suche operations it loosethe all beautie bicause it vvanteth lavve to set dovvne an vniforme order vvhich is the beautie of all common vvelthes and it tendeth to a dissolution of all the partes and members bicause it is destitute of lavve vvhich is the soule and sinevve vvhich vniteth and knitteth these diuerse partes together Vvherfore Plato sayed that if men vvete lavvlesse and destitute of lavves l. 9 deleg they vvould litle differ from brute beastes and the reason is bicause as I haue sayed vvithout lavves there vvould bee noe reasonable operations nor order amongest men by vvhich especially a societie of men differeth
conclusions First that nether Princes nor Iudges haue authoritie to condemne vs to any paine as is before proued bicause vvhere noe lavve byndes noe prince can iustly punishe the transgression And so humaine feare is taken avvay Secondly this doctrine abolisheth all filial feare for vvher no lavve byndes in conscience noe sinne can be committed and so vvee need not to feare theftes and murders for feare of offending God bicause vvhere noe sinne is no offence is to be feared Reuerentiall feare also they abandone bicause as is before proued in denying lavves to bynde they take avvay all authoritie euen from God and vvhere noe authoritie is no reuerence is devve As for seruile feare they condemne it in expresse termes And Luthers vvordes vvee haue harde allready let vs heare also Caluin speake l. 3. Inct. c. 24 § 6.7.8 Hee affirmethe that a sinner can not bee iuste vnlesse hee beleeue assuredly that hee is elect praedestinate and vndoubtedly to be saued vvhence follovveth that noe man must feare hell yea that noe man can feare hell and retaine his faithe For if hee bee by faithe cocke-sure of Saluation hee can not feare hell and damnation bicause hee is as assured of escaping hell as of attaining heauen and noe man can feare that euil vvhich hee is assured to escape As for example noe man feareth least the heauens falle vppon him Or if Caluin feare hell hee looseth his faithe bicause hee is not assured to escape hell and to attaine to heauen And bicause Caluin savve vvell enoughe that feare of hell is taken avvay by this his doctrine § 2. hee checketh sainct Gregorie the great saying that he teacheth pestilently vvhen hee sayeth in a certain homelie that vve knovve only our calling but are vncertain of our election Hom. 38. in Mat. euang vvherby sayeth Caluin he moueth all men to feare and trembling bicause vve knovve vvhat vve bee to day but vvhat vve shal be vve knovve not Luther also as hee holdes the same opinion of assurednes of saluation so he biddes vs to take heed least vvee feare hell or iudgemeÌ„t bicause that vvere to loose our faithe These are his vvords Vvherfore if thou be a sinner as verily vve all are in to 2. Col. â—d Gal. do not propose vnto thy selfe Christe as a ludge in a rayn-bovve for then thou vvilte be a frayed and dispaire but apprehend the definition of Christe that hee is noe exactour of the lavve but a propitiaiour So that Luther thinkes that Christe vvill exacte noe lavve at the handes of a faithfull man and therfore he needeth not to feare hell in vvhich transgressours of the lavve are punished Vvherfore as they take avvay all hope of revvard so they take avvay all feare and especially the feare of hell vvhich is the greatest bridle that is to restraine men from sinne But first I vvill aske theÌ„ vvhy scripture setteth forthe heauen and hell vvith suches names and titles if it bee a sinne to hope for the one or to feare the other Truly if it bee sinne theÌ„ hathe God in setting forthe heauen and hell so liuely layed baytes to catche vs and to allure vs to sinne And vvhy then dothe scripture in so many places commaund vs to hope and to feare And hovve are those tvvoe thinges vnlavvfull vvhich are so necessarie in all common vvelthes Vvhy maye the plovvghman trauell all the daye in hope of his vvage the husbandman sovve his seed in hope of a haruest the souldiour follovve the vvarres in hope of a spoile and yet a Christian man maye not fullfill the commaundementes in hope of a revvard in heauen For if it bee lavvfull to hope for heauen vvhy it is not lavvfull also to giue almes in hope of heauen as Dauid inclined his harte to keepe the lavve for revvard and retributioÌ„ Psal 118. They ansvver that vve must serue God purely for his loue glorie but not for revvard True that must bee the principall ende but yet theÌ„ce it follovveth not but that vvee may also serue for revvard as for a secondarie ende and motiue But say they he that serueth for revvard vvould not serue god if revvard vvere not vvhich argueth an euil mynde I ansvvere that allmen are not so affectcted And if hope of heauen bee of that force as to moue theÌ„ to keepe the lavve vvhy may it not also bee sufficient to moue them to lay aside that euill affection vvhich is also against the lavve In like manner if I may lavvfully feare deathe and other euilles of the body vvhy may I not feare hell vvhich is the greatest punishement that is bothe of soule and body and if I may fearre hell vvhy maye I not absteine from sinne or fullfill the lavve for fearre of hell They saye the reason is bicause he that fullfilleth the lavve for feare of hell vvould sinne vvith all his harte if hell vvere not bee it so yet this arguethe feare to bee good rather then euil bicause it is a cause vvhy vvee absteine at least from the out vvard acte of sinne and if the mynde bee euill disposed that proceedeth not from the fear of hell but froÌ„ an euill disposition Yea if feare of hell bee sufficient to keep vs from the acte of sinne it is sufficient also to restraine vs from the euill desire of the mynde bicause against that also hell is prepared And in this is a plaine differeÌ„ce betvvixte feare of hell and temporall punishments bicause Princes by teÌ„porall paines punishe only the outvvarde acte of vvhich only they can iudge and therfore the theefe may absteine from thefte for feare of hanging and yet haue an invvarde desire to steale but God punisheth in hell not only the outvvard acte but also the invvard affection and desire of sinne and therfore if feare of hell keep a man from thefte it vvill restraine him also from the desire And consequently feare of hell can not bee ill but rather good vvhich is no cause of ill but rather a cause vvhy vvee absteine from euill and althoughe some peraduenture yea and vvithout peraduenture vvould sinne and neglegcte the commaundemeÌ„tes if hope of heauen and fear of hell vvere not yet that is noe argument that ther in they sinne if they haue noe presentil affectioÌ„ or consent to sinne For so many vvould sinne if they should liue longer or if they had this or that occasion or if God gaue them not this and that grace and yet that they vvould sinne is noe sinne if they haue noe present affection or desire to sinne Yea this is an argument that hope of heauen and feare of hell are verye laudable and good bicause they are bridles to restraine men from sinning Vvherfore to dravve neare a conclusion vvhich is that our Reformers in taking avvay hope of heauen and feare of hell open the gappe to all vice I reporte mee vnto the indifferente reader hovve the Churche is like to flourishe in vertue vvithout hope of heauen and feare of hell seing that as
her selfe so faste vnto you that the death of your person can not dissolue this Mariadge bicause her mariadge vvith your person is the spousage vvith your noble posteritie These great fauours and benedictions of th' Almightie tovvardes your Maiestie make the vvorld to thinke that God hath culled you out for some good purpose and that your Highnes to shevv your selfe gratefull vnto him vvill imploy your selfe in some honourable seruice for that Church and fayth of vvhich you are called the Defendour in so much that if the general voice grouÌ„ded only on the great expectation vvhich commonly is conceiued of you vvere as true as common I should not need at this tyme to be the Suppliaunte for the freedom and libertie of your distressed Catholiques And althoughe your Catholique subiectes at home haue not yet obteined so great a benefit yet so ritch hopes and so firme confidence do they repose in your Graces Bountie that froÌ„ the first day of your raigne they hoped that your Maiestie vvill proue another Moyses vvho shall deliuer your Realmes and Kingdomes from a vvorse then Egiptian captiuitie I meane heresie vvhich makes the vnderstanding a slaue to errour vnder a shovv of veritie yea that you vvill be vnto them another losue vvho shall bring them to their lande of promise the Catholique Churche vvhich is the lande of all Gods promises and that after a longe famine more then Ievvishe or Saguntine not of body but of soule you shal be another Ioseph vvho shall store vs by your vvisdome and authoritie vvith the spiritual prouision of the true vvorde of God true fayth and sacrameÌ„tes by vvhich the soule is nourished Yea that you vvill bee another Constantine to appease the boysterous storme of a longe persequution and to repaire the ruines of the Catholique faith and Church of your Realmes of England Scotland and Ireland And I also armed vvith the same hope and bidden by your Bountie and constrained by necessitie to be bolde in the name of all your Catholike subiectes of vvhome I ame the leaste in the name of the Catholike Church of vvhich I ame a member and you a Defendour in the name of all Catholike Princes yea of al the Christian vvorld vvhich hath conceiued such an expectarioÌ„ of your Gracious Goodnes in the name of the Great King of heauen and earth by vvhom you raigne and by vvhom you were preserued and reserued for this Croune scepter that it would please your Maiestie to caste a Gracious regard vppon the great affliction of your loyall naturall and moste anciente subiectes the Catholikes of your Realme and to bende your most compationate eares to their humble suppliaunte petition vvho desire nether landes nor liuinges nor offices nor pardon for offences but libertie for their consciencee vvhose restrainte they counte more greeuous then imprisonment yea death of their bodyes and not to contristate them vvith a heauie repulse at this tyme especially vvhen euen theeues and murderers are pardoned so Graciously Our zeale tovvards Christe his Churche the loue of our Religion the desire of the saluation of your Maiesties Person of your louing Spouse our moste Gracious Queene of your Royal Children our Noble Lordes of your Kingdome also our deare Countrie moueth vs to desire your Highnes to restore vvhollie thaâ— Religion vvhich your Glorious predecessours maintened vvith Crovvne Scepter Sworde as for the defence theâ— of they vvere all svvorne at their sacreâ— Coronation But if it shall not standâ— vvith your Graces pleasure to graunte vâ— so much vvee moste humblie desire oâ— our knees libertie only of our conscience and Religion vvhich the nature oâ— bothe requireth Nether as vvee hope vvill your Maiestie condemne vs of to great presumption for demaunding that vvhich hath been so longe denyed vs bicause there is no PrescriptioÌ„ against conscience vvhen conscience is enforced and your princely Prudence vvel perceiueth that necessitie on our parte is importune Bountie on your parte imboldâ—neth and the Religion on your most Noble Progenitours parte for vvhich we plead promiseth a Gracious graunte For if it much skilleth froâ— what treâ— the graffe or frute is taken vvhy shall it not much importe to come of a Catholique Race True it must be vvhich the Poet sayeth Fortes creantur fortibus bonis Hor Flac. Est in â—â—uencis est in equis Patrum Virtus nec imbecillem feroces Progenerant Aquilae columbam I graunt that ReligioÌ„ is supernatural and is not transfused vvith flesh and bloud but infused by God vvith consent of our vvill and operation of Grace but yet children are naturally bent to like of that in vvhich their parentes haue excelled And truly for