no doubt but that euerie faithfull person fulfilleth the lawe according to the measure of charitie which he hath But yet we must remember in the meane time that there is none in this life that hath perfect and absolute charitie For if anie man could atteine therevnto he could not profit anie further Howbeit that this matter may the more euidentlie appeare let vs consider the words of Iohn Herein saith he we knowe his loue 1. Iohn 3 16 for that he gaue his life for vs and we ought to giue our life for our brethren euen as he gaue his These words sufficientlie declare that no ordinarie kind of loue is required of vs but euen the same which bestoweth the life for other men and the same not after anie sort but in such wise as Christ himselfe gaue it But there be none which atteine vnto the charitie of Christ though the same as the apostle saith be required and that by vertue of the lawe For the bond dooth arise thorough no other meanes but by the lawe Neither is that place to the Galathians anie other waie to be expounded namelie Gala. 6 2. Beare you one an others burden and so ye shall fulfill the lawe of Christ For it is necessarie to beare those things euen as we wold ours to be borne and that as Christ hath throughlie borne them but this none doo performe Héervnto also might that be said which is brought before touching Christes loue the which may be ioined to our loue and accepted by God as though it had béen fulfilled 1. Iohn 2 4 and 5. It is also obiected that the same Iohn writeth that He which loueth God keepeth his commandements But we must adde that so much shall the kéeping of Gods commandements be as the loue of God hath béene but séeing we haue not that loue perfect therefore we kéepe not the commandements fullie and perfectlie Howbeit after these things they adde that the same apostle affirmeth The commandements of God to be easie 1. Iohn 5 3. But to this I answer If they be set foorth vnto them which be not yet borne anew they be impossible to be kept much lesse easie Againe if they be offered vnto persons regenerate they be not easilie kept according as they be set foorth in the lawe but they may be called easie séeing the spirit of Christ is present with such and dooth communicate his righteousnesse with them For by the same the wants of our works are supplied and while we be indued with the spirit we obeie willinglie and with a good courage And by this meanes the commandements of God be made both delectable and easie to be kept I meane according to the portion of grace which God dooth bestowe In the selfe-same sense must the words of Christ be vnderstood Mat. 11 30. wherin he saith My yoke is plesant and my burden is light But the commandements as they be expressed in the lawe doo through our weakenesse rather bring malediction than plesantnesse vnlesse they be performed of vs in such sort as they be described 10 Furthermore that is brought against vs which Christ saith vnto his apostles When ye haue doone all these things saie with your selues Luk. 17 10. that ye be vnprofitable seruants But that must be vnderstood of obedience begoone as I haue said before Wherefore Augustine in his third booke against the two epistles of the Pelagians the eight chapter wrote that The perfection of saints must alwaies be vnderstood according to the measure and capacitie that they haue in this life This moreouer they vrge that the scriptures diuers times doo call some men perfect For Paule said We speake wisedome among them that be perfect 1. Cor. 2 6 And to the Philippians we read So manie of you as be perfect iudge all one thing Phil. 3 15 Whervnto I saie that there is a certeine measure of perfection How some men may be called perfect whereby the godlie men doo acknowledge their imperfection be not deceiued therin Which no lesse rightlie than prudentlie Augustine taught in his third booke against the two epistles of Pelagius and in his first booke 7. chap. De peccatorum meritis remissione Also they after a sort be called perfect which doo imitate the perfection of the Heauenlie father who sendeth raine vpon the iust and vniust and maketh his sunne to shine as well vpon the good as the bad Others vndoubtedlie be called iust which aptlie giue eare vnto spirituall things of which sort the Corinthians as yet were not The Hebrues indéed were such Heb. 6 1 c as it is written in the sixt chapter And this kind of imperfection it behooued the saints not onelie to acknowledge and féele but also to confesse the same But Ierom in his first dialog against the Pelagians saith that We be then iust when we confesse our selues to be sinners And vnto Cresiphon he also wrote This onelie is a perfection in men if they acknowledge themselues to be vnperfect Barnard in his 50. and 51. sermons vpon the Canticles wrote verie elegantlie of this matter and so did Augustine in his epistle vnto Xystus and in manie other places But the Pelagians when they withstood Augustine as we read in his booke against their epistle the fift chapter said that He did not put anie difference betwéene most wicked men and saints but by comparison bicause he affirmed that iust men be therefore saints bicause they sinne lesse than euill men Héerevnto that godlie man answereth Wicked men and saints doo differ one from an other by faith but not by works that Wicked men and saints doo differ one from an other by faith and not by works For so much as the godlie doo beléeue in Christ by whom if they fall they receiue forgiuenesse of their sinnes and are also lightened by his spirit and grace But the wicked beléeuing not in Christ doo altogither lie in their sinnes whereof they neither repent nor yet receiue forgiuenesse of the same The same father also in his second booke De peccatorum meritis remissione the seuenth chapter obiecteth against himselfe that which is written in the 14. chapter of the Apocalypse namelie that verse 3. 4 The 144000. saints which followe the lambe were virgines and defiled not themselues with women that in their mouthes there was found no guile He answereth to himselfe that such were therefore vnblameable bicause they iustlie reprooued themselues and in their mouth there was no guile bicause they did not professe themselues to be without sin For if they had said that they had béene without sinne they had béene found in a lie The same father goeth further in the 12. chapter of the same booke obiecteth against himselfe a place out of Luke where it is written Luke 1 6 that Zacharie and Elizabeth were iust before GOD walking without reproofe before him in all the precepts and iustifications of the Lord. By which words
26. Ye are all the children of God by the faith of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sonnes of God but bicause we haue alredie obteined adoption which we obteine onelie by regeneration or iustification And in the fourth chapter Rom. 4 28. Brethren saith he we are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing else but to beléeue those things which God promiseth whereby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaac borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the fift chapter he writeth Rom. 5 5. We in the spirit looke for the hope of righteousnesse by faith In this place are two things touched the spirit of God whereby we are new fashioned and renewed vnto saluation and faith whereby we apprehend righteousnes Wherefore in this matter of our iustification although there be in our minds manie other works of the holie Ghost yet none of them except faith helpe to iustification Wherevpon the apostle concludeth Circumcision is nothing Ibidem 6. and vncircumcision is nothing but onelie faith which worketh through loue Hereof onelie dependeth iustification of this faith I saie not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paule addeth Which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstood as though faith should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake hir forme but for that when it bursteth foorth into act and will shew foorth it selfe it must of necessitie doo this by loue So the knowledge of anie man dependeth not hereon for that he teacheth other men but by that meanes it is most of all declared But if anie perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto faith and knowledge that commeth of another cause and not for that they depend of it or thereof haue their forme as manie Sophisters haue dreamed Ephes 2 8. 52 In the epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By grace ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And after that in the third chapter Eph. 3 16. That according to the riches of his glorie he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your hart by faith He that hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes for of him Paule thus writeth vnto the Corinthians in the former epistle 1. Cor. 1 30. and the first chapter Who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption Here therefore it is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namelie by faith Againe Paule in the third chapter to the Philippians Phil. 3 9. That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of works and of the lawe he calleth His but that which is of faith and which he most of all desireth he calleth The righteousnes of Iesus Christ Heb. 11 33. Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the eleuenth chapter The saints by faith haue ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse and haue obteined the promises These words declare how much is to be attributed vnto faith for by it the saints are said not onelie to haue possessed outward kingdoms but also to haue exercised the works of righteousnesse namelie to haue liued holilie and without blame and to haue obteined the promises of God verse 5. And Peter in his first epistle and first chapter By the power of God saith he are ye kept vnto saluation through faith In these words are signified two principall grounds of our saluation the one is the might and power of God which is wholie necessarie for vs to obteine saluation the other is faith whereby as by an instrument saluation is applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and fift chapter verse 1. Euerie one saith he which beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but To be borne of God is nothing else than to be iustified or to be borne againe in Christ If followeth in the same chapter Ibidem ◠This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen our faith By which testimonie is declared that the tyrannie of the diuell of sinne of death and of hell is by no other thing driuen awaie from vs but by faith onelie And toward the end of the selfe-same chapter it is said And these things haue I written vnto you verse 3. which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might knowe that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleeue in the name of the sonne of God 53 Now let vs gather out of the euangelists as much as shall serue for this present question Matthew in his eight chapter saith Mat. 8 19 That Christ exceedinglie wondred at the faith of the Centurion and confessed that he had not found such faith in Israel and turning vnto him said Euen as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee Here some replie that This historie and such other like intreate not of iustification but onelie of the outward benefits of the bodie giuen by GOD. Howbeit these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the gréefes and the afflictions of the bodie For onelie Christ excepted who vtterlie died an innocent all other forsomuch as they are subiect vnto sinne doo suffer no aduersitie without iust desert And although God in laieng of his calamities vpon vs hath not alwaies a respect herevnto for oftentimes he sendeth aduersities to shew foorth his glorie and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustlie dealt withall for there is none so holie but that in himselfe he hath sinnes which are woorthie of such like or else of greater punishments And where the cause is not taken awaie neither is nor can the effect be remooued Wherfore Christ forsomuch as he deliuereth man from diseases of the bodie manifestlie declareth that it was he which should iustifie men from sinnes And that this is true the selfe-same euangelist teacheth vs in the .9 chapter verse 2 for when he that was sicke of the palsie was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith that Christ answered Be of good cheare my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee At which saieng when as the Scribes and Pharisies were offended to the end they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken awaie euen the euils them selues are taken awaie He commanded him that was sicke of the palsie to arise and take vp his bed and to walke Wherefore it manifestlie appeareth that Christ by the healings of the bodies
he said in the 24. chapter of Matthew Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe And it is commonlie spoken euerie where The word of God endureth for euer Esaie 40 8. 3 And although there be in a maner infinite things which may stronglie prooue the woorthinesse of the scriptures yet in this place I will measure my selfe thinking it sufficient that I haue after a sort shewed the springs or heads the rest maie easilie be found out by anie that will take paines to search diligentlie I will now likewise bréefelie declare the commodities which we receiue therby The commodities of the holie scriptures 2. Tim. 3 16. We read in the 3. chapter of the 2. to Timothie that All scripture inspired by God is profitable both to teach and to improoue to wit as touching doctrine and to correct and instruct in righteousnesse which belongeth vnto manners And least thou shouldest thinke that any thing doth want he addeth streight waie Ibidem 17. That the man of God may be perfect and readie to euerie good worke And in the 15 chapter to the Romans we reade Roman 15. For whatsoeuer things are now written they be written before hand for our learning that by patience consolation of the scriptures we may haue hope Which things séeing they are spoken of the old testament for while this was written the new testament was not published what shall we now thinke hauing the monuments both of the Apostles and of the Euangelists added therevnto Trulie we haue now euen these verie things more plentifullie in the holie scriptures The power of sauing attributed to the scriptures 1. Tim. 4 13. And the holie Ghost feareth not to attribute the power of sauing vnto them For in the first Epistle to Timothie the fourth chapter it is written Take heed to thy selfe and to thy doctrine continue therein for in so dooing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and those that heare thee Matt. 13 19. And in the parable of the gospel where it is described that the séede fell some in the waie some among stones and thornes and some in good ground We are borne anew by the word 1. Cor. 4 15. the gospell or word of God by the interpretation of Christ is vnderstood by the séede bicause thereby we are borne anew Wherefore Paule wrote boldlie vnto some I haue begotten you by the gospel And Augustine did then first arise out of his errors wherewith he had béene captiuated Augustine conuerted by reading of the scriptures when he began to reade the scriptures And at the reading of Paule as we may perceiue in his confessions the darkenesse was chased frō his eies And vnto such reding he was driuen by an oracle of God For he heard voices as if children had soong and said Take and read Take and read which voice when he had obeied had lighted vpon that place in the holie scriptures Put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13 14. c. he was conuerted wholie vnto God Decrees of faith must be confirmed only by the scriptures Constantine bad that controuersies should be decided by them who had so long before striuen against the truth These be notable tokens of the word of God Adde herewithall that the decrées of the christian faith can be confirmed by no other meanes than by authoritie of the holie scriptures Therefore as the ecclesiasticall historie declareth Constantine the great in the councell of Nice exhorted the fathers of the church that by the oracles of the holie scriptures they would appease the controuersies sproong vp in religion 4 But he that will knowe more at large the properties of the holy scripture The properties of the scripture out of the 19 psalme Psal 19 8. let him read the 19 psalme there they be described both with maruelous breuitie and great elegancie First the lawe of the Lord is called Temima that is immaculate perfect Secondly it is affirmed that it doth restore the soule and that is not to be looked for in prophane learning Thirdlie it is called a sure testimonie of the Lord whereas mans counsels are euermore variable and inconstant It teacheth the simple and ignorant whereas other knowledges doo instruct only the prudent and sharpe witted hearers Moreouer the lawe of the Lord is right and hath nothing crooked awrie or vniust as in euerie part of mans lawe is espied Also it reioiceth the hart euen with such a gladnes as is chast and holie The Lords commandement is pure but mans deuises are neuer sincerelie made séeing they be fraited with many crafts and deceits It lighteneth the eies but contrariwise the traditions of men darken them The lawe of God is cleane and is offered vndefiled vnto vs being without any falshood or wrong whereas mans ordinances are most fowlie infected with both the euils The statutes of God indure for euer but those things which be ordained by men are alwaies shifting oftentimes changed and are neuer of long continuance To conclude those things which the Lord hath prescribed are both true and iust which cannot be affirmed of mans lawes Moreouer they are to be desired aboue gold and pretious stones where as the best natures doo verie much mislike the precepts of mans lawe Finallie those things which God hath taught vs in the scriptures be more swéet than the honie and the honie combe where contrariwise men are not accustomed to teach any other than hard difficult and often times cruell things Besides these properties of the holie scriptures I purpose not to ad anie more For they that be studious may easilie of themselues find out the other fruits and commodities 5 Now must I declare another point which I promised To what iudgement we must stand for the sense of the scriptures to wit by what iudgements and abitrers we must assure our selues for vnderstanding of the scriptures Two tokens I haue alwaies obserued by which the truth of the diuine scripture may be perceiued namelie the holie ghost and the word of God it selfe Concerning the spirit Iohn writeth in the 8. chapter of his gospell The truth is knowne by the spirit and the word Iohn 8 47. that Christ thus said If ye haue God to your father why doo you not acknowledge my word And séeing it is certaine that we be not adopted to be the children of God but by the comming of the holie ghost Christ testifieth in this place that when we haue once obteined the same spirit we may so discerne betwixt his word and a strange word as the same will appeare verie euident and plaine vnto vs. According to which sense he also said in another place My sheepe knowe my voice and followe not a stranger Iohn 10 4. And there is no doubt but that we by the strength of the holie spirit are made the shéepe of Christ which followe not falshood errors and heresies which be voices of strangers but doo imitate onlie the
both be touched and handled to the intent that both he might remooue dissimulation from God also confirme the truth of humane flesh in Christ Whereby it is prooued that mens senses beguiled thē not as touching these things as the Papists confirme that men are deceiued about the bread and wine of the Eucharist Origin 13 But Origin in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Ierom citeth him against Iohn bishop of Ierusalem was of a far other mind For whereas we saie that the visions of Angels may be conceiued thrée maner of waies to wit either in phantasie or in bodie but not humane or else in the verie true bodie of a man he taketh a certeine meane and saith that The bodies of Angels wherein they present themselues to the eies of men are neither perfect bodies nor humane bodies nor yet phantasticall bodies and yet bodies neuertheles and that he applieth to them that rise againe For we shall saith he haue bodies in the resurrection but yet onlie bodies not bones not sinewes not flesh And indéed there is some difference betwéene a bodie and flesh Euerie flesh is a bodie but not euerie bodie flesh for euerie flesh is a bodie but euerie bodie is not flesh Such a difference Paule toucheth in the first chapter of his epistle to the Colossians when he said Ye are reconciled in the bodie of his flesh Col. 1 22. And in the second chapter Col. 2 11. By putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh Yea and in the Créed also we saie that We beleeue in the resurrection of the flesh and saie not Of the bodie Origin said that he sawe two excéeding errors the one was of them which said that there was no resurrection Such were the Valentinians and Marcionites 2. Tim. 2 18. of which sort also were Hymenaeus and Philetus who as Paule witnesseth taught that the resurrection was alreadie past and such are the Libertines at this daie reported to be For they babble I cannot tell what of the matter both vngodlie and vnlearnedlie Another of those which think that perfect and true bodies shall rise againe with flesh sinewes and bones which thing he saith is not possible for Flesh bloud cannot inherit the kingdome of God But Origin should haue weighed what Paule said afterward for he addeth Neither shall corruption possesse incorruption 1. Co. 15 50. Wherefore his meaning is that a corruptible bodie cannot possesse the kingdome of GOD. But Origin to kéepe himselfe within that meane which he appointed confessed that bodies indéed shall rise againe yet not grosse and bonie but spirituall according as Paule said 1. Co. 15 44 It shall rise a spirituall bodie But Origin in these words marked not that Paule calleth it A spirituall bodie not bicause it shall be wholie conuerted into a spirit but bicause it shall haue spirituall qualities namelie incorruption and most cléere brightnes But bicause he perceiued that the bodie of Christ which he after his resurrection offered to his disciples to be handled and fealt was against his doctrine therefore he saith Let not the bodie of Christ deceiue you for it had manie singular properties which are not granted vnto other bodies Further he would haue a true bodie after his resurrection to the intent he might prooue by this dispensation that he was trulie risen from the dead not to signifie that other bodies should be semblable vnto it at the resurrection But he shewed the nature of a spirituall bodie at Emaus Luk. 24 13. when he vanished from the sight of his disciples and at another time when he went in to his disciples Iohn 20 19. the doores being fast shut 14 Against these things Ierom repugneth Ierom. If Christ saith he after his resurrection did verelie eate with his disciples he had also a verie true bodie if he did not eate how did he by a false thing prooue the truth of his bodie Luk. 24 31. In that he vanished from the sight of his disciples this was not through the nature of his bodie but by his owne power Luke 4 30. for so in Nazareth when the people would haue assailed him with stones he withdrew himselfe out of their sight And shall we not thinke that the sonne of GOD was able to doo that which a magician could doo Apollonius Tyanaeus For Apollonius Tyanaeus when he was brought into the councell before Domitian he foorthwith vanished awaie That this was in Christ not in respect of the nature of his bodie but of his diuine power it is shewed by that which went before in the historie For while he was in the waie with his disciples their eies were held Luke 24 16 so as they could not knowe him And whereas Origin affirmeth that the bodie of Christ was spirituall Iohn 20 19 bicause it came in where the doores were shut Ierom answereth that the creature gaue place to the creator In what sort the body of Christ entred in the doores being shut c. Wherefore the bodie of Christ persed not through the middest of the planks and boords so as two bodies had béene togither in one and the selfe-same place but herein was the miracle in that the verie timber of the doores gaue waie vnto the bodie of Christ Luke 24 2. Further whereas some doo obiect that the bodie of Christ came foorth of the sepulchre being close shut The bodie of Christ came not out of the sepulchre the same being shut that also is not of necessitie to be beléeued but it may be thought that the stone was rolled away before he came out And least any should thinke that I deuise this of my self let him read the 83. epistle of Leo vnto the bishops of Palestine The flesh saith he of Christ which came out of the sepulchre the stone being rolled awaie c. Now to returne to the purpose The bodies wherein Angels appeared were true humane bodies Bicause I said that the bodies of Angels which they take vnto them maie be thought either to haue béene phantasticall or spirituall or else substantiall and verie humane bodies and that the two first opinions are reiected it now resteth that the bodies of Angels wherein they shew themselues to be men are verie true and humane bodies and this onelie I affirme to be true séeing Angels were in such sort séene as they wrestled with men and offered their féet to be washed The visions of the prophets were sometime imaginatiue And I iudge it not lawfull to say that mens senses were there deceiued séeing the things were outwardlie doone I denie not indéed but that somtimes there happened to the prophets visions imaginatiue when they said that they sawe God or the cherubims or such other like things For in asmuch as that happened often in their mind or power imaginatiue it might be doone by forms images and visions Angels appering in mens bodies were not men 15 Now
