therefore haue perished with others and by that meanes sorrowe had béene added vnto a righteous father which thing God would not if they had béene good and they also had begotten others and perhaps Noah himselfe others also all which if God would haue saued for Noahs sake the arke should haue béen made much bigger Whereby Noah had béene more wearied in the building of it than reason would This séemeth to be a pleasant deuise But as I haue said before it shall appeare sufficientlie to a christian man that either these were not the first among his children or else that children were denied him so long as it pleased the Lord. Neither is it méet to cleaue vnto fables so curiouslie inuented But what shall we saie as concerning the great number of yéeres wherein they are said to haue liued Shall we be so hardie to affirme that those were not so long as these yéeres of ours but that they were of two or thrée moneths long And Plinie séemeth to report in the 7. booke of his naturall historie that diuers countries made their computation of yéeres otherwise than we doo and that thereby it came to passe that some may séeme to haue liued longer than the common course This cannot possiblie be prooued by this argument bicause in the description of the arke and of the floud Gen. 7 12. there is mention made of the second and tenth moneth wherefore the same maner of yéeres was then that are now Gen. 8 5. An addition Yea and by the whole course of the historie ye may plainelie perceiue that the full number of daies and moneths which we vse in our age or at the least wise within verie few more or lesse were compleated at that time For in the 17. daie of the second moneth at what time as the fountaines of the great deepe did breake vp Noah entered into the arke The 17. daie of the second moneth the arke rested vpon the tops of Armenia In the first daie of the tenth moneth the tops of the mountaines were seene then followed fortie daies before Noah opened the windowe of the arke wherevnto adde 14. daies more which were spent in sending foorth of the dooue Which being in all 54. daies or two moneths make vp the ful number of twelue moneths the very same reckoning which we at this daie obserue So we haue it sufficientlie prooued that seeing as well the yeres as moneths of old time were the verie same that ours be or little differing the time of their life in those daies was no les than the scriptures declare ¶ Looke the propositions out of the fourth chapter of Gen. at the end of this booke Of Giants In Iud. 1. verse 10. 32 Now séeing that in the holie scriptures there is mention made oftentimes of giants Looke in Gen. 6 4. it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat of them First we must vnderstand By how manie names the giants are called in the holie scriptures What signifieth Hanak that they be called by diuers names in the scriptures as Rephaim Nephilim Emim and Hanakim The Hebrue verbe Hanak is to inuiron or compasse about and from thence is deriued the nowne Hanak and in the plurall number it is both the masculine and feminine gender and signifieth a chaine and it is transferred vnto notable famous men as if thou shouldest saie Knight and chainemen But they were called Emim by reason of a terror which they brought vpon others with their looke They were called Zamzumim of wickednes for they hauing confidence in their owne power and strength contemned both lawes iustice and honestie and they alwaies wrought wickednesse For doubtles the hebrue word Zimma signifieth wickednes or mischéefe Also they were named Rephaim bicause men méeting with them became in a maner astonished for that word otherwhile signifieth dead men Finallie they be called Nephilim as one may say oppressors of the verbe Naphal which is To fall or to rush vpon bicause they did violentlie run vpon all men Som thought that they were sometime called Gibborim but bicause we vse to refer that word vnto power and Gibborim are properlie called strong men therfore I would not put it among these Further What time giants began to be Augustine if thou wilt demand when giants began to be to follow the opinion of Augustine in the 16. booke De ciuitate Dei the 23. chapter we may saie that they were before the floud Wherein we beléeue him bicause he prooueth it by the testimonie of the holie scriptures for we haue it in the sixt of Genesis Gen. 6 4. that in those daies there were giants vpon the earth whose stocke although it were preserued after the floud yet he thinketh that it was not in anie great number 33 Besides this Whether giants were begotten by men there is a doubt as touching procreation and parents For some thinke that they were not begotten of men but that angels or spirits were their parents and this they saie is speciallie confirmed by that which is written in the booke of Genesis Gen. 6 1. The sonnes of God seeing the daughters of men that they were faire tooke them to wiues and of them were borne most mightie men or giants Of this fall of angels bicause they were conuersant with women manie of the ancient fathers are of one mind and among the rest Lactantius in the second booke the 15. chapter Lactantius For as we read there he thought that God feared least that sathan to whom he had granted dominion of the world would vtterlie haue destroied mankind and therefore he gaue vnto mankind angels for tutors by whose industrie and care they might be defended But they being as well prouoked by the craft of sathan as allured by the beautie of faire women cōmitted vncleannes with them wherefore he saith that both they were cast from their dignitie and were made souldiers of the diuell This indéed did Lactantius thinke yet he said not that through those méetings of the angels with women were borne giants but earthlie Daemons or spirits which walke about the earth to our great harme Eusebius Caesariensis Eusebius Caesariensis in his fift booke De praeparatione euangelica is in a maner of the same opinion For he saith also that the angels which fell begat of women whom they lewdlie loued those Daemons or spirits which afterward in sundrie wise brought great troubles to the world And to the verie same sort he referreth all those which the poets and historiographers taught to be gods whose battels contentions lusts sundrie and great tumults they haue mentioned either in verse or in prose Augustine But Augustine De ciuitate Dei the 15. booke and 23. chapter thinketh not that the opinion of these ancient fathers can be gathered out of that place of Genesis For he saith that such as be there called The sonnes of God were verie men Men of the stocke of Seth were
nature diuine inuisible and without bodie but speciallie also it betokeneth vnto vs the third person of the diuinitie distinct from the father and the sonne And speciallie is he thus called by the name of spirit by reason of his propertie bicause the propertie of him is to mooue to set forward to persuade to comfort and lighten the spirits and harts of men and at length to worke in them such things as perteine to our sanctification And the saints haue such triall of the maruellous effects thereof as neither reason neither mans wisedome is able to comprehend those things neither yet can they be discerned by the eies of men Wherefore of good right doo we heare saie I beleeue in the holie Ghost as in a thing that far excéedeth the capacitie of our nature and yet is distinctlie set foorth vnto vs in the holie scripture And that the same spirit is the third person in diuine nature Christ sufficientlie expresseth in these words in the which he said vnto his apostles Mat. 28 19. Go ye and baptise in the name of the father of the sonne and of the holie Ghost What signifieth to be baptised in the name of anie Which signifieth no other thing than that they which be washed in baptisme are bound to this confession namelie that the father the sonne and also the holie Ghost doo giue saluation vnto them Now sée I beséech you what it is to be baptised in the name of the thrée persons of the deitie The distinction of the three persons And the distinction of this third person is not onelie knowne here from the other two but thereby also we gather it when the eternall father speaketh vnto Iohn Baptist concerning the holie Ghost as of a thing distinct from himselfe and from the sonne He it is meaning by Christ vpon whome thou shalt see the spirit come downe in the likenesse of a dooue He speaketh not as if he ment by himselfe Iohn 1 33. Vpon whome I will descend but Vpon whome hee shall descend speaking of an other It is manifest also that he was not the sonne bicause the spirit in shape of a dooue was to light on Christ who properlie is called the sonne Yea doubtlesse and Christ in the Gospell of Iohn speaketh of the same spirit Hee shall take of mine Iohn 16 15 Ioh. 14 16. and shall come in my name And there he addeth The father shall giue you another comforter that is to saie an other beside me and distinct from my selfe By which places it is most assuredlie prooued that the holie Ghost is a distinct person in the most holie Trinitie the which we constantlie beléeue and confesse 32 This also is méet of vs to be considered that the spirit is not the same that be his gifts and works séeing Paule in the first to the Corinthians the 12. chapter reckoning vp sundrie effects thereof afterward addeth 1. Co. 12 11 And all these things worke that one and the same spirit distributing them to euerie man seuerallie as he will So is it euident enough that we here confesse the third person of diuinitie by the power of whome we be renewed in Christ and therefore may become like vnto Christ For euen as he was begotten without mans séed so are we borne againe vnto a new life by the power of Gods spirit as testifieth Iohn Ioh. 1. when he saith that He which beleeueth is made the sonne of God and is neither borne of bloud neither of the will of the flesh neither of the will of man but of God Which thing is particularlie attributed to this third person séeing Christ expresselie saith Ioh. 3 5. that He which is not borne of the water and of the spirit shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen From the verie same also is the remission of sinnes said to flowe Wherefore Christ breathed vpon the face of the apostles Iohn 20 22. said Receiue yee the holie Ghost whose sinnes ye shall forgiue the same shall be forgiuen and whose sinnes yee reteine shall be reteined Whosoeuer then sinneth against the holie Ghost dooth not obteine remission of his sinnes bicause that it is directlie doone against him from whome the remission of sinnes procéedeth Neither for all that doo we attribute this vnto him but forsomuch as we be loden with such weightinesse as we be scarse able to rise from the earth being alwaies pressed downe with the burthen of our flesh and with our corporall senses we should lie still in the earth vnlesse we were raised vp by that spirit who streighteneth and erecteth vp vnto heauen our minds which through naturall corruption are altogither soonken in the affections of the flesh euen as the soule susteineth the fraile and mortall bodie and setteth the same vpright that in this life the elect may in a maner haue the same experience of themselues A similitude that is perceiued to be in bottles the which being throwne emptie into the water fall to the bottome but if so be they be blowen and filled with wind they float aboue the water Euen so mens minds being void of that spirit are drowned through their owne affections and lusts but when they be filled with that holie spirit they be masters ouer sinne and they suffer not themselues at anie time to be ouercome by it This also we obteine by the benefit of the same spirit both to will aright and to worke iustlie For our nature as it is corrupt and peruerse would neuer in verie déed be willing of it selfe or would shew foorth anie actions which either in respect of themselues should be acceptable vnto God or in that they procéed from vs being enimies vnto him but that he would refuse and condemne them But that spirit of God placing himselfe here amongst vs dooth so fashion our minds as whatsoeuer floweth from vs by the helpe of him is most gratefull and acceptable vnto GOD and that bicause he inwardlie reformeth vs that we may become most welcome friends yea rather most déere beloued children 33 Héere ye sée what singular benefit this article of our faith bringeth when it is knowne and vnderstood And vndoubtedlie our affections our mind yea and the members of the verie bodie be instruments of the spirit it selfe Wherefore Paule writeth vnto the Romans that Those finallie be the children of God Rom. 8 14. which be lead by the spirit of God And euen as he cannot be called a man who is destitute of the mind of man nor that a dog which beareth not the forme or liuing propertie of a dog no more is he partaker of the diuine nature which is void of the spirit of God And therefore I cannot maruell enough at the follie of some which if a man saie that they be no christians cannot abide this reproch and yet in the meane time will neither séeme to be indued with that spirit neither will be persuaded or themselues grant that none may be a
earth There is also another psalme alledged Therefore hath God euen thy God annointed thee with oile of gladnes aboue thy fellowes Hebr. 1 9. And there is a comparison of Christ with Melchisedecke namelie that they were both without father Hebru 7 3. without mother and without genealogie which thing accordeth not with Christ but so far foorth as he is God Vnto the Colossinas we reade Coloss 2 9. that In Christ dwelleth all the fulnes of the godhead bodilie Colo. 1 16. Againe All things are made by him whether they be things visible or inuisible Titus 2 13. or thrones or dominions Vnto Titus We expecting the blessed hope and comming of the glorie of the great God Héere Christ is most plainelie called The great God And in the second to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 8 9. When he was rich he was made poore for all men It can not be meant that he was rich but in respect of his diuine nature 1. Cor. 2 8. And in the first epistle to the Corinthians If they had knowne him they would neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie And in the eight chapter 1. Cor. 8 6. To vs neuertheles there is one God which is the father of whom are all things and we in him and one Lord Iesus Christ by whome are all things and we by him But if that all things are by him verelie there is no doubt but that he is God And vnto the Galathians as touching the time of infidelitie it is written Gala. 4 8. When as yee serued those which in nature be no gods c. By which words the contrarie is gathered that séeing they were conuerted vnto Christ and serued him they serued him that in nature is God But to followe the sure and more vndoubted testimonies of the old Testament Psal 110 1. out of Dauid we haue The Lord said vnto my Lord Sit on my right hand vntill I make thine enimies thy footestoole Esaie calleth him Emanuel Esaie 7 14. Esaie 9 6. And againe he saith His name shall be called Woonderfull a Counsellour God c. Ieremie in the 21. chapter saith Ierem. 21 6. that he must be called God our righteousnes he vseth the name Tetragrammaton The verie which thing thou maist sée to be done by the same Prophet in the 31. chapter Iere. 31 23. wherein though he speake of the citie I meane of the people of God or of the church yet neuertheles all that doth appertaine vnto Christ which is the head of the same yea rather by him is such a name attributed to the church people of God Also we reade in Esaie Esaie 53 8. Who shall be able to reckon his generation And in the Prophet Micheas Miche 5 2. And thou Bethleem of Iewrie art not the least among the thousands of Iuda for out of thee shall come foorth vnto me one that shall rule my people Israel whose out-going hath bin from the beginning and from euerlasting by which words both the natures of Christ are shewed Esaie 11 10. Adde againe out of the Prophet Esaie that which is cited by Paule in the 15. chapter to the Romanes Rom. 15 12. There shall be a roote of Iesse which shall arise to rule ouer the Gentiles and in him shall the Gentiles trust And certaine it is that he is to be accursed Looke In Rom. 1 and 4 25 8 verse 34 9 a 5 33 10 17 11 7 27. 1. Cor. 11 verse 3. which putteth anie hope in a creature Therefore séeing we must put our trust in Christ and that he is to be called vpon it plainelie appéereth that he is God There might be heapt vp other testimonies of this matter but these I thinke to be enough and enough againe to confute the boldnes of these men VVhether the holie Ghost be God In 1. Cor. 12. 6 Now it shall not be from the purpose to confirme by manie reasons that the holy Ghost is God The word spirit diuerslie taken This word spirit sometime signifieth a certeine motion or a nature mooueable sometimes it is taken for life or mind or the force of the mind whereby we are mooued to doo anie thing it is also transfferred to the signifieng of things Why our soules and angels and God are called spirits which be seperate from matter as be the angels which the philosophers call Intelligencies yea and it is so far drawne as it representeth our soules Which metaphor séemeth to haue respect therevnto bicause we somtimes signifie by this name the thin exhalations which breath either from the earth from the water from the bloud or from the humors of liuing creatures which exhalations although they be not easilie perceiued by the sense yet are they effectuall and of excéeding great force as it appéereth by winds earthquakes and such like things And so it commeth to passe hereby that the name of these most subtill bodies whose force is excéeding great hath béene translated to the expressing of substances without bodies Wherefore it is taken for a word generall Spirit is a generall word both vnto God vnto angels and vnto our soules And that it is attributed vnto God Christ sheweth when he saith God is a spirit Iohn 4 24. and therevpon concludeth that he must be worshipped in spirit and truth When it is so taken this name comprehendeth vnder it the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost But somtime it is taken particularlie That the holie Ghost is a person distinct frō the Father and the Sonne for the third person of the Trinitie which is distinct from the Father and the Sonne And of this person we speake at this time wherein two things must be shewed first that he is a person distinct as well from the Father as the Sonne secondlie we will shew that the holie Ghost is by this meane described to be God The first reason Matt. 28 19. 7 As touching the first the apostles are commanded in the Gospell that they should baptise in the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost Which place dooth most plainlie expresse the distinction of the thrée persons and dooth signifie nothing else but that we be deliuered from our sinnes by the name power and authoritie of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost And in the baptisme of Christ as Luke rehearseth The second reason Matt. 3 16. Luke 3 21. the voice of the Father was heard which said This is my beloued sonne c. Further the holie Ghost appéered vnder the forme of a dooue Here as thou séest the sonne is baptised the father speaketh and the holie Ghost sheweth himselfe in forme of a dooue In Iohn it is said Iohn 14 16. The third reason I will aske my Father and he shall giue you another Comforter Here also the Sonne praieth the Father heareth and the Comforter is