zeale tovvards the Catholike Religion almost all the noble Kinges of ScotlaÌ„d vvhich vvere your Highnes progenitours are most famous as the Valiaunt and noble Malcolmus and the blessed saincte Marguerite his spouse Histoire abbregée par Dauid â—hambre King Dauid vvho builded 15. Abbeyes erected 4. Bishop-rickes Iames the fourth your Great Grandfather surnamed protectour of the faith Iames the fifte your GrauÌ„dfather a moste iust King and liberall to the poore to omit diuers others not only of Scotland but also of England yea and Fraunce also and namelie that vvarlike and moste Catholike Hovvse of Guise to vvhich you are allyed but of all your Glorious Mother is moste renovvmed vvho as for her goodly personage she deserued to bâ— Spouse to a King of Fraunce and for heâ— Princely qualities and Roiall bloud vvaâ— vvorthy a double crovvn in Earth so foâ— her Zeale in religioÌ„ and more then manly Fortitude shevved for the defence oâ— the same at her death She deserued the third Crovvn in Heauen called Aureola Martyrum Is it possible then thaâ— your moste Excellent Maiestie beholding such rare vertue in your Mother should not desire it in your selfe Or thaâ— you should not loue to liue in that Religion for vvhich she loued to dye I haue hard of some that vvere belonging to her and entertained by her vvhen she vvas rather detained then entertained in England that she spent many hovven in prayer shed many teares of sorovve gaue great almes of charitie and vsed diuers meanes of prouideÌ„ce that your Maiestie might bee made a Catholike and amongest other She deuised the meanes that you should be baptized Nicol Burne in his preface to king lames the sixt and confirmed by a Catholike bishop That ranne still in her mynde that vvas deepest iâ— her harre and oftenest in her mouthe foâ— that she fetched many a sighe and sigheâ— out many a vvishe and as liuing for thiâ— she shed many teares so dying no doubte she offered no litle parte of her innocent bloud vvhich as it cryeth vengeaunce before God against her enemies so like a pleasing sacrifice as vve hope it cryeth for conuersion of your Maiestie and your Kingdomes to that religion for vvhich it vvas shedde So that as sainct Ambrose sayed once to sainct Monica vvho vvas allvvayes praying vveeping
them vvel bestovved bicause they haue the revvard I looked for if thou doe not yet are they not loste quia aliquid est voluisse bicause some thing it is to haue desired thy good and I haue taken no more paynes then thy good deserued If the stile of my booke please thee-not refuse not gold bicause it is ill fashioned and remember that though the autour bee thy countriman by byrthe yet he is more a straunger then an English-man by educatioÌ„ If thou fynde faultes in the printing yet fynd not faulte vvith the Printer he knevv vvhat he did bicause he vnderstood not vvhat he printed and I had not the leisure allvvayes to ouer see his labours If I seeme to speake to sharpely some tymes it is not for any toothe against any person but for hatred of heresie And if thou take this my impolished vvorke in good vvorthe thou vvilte giue me the occasion and courage to take in hande another in vvhich I shall explane as I haue in parte allready and make as plaine and plausible those pointes of the Catholike Religion to vvit Indulgences Merit SatisfactioÌ„ vvorship of Saintes Images and Reliques vvith many such other vvhich seeme to the deceiued to imply iniurie to Christe or absurditie as I haue discouered the grosse errours of the Nevve Religion But novv for a Vale and freindly farevvel I beseech the to take this counsaile at my handes Build not vppon that not so flattering as false opinion vvher vvith many vse to comforte them selues to vvit that thou maiest be saued in any religion My second booke vvill assure thee that vvithout a true and intier faith it is impossible to please God and that out of the true Church See the second booke and 4. chap. there is noe saluation As God is but one the truthe but one so his Religion Church and vvorship is but one This Church and Religion is not to be found amongest the reformers as my second booke vvill tell thee bicause it hathe all the markes of heresie It is only to be found amongest the Catholikes vvho are Nicknamed Papistes as thou mayest see by the same booke and by some chapters of the first booke and by other partes of the other bookes euidently demonstrated The Catholike Church then is the hauen of Securitie to vvhich thou must repayre It is the porte of Saluation the Arke vvherin Noe lodgeth his familie that is Christe and his faithfull people It is the barne vvhere the good corne is layed vp till the vvinovving day It is the folde of Christes Sheepe The piller of truthe The treasure-hovvse of Christes Graces The Shoppe of spiritual Negotiation The lande of promise The paradise of the second Adame The Temple of the second Salomon The misticall body of Christe The terrestrial heauen of those that hope to be blessed The only vvay to life euerlasting If then thou desire to be free from tempests and contrarie vvindes of disagreeing heresies direct thy ship and saile to this quiet hauen if thou vvilt not make shipvvrake of thy soule fly to this porte of Saluation If thou vvilte not be drovvned in the deluge of sinne or Infidelitie haue recourse vnto this Arke out of vvhich none can escape damnation If thou vvilte be of Christes chosen corne repose thy selfe in this his barne vv ch is the only place of purging from the chaffe of sinne If thou vvilte be one of Christes flocke ronne to his folde that thou mayest be fedd vvith his sheepe If thou vvilte be sure of the truthe keepe thy standing vppon the piller of truthe If thou vvilte bee enritched vvith Christes spiritual treasures this is the treasure hovvse of all his graces If thou vvilte traffique for heauen and heauenly merchandise enter the Shopp of Christe I meane his Church the only place of merit and Christian negotiation If thou vvilte be pertaker of Christes promises dvvell in the lande of all his promises If thou vvilte enâ—â—y faelicitie enter into this Paradise of the second A. dame If thou vvilte honour God vvith true sacrifice and vvorship this is the only Temple out of vvhich nether prayers nor oblations nor sacrifices are pleasing If thou vvilte receue any influence and motion from Christe the Head incorporate thy selfe to the Church his mystical body and if thou vvilte bee pertaker of his spirite vvth is the soule and life of this body dismember not thy selfe that thou mayest be a liuely member If thou vvilte enioy the blisse of Angels in the vpper heauen enter first into this lovver heauen out of vvhich is no hope to ascend to the higher If thou vvilte attaine to life euerlasting passe by the Church it is the only vvaye If thou vvilt bee one of the Church triumphaunt bee first one of the Church militaunte and if thou vvilte haue God for thy father take his Churche for thy Mother Nothing more dangerous then to liue out of this Churche and no surer damnation then to dy out of this Churche Be not carelesse therfore in seeking out this Churche and vvhen thou hast found it differre not thy entraunce It is thy greatest affaire and a matter of most importaunce bicause theron depeÌ„deth not a temporall state of thy body but aeternall saluation or damnatioÌ„ both of soule and body Farevvell and pray for him that vvisheth thee vvell and prayeth for thee that thou mayste do vvell Iul. 18. an Dom. 1603. MATTHEVV KEL THE FIRST BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of the groundes and fondation of this nevv religion on vvhich it may seeme to relye vvhich ether are the authoritie of their preachers or the euidence of scriptures vvhich they alleage or their priuate spirit or credible and probable testimonies or some visible iudge vvho determineth of controuersies for vvant of vvhich it is proued that if vve receiue this nevv religion vve open the gappe to all heretikes and heresies The first chapter examineth the mission of the preachers of this nevv religion and proueth that they cannot proue them selues to be sent from Christ and that consequentlie vve cannot gine eare vnto them vnles vve vvill harken also vnto all false prophetes HARDLIE shall vve fynde a subiect so disloyall or priuate man so imprudent vvho vvill arrogate vnto him self the honourable office of an Imbassadour to deale betvvixt Prince and Prince in denounicinge vvarre or offeringe peace of in establishinge a nevv league or renevvinge an olde vnles he haue authoritie from his Prince in vvhose name he dealeth and canne by letters of credit or other tokens make an euident remoÌ„strance of his legatine povver and commissioÌ„ For if he goe vnsent he abuseth his princes name and if he cannot shevv his comission he runneth on a sleeueles arrande If this be so as experience teacheth vs that it is so and reason telleth vs that it must be so and thath betvvixt man and maÌ„ vve haue noe reason to thinke almightie god to be so deuoid of princelie prudence as to sende his Apostles and preachers to denounce
doe set the gate open vnto all heretikes and heresies THE deuil hathe alvvaies played the ape euen from the beginning for after that he perceiued that he could not be God in deed to vvhich dignitie by climing thoughts he had ambitiously aspired he endeuoured by al meanes possible so to bringe his intentes to passe that he might at least go for a God and be taken for a God and therfore like an ape he hathe euer imitated God so neerly that he vvould be honoured and serued in the same fashion and manner as he savve the true God vvas vvorshipped Tert l. pras c. 40. God is serued vvith sacrifice as vvith a seruice devv vnto diuine Maiestie the deuil vvas euer honoured amoÌ„gest the paganes vvith his Hecatombs and Sacrifices euen by the Emperours of the vvorld God hathe his preests the deuil his flamins God hath his sacraments the deuil his expiations and ceremonies God hathe his baptisme his Euchariste his Nonnes and the deuil hath his vvashings his oblation of bread and his vestal virgins and as God promiseth a heauen to his seruanntes and vvorshippers so dothe the deuil promise his Elisian feelds and threatneth his stigiane lake Tert. ibid. And euen as the deuil by idolatours hathe imitated Gods sacrifice Sacramentes and manner of vvorship so by heretikes he hathe alvvaies affected to be as like as may be to Christe and his Apostles in citation and allegation of scripture Vvherfore Vincentius Lyrinensis noteth it to haue been the practise of heretikes the members of the deuil l. cont proph â— â—7 to alleage scriptures against the true Christians and meÌ„bers of Christe as once the deuil their head against Christ Iesus our head vvrested a place of scripture to proue that he must needs caste him selfe headlong from the pinnacle of the temple to proue him selfe the sonne of God Mat. 4. Marcion as Vvitnesseth Tertullian to prone that the vvorlde vvich he imagined to be of an cuil nature vvas created of an euil God l prase c 51. vsed that place of Saint Matthevv Mat. 7. Non potest arbor bona malos fructus facere a good tree can not bring forthe euil frutes l. de carne Christie 20. Valentinus as the same autour relateth to persvvade the vvorld that Christs body vvas framed of the substance of the heauens and consequeÌ„tly vvas noe true flesh nor truly conceued borne of the Virgin Marie but ra ther passed through her vvoÌ„be as through a Pipe taking noe substaunce of her alleaged saint Paules vvords vvho comparing the first Adame from vvhome vve fetch our carnal pedegree vvithe the second Adame Christ Iesus from vvhom vve are descended spiritually vseth these vvords The first man of earth earthly 1. Cor. â—â— the second man from heauen heauenly Not knovving or not vvilling to knovv that Christe is called heauenly ether in respect of his diuinitie and diuine person or bicause he vvas not earthly that is subiect to sinne vvhich