which God would reueale vnto vs and no further No man therefore hath said I will vnderstand those things which God himselfe knoweth These things are largelie intreated of in the first booke of sentences the 48. distinction and in Augustines Enchiridion An other discourse of the same argument I Affirme the cause of mans sinne to be the will or the frée will of our first parents who fell of their owne accord and obeied rather the suggestion of the diuell than the commandement of God from whom afterward was deriued originall sinne vnto all the posteritie wherevpon we haue vice and corruption inough in our owne selues Wherefore God instilleth not in vs a new naughtines vnto sinning neither dooth he bring in corruption and therefore I doo affirme our wils to be the causes of sinne and not God But the scripture saith in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 26 and 28. that God deliuered vp the Ethnikes vnto a reprobate mind and vnto vile affections And in the second of Samuel it is said that God stirred vp Dauid to number the people 2. Sam. 24 1 And in the same historie Dauid said that God commanded Semei to curse Dauid 2. Sam. 16 verse 11. In the same booke the twelfe chapter God said vnto Dauid by the prophet verse 11. I will take thy wiues and giue them to thy neighbour and he shall sleepe with them for thou didst it secretlie but I will doo this thing before all Israel and in the open sunne light It is said by others that these spéeches must be referred vnto the permission which thing I doo not absolutelie denie for God if he would might haue let these mischéefs but hée would not hinder them Howbeit I adde that such a permission must not be granted whereby some may affirme that God dealeth so idlelie and so leaueth the gouernement of things as hée dooth nothing about sinnes themselues First he taketh his gifts and his grace from certeine men bicause they abused the same which grace being remooued and that iustlie for a punishment of their former sinnes men being destitute of that helpe doo fall into more gréeuous crimes And that God dooth sometime withdrawe his grace Dauid knew well enough when he somtime said Psal 51 9. Turne not thy face from me nor take awaie thine holie spirit from me Secondlie God dooth punish sinnes with sinnes as it appéereth in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 24. and in the places now alledged And sinnes so far foorth as they be punishments doo belong vnto iustice and in that respect are good Wherefore it is not vnfit for God thus by sinnes to punish former sinnes Thirdlie hée ruleth and gouerneth sinnes themselues for he suffereth them not to rage so far out of measure as the euill will of man desireth he restreineth them he kéepeth them backe neither dooth he suffer them to rage against euerie man and at all times also hée directeth them to the performance of his counsels namelie to the triall of iust men and to the scourge of the wicked such like purposes Wherfore the scripture saith Esaie 10 5. that féerce and cruell tyrants are in the hand of God as staues hammers and sawes Fourthlie God sendeth in other occasions which if they should light vpon good men they would prouoke them vnto good things but bicause they light vpon euill men they are by those mens fault soone taken in euill part and are made occasions of sinne So Paule saith Rom. 7 8. that By the lawe sinne was increased And the words of God spoken vnto Pharao by Moses were an occasion to expresse out of him blasphemies and hardnes of his hart Which thing God sawe would come to passe yet did he not restreine his owne word when he knew that Pharao would become the woorse thereby who neuertheles had the naughtines in his owne selfe and tooke not the same of God Fiftlie since that the defect of sinne is onelie in humane actions the which are depriued of right gouernement the verie action of man cannot be susteined preserued and stirred vp without the common influence of GOD by which all things are gouerned and preserued for trulie is it said Acts. 17 28. In God we be we liue and are mooued Therefore the defect which properlie is sinne procéedeth not of God but the action which is a naturall thing wherein the defect sticketh cannot be drawne foorth but by the common influence of God These be the things which I said that God dooth by his prouidence and gouernement about sinnes although he be not the true and proper cause of sinnes By which interpretation we may rightlie vnderstand what those spéeches of the holie scriptures and saiengs of the fathers doo meane wherein God séemes to bée made the cause or author of sinne The xviij Chapter How it may be said that God dooth repent and dooth tempt In 1. Sam. 15 verse 11. Looke before plac 11 art 26. and In Gen. 6 6. In Iudg. 2 verse 18. THE interpretours labor earnestlie to vnderstand how repentance may happen vnto God Malac. 3 6. 1. Sa. 15 29. Num. 23 19 For GOD saith I am God and am not changed And in the first of Samuel The triumpher of Israel is not changed And Balaam in the book of Numbers saith God is not as a man that he should be changed neither as the sonne of man that he should be a lier Yet in Genesis he saith It repenteth me that I haue made man Genes 6 6. Forsomuch as these places séeme to be repugnant they must be accorded togither Some after this sort expound these places that Euen as the holie Ghost is said To call and make request for vs Rom. 8 26. with sighes that cannot be expressed so it may be said that God dooth repent But the spirit praieth not requesteth not sigheth not for he is God but bicause he stirreth vs to praie to make request and to sigh he himselfe is said to doo the same And according to this sense Paule biddeth vs Ephes 4 30. that we should not make sorrowfull the spirit of God that is to saie we should not with our wicked acts offend the saints in whom is the spirit of God Euen so God is said to repent when he stirreth repentance in others bicause the wickednes of Saule was a gréefe vnto good men and that God stirred vp that affection in them therefore God himselfe is said to be led with repentance This reason Luther followeth in his treatise vpon Genesis But Augustine in his booke of 83. questions the 52. question where of set purpose he handleth this question saith that The scripture is accustomed oftentimes to humble it selfe to our capacitie and to attribute those things vnto God which we sée doone in the life and conuersation of men for that the same cannot otherwise be vnderstood How God is said to reuenge to be angrie Therefore bicause men vse
out of all doubt is taken awaie in regeneration For by that means it coms to passe that although it be verie sin indéed yet God dooth not impute it for sin Moreouer Augustine dooth compare concupiscence with those sinnes which are called actuall by the comparison whereof it may be said to be no sinne for it is far from the gréeuousnes of them But I maruell how Pighius dare saie that Augustine determineth without testimonie of the scriptures that concupiscence is originall sin séeing he in his disputations against the Pelagians defendeth his opinion chéefelie out of the holie scriptures The cause whie originall sinne is called concupiscence And the cause whie he calleth originall sinne concupiscence is for that originall corruption dooth chéeflie declare it selfe through the vnpurer desires of the mind and of the flesh 13 Now it is expedient to sée what others haue said concerning this matter for besides this there is also another opinion of them which say that originall sin is a lacke of originall righteousnes Whether this sinne be a want of originall righteousnesse Anshelmus What the schoolemen meane by originall iustice Which thing Anshelmus affirmed in his booke De partu virginis and he drew manie other scholasticall authors into his opinion And these men meane no other thing by originall iustice or righteousnesse but the right institution of man when as the bodie obeieth the mind and the inferior parts of the mind are subiect to the superior when the mind is subiect vnto God and to his lawe In this righteousnes was Adam created and if he had so continued all we should haue liued in it but séeing he fell all we were depriued thereof And they would haue the lacke of this righteousnes to be originall sinne A similitude Entrie defect maketh not a thing euill But that they may shew their opinion the better they saie that euerie defect is not euill for although a stone doo lacke righteousnes yet it shall not be said that a stone is vnrighteous or euill but when as a thing shall be fit and méet to possesse that whereof it is destitute then such a defect is said to be euill as it happeneth in the eie when it is béereft of abilitie to sée well we doo not saie therefore that there is a fault or blame in the eie For then sinne commeth when by reason of such a lacke there followeth a contending and wrestling against the lawe of God An obiection of Pighius And this opinion is also condemned by Pighius for he saith that It is no sinne if one kéepe not the gift which he hath receiued For it may be that one which is borne in perfect health and in a good state of the bodie A similitude may fall into a disease or be maimed in some member or else become lame yet there is none that will call those defects offenses or sinnes But this similitude is not agréeable to the purpose for a disease or maime of the bodie doth not make either to the performing or violating of Gods lawe but that which they call a want of originall righteousnes dooth of necessitie bring with it the breach of Gods lawe Moreouer he laboureth to prooue that the losse of originall righteousnes in yoong children is not sinne bicause the same was not foregon by their fault but this againe is to call God to an account God is not to be called vnto an account But God is not registred among the decrées of men he is not to be brought into the order of mans lawes Let Pighius confer that opinion with this which he reasoneth against This affirmes he that God dooth condemne the faultines and vncleanes which he appointed and shewed to be in new borne babes Pighius maketh guiltie and condemnes children of that vice and sinne which is not in them but onelie is that which Adam the first parent of all committed in himselfe for otherwise he taketh those children to be most innocent But whether of these is the further from reason and dooth dissent from the lawes of men To punish an innocent for the sinne of another Or else to condemne him which hath cause in himselfe whie he should be condemned Vndoubtedlie vnto them which shall diligentlie consider of the thing it selfe The saieng of Anshelme is better than the opinion of Pighius Eccle. 7 30. the saieng of Anshelme is better in manie respects than this opinion of Pighius We knowe it to be true which Ecclesiastes saith that God made man vpright but when he had once sinned he fell by and by into wickednesse He dooth not now behold God and heauenlie things anie more but he bendeth himselfe continuallie down to earthlie and to carnall things and is subiect to the necessitie of concupiscence and this is to want originall righteousnes For actions be not plucked awaie from man but the power of well vsing them is taken awaie as we sée happen by experience A similitude in such as be taken with the palsie verelie they mooue their hand but bicause the power is hurt whereby they might rule that motion they mooue the same faintlie and deformedlie This also happeneth in vs for séeing diuine righteousnes is wanting the ground is corrupted whereby our works should be rightlie ordered and performed But saith Pighius it cannot be sinne in yoong children to be destitute of this gift for they are not bound by anie dutie or obligation to haue it But if saith he our aduersaries shall saie otherwise let them shew a lawe whereby we that are borne bée bound which saith he bicause they cannot doo let them cease to saie that this want of originall righteousnes is sin But we not onlie will shew one By what lawe they which are borne are bound to haue originall sin but thrée lawes The first is the institution of man God made man according to his owne image and likenes wherefore such it behooueth vs to be for God dooth iustlie require that which he made in our nature And the image of God dooth herein chéeflie consist that we be adorned with diuine properties namelie iustice wisedome goodnes and patience But contrariwise Pighius crieth out Wherein standeth the nature of the image of God that this is not the nature of the image of God for that he saith consisteth in vnderstanding memorie and will as Augustine is his bookes De trinitate and in manie other places hath taught These things indéed are said of the Schoole-men But we will prooue the matter to be farre otherwise both by the scriptures and saiengs of the fathers Looke part 1. place 12 verse 26. Ephes 4 24. 14 First it is thus written in the epistle to the Ephesians Put ye off the old man according to the conuersation in times past which is corrupt according to the deceiueable lusts and be ye renewed in the spirit of your mind and put yee on the new man which according to God is created
said Rom. 5 20. that The lawe entred in that sinne should abound might séeme to make somewhat for the Manicheis As also that to the Galathians Gala. 3 19. that The lawe was giuen bicause of transgressions And that in the 7. chapter of the epistle to the Romans that Sinne through the commandement killeth Rom. 7 11. And that which is said in the second epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 3 7. that The lawe is the ministerie of death All these séeme to confirme the error of the Manicheis But there must a choise diligentlie be made of those things which of themselues belong to the lawe from those which followe it by reason of another thing and by accidentall means for sinne death damnation and other things of this sort doo spring out of the lawe by reason of the corruption of our nature But if thou compare not the lawe with our nature but consider the same by it selfe or if thou referre it to a sound and vncorrupt nature thou canst not otherwise pronounce of it than that which Paule saith Rom. 7 12. that It is spirituall holie good and that it was ordeined for life and that rather it must be said to declare than to worke sinne Wherefore A similitude if deformed men lieng hidden in the darke should saie vnto one which by chance bringeth a light Get thée awaie hence least thou make vs deformed by this thy light certeinlie we would not gather by their words that the power and nature of the light is such as it can make men deformed but this rather that those things which of themselues be deformed are by the light discouered and shewed what they be Euen so fareth it altogither with the lawe for after a sort it bringeth in light bringeth foorth to our knowledge the sinnes which before laie hidden Why men doo hate the lawe But some man will saie If the lawe be good and holie whie are men so discontented therewith and haue it in hatred Euen bicause it calleth men backe from those things wherevnto by nature they are inclined for it gréeueth them to be forbidden those things And when we looke in the lawe we sée the things which we ought to doo and by reason of the pride which is naturallie planted and ingraffed in vs we would not be restrained by anie rules Moreouer we perceiue that our actions be wrested from that vprightnesse which is set foorth in the lawe and that which is more gréeuous we féele our selues to be so weake that we cannot correct them and reuoke them to the rule prescribed But in the meane time we looke vpon the punishments and vpon the wrath of God which for sinne we doo incurre We be not angrie as it shuld be with our selues but with the lawe and with God All these things so offend our mind as we be angrie not with our selues and our sinnes as méet it were but with the lawe that is giuen by God whereas otherwise the same is most perfect and most holie Howbeit this discommoditie may be remedied and it may be brought to passe that that which before displeased may please vs afterward and this will come to passe if we ioine the lawe togither with Christ A similitude Exod. 15 25 For as the waters of Marath were most bitter to the children of Israel in the wildernes yet the verie same by casting in the wood which God had appointed were made swéete euen so although the lawe of it selfe be bitter yet if Christ whom God hath set foorth vnto vs to be an onelie sauior and the verie iust end of the lawe be added therevnto then shall we féele it to be swéet The which thing that it happened vnto Dauid verse 11. The praises of the lawe in the Psalms Iere. 31 33. it is manifestlie perceiued by the 19. Psal wherein the praises of Gods lawe are woonderfullie set foorth for it is called pleasant swéet aboue honie and the honie combe And this is it which is promised vs in the prophet that GOD would write a lawe in our harts which is nothing else than that he would giue vnto vs the spirit of Christ by whom we should be inclined to those things which the lawe hath commanded to be doone that at the least-wise the commandements of GOD may be pleasant vnto our harts Which thing the apostle also teacheth when he saith Rom. 7 25. I serue the lawe of God in my mind Wherof the regenerate haue experience who though they be not able to performe a perfect obedience vnto the commandements of God yet doo they loue them and excéedinglie desire them and imbrace them as the chiefe God and doo continuallie praie vnto God that they maie drawe most néere to the perfection of them By these things it appéereth how the commoditie and righteousnesse of the lawe is defended against the Manicheis 3 But on the other side The Pelagians iudge the lawe to be sufficient to saluation the Pelagians are no lesse to be shunned which attribute more vnto the lawe than is conuenient for they iudge the same to be sufficient vnto saluation and saie that men if they haue once vnderstood what is to be doone may be able by the verie strength of nature easilie to performe the same Wherefore Pelagius for feare least he should haue béen condemned by the bishops of Palestine as one which vtterlie denied the grace of God confessed the same grace in word for he affirmed that it is néedfull to haue the grace of God vnto saluation But by grace he ment no other thing By grace he ment nothing else but nature and the lawe but nature it selfe fréelie granted vnto vs by God insomuch as God hath made vs reasonable and indued vs with frée will Moreouer he called grace a lawe or a doctrine bicause of our selues we be ignorant what is to be doone or what to be beléeued vnlesse God doo reueale those things vnto vs. Wherevpon Augustine in his booke De gratia Christi against Caelestinus writeth that They affirme the possibilitie of nature to be holpen by grace But he addeth that If their meanings be examined and thoroughlie sifted we shall perceiue that by grace doctrine and lawe they meane nothing else but that a man hauing onelie receiued the knowledge of the lawe hath power enough of himselfe to doo the commandements Vnto which error the Schoole-diuines drawe verie néere when they teach that A man Wherein the schoolemen come neere to the Pelagians by the verie power of nature is able to kéepe the commandements of GOD as touching the substance of the worke although not according to the intent of him that commandeth By which words this they signifie that we be able to performe the verie works although not in such sort as GOD hath commanded them to be doone namelie in charitie and in the spirit which latter part I suppose they added that they might be séene in some
indured cruell iniuries all his life long he was beaten and finallie was crucified like an euill dooer Neither did the punishment fall vpon the murtherers and rebels till after certeine yéeres These things dooth GOD diuerslie according as the counsels of his prouidence doo permit In 2 King 1 verse 9. 5 There remaineth to sée wherefore it was admitted to Elias that he should destroie with fire from heauen those princes and their soldiers and yet it was denied to the apostles Luke 9 54. which in like maner desired that the same might be lawfull for them against the Samaritans Looke In 2 Kings 2 23. who most cruellie excluded Christ from harbouring among them when he iournied from Galilie to Ierusalem for Iames and Iohn desired this of Christ Some saie that hereof commeth the difference that the spirits of the lawe and of the Gospell be verie contrarie For the propertie of the lawe is to condemne punish and slea but the propertie of the Gospell is to forgiue preserue and quicken So that Elias was to kill them which did openlie violate the lawe of God but the dutie of the apostles was to helpe and to heale men and not to destroie them Wherefore the Lord added Ye knowe not of what spirit ye be I doo not thinke that these words are so to be vnderstood as though Elias was so much addicted to the lawe that he had nothing common with the Gospell for he himselfe was sometime a helpe to men For in a verie great dearth he fed the widowe of Sarepta 1. Kin. 17 16 togither with hir sonne and familie yea and when hir sonne was dead he restored him vnto life againe and heauen being opened hée gaue raine most plentifullie Also the apostles of Iesus Christ were not so addicted vnto goodnes as that they neuer hurt anie Acts. 5 5. Acts. 13 11. for Peter by his word destroied Ananias and Saphyra Paule made blind Elimas the sorcerer and deliuered verie manie vnto satan to be tormented according to the flesh Howbeit I grant that the spirit of clemencie and gentlenesse flourished more in the apostles of Christ than in the ancient prophets and againe that the spirit of seueritie and reuenge was more vttered in Elias and his fellowes than in the euangelicall disciples And I thinke good to adde that the apostles were therefore warned of the Lord bicause they were mooued against the Samaritans by an humane anger and not by a diuine persuasion to wish euill vnto them But it is verie likelie that they were vrged to aske that thing through the site of the place bicause in the same place Elias procured fire from heauen vnto those princes For king Ahaziahu was in Samaria when he commanded that Elias should be brought vnto him Wherefore there was a certeine fond zeale in the apostles wherewith they indeuoured to imitate Elias Nor in the meane time did they make anie difference betwéene the nature of their vocations For thereto was Elias called that he should execute the iudgements of Gods seueritie neither did he so sharpelie behaue himselfe of his owne accord but by the warning of God and of his angel Indéed in outward shew he might séeme to be a manqueller yet must he not so be reputed séeing he was onelie the minister of God And so we must beware that we doo not by anie example of our forefathers assure our selues of those things which we earnestlie and extraordinarilie desire Thus vndoubtedlie did the sillie woman of Samaria Iohn 4 20. who reasoning with Christ at the well side laboured to prooue that God should be worshipped in that mountaine bicause Iacob had worshipped him there Indéed he did that which was lawfull for him to doo in that age wherein he liued but afterward when the lawe was giuen the worshipping was to be doone at the tabernacle and after that in the temple of Salomon Neither must the examples of the forefathers doone against the lawe of God be taken as rules to imitate and followe The which if we shall doo we shall not be counted as followers of the fathers but as mockers of them Wherefore when we will take vnaccustomed things in hand against the ordinarie commandement of God it is not enough to alledge an example of the forefathers but we must descend into our selues in examining by what spirit we be led least vnder a certeine glorious pretence we followe the wisedome and affection of the flesh For this cause Iesus said to his apostles Ye knowe not of whose spirit ye be Ye purpose with your selues to followe Elias but ye be not led with his spirit 6 Two waies we sée there is offense committed in this age of ours Warres of christians against the Turks The christian princes haue diuers times taken in hand wars against the Turks pretending a iust cause for that they thought méet to recouer those lands which the barbarous nations and wicked tyrants had taken awaie from the christians Bu◠whether they were stirred vp by a good spirit it is verie doubtfull Peraduenture they were mooued by a gréedie desire of bearing rule or for worldlie glorie sake or else by other inuentions of mans wisedome and therefore had seldome anie good successe Againe there haue béene some Fighting for the Gospell which indeuoured by armes and humane power to spread abroad the Gospell and propagation of churches These perhaps did not well trie with what spirit they did it This is it whereof Christ warned his apostles that they should descend into themselues and examine with what spirit they were led namelie Luke 9 55. whether they could be like vnto Elias And when they had desired of their maister that it might be lawfull for them by his leaue to vndertake and doo it he denied that request bicause he was not sent to the end he should afflict or destroie men but rather to helpe them and that therefore he would not passe the limits of his vocation Whereby he also warned them that they should not rashlie indeuour to arrogate such things vnto themselues But that Christ was not sent to punish and take reuenge of wicked déeds his life and acts doo testifie For he was a succour vnto all men and he helped them that were in miserie so often as occasion was offered And when he was with most bitter taunts reuiled he did not reuile againe And being fastened to the crosse he praied most patientlie for his enimies Wherefore the places which at the first sight séemed to varie are reconciled And we be all warned that when we are to take in hand anie thing against order custome we must first discerne with what spirit and instigation we be mooued Neither let vs be of the mind to imitate Helias in reuenging vnlesse we vnderstand for a certeintie that we be led with the spirit of Helias Yet is not therefore the power which the magistrate hath of iust reuenging taken from him for he hath lawes prescribed vnto him
