for qualities haue their subiects according to the places That an accident cannot be togither in two subiects and it is vnpossible for them to be the same in number at one time in diuers subiects but all the parts of a liuing creature be the verie same in subiect and one by the knitting togither of members D. Tresham The reason of Didymus dooth procéed from that that is of it owne nature in manie places and not otherwise And all the Doctors agrée that Christ was borne his mothers wombe being close and that he rose the sepulchre being shut and that he went vnto his disciples when the doores were fast And Hugo de sancto victore saith that The angels are not circumscribed by place Wherefore although the bodie of Christ be properlie in heauen yet bicause it is spirituall it is not repugnant to the power of God but that it may be in manie places D. Martyr Whether the fathers vnderstand their reasons touching that which in his owne proper nature is in manie places I haue alreadie answered As touching the virgines wombe the sepulchres and the doores being fast shut oppose you and I will answer in place conuenient As for Hugo de sancto victore and others when they saie that angels are not conteined within the precinct of place they must I saie be vnderstood as concerning locall compasse whereby the bodies which are among vs are compassed about with the circumference of the aire or some other thing conteining them But these things cannot so be taken that the angels or anie creature should be vnderstood to haue no definit substance so as when they be in anie one place they cannot be else-where And so I returne to the argument it is a firme conclusion This thing is in manie places Therefore it is the Godhead D. Tresham I answer Christ is God and now the speach betwéene vs is as concerning the bodie which hath the Godhead ioined therewith D. Martyr I demand of you Is the bodie of Christ a thing created or no D. Tresham I grant it is but Christ is no creature D. Martyr But I saie that Christ is both to wit a creator and a creature Christ by reason of his sundrie natures is both a creature and a creator As touching his Godhead he is a creator and as touching his humanitie a creature and if a creature as these fathers doo affirme he cannot be in diuers places at once D. Tresham That which Christ tooke once vpon him he neuer let go and therefore bicause of his Godhead which is inseparablie knit vnto his bodie Christ must not be diuided but yet his natures must be disseuered the bodie of Christ may be in manie places D. Martyr We likewise doo not diuide Christ and yet will we haue both his natures to be whole And sith the Godhead doth not cause but that the bodie of Christ is a creature and you haue now heard out of Basil and Didymus that the powers created cannot be in manie places at once you your selfe sée what dooth follow D. Tresham They disputed of the nature of the thing not of the absolute power of God neither is reason or sense to be followed in matters of faith otherwise manie absurdities wold follow in matters of faith D. Martyr I cannot tell how they could haue spoken more apparantlie of the power of God when as Cyrill dooth not exclude euen the diuinitie it selfe when he saith If it were of quantitie it might not choose but be circumscribed And I acknowledge that which you saie that in matters of faith we must not follow reason nor yet sense Howbeit it is no article of the faith that the bodie of Christ is in manie places at once sith the scriptures doo not teach this anie where Naie rather we learne otherwise out of them to wit that Christ is verie man and that he hath a verie bodie whereto is verie agréeable that it should be limited within bounds and compassed within some certeine place And touching his bodie we beléeue that he is ascended into heauen that he hath left the world and sitteth at the right hand of the father The disputation of the second day which was the 29. daie of Maie betweene D. Peter Martyr and D. William Chadse D. Peter Martyr I Thinke it not méet right honorable that I should vse at this present anie preface For yesterdaie we declared those things which were thought good to be applied to the present purpose And by your good foresight authoritie it hapned that all things were peaceablie and quietlie performed which I hope this daie shall no lesse come to passe Now maister Doctour as concerning the matter you being present yesterdaie might sufficientlie vnderstand what questions are propounded perceiue some reasons of mine opinion wherefore to procéed in our purpose I desire you to shew what you doo iudge touching the questions neither doo I feare but that all things shall be spoken of you with indifferencie and modestie Howbeit before you answer you shall suffer me according to my accustomed maner to call for the helpe of God The Praier YEsterdaie O almightie GOD we began by thy gratious goodnesse to dispute and since this daie also wee shall proceed in that businesse we call vpon thee againe who art the founteine of light the most perfect truth and the most cleere wisedome that thou wilt so direct our words that we fall not into absurdities but rather that those things which shall be handled may both become more plaine and also be set foorth to the praise and glorie of thy name through Christ our Lord Amen The Preface of D. VVilliam Chadse GReat is the matter right famous Doctor and full of mysteries which yesterdaie was handled this daie shall be handled Great bicause we dispute of the bodie wherewith we be satisfied and doo liue for euer and of the bloud whereof wée drinke and which redéemeth the people a thing full of mysteries for vnlesse ye beléeue you shall not vnderstand My words are spirit and life It is the spirit which quickeneth Iohn 6. the flesh profiteth nothing The Capernaites heare and saie This is a hard saieng and who is able to abide it The Christians heare and crie incessantlie with Peter Thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6 68. we beleeue and knowe that thou art the waie the truth and the life We beléeue that thou diddest promise the holie Ghost not which should come after one or two thousand yeares but euen within a few daies after that thou hadst spoken it We acknowledge the performance of this thy holie spirit he shall lead vs into all truth he shall teach vs all things whatsoeuer thou hast said vnto vs. Forsomuch therefore as thou art true yea the verie truth it selfe sith those things which haue gone foorth of thy lips cannot be frustate I firmelie beléeue from thy mouth and pronounce it from my hart as touching the presence of thy bodie in the
are brought in by the naughtie practise of the papists yet shall those also by the helpe of God be one daie taken quite awaie but if they were gods indéed they would surelie defend themselues Aphrodisaeus Aphrodisaeus saith that There is a certeine generall power which by the properties of things such as be herbes stones and metals must be drawne vnto euerie particular thing I admit it be so yet no such thing can be brought to passe vpon the sudden for the works of nature haue their time course But Christ vpon the sudden turned water into wine Iohn 2 8. vpon the sudden restored the blind and lame Matth. 11 5. Of the Platonists 13 Indéed the Platonists grant that there be spirits but they saie that they haue bodies either waterie or aierie or fierie These things doubtlesse they speake howbeit they speake such things as will not agrée one with another For if the bodies of spirits be elementarie Whether the bodies of spirits be elementarie how commeth it to passe that they be eternall For the elements haue both cold and heate qualities both actiue and passiue and sometime they striue one with another and sometime they perish Others reason after this sort Forsomuch as there be extremities we must also grant that there is a meane but heauen is eternal and mens bodies are fraile and mortall wherefore of necessitie something must be put betwéene these two that may be partaker of both This is no necessarie argument For first we grant that certeine minds there be void of bodies such as are the angels and those intelligencies which driue the celestiall spheres further that the soules of our bodies are the other extreame Of other meane things there is no néed But they saie that as fishes be in the sea and foules in the aire so there must be spirits cōuersant in the fier This is of no necessitie For liuing creatures are not made for the elements but the elements for liuing creatures and liuing creatures were made for mans sake Now what vse can there come vnto man by those liuing creaturs which abide in the fier Howbeit if these men will vrge further concerning the vpper region of the aire we will not denie but that there be spirits there For so Paule to the Ephesians saith Ephe. 2 2. 6 12. After the prince that ruleth in the aire and afterward in the same epistle We wrestle not against flesh and bloud but against principalities powers of this aire Chrysost Also Chrysostom in his 11. homilie vpon the first epistle to the Thessalonians saith that the whole aire is full of spirits But let vs consider of the bodies of these spirits for they can be no aierie bodies séeing the aire is a bodie of one kind For euerie part of the aire is aire and there can be no reason giuen whie one part thereof should be a spirit more than another and by that meanes the whole vniuersall aire should be one continued bodie of spirits Moreouer the bodie of a liuing creature must be instrumentall and haue bones sinewes parts and seuerall members but these things cannot be made of the aire Furthermore a bodie must haue fashions forms which things cannot so much as be imagined in the aire But there be you will saie fashions and distinct formes in the clouds I grant it but they consist not of aire onelie or alone And yet this argument is not firme for spirits may take vnto them the bodies of other things Wherefore some doo rather argue on this sort Spirits haue bodies either celestiall or elementarie if celestiall then their moouing must be round or circle-wise as the moouing of the heauens is if elementarie they must of necessitie followe the motion of that element whereof they had their bodies Demons be spirits 14 But to let these things passe The scriptures doo not make Daemons to haue bodies but to be spirits onlie Now spirits bodies by an Antithesis are put as contraries For euen as a spirit is no bodie so likewise a bodie is no spirit Luk. 24 39. And Christ saith A spirit hath no flesh nor bones And that Daemons be spirits is prooued by infinit testimonies of the scriptures In the historie of Achab thus the diuell speaketh I wil be a lieng spirit in the mouth of all the prophets of Achab. 1. Kin. 22 22 And Christ cast out an vncleane spirit Matt. 12 43. the vncleane spirit wandered through drie and desert places afterward he tooke to himselfe seuen other spirits woorse than himselfe Naie verilie will you saie these spirits are but onlie certeine impulsions of the minds such as be the spirits of wisedome and the spirits of knowledge yes in verie déed they be substances Matt. 18 10. For Christ saith that They behold the face of his father and he shall pronounce at the latter daie Matt. 25 41. Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Wherefore séeing the holie scriptures doo call Daemons by the name of spirits I sée no cause why anie should attribute bodies vnto them But I speake not here of bodies which are assumed and are come vnto them but of such as be proper to them and of their owne I knowe there be other men somewhat sharpe witted indéed which saie that Daemons be spirits in comparison of vs euen as on the other side angels in comparison of God may be said to haue bodies and after this maner they saie that Augustine affirmeth Daemons to haue bodies And they saie also that Barnard was of the same opinion both in his treatise to Eugenius and also vpon the Canticles howbeit there be some which interpret Barnard to speake of bodies assumed But séeing the holie scriptures as I said doo call Daemons spirits I sée no cause why we should imagine them to haue bodies Foure kinds of spirits For in the scriptures we sée that there are foure kinds of spirits First in verie déed GOD himselfe is a spirit for he hath no néed of a bodie either for his being or for his doing of anie maner of thing The next be angels as well good as bad neither doubtles haue they néed of bodies as touching their owne proper actions but to communicate in actions with vs they haue néed of bodies for as we read in the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 1 14. They be administring spirits The third sort are the spirits of men which doubtles that they might haue their being haue no néed of bodies for they haue their being and doo liue euen when they are separated from their bodies yet about their owne proper actions as to haue sense or to growe they cannot be without bodies The last be the spirits of brute beasts which neither can haue their being nor doo anie thing without bodies By this diuision we sée that there is no néed at all for Daemons to haue bodies for
than from the soule the which if it happen to depart the bodie straightway becommeth a horrible deade carcase which stinketh and with wormes and putrefaction is dissolued on euerie side which euerie man doth auoide So the holy scriptures when the spirit is absent from him that readeth them they be loathsome dead carcases they offende they displease and doe marueilously alienate from the reading of them the minds of those which vse them Wherefore let vs desire God that euen as hee sent out his worde at the beginning when he made the worlde yea and that he sent it downe into the bowels of the earth whereby there sprang out so great an abundance of grasse herbes springs plants and fruits hee will in like manner penetrate our heartes whereby we may execute thoughts words and déedes worthie of our calling Neither maruell yée if I so greatly perswade you to pray for the fruite of the worde because this is the state of the worde of God that it doth not continually fall after a happie sort For as it is taught in the parable of the séede which is set foorth in the Gospell a part falleth vpon the way a part in stonie places a part among thornes and finally that which is committed vnto good grounde doeth not bring foorth fruite generally after one manner but a part thyrtie folde a part sixtie fold and a part an hundreth folde A Prayer Wherefore I beséech God that he will so prepare you and me with his spirite that we receiue not the diuine séede like vnto the high way or the thornes or stonie grounde Let euen he himselfe who is able make our heartes good grounde which may bring foorth fruite an hundreth folde vnto eternall life Amen A prayse of the worde of God taught in the scriptures and an exhortation to the study of them IF after manie daies silence I shoulde take in hande againe to declare the wordes of Paul as I beganne and shoulde not after my accustomed manner exhort you to renew your studies intermitted you might not onelie maruell at my determination but also finde iust fault at the breach of custom Howbeit since I haue this doone euerie yeare it is to be doubted least I shoulde bee constrained to vtter againe the same thinges among you which I haue at other times declared vnto you or else to digresse vnto those things which are not much pertinent to our purpose Yet doth it much comfort and refresh me that I vnderstande ye are so manifolde and sundrie wayes stirred vp to the knowledge of the holie Scriptures that I hope although my wit be slender and my eloquence small I shall not depart from the laudable and receiued custome neither yet digresse vnto those things which be not of much force to cal backe your minds to the studie of diuinitie And to holde you with proheme no longer than Christian synceritie requireth it shall not bee amisse this to thinke speciallie with our selues that there was not a man created by God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ As man â—as made by the word so he is restored by the word but through the worde of God and therefore wee must not looke that he being falen and ouerthrowen can be restored by anie other meanes thaÌ„ by the same worde Hereunto was Adam the prince of man kinde created by God that he shoulde bee a faithfull Scholer of Gods word From which excellent institution hée so farre swarned Gen. 3. 6. that he gaue credite to the perswasion of the serpent not to the worde of God And looke what the diuell did then worke in Paradise by the wordes of the serpent he nowe doeth the same in the Church through superstitions and wicked traditions of men Wherefore he that will beware of death and destruction let him not giue eare vnto the inuentions of men but let him faith fullie beléeue the holie Scripture onelie Let vs set Adam before our eyes so long as hée was obedient to the worde of God we shall perceiue hee was Lorde of all thinges Gen. 1. 28. and the husbandman of most pleasant Paradise But on the otherside we shall acknowledge that the same man when hee mistrusted the worde of God became the seruant of death and sinne subiect to the curse of God a laborer in the continual sweat of his face Gen. 3. 17. striuing with thornes thistles The selfe same daunger remaineth doubtles to so manie as neglecting the worde of God followe the promises of knowledge wronglie so named as though they might be Gods and Masters of their owne selues O woulde to God that that happie garden had not had a serpent and that at this daie there were not in the Church such as woulde call men awaie from the holie scriptures vnto the wisdome of the fleshe And not onelie maie we learne by the bringing foorth and originall of mankinde howe wee ought to be studious in the worde of God but the mysterie also of our redemption doth most plainelie testifie the same For when the natures of God and man were distant an infinite space one from an other yet were they coupled together by the worde into one and the selfe same person Wherefore wée also are to hope of a returne vnto the father if we shal with great indeuor of faith imbrace his word What I beséech you do you thinke of the bookes of the holie Scriptures They are nothing else in verie déede than schoolemasters of the elect giuen most profitablie vnto them by God God vseth weake instruments And séeing they bee instrumentes of our saluation we must not frowardlie looke vppon the nature habit and ornament of them séeing al the worthinesse and excellencie of them must be measured by the power which God vseth in them What more vanitie is there in the nature of thinges than dreames Dreames And yet when God vseth them he instructeth in most weightie matters Gen. 41. 1. c. Dan. 2. 1. Gen. 37. 5. Iud. 7. 13. Dan. 7. 1. Pharao and Nabuchadnezar being the mightiest Monarches of the worlde and confirmeth the faith of Ioseph Gedeon and Daniel Hereby is knowen the excellent power of God whenas by abiect and vile instruments he sheweth foorth incredible actes Euen as a Carpenter should for that cause be counted famous and notable A similitude if he coulde with a corde thréede or haires hewe or cut in sunder most harde wood So Christ with claie healed a blinde man and God in the signes of water and in the outwarde elements of bread and wine stirreth vp the faith of those that be his Iohn 9. 6. and sealeth the promises of heauenlie things The vse of the holie scriptures Therefore the holie Scriptures which be full of dignitie and maiestie being more inwardlie beheld wheras at the first sight they may séeme rude and barbarous weigh thou with thy selfe that they be the instrumeÌ„ts of the holy ghost and looke not for a pleasantnesse of