proceedeth from earthly and terrene desires or bicause his body by right vvas from the first moment of his conception celestial that is glorious as are the bodies of the blessed vvich therfore saint Paule calleth also spiritual and aftervvarde vvas the first body that rose to that glorie to vvich it euer had good right Ibidam bicause a gloriouse soule such as Christs vvas from the first infusion of it into the body Io. 4. required as devve a glorious body but Christe vvould haue his body to vvant this devve vvhilest he liued vvith vs that he might suffer for vs vvich hee could not haue doone in a glorified body The Arrians to proue God the sonne inferiour to his father and not consubstantial nor coaequal vnto him brought his ovvn vvords against him the father is greater then I omitting many pregnaunt places vvich auouch the sonne to bee consubstantial and aequal vnto him to vvich places this also is not contrarie August l. 1. Trin. 6.7 bicause it proueth only that Christ as man is inferiour to his father The Nestorians by those places by vvich vve proue tvvo naturs in Christ the one humaine the other diuine proued tvvo persons in Christ The Eutichianes by the same places of scripture by vvich Catholikes do proue that in Christ vvas but one person endeuoured to proue that in Christ vvas but one nature And it hath been the propertie of all heretikes to make no bones of scriptures but prodigally to spende them and to lauis he them out to proue therby their heresies vvere they neuer so phantastical Supra Hic fortasse sayeth Vincentius Lyrinensis aliquis interroget an haeretici diuinae scripturae testimonijs vtantur Vtuntur planè vehementer quidem nam videas eos volare per singula quaeque diuinae legis volumina Here perchaunce some vvill demaund vvhether that heretikes do vse the testimonies of holy scripture they vse them assuredly and that vehemeutly for you shall see them flye through euery volume of the heauenly lavve Read sayeth he the vvorkes of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilianus Iouinianus or Eunomius and thou shalt fynd an infinite heap of examples allmost noe page omitted vvich is not dyed and coloured vvith sentences of the olde and nevv Testament Remember sayeth Hilarius that there is no her tike vvhich doth not fayne that his blasphemies vvhich he preacheth are according vnto Scriptures Orat. â— conâ— Const. And faint Austine is of opinion that heresies proceede from no other fountaine then scriptures vvroÌ„gly expounded and crookedly vvrested Non aliunde natae sunt haereses Tract 1â— in 10. nisi dum scripturae bonae non intelliguntur benè From no other place heresies doe proceed but vvhilest good scripturs are euilly vnderstood But yet herin these heretikes are liberal of that vvhich is none of their ovvn and like Aesops crovve they proudly decke them selues vvith other byrds fethers For vvhat right or title haue they to scriptures of vvhich they are so prodigal or hovv came they to get the possession of scripturs truly as theeues take possession of other mens goods For Catholikes haue had the scripturs in their keeping tyme out of mynde as all histories all vvritings of the fathers all councells and ancient tradition vvill vvitnesse for vs and so at least by prescription Catholikes are the true and lavvful possessours of scripturs Yea histories and the ancient bookes of the fathers vvho from the first age alleaged scriptures are arguments that vve are the lavvfull heires to the Apostles concerning the inheritaunce of scripture Second booke chap. 1. bicause as herafter shal be proued vve only are the successours to the ancient fathers and Apostles them selues And seing that such arguments vvould cast them in lavve if the coÌ„trouersie vvere but about apeece of ground I see noe reason but that if the reformers of this tyme and the Catholike should put this case to any indifferent iudge to vvit vvhether they or Catholikes are the lavvfull possessours
as diuersly interpret scripture as you may moralize those fables Others calle scripture a nose of vvaxe bicause it may be vvrested and vvried euery vvaye vvhich comparisons although they bee odious and litle beseeming the maiestie of scripture yet are they true if by scripture you vnderstand the bare letter of scripture vvithout an assured interpretour as the Reformers doe For the baâ—e letter of scripture is so ambiguous may haue so many senses and meanings that it may be applyed to vvhat you vvill may be already hath been vsed for the proofe of the moste absurde heresies that euer vvere But vvhilest they alleage the bare letter of scripture for coÌ„firmation of their doctrine vvel may they so delude the vnlerned but men of learning and intelligence are vvel assured that the bare letter is no more scripture then the body of a man is a man For as the soule is the life of the body that vvhich maketh a man so the sense is the life of the vvorde and that vvhich giueth scripture life esseÌ„ce being Com. ad Gal. Vvherfore sainct Hierome sayeth that The ghlospel is not in the vvorde but in the sence not in the barke but in the sappe not in the leaues of the vvords but in the roote of the meaning Let not therfore out Reformers vaunte in their pulpits that they trye their doctrine by the touchstone of scripture nether let them insulte ouer Catholikes as though they relyed only on mens decrees and Popes Bulles for if they giue vs the letter of scripture vvith the true meaning vvhich is the formal cause and life of the vvord vve vvill reuerence it as the vvord of God and preferre it before all the decrees and vvritinges of Pope and Church but take the true sense from it and it is no more scripture then is a man vvithout a soule bicause as the same body may be the liuing body of a man and a dead carcas also so the same letter vvith the true meaning is the vvord of God vvith a false meaning it is the vvord of the deuil As for example those vvords of our Sauiour The father is greater then I Io. 1â— taken in the right sence that is according to Christes humain nature are the true vvord of God but taken in the meaning of the Arrians vvho imagined Christe a creature inferiour euen in person to his father they are noe vvord of God but of the deuil vnlesse you vvill graunte heresie to be the vvord of God The reason of this is bicause vvords are vvordes in that they are signes of the myndes meaning and do explicate her invvard conceipt and consequently that is Gods vvord vvhich explicateth his meaning and diuine conceipt but if it explicate the mynd of the deuil or of his ministers such as all heretikes are then is it not the vvord of God but rather of the deuil Vverfore vvhen the letter of the scripture is ioyned vvith the right meaning then do vve graunt though men vvrote it that is is the vvord of God bicause it explicateh his meaning vvho spake vnto the holy vvriters in that meaning and directed their hartes and handes in the vvriting of the same Isa 1. In so much that God sayeth to Isaie Heb. 1. Behold I haue put my vvords in thy mouthe And saint Paul saieth that God diuersly and by diuers meanes spake in tymes paste vnto our forfathers in the Prophets that is in the mouche of the prophets puttiÌ„g in their mouthes that vvhich they vvere to speake and directing their hands to vvrite it For as the vital spirit of man frameth his vvordes in his mouthe and giueth them their meaning so the vvords of the prophets and other holy vvriters vvere framed in their mouthes by the spirit of God Vvhich is the very cause vvhy diuines saye that God vvas the principal speaker and vvriter of scripture and that the Prophet Apostle or Euangeliste vvas his instrument and as it vvere the pen mouthe and tongue of God Psal 44. Praefat. in Mat. 1. Li. 7. conf â— vlt l â—â— Ciuit. c. 38. Hom 10. in â—exam in that he vvas guided directed by him and his holy spirit Vvherfore Dauid vvho vvas one of these vvriters sayeth that his tongue is the penne or quill of him that vvriteth svviftly and saint Gregorie and saint Austine affirme scripture to bee the venerable stile of the holy ghost and saint Basil sayeth that not only the sense of scripture but also every vvord and tittle is inspired by the holy ghost Vvherin a difference is put betvvixte scripture and definitions of the Church Pope or Councels Bicause these are assisted by the holy ghost only that they may define the truth and so the sense of a Councells definition confirmed by the Pope is of the holy ghost but it is not necessarie that euery vvord or reason in a Councell proceed from the holy spirit of God and therfore diuines say that in a Councell that thing only is necessarilie to be beleeued vvhich the Councell of set purpose intended to define But as for other thinges vvhich are spoken incidently and as for reasons vvhich the Councel alleageth they are not of that credit although vvithout cuident cause they are not to be reiected And this is the cause vvhy the ancient fathers do vvay and ponder euery vvorde and tittle vvhich interpretours of the Councels canons or definitions do not Vverâ—ore as I sayed let them not charge vs vvith contempt of scripture for our opinion and estimation of scripture is most venerable if it be in deed scripture yea vve auouch that in it selfe it is of farre greater authoritie then is the Church or her definitions bicause though God assiste both yet after a more noble manner he assisteth holy vvriters in vvriting of scripture bicause he assisteth them infaillibly not only for the sense and veritie but also for euery vvord vvhich they vvrite and euery reason and vvhatsoeuer is in scripture vvheras he assisteth the Pope and Councell infallibly only for the sence and veritie of that vvhich they inteÌ„de to define but nether for euery vvord nor for euery reason nor for euerie thing vvhich is incidently spoken as is already declared And yet vvee say also that although scripture of it self be greater then the Church and indepeÌ„dent of her bicause not from her but from God it hathe authoritie and veritie yet the Church is better knovvn to vs then scripture and therfore though she make not scripture yet of her vve are to learne vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the meaning therof vvhich is noe more disgrace to scripture then that faint Ihon and the Apostles should giue testimonie of Christe bicause they vvere better knovvn then he though his authoritie in it selfe vvas greater theÌ„ theirs not depeÌ„ding of them yea the reformers euery one in particuler be he a Cobler is according to their doctrine to iudge by his priuate spirit vvhich is scripture and vvhat is the