reason is added for that God will haue all men to be saued 1. Iohn 5 16 And yet Iohn saith that Some doo sinne vnto death and for them saith he we ought not to praie What sinne we must not praie for Which yet we ought to vnderstand when we plainelie perceiue that they haue sinned vnto the death Now then as touching that trope or figure of Augustine wherein he saith that these imprecations of the saints were predictions or foretellings as we doo not vtterlie reiect it euen so we saie that it is not necessarie Neither doo we grant that in the execrations of the prophets and of the apostles there were not earnest requests and desires For how could they but desire that which they sawe God had willed and decréed vnlesse peraduenture by request and desire he ment the sense of the flesh or of reason as it is led by mens counsels Last of all this is to be noted that it is not absurd that in one and the selfe-same will of godlie men Contrarie motions in one will of the godlie are contrarie motions sith they happen not in respect of one and the selfe-same thing but in respect of diuers For in that they looke vpon the will and decrée of God and the destruction of sinne and such like they cannot but reioise in the punishments of the wicked but as they looke vpon them being men ioined vnto them by nature of one and the selfe-same flesh and lumpe An example of Samuel toward Saule 1. Sa. 15 11. they are excéedinglie sorrie for their destruction Thus Samuel moorned for Saule being reiected by God as we haue it in the 15. chapter of the first booke of Kings How far it may be lawfull to reioise in our enimies ouerthrowe 25 Wherefore if it be demanded In 2. Sam. 8 verse 10. whether it be lawfull for a man to delite in the miserable state of an enimie first I answer this in generall that for his ruine into sinne Whether it be lawfull to reioise at the destruction of enimies verse 17. not onelie we should not reioise but also we ought earnestlie to lament As touching aduersitie some doubt there may be Salomon saith in the Prouerbes the 24. chapter Reioise not thou at the fall of thine enimie and let not thy hart be glad when he stumbleth least the Lord see it and it displease him and he take awaie his wrath from him How then wilt thou saie did Moses when Pharao was destroied and dead sing that triumphant song Sing we vnto the Lord Exod. 15. and not onelie reioised in mind but also appointed timbrels and danses Some men doo thus distinguish this question That so long as the enimie is afflicted we should not reioise bicause we are vncerteine of the will of God for that euerie man ought to remember that he also is a man and that the selfe-same may happen vnto him that happeneth to another for that no humane thing is strange frō him But when God by the slaughter and destruction of his enimie hath declared his will and purpose then wée ought to reioise Thus haue they said But I saie that when thou doost thus reioise we must sée whether thou séeke thine owne or not thine owne For there be some which onelie haue consideration to their owne and when the enimie is afflicted they thinke that their iniuries be reuenged of God But if thou withdrawe thy mind from these cogitations vnto the glorie of God and considerest that GOD dooth therefore reuenge his owne cause that thine enimie may be bettered that sinne may be hindered that the Gospell be no more disturbed or the word of God repressed then are we to reioise earnestlie and from the hart And in verie déed we must not in this matter take examples from holie men but from the lawe of God For Dauid wept at the death of Absolom 2. Sam. 1 11 2. Sa. 18 33. 2. Sam. 3 32 1. Sa. 25 39. 1. Sa. 15 35. of Abner and of Saule but at the death of Nabal he reioised Samuel moorned for Saule but not for Agag For so doo sundrie affections followe in godlie men according as they be diuerslie stirred vp by the spirit of God In these affections we must altogither séeke not what is for owne profit but what furthereth the saluation of our neighbour and the glorie of God Yea and these two affections are oftentimes ioined in one man For so farre foorth as we sée our enimie is a man humanitie it selfe causeth that we bewaile his calamitie but if on the other part we cast our eies vpon the will of GOD godlinesse requireth that we should reioise in his iudgements In Rom. 11. 26 But there is none to be found of so euill and lewd a nature but a man hauing due consideration may sée some gifts of God in him for he is either actiue or strong or learned or noble In Rom. 12 verse 14. or eloquent or wittie These things though we be prouoked by iniuries we ought not to deface or kéepe in silence if anie oportunitie be offered to speake well of our enimies Aeschines an Ethnike neither dissembled nor diminished before the Rhodians the eloquence of Demosthenes his most professed enimie but rather amplified it as much as he could and recited vnto them that most venemous oration which Demosthenes had written against him and he added that it was nothing without the action and pronuntiation of that Orator 1. Sam. 26 9. Dauid both in words and déeds reuerenced Saule being his enimie for that he was the annointed of the Lord. And the apostle therefore commandeth the same bicause the world iudgeth that man should deale farre otherwise For either it delighteth in curssed speakers and enimies of the truth or it thinketh it an honestie to requite iniuries Vespasianus Wherfore Vespasian when as there arose a contention betwéene a certeine Senator and a knight of Rome did with this sentence appease the strife Doubtlesse to reuile a Senator it is not lawfull but to reuile againe when a man is reuiled that is both lawfull and ciuill for that he which first prouoked did depriue himselfe of the prerogatiue of his honour But Paule commandeth vs farre otherwise for we must not consider what our aduersarie deserueth but what becommeth our owne selues Neither dooth the apostle require onelie that we should speake well of our enimies but also wish well vnto them for so thinke I that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blesse ye is to be taken in the second place as an Antithesis to that which followeth And cursse not Some thinke it is onelie a repetition for the greater vehemencie But I thinke it better agréeth that we are first commanded to speake well of our enimies and then to wish them good and in no wise to cursse them as men commonlie vse to doo And if this séeme a hard matter to be doone let vs remember that We are the children of him
Christ Gal. 3 24. And it is a preacher that sheweth righteousnesse vnto vs and exhorteth vs therevnto and also it sheweth vs most euidentlie vnto what marke we must leuell So that it is not vnprofitable although it cannot be performed to the full Also there be some which aske Whether God haue commanded things vnpossible to be doone Vnto whom we must answer that as touching them which be not borne anew the commandements are vnpossible But if the question be of persons regenerate then either we must vnderstand a full obseruation of the lawe the which as we haue said none can performe or else we must vnderstand an obedience onlie in respect wherof we affirme that the precepts of the lawe are possible to be kept But I will returne to Paule who further wrote in the place now alledged I feele another law in my members Wherby it is gathered that if the lawe of the members striue against the lawe of the mind Rom. 7 23. Paule loued not GOD with all his hart with all his soule and with all his strength Wherevpon he crieth out O vnhappie man that I am c. Ibidem 25. As though through strange motions he was not onelie shaken but in a maner ouerwhelmed by the lawe And he concludeth I serue the lawe Note Ibidem 22. according to the inward man And he sheweth himselfe to be after a sort diuided as he that partlie hath the spirit of God and serueth him and partlie is carnall and obeieth the flesh By these things that I haue alreadie spoken I thinke it now appéereth that they which be borne anew do not fulfill that great commandement Besides this there is none of vs Euen in the godliest works of men there is found some defect vnlesse he will too much flatter himselfe which féeleth not some defect in his actions though they doo séeme good Which might not be if we loued God with all our hart When we shall come to the celestiall habitation then shall our works be actuallie perfect bicause we shall loue God with all our hart Doubtlesse not so much as he is to be beloued for séeing he is incomprehensible our soules which are within limit are not capable of an infinite loue but it shall be sufficient if we will loue him with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strength While we are in this life we cannot go beyond the condition of the apostle who in the third chapter to the Philippians saith Phil. 3 12. Not as though I had alreadie atteined vnto it or were alreadie perfect Neither is there anie doubt but he spake of himselfe being alreadie regenerate And séeing he denieth himselfe to be perfect and saith that he dooth perpetuallie hie himselfe towards the marke which of vs can attribute vnto himselfe a perfect obseruation of the commandements of God But I will followe saith the apostle if I may comprehend that for whose sake I am comprehended of Christ Iesus And to this hath Christ comprehended me that I should run in his waie and euermore be going forward And there is no cause for anie man to cauill that he talketh here of the resurrection For that must be considered which is added to wit that I might knowe Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions while I am made conformable vnto his death Of spirituall resurrection and what it is Neither did anie man doubt that he was not yet risen séeing he was not dead so as he speaketh there of the spirituall resurrection which accompanieth the mortification of naughtie affections and motions This if the godlie had alreadie atteined vnto vpon the earth Psal 143 3. Psal 19 13. Psal 130 3. surelie they would not saie Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant And Who knoweth how often he sinneth Clense me from my secret faults If thou wilt marke what is doone amisse who shall abide it And No flesh shal be iustified in thy sight Moreouer it is verie agréeable vnto godlinesse that both in all our actions and motions we haue néed of the mediator by whome all our defects wherewith we are defiled shal be forgiuen I doo not allow of their interpretation which saie that To loue God with all the hart with all the soule c. Is nothing else but to loue him aboue all things in such sort as we preferre neither our selues nor anie thing else aboue him For I weigh the words of GOD with déepe consideration wherein it is not said Aboue all things but With all the hart with all the soule and with all the strength For it may be that some man loueth God aboue all things and yet loueth him not altogither but that in louing him he is drawen aside by manie impediments and is compelled to wrestle with his owne flesh Wherein the loue of God standeth 7 But wherein the loue of God chieflie consisteth we may by this means knowe bicause as men commonlie saie He is said to be beloued towards whome we both will well and doo well and that verelie not for our owne sakes but for his sake Howbeit we cannot doo good to God séeing he is most perfect and hath no néed of other mens goodnesse But then we loue him when we both desire indeuour that his glorie may be roiallie aduanced And this is it that by his precept we ought to doo with all our heart with all our soule with all our strength Wherin we neuer profit so much but it behoueth vs still to profit much more Wherfore Paul wrote that Our inward man is renewed dailie 2. Cor. 4. verse 16. Where he plainlie teacheth that the reliks of old Adam remaine alwaies in vs the which ought to be clensed that we may fullie at the length be restored I might also adde that saieng of Peter Why doo ye tempt God by laieng a yoke vpon the necks of the disciples A saieng of Peter in the 15. of the Acts expounded verse 10. which neither wee nor our forefathers were able to beare Assuredlie he taught vs by those words that the lawe cannot be borne nor fulfilled without transgressions Neither must we allow of that which some affirme namelie that he ment this touching ceremonies For although this be true yet there followeth thereof a firme conclusion that no more can the table of the tenne commandements be abidden and fulfilled without transgressions sith it is much easier to performe outward rites and ceremonies than to fulfill the preceptes of the tenne commaundementes But besides the reasons now alledged there resteth for vs to consider after what sort Paule to the Corinthians describeth charitie There he writeth on this wise 1. Co. 13 4. A description of Charitie Charitie is not puffed vp it is not prouoked to anger it seeketh not hir owne it suffereth all things it beleeueth all things it indureth all things c. Who is it that performeth all this Verelie no
were annointed is deriued from the Hebrue word Ieschah And why he was so called the angel declared For saith he he shall saue his people from their sinnes This word Christ is a Gréeke word in Hebrue it is called Meschiah that is annointed In old time among the people of GOD kings prophets priests were annointed for verie hard conflicts rest vpon them which are appointed to these offices Wherefore vnder that token they be admonished that they should become like vnto wrestlers if they will doo according to their vocation And no man is ignorant but that the wrestlers were accustomed to annoint the parts of their bodie before they buckled togither Vnction interpreted to be an abundance of the spirit Or else which is a good deale the more likelie by vnction was signified abundance of the spirit with the which these thrée kind of men are indued sith prophets kings and priests in the administration of their functions haue néed of an abundant spirit And that the inspiration of the spirit is in the holie scriptures called vnction we haue no néed to doubt Esaie saith Esai 61 1. The spirit of the Lord vpon mee therefore hath he annointed me Luke 4 18 Which place Christ interpreteth to be written of himselfe so as it néedeth the lesse exposition of vs. And in the psalme by the testimonie of the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 1 9. Psal 45 8. it is spoken as touching our sauiour Therefore hath God thy God annointed thee with oile of gladnesse aboue thy fellowes And in the Acts of the apostles the 10. chapter Acts. 10 38. Peter preached vnto Cornelius the Centurion of Iesus of Nazareth whom God annointed with spirit and with power And in the epistle of Iohn it is written 1. Iohn 2 20 verse 15. The vnction shall teach you in all things Also in the 105. psalme when there was mention made of Abraham Isaac Iacob c it is written Touch not mine annointed And he could not call them annointed so farre as can be gathered of the holie scripture by reason of anie externall and symbolicall vnction wherefore it is wholie to be referred vnto the instinct of the holie spirit Neither must it be passed ouer that our Lord Iesus Christ atteined to so abundant plentifull vnction of the spirit as the same by him floweth also vnto vs which beléeue in him according wherevnto it is written in the second epistle to the Corinthians the first chapter in these words verse 21. It is God surelie that confirmeth vs togither with you in Christ and hath annointed vs who also hath sealed vs and hath giuen the earnest of the spirit in our hearts Whereby it cōmeth to passe that so manie as truelie beléeue are not vnfitlie called both Christs christians 12 But this we must note that those ceremonies of the lawe did vanish by the comming of Christ In 1. Sam. 10. at the beginning Wherefore the papists and some of the fathers also were lead with a certeine false affectation in that they obtruded to vs their annointing Of annointing Looke In 1. King 1 34 c. They would haue that oile of theirs to be set foorth so curiouslie with such pompe and solemnitie as no other sacrament is so highlie commended vnto vs by Christ This is the disposition of men that they alwaies make more account of their owne inuentions than of the commandements of GOD. But these men in their oile doo dreame I cannot tell what more than a marke that cannot be blotted out And yet what the same is they vnderstand not neither being asked be able to teach others what it meaneth But all these things Christ by his comming did abrogate wherefore there is now no néed of oile It is sufficient if ministers be lawfullie chosen that they may with some authoritie teach the people Neither is it now néed for kings and princes to be annointed Looke part 4. pla 1. art 21. But if so be there be anie that at this daie be annointed the whole consideration thereof in my iudgement belongeth to ciuill ordinance not to religion Albeit therein also séemeth to be some false affectation of the Iewes for now we be all annointed and christians and it is sufficient to haue the thing it selfe There is no néed of a signe after that we haue dedicated our name vnto Christ And we are said to be annointed not bicause we be stroked with oile but in respect that we haue atteined vnto that which the oile in old time signified Oftentimes the thing it selfe is put for the signe and the signe also for the thing Christ was neuer annointed with oile Christ was not annointed with oile Esaie 61 1. Psal 105 15 so far as we read and yet Esaie thus writeth of him The holie spirit be vpon me bicause he hath annointed me And in the 105. psalme Dauid saith of Abraham Isaac and Iacob When they were but a few in number and God had led them about defended them and punished kings for their sakes Touch not saith he mine annointed We read not that Abraham Isaac and Iacob were annointed with oile yet bicause they were consecrated for to instruct the people of God they be called Christs and annointed The thing it selfe is vsed for the signe 13 Christ also is called Lord. In Ro. 1. 7. Whie Christ is called Lord. Looke In .1 Cor. 8 6. Which name dooth fitlie agrée with him for all things are giuen vnto him by the father and he hath paied the price for our saluation wherefore he is iustlie called Lord. And we may gather that héereby he obteined this name bicause the Hebrues neuer pronounce the holie name Tetragrammaton written of foure letters which is Iehouah but pronounced by other words that is Elohim and Adonai which signifieth might or dominion Which thing séemed to be the cause that the 70 interpretors when they read this name Tetragrammaton translated it by this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lord. As it appeareth in manie places of the which we will alledge one Psal 110 5. The Lord said vnto my Lord where in the first place is written Iehouah which they translated Lord. So as when Christ is called Lord it is as much as if he had béene called God Although Tertullian against Praxea saith that Christ is called Lord when he is ioined with the father for then the father is called God But and if the sonne being ioined with him should also be called God the Ethniks might thinke that we grant more gods than one Wherefore to withstand their suspicion we make this word Lord an epitheton of the sonne But if we name Iesus Christ by himselfe and alone he is plainlie called God as it appéereth in manie places of the scriptures And he vseth a certeine similitude A similitude As a beame of the sunne when we make mention of it by it selfe we call it the sunne and we saie that
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
The will being changed of God is not idle The regenerate doo worke togither with God Neither doo I speake these things as though the will being changed by God should become idle and doo nothing for being restored it must worke togither with grace according to that which Barnard speaketh of frée will that the same which is begun by the one be perfourmed by both For then we are not onlie mere men or naked but are made also the sonnes of God and haue added vnto vs the motion of the holie Ghost And Paule saith vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 3 17. that The man of God taught in the holie scriptures is now apt and meet vnto all good things 13 But men are woont to saie and commonlie to boast Whether the grace of God be laid abroad to all men that the grace of God is laid foorth to all men wherefore if the same be not imbraced the fault is in our selues for that euerie man may atteine to it if he will This cloud we must rid awaie by some short discourse Indéed we may grant that after this sort grace is set abroad vnto all men bicause the generall promises of God are offered and preched indifferently to all men Neither doo the preachers which publish those promises sticke anie thing about the secret will of God or else thinke this with themselues Peraduenture this man is not predestinate or I shall further nothing by my trauell they imagine no such thing but they propound the word of God to all men generallie By this meanes the grace and calling of God may be said to be common vnto all men Howbeit when as anie man receiueth the promises of God offered When a man receiueth grace he dooth it not by the power of his owne will Acts. 16 15. A similitude he dooth it not by his owne power or will for of necessitie his hart must be opened which thing Luke in the Acts testifieth of the woman that sould purple For all men are not effectuallie called and according to the purpose of God But these men séeme to feigne to themselues a grace as it were some garment hanging in the aire which euerie man may put on that will But these be the deuises of mans wisedome the holie scriptures speake otherwise They be woont also to distinguish grace on this wise A grace working and a grace working togither Phil. 2 13. that there is grace working and a grace that worketh togither from which distinction Augustine differeth not for the same séemeth to be taken out of the words of the apostle It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe Wherefore working grace is that which at the beginning healeth the will and changeth it then afterward it bringeth to passe that the same being being changed and healed it dooth rightlie and first indéed it is called a working grace afterward a grace working togither And this is all one grace and not two graces A grace working working togither is all one grace but the distinction is taken from the effects of the same For first the will when it is healed it concurreth with grace passiuelie for the same is said to be changed and we are said to be regenerated but afterward it behaueth it selfe both actiuelie and passiuelie for when it is vrged forward by God it also willeth and chooseth And in this sense that is true which is written to the Hebrues Take heed that ye fall not awaie from the grace of God for being regenerate Heb. 14 15. we ought not to sit idle but to worke liue according to the grace which dooth accompanie vs. But those doo excéedinglie erre which iudge that the verie will it selfe can will good things The will of it selfe cannot will good things and that by grace the spirit is onlie wrought to will effectuallie and that those things which are willed may be obteined This as I haue alreadie shewed is contrarie vnto the scriptures They demand further whether we deserue anie thing by that first grace Indéed our aduersaries affirme that we do howbeit it we denie the same and altogither reiect the consideration of merit and for how iust causes we doo the same it shall be more fit to declare eleswhere We confesse doubtlesse that God is woont of his liberalitie and mercie to grant benefits after benefits but we grant not for all this that each first gift of God can deserue other latter gifts Each first gift of God deserueth not the latter gifts Matt. 25 29. Ibidem 35. And so much those places be vnderstood in the gospell To him that hath shall be giuen And Go to good seruant bicause thou hast been faithfull in few things I will set thee ouer manie things 14 Besides this they diuide grace into grace preuenting and grace after following which diuision Augustine séemeth to allow Grace preuenting and after following Psal 59 11. by the words of Dauid in the 59. psalme His mercie shall preuent me and his mercie shall followe me Howbeit this distinction must be so admitted as it is ment of one and the same grace and the diuersitie consisteth in the effects For there be manie and sundrie gifts It is one verie grace but it varieth in the effects The order of the effects of grace with the which the mercie of God dooth garnish vs for first our will is healed and the same being healed it beginneth to will well afterward those things that it willeth well it beginneth to execute finallie it continueth in dooing well and last of all it is crowned Wherefore grace preuenteth our will in healing of it the verie same followeth in bringing to passe that those things which be right may please It preuenteth that we may will it followeth in driuing vs to performe those things that we will it preuenteth by moouing vs to good works it followeth by giuing of perseuerance it preuenteth by giuing perseuerance it followeth after by crowning of the same And euen as it is one and the same light of the sunne A similitude which nourisheth and prepareth the earth to receiue séed and that maketh the same to growe when it is committed to the earth and being growne vp cherisheth them that they may beare fruit euen so it is all one grace of God which both commeth before the will and also which followeth after Also Augustine saith Grace preuenteth that we may be healed it followeth after that we may be quickened it preuenteth that we may be called it followeth that we may be glorified Wherefore they iudge amisse which thinke that grace preuenting is a certeine common motion wherewith God knocketh at the harts of men inuiting them to liue well as though it were in mans hand either to come or refuse when grace inuiteth No lesse doo they erre which iangle in the Schooles that it is one grace which is fréelie giuen It behooueth that all grace be giuen freelie Rom. 11 6.