words in them but rather maruell thou at the power of the crosse which Christ suffereth not to be made voide by mans eloquence Yea rather when these thinges come to minde let vs giue thanks vnto our good God who would haue these testimonies of his wil to be sealed vp that wee béeing dull of memorie shoulde not forget them and that euerie man at his owne pleasure shoulde not deuise a doctrine in the Churche but that there might be extant a publike patterne whereby the sayings of all men might be prooued and throughly tried Luke 1. ◠And therefore Luke in the Preface of his Gospell that he might acknowledge the certeintie of those thinges whereof he was taught testifieth that he therefore wrote vnto Theophilus that hée might knowe the certeintie of those thinges wherof he was instructed Whosoeuer therfore beléeueth in Christ if he turne ouer the Booke he by the meanes thereof through the holy Ghost is euerie day made more assured of those things which he professeth For as Iron is by vse purged from rust A similitude and doeth the more glister and shewe bright so the doctrines of godlinesse which are contained in the holy Scriptures the more often they be reade the more manifest and true they appeare vnto vs. Plato in his Booke of lawes thinketh méete to giue commaundement to the husbandman that he doe not water his grounde with other mens water Digge saieth he a well therein that thou maiest vse the waters thereof when néede shall require Wherefore God also woulde that in the Church which is his vineyarde shoulde flowe a perpetuall reading of the scriptures whereby the necessarie water of the worde of GOD might be ministred to our faith which oftentimes waxeth drie It was a familiar saying in the mouth of Socrates when he was vrged to say or doe any thing If my good spirit shall permit me The Demon of Socrates For he had such a one who was as his counsellour or kéeper But wee must perpetually cleane vnto the worde of God as vnto a Counsellour when any thing is set foorth to be doone or beléeued we must answere so much as by the word of God shall be lawfull and in all our affaires take Counsell thereof faithfully The holy historie teacheth that there was a laudable custome of the people of GOD that as touching euery enterprise they first tooke Counsell of God before they tooke in hand to doe the same Iud. 1. 1. In the Booke of Iudges after the death of Iosua the Israelites demaund who shoulde goe vp against the enemies In the first Booke of Samuel 1. Sam. 30. 8 Dauid asketh whether he should followe after the théeues which had destroyed and burned the Citie of Ziklag Yea and Achab 1. kings 22. 6. although he were a wicked man went not altogether from his Countrie manner nay rather when he should fight against the king of Syria he tooke Counsell of God by the Prophets Therefore wee also must not attempt any thing wherein wee haue not first perswaded our conscience by the worde of God that the worke which wée take in hande is good and shall be acceptable vnto the Maiestie of God The Poets vaunted that their harmonie songes and verses wherewith men were delighted nay rather deceiued were not made by man but were drawen from Helicon Pernassus the fountaine of Castalius Pegasus or Caballinus frō the forrest of Cythaeron the Muses recyting them which as they be false lyes so is it most true that the doctrine which we now commende is drawen out of heauen and communicated vnto the Church vpō Mount Syna in Ierusalem and vpon Mount Sion Exod. 20. Esa 2. 3. as we reade in Exodus and as Esaie hath testified Out of Sion shall come a lawe and the worde of the Lorde from Ierusalem The Oracles of the Ethnikes In olde time the Ethnicks had secrete places in temples doores vnder the grounde a Caudron for sacrifice a Trenet vnder which they put fire brasse of Dodona most auncient Okes dennes Images names written in leaues and briefely vnprofitable Temples and innumerable wayes did the Diuell mocke them But vnto vs in the stead of all those things is by the mercie and goodnesse of God set foorth the onely Oracle of the holy Scriptures Pythagoras is for this cause not a litle famous that he had conference with Oules and Eagles Pompilius talked with the Nymphe Aegeria Apollonius Thyaneus as the histories report or rather fable vnderstoode the singing and chattering of little byrdes But vnto vs doeth the true God the Creator of heauen and earth speake most manifestly in the Scriptures by Moses by the Prophetes by his onely sonne Iesus Christ and by his Apostles and doeth so speake as he changeth the soules the hearts the mindes and the whole man and of stones is able to make the sonnes of Abraham not whom he may like fabulous Amphion forcibly drawe to the walles of Thebe but whom he may builde vppon Christ because he is both the onely and sounde foundation aswell of the Apostles as Prophets Let the Poets boast as they will that Orpheus tamed the wilde beastes we in the meane time being taught by experience will not doubt but that the wordes of the Scriptures turne them into the sonnes of God which before were serpents and generations of Vypers Whereupon Paul mentioning vnto Tytus what manner of persons we were before we were regenerated in Christ saieth Matt. 3. 7. Titus 3. 3. For wee also in times past were fooles disobedient going astray seruing lustes and diuerse pleasures liuing in malitiousnesse and enuie being hated and hating one another And vnto the Corin. the first Epistle and 6. Chapter Verse 11. when he had recited many detestable crimes he added And such were you in deede but nowe are ye washed ye are sanctified ye are iustified And séeing that to the breaking of our hearts which be hard and obstinate there should be néede not of weake instrumentes but rather of most strong engines for that cause GOD reuealed vnto his Church no faint or dull manner of spéeche but such as was deliuered by many of the Prophets and in diuerse manners For it exhorteth terrifieth driueth forwarde calleth backe teacheth confuteth promiseth threateneth pronounceth sigheth prayeth beséecheth praiseth dispraiseth sheweth things past declareth things present prophesieth things to come and as most soft waxe it is bended vnto all formes to the ende it may bow the stonie hearts of the vngodly Wherefore not wtout good cause it ought to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a vanquisher of all Yea and Sathan although he be most mightie was driuen out of the wicked bodie of Saul which was appointed to vtter destruction 1. Sa. 16. 23. being not able to abide the songes of Dauid the Musitian of the holy spirit By them the olde serpent being inchaunted was after a sort burst in péeces Matth. 4. And the same Sathan was driuen
of Iesus Christ than was the Iewes temple vno Moses vpon the mount Therefore is ours the true church and shall continue for euer whereas yours shall consume perish and come to a fearefull end Furthermore ye boast that the church of God hath long continued quiet without anie generall resistance till now of late that the learned men in Germanie and else-where began to disdaine that the truth of God should so shamefullie be abused by couetous and carelesse men Ye consider not that your forgeries crept in by little and little now one thing and than another whole ages betweene that they sproong vp of deuotion of a pretense of holines of a wrong conceit of Gods omnipotencie of a zeale towards religion but yet without knowledge that manie times your opinions either were not resisted bicause learned men were otherwise better occupied in confuting of more grosse palpable heresies or if they were resisted those monuments haue perished by the enuie of your side or else through manie barbarous nations which inuaded Christendome that manie of your opinions grew by mistaking of councels and misconstruing of the fathers and of their darke and hyperbolicall speeches and not of anie authoritie receiued from the primitiue church that your church of Rome might more liberallie and without resistance and therefore more dangerouslie raise vp errors hir citie being the mistresse that commanded all nations that those errors of yours were pretended vnto the common people to be taught out of the woord of God and that it behooued to keepe them vpon paine of damnation that the godlie were humble and charitable and besides the opinion they had of the authoritie and learning of bishops and councels either for charitie they would not or for feare they durst not find fault with anie ordinance made by them further that God had not as yet put into the harts of kings and great estates to defend those that should find fault with the corruptions of the church that the professours of the Gospell had not prepared so smooth stones nor had so apt slings for the purpose as now they haue for God had not yet prepared the art of Printing whereby the word runneth verie swiftlie into all parts of the world that the kings of the earth had not as yet droonke the full draught of the whoore of Babylons cup nor thorough the infection thereof had shead the vniust measure of innocent bloud bicause the mysterie of iniquitie had not yet wrought all his force neither was that man of sinne so notoriouslie reuealed whome now the Lord dooth euerie daie more and more destroie with the spirit of his mouth Further that the time was not yet come wherein God by his eternall prouidence had decreed to build vp the walles of decaied Ierusalem neither yet was the iudgement of God so neare at hand Lastlie that all things were not yet fulfilled which Christ and his spirit prophesied should come to passe before the latter daie Giue ouer therefore these insolent and vaine boastings for the Lord dooth all things in time in measure and in weight his purposes are far from mens cogitations he oftentimes maketh the vilest and basest beginnings to grow vp to the greatest advancements of his glorie and he knew before all eternitie whome he had chosen to himselfe The sinnes of your forefathers shall not excuse your wilfull obstinacie for I saie vnto you that not onelie they but the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha would haue conuerted before this time if either they had seene the wonders that haue beene doone in your daies or else had heard the hundred part of preaching instructing and confuting of those errors that ye haue heard and learned and throughlie tried And sith our preachers haue preached vnto you not themselues but Iesus Christ not anie deuise of their owne but what they haue found in the holie word and haue taken this labour vpon them not for ostentation of their owne learning or for enuie they beare to your persons but in defense of the truth but with a zeale of the Lords house but for reformation of Christs church but for the manifesting of your false opinions for the earnest desire of your saluation ye should haue imbrased them as the Angels of God much lesse haue persecuted them to the death Ye should haue taken this faithfull trauell of theirs as an infallible token from heauen that as GOD before the first comming of his sonne sent manie prophets betimes in the morning to rebuke the sinnes of the people and to shew wherein the priests had violated the lawe of the Lord and how greeuouslie the false worshippers had defaced his holie sanctuarie so now before his second comming he hath sent heapes of these godlie and zealous preachers to laie open the errors of the church and to gather into the sheepefold the wandering flocke those whom he had predestinated to his kingdom before the foundations of the world were laid If none of all these things will serue if nothing will make ye relent if not yet at the length ye will returne to the true church for all the spirituall and supernaturall signes and wonders of your daies for all the admonitions that haue beene giuen you for all the arguments that haue confuted you for all the word that preuaileth against you for all you see the latter daie creeping towards you and the sonne of man as a theefe in the nightstealing vpon you if still ye will be selfe willing and obstinate if still ye will giue more credite to your selues than to the liuelie word of God if no not yet ye will leaue persecuting of your brethren by fire sword by malicious lies and reproches and by all maner of wicked waies ye can deuise and that contrarie to godlines contrarie to iustice contrarie to all humanitie contrarie to the law of nature and contrarie to your owne consciences ye will haue the iudgement of religion in your owne hands and will haue no other interpretation but such as your selues deuise behold I pronounce vnto you that the mightie God Iehouah commeth he commeth and that speedilie in his owne person riding vpon the wings of the wind He will not now seeke anie more reuenge vpon Pharao and Nabuchad-nezar for his people of Israell nor yet vpon Dioclesian Iulian and other heathen tyrants for oppressing the Christians but hee will require the bloud of righteous Abell at the hands of his owne brother Cain of Lot at his owne citie Sodome of Iacob at his owne brother Esau of Zacharie at the prince of his owne people of Christ at the hands of his owne Ierusalem and of his saints and martyrs of England at the hands of their owne countrimen kinsmen and brethren He will not reprooue you for intermitting your vnbloudie sacrifice of the masse and for not offering vp his sonne euerie daie to his father which himselfe once for all offered vpon the crosse seeing he neuer commanded you thus to doo No but he will
The forme of prophesieng For he that declareth naturall causes and arts and sciences is not a prophet And so a prophet is distinct frō a doctor or teacher Wherein a prophet differeth from a teacher For doctors although they be instructed in the gifts of God to teaching persuading comforting yet they get those things by exercise instruction studie and labour but prophets are taught by no other means than by the onelie reuelation of God Howbeit such prophets as are thus taught of God although perhaps there be some now a daies in the church yet I thinke there be not manie But at the verie beginnings More prophets when the church began than now when the church began to spring vp God raised manie prophets For when men were conuerted from Gréekish gentilitie vnto Christ and were altogether ignorant and vnskilfull of the holie scriptures Loke in the 13. art it was néedful that God helped them by such reuelations but now that all places abound with bookes and teachers there is no néed of the helpe of prophets For the Iewes did onlie looke for Christ to come he is now come wherefore we haue no néed of other prophets Besides they were not so instructed in the holie scriptures For at the beginning they had the lawe and nothing else Then came Samuel and other prophets which made all things full and whole Now there is scripture enough euerie-where Finallie they were alwaies curious serchers of things to come and prone to idolatrie therefore least they should run vnto sorcerers and soothsaiers Deut. 18 15. GOD promised that he would giue them a prophet from among their owne brethren Acts. 3 22. This dooth Peter by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trulie transfer vnto Christ But in verie déed God euermore cared and prouided that they should not be without some prophet of their owne number But in our daies that grosse idolatrie is taken awaie Chrysostome Chrysostome vpon Genesis saith that the sinnes of men haue brought to passe that no such rare pure spirit can dwell among vs which reason dooth not much mooue me For when the people did most gréeuouslie offend God did euer stir vp his prophets The end of prophesieng as Paule saith is to edifie The end of prophesieng that is to bring vs to eternall felicitie but that is not perceiued by mans iudgement For neither eie euer sawe it or eare heard it wherefore it was néedfull to haue it shewed in a more hidden sort by prophets But they could not open it vnlesse they themselues vnderstood it neither could they euer vnderstand it vnlesse they were admonished by the inward spirit of God The efficient cause For otherwise they would be as ignorant in those things which are done by nature as other men be The spirits that stir vp prophets are sometime good sometime euill 4 But now that spirit wherewith they bée stirred vp is sometime good and somtime euill For as God dooth edifie the church by his prophets so the diuell apishlie counterfeiting God subuerteth it by his prophets There was neuer anie heresie that boasted more of prophesies than did the Montanists For they accounted their Prisca and Maximilla being rich and wealthie women for prophetisses The idolaters foretold some things that were true the more easilie to deceiue did mingle them with falshoods But thou wilt saie Why God suffereth the euill men to foretell true things Augustine Why did God suffer them to speake true things Augustine in his 14. booke De trinitate answereth Bicause they were both sinnes and the punishments of sinnes and they had deserued to be giuen vp to lies and strong delusions as Paule saith to the Thessalonians And God saith 2. Thes 2 11 Ezec. 14 verse 19. that If a prophet be seduced I haue seduced him And Augustine against Iulian saith Augustine The diuels report true things euen of Christ bicause God will by all meanes maintaine the truth both to the comfort of the godlie and condemnation of the wicked But such kind of witches are now forbidden by the lawes of princes Lawes of princes against witches as appeareth in the Code De maleficis mathematicis Howbeit bicause none shall be deceiued they are not called Mathematicks in that place which doo foreshew anie thing by the starres or speculation of naturall causes but such as vnder the name of Mathematicks vttered for gaine curious arts and inchantments which kind of people the Emperour Constantine commanded to be burnt But the good spirit is sent in by God which when the heathen knew not they called it furie and distraughting of the mind Plato in his dialogues Phaedro and Ioue Propheticall furie saith that poeticall furie is one mysticall another foretelling of that which should come and another diuine Now concerning the originall of prophesie it is certeine that as touching the time thereof the same was first in Adam Gen. 2 23. For thus did he saie This is now bone of my bones The originall of prophesie Iude. 14. After him preached Enoch which was the seuenth from Adam as it is written in the Epistle of Iude. Then succéeded Moses and Samuel But thou wilt saie If prophesieng bée so ancient whie dooth Peter on this wise saie in the booke of the Acts It is written in the prophets Acts. 3 24. from Samuel and thence foorth I answere that Peter had first made mention of Moses then he maketh Samuel the head or chéefe of the prophets Samuel chiefe of the prophets bicause he had made verie famous the order of the prophets Lastlie bicause nothing was written of anie prophet before Samuel 5 Chrysostome in his second homilie vpon these words of Esaie Chrysost I sawe the Lord sitting Esaie 6 1. setteth foorth although not verie exactlie a definition of prophesie Prophesie saith he Prophesie defined is nothing els but a declaration of things to come And vpon the prologue of Paule to the Romans he saith that the holie men did not onlie prophesie by writings and words but also by déeds Prophesie by deeds as Abraham did in the sacrifice of his sonne and Moses in the brazen serpent and all the people of Israel in eating of the passouer But a fuller definition is this Prophesie is a facultie giuen vnto certeine men by the spirit of God without teaching or learning whereby they are able certeinlie to knowe things heauenlie high and secret and to open the same vnto others for edifieng of the church Here this word facultie is the generall word to prophesie which may be referred to naturall power not that the same power is naturall but that it may make men apt as naturall power dooth whereby they may be assured of their knowledge Which I therefore added bicause they that vtter those things which they themselues vnderstand not be rather mad persons than prophets The other parts of the definition may