vvith all aequalized matrimony vvith virginity saint Hierom condemnes him euen vnto hell l. 〈◊〉 Vigil Iouinian also for making all sinnes and good vvorkes equall in demerit and merit lib. cont Ieuin and for putting noe difference betvvixte the state of Virgins and the Maried vvas by the same Doctour coÌ„demned for an heretike to vvhich his sentence all the christian vvorld subscribed And no meruaile For if one heresie depriueth vs of fayth as it doth Th. 2.2 q. â— a. â— bicause he that beleeueth not God and his Churche in one article beleeueth them in none if fayth be the linke vvhich vniteth vs as meÌ„bers to the mysticall body of Christs Churche then one heresie is sufficieÌ„t to separate vs from the Churche as the very name in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 importeth and consequently one heresie is enough to damne vs bicause out of the Churche is noe saluation For as the arme cut of dyeth the bovve riuen from the tree vvithereth so vvhether by one or many heresies vve be separated froÌ„ Christs mysticall body vvhich he viuisicateth by his spirit vvee dye and vvither and remain deuoid of life sappe and saluation bicause the spirit if God vvhich is as is vvere the soule and spirit of this body impartes it selfe to none but those vvho by true fayth are members of this body and bovves of this tree Psal 79. vvhich extendeth it selfe by reaching bovves from sea to sea l. de vniâ— Ecel Vvherfor sainct Cyprian sayeth that vvhosoeuer is separated from the Churche hath noe parte in Christes promises he is an alien sayeth he an enemie à prophane person and one that can not haue God for his father vvho hath not the Churche for his mother Yea sayeth he such an one may dy for Christ he may burne he may be caste to the vvild beastes but that death shall be no crovvne of faythe but a pain of infidelitie such a one may be Killed but he can not be crovvned If then it be so that one errour in fayth obstinately defended is sufficient to cut a man from the Churche and to make him an heretike then certes the ghospellers of this tyme must needs be heretikes and that in the highest degree vvho haue renevved allmost all the old heresies and euen those vvhich by the Christian vvorld vvere allvvayes condemned for damnable errours For if Simon Magus his successours vvere euer heretikes for such and such opinions if these men vvill defend the same opinions they must needs be condemned for heretikes allso vnless vve vvill accept persons and vse plaine and palpable partialitie Vine Lirin Simon Magus sayed that God vvas the autour of sinne Aug. her 65. vvhom Cerdon and Marcion Manicheus Photinus and Blastus follovved Eus l. â— c â—â— and vvere for this doctrine by the common voice of the Christian vvorld adiudged heretikes shall not the same sentence passe vppon our reformers vvho say not only as Simon Magâ—s did that God by a certaine consequence is the autour of sinne in that he hathe giuen man a nature necessarilie inclining to sinne Bel. l. 2. â—â— â— c. â— but affirme also that he directly moueth to sinne yea prouoketh vs and eggeth vs forvvard Shall Manicheus and the others aboue named be heretikes vvho sayed only that the euill God vvas autour of sinne for they imagined tvvo Gods and shall our reformers be counted good Christians vvho say that the good and the only God is the cause Promotour of all lies and vvickedness â—i de fide operibus c. 14. Certain old heretikes euen in the Apost les tyme â— Pet 3. 〈◊〉 li t. c.2 â— Aug her 54. grounding them selues vppon sainct Paules Epistle to the Romaines vvhich as saint Peter vvitnesseth they did vvrongly interpret affirmed only fayth to be sufficient to saluation vvhich phantasie Simon Magus and Eunomius also imbraced for this they vvere accursed for heretikes shall Luther Caluine Lut. in c. â— Gaâ— Calu. in Antid ses 6. can it and their adhereÌ„tes goe for sincere Christians vvho teach the selfe same doctrine Leo the third Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine the fifthe and Leo the fourth vvith their adherentes called Iconomachi and Iconoclastae Zonar vitae Leoâ— Paulus Diaco â—bid Vvere condemned as heretikes for denying honour to Images and for breaking and defacing them hovv can our ghospellers shevv their faces amongest Christianes vvho exceed those Image-breakers by many degrees Vvith the Simonians Iren. li. â— c. 24 Ignat. ep ad Smyrn Th. Vvald l. 2. de Sacram. c. z. â—3 Damasc l. de heres Ter. l. de bap Menandrians and others in sainct Ignatius tyme yea vvith BerengariaÌ„s and Vviclephistes they deny that in the Eucharist Christs body is really present vvith the Messalians and Caians they deny that the Sacraments giue grace vvith Ihon Vvicleph they deny that Baptisme Confirmation and Order imprint caracters in our soules vvith the Pelagians they say that Baptisme is not necessary Vvald to 2. â— 96. and that vvithout it children may be saued by predestination or the fayth of their parents vvith the Nouatians they deny the Sacrament of Penaunce Infrae Soc l. 4. c. 24. Iren. l. 1. c. 30. vvith the Gnosticks Manichies and Encratites they say Matrimonie is no SacrameÌ„t no more sayeth Caluin then tillage of the ground yea spinning and carding Hier Proce mio l. cont Lucif Vvith the Manichies they deny freevvill vvith Aerius the Sacrifice vvith Heluidius Iouinian they make mariadge equall vvith virginitie Hier. l cont illos They marye preests despise Reliques vvith the same Vigilantius vvith Rhetorius they prayse all heresies Sand l. 7. vi sâ—b mon pag. â—7â— and renevv them all and shall they for one heresie be accursed heretikes and these men vvho haue raked hell to rake them alltogether be esteemed of as pure sincere and reformed Christians Shall seuerall heresies make them heretikes and shall not all heresies allmost assembled together be sufficient to make these men heretikes Truly vnless Apostasie excuse them from beresie vvho haue denyed all most all pointes of religion only Christe remaining to vvhose deny all notvvithstaÌ„ding as the nexte booke shall proue they haue made a great stepp I can not see vvhy the ancient heretikes for seuerall heresies should be counted heretikes these for so many vvhich they haue raked together go for good Christians especially seing that any one heresie is sufficient to make an heretike bicause euery one seuereth and separateth from the Churche and her fayth and doctrine Certes if these men be no heretikes the old heretikes vvere none if these be noe heretikes neuer as yet vvere any If these haue not the marke of an heretike Simon Magus Marcion Cerdon Pelagius Vvicleph had none if these be good Christianes all heretikes vvere so or if they vvere noted vvith the caracter of an heretike these are so marked that they shall neuer be
inherent grace by vvhich vve are iustified and sanctified hathe no resemblaunce vvith Pelagianisme nether dothe it giue vs occasion of pride for thoughe this grace bee in our soules yet is it the guifte of God and an effecte of Christes passion and so is his by guifte and merit bicause hee giues it and deserued it for vs it is ours only by do nation and possession But vvhilest they seeke to anoid Charibdis they fall into Sylla for if vve haue noe create and inhaerent iustice but are iuste only by Christes iustice imputed vnto vs then dothe it follovv firste that so soone as vve apprehend Christs iustice as our ovvne vve are at the very first dashe come to a full pointe in perfectioÌ„ and so perfect that vve can proceed noe farther bicause Christes grace is so perfect that it neuer increased but rather as the first Adame vvas created in perfect grovv the and stature so he the second Adame vvas indevved from the first moment of his conception vvith perfect sanctitie and vvas euen then at his full pitch spirituall grovv the neuer increasing ether in grace or knovvledg but only in body yeares and experience And so if vvee bee iuste by his grace imputed vnto vs Conc. Vien Clem ad nâ—strum de bereticis then are vve so perfect that as the Beguines and Beguards sayed vve can be noe perfecter and so are all iust a like and consequently shall all receue the same glorie as Iouiniane the heretike sayed Hier. l. cont illum and shall not differ in glorie as starres doe in brightnesse 1. Cor. 1â— as saint Paule auouched SecoÌ„dly hence it follovveth that vvee are all as iust as Christe For if vve be iust by his iustice then is his iustice and ours all one and so vvee as iuste as hee They vvill saye that his iustice in him is inhaerent to vs only it is imputed and is only soe much ours as vve apprehend it by faithe and thersore vvee and hee may bee iuste by one and the same iustice and yet not iuste alike But this vvill not serue their turne for althoughe this may make some difference in the manner of iustification yet in iustice and sanctitie it selfe vvee are as iuste as Christe bicause vvee are iuste by his iustice vv ch faithe apprehendeth and seing that faithe apprehendeth all Christes iustice all is imputed vnto vs and so vve are as iuste as Christe or at least reputed as iuste as hee Ser in Nat. Virg. Let no man then meruaile at Martin Luther for auouching once in the heat of his sermon that euery Christian is as holy as our blessed lady nether let him think that Bucers mouthe ran ouer in cap 3. in Mat. vvheÌ„ he sayed that the vilest of the ministerie or faithfull is better then S. Ihon Baptist noe he must not be scandalized at those bolde speeches of some In explic ar de iustif vvhoe as Tapper relateth vvere not afrayed nor ashamed to boste that they vvere as gratefull to God as Christe him selfe is For if vvee bee iust by Christs iustice vvhich by faith on our parte is vvholy of vs apprehended and vvholly by God imputed vnto vs vvee ether are or at least are reputed as iuste as hee and consequently are as gratefull and acceptable vnto God as hee O Luciferian pride ô sacriledge vvorthy reuenge from heauen For vvhat is this but to make them selues fellovvmates vvith Christe and consequently to make them selues godds or him a creature By Luthers and Caluins leaue the creature novv may compare vvith the creatour and the redeemed vvith the Redeemer and may boldly saye not only as Lucifer did that he vvilbe like the highest but maye adde to his pride and aspire higher then hee affirming boldly that hee is allready as iust as holy and as good as Christ vvho is the highest And thus the reader may see hovv true it is that these men giue all to Christ vvho giue so much to them selues that they vvilbe as good as hee The ninthe chapter shevveth hovve they make Christ ignoraunte not knovving vvhat belonged to his office hovv therby they bringe the nevv testament and Christian religion in question AS the first man Adame in the first moment of his life vvas created noâ— a babe infante or vveakling but a stronge and lustie man as if he had been at fortie or fiftie yeares of age for then men at that age vvere most youthfull and lustie so vvas he indevved vvith all science and knovvledg belonging to his state For if God gaue him from the beginning a perfect stature and pitch and an able body fitte for generation bicause he vvas to be the commoÌ„ father by vvhom mankind should hee propagated noe doubt he gaue him also a soule furnished vvith all naturall sciences bicause he vvas the first Doctour to vvhom mankind vvas to goe to schoole to learne of him as of a Master the secrets of nature the inuentions of artes the knovvledge of God and the mysteries of fayth nether is this my collection only it is the common opinion of diuines vvhich Ecclesiasticus confirmeth c. 17. vvhoe noe litle extolleth the first Adames knovvledge If the first Adame vvas so vvise and so ritche in knovvledge vvhat shall vve say of the seconde Adames knovvledge vvho vvas the high preest and Doctour of the nevv lavv and vvas to reueale greater secretes and mysteries to his Churche then the first Adame should haue manifested vnto his posteritie â— Reg. 3.14 Ecclesiast 1. Salomon also is famous for his profound vvisedome in so much that holy Scripture giues him this preeminence to vvitte that he vvas vviser then all that vvent before him or came after him and excelled all that euer vvere an Hierusalem and vvas more learned then all the Easterne Sages In so much that not only the Queen of Saba but others also froÌ„ all parts of the vvorld flocked vnto him to heare him discourse vppon the naturs of beasts trees plantes euen from the Cedar to the Isope If Salomon King only of the Ievves vvho built only a materiall TeÌ„ple for God vvas indevved vvith so rare knovvledge vvhat shall vvee thinke of the second Salomons vvisdome Christ Iesus vvho vvas as a spirituall Kinge to rule the vvholle vvorld vvas to builde a Temple and Churche for God to dvvell in noe lesse then the Christian vvorlde vvhich vvas and is farre more gloriouse then that of Salomons building bicause the glorie of the last Temple Agg. 2. vvas greater then that of the first And behold sayeth Christe pointing to him selfe more then Salomon here Mat. 12. Vvherfore diuines vvith one common consent affirme that our Sauiour Christe vvas enriched vvith the euident and cleare vision of God by vv ch euen as man he savve God face to face all his diuine attributes and perfections Secondly they saye he vvas endevved vvith all naturall sciences vvhich are perfections and ornamentes of mans soule Thirdly they