formes thereof Also they obiect that charitie hath therfore the nature of a forme bicause it is the end of the precept and whatsoeuer is done without that cannot please God but is condemned as sinne But if this argument be of force wée also will prooue thereby that faith is the forme of other vertues Rom. 14 23. séeing Paule hath said Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Out of the which sentence Augustine in his 4. booke and 4. chap. against Iulian taught that all the workes of the infidels are sinnes These men also bring the saieng of Iames Iames. 2 22. that Faith is made perfect by workes the which maketh nothing against vs for it onlie teacheth that faith is then perfect when it worketh Euen as the Philosophers teach that a forme is not perfect when it is taken as the first act for so they speake but when it is respected as a second act for in working it putteth foorth his strength declareth it selfe Wherefore wée grant How faith is made perfect by workes that after this maner faith is made perfect by workes not that it is either increased or made more earnest by the vertue of workes but through the more effectuall operation of the holie Ghost the which in working declareth it selfe but in time of idlenes laie hid And this is not the propertie of charitie alone but is common vnto all other vertues for vnto this end are vertues giuen vnto the mind that out of them actions might be drawen 30 Moreouer they saie that charitie is therefore the forme of faith bicause by it is the first beginning whereby the godly are known from the wicked And this they prooue by that place of the Gospell where Christ is brought in to saie at the daie of iudgement I was hungrie Mat. 25 35. and ye fed me I thirsted and ye gaue me drinke c. Vnto these things wée answer that the discerning and knowledge of things is sometimes had by the causes by the beginnings of them which they commonlie call A priori that is The knowledge of things commeth partly by the beginnings and partlie by the effects By that which went before and an other is vnderstood by the effects and properties which they name A posteriori to wit By that which cōmeth after Wherfore I willingly admit that charitie is that whereby the godly are discerned from the wicked by the latter knowledge and by the effects but this knowledge pertaineth to vs. Christ otherwise without the same very well knoweth them that be his and setteth them apart namelie by election and predestination the which be in a maner the beginnings causes of our saluation Wherefore that knowledge is had by the effects out of the forme of things which they take as granted we must not grant Neither is there anie doubt but in the last iudgment the saints shall be discerned from the wicked by the workes and effects according as the words which these men bring doo declare The sentence of the last iudgement Ibidem 34. Howbeit if they will haue respect vnto those wordes which the iudge pronounced before time when he said Come ye blessed of my father take the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world they shall easilie vnderstand that there is a more noble excellent knowledge set forth of saluation to be giuen than that knowledge which is afterward added through workes As for the forme of faith if anie shuld be brought in which properly is not lawfull to be done The spirit if anie thing be should be the forme of faith the same should be the spirit For we haue faith according to the portion thereof the more there is of the spirit the more ample faith is present and the more scarsitie there is of the spirit the weaker is faith How Faith excelleth Charitie and so likewise on the contrarie 31 Now lastly there remaineth to sée wherein faith is preferred before charitie and againe what is attributed vnto charitie rather than vnto faith First vnto faith iustification is agréeable the which we affirme ought not to be granted vnto charitie for while we liue here Why faith iustifieth and not charitie charitie is alwaies vnperfect Therefore we cannot in respect of the iudgement of God cleaue either vnto charitie or vnto the good workes which procéed from the same in respect of being iustified and absolued by them Further in the epistles of Paule to the Romans and to the Galathians it is most plainly declared that We be iustified by faith and not by workes The verie which thing the nature as well of faith as of charitie if it be well considered dooth shew for faith dooth further the mind of godlie men toward Christ and toward the vnderstanding and admitting of the promises made concerning him which thing is manifest to be done by the assent of the mind and while that we knowe or vnderstand anie thing the very same we receiue into our selues But on the contrarie part the office of charitie is that it may prouoke and driue the will to shew foorth in action and expresse in sight of the world that which the mind hath receiued And this herein consisteth that those things which we haue we impart and communicate them with others And séeing to iustified is to receiue righteousnesse by imputation it may sufficientlie appéere that the same commeth rather by faith than by charitie Herevnto must be added that if we should appoint charitie to be that whereby righteousnes is comprehended it ought to be granted that we when we returne into fauour with God are not enimies as the epistle to the Romans teacheth For charitie maketh the fréends of God Rom. 5 10. whom soeuer it adorneth and None dooth loue God but he hath first beene belooued of him Wherefore faith in this is to be preferred before charitie that we are by faith iustified We may adde those things Charitie is ingendred of faith not faith of charitie Charitie followeth the measure of faith which we recited before namelie that charitie is ingendred of faith but on the other side not faith of charitie Besides this charitie followeth the measure of faith and is estéemed to be the measure thereof As Gregorie said that So much as we loue so much we beléeue 32. Those things which we haue now recited are more agréeable vnto faith than vnto charitie now let vs sée what things charitie dooth chalenge vnto it aboue faith First it indureth euen in the life to come at which time faith shall haue no place And that is it that faith bringeth vs no cléere knowlege 1. Co. 13 12. but an obscure for now we knowe darkelie and in part but the knowledge which we shall haue in the kingdome of heauen shall be throughlie perfect Wherefore faith shall giue place to a better state but charitie shall most of all appere in the world to come as well towards God as towards
3. Ye be dead and your life is hidden with Christ in God and when as Christ your life shall appeare then shall ye also appeare with him in glorie Inheritance defined Inheritance as it is defined by the Lawyers is a succession into the whole right of the man that is dead And may this appeare to be but a small matter to be made partakers of the whole right of God 2. Pet. 1 4. Certainlie Peter saith that We be made partakers of the diuine nature Here Ambrose noted that it is not in this matter as we commonlie sée it come to passe in the world for it behooueth that the testator die before the successor can come to the inheritance God dieth not and yet may we enter into his inheritance But God dieth not naie rather we that be appointed to be his heires doo die first before possession can be deliuered vnto vs. Christ also first died before he came vnto the glorie which was appointed for him An heire is counted one person with him that ordaineth him Iohn 17 21. Moreouer as touching ciuill lawes the heire is counted one and the selfe-same person with him that maketh him heire Euen so we through Christ are streictlie knit togither with God so as we are now one togither with him according as Christ praied That they may be one as thou and I are one for all things are ours We obtaine this inheritance freely and we are Christs Christ is Gods This inheritance obtaine we fréelie by the spirit of Christ Wherfore the bishops of Rome and their champions the Cardinals and false bishops doo wickedlie which haue shut vp this inheritance of remission of sinnes and accesse vnto the kingdome of God vnder their counterfet keies that they at their owne pleasure might sell the same and either thrust down to hell or send vp to heauen whom they list themselues The description of Christian Hope in the 5. chapter to the Romans verse 5. Looke In Rom. 8 25. and 1. Cor. 13 at the end A chaine Hope and faith haue one and the same propertie not to make ashamed 42 As concerning hope this is a notable chaine and an excellent connexion of christian degrées Of this chaine the first linke is fastned to the post of afflictions in this life from thence the godlie ascend to patience from patience to experience and from experience to hope which hope forsomuch as it maketh not ashamed but without doubting attaineth vnto God which is our principall felicitie is fastened vnto him as vnto the highest linke of the chaine This verie propertie of not confounding belongeth also vnto faith for None that beleeue in him shall be confounded and that for good cause for what can be of more néere a kinne vnto faith than hope The Latine interpreter turneth it Non confundit that is Confoundeth not Howbeit it might be properlie turned Non pudefacit that is Maketh not ashamed A figuratiue speech And it is a figuratiue kind of spéech for Paules mind was to signifie that the godlie cannot be frustrated of their hope for they which are frustrated namelie when things fall out farre otherwise than they hoped for are commonlie ashamed Wherefore Paule by shame vnderstandeth frustration bicause shame alwaies followeth it But the Latine interpreter had respect to that perturbation of the mind which followeth shame for To confound is nothing els but To perturbe or trouble Now if this sentence be true as in déed it is most true namelie Hope dependeth not of our works that this Hope confoundeth not it followeth that the same dependeth not of our workes for otherwise it would oftentimes faile But that it is true certaine Paule declareth not by one word onlie but by thrée and those of great efficacie For first he vseth this woord Knowing Hope is most assured which betokeneth an assured knowledge of a thing He maketh mention also of Reioising which cannot haue place among godlie and wise men but in those things which they assuredlie and firmelie possesse Last of all he addeth that Hope maketh not ashamed And it is not without cause that he oftentimes induceth persuasions of this certaintie bicause from thence chieflie is consolation to be sought for in afflictions When Christ did hang vpon the crosse the wicked railed against him saieng He hoped in God let him saue him Mat. 27 43. if he will haue him let him come downe from the crosse c. The self-same things are laid against vs not onlie by outward enimies but also by our flesh our outward senses and by humane wisdome How can we resist these but by this doctrine of the apostle Hope confoundeth not A remedie against railing speeches The hope which we haue put in the Lord will not make ashamed 43 The Sophisters labour to prooue that hope springeth of merits bicause Paule saith it springeth of patience as though we shuld thinke that hope were giuen to vs by the merit of patience Hope dependeth not of merits But in the mean time they marke not that those things which Paule here by a certaine order disposeth are not so compared the one to the other as causes effects For who will saie that afflictions are the causes of patience And if they be not so why should they more affirme that patience is the cause of hope The scripture most expresselie teacheth Ierem 17 5. that He which putteth confidence in man or in anie creature is accursed for a man of whose promise we depend and assure our selues may either die or alter his mind or els be let that he cannot faithfullie performe that which he promised and to haue confidence in him either for merit sake or by reason of good works is to settle our hope in man wherefore such hope worthilie maketh ashamed But the hope which is fixed vpon God is certeine neither can it be deceiued The Sophisters craftilie go about to auoid this sentence by twoo places of Paule Rom. 8 37. 2. Tim. 1 12. the one to the Romans and the other to Timothie The place to Timothie is thus I knowe whom I haue beleeued and am certeine And the other to the Romans is thus I am assured that neither death nor life nor angels c. By these places they thinke to ouerthrowe the proofe which we haue made bicause they thinke that these words are to be vnderstood not vniuersallie of all beléeuers but onelie of Paule and such other like who had it peculiarlie reuealed vnto them that they should atteine vnto saluation Here is intreated of the nature of hope generallie But these their enterprises are in vaine for here is now intreated of the nature and propertie of hope whereby is manifestlie prooued that all they which are indued with it are sure of their saluation so that they must néeds confesse that they which doubt of their saluation either haue not the hope which belongeth to a christian He
iustification then come through workes The .34 reason Further there is no doubt but that iustification commeth of the good will and fauour of God séeing by it men are receiued into grace adopted to be his children and made heires of eternall life But such as before iustification are occupied in the workes of the lawe are bound vnder the curse so farre is it off that they should haue the fruition of the fauour of God For the apostle addeth As manie as are vnder the lawe vers 10. are vnder the curse But to the end we should not thinke this to be his owne inuention he saith As it is written Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the lawe After this he argueth from the time I speake after the maner of men The .35 reason though it be but a mans testament yet if it be allowed vers 15. no man reiecteth it or addeth anie thing thereto Moreouer vnto Abraham were the promises made and vnto his seed he saith not to his seedes as speaking of manie but to thy seed as of one which is Christ This I doo saie that the lawe which began afterward beyond .430 yeeres dooth not disanull the testament that was before confirmed of God vnto Christ-ward to make the promises of none effect First saith he The testament of God and the first promise offereth iustification without works wherefore the testament confirmed receiued and allowed is not restrained by the lawe which was so long time afterward giuen If there had beene a lawe giuen The .36 reason vers 21. which could haue giuen life then should righteousnes haue beene of the lawe This reason of the apostle is not full for there must be added the deman of the antecedent namelie That the lawe can not giue life For as it is declared vnto the Romans It was weakened through the flesh although as touching it selfe it conteined commandementes which perteined vnto life Wherefore séeing it is for certeine that the lawe can not giue life no more can it likewise iustifie But before that faith came we were kept vnder the lawe The .37 reason vers 23. and were shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith If the lawe be as it were a schoolemaister then should we doo great iniurie vnto God and to Christ which are vnto vs in stéed of parents if we should ascribe vnto the schoolemaister that which is proper vnto them It is not the schoolemaister which maketh vs heires which adopteth vs which giueth vs all things but it is the father wherefore let vs ascribe our iustification vnto God and vnto Christ and not vnto the lawe nor vnto workes nor to our merits Tell me The .38 reason Gala. 4 21. ye that would so faine be vnder the lawe doo ye not heare what the lawe saith For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of an handmaiden an other of a freewoman and he which came of the handmaiden was borne according to the flesh but he which came of the freewoman was borne according to promise which thinges are spoken by an allegorie For these are two testaments the one from the mount Sina which ingendreth vnto bondage the which is Agar for Agar is mount Sina in Arabia and is ioined vnto the citie which is now called Ierusalem and it is in bondage with hir children but Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all In these words this thing is chéeflie to be noted that the lawe ingendreth not but vnto bondage as Agar did But if by the works therof it could iustifie it should ingender to libertie for what thing else is iustification than a certeine libertie frō sinne But forsomuch as it is both called a seruant and gendreth to bondage we ought not then by it to looke for iustification In the fift chapter it is written verse 2. The 39. reason verse 3. If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothing profit you And he brings a reason of the said sentence For that man saith he which is circumcised is debter to keepe the whole lawe So much dooth Paule take iustification from circumcision and works as he saith that Christ nothing profiteth them in case they will be circumcised after they beléeue And still he more stronglie confirmeth that which was said The 40. reason Christ is come in vaine vnto you for if ye haue iustification as the fruit of your works then the comming death and bloud-shedding of Christ should not haue beene necessarie verse 11. And I if I yet preach circumcision whie doo I suffer persecution Then is the offense of the crosse abolished The offense and slander of the crosse is that men being wicked and otherwise sinners are by God counted iust through Christ crucified and by faith in him Here the flesh is offended here dooth reason vtterlie resist which thing happeneth not when iustification is preached to come of works whether they be ceremoniall or morall But God would haue this offense to remaine bicause it pleaseth him 1. Cor. 1 21. by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beléeue verse 1. The 41. reason 16 Vnto the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is written And ye when ye were dead in trespasses and sinnes in which in time past ye walked according to the course of this world euen after the gouernor that ruleth in the aire and the spirit that now worketh in the children of vnbeliefe among whom we also had our conuersation in time past in the lust of the flesh and fulfilled the will of the flesh and of the mind and as it is in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our thoughts were by nature the children of wrath euen as others are Let vs note in these words that men at the beginning before they come to Christ are dead in sinne and therfore are not able to helpe themselues to liue and to be iustified Who euer sawe that a dead man could helpe himselfe Further by those words is shewed that they were in the power of the prince of darkenes which worketh and is puissant in the children of vnbeliefe Séeing therefore they were gouerned by him how could they by their works tend to iustification And bicause we should not thinke that he spake onlie of some other certeine vngodlie persons he addeth All we comprehending also the apostles in the number Among them saith he we were And what did we then We were conuersant in the lusts of our flesh And to the end we might vnderstand that these lusts were not onelie the wicked affections of the grosser part of the soule it followeth We doing the will of the flesh and of the mind or of reason did followe also the thoughts or inuentions of human reason If we were all such from whence then commeth saluation and
folks now liuing and our members the weapons of righteousnesse to sanctification 20 These things which we haue rehearsed and the rest which followeth euen in a maner to the end of the chapter séeme they to perteine vnto the ceremonies of Moses or rather to a iust sincere and morall life The matter is so plaine as there néedeth no question therein yet those things which are written in the seuenth chapter Rom. 6 5. be yet much more manifest The affections saith he which are in the members had force by the lawe to bring forth fruit vnto death But what other thing are these affections than lusts filthie desires anger hatred and enuie which affections are rehersed to the Galathians Gal. 5 19. in the catalog where the works of the flesh are separated from the works of the spirit And there is no doubt but that all these things perteine vnto the ten commandements Which thing the better to vnderstand Rom. 7 7. Paule addeth What shall we saie then Is the lawe sin God forbid But I had not knowne sinne but by the lawe for I knew not what lust ment vnlesse the lawe had said Thou shalt not lust Also The lawe in deed is holie the commandement is holie verse 12. iust and good Againe The lawe indeed is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sin for that which I do I allow not for the good which I would I doo not but the euill which I would not that I doo wherfore it is not I now that worke it but sin which dwelleth in me for there dwelleth no good in me that is in my flesh I haue a delight in the lawe of God as touching the inward man but I feele another lawe in my members resisting the lawe of the mind Oh vnhappie man that I am Who shall deliuer me from the lawe of sinne and of death Wherfore in mind I serue the lawe of God but in flesh the lawe of sinne Whosoeuer shall diligentlie weigh all these testimonies shall easilie sée that the apostle wholie speaketh of the ten commandements whereof also he plainlie maketh mention in these words Rom. 8 3. But the words which afterward followe in the eight chapter namelie That which was impossible vnto the lawe insomuch as it was weake by meanes of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of flesh subiect vnto sinne for sinne condemned sinne in the flesh These words I saie cannot be expounded of the lawe of ceremonies and much lesse that which followeth in the same chapter verse 12. We are debters not vnto the flesh that we should liue according to the flesh for if ye liue according to the flesh ye shall die but if by the spirit ye doo mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall liue Neither canne this be referred vnto ceremonies no more than that can be Gal. 3 19. which is written to the Galathians The lawe was giuen bicause of transgression for where there is no lawe there is also no transgression And it is certeine that neither boasting can be excluded neither can the promise be firme if our iustification should depend of the obseruation of the ten commandements and of the morall precepts howsoeuer thou take awaie the rites and ceremonies of Moses But much more firme is that place out of the eleuenth chapter of the epistle to the Romans And if it be of works Rom. 11 6. then it is not of grace if of grace then is it not of works This Antithesis is vniuersall neither can it by anie meanes be applied vnto ceremonies Phil. 3 6. I will not speake of that also which Paule writeth vnto the Philippians how that he besides those precepts of Moses liued also without blame as touching the righteousnes which is of the lawe Ephesi 2 9. For that which he writeth vnto the Ephesians the second chapter Not of works least anie man should boast he writeth vnto the Gentiles Wherfore those works which he excludeth from iustification cannot be vnderstood of ceremonies for the Gentils obserued them not 2. Tim. 1 9. But what will they saie of the epistle to Timothie where in the first chapter we are plainlie absolutelie said to be called not for our works Titus 3 1. but according to purpose and grace Also to Titus He hath saued vs saith he not by the works of righteousnes which we haue don but according to his mercy 21 All these things are so plaine and manifest that they néed not anie interpretation For there is no man so dull but that as soone as he once heareth these things he easilie perceiueth how that they can not without great iniurie be wrested to the ceremonies rites of Moses But I would faine knowe of these men why they take awaie the power of iustifieng from the works of ceremonies and doo so easilie attribute it vnto our morall works Is it not a point of good and laudable maners to worship God with certeine appointed rites which God hath commanded Were not the rites holie seruices which were at that time prescribed vnto the people of the Iewes commanded in the ten commandements Vndoubtedlie where the saboath is commanded to be obserued there are these things conteined And euen these selfe-same Sophisters doo they not at this daie attribute the forgiuenesse of sinnes and bestowing of grace vnto their sacraments The constancie of the Sophisters as in the old testament they were attributed vnto circumcision What maner of new constancie is this one while to saie that the rites of Moses had no power to iustifie and an other while to grant that the same were sacraments of the old fathers and that in circumcision originall sinne was forgiuen vnto infants But this affirme not we naie rather we vtterlie denie that anie sacraments bestowe grace Sacraments giue not anie grace they doo in déed offer grace but yet by signification For in the sacraments and in the words and visible signes is set foorth vnto vs the promise of God made through Christ which promise if we take hold of by faith we both obteine a greater grace than that was which before we had and also with the seale of the sacraments wée seale the gift of God which by faith we embraced But I cannot inough maruell at these men which both affirme and also denie one and the selfe-same thing An other cauillation They answer in déed but not with anie great aduisednes as their accustomed maner is that they vtterlie take not awaie from the sacraments of the elder fathers and chieflie from circumcision the strength of iustifieng but onelie from the time that the gospell was published abroad of which onlie time as they saie the disputation which Paule had to prooue that the rites of Moses should be no more reteined did arise But here also according to their accustomed maner they are both deceiued themselues and also they deceiue others Rom. 4 10. For séeing