sent And againe He shall receiue of mine The fourth reason Iohn 16 14. whereby is signified that the holie Ghost dooth so differ from the Father and the Sonne as he is deriued from both And least that anie man should thinke that when Christ promised that the holie Ghost shuld come vpon the beléeuers as in the daie of Pentecost it came to passe onlie a diuine inspiration and motion of the mind was signified the words of Christ are against it wherein he said The fift reason Iohn 14 26. He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance which I haue told you But inspiration and motion of the mind doo not teach nor prompt anie thing but are onelie instruments whereby something is taught and prompted And the action of teaching and prompting cannot be attributed but vnto one that is a person indéed Which is prooued by other words of Christ when he said of the holie Ghost The sixt reason Iohn 16 13 He shall speake whatsoeuer he shall heare And that this third person procéedeth from the Father and the Sonne it is euident enough in the same Gospell of Iohn where it is written Iohn 15 26 The 7. reason When the Comforter shall come whom I will send vnto you euen the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father Séeing the sonne saith that he will send the Spirit and as we said before affirmeth him to receiue of his no man doubteth but that hée procéedeth from the sonne And he now expresselie addeth Who proceedeth from the Father 8 Now haue we first declared out of the holie scriptures Whether the holie Ghost be God that the person of the holie Ghost is distinguished as well from the Father as the Sonne and that he procéedeth from them both Now must we sée whether he be God This dooth Paule shew two maner of waies first when it is said There be diuersitie of gifts but one Spirit The first reason 1. Cor. 12 4. diuersitie of operations but one and the same God But to giue gifts and spirituall faculties is no whit lesse than to distribute operations wherefore séeing the holie Ghost is said to distribute gifts God to impart actions vnto men it is manifest that the holie Ghost is God If the spirit be the author of graces the Father of operations it is méet that the holie Ghost should be equall to God the Father Further it is added that The same spirit dooth worke all these things The second reason 1. Co. 12 11 distributing to euerie one euen as he will Séeing then the souereigne choise is in him to impart heauenlie gifts he is God And it is written Ye are the temple of God 1. Cor. 3 16. The third reason and the Spirit of God dwelleth in you if anie man doo violate the temple of God him shall God destroie But it is not méete for anie creature to haue a temple séeing the same is proper vnto the diuine nature Wherefore séeing we be called The temples of the holie Ghost it is now manifest that he is God And least we should thinke it lawfull to build temples vnto martyrs Augustine saith that temples are not builded vnto martyrs let vs heare Augustine who denieth that we build temples vnto martyrs we build them saith he vnto God although they be called The memories of martyrs and out of Augustine himselfe is this forme of reasoning gathered Neither did the apostle but onlie once saie that We are the temples of the holie Ghost but he hath the verie same thing in the sixt chapter of the same epistle where it is written And doo yee not knowe that your bodies are the temples of the holie Ghost 1. Cor. 6 19. Furthermore the power of creating which is proper vnto God The fourth reason Psal 33. 6. is ascribed vnto the holie Ghost séeing Dauid hath written By the word of the Lord were the heauens made all the powers of him by the spirit of his mouth And againe Send foorth thy spirit Psa 104 30. and they shall be created and thou shalt renew the face of the earth And in Matthew it is said of the bodie of Christ which should be brought foorth in the virgins wombe Matth. 1 20. That which is borne in hir is of the holie Ghost Againe Luke 1 45. The holy Ghost shall come vpon thee and the power of the most high shall ouershadowe thee Séeing then the holie Ghost hath the power of creating as it hath béene declared vndoubtedlie he is God 1. Cor. 2 verse 10. In the same epistle to the Corinthians it is said that he searcheth the bottome of Gods secrets it séemeth that the apostle maketh this kind of argument The fift reason The things which be of man no man knoweth but the spirit of man which is in him euen so the things that be of God none knoweth but the spirit of God And so he will haue it that euen as the spirit of man is vnto man so the spirit of God is towards God And no man is ignorant but that the spirit of man belongeth vnto the nature of man whereby it is certeine that the spirit of God is of his diuine nature Basil The sixt reason Basil against Eunomius vseth another reason which commeth in a manner to the selfe-same he saith that the holie Ghost is the spirit both of the father and of the sonne and therefore of the verie same nature that they be For it is written in the epistle to the Romans And if the spirit of him Rom. 8 11. which raised vp Iesus frō death doo abide in you he that raised vp Christ shall also raise vp your mortall bodies This place declareth that the holie Ghost dooth belong vnto the father who in the same epistle is shewed to belong also vnto the sonne when as a little before it is said He that hath not the spirit of Christ the same is not his But in the epistle to the Galathians Galat. 4 6. The seuenth reason both togither is expressed in these words And bicause yee be children therefore hath God sent the spirit of his sonne into your harts whereby ye crie Abba father Wherefore séeing the holie Ghost is the spirit aswell of the father as of the sonne he is wholie partaker of their nature 9 Moreouer in the Acts of the apostles the fift chapter Peter said to Ananias Acts. 5 3. How darest thou lie vnto the holie Ghost The eight reason Thou diddest not lie vnto men but vnto God Now in this place he most manifestlie calleth the holy Ghost God Augustine in his booke De trinitate else where and Ambrose also De spiritu sancto doo both cite the apostle to the Philippians the third chapter Phil. 3 3. where he writeth Beware of dogs beware of euill workers beware of concision for we be the circumcision which serue God in the
spirit Where you sée that the worshiping of God which the Grecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is doon vnto the holie Ghost which he calleth God Albeit in some place it is read in the genitiue case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if thou shouldst saie Seruing the spirit of God I sée the place is not verie firme for some interpret it Seruing God in spirit but yet I thought it good to shew that the fathers haue vsed this argument Basil in his treatise De spiritu sancto Basil Didymus The ninth reason the 22. chap. and also Didymus De spiritu sancto declare that to be God which can be in diuers places at one time which thing is not agréeable to anie creature But that the holie Ghost was present with the apostles and prophets in sundrie parts of the world at one time no man professing the faith of Christ doubteth wherfore it followeth that he is God Also Basil against Eunomius alleadged the epistle of Iohn the fourth chapter The tenth reason Iohn 4 13. And in this we knowe that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him bicause we haue receiued of his spirit which should not be true if we should account the holie Ghost to be of another nature than Christ is for then might the holie Ghost be communicated vnto the faithfull without Christ He addeth also another reason The eleuenth reason Iohn 8 15. By the holie Ghost we are adopted to be the children of God wherefore he himselfe is God For the scriptures doo euerie where call him The spirit of adoption But none that is not God can adopt anie to be the children of God In the Acts of the apostles we read The holie Ghost said The twelfe reason Separate me Paule and Barnabas vnto the worke of the ministerie Acts. 13 2. wherevnto I haue chosen them And there is no doubt but that it is the part of God onelie to call vnto the ministerie Athanasius The 13. reason Acts. 20 28. Which reason Athanasius vseth in disputing against Arrius There is also brought the twentie chapter of the Acts where Paule thus admonisheth Take heed vnto the whole flocke wherin the holie Ghost hath made you ouerseers to gouerne the church But it is the office of none but of God onlie to choose ministers and bishops of the churches Ambrose thoroughlie weieth of these words All things are made by him and he saith Ambrose The 14. reason that the holie Ghost spake in the Euangelist and that therefore if it had béene a creature he should haue said Iohn 1 3. All we things are made by him by that meanes he had not excluded himselfe from the number of creatures Againe he citeth that saieng of Iohn Iohn 16 14. The 15. reason He shall receiue of mine we cannot saith he vnderstand this to be spoken of the bodie no nor yet of the soule and then it must be vnderstood of the diuine nature He also taketh the testimonie of Esaie which is written in Luke The 16. reason Luke 4 18. Esai 16 1. The Spirit of the Lord hath annointed me and sent me to preach glad tidings to the poore But there is none that hath power to send Christ no not as touching his humane nature vnles it be God The 17. reason Psal 85 9. We read in the psalme I will heare what the Lord God will speake in me but when Dauid spake these words there was none spake in him but the holie Ghost wherfore he is God In the tenth chapter to the Hebrues The holie Ghost hath testified Heb. 10 15. The 18. reason This is my testament that I will make vnto them he calleth it his testament which onelie God made with his people wherefore it is manifest that the holie Ghost which did speake is God 1. Iohn 5 7. The 19. reason 10 And in the first epistle of Iohn the fift chapter There be three which beare witnes in heauen the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three be one Manie write that this testimonie is not found in the Gréeke against whom is Ierom in his preface of the canonicall epistles who saith that these words are in the Gréeke Ierom. but haue béene left out by the Latine translatours Yet Cyrillus herein agréeth not with Ierom Cyril for he reciteth in the 14. booke of his Thesaurus all this whole place and omitteth this particle Among the Latins Augustine and Beda read not these words Augustine Beda Erasmus But Erasmus in his notes vpon this place sheweth that there was found a Gréek booke in Britan A booke found in England which had these words also the Spanish edition hath them But admit that these words be not had in the Gréeke copies the strength of the argument shall not be anie thing diminished for that cause The Spanish edition for that which we affirme is prooued by the other particle of the sentence which is found extant as well among the Gréeks as among the Latins namelie There be three things 1. Iohn 5 8. which beare witnes on the earth bloud Augustine water and the spirit Augustine against Maximus the Arrian bishop in his third booke the 14. chapter vseth this place and he would that the spirit should signifie the Father The Spirit God the father bicause God is a spirit and the Father himselfe is the fountaine and beginning of the whole diuinitie Further Bloud the Sonne bloud as he saith betokens the Sonne bicause he tooke vpon him the nature of man and shed his bloud for vs. Finallie water in his iudgement Water the holie Ghost dooth manifestlie declare the holie Ghost Wherevnto the Gospell dooth verie well agrée For whereas Iesus said Riuers of liuelie water shall flowe out of his bellie Iohn 7 38. it is expounded that he spake this as touching the Spirit which they should receiue that beléeued in him Wherefore insomuch as the thrée persons are represented in these thrée names and that it is added withall that these thrée be one it is manifestly declared that the thrée diuine persons haue one and the selfe-same substance And Augustine treating vpon this place dooth speciallie vrge that particle And they three be one And he would haue it to be a stedfast and firme thing in the scriptures that when anie things are said to be one they differ not in substance Euen as when we read in the Gospell that Christ said I and the Father be one Iohn 10 30. there was ment to be one nature both of the Father and of the Sonne so saith he we must now vnderstand as touching these thrée that they be one 11 Cyrillus thus argueth vnto this matter The 20. reason Iohn saith It is the Spirit which beareth record and the Spirit is veritie bicause there be thrée which beare record vpon the earth The Father the Word and the Spirit and
these three be one but and if ye receiue the testimonie of men the testimonie of God is greater In this place thou séest saith he that the testimonie of the holie Ghost is called the testimonie of God whereby it is prooued that the holie Ghost is God The spirit bloud and water represent the three persons And that those thrée I meane the spirit bloud and water doo represent the thrée persons it is shewed by thrée reasons The first is taken from the Analogie or conueniencie of the signes which Augustine recited Secondlie thou perceiuest that those thrée are said to be one which is not méete for them vnles thou shalt respect those things which be represented for otherwise spirit bloud and water doo varie in nature or kind one from another Thirdlie those thrée nounes in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is water spirit and bloud be of the neuter gender vnto which afterward is put the masculine article in the plurall number namelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is These three be vnto one or be one But the masculine article as touching signes which be of the neuter gender might take no place vnles it should be applied vnto those which are signified that is vnto the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost Neither let it trouble vs that it is read some-where These three be vnto one as though it should make for the Arrians which said that these thrée persons be vnto one bicause they consented togither in one testimonie as though the spéech concerneth not one maner of nature but one maner of will The Hebrue phrase And the phrase commeth néere vnto the Hebrue so as To be vnto one and To be one is the selfe-same thing As when we read in the psalme I will be vnto him a Father and he shall be vnto me a Sonne it is as if it were said I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne And in another place They shall be vnto me a people 2. Cor. 6 18. and I will be vnto them a God is all one as to saie I will be their God and they shall be my people And when it is said They be one there is signified both a distinction of persons and an vnitie of substance For vnlesse there were some distinction it should haue bin said It is one The 21. reason verse 57. 