sentence least it should be pronounced against him then feared he damnatioÌ„ and doubted vvhether he should be comprehended in the sentence of venite benedicti come yee blessed of my father Mat. 25. or Ite maledicti goe you cursed into fier euerlasting then vvas he in a perplexitie and doubte vvhether he should be placed on the right hand vvith the electe or on the lefte hande vvith the reprobate And so the sonne of God vvho came to saue others vvas not sure of his ovvn saluation Novv therfore if I vvill shevv my selfe a Christian zealouse of Christes honour or carefull of myne own saluation I must seeke to free him from this feare of his fathers sentence for if he perishe as Caluin sayeth he feared least he should perish eternally theÌ„ must vvee all perish bicause by him only vve looke for saluation The vviseman sayeth that at the later day the iust shall stand in great constancie Sap. 5. euen then vvhen the sentence shal be pronounced much greater noe doubt shal be the constancie of Christ Iesus the sonne of God of vvhome all the Saincts that euer vvere haue borrovved their fortitude and courage For he being the naturall sonne of God knevv full vvell that his father nether vvould nor could deny his sone and vvas assured that he vvho vvas to sitte in iudgement and to pronounce the sentence could not be him selfe arraigned And is it likely that God vvho indevved Christes humaine nature vvith all knovvledge and reuealed to him all secrets euen harts cogitations and the day of dome vvhich the Angells knovv not vvould keepe this only secret from him vvould not let him knovve vvhat should become of him selfe at the day of his death The diumes vvith one common consent are of opinion that Christs soule from his conception receiued the blisse and glorye vvhich at the day of our particuler iudgement or at our deliuery out of Purgatorie our soules shall receue and they say that to a glorified soule is devv a glorified body bicause the glory of the soule naturally imparts it selfe vnto the body and that in Christ it vvas noe miracle that his body vvas so gloriouse in his transfiguration but rather it vvas a miracle that his glorious soule did not make his body also pertaker of that glory from the beginning but yet this miracle Christ vsed that he might suffer honger thirst cold and other miseries vvhich he could not haue doone in a glorified bódy Hovv then vvas it possible that Christe should feare his fathers tribunall and terrible senteÌ„ce vvho vvas all ready in possession of the glory of his soule and vvas assured that his gloriouse soule shold haue at the length that is after his passion a glorified body But sayeth Caluine Christ had taken vppon him our sinnes and therfore might very vvell feare to appear before his fathers iudgement-seate This is his diuinitie or rather blasphemie For if he mean that Christ hath so vndertaken our sinnes that he verily made then his ovvn vvhat more blasphemie could be vtter for although Illiricus auouched that God the father so potently imputed our sinnes to Christe that he made him a sinner yet Christiane tongues abhorre to vtter and Christiane â—ares do burne to heare such blasphemous speeches For sainct Peter vvho sayeth that Christ boare our sinnes 1. Pet. â— addeth vvith all that he bare them in his body vppon the vvood to signifie that he tooke not the mallice of our sinnes vppon him for then he should haue sayed that he bare our sinnes in his soule bicause the soule only is the subiect of sinne but that he suffered the paines devv vnto our sinnes vvhen he suffered the deathe of body vppon the crosse Yea as vvhen one satisfieth for anothers offence he takes not the offence vppon him but is coÌ„tent to abide the punishment to set his freind at libertie so Christ our Mediatour and Redeemer is sayed to haue taken our sinnes vppon him and to haue satisfied for them bicause he hathe endured the paynes vvhich vvere devv vnto them but as for our sinnes he vvas not capable of theÌ„ and therfore the same sainct Peter in the same place sayeth that Christ neuer sinned and that guile or fraude vvas neuer found in his mouthe Vvherfore though Christ might feare death and the torments of the crosse bicause those he vvas to suffer for vs yet had he no caule to fear hell and damnatioÌ„ bicause although that punishment vvas devv vnto our sinnes yet vvas not Christ to suffer it bicause his passion vvas sufficient as in the next chapter shal be proued And this I hope vvill suffice a reasonable man But Ihon Caluin still cauillethe and vvill not be satisfied vvith reason For sayeth hee as is before related Christ had beene very effeminate in cap. 22. Lucae if for fear of death only he had svvette blood and vvater therfore it vvas noe lesse then hell and damnation vvhose feare cast him into such an extraordinarie svveate See vvhat care Caluin hathe least Christ should be counted a covvarde and yet vvhilest to finde out a sufficient cause of such a feare he sayeth that hee vvas a frayed of iudgement he makes him to feare that vvhich hee vvas sure should neuer happen vvhich is the greatest folly in the vvorld and argevveth the most effeminate and covvardly harte that can bee I ansvvere therfore that the feare of deathe only vvas sufficient to make him svveate vvater and blood for if as Aristotle sayeth abundaunce of blood and distemperature of body be sufficient to make meÌ„ sometymes to svveate bloud l. 2. hist animalium c. 19. vvell may vve conceiue hovv feare of deathe in Christe vvhich must needs bee very great partely bicause he vvould haue it so and for our sakes also and partely bicause he vvould not imparte any comforte or strengthe vnto his humaine nature might cause such a distem perature in his body that it being already extenuate and emptied of other humours might svveat blood and vvater nether proceeded this froÌ„ any impoteÌ„cie of mynde for he that giueth such courage to his Sainctes could haue taken the same him selfe but he vvould permit deathe and such a deathe to do al that such an obiecte could do and he vvould not giue any ayde vnto the inferiour parte of his soule vvhere this passion of feare afflicted him that he might beginne in the garden the dolefull tragedie of his passion vvhich he acted after vvards vppon the stage of his crosse But Caluin hath not yet cast all his poison he sayeth that Christ not only feared iudgement and damnation but dispaired also of his Saluation These are his vvords vvhich vvith the other before I translate out of his frenche Harmonie in c 27. Mat. 11.46 But this see meth absurd that a voice of desperation should escape Christe The ansvvere is easie that althoughe the fleshe apprehended damnation yet fayth remained firme in his harte Vvhere you must note that Caluin hauing
rable of their ministers vvho are no more Preests then they vvere that made them l. â—raesâ— Vltra med The like ordination and institution of ministers Tertulian recordeth to haue beene practised by the heretikes of his tyme Their ordinations sayeth he are light rashe inconstaunte one vvhile they make ministers of Neophits another vvhile of lay men and those vvho are tyed to the vvorld another vvhile of our Apostataes that they may bynde them vnto them by glorie vvhom they can not by veritie Vvherfore one Bishop they haue to daye another to morâ—vv to day he is made a Deacon vvho to morovve is Reader to day he is a preest vvho to morovv is a lay-man for to lay men they inioyne preestly functioÌ„s If then they haue noe Preests they haue none vvho hathe authoritie to minister sacraments to offer sacrifice and to preach vnto the people and so can haue noe religion bicause Preests and religion must euer go together Thus sainct Hierom reiecteth refuteth the sect of Luciferians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucif Hilarius sayeth he vvho vvas the head of the Luciferians vvhen being a Deacon he departed from the Churche and he alone vvich his companions as he thinketh became the only company and Churche of the vvorld can nether consecrate the Euchariste hauing nether Bishops nor preests nether can he giue baptisme vvithout the Euchariste For then Baptisme the Euchariste Confirmation vvere giuen together and novv he being dead his secte and Church is dead vvith him bicause he being but a Deacon could ordanie noe Clerke to succeed him and that is noe Churche vvhich hath noe preest Thus he argued against the Luciferians and the same argument do I make against all the nevv sects of this age you haue noe true preests by your ovvne doctrine nether in deed can you haue any bicause all your ministers vvere ordayned vvithout order that is vvithout consecration and imposition of Bishops hands and they haue their authoritie from them vvho being lay men could nether haue it them selues nor giue it to others and seing that religion and preests of necessitie did euer go together as is all ready proued you hauing noe true Preests can haue noe true religion and so your preachings bishopping and supping or coÌ„municating and your administrations of other sacraments Baptisme only excepted vvhich in necessitie lay men yea vvoemen may minister are noe more actes of religion then if the same vvere doone by players vppoÌ„ the stage bicause you haue noe more preestly authoritie then they haue so haue noe true religioÌ„amoÌ„gest you but only an apish imitation and a Stage-play of religion The second Chapter proueth that religion can not stande vvithout a true sacrifice and that the reformers haue no true religion bicause they haue noe Sacrifice MAN being composed of soule and body is to serue his Creatour vvth bothe therfore must not only beleeue vvith harte but must professe also his beleefe vvith touÌ„gue must not only prayse god in spirit but must vse his mouth also as a troÌ„pet to souÌ„d out this prayse nether must he pray vvith soule oÌ„lie butvvith lip pes also he ought not only to huÌ„ble his mynd in prayer but to bovve and bende his knee and body also and he is not only to mynde and meane vvell but he must also doe vvell Mas. â— to glorifie his father vvhich is in heauen to edifie his brother in earth Vvhich thing is soe deeply imprinted in the mynds of men that ther vvere neuer any ether religious or superstitious vvhose invvard deuotion did not breake forthe into some outvvarde signes or ceremonies by vvhich vvas manifested outvvardly and by some action or gesture of the body vvhat vvas in vvardly coÌ„ceiued and concealed in the mynde And amongest all the externall vvorshipps and outvvard signes of invvard deuotioÌ„ and religion sacrifice vvas euer counted the principal vvhich therfore as Sainct Austine noteth l. 10. cin â— 4. vvas neuer offered but ether vnto God or to some creature vv ch vvas esteemed of as God And therfore all nations of vvhat religion soeuer they vvere haue euer vsed to offer sacrifice as thoughe they thought that they gaue not vnto their God his right honour and vvorship vnless they should offer vnto him one sacrifice or other l. 