fact We knowe that in those daies it was lawfull to vow but what is to be thought of this act nothing can be gathered by the words It may be that he so vowed by the inspiration of God which being a particular example it ought not to be extended to imitation as of this kind there be verie manie in the holie scriptures Some there be which affirme Whether Ieptha sacrificed his daughter that Ieptha did not offer his daughter in verie déed but onelie punished hir with ciuill death namelie in separating hir from the common conuersation so that she liued onelie vnto God by giuing hir selfe to praiers onelie and by liuing apart from the companie of men And they séeme to affirme that that was the vow Cherem howbeit no such as thereby the maiden should be bound to be killed but that she should liue as dedicated vnto God and continuallie giue hir selfe to his seruice And euen as a féeld or house dedicated by the vow Cherem The vow Cherem could not be reuoked to the first owner so saie they this maiden being once dedicated vnto the Lord could not returne vnto hir old state Dauid Kimhi in defending of this sentence bringeth these reasons First he weigheth the words of Ieptha Iude. 11 31. Whatsoeuer commeth foorth of my house shal be the Lords and I will offer it for a burnt offering This letter Vau being a coniunction copulatiue as we said in our commentarie he thinks dooth make a proposition alternatiue as if it should haue béene said If it be such a thing as may be sacrificed it shall be sacrificed but if it be otherwise it shal be the Lords and be dedicated vnto him Ibidem 37. Further he saith that the maiden desired space to bewaile hir virginitie neither is it written To bewaile hir soule or life Wherefore it séemeth that she bewailed onelie this to wit that she should want a husband and children but if she should haue béene offered vp it behooued hir chéeflie to lament for hir life Lastlie he saith verse 39. that the woords of the storie declare it for it is not said that Ieptha sacrificed hir but that he did as he vowed If he had killed hir it would haue béen written And he offered hir a burnt offering to the Lord. Of the same opinion is Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson and he addeth that it is written in the text Rabbi Leui Ben-Gerson And she knew no man As though it should be vnderstood hereby what kind of sacrifice that was And he thinketh that Ieptha builded a house for hir where she should liue alone and he permitted her fellow virgins once a yeare to go and visit hir and to bewaile hir virginitie togither with hir And afterward he addeth that a man so dedicated ought not to liue without a wife bicause the man is not subiect vnto the wife Samuel although he were vowed vnto the Lord by the decrée of his mother yet had he a wife and children But a woman being so dedicated might not marrie bicause it was necessarie that she shuld serue hir husband who remoouing anie whither she was to go togither with him And therefore it is written that Ieptha did to hir acording to his vow she knew no man 15 Of the same mind is Lyranus and there be among the new writers some of great learning which followe this interpretation Lyra. But Lyranus pondereth these words And the spirit of the Lord came vpon him and saith that That spirit would not haue suffered Ieptha Ibidem 29. to haue cōmitted this murder Besides he saith that it is written that there were two moneths space giuen so that he might aske counsell of the priests And it is not verie likelie verse 39 but that he asked counsell of so weightie a matter or else that they told him that he might redéeme his vow Neither is it probable that this Ieptha appointed to doo anie thing rashlie séeing the epistle to the Hebrues calleth him holie If thou wilt saie He did vnto hir as he had vowed Heb. 11 32. but he vowed a sacrifice and to offer whatsoeuer met him they will answer He vowed indéed but vpon this condition so that it were lawfull But when his daughter met him either he learned or else he vnderstood that it was not lawfull Wherefore if he had killed hir he had not accomplished his vow but should haue dishonested himselfe But on the contrarie part it séemeth woonderfull that he was so abashed and he tare his garments if the maiden should not haue béene offered vp Further to what end should the virgins haue lamented hir For if she should not haue béene slaine there séemed to be no iust cause of moorning Ouer this if hir virginitie was to be offered vnto God it should haue béene giuen with a willing mind Yea and in the rendering of vowes this is chéeflie to be regarded What must be cheeflie regarded in vowes that they must be paid chéerfullie and with a willing mind Herevnto Ieptha had no example in the scriptures whereby it should be lawfull for the father to bind his daughter by a vow to kéepe hir virginitie but contrariwise God promiseth abundance of children vnto the obseruers of the lawe in the seuenth of Deuteronomie Deut. 7. 13. Exod. 23 26 and 23. of Exodus So then that which GOD promiseth in sted of a great benefit the same might not be hindered by a vow Moreouer the arguments of the Rabbins are slender and weake as afterward shall be more abundantlie declared Paule writeth in his first epistle to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 37. If the father shall firmelie determine in his hart hauing power ouer his owne will to keepe his virgine vnmarried he dooth well c. Wherefore writeth he Hauing power ouer his owne will If the maiden hir selfe will the father may kéepe hir vnmarried so that she consent But Ieptha knew nothing of his daughters will when he vowed and then he ought not to thinke his vow to be ratified when his daughter came out to méet him And if this kind of vow should not be firme in the new testament much lesse was it of value in the old testament where the vow of virginitie was not knowne But of this matter I haue spoken more in my booke of vowes 16 There were others which thought that Ieptha did in verie déed offer the maiden which in those daies should not séeme so new and vnaccustomed a thing for God required of Abraham that he should offer his sonne Gen. 22 2. And such a vow was thought of manie to be acceptable vnto God and that opinion also did passe vnto the Ethniks wherefore this sentence is oftentimes spoken Sanguine placâstis ventos virgine caesa that is With bloud and with a virgine slaine The winds ye haue appeasd certaine There are works of poets which make mention of Polyxena and Iphigenia and also histories of the Curtij
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
but that was when he knew his houre to be come who notwithstanding did oftentimes flie at other times when the time of his death was not come Euen so likewise should one of vs do if he were certeine of the will of the Lord to wit that the same daie and houre were come vnto him he should not prouide for himselfe to flie Neither doo we admit that which is againe inferred namelie he that flieth praieth not as Christ did who required that the cup might be taken from him yet in the meane time he staied but he that goeth his waie indeuoureth to rid himselfe of the cup neither dooth he expect to obteine of the Lord. As who should saie that he in flieng would preuent the prouidence of God which he will not preuent but indeuoureth to followe and he accompanieth the hand of the Lord that leadeth him 27 But this séemeth somwhat to helpe them that the apostles in their epistles when as they wrote vnto the churches and not onelie made mention of wholesome precepts Why the apostles gaue no precept of flieng awaie but perpetuallie beate them into the eares of the faithfull they neuer spake anie thing of this precept That we should flie But why they so did these reasons may be alledged forsomuch as of that matter there can be nothing absolutelie commanded For euerie man as I haue alreadie said must examine and make triall of himselfe when he taketh in hand to flie awaie Furthermore that which nature hath planted in all liuing creatures hath no néed continuallie to be driuen into mens remembrance séeing they are prone enough vnto these things of themselues Certeinlie while they doo not forbid such necessarie things vnto life as these be they are vnderstood to permit them Neither is this waie of argument of much efficacie for we ought somtime to doo manie things which they doo not make mention of Sometimes we ought not to obeie our parents naie rather they must be forsaken Otherwhile we ought not to be at the commandement of the magistrate and oftentimes men ought to be slaine which things neuerthelesse the apostles neuer commanded to be doone Whereas also they cite the saieng in Iohn that The soule must be giuen for the brethren 1. Ioh. 3 16. it is true but that must be When the soule must be put for the brethren when we sée that the same will be profitable vnto them and that the not giuing of the same should in reason be an offense vnto them or else that if we should flie they might be without the office of a pastor But if these things doo not concur it would not be counted a giuing for the brethren but a rash spoiling of our life 28 They discourage men also from flieng awaie bicause Charitie driueth out feare Iohn 4 18. as the same apostle testifieth Which saieng is not so to be vnderstood as though there were no feare in a man that is indued with charitie but therby he is not driuen to doo that which he dooth A man indued with charitie dooth also feare neither is he that flieth mooued therevnto by feare Yea and strong men as Aristotle saith be not without feare but they so temper the same as through it they commit no shamefull act Doubtles charitie excludeth not the feare of God bicause they that flie are afraid to offend if they should tempt him by tarieng naie rather where charitie dooth most flourish there the feare of God taketh most place And when the Gréeke verse is obiected against them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to saie A man that flieth will fight againe they dallie herewith saieng Naie rather he flieth not to fight againe but to flie againe But how fondlie this is spoken Act. 9 25. Paule testifieth who being let downe through the wall in a basket fled to Damascus Act. 21 10. but afterward when as Agabus prophesied of manie and bitter things that were prepared for him to suffer at Ierusalem and that the brethren had praied him that he would not go but would withdrawe him selfe from the danger he was not remooued from his purpose of going And Christ declareth the verie same who oftentimes fled and afterward as ye your selues obiect he came to méet his persecutors setting apart the helpe of the angels and of his disciples 29 After this ye will confirme your saieng with a little verse of Maro Vsque adebue turpe mori Is it so shamefull a thing to die As though we were ignorant that death in his owne nature is a thing neither dishonest nor honest for the one and the other commeth thervnto according as it is forced by the end or beginning Honestie and dishonestie of christian actions must be discerned by the word and by the spirit And now as touching the saieng of our Sauiour Ioh. 10 13. The hireling flieth when he seeth the woolfe in the tenth of Iohn of the hireling that séeth the woolfe and flieth we haue alreadie interpreted the same when as we shewed by the saieng of Augustine that it is not the part of pastors to flie Albeit Augustine vpon Iohn interpreteth this saieng of Christ that by flieng we should vnderstand the holding of our peace namelie touching them which dare not reprehend the shéepe committed to their charge which be worthie of blame nor yet excommunicate them which ought to be excommunicated namelie when the pastor dooth not deale fréelie in his ministerie Christ called him selfe a good shepheard for he spared not the Scribes and Pharisies although he were therfore brought in danger of his life 1. Cor. 5 3. Paule did boldlie reprooue excommunicate not onelie being present but also while he was absent This dares not a hireling doo bicause he séeketh his owne for he feareth least he should loose the fauor friendship of men especiallie of great and noble personages which things a verie hireling hath speciall regard vnto who in all things attendeth for a temporall reward Wherefore in Augustines iudgement that pastor flieth which holdeth his peace at such things as ought to be reprooued This séemeth good to be added that those things which we haue disputed concerning pastors should be vnderstood of them when they willinglie withdrawe them selues from their flocke but not if they be forciblie cast out by tyrants And we saie that Tertullian may be excused either bicause he perhaps wrote vnto the minister and pastor of the church Or else he speaketh hyperbolicallie whereby he might incourage the minds of men in his time when persecution did most abound Or else he wrote these things when as yet he was inclined to the heresie of Montanus ¶ Of flight in persecution looke the first second and fourth epistles at the end of this booke VVhether Dauid did well in that through feare of Saule he fled vnto the Philistines and what we are to doo if we should fall into the like troubles In 1 Sam. verse 27. 30 How then wilt thou
this last state doo we confesse our soules to be after this life doo aptlie interprete the saiengs of the elder fathers to wit that the saints haue not as yet full felicitie and perfect reward for they desire the resurrection Which desire notwithstanding of theirs séeing it is in them without trouble it is no hindrance to their tranquillitie Neither is the argument which they sometime vse of anie weight Matt. 25 34. namelie that the elect shall in the daie of iudgement be called to the possession of the kingdome of God for it is not thereby prooued that they are now altogether without the same for they haue it now begun but they shall haue it then fullie perfect and manifest vnto all men 1. Co. 15 24 And shall not God the father be said at the last daie to receiue the kingdome of the sonne Who will affirme for this cause that he dooth not now reigne He reigneth vndoubtedlie although he haue manie enimies against him neither is his kingdome euident and famous vnto all men These be principall and plaine testimonies which we haue brought against this same error The 4. reason Eccle. 12 7. 22 Whereto we may adde that which Salomon hath at the end of Ecclesiastes The dust shal be turned againe into the earth from whence it came and the spirit shall returne vnto God who made it The 5. reason If it returne vnto God it is not to be sent awaie by him And Christ said that It is the will of the father Iohn 6. 39. that he which beleeueth in the sonne should haue life euerlasting and I saith he will raise him vp at the last daie Two things are here promised vnto vs one is eternall life the which séemeth not to be staid in the meane time by so long a sléepe the other is resurrection which shal be giuen vs at the time appointed The 6. reason And Polycarpus which florished in the time of the apostles as it is declared in the fourth booke of the ecclesiasticall historie The ecclesiasticall historie when he was to be burned for the confession of the faith testified that he should the verie same daie be present in spirit before the Lord whereby we see what iudgement the primitiue church had hereof The 7. reason Rom. 8 14. Yea and Paule vnto the Romans writeth that They be the sonnes of God which are led by the spirit of God But we are not mooued by the spirit of God to sléepe but both to vnderstand God The 8. reason Psal 84 8. and also to loue him earnestlie And it is a woonder that séeing we ought to go forward vnto Sion for to sée and from vertue to vertue or as we find in the Hebrue from abundance to abundance how it cōmeth to passe that these men doo by sléepe so long interrupt this course The 9. reason Verelie while we here liue and vnderstand and loue God although the bodie be burdensome to the soule and this earthlie mansion presse downe the vnderstanding and that the spirit must néeds euermore wrestle against the flesh while the soule is kept within the bodie as in a doongeon doubtlesse these burdens being laid awaie it séemeth to be beléeued that we shall more loue God and better know him and that especiallie séeing the apostle hath promised The 10. reason Phil. 1 6. that God which hath begoone his woorke in vs will finish the same euen vntill the daie of Christ And if so be that he finish it he will not haue it broken off as these men saie And that last of all The 11. reason Matt. 22 32. must be considered of which Christ said was written of Abraham Isaake and Iacob to wit that God was their God and he added that He was not the God of the dead but of the liuing Now if they liue it behooueth them to doo some thing séeing to liue is to doo Neither dooth anie other action agrée with a spirit frée from the flesh I meane with a christian man than to vnderstand his GOD and to imbrace him by loue Io. 11 11. 1. Thes 4 13 Neither dooth the scripture fauour their opinion when as it saith euerie where that The dead doo sleepe for all that is ment as touching the bodie which after death is affected after the manner of sléepers Whie the holie ghost saith that the dead do sleepe And the holie Ghost vsed that forme of speaking chéeflie that the resurrection of the bodie might come to our remembrance for we know that they which sléepe shall after a while be raised vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this forme of speaking the ancient fathers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Places appointed for sepulchres as if so be thou shouldst saie Dorters or Sléeping places But we doo not thinke that the soules are buried but the bodies onelie so as these phrases of the scriptures doo not defend them Of wandering Spirits 23 Furthermore In 1. Kin. 12 the spirits of them that be dead wander not here and there vpon the earth as Chrysostome verie well taught in his second homilie of Lazarus Chrysost and vpon the eight chapter of Matthew the 29. homilie where he demandeth the cause whie those possessed with the diuell which are there spoken of are said to haue dwelt in the graues And he testifieth that in his time there was an ill opinion by which the spirits of them that died of a violent death were thought to be turned into wicked spirits and were seruiceable and obedient vnto them which had béene authors of the murther And he saith that the diuell feigned these things first that he might obscure the glorie of the martyrs as though that their soules after death became diuels Further by this persuasion he brought the coniurers and soothesaiers cruellie to kill children and yong men as if they should haue their soules for bondslaues Howbeit these things as that verie learned father testifieth are altogether repugnant to the holie scriptures which saie Wisd 3 1. that The soules of the righteous are in the hand of God And vndoubtedlie Christ said vnto the théefe Luk. 23 43. This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise And of the rich man who inlarged wide his barns Luk. 16 22. This daie shall they take thy soule frō thee And of the soule of Lazarus it is written That by the angels it was carried into the bosome of Abraham and contrariewise the soule of the rich man is described to haue béene tormented with flames in hell who when he desired to haue some man to be sent vnto his brethren might not obteine the same But if it were lawfull for soules seuered from their bodies to wander about in the world either he himselfe might haue come to his brethren or else he could haue obteined the same of some other spirit Phil. 1 23. Ouer this Paule said that He desired to be loosed and
health indéed returneth but it is not the same in number for as well the old things brought foorth as the new are diuerse Herevnto we saie that this indéed is true and altogither taketh place in those efficient causes in which the action or thing it selfe brought foorth is distinguished from the efficient cause as it commeth to passe in all causes created But the resurrection is the worke of God wherein the action is not diuided from the nature and substance of the agent it selfe And lastlie whereas it was alledged that the heape of those things which passed fell from the bodie should be monstrous and that if all things should be restored at the resurrection mens bodies should be of excéeding greatnes but if on the other side all things shall not be laid vp in store what reason can be assigned whie some parts should be restored more than other some Not all things which haue past from our bodie shall be restored at the resurrection I answer It hath béene alreadie said that not all things which be cast foorth of our bodies shall be receiued when we rise againe but onelie those things which make to a iust and conuenient quantitie But whie rather one sort than an other are kept in store we must commit it to the iudgement of God who disposeth all things with singular wisedome 70 Now it resteth that we dilate of those places which in the holie scriptures séeme at the first sight to be against the resurrection In the 78. verse 39. psalme it is written And he remembred that they were but flesh their spirit or breath departing awaie and not returning againe For the exposition of this place the scope must first be considered namelie that God was led to take mercie of his people bicause their infirmitie was knowen vnto him So as bicause of their frailtie and féeblenesse therefore had he mercie vpon them and scattered them not abroad with one onelie stripe Sometime the spirit is said to be against the flesh in respect that the flesh is said to be weake and the spirit strong and valiant So said Christ vnto his apostles when as they slept Matt. 26 41 while he was in praieng The spirit indeed is readie but the flesh is fraile And Esaie in the third chapter Esai 31 3. describing the weaknesse of Aegypt saith Aegypt is flesh and not spirit that is It staggereth with féeblenesse Sometime the flesh the spirit taken both for one thing it standeth not firme and strong But sometime the flesh and spirit are taken both for one thing and both betoken infirmitie euen as in this place where the same thing is repeated in the latter clause which is spoken in the former In this place therefore the spirit is not ment to be the soule of man or the diuine inspiration but the breath blast and wind A similitude which being gone and past perish and are restored no more When the life of man is finished we begin not againe at the originall neither doo we bud foorth as trées and herbes cut downe but we lie in the dust not returning vnto our former state When I saie that after death men be not like vnto herbes I am not against Dauid who saith in the 103. psalme verse 14. He knoweth his workmanship he remembreth that we are but dust The daies of man are as grasse and as the flourishing flower of the field the wind commeth ouer him and he is withered and his place hath knowen him no more Wherein man is like and vnlike vnto the grasse Herein standeth the similitude that the sudden and vnexpected destruction of flourishing man may be perceiued but in this is the similitude taken awaie that men doo not spring foorth anew like vnto plants and herbes There is shewed moreouer that there is nothing found in man to prouoke God vnto mercie but miserie But if spirit be taken for the soule then we will saie that the prophet dooth weigh of man and consider of him according to his owne nature and strength and trulie pronounceth that his spirit dooth so depart as it returneth not For the blessed resurrection is a miracle not a worke of nature This scripture speaketh not of man according to those things which he shall receiue through the bountifulnesse and power of God but according to the faculties and strength which it hath by nature Also it is written in the booke of Wisedome the 15. chapter verse 8. His spirit shall go foorth of him and it shall not returne againe And no man doubtlesse hath brought with him from his mothers wombe or from the originals of nature the power to rise againe Indéed our soule hath a being after death but it hath no power of it selfe to returne vnto the bodie which it had Naie rather if God should remooue from it his preseruing power it would fall to vtter ruine This is the common and receiued exposition of this place Howbeit there is an other sense which commeth to my remembrance no lesse profitable than both the former When the Israelites were pressed with aduersitie in the desert and were for iust causes punished by God they cried vnto him that they might be deliuered but this they did verie vnperfectlie which was not hidden from God Yet neuerthelesse he had mercie vpon them bicause they were flesh that is of a corrupted nature and for this cause they oftentimes fell againe into the same sinnes Also their spirit that is their earnest motion of praieng and inuocating of the true God IEHOVA was not stedfast in them but in a maner passed by them and returned not séeing they fell againe to idolatrie after the deliuerance obteined Wherfore these were Chronij that is Temporizers as we read in the parable of the séed in the eight of Luke verse 13. 71 In the 115. psalme verse 16. it is written The heauen of heauens is the Lords but the earth hath he giuen to the children of men Wherevpon some doo gather that men are so become bound to the earth as heauen dooth not belong to them But they are farre deceiued for from thence is drawne aboundantlie the goodnesse of God which hath no néed of earthlie commodities neither hath it anie maner of néed of worldlie wealth and yet did it bring foorth the whole world howbeit vnto the vse and commoditie of men But that God hath no néed of those good things héereby it is prooued that he dwelleth in the heauens whither these things ascend not and where they cannot growe Neither yet did the prophet so affirme God to be setled in heauen The essence and power of God is euerie where as he denieth him to be euerie where for the essence and power of God is in all places But he is peculiarlie said to dwell in heauen bicause his presence is there ment to be more famous How God is said to be in heauen more mightie and more effectuall as well
the church in these last times being indued with the spirit of Henoch and Elias who should sharplie fight against the Romane antichrist and idolatrie of the beast and with diuerse torments be slaine but the returne of these men is not there in verie déed set foorth But they are said to be two bicause they shall be manie and not one onelie and yet of no large number if they be compared with the wicked and idolaters Neither is it anie rare thing in the scriptures that a number certeine is put for an indefinit number The verie which thing is doone there also séeing the certeine and definite number of daies of their preaching is appointed 21 But there is a place obiected as touching Elias Of Helias comming hauing in outward shew some likenesse of truth For on this wise it is written in the booke of Malachie in the end of the last chapter Mala. 4 5. Behold I send vnto you the prophet Elias before that great and terrible daie of Iehoua shall come and he shall conuert the hart of the fathers vnto their children and the hart of the children vnto their fathers least perhaps I should come and smite the earth with a cursse These words persuaded the Hebrues that Elias should come before that Messias should be giuen But we interpret this Elias to be Iohn Baptist hauing learned the same of Christ who made mention of this thing in the 11. and 17. Matt. 11 10 Matt. 17 11 chapters of Matthew He verelie in the eleuenth chapter in praising of Iohn saith This is that Elias And in the 17. chapter after his transforming vpon mount Thabor when the disciples had said vnto him Whie doo the Scribes and Pharisies saie Elias must first come As if they should saie For this cause they receiue not thée as Messias sent from God bicause Elias is not yet come Christ answered them Elias indéed shall come according as they iudge by the words of the prophet Malachie Mal. 4 6. but I saie vnto you that he is alreadie come howbeit they knew him not and haue doone vnto him whatsoeuer they would Then his disciples vnderstood that he spake those things of Iohn Baptist Séeing therefore that we haue Christ to be the interpretour of the propheticall sentence we must rest vpon him Neither is that which is spoken by Malachie to wit that The fathers harts shal be conuerted vnto the children and againe the childrens harts vnto the fathers to be referred as manie doo vnto the conuersion of the Hebrues in the end of the world Rom. 11 25 whereof it séemeth that Paule in his epistle to the Romans hath written But we must rather saie that these things haue respect vnto Iohn Baptist séeing the angell did so interpret them When he had foreshewed vnto Zacharie manie things of Iohn Baptist as we read in the first chapter of Luke Luke 1 16. He shall saith he conuert manie of the Israelits vnto the Lord his God and shall conuert the harts of fathers to the children and the disobedient vnto the wisdome of the iust that he maie make readie a perfect people vnto the Lord. Now by these things we vnderstand after what maner both Christ and the angell haue referred the words of Malachie vnto Iohn Yea and Tertullian in his treatise of the resurrection of the flesh saith This vndoubtedlie is doone in such sort as the spirit and vertue of the one is communicated vnto the other Num. 11 17 for of Moses spirit was giuen vnto seuentie elders 2. Kings 2. 9. and of the spirit of Elias there befell a double portion vnto Elizaeus Howbeit it commeth not to passe that the person substance and flesh of one should be communicated with an other and be powred through into him But yet not to dissemble anie thing I will shew how Iustine Martyr hath interpreted the words of Christ In his dialog with Triphon he saith verse 11. that Christ in the 17. chap. of Matthew answered the apostles that Elias indéed shall come as the Scribes and Pharisies saie at the last time that is at my latter comming But in the meane time so soone as I was now come I am not without mine Elias for euen Iohn is Elias whom I haue now in the spirit and power of Elias but in my second comming I will haue Elias himselfe present in his owne person These things dooth Iustine wrest out of the words of Christ and he séemeth to ground vpon that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is He shall come as though Christ by his saieng affirmed that Elias shall yet come séeing he said He will come in the same maner of spéech which the Scribes and Pharisies vsed 22 Also A place of Malachie touching the comming of Elias expounded by the words of Malachie himselfe it is vnderstood that those things which be spoken belong to the first and not vnto the latter comming for it is said Least perhaps I strike the earth with a cursse For at the last time albeit that the Iewes be conuerted yet shall the earth be smitten with a cursse séeing all things shal be burned But it séemeth to be somwhat against the interpretation of Christ and the angell in that Iohn being demanded whether he were Elias he in plaine words denied it saieng Iohn 1 21. I am not as we read in the first chapter of the Gospell of Iohn But it must be considered that he answered according to the mind of them which demanded of him for they inquired as touching the person and substance of Elias as they which thought that his soule should returne into an other bodie This dotage of theirs Iohn confuted yet did he not denie but that he came in the spirit and power of Elias This also séemeth to be a let bicause he denied himselfe to be a prophet when as yet the Lord said in Malachie Mala. 4 5 Behold I send vnto you my prophet Elias To this I answer two waies First that Iohn had not respect vnto euerie prophet but vnto that excellent prophet which was expected of all men namelie vnto Messias that prophet he denied himselfe to be Also we maie saie that he did not denie the verie thing indéed but onelie tooke from him selfe the name of being called so and was content with the title of a forerunner and of a voice of a crier in the wildernesse And this he did that the people should not followe him as the prophet of God but should followe Christ the true and onelie Messias He auoided schisme or drawing the people into sundrie opinions he indeuored to set forward all men vnto Christ and to reuiue authoritie vnto him 23 But that which Malachie said Ibidem Before that great and terrible daie of Iehoua shall come it séemeth not to agrée with the first comming of Christ for then he came altogither mercifull peaceable and benigne It is true indéed that Christ came benigne and mercifull