kinds of visions which he calleth corporall againe another sort he calleth spirituall which consisteth of shewes or images and haue place about the phantasie or power imaginatiue the last kind he nameth intellectuall bicause they be onelie comprehended by reason and iudgement of the mind But those which he maketh imaginatiue namelie the second sort he sheweth as we also declared a little before that they doo not make prophets and saith that Ioseph was a far truer prophet than Pharao And the selfe-same thing may we saie of the souldier Iudg. 17 4. that in Gedeons hearing interpreted the dreame of his fellowe-souldier to wit that he rather was the prophet than he that had the vision But in this order or degrée of prophets Daniel excéeded all others Dan. 2 29. For hée not onlie interpreted the kings visions but euen when the king had forgotten what he had séene in his sléepe he was able to call it to his remembrance Moreouer he not onelie interpreted what visions other men had but also was instructed from God in things that he himselfe had séene 10 Sometimes also dreams come of the diuell For Augustine in his booke before alleged De genesi ad litteram telleth of one possessed with a diuell which by a vision told the verie houre that the préest should come vnto him by what places he passed And we are not ignorant that among the Ethnicks Somtimes the Oracles of the Ethnicks made answere by dreames there were oracles where men abode all the night to obteine the interpretation of their visions and dreams such was the oracle of Amphiarias Amphilocus Trophonius and Aesculapius In those places an euill spirit shewed them that were a sléepe medicines remedies to heale their sicke folks at which time also they gaue answere as touching other matters And for the obteining of such dreams visions they which came to inquire of anie thing were inioined to vse certeine choise of meates to lie apart from others and to haue certeine daies of clensing And it is said that the Pythagorians abstained from eating of beanes Pythagorians bicause they bred troublesome dreames But our God to the intent he would declare himselfe not to be bound to such things shewed Daniel the kings dreame after that he and his fellowes had besought God for the same by praier But that the diuell can put himselfe among mens dreames there is no doubt since by his helpe there haue béene and yet are many false prophets Augustine Wherevpon Augustine in his booke now before recited the 19. chapter saith that If an euill spirit doo possesse men he maketh them either demoniaks or out of their wits or else false prophets and contrariwise a good spirit maketh faithfull prophets vttering mysteries to the edifieng of others He also demandeth in the 11. chapter of the same booke To discerne betweene the visions of a good spirit and an euill how the difference betwéene the reuelations of good and euill spirits may be discerned the one from the other And he answereth that the same cannot be doone without the gift of discerning of spirits But he addeth that an euill spirit dooth alwaies at the last lead men to wicked opinions and naughtinesse of maners although that at the beginning the difference cannot be perceiued without the gift of the holie Ghost In his 100. Epistle to Euodius when he had asked the same question he saith I would to God I could perceiue the difference betwéene visions which are giuen to deceiue me and those which are giuen to saluation But yet we must be of good chéere bicause God suffereth his children sometime to be tempted but not to perish Aristotle held that God sendeth not dreames 11 But what answere shall we make Aristotle who denieth that dreames come of God for this cause specially bicause he would then giue the power of diuination to the good and wise not to the foolish and wicked men We may answere that for the most part the true prophets which are lightened by God in their dreams and visions are both good and godlie But yet that it may not be thought that the power of God is tied to the wisedome and maners of men God will sometime vse the ministerie of the vngodlie in such things Why God doth sometime vse the euill prophets to the intent the great and woonderfull strength of his prouidence may be declared which is able to vse all kind of meanes Furder as Tertullian writeth in his booke De anima séeing he distributed his sunne and raine to the iust and vniust alike it ought to be no maruell if he impart these gifts also especiallie which are of force vnto mans erudition aswell to the bad as to the good And least we should be ignorant of his fashion the holie historie declares that the verie Ethniks were oftentimes warned and corrected by God in their sléepe Gen. 12 17. So was Pharao the king of Aegypt commanded to restore Abraham his wife againe And in the like sort was Abimelech king of Gerar warned of the same matter Gen. 20 6. And Tertullian addeth that Euen as God Tertullian when he instructeth the wicked in their dreams dooth it to make them good so the diuell contrariwise inuadeth the godlie in their sléepe that in their dreams he may seduce them from the waie of righteousnesse Aristotle thought that God in disposing of his gifts should speciallie haue respect to the wise and to the philosophers whereas Christ our sauiour taught a quite contrarie lesson saieng I thanke thee ô father Matt. 11 25. that hiding these things from the wise prudent thou hast reuealed them vnto little ones And Paule said God rather reuealeth mysteries vnto the simple than to the wise that the calling of God did chéeflie appertain to the poore to the vnlearned to the weaker sort And other argument was that the verie brute beasts doo dreame in their sléepes when as yet no man will saie 1 Cor. 1 26. that their dreams are disposed or ministred by God That same philosopher is deceiued in thinking that if God send some dreams vnto men he must therefore be the author of all dreams God sendeth some dreams but not all which without doubt is farre from our sense For we refer not all naturall things to GOD himselfe as peculiar effects whereby he instructeth men immediatlie as the schoolemen speake of things to come Of what causes dreams arise in brut beasts we haue sufficientlie shewed before And to speake Logikelike it is no good argument that is taken from the particular to the vniuersall affirmatiuelie So that if God suggest some dreams we must not therevpon gather that all dreams aswell in beasts as in men doo come of him For otherwise brute beasts haue the power of hearing neither doo they want eares yet bicause God dooth not send prophets to speake vnto them we may not conclude that he dooth neuer
For Aristotle in his Problems the 30 sextion saith that the Sibyls and the excellent Emperours and famous philosophers were melancholike and that there were some which béeing affected with that humour spake suddenlie manie languages Some spake in manie toongs vpon the sudden which they had neuer learned and that they afterward béeing healed by physicians left off speaking in that manner Thus much for their part But forsomuch as they sée that by the most learned men there is mention made of spirits and that they cannot denie it without blushing while they would confesse somewhat they are diuided into twoo sundrie sects Som thinke that soules become demons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they which thinke that mans soule is immortall doo saie that those which die after they haue liued well and honestlie are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but euill and wicked liuers become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so perpetuallie remaine For séeing they cannot now worke contrarie actions it must néeds be that those habits which they carried with them Som would that demons are onelie in this life should indure for euer But they which would haue the soule to be mortall doo allow of spirits but onelie in this life So that they which applie all their senses as much as in them lieth to vnderstanding be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good spirits but they which turne vnderstanding into sensualitie be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and disturbe all things So the former opinion dooth affirme that one kind passeth into another which séemes no more possible to bée brought to passe than that a man should be changed into a woolfe But if there be anie certeine nature of spirits no doubt the same must be firme and stedfast But if the latter opinion were true then man bicause he is mutable might be sometimes a spirit and sometimes an angel But these men would haue angels and spirits to be nothing else but mens affections The opinion of Trismegistus Mercurius Trismegistus as Augustine saith in his eight booke De ciuitate Dei the 23. chapter denieth that there be indéed anie spirits at all For he saith that God made gods Intelligences separated from all matter by which the spheres of the world are mooued further that men also did make to themselues gods Asclepius answereth I thinke thou speakest of images Indéed so I doo saith Mercurius but I meane such images as be so applied to certeine aspects of the stars that they can speake and heale men and afflict with sicknes and worke miracles and which be indued with mind sense and spirit Aphrodysaeus Alexander Aphrodysaeus saith that there is a certeine diuine power spred through the whole world which can worke all things but that it is requisite the same should be wiselie drawne to particular effects A similitude For euen as we sée it commeth to passe in the sunne that although the heate thereof be the generall life of all things yet out of it being diuerslie applied there are brought foorth diuers and sundrie things for out of the vine it bringeth foorth grapes and out of the trée apples so if that power which is so spred vniuersallie be fitlie drawn by wise men through herbs and stones there doo followe maruellous effects And thus much hitherto as touching those which vtterlie denie that there is anie certeine nature of Daemons or spirits 9 The Platonists grant The opinion of the Platonists that spirits be certeine substances betwéene gods and men and that of them some be earthie som waterie som airie some fierie and some starrie and to euerie one of the spheres seuerallie there be attributed seuerall spirits as some be of Saturne some of Iupiter and some of the Sunne And they were led thus to saie chéeflie by this reason That betwéene two extreames there must of necessitie be placed a meane for that heauenlie bodies are eternall and incorruptible but ours are mortall and fraile and therefore betwéene both must be the bodies of spirits as certeine meane things which may somewhat communicate with both the extreames For they notwithstanding that in time they be eternall yet are stirred with affects and motions And further that as there be birds in the aire and fishes in the water euen so in the highest region of the aire and in the fire there be spirits And least we should thinke them altogither idle partlie they are tutors of men and partlie rulers of prouinces that they both bring mens praiers vnto God and also carrie the benefits of God vnto men that of som they be called Meane-gods of some nativitie-Natiuitie-spirits and of other some House-gods Apuleius Apuleius not the least among the Platonists defineth spirits on this wise He saith that by nature they are liuing creatures by wit reasonable by bodie airie by time eternall and by mind passiue for that they be affected euen as men be Howbeit all they doo not séeme to agrée in this that the bodies of spirits are eternall For Plutarch writing of oracles saith it was reported that Pan the great god once died The opinion of the diuines But the diuines fathers of sound religion doo affirme that there be spirits and not onelie those by whom the celestiall spheres are driuen about but others also And some of them saie that they haue no bodies proper I meane and of their owne whervnto they be so ioined as they can quicken them and yet they may ioine vnto themselues bodies which be none of their owne 10 So all these men doo confesse The summe of all these opinions that woonderfull things are doone by spirits The Peripateticks by celestiall bodies the Platonists by bodies proper vnto spirits and our diuines by spirits sometime taking bodies to them and sometimes without bodies These thrée opinions confesse that there be magicians But the first vnderstand by magicians good and wise men which fitlie can applie things that worke vnto things that suffer such as are philosophers and physicians The Platonists doo not alwaies take the name of magicians in euill part but such as haue familiaritie with spirits And christians and the true professors vnderstand them onelie to be magicians which haue made anie league with diuels and conspire with them against God For there be some spirits good and some bad for some fell at the beginning some remained as they were which thing Homer séemeth to signifie in Ate and others in Ophionaeus And it may be that these things came vnto them by tradition from the fathers although darkened with shadowes and fables A proofe of spirits by the scriptures Wherefore we affirme out of the holie scriptures that there be spirits and a few places of the scriptures I will rehearse For it would be infinite and troublesome to recite all Iob. 1 2. The diuell vexed Iob ouerthrew his houses and destroied his cattell and seruants In the historie of Achab 1. kin 22 22. a lieng spirit
to haue no sinnes But we which say that they are altogither sins do teach that indéed they be not imputed vnto eternall death but yet that they be charged sometimes with certeine punishments to the intent it may be perceiued that they displease God But neither dooth that exposition of Augustine sufficientlie concurre with the meaning of Ezechiel for the prophet saith that It shall not so come to passe afterward that the children should saie that they suffer temporall punishments such as was exile and captiuitie for their parents sakes For the Lord saith The sonne shall not beare the iniquitie of his father Wherefore it auaileth these men nothing at all when they saie that this is true concerning spirituall punishments and in eternall damnation for the prophet speaketh most plainelie of bodilie punishments of this life There was another interpretation of Augustine In Enchiridio ad Laurentium chapter 46. that this sentence was a prophesie concerning the benefit which Christ would bestowe vpon vs for séeing that by his death satisfaction is made euen for originall sinne the prophet saith Hereafter the sonne shall not beare the sinne of his father but of his owne And it séemeth that Augustine was led to this opinion bicause when as Ieremie in the 31. chapter dooth write in a maner the same thing there is straitwaie added a promise of the new testament Behold saith he the daies shall come that I will make a new couenant with the house of Iuda But it may séeme that this sense neither agréeth with the prophets meaning which we recited before Moreouer notwithstanding that Christ suffered at a certeine time By the vertue of Christs death children in the old testament were saued yet by the vertue and grace of his death the children also in the old testament were saued What néed was it therefore to saie Hereafter it shall not so be séeing vndoubtedlie it was not so before Besides this they also which be strangers vnto Christ doo beare their owne iniquitie neither doo they suffer punishment for the offenses of others but for their owne We say therefore that the sentence of the prophet is generallie true that all whether they be children or of ripe age as well of the old testament as of the new doo euerie one beare their owne iniquitie For all those which be borne haue sinne and corruption in themselues for which they should be punished so then this sentence confirmeth our opinion so far is it off that the same can be alledged against vs. But it maketh verie much against Pighius for he decréed that the children doo beare the sinnes of the parents when as otherwise he saith that they be cleane and are borne without sinne The Iewes vaunted that they were innocents that the torments which they abode were for their parents sakes for they sinned and not themselues But God saith that there should from thence foorth be no place for that prouerbe for he would declare by the prophet a plentifull illumination which should be of the holie spirit in the new testament for that his iudgements be not such as he will punish anie innocent person for the sinne of another And so he saith not that it should hencefoorth not be so as though it had béene so at anie time before but this he saith that it should not afterward happen for them to frequent such a prouerbe in their mouth when they had once knowledge of the truth 37 But the lawe séemeth to be against this exposition for therein God saith Exod. 20 5. that He will visit the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third fourth generation These things appéere to haue but small concord both that God dooth auenge the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children and also that the children doo not beare the sinnes of their parents To satisfie this obiection first I will expound the words of the lawe for so we shall vnderstand that betwéene the prophet and the lawe there is no contrarietie Some there be which refer this sentence of the lawe vnto the mercie of God How God dooth punish the iniquities of parents in their children and some vnto his seueritie and iustice They which thinke that the mercie of God is cōmended by these words saie that God is so good and gratious as he will not straitwaie destroie man when he sinneth but he will rather expect his repentance And so sometimes when he spareth the father which offendeth yet he punisheth the sonne sometime when he forbeareth both the father and the sonne yet he punisheth the sonnes child and somtime he deferreth the punishment vnto the fourth generation Which we sée was doone in Iehu the king of Samaria 2. kin 15 12. An example in Iehu for whereas he had gréeuouslie sinned yet God did not béereaue his posteritie of the kingdome vntill the fourth generation was past Wherefore by these words séemeth to be declared the goodnes of God which so long restraineth his wrath neither dooth he immediatelie powre out the same But others there be which thinke that the goodnesse of God is declared séeing it is said that He will doo well vnto those that loue him vnto a thousand generations But contrariwise that his seueritie iustice may be knowne it is added that he will persecute sinnes not onelie against those which haue sinned Exod. 17 8. 1. Sam. 15 2. An example in the Amalekits but vpon their children and childrens children also euen vnto the fourth generation Which they suppose may be declared by examples for Amaleke did infest and vexe the children of Israel with manie euils while they wandered through the wildernesse and a long space after his posteritie was afflicted by the Israelites and so afflicted as at the last God commanded Saule to destroie them vtterlie euen vnto the last man Also Iehezi the seruant of Elizaeus Iehezi the seruant of Elizeus 2. Kin 4 27. bicause he had receiued monie in his maisters name of Naaman the Syrian both he himselfe was striken with a leprosie and all his posteritie euer after him Both of these two opinions be godlie and may be confirmed by examples yet the latter dooth rather séeme to agrée with the text But in what sort God dooth persecute the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation the lawe it selfe dooth sufficientlie declare for it is added Of them that hate me They that suffer for their fathers sinnes be also haters of God Two kinds of hating of God Whereby it appéereth that no other children shall beare the offenses of their forefathers but such as shall be like vnto them And it is to be noted that To hate God is two maner of waies taken either in act as they speake which is onelie proper to them of ripe age or else by an inclination and corruption alreadie conceiued by nature and this taketh place in infants 38 But some man will obiect If we vnderstand