〈…〉 Plinie reporteth that the people of Sabea offered as sacrifices vnto their Gods all maner of spices but myrhe vvher vvith that countrie aboundeth others haue offered fruites and hearbes of the earth others brute beasts others haue sacrificed childreÌ„ men vnto their Gods vvherin thoughe many superstitions and abominable idolatries vvere committed yet thereby appeareth that noesooner the harte of man is possessed vvith religion true or false but it thinketh of one sacrifice or other aduersâ—â— Colotem In so much that Plutarke sayeth that a man shall sooner hitte vppon cities vvithout vvalles hovvses Kings lavves coynes Schooles and Theaters then vvithout TeÌ„ples and Sacrifices l. quod non patest suauiter viui secunduÌ„ Epis. and therfore sayeth he Epicure vvho in deed serued noe other god theÌ„ his belly and consequently had no other Church then his Kitching noe other Preests then his cookes and no other sacrifices then his dishes offered notvvithstanding sacrifice vnto the Gods for feat of the multitude And as these bicause they had the light of nature offered sacrifices but bicause they vvaÌ„ted light of faithe offered them to false Gods and vvith much superstition so the true vvorshippers of God vvho vvere indevved vvith the true light of faith offered sacrifice vnto the true God In the first booke and last chap. Adam as I haue allready proued vvas a preest therfore did noe doubt offer sacrifice to appease Gods vvrath conceiued against his faulte although the Scripture maketh no meÌ„tion of it Gen. 4. Abelâ—â—s the Scripture vvitnesseth being a Pâ—â—â—st vvas not content to bear a harte full of reuerence vnto God but to make manifest the invvard religion of his mynde he killed the first borne and fattest of his flocke offered them to God as a sacrifice and God respected Abel and his oblatioÌ„s Noê also so soone as the Fludde vvas fallen builded an Altar vnto God and vppon it he sacrificed and offered holocausts and burnt-offerings of the cleane beasts Gen. 8.17 and fovvles vvhich he had preserued from the furiouse vvaues of that vniuersall deluge See the first booke last chap. The like did Abrahame Melchisedech Iob and many other Patriarches and true seruaunts of God vvho liued vnder the lavve of nature as is also in the place alleaged proued and de-declared In the lavve vvritten the vse of offering sacrifice vvas more frequent and the sacrifices and the ceremonies vvhervvith they vvere to bee offered vvere determined by Gods ovvn mouth as appeareth by the booke of Leuiticus and other parts of scripture And for this purpose especially God commaunded Salomon to build that stately Temple and vvould haue noe sacrifice offered
sacrifice as they confesse that they haue not and in deed they haue not if sacrifice as being the principall office of religion and proper vnto God as is proued is so necessarily required that vvithout it regilgioÌ„ can in no vvise bee supported the coÌ„clusion to vvâ—hich my former discourse driueth must needs follovve to vvit that tâ—e reformers haue noe religion bicause noe sacrifice noe reilgioÌ„ And seing that in the Catholike and Romain Churche only is founde a sacrifice like to Melchisedechs and correspondent to that of vvhich Daniel and Malachie haue fortold as the Sacrifice of the nevv lavve and the same vvhich Christe offered at his laste supper and commaunded to bee offered by his Apostles and their successours it follovvethe that the Catholike Churche is the true Church of Christe and that in it only is practised true faithe and true religion The third Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers amongest them haue reiected all the SacrameÌ„ts and so can haue noe religion bicause SacrameÌ„ts and religion euer goe to together IT is a common opinion amongest the holy fathers and diuines that since the falle of Adam SacrameÌ„tes vvere alvvayes necessary partely to declare mans dutye tovvards God and partely for maÌ„s ovvne instruction For first man being composed of soule and body vvas to serue God not only vvith invvard affectioÌ„s but allso by outvvard and visible signes Secondly bicause he vvas to receiue grace from Christe against the maladie of sinne into vvhich he vvas fallen he vvas also to professe his faythe in Christe from vvhome this grace proceedeth and to acknovvledge it as desceÌ„ding from his passion by visible signes and figures such as Abels sacrifice and Circumcision vvere in the lavv of nature and such as the Paschal lambe and other sacraments vvere in the lavve of Moyses and such as baptisme and the sacrament of the Altare are in the lavve of grace Thirdly bicause he had offeÌ„ded God by vse of corporall thinges it vvas conuenient that by corporall and sensible Sacramentes and by the religious vse of the same he should restore God his honour vvhich sinne had taken from him and make him satisfaction by such thinges as he had done him iniurie For mans behalfe also Sacraments since Adames sinne vvere alvvayes requisite Gen. 3. For first bicause mannes sinne proceeded of pride and a desire to bee like to God in knovvledge of good and euill it vvas conuenient for mans humiliation that hee should be set to Schole Prou. 6. to learne not only of the Ante diligence and of other brute beastes other vertues but also of these senseles creatures such as SacrameÌ„ts are his faithe and religion Vvherfore as the Paschall lambe brought the Ievves into a gratefull remeÌ„braunce of their deliuerie and passage from Egipte and Circumcision did put theÌ„ in mynde of a spirituall Circumcision Rom. 6. So Baptisme setteth before our eyes the buriall and Resurrection of Christe For vvhen the infante is dipped into the vvater vvee thinke of Christes buriall and vvhen hee is lifted vp a nevv creature regenerated to a nevve life vvee call to mynde the resurrection by vvhich Christe is risen to a nevv and an immortall life And in the Sacred Euchariste vvhich by the formes of bread representeth the body of Christe and by the accidentes of vvine the bloud of Christe aparte Mat. 26. vve commemorate the deathe and Passion of Christe Secondly as man by sinne had preferred the creature before the Creatour so vvas it meet and conuenient that he should as it vvere begge grace and seeke his saluation by the meanes of these sensibles signes and Sacraments vvhich are farre inferiour vnto him in nature Lastly as by abuse of corporall creatures he had vvounded his soule by sinne so vvas it expediente that by vse of the same his diseases and spirituall sores should be recured And so it vvas moste requisite that Christe in the nevv lavve should institute seÌ„sible signes and Sacraments â—i 19. cont â—eust c. 10. And therfore sainct Austine sayeth that as yet neuer any societie could ioyne in one religion and vvorship of God but by the vse of the same Sacramentes In vvhich pointe the reformers aggree vvhith vs for they all avouch Suenkfeldius only excepted and some other Libertines that Sacramentes are necessarie but in the number they vary not only from the Catholikes but also from one another The Catholike Churche hathe euer vsed seauen sacramentes vvhich are Baptisme Confirmation the Sacramen-of the Altare Penaunce Order Mariadge and Extreme vnction â— p q. 65. a. â— Vvhich number sainct Thomas the diuine proueth by a very pregnaunte reason or rather similitude vvhich is betvvixte the corporall spirituall life of man For in our corporall life seuen thinges are required to vvhich are correspoÌ„dent seuen sacraments in the spirituall life of man In a corporall life first is necessary generatioÌ„ vvhich giueth the first being and essence and to this is ansvverable Baptisme vvhich regenerateth vs again vnto a nevv life and spirituall being of a Christian by vvhich vvee are nevv creatures borne of vvater the Spirit vnto a nevv life Io 1. l. de Bapt. Vvherfore Tertulian callethe Christians spirituall fishes bicause though they haue their corporal life from earthe by carnall generation yet their spirituall life and being like fishes they receiue from the vvater by spirituall regeneration Secondly in a corporall life is necessarie augmentation by vvhich the litle infante for all beginnings are litle vvaxeth grovveth and gaineth devv proportion quantitie and strengh by vvhich he is able to exercise operations and actions belonging to corporall life as to eate drinke talke vvalke laboure to defend him selfe and to assaulte his enemie And to this is correspondent the Sacrament of Confirmation vvhich perfiteth vs in the spirituall life receiued in Baptisme vv ch is the cause vvhy some fathers say that before this Sacrament vve are not perfecte Christians and giues vs force to defende this our spirituall life by confessing our faythe before the persequutor vvhich faithe is the ground of spirituall life Thirdly bicause this corporall life of ours fadeth diminishethe continuaily for euery hovver vve lose some parte of our substauÌ„ce partely by reason of the conflicte of the contrarie elements vvhich consume vs vvhilest in vs they striue one against another partely by reason of the continuall combate vvhich is betvvixte naturall heate and moysture vvhich is as it vvere the tallovve of our light and life vve stand in need of nurriture and nutrition vvhich restores that substaunce vvhich is dayly loste and so prolongeth our life And to this in our spirituall life ansvvereth the Sacrament of the Altare Ioh 6. vvhich conteining in it the body and bloud of Christe vvhoe calles him selfe liuing bread and sayeth that his flesh his truly meate his blood truly driÌ„ke nourishethe the soule spiritually and conserueth our spirituall life here Io. 6. and prepareth vs to an immortall life in heauen Fourthly man hauing
Mat. 2â— heauen is the common vvage of all Gods seruauntes a gole to runne at 1. Cor. 9. a crovvne to fight for In like manner to make vs to refrain from sinne for feare of hell Vide Bel. 〈◊〉 l. 4. de Christo c. 10. Auihorem Resolut Angl l. 1. p. 1. holy Scripture giues hell very terrible names and paints it forthe in terrible formes It is called in Greeke and Latin by names vvhich signifie a lovve deepe place vnder the ground in Hebrevve by a name vvhich signifieth a great goulfe The Prophet Malachie calles it a fornace c. 11 14. for the kindling of vvhich the vvicked must be the stravv and fevvel Apoc. 14.21 S. Ihon calles it the lake of Gods ire bicause the anger of God is as it vvere all gathered to that place and there especially is manifested in those exceeding torments yea he termes it also a standing poole replenished vvith fier and Brimston Christe him selfe giues it the name of outvvard Darkeness vvhere shal be vveeping and gnashing of teath Mat. 22. Iob saieth that in that place is noe order but sempiternall horrour 〈…〉 And vvhy dothe scripture so liuely set forthe these tvvo things heauen and hell but bicause God the autour of scripture vvould haue vs hope for the one and feare the other knovving that nothinge beareth greater svvay in the rule and good discipline of a coÌ„mon vvelthe then hope of revvard and feare of punishement For if the hope of temporall honours fame ritches giueth such courage to the harts of men that they vvill ronne thoroughe fier and vvater for the attaining of the same hovve shall the hope of heaueÌ„ and the immortall crovvnes vvhich there are layed vp for vs in store incite vs and egge vs for vvard vnto all laudable actions If Mutius could haue the courage to holde his hande in the fier for hope of temporall renovvne and glorie for such fortitude vvhat fiers and vvaters heat and cold shall not a Christian armed vvith hope of heauen bee able to endure couragiously Shall the souldiour ronne thoroughe the pikes and passe by the cannon mouthe for hope of a spoile or victorie and shall not Christians deuoure all difficulties for hope of heauen And looke hovv much hope eggeth for vvard to laudable actioÌ„s soe much and no less dothe feare restrayne vs from euil and is no lesse necessarie to bridle the licentiouse then hope to animate the vertuouse Vvherefore the ancients so esteemed feare that the citie of Spartha made it a God and dedicated a Temple vnto it as to the preseruer of their common vvelthe But bicause there are diuers kindes of feare it shal be necessarie to distinguish them that vvee may see vvhich is that feare vvhich is so commendable First therfore there is a vvordly and humain feare vvhich is conceued for some temporall euil or humaine respecte and this sometymes is good and sometimes also bad As for example if for feare of the princes displeasure or torment or deathe vvhich hee threatenethe vvee offende God in transgressing his lavv or doing against our conscience this feare is euil and no lesse euil then the sinne of vvhich it is the cause Mat. 