12 Also they alledge the song of the thrée children wherein when all creatures are stirred vp vnto the praises of God the Sonne the holie Ghost are not mentioned whereby it is plaine that they be not reckoned among creatures Neither maist thou saie that this song is a part of the Apocrypha bicause this part of Daniel is wanting in the Chaldean edition for thou shalt sée the verie same to be done euerie-where in the Psalmes of Dauid wherein is the same stirring vp of creatures vnto diuine praises Iohn in his first epistle saith 1. Iohn 5 6. The spirit is truth and this cannot be written of a creature séeing truth is chiefe and principall The 22. reason and dependeth not of another They are woont to alledge the beginning of the booke of Genesis The 23. reason where it is said The spirit of the Lord mooued vpon the face of the waters Genes 1 2. In which place they affirme that there is mention made of thrée persons namelie of the Father which created of the Sonne by whome all things were made as when it is said In the beginning it is all one as to saie By the beginning and of the holie Ghost I knowe that the Hebrue expositors interpret far otherwise of these words but I haue onlie taken vpon me to shew those places by which the fathers gathered the Godhead of the holie Ghost Wherevnto adde The 24. reason that Paule in his epistles seldome maketh mention of the father and the sonne but he also speaketh of the holie ghost either expreslie or by adding of somewhat pertaining to him And Basil sheweth The 25. reason that it was a custome receiued in the whole church to adde in the end of the Psalmes that which we now vse Glorie be to the Father to the Sonne and to the holie Ghost wherein the thrée persons are made equall the one to the other The 26. reason 13 The Synod of Nice set foorth a créed in which we saie I beleeue in the holie Ghost But it is verie manifest that we must not repose our confidence in anie thing that is created And bicause in those daies the contention was not much sproong vp of the holie Ghost there was nothing else added but afterwards when diuers and sundrie heresies grew vp as touching him The Councell of Constantinople then in the Councell of Constantinople which was the second among the foure principall manie things were added to make this article plaine For we grant that We beleeue in the holie Ghost both the Lord giuer of life By the particle Lord they make him equall vnto Christ who in the scriptures is commonlie called Lord which epitheton or addition they would therefore to be expressed Against the Arrians bicause the Arrians affirmed that Christ was altogether a creature but yet the noblest they said which next vnto God was the chéefe And they said that the holie ghost was yet lesse than the sonne and euen his minister Wherefore the Synod in place of Minister put the title of Lord. The selfe-same thing did they in the particle The giuer of life for they saw that it is written in Iohn that not onlie the father doth giue life but that the sonne also can quicken whom-soeuer he will and so least the holie ghost might séeme to be excluded from this propertie they added that particle And that his Godhead might be the more manifest it was added The 27. reason that He together with the father and the sonne is woorshipped and glorified 14 Further Athanasius hath in his créed The 28. reason God the Father God the Sonne and God the holie Ghost And to prooue this thing no lesse is the forgiuing of sins taken for an argument which they grant as proper to the holie Ghost For when Christ had breathed vpon his disciples he said Receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 20 22. and whose sinnes ye remit they be remitted vnto them and whose sinnes ye reteine they be reteined Whereby it appéereth that this power is yéelded to the holie Ghost and is proper vnto God And this euen the Scribes themselues testified The 29. reason who hearing Christ saie to the man sick of the palsie Thy sinnes be forgiuen thee Matth. 9 2. cried out that he spake blasphemie in that he durst take vpon him the office of God Furthermore The 30. reason the holie scriptures doo call this self-same spirit both A sanctifier and giuer of light which faculties are méete to be attributed vnto God onlie In Exodus the fourth chapter
it is said vnto Moses when he detracted the time of dooing his message bicause he had an impediment in his spéech Exod. 4 11. Who hath giuen a mouth vnto man Or who maketh the dumbe or deafe the blind seeing Haue not I the Lord Wherfore I will be in thy mouth By which place it is shewed that it is the worke of almightie God to speake in his ministers to open their mouths to make them readie of spéech But Christ when he speaketh of this matter saith It is not you that speake but the spirit of your father whereby it séemes to be prooued Mat. 10 20. that the holie Ghost is God séeing he hath one and the selfe-same action with him Augustine in his epistle to Pascentius saith Augustine that he doth woonder how it can be that Christ whose members we are is beléeued to be God and that the holie Ghost whose temple we be should be denied to be God séeing the excellencie of the Godhead is more prooued in the latter condition than in the first The reasons which we haue brought do in part prooue of necessitie and doo plainelie shew What maner of reasons haue bin alleged that the holie Ghost is God Others indéed be not altogether of such efficacie but being ioined with other things doo confirme the minds of the faithfull in this truth neither is there anie of them which the fathers haue not some-where vsed There might also be added other arguments of this sort but with these we will hold our selues contented What may be obiected against this doctrine Rom. 8 26. 15 Now remaineth to consider what is woont to be obiected against this doctrine Some saie The holie Ghost praieth for vs and that with sighings vnspeakeable How can he then bée God séeing it is not méete for God to humble himselfe after the maner of suppliants Some answere and saie That the sonne doth make intercession for vs How the holie Ghost praieth for vs. Rom. 8 34. Looke In Rom. 8 verse 26. The holie Ghost hath not taken vpon him anie creature into the vnitie of person who neuerthelesse is God and that therefore to praie is not strange from the nature of God howbeit this is friuolous For Christ in that he was man was inferiour to the father and therefore might be a suter vnto him But the holie Ghost hath not taken vppon him the nature of anie creature into vnitie of person Wherefore the respect that must be had towards him and towards Christ is far differing and vnlike and therefore we will answere that the spirit praieth and maketh request for vs as it is written in the epistle to the Romanes bicause it driueth vs forward to doo these things and it is therefore said to sigh bicause it maketh vs to sigh Neither is this phrase strange from the scriptures God is said to doo those things which he causeth vs to doo Gen. 22 12. but it is verie often vsed For God said vnto Abraham when he would haue sacrificed his sonne Now haue I knowne that thou fearest God That vndoubtedlie was knowne before vnto the diuine maiestie and was commanded For the harts and cogitations of men are not hidden from him But I haue knowne in that place is as much to saie as I haue caused to knowe That this phrase is so to be vnderstood the Apostle testifieth to the Galathians when he saith And seeing yee be children Galath 4 6. therefore God hath sent the spirit of his son into your harts crieng Abba father In which words he séemeth to affirme that the holie Ghost himselfe doth crie vnto God But to the Romanes the same Apostle doth make it verie plaine For ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage Rom. 8 15. to feare anie more but yee haue receiued the spirit of adoption of children whereby we crie Abba father in which place it appeareth most plainelie that it is wée which crie the holie Ghost stirring and driuing vs forward therevnto 16 Further they demand that If the spirit procéed from the father Why the holie Ghost is not said to be the son and also from the sonne what is the cause why he is not called a sonne séeing he hath not beginning of himselfe We answere Bicause that in diuine and secret things we followe both the doctrine and manner of spéech of the holie scriptures Séeing then that the scripture hath in no place said that the holie Ghost either is begotten or is the sonne why should we attempt thus to saie And doubtles vnto godlie men this answere should suffice It must be added moreouer that this issuing out of the holie Ghost is called a procéeding therefore we must call it so And albeit that betwéene the Gréeke and Latin churches A long contention betweene the Greeke and Latine Churches Looke In Rom. 3. verse 30. there was a long contention whether the holie Ghost procéeded from the sonne yet was it not of anie great importance vnlesse it had bin aggrauated with the spirit of ambition For after the time that the Grecians began to contend in the Church for primacie they easilie tooke in ill part the opinions of the Latins But the dissention was taken vp in the Councell of Florence where it was manifest The Synod of Florence that the Latins meant no other thing but that the holie Ghost had his procéeding or issuing out as well from the father as from the sonne The which séeing it may be found as we haue said that in the holie scriptures it is called a procéeding we are not to be blamed Iohn 20 22. The sonne is said to send the holie Ghost for when he breathed vpon the Apostles he said Receiue yee the holie Ghost Iohn 16 14. Againe he said He shall receiue of mine And manie of the fathers before the Councell of Florence wrote that the holie Ghost is deriued as well from the father as the sonne Augustine against the heretike Maximinus Augustine and elsewhere sheweth it verie plainelie Also Epiphanius in Ancorato confesseth Epiphanius that the holie Ghost procéedeth from both that is from the father and the sonne 17 Albeit that betwéene procéeding and generation it is hard to put a difference A difference betweene generating and proceeding and that Augustine in the place now alledged granteth that he perceiued not the difference yet he said that this he knew namelie that whatsoeuer thing groweth doth also procéed but he saith not on the other side that whatsoeur things procéed are also sproong foorth Howbeit we cannot properlie expresse the difference Wherfore the holie Ghost is not said The holie Ghost neither begotten nor vnbegotten either to be begotten or vnbegotten least by saieng vnbegotten we might séeme to affirme him to be the father or by affirming him to be begotten we may séeme to call him the sonne This we haue out of Augustine in his third tome at the beginning of the
small questions gathered out of the booke De trinitate Adde withall that if the holie Ghost should be said to be begotten then in the trinitie we should appoint two sonnes two fathers For séeing the holie Ghost is as well of the father as of the sonne he should haue them both to be his fathers if it might be said that he is begotten of them yea and if the matter be well considered he might I saie be called both the sonne and sonnes sonne of one and the selfe-same Father For in affirming him to be begotten of the Father he should be called his Sonne but in asmuch as it should be said that he is borne of the Sonne he should be nephew vnto the Father which things be absurd and wholie strange from the scriptures Since the Sonne is called the onlie begotten it may not be said that the holie Ghost is begotten Iohn 1 14. Iohn 3 16. 1. Iohn 4 9. Yea and further to saie that the holie Ghost is begotten the words of the scripture are against it which verie often doo call the Sonne The onlie begotten whereof it followeth that the holie Ghost is not begotten In the first chapter of Iohn it is said We sawe the glorie thereof as the glorie of the onlie begotten of the father And in the third chapter of the same gospell So God loued the world as he gaue his onlie begotten sonne And the same Iohn in his epistle In this the loue of God towards vs appeared that he gaue his onlie begotten sonne Christ as touching his humane nature is called the first begotten Rom. 8 29. And Christ as touching his humane nature hath béene accustomed in the scripture to be called not The onlie begotten of God but The first borne among manie brethren as it appeareth in the epistle to the Romans Howbeit doubtles as touching his diuine nature he hath no brethren There be some which cauill that in the Synod of Nice the holie Ghost was not in expresse words called God but that onlie the Godhead of the sonne was expressed Vnto which obiection Epiphanius answereth Why Epiphanius in the Synod of Nice and other fathers else where haue not expresly named the holie Ghost God that in the Synod of Nice the controuersie was as touching the sonne onlie For Arrius at the first contended onlie against this point And Councels for the most part define not anie other things but such as are called in question yet neuertheles if a man diligentlie examine the matter he shall sée that those things be there defined which doo plainelie inough declare the diuine nature of the holie Ghost For it is there said We beleeue in the holie Ghost and it is not lawfull for one to put his confidence in a creature Moreouer that which was doon in the Synod of Nice was performed in the Synod of Constantinople 18 Also they obiect that among the fathers there were some and especially of the more ancient of them which were slacke in their writings to expresse in plaine words the holie Ghost to be God Among whom Erasmus reckoneth Hilarie Erasmus Hilarie who was thought to be the first among the Latins that wrote against the Arrians This father in his booke De trinitate neuer by expresse words called the holie Ghost God Vnto this obiection we answere that the most ancient fathers in teaching diuine things vsed a singular modestie and did imitate the holie scriptures so much as they could and although they said not in expresse words that the holie Ghost is God yet in the meane time they wrote those things which manifestly prooue his Godhead And further it appeareth that they of set purpose disputed against them which denied the Godhead of the holie Ghost and equalitie of the thrée diuine persons as we sée by the strife that was about the word * Of like substance Homousion A similitude from which manie of the Catholiks at the beginning did restraine themselues bicause it séemed to bée but new and that it was not had in the holie scriptures yet they neuertheles did imbrase and most willingly admit the thing signified Howbeit we striue not about these things but grant first and chéefelie whatsoeuer is in the holie scriptures and then whatsoeuer is necessarilie and manifestlie deriued out of them Next vnto those ancienter sort of fathers did Basil and diuers others succéed which by all meanes both testifie and defend the holy Ghost to be God 19 Others cauill bicause it is written that None knoweth the Father but the Sonne Mat. 11 27. and on the other side None the Sonne but the Father in which places they saie that there is no mention of the holie Ghost and therefore it séemeth vnto them that he knoweth neither the Father nor yet the Sonne that for the same cause he is not God To these also we answer Whether the holie Ghost knoweth the Father and the Sonne that when the knowing of the Father and of the Sonne is attributed to two persons the holie Ghost must not be excluded séeing he is said to be the spirit aswell of the Father as of the Sonne wherfore that which is belonging to both is also common vnto him And if they demand a plaine testimonie hereof out of the scriptures we will bring foorth one out of the first epistle to the Corinth where it is written 1. Cor. 2 11. The things of man none knoweth but the spirit of man which is within him and euen so those things which be of God Matt. 16 17. none knoweth but the spirit of God Also it is written in the gospell Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona The holie Ghost both knoweth the Father and the Sonne and also reuealeth them for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these things vnto thee but the spirit of my father which is in heauen By these testimonies it is manifest that the holy Ghost dooth not only knowe God but dooth also reueale make him to be known vnto others But this error whereby some indeuor Origins error to rebuke the holie Ghost with an ignorance of heauenlie things tooke beginning frō Origin who affirmed a certeine degrée to be among the natures of Intelligencis so as he though that the Father knoweth himselfe onelie he said that the Sonne did not knowe the Father and that the holie Ghost knew not the Sonne Epiphanius and he would moreouer that the angels perceiue not the holie Ghost and lastlie that men sée not the angels And that this order is set downe by him Epiphanius sheweth out of the booke as he testifieth The booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which booke neuertheles so far as hitherto I remember I haue not read the matter plainlie in such sort described Which is no maruell for that booke which Ruffinus translated Ruffinus hath manie things vnperfect For he plucked out those things which hée thought