them beléeue yea and their sinnes were forgiuen them through Christ So then they had also the fruition of those things which God promised to giue in the new couenant The onelie difference héerin was touching the largenesse and perspicuitie For at that time those gifts were kept within the compasse of a few but now they be euerie where communicated to the Gentils In that age they were somewhat obscure but to vs they are made euident and cléere so that we haue no more néed of the old discipline Héereby it manifestlie appéereth how they erre from the truth which affirme that the old league had promises onelie for possessing the land of Chanaan and for worldlie felicitie and that the people of the Hebrues were bound onelie to an outward obseruation of certeine rites and works and not to shew foorth good and perfect motions of the mind towards God The prophets doo not interpret the matter to be in such wise naie rather they denie that God anie thing estéemeth outward works without inward godlinesse Esaie 1 11. Amos. 5 22. and they pronounce in euerie place that the ceremonies which be void of faith and of the feare of God are a most gréeuous burden and so troublesome as he cannot abide them Yea and the lawe it selfe maketh expresse mention of the circumcision of the heart Deut. 10 16 and God euerie where requireth that we shuld heare his voice which is nothing else 1. Sa. 15 22. but to deale with him by faith Wherefore the faith of the promises and commandements of GOD ought to be counted as the roote and foundation which alwaies abideth when as outward sacraments and visible rites should at the length be changed So that it is verie manifest that God would not haue them for their owne sakes Howbeit they indured so long as men were indued with a childish spirit as Paule speketh to the Galathians Gal. 4 3. whiles they liued as yet vnder tutors and as yet differed verie little from seruants But when they receiued a more full spirit then were the sacraments and childish rites as Augustine saith taken awaie It is manifest therefore that the difference betwéene the two couenants must not be taken of the thing or substance but of the qualities and properties 6 Let them therefore forsake their foule error which thinke that God in the old lawe onlie promised earthlie things as though at that time he onelie prouided for the bodies and not for the soules as doo shepheards ploughmen and hog-heards which onelie haue a care of the bodies and carcases of their shéepe swine and oxen neither indeuour they anie thing else but to make those beasts strong and fat We must not so imagine of GOD who in such sort made a league with the fathers as he promised them the chéefe felicitie which speciallie apperteineth vnto the soule Also it is written in the 144. psalme verse 15. Blessed are the people which haue the Lord for their God In Deuter. also Deut. 30 6. GOD tooke vpon him to bring to passe that they should walke in his commandements But what more Our Sauiour out of the words of the old league hath most aptlie taught the resurrection of the dead For when the Lord said Matt. 22 31. that he was the GOD of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and they were then dead Christ inferred that they were not thou dead but that they still liued and that their bodies should be receiued namelie in the blessed resurrection Her vnto perteineth that which God aâ—…ruied to Abraham Gen. 15 1. to wit that he himselfe would be his reward Which words plainlie teach vs that in that couenant were not promised carnall and earthlie good things alone Vndoubtedlie it were a great shame euen for kings and princes which being compared vnto God are but flesh and bloud if they should be counted to gouerne the publike weales in respect onelie of the bodies of subiects The end of ciuill administration séeing they professe that they prouide for the outward commodities quietnes and peace of their citizens bicause they may liue happilie and according to vertue So then if earthlie princes prouide goods of the mind for their subiects is it not fit that God himselfe did prouide far more excellent things for the publike weale of the Israelites whom he faithfullie gouerned Furthermore I saie not how foolish it is to beléeue that the forefathers by the league bound themselues onelie to outward rites and visible ceremonies whereby they would worship God séeing the verie Ethniks were not ignorant but rather they haue most plainlie testified that the worshipping of GOD consisteth not in those things Plautus For Plautus in Rudente writeth thus They thinke that they please God with gifts and sacrifices but they loose both their labour and cost I will not declare those things which Plato in his Alcibiades writeth Plato concerning this matter Yea and as I haue before taught the lawe it selfe and the prophets declare that the thing was far otherwise The fathers entered into couenant with God for their posteritie also 7 We will note also that the fathers made a league with God not onelie for themselues but also for their posteritie as God againe for his part promised them that he would be the God not onelie of them but also of their séed and posteritie Wherefore it was lawfull for them to circumcise their children being yet infants And in the like maner it is lawfull for vs also to baptise our little children when they are yet infants forsomuch as they also are comprehended in the league For they which alreadie haue the thing it selfe there is nothing that may lett but that they should receiue the signe It is plainelie written in the 29. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 15. that The league was made not onelie with them which were present but also with them which were absent and not yet borne But some doubt whether the posteritie may be bound by their forefathers Whether the posteritie may be bound by their forefathers We doo answer we must looke whether the things which were promised to our forefathers were iust and honest then must we consider whether these promises perteined vnto ciuill things or vnto godlines When they are made for ciuill things the bond is firme bicause it is not lawfull for the posteritie to infringe the contracts of their forefathers such as are buiengs sellings bargeins and such like Prouided that they conteine nothing that is shamefull dishonest and vmust But if the bonds and couenants belong to godlinesse or to a right faith then the obligation is of full strength bicause we are all bound to true godlines and to a sound faith although there were no couenant to bind vs. But if the forefathers haue bound themselues and their posteritie vnto dishonest and wicked things it is no bond at all But whereas God so humbled himselfe as to enter in league with men that commeth of
conceiued of the holie Ghost borne of the virgine Marie suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead buried who descended into hell the third daie he rose againe from the dead he ascended into heauen he sitteth at the right hand of God the father almightie from thence shall hee come to iudge both the quicke and the dead In the person of the sonne fiue things to be noted In these articles whereby we are led to beléeue those things which be necessarie to saluation we are to note fiue things of the greatest importance concerning the second person in diuinitie which as I haue said is called the sonne The first is that this sonne of God Iesus Christ is our true and lawfull Lord Secondlie that he was made to be such a one for our vse and behoofe Thirdlie that whatsoeuer he suffered hée suffered for our sakes Fourthlie that he was also for our commoditie exalted aboue all heauens Finallie that he shall come at the last day for our succour Now therefore let vs sée touching the first That Iesus Christ is truelie and properlie our Lord. to wit that Iesus Christ the onelie sonne of God is truelie and properlie our Lord. Of which matter that we may intreat orderlie let vs first sée who this is that we set foorth with the title of Lord for afterward it will easilie be iudged whether so excellent a prerogatiue be fit for him or no. And we be constrained as faith it selfe witnesseth to vs to confesse that this Christ is nothing else but a particular person in whome are ioined togither the diuine and humane nature with an indissoluble knot And this dooth Iohn in the first chapter manifestlie declare verse 14. saieng that The word became flesh Whereas by the names of Word and Flesh hée meaneth nothing but these two natures Christ both God and man namelie that God and man is a perpetuall societie in the person of Christ And as concerning the word it may easilie be gathered bicause it is written before verse 1. And the word was with God and that word was God Also that Flesh in the holy scriptures betokeneth humane nature Flesh in the scripture signifieth humane nature it is verie euident vnto him that diligentlie and manie times peruseth them ouer But to procéed no further without some testimonie of this matter I will bring two whereof the first is in Esaie Esaie 40 5. where it is thus spoken And all flesh shall see that God spake and the latter is in that Ioel 2 28. which is spoken of Ioel I will powre out of my spirit vpon all flesh In the which places it is manifest that in the name of flesh there is signified men Hereby therefore it appeareth that the Euangelist when he said that the word was made flesh ment no other than that which he had first declared namelie that the natures diuine and humane were vnited togither in Christ 6 Moreouer that humane nature was in him the things which follow in this place doo plainlie enough declare to wit that he suffered death and was buried Wherefore the enimies of christian religion I meane the subtiler and more wittie sort doo not for the most part oppose themselues much against the humane nature of Christ and they which at a certeine time went about to make triall of it were easilie conuicted and confuted But the number of them was greater which stirred vp often tumults The diuinitie of Christ was more oppugned than was his humanitie and that with greater vehemencie concerning the deitie of Christ Neuerthelesse their false and peruerse opinion was constrained of necessitie to their great shame to giue place to the cléere and comfortable light of the holie scriptures For besides that testimonie of Iohn now cited Iohn 1 1. And the word was God we haue that saieng of the apostle which he wrote vnto the Romans Rom. 9 5. to wit that Christ according to the flesh should come of the people of the Iewes And therewithall he addeth Who is God blessed for euer These two places being so manifest they ought to suffice for the confirming of the mindes of faithfull men in the truth of God But yet the holie scriptures doo furnish vs with manie other places besides these if we will ponder them well Wherefore I leaue it wholie to the iudgement and wisedome of them which frequent themselues modestlie in the reading of the scriptures I for my part am satisfied with this one reason which I would not passe ouer in silence For it is fit enough not onelie to prooue but also constraineth to confesse that Christ is the true God This expresse prohibition is plainlie vttered in manie places namelie that we must not put our trust in anie creature no not in verie man by name as in Ieremie this is manifestlie shewed Iere. 17 5. Curssed is hee that trusteth in man and putteth flesh for his arme Further Psal 146 5. Dauid dooth earnestlie reprehend the confidence which they vsed to put in men and in princes Wherefore if Christ be a méere man and by no meanes God it may not be lawfull for vs to trust in him at all which notwithstanding the holie scriptures doo not onelie permit but also command expresselie that our faith be fastened with a liuelie hope in Christ or in Messias if so be thou list to call him as the Iewes did that on the other side whosoeuer dooth not beléeue nor trust in him is subiect to the cursse Herby therefore we boldlie conclude that this particular person of whom we presentlie intreat hath verelie in himselfe the nature both diuine and humane What the names of Iesus and Christ signifie 7 For which cause it is not in vaine that he is described vnto vs in the bookes of the holie scriptures by this famous double name IESVS CHRIST Whereof the one namelie IESVS signifieth nothing else but A sauiour which hath deliuered the children of God from their sinnes and therefore from all euill Matth. 1 21 For Ioseph the husband of Marie was commanded by the angel to call him IESVS séeing Hee shall saue his people saith he from their sinnes And I haue added further From all euill bicause there is no euill which hath not his originall from sinne So as he that can glorie that the root of euill is taken from him may also affirme iustlie that he hath rid awaie all euill But this if we doo not perfectlie as yet perceiue we shall at the length prooue it in that happie time of resurrection The other name certeinelie which is CHRIST betokeneth The annointed of God and the sanctified king which name dooth verie well agrée with him séeing that by the guide of his spirit and word he directeth and leadeth his children to life eternall Wherefore by reason of those two natures whereof he consisteth and by those two names it is easilie perceiued that the title wherewith we magnifie him calling him Our
nature diuine inuisible and without bodie but speciallie also it betokeneth vnto vs the third person of the diuinitie distinct from the father and the sonne And speciallie is he thus called by the name of spirit by reason of his propertie bicause the propertie of him is to mooue to set forward to persuade to comfort and lighten the spirits and harts of men and at length to worke in them such things as perteine to our sanctification And the saints haue such triall of the maruellous effects thereof as neither reason neither mans wisedome is able to comprehend those things neither yet can they be discerned by the eies of men Wherefore of good right doo we heare saie I beleeue in the holie Ghost as in a thing that far excéedeth the capacitie of our nature and yet is distinctlie set foorth vnto vs in the holie scripture And that the same spirit is the third person in diuine nature Christ sufficientlie expresseth in these words in the which he said vnto his apostles Mat. 28 19. Go ye and baptise in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holie Ghost What signifieth to be baptised in the name of anie Which signifieth no other thing than that they which be washed in baptisme are bound to this confession namelie that the father the sonne and also the holie Ghost doo giue saluation vnto them Now sée I beséech you what it is to be baptised in the name of the thrée persons of the deitie The distinction of the three persons And the distinction of this third person is not onelie knowne here from the other two but thereby also we gather it when the eternall father speaketh vnto Iohn Baptist concerning the holie Ghost as of a thing distinct from himselfe and from the sonne He it is meaning by Christ vpon whome thou shalt see the spirit come downe in the likenesse of a dooue He speaketh not as if he ment by himselfe Iohn 1 33. Vpon whome I will descend but Vpon whome hee shall descend speaking of an other It is manifest also that he was not the sonne bicause the spirit in shape of a dooue was to light on Christ who properlie is called the sonne Yea doubtlesse and Christ in the Gospell of Iohn speaketh of the same spirit Hee shall take of mine Iohn 16 15 Ioh. 14 16. and shall come in my name And there he addeth The father shall giue you another comforter that is to saie an other beside me and distinct from my selfe By which places it is most assuredlie prooued that the holie Ghost is a distinct person in the most holie Trinitie the which we constantlie beléeue and confesse 32 This also is méet of vs to be considered that the spirit is not the same that be his gifts and works séeing Paule in the first to the Corinthians the 12. chapter reckoning vp sundrie effects thereof afterward addeth 1. Co. 12 11 And all these things worke that one and the same spirit distributing them to euerie man seuerallie as he will So is it euident enough that we here confesse the third person of diuinitie by the power of whome we be renewed in Christ and therefore may become like vnto Christ For euen as he was begotten without mans séed so are we borne againe vnto a new life by the power of Gods spirit as testifieth Iohn Ioh. 1. when he saith that He which beleeueth is made the sonne of God and is neither borne of bloud neither of the will of the flesh neither of the will of man but of God Which thing is particularlie attributed to this third person séeing Christ expresselie saith Ioh. 3 5. that He which is not borne of the water and of the spirit shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen From the verie same also is the remission of sinnes said to flowe Wherefore Christ breathed vpon the face of the apostles Iohn 20 22. said Receiue yee the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye shall forgiue the same shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes yee reteine shall be reteined Whosoeuer then sinneth against the holie Ghost dooth not obteine remission of his sinnes bicause that it is directlie doone against him from whome the remission of sinnes procéedeth Neither for all that doo we attribute this vnto him but forsomuch as we be loden with such weightinesse as we be scarse able to rise from the earth being alwaies pressed downe with the burthen of our flesh and with our corporall senses we should lie still in the earth vnlesse we were raised vp by that spirit who streighteneth and erecteth vp vnto heauen our minds which through naturall corruption are altogither soonken in the affections of the flesh euen as the soule susteineth the fraile and mortall bodie and setteth the same vpright that in this life the elect may in a maner haue the same experience of themselues A similitude that is perceiued to be in bottles the which being throwne emptie into the water fall to the bottome but if so be they be blowen and filled with wind they float aboue the water Euen so mens minds being void of that spirit are drowned through their owne affections and lusts but when they be filled with that holie spirit they be masters ouer sinne and they suffer not themselues at anie time to be ouercome by it This also we obteine by the benefit of the same spirit both to will aright and to worke iustlie For our nature as it is corrupt and peruerse would neuer in verie déed be willing of it selfe or would shew foorth anie actions which either in respect of themselues should be acceptable vnto God or in that they procéed from vs being enimies vnto him but that he would refuse and condemne them But that spirit of God placing himselfe here amongst vs dooth so fashion our minds as whatsoeuer floweth from vs by the helpe of him is most gratefull and acceptable vnto GOD and that bicause he inwardlie reformeth vs that we may become most welcome friends yea rather most déere beloued children 33 Héere ye sée what singular benefit this article of our faith bringeth when it is knowne and vnderstood And vndoubtedlie our affections our mind yea and the members of the verie bodie be instruments of the spirit it selfe Wherefore Paule writeth vnto the Romans that Those finallie be the children of God Rom. 8 14. which be lead by the spirit of God And euen as he cannot be called a man who is destitute of the mind of man nor that a dog which beareth not the forme or liuing propertie of a dog no more is he partaker of the diuine nature which is void of the spirit of God And therefore I cannot maruell enough at the follie of some which if a man saie that they be no christians cannot abide this reproch and yet in the meane time will neither séeme to be indued with that spirit neither will be persuaded or themselues grant that none may be a