2â— c. â—0 This feare made sainct Peter to deny his master vvhich also our Sauiour forbiddeth saying feare not them vvho kill the body that is offend not God for feare of them that can only kill the body but rather feare God vvho can cast bothe body and soule into the fier of hell But if for feare of the magistrate vvee absteine from sinne this feare is not euil and therfore S. Paule bidds vs feare the magistrate Rom. 15. bicause sayethe hee not vvithout cause he caryeth the svvord bicause he is the minister of God Th. 2. â— q. 1â— The second feare is called a reuerentiall feare vvhich proceedeth from a highe conceite of the diuine maiestie Psal 12. and remaineth as Dauid sayeth and that for euer also euen in the blessed For althoughe they be assured that they shall neuer suffer any euil and therfore feare no euil at Gods hands yet vvhen they behold the soueraigne Maiestie of God vvho punisheth the damned and could annihilatethe blessed if hee vvould they conceue a great reuerence vvhich is called reuerentiall feare much like as childreÌ„ vvho are assured that their father vvill not touch them yet conceue a reuerentiall feare at the very sight of him especially if they see him sharpe and seuere vvith his seruauntes The third feare is called filial or childrens feare vvhich maketh vs afrayed to sinne not for feare of punishment but for feare of offending and this feare they haue vvhoe thoughe they vvere sure neuer to suffer punishment nether in this life nor the nexte yet vvould not commit a sinne bicause it is an offence of God vvhich feare is called filial bicause good children are afrayed to do any thing vvhich shall offend their parentes thoughe they vvere sure they should not be punished Of vvhich feare saint Austin discoursing saieth in Psal 113. that othervvise dothe the adulteresse feare her husband othervvise the chaste Spouse she feareth least he come and punish but the other feareth least hee be offended and forsake her The fourthe is called seruile feare vvhich maketh vs to absteine from sinne for feare of hell and damnation vvhich is called seruile bicause it is proper to seruauntes to do their dutie for feare of punishment and this feare in expresse termes the reformers condemne as I shall relate the other feares their doctrine disallovveth But least I may seeme to charge them vvith more then they say I vvill make them speake in their ovvne vvordes their opinion of hope and feare l. â— Inst c. 15. § â— And first of Hope Caluin sayeth plainly that God is not delighted vvith that obedience vvhich the hope of revvard in heauen beateth out of vs in Antid sess 6. Can. â—â— for God sayeth hee louethe a chearfull giuer and forbiddeth any thing to be giuen as it vvere of heauinesse or necessitie So that according to Caluin it is sinne to giue almes or to fulfill the commaundements for hope of revvard in heauen But Caluins reason is as bad as his doctrine For hee proueâ—h it to bee vnlavvfull to bee obedient to God for hope of revvard bicause that is to giue God his devve vvith heauines and yet vvee see that hope is so farre froÌ„ making vs to do thinges heauilie and vvith an euil vvill that it encourageth vs and pricketh vs forvvard vvith a vvilling mynde as is all ready proued experience maye vvitnesse And as for feare of hell â— â— aepud Roff ser 3. pâ—â—nitent Luther coÌ„demnes it euen vnto hell saying that it maketh a man an hypocrite and a greater sinner And as coÌ„cerning the other kindes of feare their doctrine in a manner abolisheth them all They affirme as is before mentioned that noe lavves bynde in conscience vvhence follovve these
moment of tyme vvhose propertie is to passe beyond the spaces of this life and to extend farther to immortalitie to come So that according to Caluin beleeue you the Trinitie Incarnation Passion deathe and ResurrectioÌ„ of Christe neuer so firmely yet if you beleeue not vndoubtedly that you are iuste and shall remaine iuste to the end that God not only for the present tyme fauoureth you but also vvill fauour you to the end you can not be saued and if you beleeue only that you are iuste and shall remayne iuste at lengthe shal be also vndoubtedly saued Caluins soule for yours you can not be damned And hovv can Caluin assure him selfe or vs that vvee are iuste and shal be iuste hathe hee had any speciall reuelation noe but sayth hee I ame vvarranted out of Scripture that Christes iustice is ours and so if I vvill beleeue vndoubtedly that it is myne vvilbe myne â— â—r then ame I sure that I ame iuste and shal bee iuste and can not fall so longe as I kepe this standing Against this phantasticall faith of theirs I might bring many argumentes but that as in other matters so in this I couet to bee shorte First if this faith of theirs be so necessarie hovv commeth it to passe that Christe neuer exacted it of them vvhom he cured For it is an opinion of some fathers and diuines that vvhom soeuer Christ cured in body he healed also and iustified in soule Vvhen heâ— cured the blind men that came vnto him Mat. 9. hee exacted faithe of them and asked them vvhether they beleeued vvhat not vvhether they beleeued that they vvere iuste or elect but vvhether they beleeued that hee could restore theÌ„ to sight If this stedfest faithe and assuredness of our ovvne saluation be so necessarie hovve came the publicane to be a iuste man vvho vvas so farre from assuring him selfe of Gods fauour Luâ— 1â— and his ovvn iustice that he durst not looke vp to heauen And yet he retourned home iuste and the pharisee vvho gloried like a Thrasonicall Caluinist in his ovvne iustice assured him selfe that he vvas not a sinner as the Publicane and other men are vvas condemned and reiected If this vndoubted faith of our ovvne saluation be so necessarie to saluation surely the Apostles vvere much ouer seen vvho inculcated so often the faithe of the Incarnation Resurrection Act. 1.2.3 â— 8.10.13.17 and such other mysteries vvhich is but an image and shadovve as Caluin sayeth of the true faithe and make no mention of that vvhich is the only iustifying faith and all in all neuer exacting of their auditours to beleeue that they are iuste and electe but only to beleeue that Christe is God man that hee dyed that hee rose again suche like Truly ether this faithe is not necessarie or they vvere very negligent incircumspecte vvho neuer mentioned the same yet so often inculcate the faithe of the mysteries of our faithe vvhich is but a shadovve of the true faithe and is not sufficieÌ„t to saluation vvithout Caluins assured faithe Like vvise vvhen they made a Creed as a breefe abridgement of all vvhich vvas necessarie to bee beleeued vvhere vvas their mynde and memorie vvhoe omitted Caluins article of assuredness of our saluation and election vvhich is so necessarie to bee beleeued that the faithe of other articles is but a shadovve in comparison of this If Caluin saye that this his article is included in the article of remission of sinnes hee is much deceiued bicause in that article vvee only beleeue that in the Churche is remissioÌ„ of sinnes but that Caluins sinnes or any of our sinnes in particuler are forgiueÌ„ is not there expressed Novv if scriptures and the Apostles had only omitted this assured faithe vvhich Caluin sayeth is so necessarie it vvere sufficient to make vs not so assured of Caluins doctrine for if it vvere necessarie it is not like that the Apostles vvhose preachings trauelles life and death vvere ordained to the saluation of others vvould haue omitted that vvhich only saueth and vvithout vvhich noe other faithe or vvorkes can possibly saue vs. But scripture not only omitteth assured faith of our ovvne iustice and saluation but also condemneth it and exhortes vs to feare of our ovvne state and saluation therfore assureth vs as much that this faithe of Caluin is false as Caluin assureth it to bee necessarie Caluin sayth that by faith vve are assured of Gods good vvill tovvardsvs Scripture faithe that a man can not tell vvhether hee be vvorthy hatred or loue Caluin sayetht hat a iuste man is sure that hee is iuste Iob â— Iob sayeth although I be simple that is iuste yet this my soule shall not knovve S. Paule sayeth that although his coÌ„science accuse him not of any sinne yet in that he is not iustified to vvit before his ovvne eyes Psal 1â— bicause hee knevve he might haue secret sinnes from vvhich Dauid desired to be clensed Caluin sayeth that a man may besure and consequently secure of the forgiuenes of his sinnes Eccl. â— and yet Scripture bidds vs not to be vvithout feare of our sinnes forgiuen or as the Greeke text hathe of the forgiuenes or propitiation of our sinnes Caluin saith that a man may bee assured not only of present but also of future fauour iustice Eccl. â— and yet scripture sayeth that a man knovves not vvhat vvilbe his end bicause all are reserued as vncertain for the tyme to come Caluin sayth that a faithfull man must not feare to fall but rather assure him selfe that he shall keep his ground and standing Rom. 11. and yet saint Paule speaking to a faithfull man sayeth thou standest by faithe thinke not highly but feare Philipp 2. and thou that standest sayeth hee take heed least thou fall And againe hee bidds vs vvorke our saluation vvith feare and trembling So that ether vvee must leaue Caluin or renounce scripture bicause they are coÌ„trarie and staÌ„de in plain termes one against another Nether is this doctrine opposite only to scripture but also to reason For first there are many corners in a mans conscience vvhich vve seeldom or neuer looke into For as Hieremie sayeth C. 17. the harte of man is vnsearchable and lyeth open only to God hovve then can Caluin by faith be assured that his sinnes are forgiuen that hee is iuste and elect or if hee knovv god only is not the searcher of harts And if ther be many corners in mans harte to vvhich the harte it selfe is not priuie peraduenture after all our seeking some sinne may lurke in a corner vv ch vve knovv not of Secondly by Caluins ovvn confession vve must beleeue nothing but vvhat vvee finde in scripture and vvhere fyndes he that Caluin is iuste or that his sinnes are forgiuen If hee finde it not hee rashly beleeueth it If hee sayeth that Christe is our redemption and propitiation I ansvvere that so hee is the redemption and