spirituall man and to him which is renewed by Christ as Christ himselfe testifieth who speaking vnto his disciples said Feare ye not them which kill the bodie Matt. 10 28 but are not able to kill the soule But I will shew you whom ye ought rather to feare namelie God who after he hath killed the bodie is able to destroie the soule in hell fire Which of vs therefore déerelie beloued brethren in Christ will not so prepare himselfe as he may receiue with a chéerefull mind such a iudge through whose sentence an end shall be appointed vnto all the iniuries that are doone vnto vs Luke 12 35. This is that most high good man of the house which at the length shall make all his seruants to be knowne and shall demand an account of them touching such affaires as he hath committed vnto them This is that mightie rich merchant Matt. 25 14. that will returne to call for gaines of his great summe of monie deliuered into banke Matth. 25 1. This is that new bridegroome that by a iust choise shall seuer the wise virgins from the foolish This is that wise and expert steward Matt. 25 32. that knoweth how to laie vp the pure wheate in his barne and to burne the chafte with fire and who like a good shéepheard can seuer the shéepe from the goates and like a warie fisher the good fishes from the bad and finallie Matt 13 49. Ibid. 37. who like a wise husbandman will throwe the cockle into the fire but wiselie will saue the profitable and pretious séed Whosoeuer therefore thirsteth after the pure church or the sincere kingdome of Christ and after the sound and perfect fellowship of the chosen or that dooth long to sée that most excellent and immaculate spouse cannot but be pearsed in mind with the remembrance of that most swéet and acceptable daie that it is no maruell if the same be therefore called by Paule Blessed hope And in Luke Titus 2 13. after that he had reckoned vp diuerse tokens of the comming of that daie he added Luke 21 28 When ye shall see these tokens then looke vp and lift vp your heads for your redemption draweth neere 29 But least the ioie conceiued of that latter comming should be disturbed through the mistrust of saluation which might enter into your mind while ye vnderstand that the same most high iudge will be inquisitiue of mens works and this I saie bicause if thou wilt beléeue me there shall be no man how much honestie soeuer he be indued with that standing vpon the consideration of his owne works is able to hold fast this confidence and so if these things be not rightlie vnderstood by you in that blessed daie there would séeme to be an argument presented before your eies of nothing else but horrible excéeding feare of euerlasting death we must throughlie consider Who shall come to be examined at the iudgement of Christ and diligentlie weigh what shall come into triall and examination at the latter daie Wherein I first affirme that there shall be no néed of examination at all against the infidels as they that for their infidelitie be alreadie condemned Iohn 3 18. So Christ plainlie teacheth in Iohn Whosoeuer saith he beleeueth not is alreadie condemned But bicause this doubting might créepe into the minds of manie how it should come to passe that of them which are equallie intituled by the name title of christians some are adiudged to saluation and other some to eternall damnation for this cause our most iust iudge Christ will haue the reason of this difference to appeare to all the world séeing as he will neuer hereafter suffer his iustice to be hidden to the world in such wise as it was when he came first into the world to be conuersant among vs he will I saie at that second comming of his make his iustice knowne vnto all persons that it may manifestlie appeare who hath trulie taken vpon him his name and titles or who hath doone the same fainedlie and by hypocrisie 30 At the length also we may be warned hereby that not onelie the dead but also the liuing must come vnder the iudgement of Christ Which must be vnderstood as Paule teacheth in his epistle to the Corinths that vndoutedlie We shall not all die but we shall be all changed 1. Co. 15 51 And to the Thessal We which shall liue and shall be remaining 1. The. 4 17. shall be caught vp togither with them into the clouds to meete with the Lord in the aire and so we shall euer be with the Lord. Hereby it is gathered that of them which shall stand before that high iudgement seate some shall be raised from death and dust and others in verie déed shall not die but it will come to passe by the grace of GOD that they shall be translated vnto a better state the same not subiect to anie infirmities They shall be those elect which then shall be found aliue for there will be no néed for them to put off their bodies but their bodilie masse shall atteine vnto glorie so that death shall not take the same awaie from them Among them Paule did wish to be numbred as it is written in the epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15 32. and we also with him expect the same with great desire Howbeit in this matter as in all other things also let vs so behaue our selues that all may tend vnto the glorie of GOD. I beleeue in the holie Ghost Touching the signification of the word Spirit 31 Séeing the word Spirit signifieth manie things to the end we may the more easilie perceiue that which we beléeue it shal be verie good first to seuer and distinguish into diuers parts whatsoeuer is signified to vs vnder that name Out of which significations we will choose that which is agréeable vnto our purpose and will prosecute the same more at large That word spirit in generall dooth alwaies expresse a certeine secret strength or power which is able both to mooue and to driue forward Wherefore the winds togither with those organs whereby the life dooth gouerne mooue and stir the bodie are called the spirit And although this power be included and mixed with corporall nature yet séeing the bodies wherein it is conuersant be so subtile that they cannot for the most part be séene this word is also deriued to this point that it signifieth natures and essences which be simple and of diuers sorts such as is God the companie of angels togither also with the souls of men now separated from their bodies and therefore the diuine nature is called a spirit This dooth Christ manifestlie declare in Iohn Iohn 4 24. Bicause God is a spirit hee will be worshipped in spirit Neither is there in this respect anie difference betwéene the father the sonne and the holie Ghost To conclude that word of the spirit signifieth not onelie the
christian without the same Neuerthelesse Paule in his epistle to the Romans dooth boldlie affirme that He which hath not the spirit Rom. 8 9. the same is no sonne Wherefore let such men go and by the same infidelitie whereby they mistrust of the hauing of Gods spirit let them stand in doubt whether they be christians The holie Ghost in vs and how And if so be anie man aske how we haue him I answer that the most excellent father for Christ his sake sendeth him vnto vs according as Christ promised to vs in the person of his apostles Iohn 14 26. The comforter saith he which is the holie Ghost whom my father will send in my name c. Yea and this I may boldlie adde that Christ himselfe sendeth him vnto vs from the father euen as in an other place he saith The spirit Iohn 16 14 and 14 16. which I will send from the father vnto you Neither is he giuen vnto vs either from the father or from the sonne for anie other end but to inrich vs abundantlie with those gifts and verie excellent riches But yet the scripture sheweth that his cheefest worke dooth speciallie consist in teaching Christ promised to his disciples Ioh. 16 13. that he would send the holie Ghost which should teach them and lead them into all truth which he had shewed vnto them He warned them also Matt. 10 19 that when they should be brought before princes they should take no care bicause it should not be they that should speake but the spirit of their father that should speake in them And certeinlie the apostles were not dispersed abroad in the world for preaching of the Gospell before they were indued from aboue with that heauenlie power by the helpe whereof they not onlie preached the Gospell mightilie for bringing of men vnto the obedience of Christ but they also established the truth of their doctrine with woonderfull signes and miracles And that maner of teaching by which that spirit is performed towards vs must be inwardlie considered in the mind the which he not onelie replenisheth with his light but also dooth gentlie allure and persuade the same and maketh those things acceptable from which otherwise by reason of our corrupt nature we doo vtterlie flie Thus dooth he worke a maruelous transforming in the minds of the elect while he stirreth them vp vnto the indeuour of good works and godlie actions which by the guide of nature they might not be able to performe 34 And yet dooth he not by force constraine them vnto those works but rather with effect persuade them inwardlie And this is that happie libertie wherewith the chosen of Christ be indued who by the power and persuasion of the same spirit doo imploie their whole indeuour vnto such actions which by the onelie guide of nature could neither be doone by them nor yet would be acceptable vnto God Further also from that spirituall doctrine which flourisheth inwardlie there springeth afterward an assured mortification as well in the mind as in the flesh as Paule testifieth in his epistle to the Romans whom he warned Rom. 8 13. that If they would by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh they should liue To these things adde if you will that the comfort which springeth by the assurance of our saluation is so great as euen in the middest of troubles miseries calamities and sorrowes of this world we may lead a chéerefull and merrie life And that not without cause séeing we féele in vs that singular and noble gift which Paule to the Ephesians calleth The pledge of our saluation Ephes 1 14. I sée not now how anie man vpon iust cause can doubt of his comming one daie into that state of Christ when he perceiueth alreadie that his soule liueth by the same spirit of Christ But if a man will demand how we knowe that our soule is quickened by the same spirit Answer may be made by the words of Paule I liue not anie longer saith Paule to the Galathians but Christ liueth in me Gal. 2 20. And vnto the Philippians Phil. 1 21. Christ vnto me is life Which saiengs declare no other thing but that the godlie doo liue in Christ and Christ in them and that by his spirit It is also written in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 8 16. that The same spirit dooth testifie with our spirit that we be the sonnes of GOD. And it is not fit by anie meanes to refuse so certeine a testimonie But whosoeuer hath not this testimonie inwardlie in himselfe is vnwoorthie to be called a christian But if any man obiect Paules assurance of his faith that although Paule were indued with this assured persuasion and that he felt inwardlie this inward testimonie in himselfe it followeth not that the selfe-same thing must be granted to be in others I answer that Paule wrote all these things vnto the Romans who as yet were farre off from perfection neither had they profited so much as Paule And that doo their own contentions suspicions and rash iudgments and also their verie féeble weake consciences beare witnesse all which things the apostle dooth oftentimes reprehend in these his writings And yet neuerthelesse when the Romans were such he wrote vnto them of that adoption whereby God had determined to make them his children when they should imbrace christian religion Wherefore beloued brethren let vs put off the spirit that miserable doubteth of our saluation séeing there is nothing that is more enimie to our faith which is the liuelie and most sure foundation of all our felicitie Who dooth not sufficientlie vnderstand how great contraries are beléeuing and doubting and how much they are repugnant the one to the other I certeinlie for my part doo not sée how these things may agrée To beléeue trulie in Christ my onlie and true sauiour and To stand likewise in doubt of him whether he will saue me or no séeing he hath receiued me into his faith and so greatlie testifieth by his spirit vnto my mind that swéet and bountifull affection of his towards me And if we admit the testimonies of men who naturallie are liers proue to deceit that we in like maner should cleaue to them how much rather ought we to repose our selues in all those things which that good true spirit of God dooth confirme by his testimonie Vnlesse peraduenture we suffer our selues to be persuaded that there is more truth and fidelitie in men than there is in God Which if anie be so hardie to saie he shall in this point alone most plainelie bewraie himselfe to be such a one as he is Wherefore let vs yéeld vnto the most benigne and mercifull God as great and manie thanks as we can who hath not by the ministerie of angels or of anie other creature whatsoeuer but by the power of his owne spirit ingraffed vs in Christ his true and naturall sonne and by him hath renewed
is receiued is vnder another mans power Howbeit the lawes forbid that the elder should be adopted of the yoonger for it séemed to be a monstrous thing that the sonne should excéed the father in yéeres therfore Cicero dooth oftentimes inueth earnestlie against that adoption of Clodius Now doth God adopt vnto himselfe his elect not for that he had not another sonne for he had Christ his onlie begotten sonne in whom he was well pleased but bicause in all the nature of man he had as yet no children For through Adam we were all made strangers from him God sent his sonne into the world by him to adopt vs to be his children wherefore for this cause God sent his owne naturall legitimate sonne into the world that by him he might adopt vnto him selfe manie other children of our kind And this is not woont commonlie to be doone for they which haue one onelie sonne séeke not to themselues other sonnes naie rather they are glad that the same their sonne shall not be compelled to part the inheritance with his brethren But so great was the loue of God and of Christ towardes vs as he would ioine vs vnto so great a dignitie although we be vnwoorthie Neither is that heauenlie inheritance of that nature that the same being communicated vnto manie is therefore diminished Now let vs sée how this adoption commeth vnto vs. Rom. 8 14 and 15. Paule séemeth to saie that it is communicated vnto vs by the spirit of Christ for of it we haue faith By the spirit and by faith we are adopted to be sonnes whereby we imbrace both Christ which died for vs and also the promises of God and by that meanes we are adopted by God vnto children This thing did Iohn verie well shew vnto vs in the beginning of his Gospell Iohn 1 12. where he writteth And as manie as receiued him to them gaue he power to be the sons of God By these words we vnderstand that we be made the sonnes of God when we receiue Christ And this is not doone either by circumcision or by other ceremonies of the lawe or by good morall works but by faith onelie and therefore Iohn added Ibidem Vnto those which haue beleeued in his name And when it is said that Power is giuen vnto them to be made the sonnes of God we must not thinke as manie Sophisters would haue vs Against the Sophisters that we first beléeue and then afterward receiue power to be counted to be in the number of the sonnes of God for power in that place is nothing else but a right and a prerogatiue As if it should be said that they which haue receiued the Lord and beléeued in his name haue a right and prerogatiue to come into the adoption of the sonnes of God verse 13. But Iohn addeth Which are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man A place of Iohn declared but of God First when he saith Not of bloud he signifieth that this adoption commeth not by the order of nature as in this generation are mixed togither the séed of mand and woman Which sentence he more plainlie expresseth in the next words following when he saith Not of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man By this word flesh is somtime signified the woman Gen 2 23. Eph. 5 28. And that by the flesh he meaneth the woman may by two places be prooued for Adam said of his wife which was deliuered vnto him by God This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh And Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Hee which loueth his wife loueth himselfe no man at anie time hath hated his owne flesh And this interpretation Augustine followeth albeit I sée that this place may otherwise be expounded as when it is said Not of bloud we vnderstand that we come not to this adoption by force of anie stocke or kindred For the Hebrues persuaded themselues that they did for they alwaies boasted importunatelie that they were the séed of Abraham Neither atteine we to this adoption By the will of the flesh for to the atteinment thereof we are not holpen by those good things which the flesh vseth to couet I meane by riches power strength of the bodie beautie and such other like things Neither by the will of man namelie by those good things which are counted more excellent and that are thought most chéeflie to become men such are wisedome prudence and the workds of morall vertues for all these things cannot make vs to be the children of God But we are borne saith he of God All this haue we onelie of the goodnes of God and of his méere mercie Therefore Paule vnto the Ephesians saith Ephes 1 5. Who hath predestinated vs vnto the adoption of the sonnes of God Wherfore the whole consideration of our adoption dependeth of his election and predestination 39 But of his diuine will there can be no reason either vnderstood or giuen by vs Our adoption dependeth of predestination Iohn 3 5. 27 and 31. and thereof it commeth that Christ saith in Iohn that We ought to be borne diuinelie and from aboue And Christ compareth this generation with the wind Thou hearest saith he the wind Ibidem 8. and yet thou knowest not from whence it commeth or whither it goeth Wherefore GOD By what degrees we atteine vnto the adoption of sonnes through Christ giueth his spirit largelie vnto vs and he vseth the word as an instrument and this is called the séed wherby we be regenerate For he giueth faith whereby we receiue the promise of the word set foorth vnto vs and by that meanes we are iustified The adoption which we haue in this life is not perfect Rom. 8 22. and doo obteine the adoption of the sonnes of God which yet so long as we liue here cannot be perfect Wherefore Paule saith that We wait for the adoption of sonnes and the redemption of the bodie which we shall not atteine vnto vnlesse it be in that blessed resurrection The selfe-same things Paule writeth to the Galathians When the fulnes of time saith he came Galat. 4 4. God sent his owne sonne made of a woman and made vnder the lawe to deliuer those which be vnder the lawe that we might receiue the adoption of sonnes And bicause we are sonnes God sent the spirit of his sonne into our harts in whom we crie Abba Father These words declare that there was before the fulnesse of time a certeine bondage vnder the lawe afterward was giuen the sonne by whom we which are appointed and prepared to be made the sonnes of God might more fullie receiue both the spirit and adoption This adoption Christ séemeth as it were by a certeine sacrament to haue confirmed in his genealogie Matth. 3. Luke 3. In the old testament adoption was much vsed for when as in Luke and in