Scripture This did Moses first he ascended vnto the mount and there spake with God and afterwarde when he was come downe vnto the people hée shewed them what hée had heard of God Exo. 19. 3. The example of Moses and of Christ Luk. 21. 37. The verie which thing Christ séemed to doe not as though this was necessarie for him but because he might giue an example vnto ministers In the night season hée gaue himselfe to praiers vppon the mount and was conuersant with his father descēding from them in the morning vnto the Temple taught those things which hée had heard of his Father And Paul wrote vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 3. 16. that he should attend vnto reading not for anie other cause than for that he should drawe out of the holie Scriptures those things which hée was to preach and by that meanes saue both himselfe and also them which should heare him And if they bée the ministers of Christ they ought to submit themselues altogether vnto him The Ministers must be no Lords or Tyrants but Stewardes 1. Pet. 5. 3. 1. Cor. 4. 1. 1. Pet. 5. 3. Not to beare dominion ouer the Cleargie or people of God which thing Peter did expreslie forbid For they are shewed to be stewards and disposers not ouerrulers or Tyrants And Peter declared that they ought rather to bee patternes to the flocke which is to be vnderstood as touching the soundnesse of doctrine and example of life And when they heare themselues to be the ministers of Christ let them consider that they doe not their owne worke They doe not their owne worke but the Lords but the worke of the Lord. So that it behooueth that they shewe themselues to be more attentiue in those affaires than if they should deale in their owne 26 Furthermore they be called disposers of the mysteries of God 1. Cor. 4. 1. And a mysterie we distribute into the worde of God How a mystrey is distinguished What fellowships Oeconomy hath and sacraments Oeconomie or householde gouernment as appeareth by Aristotles Politikes hath three societies namelie of a husbande and Wife of a Parent and children of a Lorde and Seruants Which degrées are also founde in the Church which is the householde of Christ And whereas the gouernor of a house hath certaine instruments which be without soule and be voide of reason as be féeldes pastures vineyardes heardes of cattel and flockes of the which it behooueth him to haue a care he hath also instruments which both haue life and are capable of reason of which kinde be seruants in the instructing of whom as the learned gouernours of households haue taught a great deale of diligence must be bestowed Crassus saide in Plutarch Crassus that other things maie be gouerned by other men but the master himselfe must take héede vnto the Seruaunts that they bée righlie instructed Wherefore Crassus himselfe would bée present when they shoulde be taught But our gouernours of householde How worthy and excellent a charge the Pastors of Christs Church haue which be rulers of the familie of Christ are to care for liuing instruments to wit the seruaunts of Christ which not onelie be reasonable creatures but are also citizens of the kingdome of heauen being redéemed by the bloud of the Lord. So as it appertaineth to them to deale both verie warelie diligentlie And their actions maie thus be described First come they which are to bee adopted together into the familie of Christ The actions or workes which these men are to exercise in the household It is the part of the gouernour of the household to chastise and instruct them in the faith Further he baptiseth them which is the cognisance of the household Afterwarde he instructeth them of their vocation and teacheth that according to their state and degrée they should indeuour to be beneficiall to their brethren And he commaundeth that they should do some certaine worke least they be idle And because warres and temptations be imminēt he ministreth armour namelie the word of God and with the meate of the communion he confirmeth and strēgtheneth them to the battell Wheruppon Cyprian in his first booke the second Epistle Cyprian iudged that vnto them which were fallen and had repented them when as persecution was nowe at hand the communion shoulde be restored that so they might be the stronger to make warre And he saith Howe can we thinke them meete for the cup of Martyrs whom we shall not admit to drink the cup of the Lordes bloud Also the ministers of Christ shall minister liuelihoode vnto them that be poore Ministers must kéepe hospitalitie of the Church goods and of the store of oblations which the faithfull doe giue Hospitalitie kept néere the Temples The Elders in times past had néere vnto the Temples manie Hospitals where the poore were nourished not vnto idlenes but that they should serue to good godlie occupations 1. Thes 4. 11. The end of the Oeconomy of the Church that if their strength would serue They should labour with their hands according to the doctrine of Paul 27 The end of this householde gouernment is appointed that in them which belong vnto the familie should be restored the Image of GOD welnéere cleane defaced through sinne For which cause the Apostle wrote vnto the Ephesians Eph. 4. 22. that they should laie awaie the olde man which is corrupted according to the concupiscences and should be renued in the spirit of the minde putting on the new man which is created according to God in righteousnesse and holines of truth Neither is it otherwise which is written to the Colossians Col. 3. 8. The wise gouernour wil minister according to the capacitie of the hearers 1. Cor. 3. 2. and the wise gouernour of a household will vse his indeuour that all things maie be ordered according to the receiuers capacitie so as they which haue néed of milke may haue it distributed vnto them and they which shall haue néede of strong meate he will set the same before them Finallie His part is to exclude the vnpure liuers and vpon repentance to receiue them againe he will bée carefull that they which liue vnpurelie and naughtilie shall be excluded from his householde and that if they repent themselues he maie againe receiue thē And all things that we haue spoken of hée will doe not at his owne pleasure but according to the will of the Lorde He must change nothing that the Lord hath commanded Leuit. 10. 1 Examples Numb 16. who would haue nothing to be chaunged of those things that he hath prescribed Nadab and Abiu which offered strange fire were consumed by the same Core Dathan Abiron would otherwise haue doone than was appointed by God and they perished miserablie And King Ozias who against the law would administer the holie function 2. Chron. 26. 16. was taken with the leprosie He must not hinder
not euerie where receiued So as if a due consent ought to be preserued in the Church it is necessarie that we firmelie and constantlie staie our selues in the holie Scriptures Of discerning of Spirites 9 But the discerning of spirits is a gift In 1. Cor. 12. ver 10. How Spirits may be discerned by which the difference of thē which are moued by an euill spirit is knowen from them which are inspired with the holy ghost Which how necessarie it is Christ admonished when he said Matt. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes clothing but inwardlie they be rauening wolues 1. Thess 5. 21. And Paul vnto the Thessalonians Prooue all things and keepe that which is good But how spirites are to be knowen Iohn teacheth in his first Epistle when he saith 1. Iohn 4. 2. If a man confesse that the Lord Iesus is come in the fleshe he is of God and he that denieth that the Lord Iesus is come in the flesh is not of the Lord but is of Antichrist Augustine treating on these wordes Augustine maruelleth that manie Heretikes be verie pernitious which confesse the Lord Iesus to haue come in the flesh who neuertheles be not of God but he aunswereth to this effect that they confesse the Lord Iesus to be come in flesh which with a sound faith receiue all those doctrines which either goe before or follow this article If Christ come in the flesh he was before his comming he tooke verie fleshe vppon him to this end that he should verilie die and that afterward hée should rise againe whereby he might also giue vs the hope of resurrection And manie other things are knit vnto that principle the which aswell heretikes as infidels doe refuse either in whole or in part Wherfore Iohn would not distinctlie recken vp euerie thing which we ought to confesse vnto saluation to the end that our spirite might be approoued but he onelie spake of that which was the chiefe vnto which in a manner all other things necessarie to saluation are adioyned Looke part 1. pl 3. Art 8 Euery one that holdeth right opinions is not therefore saide to be of Christ Two sorts of confessiō But if thou wilt saie Admit there be some which rightlie and faithfullie hold al those opinions is he therfore thought to haue the spirit of Christ if he liue vnpurelie Augustine aunswereth that there is a certaine confession which is in outward words onelie and an other which is true and hath good workes with it And this he prooueth out of the Epistle vnto Titus Tit. 1. 16. They confesse that they know God but in deedes they denie him Therefore by contraries he saith there be some which in déeds confesse God him selfe therefore he affirmeth that confession of which Iohn speaketh is no vulgare confession but such a one as hath déeds But through these things which are spoken by this godlie man we haue as yet no certaine rule by the which spirites are discerned Many heretiks haue liued godlie in shewe For there be manie Heretikes which in outward shew haue had their life garnished with workes notable enough but the same in the meane time was contaminated with the indeuour of humane glorie and we being ignorant of the purpose of their mind can iudge nothing of the goodnes of the workes which they make semblance of for this iudgment pertaineth onelie to the conscience Wherefore Iohn in the same Epistle writeth 1. Ioh. 3. 20. And if so be our heart accuse vs God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things As if he had said Although thou shalt behaue thy selfe notablie in outward shew and shalt haue an euill minde thinke not that thou art hidden for God also vnderstandeth the peruersenesse of thy minde séeing he is greater than our heart So as to God must be left the secrete iudgement of perfect vprightnesse of workes because he being the iudge it maie be that he which shall giue his bodie to be burned 1. Cor. 13. 3. séeing hée is without charitie it is nothing and that those things which he séemeth to doe verie well are condemned Onelie we can iudge of those thinges which appeare manifestlie Two rules for the trying of spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 2. The confession of opinions must be examined according to the scriptures Before the new Testament was written opinions were examined by the Apostles sayings 1. Iohn 4. 6. 10 Wherefore there remaineth two rules for to iudge of spirites One is if the opinions as touching faith be retained perfect and pure And this meant Iohn when he said If anie man confesse the Lord Iesus c. And this confession of opinions must be examined by the holie Scriptures the which seeing they had not in the Church at the beginning as concerning the new Testament they were examined by the words and doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Iohn a little after saith He that is of God heareth vs and he that heareth not vs is not of God Then he addeth that thus we doe prooue the spirit An other rule is of maners and life This did Christ expresse when hée said By their fruites ye shall knowe them And as opinions are knowen by examining of them with the Scriptures Life and maners must be tryed by discipline so life and maners should be tried by the discipline of the Church Howbeit either rule of examination is at this daie waxen cold For the life of the faithfull is not looked vppon but the shéepe of Christ doe miserablie perish and are neglected Further the holie Scripture is lesse red than méet it should neither is it carefullie and diligentlie handled And the Papistes will that the opinions should bée examined not by the Scriptures but by the councels and fathers Thereof it commeth to passe that the Church hath these manie yeares béene deceiued In the Primatiue Church a gift was extant whereby it might easilie be knowen with what spirite they which did speake were ledde By these meanes Satan was resisted when he transformed himselfe into an Angel of light Of Councels 11 Wherfore let them take héed which in diuers places boast of the Councels In 1. Cor. 2. verse 14. in which it hath bin iudged as touching religion what men it behooued there to bée namelie spirituall for somuch as the iudgement onelie of diuine things is brought to thē But at this daie the greatest part of a Councell Out of this place is gathered an argument against Councels is so ouerfraught with grosse imperfections as in verie déede it is not lawfull to take meat with them They saie that they be the Church howbeit although they be baptised and haue taken orders in the Church Looke after pl. 6. Act. 9. 17 c. Looke part 1. pl. 6. Act. 11. yet doe they not therefore prooue themselues to be spiritual séeing it is prooued that they do the workes of the flesh and not
belong vnto religion are only knowē by faith and not by the sense But vnto faith the Scriptures are better knowen than bée the fathers Ro. 10. 17. For faith is by hearing hearing by the worde of God not by the worde of the Fathers But we must specially note that which Paul hath in the first to the Corinthians Comparing spirituall things with spirituall things 1. Cor. 2. 13 for a carnall man doeth not perceiue those things which belong to the spirit of God So then a cōparison must be made that our spirit may be confirmed by spirituall things What is so spirituall as be the diuine Scriptures For they procéeded as I may say immediatlie from the spirit of God But they say that the fathers also are spirituall I confesse for they were faithfull and regenerate But how were they spirituall Verilie not in that they were fathers but in that they were Christians and this is a thing common to all the faithfull And be it they were spirituall fathers yet were they not so altogether of the spirit as they had nothing of the flesh or humane affection for they did not alwaies speake or write or iudge according to the spirit they are euen at variance sometime among themselues So be not the holie Scriptures I adde that in Christ there is neither man nor woman Gal. 3. 28. neither bond nor free but onelie a new creature For the spirit of God is not bound to persons that it should be in this man because he is a king or in that man because he is a subiect for it is common vnto all men A father hath the spirit of God but not in that respect that he is a father A young man hath the spirit of God yet not therefore because he is a young man Augustine against the Donatists the 2. Augustine Booke and 3. Chapter Who knoweth not that the holie Canonicall scripture aswell of the olde Testament as of the new is contained within his owne certaine boundes and that the same is so preferred before all the latter writings of Bishops as thereof may in no wise be anie doubt or disputation But the writings of Bishops which after the Canon confirmed either haue bin written or now are in writing we knowe if that any thing in them haue perhaps scaped the truth must bee reprehended both by a spéech perhaps more wise of some man that is more skilfull in that matter and by a grauer authoritie of other Bishops also by the wisedome and counsels of them that bee better learned And these Councels which are made by particular Regions or Prouinces must giue place without casting any doubtes to the authoritie of more fuller councels which are held by the whole Christian world And that the more full Councels themselues being the former are oftentimes mended by the latter when that which was closed vp is by some experience opened and that which was hidden is knowen And against Maximinus the Arrian Bishop Now saieth he neither I ought to alleage the Councell of Nice nor thou the Councel of Ariminum as it were to giue iudgement before hand Neither must I staie my selfe vppon the authoritie of this nor thou vpon the authoritie of that Let vs contend by the authoritie of the Scriptures which are not eche mans owne but common witnesses of both so that matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason maie encounter together And in his treatise De bono viduitatis what shoulde I more teache thée than that which we reade in the Apostle For the holie Scripture ioyneth a rule with our doctrine that we shoulde not presume to vnderstand more than we ought to vnderstand but that as he saieth we should vnderstand according to sobrietie euē as the Lord hath dealt vnto euerie man the measure of faith 22 But they obiect vnto vs that Paul in the Epistle vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 3. 15. calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Paul calleth the Church the pillar of trueth Whereof the Church is so called I graunt it it is in déede the pillar of truth but not alwaies but when it is staied vp by the word of God And it is called a Church of the Gréek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to stirre vp and it is stirred vp and called forth by the word of God and as long as it doth according thereunto so long it is the pillar of trueth What then Doe we reiect the fathers No not at all But as concerning the authoritie of the Fathers we diminish the superstition of many who accoūt their wordes in the same place and number as if they were the wordes of God In verie déede they wrought and founde out manie things which we peraduenture shoulde neuer haue founde out Yet haue they not so written all things but that we must iudge and weigh what they haue written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Two waies of iudging obscure things But in iudging of things obscure we must set forth two markes The one of which is inwarde that is the spirit the other is outward that is the worde of God Then if vnto these things there come also the authoritie of the fathers it shall be verie much worth So in ciuil causes Orators when the thing is confirmed do adde other agreements taken from things alreadie iudged and those otherwhile are of verie much weight howbeit the Iudge pronounceth not according to those things for we liue by lawes as saith Demosthenes not by examples Hereby is vnderstoode that saying of Augustine Contra Epistolam Fundamenti Augustine I would not beléeue the Gospell saith he vnlesse the authoritie of the Church should mooue me Here doe the aduersaries marueilouslie boast themselues and crie out that the authoritie of the Church is greater than is the authoritie of the word of God And they bring forth the rule of Logicke Propter quod vnumquodque est tale A rule in Logicke illud ipsum est magis tale that is That whereby any thing is such as it is that it selfe is more such but for the Churches sake say they we beléeue the Gospell therefore much rather we must beléeue the Church An examination of the former rule Let vs examine that rule and sée howe much it maketh for them A schoolemaister was the cause why Virgil should be a Poet therefore his maister was more a Poet than Virgil. By reason of wine a man is drunke or furious therefore wine is more drunken and furious Why doe not these things followe Because in efficient causes this rule doeth not holde vnlesse it be both the whole cause and the next cause not the remooued or instrumental cause But the Church is not the whole cause why we beléeue the Gospell the spirit helpeth also without which we neuer beléeue In déede the scriptures are preserued in the Church and the Testaments are kept safe by the Bishop or Magistrate A proofe that the Church
said that we must not cast awaie hope of them that be onliue But whereas he saith that no man must be punished with a curse it agréeth not with the sayings of other fathers Councels which cursed Arrius Manicheus and manie Heretikes Further it séemeth to agrée but little with the holie Scriptures séeing it is said vnto the Galathians Gal. 1. 8. If an angell from heauen shal preach anie other Gospel than we haue doone let him be accursed In the Synode of Nice there séeme also some degreées to be appointed in the Church In the Synode of Nice Hearers In the first place were herers bicause they were suffered to be present at the holy preaching Wherfore none were vtterlie driuen awaie vnles there were some open derider contemner There were also men that prostrated themselues Men prostrated who desired pardon of the ministers of the Church for their sinnes committed There be also suppliants reckened Suppliāts who not withstanding they were driuen from the sacraments yet when the faithfull prayed they were suffered to be present vnto which degrée it séemeth that the abstinents did pertaine Finallie they are reckened which communicated in the Sacramentes with the whole Church Excommunicants Among these degrées it was accompted the smallest to be driuen from the Eucharist for a time more gréeuous to be put apart from the companie of them that prayed but most gréeuous of all to be remooued from them that laie prostrate But as touching the Councell of Nice manie thought that these articles were counterfeit and that they are not to be reckened for the lawfull decrées of that Synode séeing they are almost no where obserued yet out of Cyprian we manifestlie gather To men fallen into Idolatrie no peace giuen but at the houre of death that there were some degrées vnto them which were falen into Idolatrie as he saith there was giuen no peace by the Church vnlesse it were about the houre of death but vnto adulterers it was graunted after a long repentance Adulterers Libellates what they were But vnto the Libellatistes for so were they called which for monie redéemed themselues in the time of persecution pardon was somewhat easilier granted So as out of the Fathers are easilie gathered these degrées which neuerthelesse cannot be prooued by the holie scriptures Who shold vse the sentence of excommunication 8 Now are we to intreate who they be which ought to exercise excommunication Separation from God and from the members of Christ the which as wee said happeneth through infidelitie and other sins cannot be laid vppon vs by anie creature wée separate our selues from God Esa 59. 2. Wherfore Esaie saide Sinnes haue made a separation betweene me and you Rom. 8. 35. 39. And Paul saide that he certainlie knewe that no creature could pluck him awaie from that loue wherwith God Christ loueth theirs But Excōmunication which is a token of this inward * Apostasie is a falling away from him that we professe Apostasie in déede not a certaine and necessarie token yet a great one and greatlie to be feared must be inflicted by the Church of Christ Excommunication is no certaine token of the separation from God And therefore I haue said that it is no certaine and necessarie token of the separation from God and the members of Christ because it maie sometime be that a good and innocent man maie be excommunicated by the corrupt iudgement of the rulers in the Church as we haue knowen it to bée doone more than once in the councels and among the Fathers which were otherwise accounted holie Wherefore by excommunication we are not properlie said to be separated from God but are shewed and discerned to be separated A similitude as in the old law a priest when he iudged anie Leaper did not infect him with leprosie but pronounced him to be alreadie infected Mat. 16. 18 Neither is it against this sense that the Church is said to bind loose because this iudgement when it concurreth with the word of God Howe God worketh together with the iudgement of the Church is not in vaine And séeing God worketh together with them the separation which had alreadie happened to the poore wretch is become more gréeuous But now this onelie we say that in excommunication it perpetuallie happeneth that Apostasie and falling awaie from God goeth before the same and so God worketh together with this iudgement of the Church when according to the rule of the holie scriptures it decréeth that he maie send scourges and vncleane spirites for to vex them that be excommunicate Ambrose We read of Ambrose that the Scribe of Stellico when as he had excommunicated him beganne to be gréeuouslie vexed with an ill spirite And these thinges doth God to the intent he maie declare that he confirmeth that in heauen which in earth shall be iustlie bound 9 But that we maie rightlie vnderstand who ought to be excommunicate it is néedefull to discusse in what sort the societie of the Church is It is not simple What maner of societie the Church is of but it is cōpounded of one alone of manie good gouernours and of the gouernment of the people For from it must be remooued pernitious kindes of common weales I meane Tyrannie the gouernment of a few How it is a monarchie Act. 20. 28. and the Lordshippe of corrupt people If thou respect Christ it shall be called a Monarchie For he is our king who with his owne blood hath purchased the Church vnto himselfe He is now gone into heauen yet doeth he gouerne this kingdome of his indéed not with visible presence but by the spirit and word of the holie scriptures How it is an Aristocracie 1. Co. 12. 28 Ephe. 4. 11. And there be in the Church which doe execute the office for him Bishops Elders Doctors and others bearing rule in respect of whom it maie iustlie bee called a gouernment of manie For they which are preferred to the gouernment of Churches onlie because of the excellent gifts of God as touching doctrine and purenesse of life must be promoted vnto these degrées These offices are not committed vnto them according to the estimation of riches and reuenewes not for fauour bewtie or nobilitie sake but in respect of merites and vertues but if it be otherwise it is doone against the rule But because in the Church there be matters of verie great weight importance How it is a Democracy referred vnto the people Acts. 1. 15. Acts. 6. 2. as it appeareth in the Acts of the Apostles therefore it hath a consideration of politike gouernment But of the most weight are accounted excommunication absolution choosing of ministers and such like so as it is concluded No man can be excommunicated without the consent of the Church The Romane common weale that no man can be excommunicated without the consent of the Church On this