is called the fullnes of tyme virgins vvere more frequent For after that the authour of this lavve Christe Iesus vvas borne a virgin of a virgin mother then all the vvorld seemed to bee inamoured vvith virginitie The Apostles vvhich vvere Christes first Preests and Bishops vvere ether virgins or liued chast like virgins after preesthood Sainct Philip had fovvre daughters vvhich liued and dyed virgins Act. 2â— S. Mathevve the Apostle in Aethiopia instituted an angelicall college of virgins Euseb l. 3. â—o 30. to vvhich hee appointed Iphegenia the Kings daÌ„ghter for the Abbesse In vita cius vv ch after vvards cost him his life but got him the crovvne of martydome I de vit contempt Philo the levve makes mention of diuers societies vvhich in the primatiue Churche liued chastly Apol 2. Iustinus martyr affirmeth that noe people vvas so giuen vnto chastitie as vvere the ChristiaÌ„s of his tyme vvhen as hee sayth bothe men and vvomen kept virginitie to the end and caryed it vvith them to their graue yea to heauen for a ievvell The like report giueth Tertullian of the Christians of his tyme S. Ignatius Apol. c. 9. Ep. adâ—hilad sainct Paules scholler in one of his epiâ—â—les Saluteth a College of virgins and a societie of vvidovves Ep ad Haronâ— and vvhen he vvas going to martvrdome the cogitation of his death and the lions vvhich vvere to deuour him could not put them out of his mynd but euen then hee commended them to his Deacon and successours as the precious Ievvels of Christe Ruff. l. 1 c. 8. Theod. l. 1. â— 1â— Ruffinus also and other Historiographers in commendation of Queen Helena Constantines mother and our countrie vvoman telleth hovve vvheÌ„ she came to Hierusalem she that vvas the Emperess of the vvorld vouchsaffed to serue the virgins at table as a vvayting maide l. 4. vitae CoÌ„st â— 28. And Eusebius puttes it amongest the prayses of Constintine her sonne that he caryed allvvayes a great respecte to virgins persuading him self that God him selfe dvvelled in such chaste myndes Nether caÌ„ our Reformers ansvvere vvith any probabilitie that this vvas the abuse and corruption of that tyme bicause it vvas the vse and custome of the prime Christians in vvhose memories the life vvorkes vvords and examples of Christe and his Apostles vvere freeshe and in vvhose harts the blood of Christe as yet vvas vvarme And if this vvere an abuse holy scripture is the cause of it vvhich in many places commendeth Chastitie and virginitie 〈…〉 The Prophere Isaie or rather God by his mouthe biddes Eunuches that is chaste virgins not to coÌ„plain that they haue noe posteritie in vvhich their name maye continevv for sayeth hee I vvill giue them a place in my hovvse and a better name then they could haue in sonnes and daughters for I vvill giue them an aeternall name vvhich shall neuer perishe Vvher hee can not meane Ennuches by nature bicause hee hathe no reasoÌ„ to promise more to them then to others bicause theyr chastitie is forced but hee must needes bee vnderstood of those Eunuches of vvhich Christe spoake Mat. â—â— vvhen hee sayed that there are some that haue gelded them selues that is haue depriued them â—elues of corporall pleasures by free electioÌ„ Sainct Paule also auoucheth Cor. 7â— that it is good not to touch a vvoeman And againe hee counsayleth them that are free from a vvife not to seeke a vvrfe Ibidem Yea sayeth hee I vvould haue all like my selfe that is chast and continent as all the Interpretours expound And allthough sayeth he I haue noe lavve yet I counsail all to be virgins Ibidem Yea reason also giueth chastitie the preccdeÌ„ce of matrimonie For first as I haue sayed allready in that vve are ashamed of all carnall copulatioÌ„ euen of that vvhich by mariage is made lavvfull it is an argument that Chastitie is more beseeming the nature of man Secondly man is reasonable and sensual spirituall and carnall by reason of his compound nature and by the reasonable parte hee aggreeth vvith angells by the sensuall parte vvith beastes and seing that the reasonable parte is the best and noblest portion in him abstinence from corporall pleasures makes him most like to him selfe yea to Angells bicause by that hee liueth a reasonable life yea and Angelicall and more then Angelicall vvhoe in fleshe and blood liueth chastly like an Angell Thirdly oure goods are diuided into three partes to vvit the goods of fortune vv ch are ritches honours offices and such like the goodes of the body vvhich are healthe and pleasure the goodes of the mynde vvhich are vertues and our ovvne vvilles and desires if then it bee a thing highly pleasing God vvhen by voluntarie pouertie or almesdeedes vvee despoile our selues of our goods of fortune for his sake or his meÌ„bers the poore if it pleaseth him also vvhen by obedience vvee resigne our vvilles and desires vvhich are the goods of our mynde into the handes of our Superiours and consequently into the handes of God from vvhom they haue their authoritie vvhy shall it not bee laudable to vveane our selues eueÌ„ in the flovvre of our yeares from those goods of the bodye vvhich are called pleasures but yet so are goods and pleasures of the body that coÌ„monly they doe the soule the greatest domages and displeasures Lastly if to vse moderation in eating and drinking bee a vertue called temperaunce vvhy shall not a moderation in pleasurs of the fleshe and sensualitie vvhich vvee call chastitie bee esteemed also as a vertue But our Epicurs vvill say that a moderation in pleasurs is good but yet as it is vnlavvfull to absteyne altogether from meare so is it a sinne to renounce all pleasurs of the body To this vvee haue an easy ansvvere to vvit that the first abstinence is vnlavvfull bicause it killeth the bodye vvhich can not liue vvithout meate but the second is lavvfull and laudable bicause corporall pleasures are not necessary for the bodyes maintenaunce and commonly are preiudiciall to the soule and sometymes to the body also But yet they haue not doone it is against nature as they saye preiudiciall to mankinde to liue chastly I ansvvere that chastitie is against the nature of the fleshe and sensualitie by vvhich vve aggree vvith beastes but it is most beseeming our reasonable nature vvhich is the principall parte of man and so is absolutely aggreable vnto man bicause the reasonable portion is that vvhich maketh him a man And althoughe if all men should liue chaste it vvoulde bee preiudiciall to mankind yet for some to bee chast it is not any vvise derogating and vvee need not feare least all men be chast bicause it is not a thing so easie but is an harde and heroicall vertue vvhose difficultie deterreth the most parte of men Such an obiection Vigilantius once made Hier l. â— contra Vigil If all be virgins sayed he mariadges shall not bee children shall not cry
opinion contrition vvhich is inherrent in vs can not be our Iustificatiō bicause they saye that there is noe inherent grace nor iustice And if before this faythe of theirs God should by infusion of grace iustifie them yet vnlesse they had a reuelatiō they could not especially vvith such assuraunce beleeue it bicause the vnderstanding can not giue assent vvithout some apparaunce of truthe They vvill saye that Christes iustice is theirs so that they vvill apprehend it by faith and so they are iust by that iustice if they vvill beleeue so but nether vvill this shifte serue their turne For before they beleeue this Christes iustice must bee theirs and by it they must bee iuste bicause that is the obiecte of their beleefe and the vnderstanding must see it to bee so before shee beleeue soe vvherfore seing that before this faithe of theirs Christes iustice is not theirs and they also are not yet iuste it follovvethe that they can not so longe as they are in their vvittes beleeue that they are iuste bicause this veritie must appeare to the vnderstanding before shee can beleeue it and therfore if before faithe they bee not iuste they can neuer beleeue so For as the sicke mā must bee vvholle and sound before hee can beleeue that hee is so bicause it is not in his povver to beleeue that vvhich is not or vvhich at least appeareth not soe a sinner can not on a sodaine vnlesse hee haue some reason for it beleeue assurdly that hee is iust And therfore if this assured faith bee necessarie to arise after our fall taken by sinne it is impossible to rise again after that vvee are fallen And to make the matter yet more playne as if the only remedie for a sicke man to recouer his healthe vvere to beleeue that hee is vvell it vvere impossible for him to recouer bicause vvhilest his disease remaineth hee can not beleeue that hee is recouered hauing noe reason to thinke so but rather the contrarie so if the only meanes for a sinner to recouer bee to beleeue in the middest of his sinnes that hee is iuste it is impossible for him to recouer bicause hee can not vvith harte thinke so hauing no reason for it but rather to the contrarie Hence I gather tvvoe thinges to be noted First that if a sinner bee iustified by beleeuing that hee is iust then is hee iustified by a lying faithe bicause hee be leeueth that vvhich is not and if you saye that so soone as hee hathe beleeued so hee shal be so that is not sufficient for yet it follovveth that hée beleeueth that hee is iust before hee is iuste bicause iustice follovveth faythe so he is iustified by a false and lying faithe The second thing vvhich I note is hovve malitiously and yet hovve couertly the deuill by his members seeketh our damnation For not content by theyr doctrine to haue induced vs to all sinne hee taketh a vvaye the meanes of rising again from the state of sinne denying penaunce to bee necessarie yea affirming in Luther that contrition is a mortall sinne and auouching in Luther and Caluin bothe Supra yea and in all theyr Schollers that the only meanes for a sinner to bee iustified is to beeleeue vvithout all staggering and vvith all possible assuraunce that his sinnes are forgiuen vvhich beleefe being impossible as is allready proued bicause it is not in the vnderstandings povver to beleeue vvhite to bee blacke or that a man is iuste vvhen noe probabilitie of it appeareth it follovveth that vvhen a sinner is fallen it is impossible for him to rise againe bicause it is as impossible for him to beleeue that hee is iust before hee see some apparaunce of the same as for a sicke man to beleeue that hee is recouered and vvell at ease vvhen hee is in the middest of the fitte of an hoate ageue or in the panges of deathe And so our reformers do not only tumble vs headlong into the very depth of sinne but hold vs there in perpetuall duraunce vvithout hope of libertie bicause they require at our handes an impossibilitie vvhich is in the midst of our sinnes to beleeue that vvee are iust and electe hauing no probabilitie of the same but rather great euidence to the contrarie vvhich is as impossible for vs to beleeue vvith harte as it is for the sicke mā to assure him selfe that hee is vvell vvhen hee is in the middest of his fitte THE EIGHT BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of their doctrine vvhich leadeth vnto Atheisme and contēpt of religion A SHORT PRAEFACE IRELAND is famous for that it breeds noe toades nor venimous serpents and Ingland hath been of longe tyme esteemed happie bicause it hath no vvolues but in steed of vvolues it hath been of late yeares vnfortunate for engendring of a certaine monster called Atheists begotten by heresie vvhich hath more vvasted and depopulated the coūtrie then all the beares and vvolues of the desert or monsters of Africa could haue doone if they had been all turned loose into the lande For they could only haue made their pray vppon the bodies of men beastes but these monsters called Atheistes haue made hauocke of mens soules They could only haue disturbed the temporall state and ciuil peace these haue ruined Christi◠anitie and brought religion into cōtempte vvhich is the principall blisse of the soule in this life Of these monsters there are tvvoe kindes bothe feirce cruel but the one more sauage then the other The first denyeth flatly the diuinitie and therfore moste properly is called an Atheist that is vvithout a God The second confesseth God and God head but yet is of opiniō that it litle skilleth vvhat honour you giue him or vvith vvhat vvorship of religiō you serue him of this kinde are our Machevellians vvhoe square out religiō according to state and make noe more account of Scripture thē of Aesops tables and so that they may liue and establishe a temporall state care not vvhat religion florishethe bicause they counte it but a peece of pollicie to keepe men in avve and order Against these monsters I must arme my selfe and chaunge my vveapons as I channge my aduersarie and by reason only I vvill confound these as I haue by scriptures reason authoritie and all manner of argumentes refuted heretikes And for as much as my generall drifte proiecte in all these bookes is to make heresie odiouse I vvill shevve also in this laste booke hovve Atheisme is engendred of heresie that by this viperouse and monstrous brood vvee may haue a greater gesse of the breeder The first Chapter declareth hovve certaine points of the Reformers doctrine open the gapp to a deniall of the diuine maiestre and his God-head VVhat God is it is so hard to Knovv that nether the light of reasō nor faithe nor bothe lights ioined together are able to discouer this veritie Vvherfore Trimegisthus being once demaūded this obscure question gaue as obscure an ansvvere to vvit that God is