Matthew the names of his progenitors are varied there is mingled adoption so that one and the selfe-same man had one father by nature and another by adoption Also in the old testament adoption was much vsed for both Iacob adopted vnto him his nephewes Ephraim and Manasses to be vnto him in stead of other sonnes Gen. 48 5. Children adopted vnto dead men Deut. 25 5. And that trade was of such force at that time as euen vnto dead men children were adopted for when one brother was dead the brother that remained on liue begat children of his wife and raised séed in Israell These things as it were a certain shadowe figured this our adoption vnto the sonnes of God The common translation hath The adoption of the sonnes of God whereas in the Gréeke this word of God is not read for there is onelie this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Adoption In this adoption we are to see whence and whither we be transferred 40 But it must be diligentlie considered both from whence we are by this adoption brought whither we are transferred We were before the children of the diuell of wrath of incredulitie of mistrust of this world of perdition of night of darkenes And here vnto be we transferred that both we are called and are in verie déed the sonnes of God partakers of the diuine nature brethren of Christ and children of light and that we sinne not 1. Iohn 3 9. For he which is borne of God sinneth not and that we loue our neighbours and our enimies Mat. 5 4. to the intent we should resemble our heauenlie Father who suffereth his sunne to shine vpon the good and euill and raineth vpon the iust and vniust Ibidem 9. and finallie that we be peace-makers for they shall be called the sonnes of God We are not the sonnes of God as procreated of his substance But our adoption is not such as we should thinke that wée are borne of the substance of God for that is proper vnto Iesus Christ onlie for the word of God is by nature borne of the father which thing neuertheles the Arrians denied For séeing they affirmed the sonne of God to be a creature they must néeds saie that he was not the sonne of God by nature but by adoption Doubtles great is our dignitie for we are so highlie exalted that wée not onlie are called Christ called the Apostles brethren Mat. 28 10. and be the sonnes of God but also haue Christ to be our brother Wherefore Christ when he was risen againe said vnto the woman Go ye and tell my brethren And although the fathers of the old lawe were not quite void of this dignitie yet they had it not so publikelie declared But this was no let at all that some of them were weake for we also in the Gospell haue manie that be weake 1. Cor. 3 1. For Paule saith vnto the Corinthians that he could not speake vnto them as vnto spirituall and therefore he was same to féed them with milke The verie which thing is written vnto the Hebrues Heb. 5 12. And on the other side they had men which were renowmed in faith whom we doubt not but were singular in this adoption And that thus also it was in those daies the Apostle testifieth in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 9 4. The fathers in old time attained to the adoption of children the 9. chapter for he saith Vnto whom pertaineth the adoption and the glorie and the testament and the giuing of the lawe and the worshipping and the promises and to whom pertaine the fathers Here we sée that adoption pertained vnto them also Ambrose vpon this place teacheth that of this adoption springeth vnto godlie men great securitie and vndoubtedlie for so much as this commeth vnto vs through the spirit We are more certaine of this adoption than we are of our natural fathers whereby wée are inwardlie mooued wée ought to be farre more certaine that wée are the sonnes of God than the sonnes of this world are certaine that they are the sonnes of them whom they call fathers For oftentimes the mothers deceiue both their husbands and their children but the spirit of God deceiueth no man In old time flatterers went about to persuade Alexander Alexander the great that he was not the sonne of king Philip but of Iupiter afterward when he sawe there came bloud out of a wound that was giuen him he smiled saieng that it séemed to him to be common bloud and not the bloud of gods But wée though we suffer manie things yea and loose our life for Christ his sake yet notwithstanding wée ought to be fullie persuaded that wée are the sonnes of God For to the end wée should not anie thing doubt of that matter wée haue not onlie the witnes of the spirit Christ hath taught vs to call God father Mat. 6 8. but the verie sonne of God hath taught vs to call God Father and to inuocate or call him by that name And this forme of praier ought to call vs backe from all kind of wickednes and from all kind of dishonest works and also to put vs in mind not to degenerate from the nobilitie of so honorable a father and that wée in no case dishonor him for it is accounted a great reproch vnto fathers to haue wicked children And séeing we cannot as we haue said attaine vnto this adoption but by Christ and his spirit therefore neither Turkes Iewes nor men that be strangers from Christ can call vpon God as vpon their father 41 Furthermore by these wordes And if we be children we be also heires euen the heires of God and fellowe-heires of Christ the Apostle sheweth what wée obtaine by this adoption namelie this To be the heires of God The which vndoubtedlie can appeare to be a benefite of no small estimation for not all those that be the children of anie man be forthwith his heires also Not all the children of anie man be his heires For onlie the first begotten haue that pre eminence euen as wée sée the case standeth at this daie in manie realmes And in the holie Scriptures it is manifest that Esau and Ismael were not heires Wherefore we be heires Rom. 9 8. and that of no poore man or of small matters for we haue obtained the inheritance of God and wée be made heires togither with Christ wée haue the inheritance of the father common with Christ and we be so wholie grafted into him and altogither knit with him that by his spirit wée liue But we shall then come vnto this inheritance when it shall be said vnto vs Mat. 25 34. Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world We be fellowheires bicause as Iohn saith when he shall appeare 1. Iohn 3 2. we shall be like vnto him And Paule saith vnto the Colossians Col. 3
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
Epistle to the Romanes taught that Abraham after he was iustified did receiue Circumcision Rom. 4. 11. being a seale of the righteousnesse alreadie obtained And what thing Baptisme sealeth is sufficientlie expressed seeing it is called the signe of regeneration For Christ manifestlie enough taught Nicodemus in the thirde Chapter of Iohn Iohn 3. 3. that they which will be saued must bee borne againe That Baptisme is a signe of this regeneration Paul teacheth vnto Titus saying Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercie he hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration An explication of Regeneration And séeing that regeneration is a certaine changing that we maie the better vnderstande what it is first must bee declared the ende wherevnto it tendeth And therefore we added Into Christ because the faith the indeuors and life of those that be regenerate haue respect vnto no thing else but wholie to passe into Christ And séeing that all things which Christ did for our saluation are comprehended in his death and resurrection therefore in this definition we put That we must be baptised into his death and resurrection Which also Paul teacheth For thus he writeth Rom. 6. 3. Knowe ye that all wee that are baptised into Christ are baptised into his death Verse 4. And straightwaie hee maketh mention of the resurrection But that baptisme succéeded in the place of Circumcision the Epistle vnto the Colossians teacheth Col. 2. 11. Since then Circumcision was onelie once giuen vnto each one and that euerie one hath but one onelie natiuitie thereof it commeth that baptisme must not bee renewed Which is also doone to that end Why Baptisme ought not to be renued that the holie Ghost will haue vs fullie perswaded that after baptisme we ought no more to returne to our olde life as though an other regeneraon might bee graunted vnto vs. For if anie should so thinke as we read in the Epistle to the Hebrewes he shoulde tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of GOD. Heb. 10. 29 Paul therefore vnto the Ephesians saith One spirite one faith one Baptisme And that it consisteth of the fountaine of water and of the worde we are taught out of the Epistle to the Ephesians in these words Ephe. 4. 5. Euen as Christ also loued the Church and gaue him selfe for it that he might sanctifie it beeing made cleane by the fountaine of water through the word This is the nature of sacraments that they consist of a signe an outward element and of the worde of God Manie ecclesiasticall writers treating of Baptisme set foorth the praises and commendations of Water The signes of the Euangelicall sacraments are most easie to be obtained But here I rather praise the simplicitie of Christian religion which hath Sacraments annexed as in number fewe so most easie to be celebrated And as touching the signes we haue nothing but bread Wine and Water which are euerie where vsuall and easie to be had The mysteries of the Ethnicks were sumptuous Doubtles the mysteries of Idols were celebrated with great cost and were verie sumptuous but Christ in outward things alwaies followed great simplicitie Albeit the Deuill also as he imitateth God would sometimes also haue water to be ioyned with his seruices As in the mysteries of Mitra and Isis The deuill sometime imitateth the simplicitie of God And the Romans in the playes of Apollo and Pelusius besprinkled the Citie with water For by that meanes they thought it to be perfectlie cleansed from periuries murthers iniustice and publike crimes And such as had committed murther did with great diligence séeke after purging waters But omitting these thinges this we ought to consider that the signe in Sacramentes should haue an affinitie and similitude with the thing that is signified What Analogie the water hath in baptisme Wherefore séeing that water washeth awaie the filthinesse of the body maketh the earth fruitefull and quencheth thirst it aptlie signifieth remission of sinnes the holie Ghost whereby good workes are made plentifull and also grace which refresheth the anguishes of the minde Neither did the Prophetes in the old Testament otherwise prophesie of the giuing of the holie Ghost in regeneration Ioel. 2. 28. Ioel saith that God would powre cleane water vppon the sonnes and daughters of the Iewes And Esaie saith All ye that thirst come vnto the waters And the olde Hebrewes are saide by Paul to haue béene baptized in the red sea Esa 55. 1. 1. Cor. 10. 2 and in the cloude 2 But what manner of worde it is that ought to be ioyned to the element of water we haue noted namelie wherein In the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost remission of sinnes c. Into this promise our faith is sealed and as Tertullian saith Tertullian the Sacrament of Baptisme is the garment of this faith These verie expresse words are deliuered by Christ in the last Chapter of Matthew Verse 19. The forme prescribed by Christ in Baptisme Neither can I perswade my selfe that the Apostles changed this forme of words although Ambrose of that thing thought otherwise It sufficeth vs at this present that by the element and by the word of GOD wee haue a manifest testimonie of our regeneration saluation For euen as there be three things as saith Iohn which beare witnes of Christ The place of Iohn of the thrée testimonies the spirite bloud and water For the father which is signified by the spirite the Sonne which is declared by bloude and the holie Ghost which is noted by water doe beare witnesse of his diuinitie and of his true humane nature the spirite is a witnesse which vpon the crosse he commended to his father and also the bloud and water which flowed out of his side so haue we a testimonie of the holie Ghost that we be the children of God And we haue the remission of sinnes by the bloude of Christ set foorth in the worde of promise and the water outwardlie powred vppon the bodie For by these witnesses our faith is both raised vp and also confirmed because we are regenerate and nowe made the children of GOD. There is offered vnto vs remission of sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost And yet ought wee not to thinke that it is giuen by reason of the work wrought as they vse to speake as though a holinesse or the spirite laie hidden in the water and that it can regenerate vs by the outwarde touching For it is not so but by the worde of GOD and outwarde signe is signified vnto vs our reconciliation with God made by Christ vppon which reconciliation if we laie holde by faith wee are both iustified and also sanctified Wherefore Augustine vpon Iohn saith Frō whence cōmeth this so great a vertue vnto the water that it shoulde touch the bodie and wash the heart vnlesse the word wrought it
mooued vnto faith Who also will saie that the verie God omnipotent hath wanted a meanes whereby man also should be persuaded to beléeue c. Now it appeareth what Augustine thought as touching that place Rom. 9 16. It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth c. After these things I referre my selfe vnto that which Paule wrote Gala. 4 6. And bicause ye are sonnes God hath sent foorth the spirit of his sonne into your hearts crieng Abba Father But if the spirit being sent foorth by God vnto men maketh them crie it maketh them also to beléeue and therewithall maketh them to liue well also Eze. 11 19. 37 26. For when it was said by the prophet I will take from them that stonie heart and will giue them a fleshie heart It is added And I will giue my spirit among them and will cause them to walke in my commandements c. Also to the Romans it is written Rom 8 14. As manie as are led by the spirit of God those be the sonnes of God Wherein is to be noted that the saints otherwhile are passiuelie subiect vnto certeine motions of the holie Ghost And if of some it be granted that our will is sometime onelie a subiect passiue when troubles and gréefes doo greatlie vrge vs looking for nothing else but death for the soule is then susteined by God least it should faint what let is there that we should not also be passiuelie subiect to this change whereof we now speake Wherefore I saie the will is the subiect of both conuersions as well of healing as of faith but as touching the first it onelie concurreth passiuelie and as touching the other both passiuelie and actiuelie bicause we beléeue willinglie In the first the spirit woorketh alone but in the other it worketh togither with vs. Vnto the Galathians it is written But when it seemed good vnto him Gal. 1 15. which had separated me from my mothers wombe But it is not said When it seemed good vnto me And vnto the Romans Rom. 12 3. God distributed to euerie one the measure of faith And of frée gifts it is written 1. Cor. 12 11. that Those the spirit of God distributeth to euerie one as he will And he is no lesse the Lord of regeneration and the GOD of our faith than he is of frée gifts and therefore he distributeth both kinds as it pleaseth him In the epistle to the Philippians we read Phil. 1 29. that To them it was giuen not onelie to beleeue but to suffer for Christ 2. Tim. 1 7. And in the 2. epist to Timothie it is written For God hath not giuen to vs the spirit of feare but of power of loue and of sobrietie Mat. 13 11. Christ also said vnto the apostles that To others vnto whome he spake in parables it was not giuen that they should vnderstand but vnto them that were his apostles it was giuen And verie manie other testimonies of the holy scriptures might be alledged for this matter howbeit I will be contented with these but if there be anie which will not beléeue these verie manie alledged neither will they giue credit vnto more 11 But manie saie If thus the matter stand then shall we be as stocks and stones which are mooued of God The matter dooth not so stand bicause both stocks and stones while they be mooued doo neither perceiue nor vnderstand nor will Further if in anie thing we be mooued passiuelie as stocks and stones be yet should wée not so be called albeit in this change whereof we now speake we are not mooued violentlie as be stones and stocks but by a motion méet vnto our end and perfection Howbeit that which they obiect against vs is not well concluded for it is an argument in the second figure of propositions affirmatiue as if we should say Stones and stocks are mooued passiuelie Men in this change or conuersion are mooued passiuelie Therfore are they stones stocks Again we saie Stones stocks be bodies they be also substances In like maner men are bodies and substances Therefore they are stones stocks All men sée that the conclusions are not firme doo belong to the second figure of the affirmatiues Yet neuerthelesse of this our saieng which wee defend as touching the change in God or the healing of the mind before we can either beléeue or hope or expect celestiall things it followeth not that we make for Swenkfeldius for he séemeth to put faith before the word of God but we doo not so Bicause we affirme the word of God is as well an outward as an inward instrument of the holie Ghost wherewith he may persuade and shew what things are to be beléeued and doone and may declare and vtter his efficacie in the changing of vs. For we knowe that Faith is by hearing Rom. 10 17 Esaie 53 1. hearing by the word of God Paule saith How shall they beleeue in him whome they haue not heard And elsewhere it is written Lord Rom. 10 16. who hath beleeued our preaching Further Swenkfeldius séemeth to appoint the outward word to be as a certeine exercise of faithfull men and reiecteth the ministerie Which opinion we detest for we affirme that as well the outward word as the inward be instruments of the holie Ghost neither doo we doubt but that the word especiallie by nature goeth before faith séeing it is the subiect thereof 12 Wherefore we determine that the will or choise before regeneration can doo nothing by it selfe as touching diuine and spirituall things but that the spirit of God is necessarie bicause it propoundeth and teacheth neither that the same is anie thing except it worke a change of the mind The Pelagians said that the grace of 〈◊〉 is required but yet to this purpose onelie 〈◊〉 we may the easilier beléeue doo well The schoole-Diuines bicause they would differ from them haue affirmed a preuenting grace but we demand what maner of grace that is And we saie that it is not sufficient to answer that it is such a grace as thereby are propounded vnto vs the words of God and his promises either inwardlie or outwardlie but that there ought to be applied a change or conuersion and that it ought not to be put in our will or choise to follow or cleaue vnto the promises Augustine Augustine put vs in mind that vnder the praises of nature lie hidden the enimies of grace Wherefore Two kinds of calling now that we haue thus determined there appeare two kinds of callings one common an other effectuall Which distinction I first prooue out of the holie scriptures Rom. 8. 29. Paule saith Whome he hath called those also he hath iustified Wherfore it is some kind of calling wherevnto iustification is ioined for that is Paules chaine namelie to haue the linkes fast knit togither On the other part Mat. 20 16. it is said by