and sanctified vs and so inriched vs with the knowledge of him and with other heauenlie gifts as now we are destitute neither of strength neither of force neither of light neither of anie facultie to let vs whereby we should the lesse either will or worke aright And thus we shall reteine a chéerefull and quiet life euen in the middest of persecutions which often the world and satan doo stir vp so that we be most fullie persuaded by that holie spirit that we shall obteine eternall life and that not of our owne merits but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ which liueth and reigneth for euer Amen I beleeue in the holie catholike church the communion of Saints c. 35 This article of the faith is so aptlie knit vnto the other that goeth before The spirit is the root of the church Two similitudes as to any man that is of sound iudgement the former may séeme to be the root or stem of the latter out of which this latter article ariseth and buddeth foorth as a most fit branch And that is shewed vnto vs after this sort In whatsoeuer bodie life is placed the power and strength thereof is to guide and also by a most sure bond to vnite all the parts of the whole bodie by how great a space soeuer they be disseuered one from the other euen so the congregation of the godlie which commonlie if the beléeuers be considered of in respect that they be earthlie men is called the church how much soeuer it be compact of sundrie people and hath hir parts setled a great space one from another in the world and that as much as the vttermost quarter of the world is distant by the spaces of regions from the other part of the world yet neuerthelesse it is ioined knit and couched togither And for that cause it is by Paule compared to a bodie and that oftentimes in his epistles vnto the Ephesians and Corinthians Ephe. 4 12 and 5 23. 1. Co. 12 12 But by what bond the christians who so greatlie differ one from another whether respect be to their condition countrie or language are so strictlie knit togither it is sufficientlie vnderstood by the order which ioineth this latter article of our faith vnto the former For there our faith confesseth the holie Ghost and here it treateth of the bodie of the faithfull which with a sincere faith imbracing the doctrine of Christ is by him gathered togither in one What the name church signifieth And this congregation by a Gréeke name is called Ecclesia which signifieth no other thing than a multitude called togither For it is compact of them which by the holie Ghost are called vnto the christian faith from the which they be excluded which by an humane motion or persuasion or double heart or by anie other sinister meanes without anie instinct of the spirit of God doo ioine themselues vnto it A similitude Euen as if one should artificiallie ioine vnto a humane bodie some péece of a bone of a sinew of a gristle or else a péece of flesh these be not therefore accounted parts of that bodie séeing they are not moued by the life thereof but they altogither depend of this cunning art Euen so indéed we acknowledge that the communion of saints is here found vpon the earth to wit the congregation of the faithfull the which is gathered togither in one not by the will of man or by anie cunning craft of the world but by the onelie spirit of Christ not doubtlesse that it should be conteined togither in one place but that it should reteine one true vnderstanding of faith The church is a mysticall bodie 36 By these things therefore ye vnderstand that the church is a mysticall bodie the which is gouerned by the holie Ghost Hereby also it is manifest enough who they be that apperteine vnto the same and who liue out of the communion of it Further it is not obscure how aptlie the name of church agréeth vnto it First it is euidentlie proued that this maruellous bodie is gouerned by the holie Ghost by those words which Paule teacheth in the epistle to the Ephesians We saith he be one bodie and one spirit Ephe. 4 4. Againe also it is more plainlie shewed in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Co. 12 13. By one spirit we are all baptised into one bodie and haue droonke of one spirit Wherevpon it followeth that whosoeuer be destitute of that spirit doo not belong to this bodie For he that hath not the spirit of Christ how can he assure himselfe to be a member of that bodie whereof Christ is the head and in whom there is no other life than the diuine spirit it selfe Vndoubtedlie it sufficeth not it sufficeth not I saie to put on certeine colourable shewes whereby we should be taken by the iudgement of men for members of that bodie Peter was called of Christ blessed not bicause he confessed him with outward voice to be the sonne of God but bicause neither flesh nor bloud nor anie humane reason had reuealed vnto him so great a mysterie but onelie the heauenlie father Paule also in his first epistle to the Corinthians in the place aboue recited writeth that No man can saie that Iesus is the Lord but by the holie Ghost By which places it is manifest what confession at the least is required in the church namelie not that which procéedeth of mans sense but that which is stirred vp and brought foorth by the spirit of God For otherwise the diuelles themselues and also the Mahumetanes in their Alcoran doo ascribe a certeine honour vnto Christ while they confesse his praise 37 But here might appeare some difficultie Whether and how farre foorth the church is inuisible What Is the church inuisible that it cannot be perceiued in the world with corporall eies And dooth not the verie sense it selfe tell that the companie of men is there gathered togither for celebrating and calling vpon the name of Christ How then is that beléeued which is séene Is faith caried vnto those things which be most manifest and are subiect euen to the senses themselues Herevnto we answer that the multitude of men which outwardlie professe Christ are indéed séene of vs but not suffâ—icently knowne of vs bicause we apprehend it with our outward sense as it hath béene said But we beléeue certeinlie that this companie of men dooth so come togither as neuerthelesse it is no humane worke A philosopher or some other heathen man would obiect that such assemblies be sects of men which might spring vp of diuerse and sundrie opinions and be brought foorth into light according as places and times require Vndoubtedlie we liue not by the industrie of men but this worke must be attributed to the spirit of GOD whome we haue before confessed Neither must we passe ouer the cause Whie the church is called Catholike whie the church is called
risen and we shall followe him at the time appointed The church is a bodie quickened by the spirit of GOD A similitude the which increaseth by degrées no otherwise than a liuing bodie is naturallie formed by little and little For of the power of forming which is in the séed first some one member is formed and brought foorth in the lumpe whether the same be the heart or anie other member it forceth not it sufficeth that sense and moouing be giuen to anie one of them The same spirit after that goeth forward by little and little to frame other members And euen this happeneth in the holie bodie of beléeuers wherein the spirit of GOD hath raised vp Christ the verie head of them all Afterward the same spirit by the same power whereby it raised vp Christ in all vs who be the déere members of his bodie will bring foorth the same effects of resurrection as we read in the first chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 1 19. and as we haue declared in that article wherein we intreated of the resurrection of Christ 48 But how great consolation that blessed hope bringeth to the godlie The hope of the resurrection bringeth great comfort to the godlie let euen they themselues iudge which in great ioie celebrate with such pompe and ambition the daie of their natiuitie or else that daie wherein they were preferred to some degrée of honour And thus they celebrate with ioifull memorie the beginnings of so great miseries and calamities as this life is subiect vnto and as are incident vnto principalities and worldlie honours This is the true natiuitie of the saints of Christ this is the true triumph this is that heauenlie interteining of them Then shall be opened vnto vs the wounds or rather the gates of glorie Here ought all our hope to reuiue if at anie time as oftentimes it dooth happen we appeare to be negligent and to go slowlie forward in the way of the Lord by reason of the burden of our flesh which oppresseth vs. On this wise ought our minds to be strengthened to endure the troubles which séeme to be hard and difficult vnto the bodie vnto nature and vnto the sense On this wise ought we to be confirmed to the mortifieng of our senses concupiscences séeing we know out of Paule that We Rom. 6 5. which haue beene partakers of the death of Christ shall also be partakers of his resurrection For then we shall be deliuered from the labours miseries sorrowes and torments of this life and we shall haue a bodie so much more excellent as a heauenlie and spirituall bodie dooth excell an earthlie and fleshie bodie And certeinlie I speake not this as though we should not recouer so much flesh bloud and bones as shall be sufficient vnto the constitution of a bodie but we beléeue it will be a much more excellent bodie bicause Heauenlie and Spirituall betoken names of nature The which titles and prerogatiues Paule 1. Co. 15 4◠in the first epistle to the Corinthians gaue vnto bodies renewed by the resurrection And Christ in Matthew Matt. 22 30. when he was tempted of the Saduceis promised that we should be like vnto the angels that in heauen there shall be no vse of matrimonie For séeing that death shall haue no dominion there shall be no néed also of generation which is granted vnto vs for supplieng the number of such as death taketh dailie awaie The same is affirmed touching hunger thirst and all that euill band of troubles Whosoeuer therefore goeth forward vnto so noble and glorious a state ought to regard but a little all the troubles and labours which he endureth for the name of Christ Yet this dooth not the wicked sort consider but it séemeth to be a matter of no weight vnto them that they submit their soule vnto the bondage of innumerable miseries and suffer the same to be mastred with the flames of naughtie lusts They doo not make anie account of hauing their bodie once frée and discharged from naturall necessities as men that iudge it a thing impossible bicause they measure the power of God by the course of those things which continuallie be brought foorth and be here among vs. But contrariwise the godlie which by vertue of the resurrection doo hope for that most excellent gift to wit that neither death nor yet other naturall infirmities may be able to doo anie more displeasure to the bodie must bend their whole indeuour to rid their minds from the tyrannie of vices and affections whereby they may be more and more confirmed in the hope of recouering of a frée bodie wherewith the mind may be cloathed that now through Christ hath gotten the victorie ouer lusts and sinnes which by meanes of the bodie and the flesh doo oppresse the spirit And this let vs desire of the eternall God and most mercifull father that he will vouchsafe to bestowe vpon vs at his owne appointed time and that through the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ for that immortall desires sake wherewith we wish after his kingdome And this we would desire with all spéed to be doone so that his glorie honour might be made more famous and knowne The life euerlasting 49 We which here liuing in the church by the spirit of Christ haue obteined remission of sins and when we haue atteined vnto regeneration in felicitie and glorie what either can we or ought we afterward wish but that it be granted vs to liue euermore ioifullie contentedlie and happilie in GOD through Christ And although such a state is for manie causes verie greatlie to be desired yet all the parts of that happie life must be referred to two good things the first hath respect vnto the soule Happinesse of eternall life in two respects and the other vnto the bodie Touching the which this I will saie brieflie that it will come to passe that all labours gréefes miseries and sorrowes which we are compelled to suffer in this vnhappie vale shall cease from the same And this is it which is said in the Apocalypse Apoc. 21 4. that God will wipe awaie all teares from the eies of his saints neither shall there remaine to them anie more sorrows lamentations sighs or wailings Wherefore our bodie shall méerelie be renued according as we treated in the article of the resurrection Vnto which sentences declared this we adde that there is a liuelie effectuall example in the resurrection of Christ what maner of heauenlie properties our bodies shall haue It is euident also euen in sundrie of his actions when he was cōuersant in this passible state of life Iohn 20 19. Iohn 6 19. what time as he shewed miracles euen in his owne bodie Acts. 1 9. He entred into the place where the apostles were the doores being shut He walked vpon the waters of the sea Luk. 14 39. and soonke not He was lifted vp into the aire or rather ascended into heauen as we
15 25 51 Wherefore let euerie one ponder in his mind what a felicitie remaineth for vs séeing it is admitted that we shall sée him and shall haue experience of our first begotten brother in that glorie and triumph where we shall not onlie be one with him but with the eternall father also with whome he shall make vs firmelie to abide as a kingdome woone by his owne conquest and gouerned in an excellent sort Ibidem 28. That the same God the father as Paule testifieth in that place may be all in vs all Now then my brethren what better thing can we desire How profitable pleasant glorious honest beautifull and in euerie respect good shall it be that that father and blessed God shall be all in all These things are not else-where to be fought séeing they be not else-where to be atteined Some shadowe proofe and little sparke of that blessednesse of ours did Peter taste vpon the mount Mat. 17 4. and therefore he wished there to haue his perpetuall habitation Therof had Paule a triall when he was rapt into the third heauen where hée heard great mysteries so farre remooued from the sense of man as they were vnspeakable 2 Cor 2 2. The face of Moses so glistered by reason of the conuersation which he had with the diuine glorie as the Israelites were not able by anie meanes to behold him Exod. 34 35 What shall happen therefore vnto vs when we haue obteined with him the place of children and house-dwellers If so be at anie time it happen here that we by anie motion of the spirit read the scriptures if we powre out our earnest praiers before God if we lament before him with great zeale for the euill which we suffer or else be mooued inwardlie through the effectuall preching of the word doo we not conceiue a ioie delectation and consolation which passeth all delights pastimes and pleasures of this world But this is onelie a beginning of eternall life whereby neuerthelesse yet we may coniecture how pure perfect and vnmeasureable happinesse that shall be which is in the life to come Touching the which manie more things might be disputed but it is more méet to leaue these amplifications to the faith of the godlie reader The which felicitie séeing it is the gift of God which procéedeth not from our selues in that God maketh vs capable thereof so are we woont to conceiue much more according to the measure which commeth into vs. And these swéet conceits of the mind doo comfort and refresh vs in the calamities of this life they shewing vnto vs euen in the middest of the storms of this world the hauen of so great a felicitie Vnto the which we beséech him to bring vs that by his pretious death hath procured it for vs. And that it will please him through his holie spirit to bring therevnto all such as through him are regenerated by the eternall father with whom he liueth triumpheth and reigneth for euer Amen ¶ Heere brethren ye haue a short exposition of the particular things belonging to our faith And as touching those things which shall be perceiued of you to want I beseech you to allow of these excuses One is that my abilitie is but small and slender the other is for that I meane in the booke which I haue in hand touching the true worshipping of God to supplie manie wants which for breuitie sake I haue omitted God and the Father make you partakers more and more of his grace in Christ Iesu our Lord Amen The end of the Second Part. THE Third Part of the Common Places of PETER MARTYR In the which is treated of the causes and generall meanes whereby we are let into the possession of Christ and of saluation and as touching the effects of Christ remaining in vs. The first Chapter Of Predestination Vpon the ninth chapter to the Romans at the latter end of the chapter Looke In Gen. 25 vpon the whole 9. chapter to the Rom. and In 11 vers 8 c. LEast in disputing our talke might straie too farre which might easilie come to passe in so large a féeld of Gods predestination the tract wherof is verie intricate all that we mind to saie wée will diuide into foure principall points that is to wit A diuision of the question I will first diligentlie search out the nature and definition thereof Secondlie what are the causes of it for nothing can perfectlie be knowne which is not knowne by causes Thirdlie what are the effects which predestination bringeth foorth in men for there are manie things which by their effects are most plainlie vnderstood and perceiued Lastlie whether the power or force thereof be such that it bringeth vnto men necessitie and whether it either taketh awaie or hindereth the libertie of the will of man and whether it may be altered or changed These parts being diligentlie discussed we will then make an end of this discourse And yet will I not promise of this matter to speake all that were to be spoken for there are infinite things which come to their mind that consider of this matter onelie those things will I touch at this present which shall séeme most necessarie and are in greatest controuersie which being so compacted it shall not be hard for others to gather else-where to themselues much more matter But before we go to the definition of predestination I am to dispatch two matters The one is Whether it stand with true pietie to dispute of predestination whether it stand with true christian religion either to dispute or to preach of predestination least that if it be not lawfull we should séeme to doo wickedlie The other forasmuch as the Logicians teach that the question whether a thing be or no naturallie goeth before that question whereby is demanded what a thing is that we breake not that order let vs first consider whether there be anie predestination or no to the end we may afterward the more safelie define it As touching the former question this is to be vâ—…rstood that there are sundrie elections of God For there are some The elections of God are diuerse which serue for the executing of some certeine office as to a kingdom or to an apostleship and others there are vnto eternall life And these elections are sometimes separated asunder for it happeneth oftentimes that he which is chosen vnto a kingdome is not straitwaie chosen vnto eternall life which also happeneth of the apostleship as in Iudas Howbeit Iohn 6 70. sometimes they are ioined togither so that whereas wée speake of temporall election wée may also vnderstand that the same is ment of the eternall And after this sort Paule saith Gal. 1 15. that he was called to be an apostle and seuered from his mothers wombe namelie to the apostleship and preaching of the gospell and yet togither therewithall he vnderstandeth that he was predestinate to eternall saluation Christ also said Iohn 15
merits but for his mercie Wherfore it is written in the 103. psalme Which crowneth thee in mercie and compassions bicause It is he that worketh in vs both to will and also to performe Phil. 2 13. The apostle had said before Worke your saluation with feare and trembling afterward least we should attribute this thing vnto our selues verse 12. he saith that God worketh these things in vs and that not for our merits but according to his owne good pleasure And in the same booke the eight chapter he saith that There is no small ambiguitie how eternall life is rendred vnto good works For the scripture saith that Euerie man shall haue according to his works 2. Cor. 5 10. Psal 62 12. Rom. 6 23. Rom. 4 4. And yet on the other side Paule calleth grace eternall life But the propertie of grace is to be rendred fréelie Paule also saith Vnto him which worketh not the reward is not imputed according to det but according to grace And he saith moreouer Rom. 11 6. Rom. 11 5. that Grace if it be of works is not grace Againe that The remnants through the election of grace shall be saued Againe vnto the Ephesians Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues Againe Not of works least anie man should glorie Ibidem 9. This doubt saith Augustine cannot otherwise be dissolued An vpright and holie life is grace How eternall life is rendred vnto works Good works are giuen by grace therfore eternall life is giuen by grace Iam 2 13. vnlesse we grant that an vpright and holie life is grace for so either saieng may take place for eternall life is rendred vnto works But bicause works are fréelie giuen vs of God therefore also is eternall life called grace And in his booke De correctione gratia the 13. chapter he saith that Iames writeth that iudgement shall be without mercie vnto him which sheweth not mercie By which words saith he appéereth that they which liue well shall in the last iudgement be iudged with mercie they which haue liued wickedlie shall be iudged without mercie And if that in iudgment we haue néed of mercie then is it not now doone for merits And in the same sense he alledgeth the mother of the Machabeis who as it is written in the second booke and seuenth chapter thus speaketh vnto hir sonne verse 29. The daie of iudgement is called mercie Prou. 20 9. That I may in that mercie receiue thee with thy brethren in which place she calleth the daie of iudgement mercie And vndoubtedlie when we shall come before the iudgement seate of God who shall boast that he hath a chast hart Or who shall boast that he hath a cleane hart That we shall haue need of mercie in the daie of iudgement Psal 32. Iam. 1 17. Wherfore mercie is there néedfull also whereby he may be made blessed vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne 17 The same father in his 105. epistle to Sistus when the apostle had said The stipend of sinne is death who would not iudge that he should most aptlie and consequentlie haue added But the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life And it is true bicause euen as to the merit of sinne death is rendred for a stipend so also vnto the merit of righteousnes eternall life is rendred as a stipend But the blessed apostle most vigilantly warring against pride when he had said that the stipend of sinne is death least mans righteousnes should aduance it selfe said not contrariwise that the stipend of righteousnes is eternall life But the grace of God saith he is eternall life But it is not sufficient to thinke that these things are spoken for humilitie and moderation sake for the matter is so in verie déed For our works receiue not eternall life for a iust and deserued stipend and therfore he saith that mans righteousnesse is pride and which in name onelie is called righteousnes But that ought to be true righteousnesse vnto which eternall life is due which righteousnes if it be not of thée then is it from aboue Eternall life is the stipend of righteousnes but vnto man it is grace If righteousnes were of our owne selues we should haue eternall life as a dutie descending from the father of lights Wherefore O man if thou shalt receiue eternall life it is indéed the stipend of righteousnes but vnto thée it is grace vnto whom also euen righteousnes is grace for it should be rendered vnto thée as a debt if the righteousnes vnto whom it is due were of thy selfe By all these things it is gathered that with Augustine eternall life is therefore called grace bicause the works which go before it are giuen fréelie Further he confesseth that in the last iudgement when God shall reward these things we shall haue néed of mercie and compassion and that also we haue alwaies néed of mercie that our sinnes should not be imputed vnto vs. Lastlie that eternall life although that it may be the stipend of righteousnes being taken by it selfe yet vnto vs it is grace partlie bicause it is not of our selues and partlie also bicause it is vnperfect Hilarius in like maner writeth vpon the 50. Hilarius psalme My hope is in the mercie of God for euer and euer world without end For the works of righteousnes are not sufficient vnto the merit of perfect blessednes vnles in this will of righteousnes the mercie of God impute not the faults of humane changings and motions Ierom. Also Ierom vpon Esaie the 46. chapter If we should consider our owne merits we must néeds despaire Both we and our aduersaries grant that good works are giuen through grace but yet not after one sort Our aduersaries and we contend not whether by the grace of GOD good works are giuen to the regenerate although euen in this also we doo not vtterlie agrée with them For they thinke that it lieth in our power to receiue good works when they are offered but we saie that it is néedfull for our will to be changed by the grace and spirit of God otherwise as touching this point we cannot imbrace the gifts of God 18 But there is another thing about which there is at this daie a more weightie controuersie They that defend merits saie that good works are sufficient to obteine eternall life They which defend merits doo thinke that the good works which are giuen of God vnto men are sufficient vnto eternall life which thing we vtterlie denie And that maketh verie much on our side which a little before we alledged out of Augustine that in the last iudgement we shall néed the mercie of God not onelie bicause good works were giuen of him fréelie but bicause also that when the iust iudge shall sit in his throne no man can boast that he hath a chast hart or that he is cleane from sinne Wherefore it is néedfull that