Egyptians Arabians Phoenicians are circumcised And he thinketh that they did it because they thought that by such first fruites of their bloud are driuen awaie euill spirits to the end that they should not hurt him which is circumcised So the Diuell hath alwaies gone about to corrupt the sacraments of God The deuill to his power corrupteth the sacraments of God For it was superstition to ascribe the power of saluation or of the deliuerie from Sathan vnto the nature of bloud shed forth And at this daie the Iewes séeme not to be farre from this kinde of foolishnesse A fond custome of the Hebrewes in circumcising of their children For while they circumcise the infant there standeth one by with a little vessell full either of earth or of dust whereinto they thrust the foreskinne being cut off as though the diuell might séeme by that meanes to haue his meate For the Lord said vnto the serpent euen straightway at the beginning Vpon thy breast shalt thou creepe and earth shalt thou eate They séeme to thinke that the diuell hauing thus gotten his meate departeth from the childe and will not trouble him any more Amongst the Ethnicks also as the same Ambrose affirmeth was circumcision corruptly obserued after another manner The Egâ—ptians circuÌ„cised their children the 14. yeâ—re Gen. 17. 25 For the Egyptians circumcised not in the eight day as God had commanded but in the 14. yeare in so much as Ismael at that age receiued circumcision Which maner also it is most likely that the Arabians followed For at this day the Turkes are likewise circumcised at that age The Egyptians circuÌ„cised their women at the age of 14. yeere although the Egyptians as the same Ambrose affirmeth were woont also to circumcise their women kinde and that in the 14. yeere as they did their male children And for the same they vsed this reason because they might signifie therby that lust must be restrained which in both kinds at that age beginneth very much to be kindled The women kinde of the Hebrewes perished not in dying vncircumcised But God commaunded that onely the male kinde should be circumcised And yet were not the women of the Hebrewes therefore counted either strangers from the Church or from the couenant For they are alwayes numbred together with the men They that are vnmaried with their fathers and the married with their husbands 22 There haue bin some which by deceitful arguments haue spoken ill of circumcision A cauil against circumcision after a sort reprooued the God of the olde Testament For first they said that the foreskinne which was cut off is either according to the nature of the body or else it is against the nature thereof If it be according to the nature why would God haue it to bée cut off If it be against the nature why doeth God suffer it to growe Ambrose in his 77. Epistle to Constantius answereth that that foreskinne is according to the nature of our bodie but it is not absurd that those things which are agréeable with our body or our flesh be cut off if the spirit may thereby bée holpen Which wée perceiue to bée done in fastings and other mortification of the flesh and in bearing of the Crosse which God hath laide vpon all the faithfull In which we are compelled to suffer many things against the flesh Further they say that God feared awaie the other nations from the law of Moses An other Cauill when he laide vpon them this yoke of circumcision Which if it had bin away manie strangers and outward nations would haue come vnto the religion of the Hebrewes But after the selfe same maner also they might cauill against Christ himself for that he séemed to fraie away the world from his religion partly by reason of the seueritie of his doctrine and partly by reason of the persecutions and Martyrdome which in the first time the most part of the faithfull were like to suffer But they which truely pertaine to the number of the elect doe in no wise start backe for the difficultie of the calling But they which goe backwarde were not of vs and therefore they are fallen awaie Why God would haue them to be circumcised being yet Infants They maruell also why God woulde in so tender an age haue such a ceremonie exercised which might oftentimes bring weake little bodies into daunger That euerie age is méete for a Sacrament As touching age saieth Ambrose As euery age is subiect vnto sinne so likewise it is méete for the sacrament And that Infants are subiect vnto sin their diseases weepings paines and deaths abundantlie declare And if peraduenture they were brought in daunger of their life yet was there no cause why they should complaine forasmuch as they ought the same all wholly vnto God And yet as they write verie fewe haue by that occasion died And that paine and daunger brought some vtilitie Why God would the children to be afflicted with such a wound and with paine A similitude For euen as valiant souldiors when they remember that they haue before suffered many things for that they should not flie awaie are the more animated to stande by it least they should dishonour those scarres and woundes which they before suffered rather than they would forsake their place and standing So would God that the Hebrewes being now of full age and at mans state should defend the profession of their lawe euen against all daungers when they called to remembrance that for religions sake they had bin wounded euen from their infancie But nowe he saieth Circumcision is worthily refused of Christians For that séeing Christ hath shed his bloud the price of our redemption there is now no néede that euery particular man should priuately shed his owne bloud And as touching the Sacrament of Circumcision these things we thinke sufficient for this present purpose The eight Chapter Of Baptisme Baptising of Infantes and holinesse of Infants In Rom. 6. ver 5. A large and ample definition of Baptisme Looke In 1. Cor. 1. 17. BAptisme is a signe of regeneratioÌ„ into Christ into his death I meane and resurrection which succéeded in the place of Circumcision consisting of the fountaine of water in the worde wherein in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost remission of sinnes and shedding out of the holie Ghost is offered and by a visible Sacrament we are grafted into Christ into the Church and the right vnto the kingdome of heauen is sealed vnto vs and wee on the otherside professe that wee will die vnto sinne and from thence forwarde liue vnto Christ That the members or parts of this definition may the better be vnderstood we will plainelie set them foorth All Sacraments are called signes First it is called a signe which worde that it is common vnto Baptisme and vnto all the Sacraments it is prooued hereby because Paul in the
it is manifest that this is the gift of God hereof are the praiers of the saints who saie Psa 118 37. Lighten mine eies least they see vanitie Giue me vnderstanding Ibidem 73. that I may learne or knowe thy commandements And Paule vnto the Ephesians praied God To lighten the eies of their vnderstanding Ephes 1 18. that they might knowe what was the hope of their calling And as touching the will Psa 119 36. Dauid praied Incline mine hart vnto thy testimonies Psal 51 12. Againe A cleane hart create in me ô God And Salomon his sonne praied God 1. Kin. 8 58. that he would giue vnto the people an vnderstanding hart Séeing therefore that the saints doo praie on this wise what doo they craue What doo they praie for That God will shew his word or that his spirit may knocke howbeit this he dooth by himselfe and that alwaies as these men saie But if they haue it in their owne power why doo they praie Let them selues doo it séeing they haue it in their owne power Neuerthelesse since praier is made rightlie of the saints it is a token vnto vs that this is required of GOD to the intent he may change our harts This argument did Augustine diuers times vse Wherefore in his booke De libero arbitrio the 14. chapter thus he writeth For if faith procéed onelie of a frée will and is not giuen of GOD to what purpose doo we praie for them which will not beléeue that they may beléeue Which we should doo altogither in vaine vnlesse we did verie rightlie beléeue that wils also which be peruerse and contrarie vnto faith may be turned of the omnipotent GOD to beléeue No doubt but the frée will of man is egged forward when it is said This daie Psal 95 8. if yee heare his voice harden not your harts But vnlesse that God could also take awake the hardnesse of the hart he would not saie by the prophet I will take from them their stonie hart Ezec. 11 19 and giue them a fleshie hart The same father against the two epistles of Pelagius vnto Boniface the first booke and 19. chapter For to what purpose hath the Lord commanded vs to praie for them which persecute vs Doo we desire this Matth. 5 44 to the intent the grace of God may be recompensed to them for their good will or not rather that their euill will may be turned vnto good Euen as we beléeue that Saule was not then in vaine praied for by the saints whom he persecuted that his will might be turned vnto the faith which he destroied and that his conuersion came from aboue it appeared by a manifest oracle How manie enimies of Christ are dailie vpon the sudden by the secret grace of God drawne vnto Christ And in the same place in the 20. chapter he declareth how true it is that GOD conuerteth and changeth the wils of men and saith that This is true we gather it not by the coniecture of man but we discerne it by most euident authoritie of the scriptures It is read in the booke of the Chronicles 2. P◠30 1◠And verelie the hand of God was in Iuda that he might giue them one hart to doo the commandement of the king princes according to the word of the Lord. Also the Lord saith by the prophet Ezechiel Ezec. 36 26 I will giue them another hart and a new spirit will I giue them and I will pull out of their flesh their stonie hart and I will giue them a fleshie hart that they may walke in my commandements and keepe my iudgements to doo them Now what is it that Hester that Quéene praieth and saith Giue me an eloquent speach Hester 14 verse 13. and make my words cleare before the lion and turne his hart vnto the hatred of them that be our enimies And to what end dooth she speake these words in hir praier vnto GOD if God doo not worke the will in the harts of men And so vndoubtedlie it came to passe as she praied for that king as a féerce bull at the first sight beheld hir and his crueltie was turned into lenitie Finallie a place in the Acts of the apostles Acts. 16 14. the 16. chapter must be weighed as touching Lydia the woman which sold purple whose heart God opened that she might giue eare vnto those things which were spoken by Paule Manie doubtlesse were present but it was particularlie said to that woman that God opened hir hart Which place Conradus Pellicanus a verie learned and holie man being my predecessor thus expoundeth it And this repentance commeth not of nature but of grace whose hart saith he the Lord opened that she might vnderstand those things which were said by Paule For in the Gospell none may trust to his owne strength but in the gift of God not in our owne presumption Wherefore let vs hearing the promises of the Gospell mistrust the strength of our flesh and let vs desire GOD that he will open our hearts that he will giue the gift of the holie Ghost to beléeue with the heart and to fulfill indéed that which we heare should be doone which thing we read came to passe in this woman that sold purple verse 26. And the historie of Samuel the first booke the tenth chapter teacheth it where it is written that They whose heart God had touched followed king Saule And herevnto belong those things Ezec. 37 16 which Ezechiel spake that He would take awaie the stonie heart and would giue a fleshie heart Phil. 2 13. Vnto the Philippians also Paule taught that It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe and that not at our Ephe. 2 8. but at his good pleasure And vnto the Ephesians it is written that We by grace are saued through faith and that not of our selues By which word our working togither namelie that which is actiue is remooued indéed not as touching the consent of faith but as touching that change by grace of which we now speake And it is added 1. Thes 3 2. that It is the gift of God And in the second epistle to the Thessalonians it is written All men haue not faith bicause that healing or medicine of the spirit is not giuen to all men whervpon it cōmeth that all men consent not to the promises of God Againe Who beleeue according to the working of his mightie power Ephe. 1 19. which he wrought in Christ raising him from the dead By which words is shewed that it is one and the selfe-same power whereby our will is changed and conuerted to beléeue and whereby Christ is raised vp from the dead And Pellicanus expounding this place saith Pellicanus And in such sort dooth God and our father declare his power and goodnesse in vs bicause he by a certeine secret and vnspeakeable power hath so transformed vs from the old institution
they run togither in heapes and crie with the siluer-smith Great is Diana of the Ephesians Howbeit they should haue considered that they are no lesse to be accused which attribute ouer-much vnto sacraments and doo make an idoll of them than those which neglect the same both which extremities we haue alwaies to our power auoided But now when I sée that thorough your authoritie all things are at quiet I am become of better courage and I gladlie take vpon me this labour of disputation Neither will I repeate the particular causes why I would not dispute when I was chalenged vpon the sudden least I might séeme to vtter my stomach And therefore I come to the questions wherein some doo slander me that I haue not obserued an order of Logike and spoken that which should first haue béene in question to wit Whether the bodie of Christ be in the sacrament and that afterward the maner how should be sought out But I affirme the contrarie to wit euen that the best method is here obserued yea and that dialecticall And I am not ignorant of Aristotles doctrine in his Analytiks wherein he teacheth that first we must séeke whether a thing be or no and afterward we must sée why what and for what it is But forsomuch as neither of vs doubteth but that there is a bodie of Christ and that I am asked whether it be in the Eucharist I answer them fitlie by my thrée questions first that he is not there by transubstantiation secondlie that he is not ioined to the bread and wine or to the shewes of them corporallie and carnallie or as these men will reallie and substantiallie but that he is there onelie by a sacramentall coniunction which is a most effectuall signification You haue therfore a verie perfect method which yet that it may the plainlier appéere shal be declared after this maner Some coniunctiō there is of the bodie bloud of Christ with the signes and this on both sides is agréed vpon but what maner of coniunction it is therin standeth the controuersie Wherefore this I doo open in my thrée questions and I begin at the groser and that is at transubstantiation the which I doo refell afterward I procéed to the other kind to wit the corporall and carnall presence or the reall or substantiall as they speake which I account all alike and assent not therevnto since I prooue a third kind of presence namelie by a sacramentall signification But as to the words corporallie carnallie which séeme to be ambiguous I saie that I vnderstand them as if it should be said reallie and substantiallie neither in disputing will I trouble them about this difference But why I deriued aduerbes from the nounes flesh and bodie rather than from thing and substance is to the intent I might accommodate my selfe vnto the holie scriptures the which in making mention of a sacrament haue not the names of thing and substance but onelie of bodie flesh and bloud and therefore haue I written corporallie and carnallie And this also my aduersaries contend that the latter question is superfluous for they saie If you shall remooue transubstantiation and reall presence it followeth of necessitie that in the sacrament there is left nothing but a signification Whom I answer that they are Anabaptists which would haue this sacrament to be nothing else but a badge and profession of our societie which we haue among vs through charitie they make no reckoning of the efficacie of the holie Ghost which we testifie to be in this sacrament Moreouer the Marcionites Valentinians Manicheis and such kind of heretiks since they denied Christ to haue had a true bodie could not abide this signification which we here confirme Wherefore the third question is not vnprofitable against this kind of pestilent men Lastlie besides all these things I haue taken this course bicause I would haue these questions to be correspondent with those things which I haue taught in the Schooles where I haue obserued the verie same method Now remaineth that we enter into the matter But first of all according to the accustomed maner let vs call for the help of God by praier The Praier SInce thou O almightie God hast for thy mercie sake promised to gouerne vs by thy holy spirit and to lead vs into all truth first of all we giue thee infinit thanks for so gratious and bountifull a promise which I doubt not but thou wilt effectuallie fulfill And further bicause we are gathered togither in thy name and that those things which must be disputed of are of verie great importance therefore with all our hart we praie and beseech thee that thou wilt giue vnto vs thy promised grace and that thou wilt so vouchsafe to moderate and direct that which we haue taken vpon vs to handle that thereby may be giuen glorie vnto thy name the truth to this schoole and edification vnto the holie church We humblie beseech thee that thou wilt remooue all euill affections that thou wilt illuminate both our harts the harts of the hearers with the light of the holie scriptures and those things which therin shall seeme to be obscure make thou them to be plaine and suffer vs not to erre in them and whatsoeuer matters perhaps of manie haue not hitherto beene rightly vnderstood grant that they may now be more sincerelie and faithfullie perceiued through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen The Oration of D. VVilliam Tresham I Am come right honourable to bring the truth vnto light A hard matter to him that shall consider of it I laie vpon my selfe a weightie burthen For I haue taken vpon me to incounter and dispute with one that both is learned sharpe of wit and exercised in all kind of learning both humane and diuine and that in a most weightie matter in an assemblie of most learned men Wherefore since I vndertake a hard matter which vndoubtedly manie other students of this Vniuersitie are able if they will much better more exactlie and happilie to performe bring to passe than I which am but a weake disputer It shall be in your courtesie Right honourable Commissioners who haue vouchsafed by your honorable presence to adorne and set foorth these disputations to take in good part whatsoeuer this daie shall be vttered of me in disputing and to interpret to the best all those things which vnfeinedlie shall for no other cause be declared but for godlinesse sake Assuredlie it was not my meaning of anie malice spight or hatred to be an aduersarie to this learned man but bicause he himselfe after a sort prouoked me and my conscience mooued me and finallie bicause your authoritie allowed me I am come to contend in this field of learning To contend I saie as with a fréend and familiar but yet I prefer a truth before a fréend for the defense whereof I will indeuour to my power to resist this Doctour being a man most throughlie exercised in these matters but yet aboue all
bodie is so called bicause it is now immortall with the spirit And a little after Therefore as a naturall bodie is not a soule but a bodie so we must thinke that a spirituall bodie is not a spirit but a bodie And in his treatise De ciuitate Dei the 13 booke and the 20. chapter Howbeit bicause it shall be subdued to the spirit by an excellent and woonderfull easinesse of obeieng euen to the accomplishing of the most assured will of immortalitie which cannot be dissolued And a litle after Euen as the spirit which serueth the flesh is not amisse called carnall so the flesh seruing the spirit is called spirituall not that it is changed into the spirit You heare what things are spoken of a spirituall bodie among the which we find not that it is in diuers places at one time For it is euen as repugnant to the nature of a bodie to be in diuers places at once as it is to be no bodie D. Tresham I denie your minor proposition that it is as repugnant to the nature of a bodie to be conuersant in manie places at once as it is to be no bodie for this latter includeth contradiction of the verie termes and so dooth not the former And more readilie may this be doone in a bodie which hath the properties of a glorious bodie D. Martyr I will prooue anon that it is against the bodie of Christ being definit and circumscribed by limits of place and a creature to be in manie places at once But as touching the glorie which he now hath I saie I doo not exclude the gifts of glorie Howbeit I will prosecute the argument in hand to wit that Augustine ment not that the soule of Christ was at one time both in hell and in heauen with the théefe much lesse therefore shall this be granted to the bodie which is not attributed to the soule Neither in that treatise dooth Augustine exclude the Eucharist D. Tresham Yes verelie he did exclude it D. Martyr Augustine made mention there of the Eucharist but intended a far other matter than to exclude the same from the truth determined For he disputed of the holie Ghost how he being one distributeth his gifts without diuision of himselfe that he maie adorne with his graces the mysticall bodie of the church which mysticall bodie of Christ he saith is set foorth in our sacrifice D. Tresham What if Augustine denie that the soule of Christ cannot be in diuers places therefore can it not be Shall the saieng of Augustine diminish the power of God that it shall not doo as it will No it shall not diminish it D. Martyr It shall now suffice at this present that we haue séene Augustines iudgement that Christ as touching his humanitie bicause of the quantitie of a true bodie is in heauen but as touching his diuinitie euerie where D. Tresham When Augustine saith Christ in that respect that he is man is in heauen vnderstandeth that to be true as touching visible forme for so he expoundeth himselfe in that place saieng If he shall come according to that voice of the angell euen in such wise as hée was séene go into heauen that is to vse his owne words in the same forme of flesh according to this forme he saith he must not be thought to be dispersed euerie where Afterward Augustine maketh mention there of our sacrifice And at that time no man doubted of the truth of the sacrament D. Martyr You shall neuer find there out of Augustine that the bodie of Christ by an inuisible forme may be in manie places at once this is of your owne deuise And I haue now shewed to what end he made mention there of the Eucharist Moreouer we doo not dispute here of the truth of the sacrament which we all confesse but we contend as touching the maner how Christ is there And I will shew most assuredlie that it is in God alone to be in manie places and euerie where at once and that it must not be granted vnto creatures For by this reason dooth Didymus in his first booke De spiritu sancto prooue the Godhead of the holie Ghost It is onelie God that can be in manie places at once bicause he was able to be in many places at one time which can be no condition of anie creature And the verie selfe-same reason made Basil in his booke De spiritu sancto chapter 22. Wherefore if these mens arguments should be of anie strength it would be concluded that the humane nature in Christ is the diuine nature séeing it is affirmed of you to be in manie places at once and so all things would be confounded But now let vs heare their words Didymus saith thus The holie Ghost himselfe if he were one of the creatures he should at the least-wise haue a substance circumscriptible or within limitation euen as haue all things that be made For albeit that the inuisible creatures are not limited within place and bounds yet are they bounded by the propertie of their substance But the holie Ghost sith he is in manie places hath no limited substance For Iesus sending foorth the Preachers of his doctrine replenished them with the spirit and breathing vpon them Receiue ye saith he the holie Ghost Iohn 20 22. and go yee foorth and teach all nations not as though he sent them all to euerie nation Neither in verie déed did the apostles trauell togither vnto all nations but some into Asia some into Scythia and others were dispersed into other nations according to the dispensation of that holie spirit which they had After what maner also we haue heard the Lord saie I am with you euen vntill the end of the world Héerewith all likewise agréeth that saieng Act. 1. 8. Ye shall receiue power of the holie Ghost when hee shall come on you and ye shall be witnesses vnto me both in Ierusalem and in all Iudaea and in Samaria and vnto the vttermost ends of the earth Now then if these apostles for the testimonie of the Lord being placed in the vttermost confines of the earth were distant in most far places one from an other yet that the holie Ghost dwelled in them hauing a substance which cannot be bounded or limited The angels cannot be in manie places at once it is an euident token that the power of angels is far other than this is séeing for example sake the angell which was present with the apostle when hée praied in Asia could not at the selfe-same time be present with others which were placed in other parts of the world But the holie Ghost not onelie is at hand with them which are separated one from an other but also remaineth an assistant to all particular angels principalities thrones dominations and as he sanctifieth men so is he of an other nature than men be of Basil in his booke De spiritu sancto the 22. chapter Therefore as touching the holie Ghost whom the world cannot
the first point We are risen vp together with him For to the intent he might shewe this Mat. 27. 52 when hée rose vp he had manie bodies of the saintes with him which appeared vnto others Further he rose not to himselfe but vnto others vnto vs I meane séeing hee is our head If he himself be risen the members also are raised vp with him Example of those that bee drowned in the waters Rom. 8. 32. To the Rom. Seeing he hath giuen his sonne howe shall hee not with him giue all thinges But and if he haue giuen all thinges hee hath also giuen resurrection Ephe. 2. 1. Vnto the Ephesians When ye were dead in your sinnes he quickened you together with him and not onelie quickened you but also made you to sit together on the right hand in the heauenlie places And in the same Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 1. 19. What is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vs which beleue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the deade c. Furthermore he is risen vp vnto vs and sitteth at the right hande of the father and obtaineth for vs the spirite which was in him the beginning of the resurrection For vnto the Romanes it is saide If the spirite of him which raised vp Christ from the deade doe dwell in you Rom. 8. 11. hee will quicken also your mortall bodies because of the spirit that dwelleth in you Also vnto the Romanes the sixt Chapter Verse 11. Likewise thinke yee also that ye are deade to sinne but are aliue to God in Christ Iesus Weare all dead through Adam and doe presentlie taste of death Wherefore if we will not make Christ to bee worser than Adam let vs saie that he also gaue a newe life which we maie now presentlie tast Christ is the first fruits of them that rise againe as it is saide vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 15. 20 First fruites doe not so goe before other fruites but that they be together with them indéede they be not ripe but yet they are nowe extant so likewise our resurrection although it be not ripe yet is it And as Christ by Baptisme hath drawen vs with him into his death and buriall so hath he drawen vs out vnto life This doeth the dipping into the water and the issuing foorth againe signifie when we are baptised It is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 10. 9. But and if wee confesse the Lorde Iesus to haue risen from the dead wee shall be saued Wherefore the resurrection of Christ pertayneth to our resurrection For we cannot be saued vnlesse we be pertakers of the same Hee was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification c. Rom. 4. 25. If ye bee risen together with Christ seeke ye those thinges which are aboue c. The minor proposition must bee added But ye are risen together with Christ Col. 3. 1. Iohn 3. 36. Rom. 8. 24. therefore ye ought to seeke those things that be aboue He that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life By hope wee are saued Howbeit we are yet still after a sort vnder death Neither doe we saie as doe the Libertines that the resurrection is alreadie past wee onelie affirme that it is begunne For God bringeth not by and by vnto the high and perfect degrée he first giueth certaine entrances and beginninges Before that Moses colde be declared captaine of the people of God if we shall giue credite to Iosephus he cast vppon the ground the diademe of Pharao and trode it vnder his féete he slewe an Egyptian and made peace betwéene the Israelites whereby is declared that hee was partaker of his vocation although it were not as yet fullie reuealed Also Dauid being a childe slew Lyons and Beares and being a young man killed Goliath 1. Sa. 17. 34 Ib. ver 49. whereby he beganne nowe to bée a partaker of the gouernment of the Israelites although he were not declared king So wee although we haue not as yet obteyned a perfect resurrection yet are we conuersant therein Now must we sée wherein this resurrection of ours standeth First in good woorkes which are nothing else but enterances and beginninges of eternall life They are degrées whereby God draweth vs vnto a perfect life They are no merites but pathes and imperfect beginninges Rom. 8. 12. We are debters not to liue after the fleshe but after the spirite for if according to the spirite yee mortifie the deedes of the fleshe yee shall liue Mortifie your members which bee vppon the earth Col. 3. 5. And those doeth Paul expresse to bee Fornication couetousnesse and Idolatrie c. And our olde man the more he is destroied the more hee is euerie daie renewed Also in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 15 He died for all men that hee which nowe liueth maie not liue to himselfe but vnto him which died for vs. Whereuppon Paul I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in mee We must take héede that not onelie we testifie in woordes that Christ is risen againe but to shewe that hee is also risen againe in vs. Christ when he was risen againe entered into the glorie of the father that we in this resurrection begun might prooue our selues to be the children of God as we bée Wherefore it is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 1. 4. Christ is defined or rather declared to bee the sonne of God by his rising againe from the dead All things are subdued vnto Christ so ought we to ouercome all thinges and to faint in nothing Let vs stande out in temptations and triumph ouer our tribulations Christ is aboue Col. 3. 1. and let our conuersation be in heauen Finallie let vs perseuere For in that Christ dyed Rom. 6. 10. he died once and death hath no more dominion ouer him c. An Oration or Sermon of D. P. Martyr out of the 1. Chapter of the Prophet Hagge THe most royall Temple dearelie beloued which was erected vnto God almightie at Ierusalem which in euerie mans mouth was called The house of God we reade was not for one cause alone either defiled or burned For by the armie of the Caldeās it was burned by the Macedonians it was defiled by an Image of Iupitur Olympus finallie the couetous nation of the Iewes abused the same for a Market to buy and sell in to satisfie their gréedinesse Howbeit God who suffereth not that which belongeth to him to be perpetuallie trodden vnder foote procured by Nehemias Esdras Zorobabel Ihesus the sonne of Iosadeck Hagge Zacharie and Malachie that his holie house which had long time lien ouerthrowen should be againe restored And he in like manner did so prosper the valiant indeuours of Iudas Machabaeus his warlike prowesse as the Temple which the wicked licentiousnesse of the Gretians did defile was againe cleansed by