POSSIDETE ANIMAS VESTRAS THE Common Places of the most famous and renowmed Diuine Doctor PETER MARTYR diuided into foure principall parts with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses some neuer extant before Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten one of the Sewers of hir Maiesties most Honourable Chamber Meliora spero In the end of the booke are annexed two tables of all the notable matters therein conteined 1. Cor. 3 11. Other foundation can no man laie than Christ Iesus which is alreadie laid TO THE Most excellent mightie and religious Princesse ELIZABETH by the grace of God QVEENE of England France and Ireland defender of the true Christian faith c. IF almightie God most gratious souereigne Ladie had but as meanlie furnished mee with vnderstanding and vtterance as hee hath plentifullie inriched your Maiestie with manie most excellent gifts and graces my penne at this time would runne more agreeable to your Highnesse eares and my words pearse more deepe into your Princelie breast Then might I though with some boldnesse yet with all humblenesse approch your presence and present you with such matter as God by his holie spirit hath offered mee and in such maner as might be most liking to your godlie disposition Not that J poore simple man can prefer aught as yet vnknowne to your excellent Maiestie to whom God in his sonne Christ hath imparred as great abundance of his wisedome and knowledge as flesh bloud in this life can well conceiue but that J haue of long time beene carried with an extraordinarie zeale and desire incomparable once in my life by some perpetuall record of your roial name to giue an outward testimonie of mine inward hart and an assured seale of my bounden dutie so long borne to your manifold vertues religious profession and high estate And for the better performance of this my determined purpose perceiuing my selfe though not vnwilling yet vnable to publish anie worke wholie of mine owne deuise woorthie the regard of so great a Prince and the reading of so iudiciall a censure J resolued at last vpon this booke a worke not so long as learned conteining matter not so hard as true written by an Author not so late as famous which J haue faithfullie translated and partlie gathered and wholie dedicated to your excellent Maiestie For as all scripture inspired from aboue is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be wise vnto saluation and perfect vnto all good works so in this worke is drawne a perfect forme of the most ancient religion true seruice of God set downe by the Apostles Jn it is reprooued the huge heape of heresies and errours sproong vp in the church since the incarnation of Christ with the particular discouerie of the Romane Antichristian kingdome Jn it is comprised a due correction of sundrie defaults in life and defects in gouernement Jn it is deliuered a perfect instruction for soundnesse of conscience and sinceritie of conuersation to all estates besides manie speciall comforts to the troubled exhortations to the slowe persuasions to the doubtfull incouragements to the forward reprehensions of the obstinate explications of hard scriptures distinctions of difficult saiengs discoueries of false arguments and definitions of diffuse questions And as for the Authour in a word or two neuer was there yet found anie aduersarie so enuious as to denie his learning nor so subtill as to refell his arguments nor so wise as to ouer-reach his discretion nor so terrible as to driue him from his godlie purpose no nor so malicious as to slander his life wherein he bestowed his time and behaued himselfe not onelie as a right Euangelist but if it be lawfull so to saie as a verie Apostle Wherefore I most humblie beseech your Maiestie that according to your accustomed gratious fauour it will please you to be partaker of these fruits of his and protector of these labours of mine sowne and sproong vp ripened and gathered begun and ended within the walles of your Highnesse Court by your most faithfull and loiall subiect and seruant But now in making mention of this matter J cannot but call to mind with ioie and reuerence that this our natiue countrie did first of all kingdoms in the world faithfullie receiue and publikelie professe the religion of Christ. And it reioiseth me much more that after so long and so foule a fall of the house of God this of all other kingdoms did first openlie indeuour to repaire the ruines thereof a principall labourer in which worke was D. Peter Martyr who long susteined vpon his owne and almost onlie shoulders the greatest weight of this burthen but most of all doo I praise the Lord euen from my hart that after satan our ancient enimie had giuen a sharp assault vpon Gods saints who began to laie both their heds their hands to the new building of this temple the Lord by your Maiestie though weake in respect of your sex yet strong by his power who chooseth the weake things of this world to confound the strong that his power might appeere in our infirmitie repelled his violence defeated his practises withstood his force ouerthrew his complices and proceeded to the reedification of his church O that blessed daie wherein your Maiestie was placed in your roiall seate to restore the decaied church so long captiuated vnder cruell Pharao and idolatrous Nabuchad-nezar wherein the bloud of so manie thousand seruants of God was saued from the vile hands of Antichristian tormentors wherin the desperate estate of poore seelie afflicted banished soules was recouered and restored by a mightie hand and stretched-out arme from Babylon to Ierusalem from Dan Bethel to the holie hill of Sion from superstition to religion from idolatrie to true worship from the heathenish masse to a christian Communion from papisticall rites to apostolicall ceremonies from beads to praiers from legends to sermons from bondage to libertie and euen as it were from hell to heauen O that all Christian English harts would celebrate that happie daie with all ioifull solemnitie with all praises to God and praiers for you who reduced vs in triumph your selfe as principall captiue leading the danse before the arke of the Lord Jt was your Maiestie that reuiued those good and godlie decrees which your most renowmed father and gratious brother had made for the repairing of the Lords tabernacle You sent laborers vnto the building you prescribed them perfect rules whereby to square euerie stone and peece of timber according to the paterne that the Lord shewed Moses in the mount You commanded them to raise their building vpon the foundations of the prophets and apostles Jesu Christ being the head corner stone But ô lamentable case to be sorrowed of all such as seeke saluation in Christ alone and sigh with vnspeakable grones to see the perfect finishing and furnishing of the holie temple The enimie hath sowed tares among
to wit Impudicicitie for wantones Longanimitie for long suffering Praecursor for forerunner Euangelize for preaching the good tidings of the Gospell Azyms for vnleuened Bread Parasceue for the daie of Preparation Scandalized for Offended Contristate for making Sorie Propiciat for making Reconciliation Depositum for a thing committed to the hands of another Victims for Sacrifices Prepuce for vncircumcision Contradicted for Spoken against Resuscitate for Stir vp Holocaust for Burnt offerings By iuncture of Subministration for By ioining togither of that which serueth c. and infinite other such obscure and new inuented words which might easilie enough with some small Periphrasis without hinderance of the sense haue beene put in plaine English that can make good anie of your heathenish superstitions What need the common people be now set to schoole to their dieng daie before they can learne that out of Latine by strange and difficult words which alreadie they knowe as perfectlie as their Pater noster in plaine English with a long acquainted custome Was this Christs his Apostles maner of teaching Did they not speake in the plainest termes they could possiblie deuise to make those whom they spake vnto vnderstand them Did not babes and sucklings vnderstand that which the Lord himselfe spake Was not for this cause the gift of toongs sent downe to the Apostles to the intent they might interpret euerie thing to euerie man in their owne naturall language Wherefore be ye better aduised hereafter in accusing of our translations before ye haue purged and perfected your owne and before your gaines in this matter may be comparable to the trauell that you haue taken therein Now then since all these translations of ours haue beene doone by faithfull learned and godlie men and of a good sincere and godlie purpose we praise God perpetuallie and commend the good indeuours of them And we most humblie and earnestlie desire of God that bicause there is no perfect wisedome nor knowledge in man vnlesse it be giuen from aboue and that there were neuer anie mortall men that without the assisting grace of the spirit of God could doo anie thing so trulie and exactlie but others after them might find some imperfection therin it will please him for his sonnes sake to lighten continuallie the minds of men of vnderstanding that they may dailie put to their helping hands to the perfect polishing of this excellent translation And let vs magnifie the Lord of heauen and earth that hath turned the enuie of you which be our aduersaries to the aduancement of his owne glorie the increase of our diligence the refutation of your errors and benefit of his church For ye hating vs vnmercifullie bicause we deliuer the word of God vnto all the people indifferentlie to be read in their owne mother toong and yet being forced to confesse that the same ought not to be deteined from them haue euen against your owne wils in some respect set foorth the glorie of God and so by the selfe-same sword wherewith ye thought to haue destroied vs ye haue pearsed your owne bowels confounded yourselues ouerthrowne your owne counterfet and false doctrine and maruellouslie established the truth of our profession And herein moreouer are we beholding to God though not vnto you which ment not thereby either to pleasure vs or to edifie the people insomuch as by the narrow sifting which yee haue made of our opinions and translations we knowe the verie vttermost which you are able to breath and braie out against vs. And that by this meanes if yet there remaine anie thing that lieth in our power to performe which hitherto hath beene neglected we may run therevnto with all willingnesse of heart till at length we come to that principall marke wherevnto we tend with all our desire and godlie indeuours Moreouer ye contend more vehementlie for all those opinions of yours which we denie than did the ancient fathers with the Montanists Marcionites Arrians and other damnable sects which denied the true humanitie or diuinitie of Christ or as though the holie scripture had as plainlie and preciselie commanded those things as it did euerie other thing that ye and we both alike confesse And yet Christ and the Apostles in setting downe all things in the scripture necessarie to saluation gaue not so much as a word or signe of anie such opinion If your opinions had beene of necessitie to beleeue as yee pretend vnto vs that they are or if so the pleasure of God had beene that we should imbrase them would the holie Ghost haue passed ouer in silence so weightie matters and for the which hee knew so great controuersie should afterward arise betweene the true church and the false Would our mercifull God that so tenderlie loueth his elect and so desirouslie would haue them all to be saued and who suffereth not his truth to faile nor his Gospell to be hidden from anie but from them that perish would he I saie hide from his owne anie of the necessarie principles of religion If he kept nothing backe from the Ephesians but shewed them euen all the counsell of God would he be anie thing lesse mercifull vnto vs than he was vnto them by not shewing to vs in his written word that which by epistles and preaching the spirit taught vnto them No verelie but what he shewed vnto them that hath he shewed vs that is to saie hath plainlie taught vs in the holie scriptures Wherfore laie aside all maliciousnesse and hatred towards vs and discerne with a pure heart and a single eie what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is Againe you would make the authoritie of your church to bee far greater than the authoritie of ours bicause of a great consent of manie Prelates and Bishops You weigh not that there is neither authoritie nor councell nor conspiracie nor consent nor custome which is not agreeable to the will and word of God that is of anie force We knowe that an other foundation besides Christ Iesus which is alreadie laid can no man laie and therefore the true builders will build no other matter vpon that foundation but such as is deriued from the rocke Christ Iesus but ye haue builded your owne vile trash vpon the same and therfore the matter being such as neither Christ commanded to build with nor anie of his seruants long after him vsed nor yet is answerable to the same foundation wee conclude that neither your church is Christs church nor yet the builders thereof the Lords builders But wee for our part haue a more certeine and assured word of prophesie for the knowledge of our church and whereby wee take not vpon vs to woorke the Lords woorke with anie other stuffe than the Lord himselfe hath appointed Wee build altogither vpon the foundation of the prophets and apostles Iesus Christ beeing the head corner stone And we finish the temple euen according to that paterne which is no no lesse euidentlie set downe in the euerlasting testament