and a taking in hand of dangers with aduisements And fortitude is chieflie perceiued in dangerous and difficult things Wherein fortitude is chieflie perceiued but most of all in things happening vpon the sudden for vertue is conuersant in difficult things and difficult things be vnlooked for For dangers premeditated séeme after some sort to be mollified Wherefore the vertue and fortitude of Ioab was herein chieflie renowmed 2. Sam. 10. bicause in a sudden and vnexpected euill he could take counsell out of hand Séeing fortitude is set as a meane betwéene feare and boldnesse it is after a sort partaker of both Fortitud is as a meane betweene feare and boldnesse for a valiant man dare commit himselfe into danger for honestie and goodnes sake but yet in the mean time bicause he must striue with terrors he is not a little mooued in mind The holie Martyrs both in our time and in all ages doo valiantlie indure for Christ the Gospell sake all torments which can be deuised either by tyrants or by the diuell yet otherwhile bicause they be not made of marble stone or brasse they become somewhat faint through the verie féele and greatnes of the dangers Two things are set foorth for a godlie man to abide and take in hand But fortitude is rather considered in suffering for that is the harder thing Plutarch Plutarch out of the old Poet Menander It is not saith he the part of a valiant man to saie This I will not suffer but This I will not do For the other thing is not put in our power Wherfore the subiect of fortitude is that part of the mind wherein is conuersant feare and boldnes The obiect which it hath respect vnto is perill And these two belong vnto the matter The forme is mediocritie The end is honestie and goodnesse and the will of God 2 Now must we sée what is the efficient cause thereof Aristotle in his 3. booke of Ethiks saith The efficient cause of fortitude that There is a certeine ciuill fortitude whose efficient cause is the law or ordinance of the common weale As if there were a lawe The kinds of fortitude that he which shall flie in warre is either infamous or condemned to die but he which shall behaue himselfe valiantlie obteineth either praise or reward This is not true fortitude which we now séeke for for that hath not respect either to reward or punishment but to the will of God There is an other fortitude which may be called warlike which procéedeth of that that men be skilfull in armes and are acquainted with the policie of warre But neither in verie déed is that true fortitude for if the enimies be either better prouided or more in number that fortitude faileth There is an other fortitude which is stirred vp and kindled by anger as if so be a man hauing receiued an iniurie will be reuenged but this also may be among wild beasts And an other there is which is ingendred of some gréedie desire and mind to obteine but so an asse also may haue fortitude for often times he suffereth not himselfe to be driuen from his meat no not with stripes Also adulterers and fornicators for the fulfilling of lust doo indure verie gréeuous and troublesome things Howbeit we must grant that anger dooth seruice vnto fortitude for good men are angrie and take it gréeuouslie if they sée anie thing doone vnhonestlie or contrarie to that which shuld be doone yet is not that the cause whie a thing is doone valiantlie Some men are valiant through a confidence of their owne naturall strength others for that they are vnskilfull of the dangers but those men straitwaie discourage themselues with the least change of things But the true cause of fortitude the philosophers appoint to be in the loue of iustice equitie and honestie bicause for these things sake we will indure all things And the root of that loue they put in the knowledge of iustice and honestie Howbeit bicause naturall reason is easilie obscured and deceiued we must haue accesse to the word and will of God into which no error can fall and for the defense of his will there is no danger so gréeuous that a godlie man ought to eschew Ciceros definition of fortitude Cicero in his Tusculane questions saith that Fortitude is an affection of the mind whereby through suffering of gréeuous things we obeie the lawes Which thing if by the lawe he ment the word of God it were true but séeing he vnderstood nothing else than a certeine naturall and ciuill prudence the which by reason of originall sinne and other sinnes is verie often times deceiued True fortitude from whence can not consist But since true fortitude is deriued of faith and charitie and that we haue not those things of our owne strength but of God Esaie did verie well and rightlie reuoke the same to the spirit of God when he said Esaie 11 2. The spirit of fortitude But thou wilt saie that it is an habit and consisteth of accustomed actions I grant but those actions themselues be not of our strength but of the holie Ghost Rightlie did Augustine saie vpon the 13. psalme Con. 2. He is trulie valiant who is not strong in himselfe but in the Lord. Phil. 4 13. Also Paule I can doo all things saith he in him which strengtheneth me And in the second to the Corinthians the twelfe chapter When I am weake then am I strong verse 10. For the saints when they acknowlege their owne weaknesse they call vpon the Lord and are made strong And by these meanes is God woont to inspire fortitude into men First How God inspireth fortitude into men he lighteneth their mind that they may vnderstand and sée his will and he so inflameth them as they thinke that they shal be euen then most happie if they may for his sake suffer all most gréeuous things Secondlie he is present by his strength and power and fighteth for them that be his as in old time he did for Abraham and alwaies for all godlie men that be his which be true Israelites according to the spirit Lastlie bicause those things which must be abidden and suffred be most gréeuous and in a maner swallowe vp reason the spirit of God is present and helpeth our strength and minds to indure all maner of things For the actions of other vertues as saith Aristotle are pleasant but fortitude striueth with gréeuous and difficult things and bringeth no pleasure but in respect of the end Wherefore the spirit bringeth to passe that although the bodie be vexed with gréeuous torments yet we indure all things with a glad and ioifull mind So Eleazar in the historie of the Machabeis In bodie saith he ô Lord I am most miserablie tormented yet for thy sake doo I gladlie suffer all these things Examples of valiant men Let the Romans boast of their Mutij Cocles Curtij and Decij the Graecians
of things and being miserablie deceiued they will at the length despaire of being able to perceiue anie thing or else if they thinke they haue vnderstood anie thing they shall falselie so persuade themselues And while we mistrusting them vse reason and vnderstanding to search out the truth they ouerthwart vs and as anie thing either gréeuous or pleasant shal be brought to mind they call vs against our wils from our ernest studie Further who séeth not that in euerie kind of doctrine there is néed of seuering the mind which the more earnest it is and the more the matter is excluded from our cogitation the more excellent and woorthie kind of knowledge is had And this is spoken of that knowledge which we vse in contemplation and discerning of anie thing But if thou go vnto that knowledge which is performed in dooing and practising which commonlie by the Gréeke word is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Practise there it is disputed chéeflie whether the matter be honest and iust But of that which is good honest iust of vertues and such like no sense of the bodie hath knowledge at all I passe ouer that in respect of the bodie it is néedfull to eat to drinke to prepare garments and such other necessaries innumerable which commodities séeing it is a most laboursome thing to atteine it is vnspeakable how much we are for this cause drawen awaie from knowledge of the truth Yea and that we be not disappointed of these things we must heape riches togither Héereof commeth chidings contentions warres and infinit other things which if so be they doo not ouerthrowe all good indeuors yet doo they corrupt hinder the same Whereof it commeth as it is concluded by the philosopher that by reason of all the things now spoken of either we shall knowe anie thing with a true and perfect knowledge or else that we shall atteine the same after death onelie Then séeing that the mind dooth so much the more knowe and vnderstand anie thing as it is more separated from the bodie and lesse cleaueth therevnto it remaineth that we ought continuallie to indeuor to withdrawe the mind from the bodie And this they make to be the verie clensing of man to wit that the pure should be diuided and separated from the vnpure Now then it is no maruell if they make the bodie to be the prison and sepulchre of the mind If thou peruse histories Many haue killed them selues to visit their friends departed thou shalt find manie which killed themselues to the intent they might go to visit their louers and déere friends which were departed and shall we saie they beare it gréeuouslie if death come vnto vs that we may be able manifestlie and without impediment to behold the truth Wherefore they saie that they which for death sake afflict or macerate themselues and die through sorrowe and sadnes are not woorthie the name of philosophers but to be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Louers of their owne bodies or * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Louers of riches 5 In this saieng of the philosophers now declared Death is an euill thing and whie are comprehended certeine things which are not verie agréeable to the holie scriptures and to the right catholike faith For we saie that death is to be counted not good but euill séeing God laid the same vpon mankind as a punishment Gen. 3 19. wherefore he would haue vs moorne and lament for the same The which thou séest to be doone by humane lawes for if anie greeuous offense be committed by citizens they iudge them to be punished with death And all liuing creatures which are led by the iudgement of nature which can not be deceiued bicause it is ruled by the counsell of God séeing they shunne death and by a certeine common sense by all meanes abhorre it no dout but they iudge it to be an euill thing It is no hard matter also to confirme the same by an argument of the contrarie Life is accounted good wherefore death is euill And that life is to be reckoned among good things héereby thou maist perfectlie perceiue bicause God promiseth the same as the reward of obedience towards his lawe He that dooth these things saith he shall liue Leuit. 18 5. Further death is euill séeing it is brought into the world through an euill cause that is to saie through sinne Gen. 3 19. And the holie scripture doubteth not to call the same The enimie of Christ for Paule wrote in the first to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 26 that The last enimie which shall be destroied by Christ is death And it is so euill as it darkeneth the action of the best and most excellent vertue I meane the delight of fortitude or valiant courage For as testifieth Aristotle in his Ethiks the same worketh not with pleasure except it be in that respect that it hath relation vnto the end For a man of valiant courage while he dieth for an honest cause dooth it not without gréefe and some sadnesse Which how true it is Matt. 26 37 was declared in Christ himselfe when as in the garden he abode the conflict of the flesh and the spirit An humane bodie is not to be condemned against the opinion of the philosophers Then are they deceiued in this consolation of theirs while they will make death to be good vnto vs. Moreouer this reason of theirs hath an other absurditie bicause they condemne an humane bodie the which is a woorthie and notable gift of God not an vnperfect but a most excellent woorkmanship of God shineth therin Who is able to expresse how cunninglie the same hath béene wrought by God This is a woonderfull thing not onelie vnto Aristotle Galen and other Ethnike writers but also vnto Lactantius Gregorie Nazianzen Psal 8 2. and other catholike fathers innumerable And Dauid confesseth that thereby is knowen the woonderfull wisedome of God Finallie séeing we doubt not but that God made the same among the rest of his creatures and that the scripture plainlie confesseth by the testimonie of God himselfe that whatsoeuer things God made they were verie good it foloweth without all controuersie that the same also is good 6 As touching the coniunction also of the soule with the bodie it is decréed that we must affirme the same to wit that it should be accounted good least we fall into that opinion which is ascribed vnto Origin namelie that soules for their demerits in an other life are thrust vnto bodies Whom the apostle sufficientlie prooueth to haue iudged amisse who in the epistle to the Romans saith concerning Iacob and Esau Rom. 9 12. When as they had not as yet doone anie thing either good or euill of the one it was said Iacob haue I loued and of the other Esau haue I hated Neither is the thing obscure to him that dooth well
not in that it is spoken but it that it is beléeued But in Infants which by reason of age cannot yet beléeue The word clenseth not because it is spoken bu◠because it is beléeued The holie Ghost worketh in the steade of faith Tit. 3. 5. the holie Ghost worketh in their heartes in the stead of Faith The effusion also of the holie Ghost is promised in baptisme as it is expresselie writen in the Epistle to Titus Who hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration and renewing of the holie Ghost which he hath plentifully powred vpon vs. 3 Neither are these two things in such manner offered vnto vs in Baptisme The things offered in Baptisme are also had euen before Baptisme Rom. 4. 11. Act. 10. 44. as though we in no wise might haue them before baptisme For it cannot be denied but that they which bee of full age if they beléeue are iustified euen before they be baptised For so Abraham beleeued and was iustified and after that hee receiued the seale of Circumcision And Cornelius the Centurion when hee had heard Peter and beléeued was not onelie iustified but also visiblie receiued the holie Ghost Neither would we baptise Infants but that we suppose that they alreadie pertaine vnto the Church and vnto Christ And yet are not such baptised in vaine For we must obaie the commandement of GOD which if anie man should contemne though hee boast neuer so much of his faith yet should he sufficientlie declare that hee neither beléeued nor is iustified nor yet hath receiued remission of sinnes Furthermore although they beléeue In Baptisme the gifts which are had before are increased yet when these promises are againe offered that by the appointment of the Lorde and they through faith and instinct of the holie Ghost doe effectuallie take holde of them the benefites of God cannot but be increased in them And why the holie Ghost is powred into the heartes of them that be regenerate this is the reason Why the holy Ghost is powred into the heart when we be regenerate Eze. 36. 26. By Baptisme we are visiblie grafted into Christ and his Church 1. Co. 12. 13 Because they must be made men againe and their stonie heart as the Pophete saith must be turned into a heart of flesh which is not possible to bee doone by mans reason And that we are by the visible sacrament grafted into Christ into the Church is first declared out of Paul For Paul saith that they which are baptised are grafted into Christ And in the first to the Corinthians the 12. Chapter By one spirit saith he all we are baptised into one bodie And that this bodie is the Church he teacheth at large in the same Chapter We added in the definition by a visible Sacrament because so soone as we be iustified we are verilie in minde and in spirite grafted both into Christ and into the Church But because that is vnknowen vnto men it is afterward knowen when we are entered by the outward sacrament By Baptisme the right of eternall life is sealed 4 Also the right way vnto eternall life is sealed vnto vs by baptisme So soone as we be iustified we haue it giuen vnto vs and it pertaineth vnto vs by right not of desert but of the liberall gift of God and by baptisme it is sealed A similitude As the giftes of kings so soone as euer they be graunted vnto vs doe without doubt pertaine vnto vs but afterwarde are sealed that the will of the king if it be néedfull maie be testified vnto others Neither is this part to wit The right vnto eternall life Not all which be not baptised doe perish so to be vnderstoode as though they ought to be excluded out of the kingdome of heauen which were not baptised For if they beléeued and that there was no let in them that they were not baptised there is no doubt of their saluation For Christ saith Iohn 11. 25. He that beleeueth in mee hath life euerlasting And in an other place although he saie that he which beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued Mar. 16. 16 yet straight waie he added He which beleeueth not shal be condemned A faithful man may be saued without Baptisme By which words he gaue vs to vnderstande that baptisme is not of such necessitie but that a faithfull man maie be saued without it so that there happen therein no contempt nor disobedience The Schoolemen also confesse that besides the baptisme of water the godlie are sometimes baptised with martyrdome and with the inspiration of the holie Ghost Death called baptisme Mat. 20. 22 so much as suffireth vnto saluation Christ also called death it selfe Baptisme when he said that he should bee baptised with an other baptisme and foretold that the Apostles should be baptised with the holie Ghost not manie dayes after his ascension into heauen Acts. 1. 6. Repentāce must be ioyned with Baptisme Lastlie we againe in baptisme professe death toward sinne and also a newe life Which profession sheweth nothing else but that vnto this Sacrament is ioyned repentance Mat. 3. 2. 28. 20. which both Iohn and Christ taught when they spake of Baptisme And the fathers waen they passed ouer the sea escaped into liberty Exod. 14. but Pharao with his host was drowned in the waters wherby was signified that by baptisme we ought so to be renewed as there we should forsake our sinnes and issue out with a newe purpose to holinesse of life All these things ought we when we are baptised often to consider out of the testimonies of the Scriptures and continuallie admonish our selues thereof For although this sacrament be but onelie once giuen We must continuallie carie our Baptisme in remembrance yet ought it neuer in our whole life be forgotten For euen as it behooued the Iewes euermore to remēber that they were circumcised so also we ought cōtinually to cal to mind our baptisme 5 But it is woonderfull how some dare affirme Baptisme of children is no new thing in the Church Cyprian Looke In. 1. Cor. 1. 16. and in the Booke De Votis pag 73. 〈◊〉 foorth at Basil that the Baptisme of Infantes is a newe institution in the Church For Cyprian a verie auncient writer maketh mention of it and aunswereth that it is not of necessitie that we should tarie till the eight daie for the baptising of them For that the trueth of the Gospell hath deliuered vs from obseruing the number of daies and that therefore they may well be baptised what daie soeuer the Church shall be assembled together Origen also writing vppon the Epistle to the Romanes and vppon Leuiticus sufficientlie declareth that Infantes were in his time accustomed to be baptised And since that these men were not long after the Apostles times and that they make not mention of it as a thing inuented by them or in their time it sufficiently appeareth