vnderstandeth not the language of the Countrie where it behooueth him continuallie to aske sometime one man and sometime another for such things as be necessarie where for the most part he is not accounted for an honest man where manie times as it happeneth with the state of straungers he is both reiected and ill intreated where either for the chaunge of the aire or for the varietie of meates and lodgings great inconueniences must be continuallie indured They which denie that this suffering is for Christ his trueth acknowledge no other afflictions besides torments and besides violent death from which things they that flie away yet as it hath bin saide they are readie to suffer if being taken by tyrants they be constrained to defende their profession after that manner But in verie déede if a man come foorth and yéelde himselfe vnto the enemies of the trueth and doe franckly confesse the doctrine of Christ to refuse the occasion offered of flying awaie that is a great thing and woorthie of singular admiration forasmuch as it procéedeth of faith and most feruent charitie howbeit this is not in euerie man to doe Howbeit euerie one of vs ought to followe the inspiration of the holy Ghost who inwardly driueth euerie one vnto saluation by that way which is most méete for the strength and giftes giuen him of God not according to our owne will but according to his most prouident and wise iudgement But he that hath a present minde to enter into martyrdome and by the spirit is driuen hereunto ought not to despise condemne speake euill of him which for auoiding of abiuration flieth awaie who if he laie not downe his life yet doeth he forsake his natiue Countrie if he suffer neither torments nor imprisonments yet doeth he sustaine most grieuous inconueniences if he doe not shed his bloud yet doeth he giue a testimonie vnto the trueth hauing a prompt and readie heart to suffer all extremities so often as by the manifest will of God and impulsion of the spirit he shall be driuen thereunto Paul by his example instructed vs who sometime withdrewe himselfe giuing place to his enemies Acts. 9. 30. sometime willingly entred into perils and neither for teares nor by any intreatie could be plucked awaie from that he had fully determined Wherefore he that prouidently flieth awaie when time and occasion requireth and when daunger is at hande ought first of all to pray vnto God after this manner Since thou my Lorde hast dealt so mercifully with me as thou wouldest make me partaker of thy trueth and reueale vnto mee my redeemer Iesus Christ the Sauiour of the world graunt moreouer I beseeche thee that this treasure of thy holy Gospell latelie written in my heart may with mee be preserued increase and bring foorth fruite in whatsoeuer sort it shall seeme good vnto thee And for my part behold I offer my selfe vnto thee doe with mee euen as it shall seeme good vnto thy will Whether I die sooner or later for thy sake I doe not much passe Thy will bee doone not mine Bee thou present with mee and so gouerne mee as I may nothing offend in this determination To thee I wholy yeeld and commit my selfe I knowe that this present perill is not sprung vp nor yet made manifest without thy will neither haue I anie hope that without thee I can finde a waie to escape Wherefore since I am thus doubtfull and vncertaine least thou shouldest suffer me to bee led by the feare of mine owne flesh and wisedome submit thou all my will and iudgement vnto thy good will least I should erre and least it should happen ill with mee Giue eare vnto mee I beseeche thee for thy onely sonnes sake Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen He which thus from the heart commendeth himselfe in this case vnto God we must not thinke that he shall be left destitute of the fauour of Gods spirit Therefore if he haue inwardly perceiued himselfe mooued to flie awaie and hath cast away the care of his worldly goods séeking onely those thinges which be Christes not his owne he shall doe verie well neither may he be accused if he flie awaie being certified in his owne conscience through the word of God that he hath attēpted no vnlawful thing For it is written If they shall persecute you in one Citie flie you vnto another especially since there is no other place in the Scriptures whereby this libertie is restrained or reuoked And in one and the selfe same Chapter of Matthew is founde both the doctrines Matt. 10. verse 23. 28. namely of flying awaie and of not fearing them which haue power to kill the bodie onely Wherefore since these two preceptes are not repugnant one to another they may be reconciled and kept as it hath bin shewed before That ye may giue credite hereunto the examples of the Apostles doe serue for they also after they had receiued the holy Ghost fled awaie The flying away of the Apostles Acts. 13. 17 Mat. 10. 14. and as Christ in this place commaunded them did shake off the dust from their féete I am not ignoraunt in déede that some of the fathers thought that that precept was but for a time and that it shoulde not endure perpetually but was onely applied vnto that time yet I remember not that I haue read among any of them that flying away was not sometime lawfull to Christians Tertullians opinion of flight Onely Tertullian I except writing by his leaue ouer hardly of this matter whose reasons if a man wil weigh with some diligence he shall finde them to haue much more elegancie than strength all which I would confute sauing for want of time and that I thinke it not necessarie But now some man will say If the precept of flying away be not abrogated as you say shall all men flie awaie and no man remaine I aunswere It was commaunded that wee shoulde tarie and it was commaunded that we should flie away But these precepts are not vniuersall nowe the one now the other must be obeyed When a man is inwardly confirmed by the helpe of the holy Ghost and is inuited to tarie and beléeueth that this maketh more to the glorie of God he ought to tarie especially if he be nowe bounde by the commaundement of the Magistrate and must neither breake prisons nor by fraude deuise to flie For in that he is in bondes euen by the verie same doeth God declare that his houre is come wherefore he must not depart But if the case be otherwise that he bee not as yet deliuered into the enemies hands nor is indued with sufficient strength nor is driuen to tarie by motion of the spirit nor is bounde by any priuate vocation then must he flie awaie For euen as by the benefit of the common lawes a man may for any cōmoditie sake goe elsewhere either to exercise marchādize or vpō such like occasion euē so it is lawfull for a man to
thing of great importance that he which is of Christ shoulde vnderstand by what meanes he is ioyned vnto him Hebr. 2. 14. First I sée that he by the benefite of his incarnation as it is said vnto the Hebrewes would communicate with vs in flesh and bloude For since that the children were partakers together of flesh and bloude he himselfe also would be a partaker thereof But vnlesse that an other kinde of communion had happened therewithall this woulde be verie common and weake For so many as are comprehended vnder mankinde do now after this maner communicate with Christ for they be men as he was So as besides that communion this happeneth to wit that vnto the elect faith hath accesse at the time appointed whereby they beléeue in Christ and so they are not onely forgiuen their sinnes and are reconciled vnto GOD wherein consisteth the true and sounde respect of iustification That our bodies also doe participate of the flesh of Christ but also there is added a renewing power of the spirite whereby our bodies also flesh bloude and nature are made capable of immortalitie and become dayly more and more as I may say fashioned vnto Christ not that they cast away the substance of their owne nature and passe in verie déede into the bodie and flesh of Christ but that they no lesse drawe neare vnto him in spirituall giftes and properties than they did naturally euen at their verie birth communicate with him in bodie flesh and bloud Nowe therefore we haue héere two coniunctions with Christ The one naturall which by byrth we drawe euen from our parents but the other commeth vnto vs by the spirite of Christ by whom at the verie time of regeneration we are made newe according to the image of his glorie But I beléeue that betwéene these two coniunctions there is a meane which is the fountaine and originall of all the celestiall and spirituall similitude which we obtaine with Christ and that is whereby so soone as we beléeue wee attaine vnto Christ our true heade and are made his members Ephe. 4. 16 and so as Paul saith his spirit floweth and is deriued from the verie head by the ioynts and knittings together into vs as into his true and lawfull members Wherefore this our communion with the heade is the first at the leastwise in nature although perhaps not in time before that latter communion which is brought in by regeneration A similitude And héere as it séemeth vnto me naturall reason helpeth vs. In things ingendered first as the same teacheth vs the heart it selfe is ingendered in young ones from thence by a certaine veine is powred out a spirite from the heart and doth somwhat pearce the prepared matter of the liuing creature and there shapeth the heade whereupon by that veine whereby the spirite procéedeth from the heart the head is ioyned with the heart From whence againe by an other veine a spirit floweth from the head and after a certaine space formeth the liuer which kinde of entrall communicateth with the head and with the heart by the arteries or veines which knit together From the liuer also and from the other principal members there are other arteries or veines stretched to the other partes of the ingendred matter whereby that same ingendring spirit passing through fashioneth the rest of the Members Whereuppon it commeth that all those doe communicate together and are principallie ioyned to the heart that is to wit to the fountaine of life not in déede in place or immediate touching as they terme it but that because from thence they drawe a quickening spirit and life by the woonderfull workmanship of the highest artificer And although that this similitude ought not to be curiouslie vrged as touching all the partes thereof yet dooth it after a sort laie the matter before our eyes and dooth shewe vs that after we be now men as he was this first communion with Christ that we are made his members ensueth For as Paul testifieth God gaue him to be the head of the Church For according as the spirit floweth from him he fashioneth and ioyneth vnto him sometime this member and sometime that and by the spirit it selfe maketh the same like vnto him in properties and temperature forsomuch as they naturallie agrée now together Wherefore Christ while we are conuerted is first made ours and we his before that we become like vnto him in holinesse and righteousnesse abiding in vs. This is that secret communion whereby we are said to be ingraffed in him Thus doe we first put him vppon vs so are we called by the Apostle flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones And by this communion now declared that latter is alwayes perfourmed while we liue here For the members of Christ doe euermore regard this that they may become more like vnto him Neither doe the distances of places hinder this mysticall communion but it may be had while we liue in the earth although that the verie bodie of Christ sit and raigne in heauen with the father It sufficeth aboundantlie that we are knit vnto him by certaine spirituall knots and ioyntes which bondes or knittinges together doe depend and are deriued from the head it selfe And these thinges speciallie are faith the word of God and the sacramentes Through these the spirit flowing from our head wandereth vp and downe in the Church and by a iust proportion quickeneth and maketh his members like in iust proportion These communions with Christ doe I admit others to say the trueth I vnderstand not which I chiefelie say the rather because of that which some of the fathers also bring in especially Cyrill which so make the substance of the flesh and bloud of Christ to be our meate that they saie it is mingled in verie déede with our substance Neither doe I sée but that while they thus say they are constrained to affirme that the verie same our flesh bloud which is so nourished dooth passe into one and the selfesame person with Christ and that his bodie by this meanes dooth spread abroad into innumerable places Let on Gods name the sacramentes and the word of God be tokens and signes of the true communion with Christ which as I could I haue now declared also let there be ioyntes and knittinges together whereby the spirit of God so there be a faith is made effectuall in which men he may haue place Neither let these thinges be vnderstood as though we tye the grace and spirit either to the outward word or sacramentes as if it cannot by anie meanes be that some man may be ioyned vnto his head I meane Christ without these thinges One necessarie ioynt and knitting together there is in them that be of ripe age namelie faith whereby we are ioyned vnto Christ himselfe and that inseparablie This is it which perhappes the fathers meant by their excessiue spéeches which while they immoderatelie vsed they ministred no small occasion vnto errors I
fall not downe if not deade yet like those that are deade Furthermore when yée be partakers of the communion once euerie yeare or oftner with what minde with what heart vpon what purpose doe yee corrupt doe yée confounde doe yée rent in sunder the order of this noble sacrament instituted by Christ Hebr. 6. 4. Séeing yée haue tasted the gift of God and haue knowen the trueth and yet will euen with your owne hands handle the greatest hypocrisie iniuries and blasphemies contained in those diuelish rites and seruices verilie I am euen besides my selfe so often as I consider that yee burst not for sorrowe when yee come together to doe those thinges Therefore since your state is so vnhappie and miserable what is a let vnto you héerein Natiue countrie house farme kinsfolke riches the pleasures of this world Wherefore you estéeme these things more than you doe God himselfe these things are your God since in comparison of these you despise any other thing by which meanes doubtlesse you discouer the idolatrie of your heart If it seeme to be a harde matter to forsake patrimonie heritages and possessions what will yée doe when yée shall die then shall yée be constrained will yée nill yée to forsake them If yée continue in dealing wickedly how can you euer truelie say that yée are heartilie sorie for this abiuration Take away the euill from among you then will we beléeue that yée haue repented Christ to the intent hée might wholie certifie vs of his incomparaloue towards vs forsooke his owne glorie laide aside his kingdome became a straunger and poore man for vs despised not infamie and a contumelious death Oh howe ill shall we answere him who for him or rather for our owne saluation refuse to suffer so smal a thing I should be ouer long if besides the example of Christ I woulde alledge the examples of the Apostles and of all the other Saints which liue and reigne with him Wherefore setting them aside I will speake of your brethren who least they should commit such things forsooke their countrie prouoking you to the imitation of them These are made of flesh as well as you of the same countrie of the same condition They also had rather as touching the desire of the flesh tary in their coūtry be recreated with their cities and houshold pleasures be conuersant with their friends and inioy their fathers possessions Howbeit Christ by his grace did more mooue them than did the worlde They vanquished themselues they followed Christ to the intent they might haue a quiet conscience that they might not be plucked away from God finallie that they might giue a cleare testimonie vnto the Gospel Wherefore there is no cause why you should say that this cannot be doone since it was not onelie vsed of the faithfull in times past but nowe also fullie perfected of your brethren I exhort you therefore that yée wil giue eare vnto this calling and that ye wil not feigne deafenesse weigh with your selues that the whips are made readie and that the daunger is at hand that yee shall shortlie euen against your willes forsake those thinges which of your owne accorde faith vertue and guide of the spirite you shoulde forsake Hitherto haue I desired you but nowe I desire and will desire Christ that according to his owne counsel which is full of compassion he will open your hearts he will incourage your will and will giue strength vnto your spirit that you will chéerefully take in hande the one or other of the two remedies set foorth which in this case are the fruites of a sounde repentaunce If yee shall despise both which God forbid although there come no other calamitie vnto you thereby yet shall this miserie followe you ye shall be depriued of the light of the trueth ye shall euerie day goe further backe from the heauenly father your heart shall so greatly bee hardened as ye shall bee destitute of your minde and vnderstanding And what other beginning of eternall damnation is there if this be not Turne awaie I beséeche thée my Lorde Iesus Christ this horrible misfortune from these deare brethren from thy brused members and from these miserable strayed shéepe Thou which hast first created them afterwarde fashioned them anewe fed them with heauenly foode thy worde I meane and thy flesh quickened them with thy spirit and endued them with most precious giftes succour them with thy mightie and stretched out arme wherewith thou in times past brought the Hebrewes out of Egypt Exo. 14. 21. Acts. 12. 8. Acts. 28 44 Gen. 12. 1. the thrée companions out of the burning furnace Peter out of prison Paule from shipwracke Abraham out of his owne lande and kindred Despise not I beséeche thée thine inheritaunce giue eare for thy holy names sake deliuer them from sinne raise them vp from perdition leade them vnto thy faithful flocke that they may there acknowledge their brethren and may in like manner of them bee receiued instructed and confirmed with spirituall peace with the gladnesse of charitie and syncere loue that they may find an assured peace and rest to their owne consciences to the intent that all of them ioyned in a good and holie fellowship they with vs and wee with them may come vnto thée when it shall bee thy good pleasure to inioy thine euerlasting giftes To Peter Sturmius 48. RIght reuerend sir forasmuch as I am not ignorant that wise and learned men doe verie well allowe that sentence of Cicero which he wrote vnto Curio namely that it is the part of a franke heart to desire to bee excéedingly beholding to him to whom he is alreadie much beholding therefore coueting to haue a liberall heart and hating the contrarie I desire also to bée excéedingly beholding vnto you since I haue bin much beholding before not onely to you but also vnto your most deare beloued brother Iames a famous and singular patron of godlinesse and learning And therefore being desirous to satisfie I hope my honest desire I craue somewhat boldly of you that you will not refuse to inlarge my debt vnto you by a certaine newe benefite The which is that with such authoritie as you haue you will vouchsafe to protect Doctor Zanchus so far foorth as trueth and iustice will permit otherwise I shoulde be verie impudent if I woulde require any thing especially of you which any maner of waie is against these vertues And in this respect doe I desire this because manie young men of Zuricke which for learnings sake haue liued for a time in Strasborough haue returned hither a fewe dayes since of whom I vnderstand that this man whom I haue alwayes accounted both godlie and verie well learned and these xxv yéeres at the least haue helde for the most deare friend is nowe so greatly pressed with slaunders and accusations as he standeth in ieopardie of all his good estimation For it is reported that his function of teaching is either nowe taken vtterly from
deserue the title 4 70 b 71 a Cause The difference betwéene Cause meanes 3 52 b Whether one and the same Cause may produce contrarie effectes 3 289 b That which is the Cause of a cause may also be the cause of an effect as how 1 178 a 3 14 b An accidentall Cause can bee no cause say the Philosophers 1 173 a Euill hath not an efficient but a deficient Cause 1 184 a Of a Cause which so worketh that it is also wrought and not wrought of another 3 39 b That which is the latter cannot be the efficient Cause of that which went before 3 16 b One and the same thing may bee both the efficient Cause and the effect and how 2 600 a It is not lawfull for a sound and constant thing to assigne a mutable Cause as how 1 161 b Howe the instruments are affected to the efficient Cause 1 164 a What is the deficient Cause of euill actions 1 184 a God is not the proper Cause but the remoouing or prohibiting cause of sinne and how 1 191a How God may be said to be the deficient Cause of sinne 1 187 a An obiection that if God bee not the Cause of sinne then he is not the cause of all things 1 198 a The highest Cause of causes is Gods will 3 15 a Causes The coniunction of Causes and effects is hard to change 4 330 ab Efficient working vpon them to couet to bring foorth effects like themselues in nature as how 1 176 b Noble may sometimes bring foorth vile effects as how 1 156 b Of naturall Causes much spoken by way of assertion and confutation 1 79 ab How they be indefinite or not limited 1 175 a Betwéene them and effects there is a circuit and how 2 578 a All doe not necessarily bring foorth their effects 3 40 b Some are necessarie and some not necessarie what they be both 1 81 b A difference betwéene them and occasions 2 509 b 510 a In what respects there is no necessarie power of working in them 1 174 a God can let them be they neuer so certaine and necessarie and how 1 82 b We must not depend wholy vpon second Causes 3 258 b They doe oftentimes change themselues in working 1 173 b They are instruments of Gods prouidence 1 173 ab Of Gods sentence according to them 1 110 a Though somewhat forceable of themselues yet vnable to bring any thing to passe without Gods prouidence procured 1 170 a Causes of effectes knowne vnto spirits and how 1 82b The Causes of honour both formall efficient materiall and finall 1 141 b Thrée kinde of Causes deliberatiue demonstratiue and iudiciall and their times 4 255 a Ce. Ceremonie Thrée things in euerie Ceremony of the old lawe 2 580 a Of the Ceremonie of washing the féete 4 211 ab Ceremonies Ceremonies were accidents of the law 2 577 a Howe the prophets ment that they should be transferred to the Gentiles 2 579 a The law it selfe woulde haue them abolished 2 578 b With what charge God gaue them 2 579 b Whether they were vtterly vnknowne to the common people 3 310 a 4 105 b 106 ab Some thing in them firme and perpetuall 2 577a b 375b Why God gaue them which should afterwards be abolished 2 579 b 1 173 b 174 a Whereby it may be gathered that God woulde not haue them longer obserued 2 577 b At what time they were not vsed of the Iewes 2 577 a God himselfe abolished them 2 577 a Onelie one thing pertaining to them commaunded in the tables of the law 2 350 b In what peculiar place they were exercised 2 577 b It is no great matter whether they be vsed all alike in all places of a kingdome 2 324 b Which may be chaunged for edification sake 2 324b The Papists bring in Pauls example to approoue the vse of them 2 320a The fathers in the law were bound to more than we 2 593 b In what respect they are counted detestable before God 1 2 b Of their vse and howe long they should last 1 9 b Howe long they remained after Christs ascension 2 320 b Whether it were lawfull for holie men in the corrupt Church of the Iewes to communicate with them 2 321 b The Nicodemits compared them with the inuentions of men and why 2 320 b Whether the Iewes vnderstoode the promises which were sealed by them 4 105 ab Whether iustification be denyed to be onely as touching them 3 10â—ab 10â—ab 105a The time when they had their beginning 2 579 b 580a Whie they were instituted 4 140 a Iohn Baptist shewed that they shoulde bée abolished 2 579 a Cautions touching them in the Church 4 42 b 43 ab Diuerse Papisticall 4 70 ab Burthens in the Church complained of 4 77 b In what respect Paul was content that they might be vsed 2 320 ab Certaintie Of the Certeintie of hope much spoken too and fro 3 83 b 84 ab The fathers of the Church taught the Certeintie of saluation 3 â—5 a Ch. Chance How things depending of Chance doe fall out to be necessarie prooued 1 175ab Euen the things that to be so 〈◊〉 to come by Chance are gouerned by Gods prouidence prooued 1 17â— b 18â— b 173 a â—…9 a Fortune and Chance are referred vnto vs not vnto God examples 3 3â— ab Why any thing shoulde be saide to come by Chance seeing God hath determined of the one part so made it a thing of necessitie 1 174 b A cause comming by Chance can be no cause say the Philosophers 1 173 a The nature of things that come by Chance what it is 1 34 a What things are saide to be doone by Chance and not of necessitie and contrariwise 1 169a 174 a Whether Gods prouidence take away Chance and fortune 1 168 b 174 a Why in the nature of things some be necessarie and some casuall or depending vpon Chance 1 174 b What the Grecians call a thing comming by Chance and how many sorts of them there be 1 169 b The peripatetiks were of opinion that many thinges come by Chance 1 172 a What kind of games depend thereupon 2 525 ab Howe thinges are saide to be by Chance in respect of God and vs. 1 169 ab The Philosophers assigne two groundes or beginnings of Chance 1 169 ab Change Whether there be Change in God 3 302 a 10 a 37 b In what respect there is and is not 1 208 a Whether it be in the thing it selfe or in him 1 207 a None in him though in mans reason there maie séeme to be 1 109 b 3 49 ab All men but not after one manner confesse it 1 208 b Whether God doeth Change his purpose when man changeth 1 207 b The Change of man commeth not of himselfe but of God 1 207 b Of the Change of all thinges at the ende of the worlde 3 393 a ¶ Looke VVorlde Charitie A definition of Charitie 2 558