the originall of euerie thing yet the diuels doo sée it For he saith that in Epyrus there is a well wherein torches lighted are put foorth and vnlight torches are lighted the principles and beginnings of that effect are in that well The diuell is no creator but a minister of nature to make things A similitude although we cannot sée them And yet we saie not here that the diuell dooth either create or make such things but onlie that he is a minister seruing vnto nature Euen so the husbandman when he tilleth and soweth the ground and the gardener when he pruneth and delueth a vine doo not create the corne or wine but onlie doo helpe nature Gen. 30 37. So Augustine saith that Iacob did not bring foorth the colour vpon the shéepe but did onlie rightlie applie the forms shapes And to take an exāple euen of spirituall things the ministers of the church doo not iustifie anie man or forgiue anie man his sinnes but are onlie ministers by whose indeuour God bringeth these things to passe I planted saith Paule and Apollo watered 1. Cor. 3 6. but God it is that gaue the increase 23 But it séemeth woonderfull how they can so spéedilie bring these things to passe How they worke these things so suddenlie For whether they haue swift bodies or no bodies at all yet to bring foorth anie naturall thing it would séeme to require a time Howbeit we must consider that these séeds or beginnings of naturall things be as it were instruments and they haue some power of their owne nature A similitude But it maketh a great matter into whose hands they doo happen for a skilfull artificer will worke anie thing both handsomlie and spéedilie but giue the same instruments vnto an ignorant and vnskilfull man and he will doo it neither redilie nor yet verie handsomelie euen so anie spirit as a skilfull artificer will bring more to pas in one minut than by the accustomed order of nature can be wrought in a long time For those chéefe originals are not to be weighed in their owne nature although that euen by nature we sée some things to be made in a manner vpon the sudden As in the summer time of a shower of raine little frogs doo suddenlie arise but yet therein indéed there is admitted some space of time though it be but short So these vagabond iuglers séeme to deuoure bread and immediatlie to spit out meale and when they haue droonke wine they séeme presentlie to powre the same againe out of the middest of their forehed And if there can be such a readines and dexteritie of dooing in man why shall it not much rather be attributed vnto spirits For in a spirit there is much more nimblenes than in a man Wherefore the spirits doo not bring foorth these things of themselues for so should they beget a kind like vnto themselues as of a man is brought foorth a man of a horse is brought foorth a horse But a spirit dooth not bring foorth a spirit but as I said dooth take the principal originals of things and applieth them vnto a matter and so bringeth woonderfull things to passe But how far the nature of things may procéed it is hard to iudge The diuell bridled two maner of waies Wherefore the diuell is bridled two waies the first is by the bounds of nature the second is by the will of God So the diuell may bring in plague famine and sores for he knoweth of what causes and beginnings these things be made For he afflicted Iob Iob. 1 2. Psal 7 49. and brought plagues and punishments by euill angels And Christ saith that the diuell bound the daughter of Abraham by the space of fortie yéeres Luk. 13 16. And this also the good angels doo sometimes for the angel of the Lord in one night ouerthrew the host of Senacherib 2. kin 19 35. and brought in a plague in the time of king Dauid 2. Sam. 25 verse 17. Dauid himselfe sawe the angel of God striking the people in the threshing flower of Areuna But those things which go altogither beyond nature as to raise the dead to change men into beasts are onelie delusions of which we are to speake afterward 24 Now as touching the other parts The diuell can driue forward som things namelie that the diuell can mooue and driue foreward some things there is no doubt thereof For séeing the soule which is tied much more vnto the bodie than a spirit is can mooue gouerne the bodie assuredlie the diuell can much rather doo it This appeareth sufficientlie by fiers and tempests so often raised by the diuell and by that ship of Claudia and by the flitting of the oliue garden and féeld of corne of which things we spake before It is said that when Ascanius had caried awaie the houshold gods from Lauinium vnto Alba they returned backe againe of themselues into their owne chappell at Lauinium Besides this spirits doo somtimes hurle stones And these magicians which séeme to ride on a cane in the aire are kept or held aloft by a secret power of diuels and by the same power Simon Magus did flie in the aire Spirits put bodies on themselues 25 Lastlie they also put bodies on themselues Neither is it to be doubted but that the diuell being a spirit can perse through the soundest and massiest bodies Looke after in the 12. ch art 5. Gen. 3 1. Num. 22 28 By this meanes he dooth oftentimes conueigh himselfe into images he spake in the serpent he loosed the toong of the asse Hée also taketh vpon him euen the bodies of men either liuing or dead he vexeth and tormenteth them How they ioine to thē selues bodies and hindereth their naturall works He obserueth oftentimes the course of the moone to the intent as Ierom saith that he may slander that planet or rather to watch for the abounding of humors whereby he may the more gréeuouslie disquiet the bodie Somtimes he putteth on an airie bodie but that he dooth not forme or quicken as the soule dooth our bodie neither dooth he make it to passe into one substance with himselfe as did the word of GOD with an humane bodie for diuels can put off those bodies when they will for they be in them as the Schoolmen speake definitelie What is to be anie where definitelie that is they be in them so that they be not anie where else God in verie déed in the old testament presented himselfe somtime to be séene in some forme but hée was not definitelie in the same for he was so present there as he notwithstanding in the meane time was euerie-where else But the diuell as saith Augustine fitteth vnto himselfe some bodie as it were a garment And Chrysostome writing of the patience of Iob saith that He which brought tidings of the fall of the house Iob. 1 18. and destruction of his familie and cattell
and earth should go together and an vndoubted shipwracke doth followe Augustine in his 18. booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth chapter when he had rehearsed that fable how there had bin once a controuersie betwéene Pallas and Neptune which of them should giue name vnto the citie of Athens and that when the men were on Neptunes side and the women with their Pallas and that the women had ouercome the men by one voice Neptune being angrie caused the waues to arise A part of Athens territorie drowned and drowne a great part of the territorie of Athens This I saie when Augustine had recited he added that the diuell might doo the same and that sometime he can raise vp the flouds and sometime represse them If I would reckon vp all that might be spoken hereof it should be infinite let it be sufficient that I haue thus shortlie touched the generall things themselues VVhether it be lawfull to aske counsell of the Diuell and to vse his helpe 30 Now must we consider of that which we set downe in the third place namelie whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of ill spirits or to vse their helpe First indéed it séemeth to be lawfull for God vseth the labour of diuels why then should it not be lawfull for vs And Paule deliuered men vnto sathan 1. Cor. 5 5. and therefore it is lawfull for vs also to vse the ministerie of spirits Here we must make a distinction For we vse spirits either by authoritie commandement as when we command them anie thing in the name of God or else by acquaintance felowship couenant obedience or praiers God beareth rule ouer the diuels Matt. 17 18. Acts. 16 18. and Christ and the apostles commanded that they should go out of the bodies possessed Why it is not lawfull to vse the helpe of diuels but to require or expect anie thing of them vpon anie couenant or bargaine that is not lawfull for it is idolatrie And the diuell séeketh nothing more than to lead vs from God to the worshipping of him Herevnto also tendeth customs ceremonies and sacrifices by this meanes men fall from God vnto the diuell Further they which doo these things doo sinne against themselues for we neuer read that the end of these arts was good whereof wretched Saule may be an example and instruction vnto vs. Sam. 28 19. The diuell indéed feigneth himselfe to be compelled and to be bound by little stones or rings howbeit the same compulsion is onelie a voluntarie and deceitfull compulsion he feigneth as though hée would cast out another spirit but it is nothing For the ill spirits doo but dallie one with another to deceiue men None of vs would commit our dooings to a man whom we knowe to be full of fraud and trecherie Now the diuell is not onelie a lier but euen the father of lies Exorcismes in the church Truth indéed it is that there were certeine exorcismes or adiurations in the church wherof Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine and Eusebius make mention Looke part 4 chap. 9 art 7. but these were speciall gifts for that age dured but for a time now they be taken awaie But thou wilt saie The Hebrues had coniurers Salomon wrote exorcismes Salomons exorcismes I knowe that Iosephus in his eight booke of antiquities writeth that Salomon did so to driue awaie ill spirits and to maintaine the health of man He describeth also the meanes whereby those things might be doone namelie that vnder the broad part of a ring there was a little root and that the same being applied to the nostrils of a man possessed the ill spirit was foorthwith expelled But herewith he writeth that Salomon vsed also certeine praiers and holie names and that one Eleazar being a man skilfull in these things made demonstration of his cunning before Vespasian and his sonnes Titus and Domitian and at the commandement of Vespasian wrought so that a spirit at his comming foorth of a man ouerthrew a basen full of water which was there set for the purpose and he saith that he sawe all these things In verie déed I dare not denie the historie but yet I thinke good to answere one of these two waies either that God would for a time bestowe such a benefit vpon the Israelites which notwithstanding we haue not read or els that Salomon did these things when he was now departed from the true God and had begun to worship the gods of the Gentils That such exorcists indéed were vntill the apostles time it appéereth by that historie of the children of Sâ—eua Acts. 19 13. which is written in the Acts. Howbeit exorcismes must not be vsed but onlie by them which are sure that they be indued with that grace But yet there be certeine which haue the name without the grace these doo vse inuocations by names merits and reliks of saints For this dooth the diuell séeke euen to intangle the people with superstitions The diuels seeme to be delighted with outwarde things Indéed the diuels séeme as though they were delited with outward things as herbs little stones and perfumes but they are not so delighted withall as liuing creatures are with the desire of meate but as it were with certeine seals sacraments Wherefore they come quicklie when they be called least they should not séeme to stand to their couenants They will altogither imitate God for little stones rootes haue no power at all to allure diuels Wherefore euen as God forgiueth not sinnes vnto vs by anie power of the sacraments but onelie for his couenant and promise sake so the diuell will séeme to deale with those that be his to the intent he may shew himselfe to be present with them not for the woorthines of the things offered by them but onelie in respect of his promise and couenant He mocketh simple men And verie pitifullie dooth he mocke simple and foolish men for they which boast that they haue spirits which doo loue them when they are afterward called into iudgment and condemned vnto death cannot by them be deliuered from the extremitie of execution Somtimes indéed they are readie to obeie them that are their owne but that is in foule and dishonest things namelie in adulteries thefts murthers they neuer stir them vp vnto good For they be sathans that is to saie the aduersaries of God They will haue couenants and promises to be made which cannot otherwise be than against God 31 But the Schoolmen stand in doubt Whether we may vse inchantment to take awaie mischiefs whether it be lawfull to vse inchantment to take awaie mischéefs and in generall they answere that it is not lawfull But yet they saie that if we can perceiue that those couenants consist in fethers or roots or little stones and we can find those things it is lawfull to take them awaie breake them for otherwise they saie that one inchantment must not be taken awaie with
another For We must not doo euill Rom. 3 8. that good may come thereof And whie it is not lawfull we haue declared before Also Esaie in the eight chap. saith that We must not aske questions of the dead verse 19. but must rather returne vnto the lawe and testimonie And Christ saith Matt. 6 24. that No man can serue two maisters And Paule saith There is no agreement betweene light darknes 2. Cor. 6 14. betweene God and Belial Elias saith that We must not seeke Belzebub the god of Acaron 2. Kings 1 3. seeing there is a God in Israel Besides this the ciuill lawes the canons and councels haue with most seuere and sharpe words forbidden these things And Apuleius Apuleius denied himselfe to be a sorcerer when he was summoned to appeare bicause he was reported to be a sorcerer so pleaded his cause as he vtterlie denied that he was a sorcerer for otherwise he might not haue defended himselfe Augustine in his booke De diuinatione daemonum the eight chapter saith that The euill spirits neuer durst denie the God of Israel to be the true God or Christ to be the sonne of God but contrariwise Christ the prophets and apostles denie them to be gods and that we must by all meanes beware of them Therefore saith he whether part shall we hearken vnto to those which cannot denie God to be the true God or rather to God which warneth vs to flie from them Wherfore séeing both the holie scriptures and godlie lawes also the euents themselues doo vtterlie forbid and condemne all kind of inchantments we must iudge that it is not lawfull for a christian man In 1. Sam. at the beginning 32 Last of all we will note that the true God is woont to chase awaie false gods Wherfore immediatlie vpon the birth of Christ all the oracles of the gods were put to silence which before were of great fame and renowme At the birth of Christ all heathen oracles ceased For when the light it selfe which is Christ was come into the world darknes should néeds vanish awaie And Plutarch being otherwise a verie learned writer in séeking a cause why the oracles ceased in his time hauing deuised manie things yet speaketh nothing to the purpose First he saith that some thought that the Daemons or spirits which gaue out oracles were vndoubtedlie of long life yet mortall notwithstanding and that men reported as he saith that the great god Pan was dead Wherefore he saith that séeing the Daemons be now dead by reason of age there are none to giue or vtter out oracles anie more He addeth moreouer that there were others which thought that those préests and diuines by whom answeres were giuen were inspired with certeine exhalations which came foorth of the caues and pits and that séeing those exhalations could not be perpetuall they ceased at the last and that prophesies finished togither with them He addeth moreouer that by others these things were attributed to the situation of stars which being passed from thence had also drawne away these oracles with them He sheweth also certeine other things like vnto these but he yéeldeth no reason whie all the oracles ceased at one verie time and so ceased as that no one of them remained If the exhalations be not perpetuall in one place whie doo they not breake out in another place And the situations of stars being passed away euen the same doo vse to returne againe to their place which if they doo returne whie doo not the same oracles returne also If so be that the Daemons as they affirme doo die at the length whie doo not one succéed another There is then another cause of this euent which Plutarch could not perceiue namelie that all contrarie powers are bridled by Christ and therefore they all ceased at his comming And thus were Iupiter Mac◠5 12. Apollo Diana and Aesculapius put to silence Which thing the prophets foreshewed long before and which we sée also at this daie to come to passe in those countries which imbrace the gospell where not onlie idolatries but also diuinations feigned miracles doo straight-waie cease The eleuenth Chapter Of a good intent zeale prescription and custome all which the superstitious sort are woont to alledge against the word AS touching the signification of the word intent Of a good intent In Iud. 7 27. Looke In Sam. 6 6. and in the booke De votis set foorth at Basil pag. 247. 255. it signifieth a motion of the mind whereby we indeuour vnto an end by som meanes as if a man indeuour by liberall expense or by flatterie to attaine vnto some honors for such is the nature of things that manie of them are so knit togither betwéene themselues that by one there is a step vnto an other For by medicines and potions we come to health by studies reading and maisters vnto wisedome Wherefore intent is an act of the will for the propertie thereof is to mooue and stirre vp the mind And séeing the will perceiueth not the thing that it desireth before it haue a knowledge therof it dooth neither mooue nor force the mind before knowledge which reigneth in the power of intelligence or vnderstanding The same perceiueth both the end and those things which further thervnto and presenteth them to the will Therfore intent stirreth vp vnto an end as vnto a marke by those things which are directed vnto it Let this be the definition thereof A definition of intent It is a will tending vnto an end by some meanes and will which is the generall word thereof is an act of the power that willeth The difference is taken of the obiect that is of the end and of those things which are ordeined vnto it Iudg. 8 24. As in the historie of Iudges Gedeons intent was a motion of his will to kéepe in remembrance by an ephod which he had made the victorie which he obtained Therefore in his will he comprehended both togither as well the end as the meane A good intent and an euill intent Looke In Rom. 1 21. and 3 8. Intent is diuided into a good intent and an ill intent and to a good intent this is chéeflie required that the end it selfe should be a iust and good thing yet is not this sufficient For if one should steale to the intent he would giue almes he doubtles should purpose a good thing but bicause the meanes is naught therefore the intent cannot be accounted good but if the end be both vnlawfull and euill then shall also the intent be euill Wherefore that the intent may be good it behooueth both the end and the meanes to be honest and iust Howbeit certeine things are of their owne nature so euill as we can neuer vse them rightlie Such are theft periurie adulterie and other like so that the apostles rule must alwaies be firme Rom. 3 8. An ill intent is of two sorts To