greatly deceiued this is the gift of Christ alone and therefore Iohn in pointing vnto Christ said Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And in Exodus the 33. Verse 39. it is expressed as a thing proper vnto God that he taketh awaie iniquitie vngodlines and sinnes And Esaie in the 43. Chapter Verse 25. It is I that take awaie sinnes In the first of Iohn we reade 1. Ioh. 2. 10. He it is that is the Propitiation for our sinnes Which also Paule affirmed vnto the Romans when he saieth Rom. 3. 25. Whom he hath set foorth a Propitiation through his bloud 1. Iohn 1. 9 Also Iohn in his first Epistle and first Chapter wrote The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne Verilie the outward things doe not cleanse the conscience otherwise Christ had died in vaine Againe the soule which is a spirit and without bodie is not purged by grosse corporall things Which the Epistle to the Hebrewes the 9. Verse 9. Chapter doeth plainely teach when it saith That the giftes and sacrifices doe not purge nor make cleane but that Christ was the verie high Priest who hauing wrought eternall redemption passed into the heauens And if at anie time the holie scriptures maie séeme to attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes or saluation to outward signes that must be vnderstoode by the figure Metonymia wherby those things are giuen vnto signes which are proper vnto the things signified the things signified are expressed by the name of the signes So Peter in his first Epistle saith 1. Pet. 3. 20 that in the time of Noah viij soules were saued by the water alluding vnto baptisme Howbeit by water he vnderstandeth not the outward element but that washing which is done by the bloud of Christ And so in the outwarde signe hée comprehendeth the thing signified Which he himselfe manifestly declareth afterward when he saieth 1. Pet. 3. 21. Not in that wherein the filthes of the flesh is put awaie but in that a good conscience answereth euen to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ So that by the water he noted the bloud death which is expressed vnder the name of Resurrection After the same manner must that be vnderstoode Ephe. 5. 25 which wee haue to the Ephesians namely That Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that the same might be sanctified by the washing of water through the word c. The cause of sanctification is Christ himselfe who gaue himselfe for vs and for that cause gaue the washing of water that the cleansing by him might be testified by the word and by the signe Brieflie this must be held that the outward signes ioyne vs not vnto Christ but that they be giuen when we bée alreadie ioined vnto him A similitude Euen as the watch word of souldiers doth not leuie a souldier but hath bin accustomed to be giuen when he is alreadie leuied And there is none that marketh his shéepe horse and oxe vnlesse he first possesse those beastes Yea and the letters of Donation are first finished and written before the seales of the giuers be set vnto them And assuredly thus God delt with Abraham Gen. 15. 6. First he beleeued and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Then he receiued circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he was indued with whē he was vncircumcised Neither did God begin to deale with Abraham in circumcision but the same circumcision followed iustification Which is also doone in baptisme The thing it self that is the couenant made with mankinde by Christ goeth before afterward followeth the outward token And that it is not otherwise with vs than with Abraham Paul declareth when he saieth Rom. 4. 23. that he was set forth vnto vs as an example of iustification Which if it were not all the Arguments of Paule concerning that matter should be weake yea rather they would be vtterly ouerthrowen 19 Yet doe I not denie Certaine signified things that follow baptisme but that there be certaine signified things of baptisme which doe not goe before but followe the eternall washing as is mortification and repentance and according to this Analogie I vnderstand that which we haue in the Epistle vnto the Romans to wit that we die with Christ Rom. 6. 4. and are buried together with him because the olde man that is the affections and lustes of the flesh must perpetuallie bee mortified which is not yet brought to passe so soone as we be baptized but it is requisite that it should afterward be doone And whereas we reade vnto the Galathians Gal. 3. 27. So manie of you as are baptized haue put on Christ I iudge it must be so expounded as if thou vnderstand To put on Christ for to be made the member of him that goeth before baptisme but if you meane it by manners and life to expresse the childe of God Two places in the Epistle to the Galathians expounded that followeth after baptisme receiued So as we must decrée as concerning the children of faithfull men that they be reckoned among the faithfull and that the children of the Saints are numbred among the Saints 1. Cor. 7. 14 as Paul testifieth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians And if that one will obiect Ib. 12. ve 13 that in the same Epistle the 12. Chapter it is written that wee bee baptized into one bodie that must not be so expounded as though we first passe by outward baptisme into the bodie of Christ An obiection touching original sin confuted séeing we were of the bodie of Christ before Then to the intent that this maie be testified and sealed we are outwardly baptized Ibidem And therfore before those words it is written By the spirit we are baptized into one bodie So that it is first wrought by the worke of the holie Ghost that we become the mēbers of Christ then baptisme is added Wherefore séeing the Infants of Christians be such there is no cause why they should be adiured or breathed vppon But we must weigh that it is not brought to passe by those things that originall sinne is vtterly taken awaie because we confesse that all men are borne the children of wrath and be depraued with originall sinne séeing that kinde of sinne commeth not by imitation as the Pelagians taught but it is the corrupting of the whole nature of man both as touching the soule as touching the bodie Againe we adde that God by Iesus Christ doeth make cleane his elect and predestinate so as the vice which in his owne nature should be mortall sinne shall not bee imputed to them vnto death Further by his spirit he renueth and adorneth them Afterward is added the sealing of outward baptisme First therfore they haue election or predestination they haue the promise and they are borne of faithfull Parents and séeing they be now in the
considered that the holie Scripture hath bin accustomed as it were by turnes to attribute that which is of the signes vnto the things and againe which be of the things to ascribe them vnto the signes The selfe-same manner also doe the fathers vse so as thou shalt oftentimes perceiue them to intreate of the things as though they spake of the signes and on the other side so to write of the signes as though they intreated of the things and of that which is signified This maie verie wel accord by reason of the great likenesse which is betwéene them by the appointment of the Lord. Hereof Augustine vnto Boniface gaue a plaine aduertisement that is Sacraments the names be changed Another rule is that if thou diligently consider those things which are spoken before after thou shalt alwaies perceiue the fathers to testifie that this foode is spirituall and not meate of the throte The Fathers alwaies testifie the foode to be spirituall bellie or téeth A thirde rule is that if they at any time saie that we communicate with Christ carnally so as the bodie also is nourished in the Eucharist these things must be so taken euen as wee vnderstand that the sonne of God when he was conceiued of the virgin and tooke vpon him the nature of man did then take part of our flesh What the Fathers meane if happilie they say that wee communicate with Christ carnallie Further we abide in him he likewise abideth in vs when as we beléeue his wordes and when by faith wee receiue the sacraments because in so communicating there is added vnto vs the spirit And our flesh and bodie which were alreadie of the selfe same nature with Christ are become of the selfe same conditions with him they are made capable of immortalitie and resurrection and when they obey and serue the spirit they are truelie nourished vnto life euerlasting And so is our bodie two manner of wayes fed in the Eucharist first it is fedde by signes secondly by this renuing vnto life euerlasting And thus is Christ said to dwel in vs by this sacrament And as touching the first communicating that we haue with him by natiuitie and incarnation thou hast a testimonie out of the Epistle to the Hebrewes the 2. Verse 14. Chapter Forsomuch then as children are partakers of flesh and bloud he himselfe likewise was partaker with them Moreouer consider that the word of consecrating signifieth nothing else among the Fathers than to dedicate a thing common and prophane vnto a holie vse How the fathers vnderstand this word To Consecrate and this is to make it holy Wherefore there is no cause that when we méete in the Fathers with the word Consecration we should straight waie faine vnto our selues Transubstantiation But that there is some alteration made there we denie it not namely in that those things are now made sacraments to signifie vnto vs effectuallie that by the power of the holie Ghost as touching the minde and faith wee must offer and exhibite the bodie and bloud of the Lorde The difference betwéene vs and the Capernaits Further it must be knowen that betwéene vs and the Capernaites as touching the matter it selfe there is no difference They thought that they shoulde eate the verie bodie and the verie flesh of Christ which also we graunt to be doone But the difference is in the manner and waie of eating That which they thought shoulde bée carnally doone we teache to bee spiritually doone Otherwise the true bodie and the true bloud is exhibited because faith comprehendeth not feigned things but true things Also when it is read in the Fathers that the bodie of Christ is contained or had in these mysteries by these words is nothing else to be vnderstood than betokened shewed declared and signified 44 And when thou hearest the Fathers say What the Fathers meane whē they say that the bread or wine remaine no◠in c. that bread and wine is no more in the sacrament this thou must not absolutely vnderstand but as touching thy self when thou doest faithfully communicate For there thou must not thinke either of the bread or of the wine It behooueth that thy minde and thy sense doe onely cleaue vnto the things which are represented vnto thée Therefore it is said Lift vp your hearts when as thou liftest vp thy minde from the signes vnto things inuisible which be offered vnto thée Also the holy scriptures shun not this kinde of figure Paul saieth Ephe. 6. 12. Our wrestling is not against flesh and bloud who neuerthelesse denied not that the bodie and flesh doe grieue the soule and must be bridled séeing he writeth in another place Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit Neither yet was he ignorant that there be manie euill men who be called flesh and bloud by whom yet we bee troubled and with them wee haue dayly wrestling But Paul meant of that chiefe and principal contention from whence these other haue their originall He said also that In Christ there is neither male nor female Gal. 3. 28. neither bond nor free when as neuerthelesse these offices and these persons are not remooued from Christ and his Church nay rather there be precepts particularly described of them But Paul vnderstoode that these things are not in Christ as concerning the obtainement of regeneration forgiuensse of sinnes and life euerlasting which are the chiefest of all in Christianitie And in the disstributing of these mysteries Christ respecteth not these states and conditions The same Apostle writeth 1. Cor. 4. 20 that The kingdome of God is not in worde and yet woulde he not therefore that Sermons Admonitions and Readings which be doone by the word should be remooued from the Church which is the kingdome of God but he onely respected that high power and efficacie of the spirit whereby all things ought to be ruled in the Church Thus the Fathers speake when they denie that the nature of the signes doe remaine which must not as we haue said be simplie vnderstoode As touching our owne faith and cogitation the natures of bread and wine remaine not Faith maketh things present Gal. 3. 1. but that is meant as touching our faith and cogitation which ought not to staie vpon them Hereunto thou maist adde that faith is of so great efficacie as it maketh things to be present not forsooth reallie or substantially but spiritually for it truely comprehendeth them And on this wise did the Apostle say That Christ was crucified euen before the eyes of the Galathians And so was Abraham saide to haue séene the daie of the Lorde Iohn 8. 56. And after this maner the olde Fathers had in their sacramentes the selfe same Christ which we also doe inioye And thus thou seest that vnto this presence is not required that the matter of the sacrament as touching naturall constitution doe change place or be present with vs with all
and spirit which doo so flowe from the diuinitie as by the flesh and bloud of Christ giuen vnto death they are deriued vnto vs. For GOD dooth not giue anie celestiall gifts vnto mortall men but by one mediator of God men 1. Tim. 2 5. the man Christ Iesus as Paule saith vnto Timothie Whereof it commeth that our bones and our flesh Regeneration of the bodie forsomuch as they be partakers of the heauenlie regeneration and of eternall life be of his flesh and of his bones Ephes 5 30. as the apostle hath taught vnto the Ephesians For vnlesse they did depend of them and spirituallie cleane therevnto they could not deriue vnto themselues from GOD by them either regeneration the spirit or eternall life Wherefore although betwéene vs and the bodie of Christ there be great distances of places yet doo we depend of him and vnto him are maruellouslie ioined And séeing this coniunction is spirituall secret and diuine there is not required a substantiall and corporall presence of his bodie and bloud and therefore we doo not admit the same bicause it is against the truth of the Lords humane nature and dooth euidentlie disagrée with the testimonies of the scripture In things perteining to man A similitude a husband happeneth vpon some occasions to iournie into a far countrie he leauing his wife for a time at home ceaseth not therfore with hir as the scripture speaketh to be one flesh Wherefore their true proper and lawfull coniunction remaineth perfect although the one be neuer so far absent from the other How much more dooth Christ Ephes 5 23. who as the apostle saith is the husband of the church remaine with all his members wined togither although he be gone awaie into heauen and departed bodilie Wherefore vnto this vnion which we haue with the Lord that is with his bodie bloud and bones there is no néed of a naturall touching neither of places conioined continuall or close togither onelie there must be spirit and faith wherby we may be most néerlie copied to whole Christ our spouse and sauiour But they which denie that there becommeth such a coniunction with the flesh of Christ without his substantiall and corporall presence séeme to attribute but little to the mightie power of GOD whereas they in the meane time doo perpetuallie warne vs to haue regard vnto it when we iudge that the bodie of Christ can neither be euerie where nor in manie places at once Let they themselues vse that remedie which they offer vnto others and let them grant that power of God which the truth and our godlie iudgement requireth and the same being granted there shall be nothing taken awaie from the humanitie of the Lord the nature of the sacrament shall remaine found and we shall agrée togither in the wisedome of the holie scriptures In the confession made at Augusta there is nothing so farre as I can perceiue but may agrée with the opinion which I haue now set foorth But bicause both in word and mind as it manifestlie appeareth we agrée not among our selues therfore what I beléeue and vnderstand out of the word of God I ment to declare that none may afterward iustlie complaine that they be deceiued And these things haue I comprehended in verie few words touching which I can no longer with a perfect and safe conscience hold my peace from teaching disputing and writing Wherefore I beséech you that when oportunitie shall serue it may be frée for me to intreat plainlie and manifestlie in word and writing what I iudge as concerning that substantiall and bodilie presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the supper and of the other things which I haue rehearsed Which if it may not séeme good to be granted I desire to be dismissed by your authorities with good licence and fauour The opinion of D. Peter Martyr Vermillius as touching the presence of the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist propounded by him in the communication that was had at Poissy YEe reuerend Prelats and most learned men séeing there séemed to be in a maner a consent as touching the presence of the bodie of Christ in the vse of the supper yesterdaie I professed to you what my opinion faith and iudgement should be thereof Which as I then expressed in words so am I now minded to rehearse it by writing whereby I may make the same more certeine and more euident vnto you Wherefore I iudge that the reall and substantiall bodie of Christ is onelie in the heauens but yet that the faithfull in communicating do◠spirituallie and by faith truelie receiue his verie bodie and verie bloud which was giuen for vs vpon the crosse Wherefore I allow no transubstantiation and consubstantiation in the bread and wine of the supper Further I affirme that the distance of places is no let to our coniunction with the bodie and bloud of Christ bicause the supper of the Lord is a heauenlie thing and although that with the mouth of the bodie we receiue vpon the earth bread and wine being sacraments of the bodie and bloud of the Lord yet by faith and by the helpe of the holie spirit our minds wherevnto speciallie belongeth this spirituall and heauenlie food being carried vnto heauen doo inioie the present bodie and bloud of Christ And therefore I affirme that it is not néedfull to determine the bodie of Christ to be truelie substantiallie and corporallie present either to vs or in the signes by a presence not locall I saie moreouer that the things signified are no otherwise ioined vnto the outward signes than sacramentallie forsomuch as by them they are not prophanelie and lightlie but effectuallie signified by the institution of the Lord. This is the summe of my faith which I hold in this opinion And therefore the consents brought in writing I doo admit in this respect as they are referred or may be applied vnto the sense now declared against which if anie man doo either wrest them or interpret them I professe that I dissent from him And whereas in these spéeches there is mention made of the substance of Christs bodie I vnderstand no other thing by that name or word but the true bodie of Christ For our faith is not directed vnto a feined thing or phantasie but vnto the true humane and naturall bodie which the word of God tooke of the blessed virgine and gaue for vs vpon the crosse Wherefore there is no cause whie by that word we should be thought to beléeue that his reall presence is else-where than in heauen I Peter Martyr Vermillius a Florentine borne haue written these things with mine owne hand and haue professed them with mine owne mouth before the reuerend and honourable personages of this Conference Questions question I WHether the lawe in the. 22. of Exodus of maids deflowred to bee married of such as had deflowred them should be reteined in a christian common weale question II IF the magistrate shall thinke
so straitlie driuen as Hadrian thinketh as though the same ought onelie to be vnderstoode touching that rule wherein it is saide that Sinnes are freelie forgiuen vs through Christ Indéede the same is the most happiest message of all other but yet it is the Gospell also which the Apostles taught in like manner of other principall articles Whereupon Paul in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the 2. Verse 8. chapter saith Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the deade according to my Gospel Beholde nowe in the same place vnder the name of the Gospell is comprehended the doctrine which teacheth that both Christ is risen from the deade and is borne of the séede of Dauid And to preach the Gospell otherwise is nothing else with the Apostle than that which he saide in the first Epistle to Timothie the 6. chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say otherwise to teach Wherefore it must not be suffered that that same saying of the Apostle shoulde be restrained to one Article onelie Neither can there be anie reason assigned whie that cannot iustlie be called a good message and gladsome preaching whereby it is testified and declared vnto the worlde that God stoode vnto the promises who sent his sonne to take flesh of the séede of Eue of Abraham and of Dauid euen as in old time he promised by his Prophets to doe Therefore since we haue these generall sayings it is not to be looked for that we should shewe this or that errour to be condemned and suppressed by name and in expresse words in the scriptures For where shall we finde there that they be condemned and are estraunged from God which doe not receiue the bookes of the olde testament which opinion neuerthelesse was common vnto the Marcionites Manichees and manie other heretikes Neither are they at anie time condemned by expresse words which denie that the soules after the death of the bodie do liue but thinke that they die together with the flesh and that as touching life euerlasting they about the end of the world shal be raised vp againe together with their bodies Also they which woulde not that pardon and reconciliation should be giuen vnto the brethren that be fallen are neuer saide in the holie Oracles to be either condemned or to be out of the way of saluation Wherefore when Hadrian requireth this at our hands concerning the errour of the Anabaptists both he dealeth fondlie and whilest he taketh away one or two errours he openeth a verie wide gappe vnto manie For of verie fewe doeth the scripture speake in that forme and phrase which he nowe requireth of vs. Lastlie remaineth that wee should examine the syllogismes which Hadrian brought in against vs as our men had doone against him that those as he thinketh he might cōfute the more euidentlie but these I haue thought good for two causes to passe ouer First because it séemeth not verie lawefull for godlie men to be childishlie subtile especially in defending of an opinion the which as at the beginning hath béene sayde edifieth no man and may hurt verie manie Secondlie because we iudge that in this question those thinges are to be written which are vnderstoode of the greatest part of the holie congregation and that there be verie fewe which haue exercised themselues in the quirkes and subtilties of Logicke and sophistrie The trueth it selfe especially that which is euangelicall is plaine is taught and made euident by the apostolicall light and simplicitie Furthermore those thinges be alreadie before alleadged whereby is plainelie and manifestly discouered whatsoeuer deceite is in these trifeling argumentes Nowe for the finishing of this that wee haue written let vs adde this namelie let vs celebrate with high prayses the most ample mercie of God that in all thinges he discouereth himselfe with maruelous brightnesse and as Dauid singeth in the burden of his Psalme florrisheth for euer that is eternallie Howe farre foorth the praises of God must be celebrated But yet ought we so to celebrate his praises as on the other side the iudgementes of God towardes vnbeléeuers and heretikes be not thereby cancelled This is therefore written because Hadrian saith that he was verie much driuen to defende these thinges which hee defendeth for that they greatlie auailed to the worthinesse greatnesse of Gods mercie Howebeit after this manner they also perhappes did excuse themselues which reckened Caine and Iudas among the number of the saintes and blessed men Also Origen and his fauorers hadde vnmeasurable respect vnto the clemencie of God when as they taught that the punishmentes of the godlie should one daie at the last be finished and in verie déede the fires of hell should not be euerlasting and since they wrote that euen to the diuelles themselues after a multitude of ages shal be geuen pardon and saluation No iust prayses of the mercie of God are those which ouermuch obscure the seueritie iustice of God Wherefore letting this newnesse of doctrine goe let vs thinke with ourselues that we must by al meanes séeke the peace and quietnesse of the church Of intricate and vaine questions vndoubtedlie there is store enough Wherefore it shall be your parte that kéeping the trueth safe and sounde ye spéedilie returne into amitie thinking this diligentlie with your selues that it is a singular benefite vnto you to haue there where you are both the french and flemish Church This cannot the diuell abide and for that cause stirreth vppe discordes and contentions among you to the intent that strangers may be more and more hatefull to English men Wherefore watch yee with singular care and diligence that the euill spirit haue not his owne desire and that the Church of the sonne of God receiue no losse He that is reprooued let him beare it with no lesse patient minde than Peter did when he was reprehended by Paule And contrariwise they that haue taken vpon them the defence of the trueth if their brother which hath turned from the right waie not of mallice as it should séeme but rather of a certaine errour giue eare vnto them that admonish him well let them account him no lesse than before in the place of the minister of God and of a most louing fellowe in office Fare you well my verie good brethren assist vs with your prayers vsing your indeuour to maintaine peace among you as much as yée can From Zurick the 15. of Februarie 1561. An Epistle to the English Church 46. MY déere beloued brethren in Christ albeit wee doe maruelouslie loue your Church and doe iustly and worthilie make great account thereof yet are wee verie loath to determine of such nice questions as doe bring none or in verie déede small edification For since there are among you two sorts of the which one affirmeth and the other denieth it might easilie bee that they which cannot abide the doctrine set foorth had rather rent in sunder the Church than change their
haue most shamefully denied his trueth and holie faith Wherefore O father I haue sinned I haue sinned grieuouslie before thee I haue sinned in heauen and in earth I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne I am euen he whom thou according to thy bountiful goodnesse leauing manie other better than I in darkenesse hast illuminated with the light of thy word hast called me hast ingraffed me into the bodie of thy Church whom thou hast made partaker of regeneration and remission of sinnes and of the holie sacraments finallie whom thou hast enriched with spirituall treasures which thou wouldest not open vnto the mightie vnto the Philosophers and vnto the most wise men of this worlde I neuerthelesse making small account of these thy most pretious giftes giuen vnto me both by thee and by Iesu Christ thy sonne my Lorde my wisedome my righteousnesse my holines my redemption haue trecherously fallen from thee and haue wretchedly ioyned my selfe vnto the enemies rebels and persecutors of thy holie name I haue sinned Father I haue sinned before thee I haue sinned in heauen and in earth and I am not woorthie to bee called thy sonne I am he whom being polluted with the filthinesse of sinnes and with the foulenesse of wicked deedes thou hast cleansed by the bloud of Iesus Christ thou hast lightened by thy spirit restored vnto holie life and hast made an heire a fellowe and a partaker of eternall felicitie What could I at any time haue desired more of thee seeing thou hast giuen mee all thinges with Christ And albeit thou hast giuen mee these giftes ornaments which are in deede incomparable yet doe I confesse that I haue dealt most leawdlie against thee The Oxe and the Asse doe better knowe their owner and the dogge also being a most vile beast doeth attend and followe his Maister with greater faithfulnesse than I whom thou my God hast so greatlie aduaunced glorified and adorned with all kinde of good things wherefore I haue no more excuse remaining To thee of verie right belongeth glorie and honour and vnto mee nothing else but shame and confusion of heart of countenaunce and of deedes I haue sinned Father I haue sinned before thee I haue sinned in heauen and in earth Determine thou of mee whatsoeuer it shall please thee yet will I be thine I am sorie that I haue so shamefullie sinned and I doe detest this fact The more grieuouslie I haue sinned the more earnestly I desire thine euerlasting mercie Seeing I am wholie vncleane I am not able to cleanse my selfe This if I shall goe about to doe I shall the more pollute my selfe O thou my Lorde Iesus Christ who art the verie purenesse it selfe which camest into this world not for the iust but for sinners cleanse mee againe I beseech thee with thy bloud replenish mee wholie with faith that I maie embrace thy death that giueth life thy bloud that is the price of eternall life and thy passion that is the rest comfort hauen and refuge vnto wretched and vnhappy sinners Seeing thou diddest receiue into former grace Peter which had denied thee diddest graciouslie receiue againe the Apostles which had forsaken thee Ioh. 20. 21. 2. Sa. 12. 13. diddest reconcile to thy selfe Dauid who was ouerwhelmed with most grieuous sinnes diddest suffer with great clemencie the people of the Hebrewes which daylie prouoked thee by their manifolde falling from thee and since thou taking pitie of the fal of thy weake and foolish creature hast signified by thy Prophet that thou wouldest not the death of a sinner but that he shoulde conuert and liue and wouldest that a miserable sinner if he repent should bee receiued and returne to thy flocke not onelie once but also if neede require seuentie times seuen times Beholde I am here condemning detesting reuoking and renouncing whatsoeuer I haue committed against thine honour and against thy holie will And I protest that I will order all my whole life in a better manner Wherefore I beseeche thee good father that since thou hast so incouraged mee through Iesus Christ our Lord thou wilt giue vnto mee such strength as may bee sufficient I am thy woorke aswell touching naturall constitution as touching this spirituall and newe regeneration I pray thee therefore that thou wilt not despise me and that which cannot be doone for my own merites whereof I finde none good may bee doone for the merites of Iesus Christ and for thy holie names sake vnto whom be honour and glorie for euer and euer Amen I haue shewed or rather in a grosse maner described The maners of the reprobate what the sonnes of God predestinated vnto eternall life are woont to doe when they haue grieuouslie fallen for if not with the wordes aforesaide at least with the like they flie vnto their heauenly Father whom by sinning they knowe to haue offended But contrariwise doe those that are reiected For they when they cannot excuse their sinnes doe dissemble them and as though they had committed none or else easie faultes they say that it behooueth to serue places times and present occasions They pretend that it sufficeth to haue a pure heart and vnspotted minde and that outwarde faultes are not much to be weighed as if so bee they should acknowledge God to be onelie the Lorde of Soules and shoulde thinke that those things which are expressed in worde outward déedes belong nothing vnto him Thus are these men woont to couer their sinnes Vnto whom if a godlie man as it often happeneth indeuoureth to laie before their eyes the Image of their sinne committed they sometimes knowing the outragiousnesse of the fact which they haue doone being destitute of faith and spirit doe sometimes despaire with Caine and Iudas and doe fall into most miserable madnesse or else they kill themselues as we knowe it happened in our time by the horrible and dreadfull iudgement of God But sometimes they perswading themselues that they did not grieuouslie sinne doe please themselues as if they were cleane and holie and otherwhile doe prosecute those with deadly hatred of whom they were seuerelie and of a good zeale rebuked For which cause of abiurers they become persecutours The Church of Christ at this day hath no enemies more hurtfull euen as in times past it had Iulian the Apostata who being onelie instructed in Christ became afterwarde an enemie and excéeded all the tyrannie and crueltie of the other tyrantes to whom Christ was neuer knowen Wherefore brethren beware least after this first fall ye runne not into deadly ruines and downefalles of eternall damnation Rather flie yee vnto the Anchor of repentaunce and with the elect returne yee vnto him whom ye haue offended Deuise not vnto your selues newe formes of obtaining saluation this is the onlie forme set foorth by God to them that are fallen Suffer not your selues to be seduced by the intycements of false Prophetes 2. Sa. 12. 13. Luk. 15. 17. Saie with Dauid and with the Prodigall
after death 3 235 a 1 144 a It is proued that they are in Christ by all kinde of causes 3 78 b Faithfulnesse Faithfulnes required in Ministers and how they swarue from it 4 19. 20. Fall A temporall Fall and an eternall fall and what the godly doe in either of them 1 212 ab Adams miserable Fall described by way of comparison 2 253 b 254 a Whether it did any way depend of Gods will 1 204a b It was by Gods sufferaunce why 1 187 b It was voluntarie 1 205b The miserable Fall of Priamus described 1 158 b Of Solomon 3 268 b 269a Of the godly temporall and hath an happie issue 1 211 a Fast The Fast of a manichie and a Christian compared 3 353 b The exercise of them that vse it truely 3 248b A religious Fast defined with al the causes thereof 3 248 b Of proclaiming a publike Fast and sanctifying it 3 249a Fastes Of the foure quarterly Fastes called Ember dayes 3 251 b What the Councels and Apostolicall Canons haue decreed touching publike Fastes 3 252 a Fastes abused touching yâ— choise of meates 3 253 a Abused as touching the space of time 3 252 b What verie heretiks haue thought of the superstitions kind 3 251 b Of the Ethnikes religions Fastes 3 249 b 250 a. Of the Encratistes and Montanistes 3 170 a Fasting Diuerse kindes of Fasting in Lent 3 171a Auailable to cast out diuels 4 130 ab None betweene Easter and Pentecost why 4 45 a Iewish in the time of the lawe 3 171 a 252 b 253 a 247 a 249 b Certaine times and dayes appointed for it 3 172 a To what ende it was ordained the continuance thereof 3 171a In what cases the Church the Magistrate may sometime bring it in 3 173 ab Whether a holinesse consist therein 3 255 ab Whereupon rose Fasting vppon the sabboth day 3 173 b On Thursday and Friday 4 45 a Whether soules are deliuered out of Purgatorie thereby 3 255 b For other mens sake beside our own 3 248 b Whether it be a part of satisfaction 3 255 b What hath beene thought touching diuerse dayes for it 3 250 b 251a Ouermuch attributed thereunto 3 255 a Commended in the new TestameÌ„t 3 250 ab Whether wee shoulde imitate Christ therein 3 254 ab 256 a 252 ab 273 ab Whether men may consume themselues therewith 3 257 b Diuerse formes thereof vsed of the fathers 3 253b What kinde is commended and the commodities thereof 3 247 b 248 a What faults are to be auoided therein 3 250 b Abused by mens misdemeanour at Shrofetide 3 255 b Who was the first that wrote lawes thereof 3 254a A distinction thereof 3 247 b 248 a That it is thirstie why 3 247 b Diuerse causes for the which publike Fasting must be vsed 3 252 a Religious Fasting distinguished 3 248 b This kinde of diuels is cast out onely by Fasting and prayer expounded 3 250 b Fastings A distinction of prayers and Fastings 3 193 a What do please God and why 3 248 b Whether being rightlie commaunded by Princes they are to bee obeyed 3 252 a Howe they are said to be free or not free 3 252 b To what end the Papists inioyned them 3 224 ab Brought in without measure 3 250 b Father The power of a Father defined 2 431 b It is not a name vsurped or challenged of men 2 381 a Howe much the ciuill Lawes esteemed his authoritie 2 432 a 436a His duetie to his children notablie set downe 3 259 a What we are taught by calling God Father 3 81 b Christ is no where in the Gospel called so 2 381 a Whether a sonne placed as a Magistrate ought to giue place to his Father being a priuate man â— 377 b Fathers in the time of the Lawe Causes of the long life of the Fathers 1 126 b 127 a Where they were before Christs ascension 4 104 a Why it was so long before they did beget children 1 127 b Howe they were perfect hauing so many imperfections among them 2 425 ab They are not to be followed in all pointes 2 148b Howe we and they are both in one stocke and roote 4 101 b They as well as we were iustified by faith onlie 2 5â—4a b They entred into couenant with God for their posteritie 2 585 a Howe they did eate the flesh of Christ he being not then borne â— this concerneth the Sacrament 2 58â— b Whether they were ignorant of Christ c. 3 339 b 340 341. It is prooued that they wanted not Gods spirit 2 592 b 593a Chrysostomes error in diuerse points touching them and vs. 2 593 b 594 a They had both temporall and eternall felicitie promised them 2 592 a 593 b They are called litle ones and seruants and why 2 595b They and â—e haue one saluatioÌ„ 3 336 b 340 a Fathers according to the flesh Howe Christs words are to be meant in forbidding vs to be called Fathers vpon earth 2 380 b 381 a Howe God punisheth the sins of the Fathers vpon the children 2 236 b ¶ Looke Punish Sinnes Fathers of the Church The Fathers at contradiction with themselues 3 151 b 250 b 251 a 183 ab 2 380 b 381 a 4 49 a 50 b 51 ab 102 a Howe we must interprete all their sentences 3 151 b What they say of Iepthas vow 3 183 ab 200 a 1 4. 3 b Whether wee must alwayes iudge of the scriptures by them 4 50b 51 a Rules for the vnderstaÌ„ding of theÌ„ speaking of the Eucharist 4 172 b 173a b 174 a How they are said to be spirituall 4 53 a They doe erre 4 50 a 72 b 3 149 a 243. 244. The inconstancie of certaine of them the schoolemeÌ„ 1 67 a How Pighius esteemeth of them is shewed by similitudes 2 229 a In what cases they are to bee receiued 4 49 a The most auncient were not subiect to the Romane bishop 4 80 a No appeale from the scriptures to them admitted 4 48 b 49 ab They extenuate the sacraments of the old lawe 4 102 a What they haue saide touching the choise of meates â— 170a b What they meant by the word sacrifice 4 19 a If Peter erred much more they and why 1 44 a Whether they are to bee allowed when they all agree 4 50b The later the corrupter 2 434 b In what respect they are to be reiected 4 54 a Why the aduersaries sticke so close to them 4 52 a Which of them taught superstitions 3 240 b The greater number of them graunt that there is a purgatorie 3 243 b A rule as touching their writing 3 158 a A rule for reading of them 3 362 a 2 229 a Fatherhood Two kindes of Paternitie or Fatherhood in the sonne and the father 2 377 b 378 a All Fatherhood dependeth of Christ and who deserue not that title 2 381a Fault By what things a Fault is aggrauated or lightened 4 300b What