man from great miserie may returne to felicitie plunging out of these infinite and manifold misfortunes can returne againe to his former felicitie Where first note that he speaketh here of a happie man as of one that is absolutlie and perfectlie blessed For it is demanded whether from those miseries and gréeuous mishaps a returne is to be granted vnto the former felicitie from whence being blessed he fell as Priamus or Croesus or such other which before were happie Aristotle answereth to the question that this indéed may be doone but not in anie short time For there is néed of manie things which cannot straitwaie be gotten and obteined especiallie of them which be oppressed with the iniuries of fortune And as a blessed man like a square stone cannot easilie be remooued so being throwne downe he cannot easilie be set vp againe We read not in histories that such things did commonlie happen neither doo I knowe of anie notable personage which being vtterlie confounded did returne to his former state The holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs onelie Iob which was indéed a pointing stocke and by the singular prouidence of God was restored and if there happen anie such things trulie they may be accounted woonderfull and rare works And how hard this is to be doone the example of Priamus now set foorth may plainlie shew Admit hée could sometime haue risen from so great euils but when could he euer haue renewed his citie ouerthrowne When could he haue restored his kingdome to the ancient forme and glorie When could he haue put awaie the sorowe for so manie children slaine for so manie kinsfolke which were now led awaie captiue and serued the Grecians The perfect time which Aristotle speaketh of signifieth nothing els but all the course of life And that in the same time he meaneth the residue of time vntill the end it should be néedfull for him to possesse verie manie great and good things otherwise he shall not become happie againe If we would yéeld anie thing vnto Solon or gratifie him we might thus saie that blessed they be and so called in this life but with a condition withall to wit that they so remaine hereafter Neither dooth Aristotle séeme to denie it but granteth this so as the time to come may agrée with the time present It is not granted to Solon that a mā can not be happie nor so be called while he liueth as though death were to be looked for But perhaps when he is called happie we must adde a condition therewith For it is to be noted that he saith not that they are blessed absolutelie but as men signifieng thereby that there is a certeine other most perfect blessednes which can not be chnaged by anie meanes and hath no néed of adding a condition of the time to come and this blessednes is of God not of men men are blessed and yet they are but blessed men How the things declared in this common place agree with the scriptures 11 Now remaineth to shew how these things which haue bin shewed in this matter may agrée with the holie scriptures or dissent from them First we made a distinction of blessednes so as one should be of this life and another should be expected in the world to come As touching that which is to come we make with Solon for we agrée that it is not to be had in this world But the other which standeth in the forgiuenes of sins renewing of life by good maners may be had héere But how a man may be called happie by it we affirme that euerie man is persuaded thereof in his owne selfe for euerie man can tell whether he beléeue or beléeue not And this is that which is said Let euerie man examine himselfe 1. Cor. 11 verse 28. Rom. 8 16. and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cup. And we haue the spirit to beare witnes Who testifieth to our spirit that we be the sonnes of God he is present as a testimonie of our conscience and good life Of others we can knowe nothing séeing their mind and grace is not knowne vnto vs but so long as they professe the right faith and liue tollerablie in the church we are to hope well of them And to affirme felicitie to be an action doth nothing hinder but that after death those which be departed may enioie the same since our actions shall then be more readie than now they are And that our felicitie may be firme and stable let vs as Aristotle did of his weight it by the principles thereof Our felicitie dependeth of predestination of the spirit and of faith which are far more excellent things than anie humane vertues or actions are And of much lesse force is fortune in these than in those principles of Aristotle Moreouer whatsoeuer Aristotle appointeth in his felicitie we haue in ours for both we would that they which be iustified should liue rightlie and renew themselues with true and perfect vertues And besides these we saie that there bée high principles which excell nature namelie diuine election the spirit and faith And no lesse doo we agree with him in this that we affirme there be principles of miserie contrarie vnto these namelie the reprobation of God the want of gods spirit and infidelitie He that is subiect vnto these euils is to be counted altogither miserable and vnhappie Touching the comparison betwéene vertues and sciences we by no meanes disagrée from him yea and we grant that vertues are more constant and firme than humane knowledge is And so great a stedfastnes there is of blessednes as Paule said touching predestination 2. Tim. 2 19. The foundation standeth sure the Lord knoweth who be his And by faith and grace the Lord would haue vs to be iustified not by works Rom. 4 16. that the promise might be firme and that wée might not stumble at those things hauing respect to our infirmitie Againe Paule saith 1. Tim. 1 12. I knowe whome I haue beleeued vpon and I am assured c. And he that enioieth this our blessednes susteineth verie well the strokes of fortune yea though they be gréeuous Paule said Phil. 4 12. that He knew how to humble himselfe and how to excell to hunger and to thirst to abound and to suffer penurie Our happie man in like maner is as the foure-square stone Who saith Paule shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation or anguish Rom. 8 35. or persecution or famine or sword or danger or nakednes c. And he addeth that He is most assured that neither life nor death nor angels nor principalities nor powers c. Our happie man is not hindered by casuall things Iohn 28. but All things proceed happilie to them that loue God Yea and he will most of all shine in aduersities Tribulation worketh patience Rom. 5 3. patience experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed And as Aristotle misliketh
said of Leuie in the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 7 9. that He paied tythes in the loines of Abraham by the like and selfe-same reason we may saie that we were in the loines of other our forefathers from whom we haue descended by procreation and that therefore there is no cause whie the sinne of Adam hath béene deriued vnto vs rather than the sinne of our grandfather great grandfather his father or of anie other our progenitours And that by this meanes the state of them which shall be borne in the latter daies would séeme to be most vnhappie for that they must beare the offenses of all their forefathers These things alledge they to prooue that there is no originall sinne Originall sinne is prooued by testimonies of the scripture Gen. 6 3. and 5. Gen. 8 21. 3 But we on the contrarie part will prooue by manie testimonies of the holie scriptures that there is such a sinne Thus God saieth in the sixt of Genesis My spirit shall not alwaies striue with man bicause he is flesh And againe All the imagination of their harts is onlie euill euerie daie And in the eight chapter The imagination of their hart is euill euen from their verie childhood These things declare that there sticketh some vice in our nature when we be borne Psal 51 7. Also Dauid saith Behold I was conceiued in iniquitie and in sinnes my mother hath conceiued me Nothing can be plainer than this testimonie Iere. 17 ◠Also Ieremie in the 17. chapter saith that The heart of man is wicked peruerse and stubborne Iob. 3 3. Iere. 20 14. Yea the same Ieremie and Iob also do curse the day wherein they were borne into the world bicause they perceiued that the verie originall and fountaine of vices sprang vp togither with them Iob. 14 4. But Iob hath a most manifest testimonie of the vncleanes of our natiuitie for thus he saith Who can make that cleane which is conceiued of vncleane seed And our sauiour saith Iohn 3 3 Except a man be borne againe of water of the holie Ghost he cannot enter into the kingdome of heauen And euen as the potter dooth not make anie vessell anew vnlesse he perceiue the same to be ill fashioned before euen so Christ would not vs to be regenerated againe vnlesse he sawe that we were first vnhappilie begotten Which he also testifieth in another place saieng Ibidem 6. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit By which words he would signifie vnto vs that therfore regeneration by the spirit is necessarie bicause we had before but onelie a carnall generation Paule in the sixt chapter to the Romans saith Rom. 6 2. that We must not abide in sinne bicause we are dead vnto it Which thing he prooueth by baptisme for he saith Ibidem 3. that All we which haue beene baptised into Christ Iesus haue beene baptised into his death to the end we should die vnto sinne and that our old man should be crucified and the bodie of sinne abolished And forsomuch as yoong children be baptised euen therby we haue a testimonie that sinne is in them for otherwise the nature of baptisme as it is there described by Paule should not consist Also he foloweth the same reason in the epistle to the Colossians where he saith that Col. 2 11. We be circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh being buried togither with Christ in baptisme He compareth baptisme with circumcision and faith that those which are baptised haue put off the bodie of sinne Neither is it to be doubted of but that those which be baptised are baptised into the remission of sinnes And assuredlie Gen. 17 14. the circumcision which in the old lawe was giuen vnto children was correspondent vnto our baptisme And as touching circumcision it is writen The soule whose flesh of the foreskinne shall not be circumcised the eight daie shall die the death Wherefore séeing children haue néed of the sacrament of regeneration it followeth necessarilie Ephes 2 3. that they be borne vnder the power of sinne Paule vnto the Ephesians the 2. chapter saith that We are by nature the children of wrath But our nature could not be hatefull vnto God vnlesse it were defiled with sinne And in the same place Paule with most weightie words describeth the féercenes of this wrath Ibidem 2. how that We walke according to the prince of this world which is of strength in our harts by reason of our disobedience and therefore wee doo the will of the flesh and of our mind Augustine also citeth a place out of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 15 verse 22. that Christ died for all men wherefore it followeth that all men were dead and had néed of his death But it is a wicked thing to exclude children out of the number of them for whom Christ died But if you shall demand what kind of persons they were for whom Christ suffered this did the apostle sufficientlie declare in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 5 6 and 8. when he said that they were weake Gods enimies vngodlie and sinners Among whom we must reckon yoong children if we will grant that Christ died for them Besides this it séemeth that originall sinne is most manifestlie taught out of the seuenth chapter of the epistle to the Romans for thus it is written verse 14 19 23. The lawe is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder sinne Wherevnto is added The good which I would doo that doo I not but the euill which I would not doo that doo I it is not I then that doo it but it is sinne that dwelleth in me He also maketh mention of the lawe of the members lamenting that he was thereby drawne captiue and against his will And in the eight chapter he saith verse 7. that The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God and that it is not subiect to the lawe of God nor yet can it be Yea the death which yoong children haue dooth sufficientlie beare record that sinne sticketh in them vnlesse we will saie that God punisheth them vndeseruedlie Moreouer the place in the fift to the Romans conteineth a most euident testimonie of originall sinne for thus it is written verse 12 11 19. that By one man sin entred into the world and that all men without exception haue sinned and that the sinne of one man spred ouer all men and that for the disobedience of one man manie are made sinners Further they which are graffed in Christ are towards the end of the same epistle Rom. 11 17 called wild oliue trées by which metaphor is signified that man degenerated from the good institution of his owne nature But if we haue departed from our owne nature vndoubtedlie we haue gotten originall sinne And Paule before so
and wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God and vnder this sentence he comprehendeth all the affections of men not yet regenerate But I maruell at the impudencie of Pighius who to wind himselfe out by some meanes or other saith that this place must be vnderstood as touching the sense of the letter which he affirmeth to be against God and cannot be subdued vnto him For as well that which goeth before as that which followeth dooth manifestlie reprooue him verse 8 9. for Paule foorthwith addeth the difference betwéene men that be in the flesh and those which be in the spirit Wherefore it appéereth sufficientlie that he treateth not of the diuersitie of the sense of the scripture but of the diuersitie of men themselues And the next words before that sentence are verse 3. That which was vnpossible to the lawe inasmuch as it was weake bicause of the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh by sinne condemned sinne in the flesh that the righteousnes of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. These words also doo testifie that Paule spake of vs not of the spirit or the letter of the scriptures For in vs is the infirmitie whereby the lawe is weakened that it could not bring vs to saluation and by Christ the rightousnes of the lawe beginneth to be fulfilled in vs. 18 Neither must we harken vnto them which both in this place in manie other By the flesh is not ment the grosser part of the mind Gala. 5 19. will that by flesh should be vnderstood the grosser parts of the mind For when Paule to the Galathians reckoneth vp the works of the flesh he putteth in that number not onelie adulteries fornications and wantonesse but also idolatrie which no man can denie but that it dooth apperteine to the mind not vnto the flesh And Christ when he saith That which is borne of the flesh Iohn 3 6. is flesh and that which is borne of the spirit is spirit exhorteth to regeneration which in verie déed apperteineth not onelie to the substance of the bodie or grosser parts of the mind but especiallie also vnto the will and mind And when he said vnto Peter Matt. 16 17. Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona for flesh bloud hath not reuealed it vnto thee he ment that he had not learned those things by naturall knowledge but by the spirit of God For vnder the name of flesh he comprehendeth those things which apperteineth to the mind and reason But yet we saie not as Pighius fondlie cauilleth that in the nobler part of the mind there is nothing but flesh for we knowe although Pighius had not told vs that the soule is a spirit which neuertheles in the scriptures is called flesh The soule in the scriptures is called flesh before it be regenerated bicause whereas it ought to make the flesh that is to say the grosser part of it self spirituall and ought to reduce the same to the obedience of a mind instructed by the word of God it will rather bend vnto the pleasures thereof and so is made carnall But they obiect against vs that saeing vnto the Galathians Gal. 5 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh as though this may not be if in the minds of men we leaue nothing that is sound But we will easilie answer to this obiection for first those words are pronounced by Paule as touching beléeuers which be alredie regenerated which thing those words that followe doo sufficientlie declare That ye doo not those things which yee would By which words he declareth that they obteined a right will by the spirit of Christ which neuertheles they could not accomplish by reason of the continual conflicts of the mind and their great infirmities And therefore the apostle ment no other thing in that place than that whatsoeuer is in vs not perfectlie regenerated all that dooth striue against the spirit of God In the minds of men not yet regenerate be the lawes of nature and illumination of Gods spirit Nor doo we denie but that some such conflict is otherwhile in men which be not yet regenerated not that their mind is not carnall and prone vnto naughtines but bicause the lawes of nature are as yet ingrauen therein and that also there is some illumination of Gods spirit in the same although it be not such as either can iustifie or bring in anie change to saluation 19 Moreouer that reason is corrupted in vs Paules words doo sufficientlie declare wherein he exhorteth To put on the new man Col. 3 10. which must be continuallie renewed in vs. Séeing hée willeth that man be so wholie changed and that man consisteth not only of the bodie affections of the flesh but also and that much more of the mind will and reason it is necessarilie gathered that these things were also corrupted in him It behoueth things to be renewed to haue beene first corrupted For otherwise what néed haue they to be renewed And it maketh no great matter if thou saie that these things must be vnderstood of such as be come to ripe yéeres who of their owne choise and voluntarie sinnes haue corrupted these things in themselues For I will aske wherefore all in generall which be not regenerated did so contaminate themselues as there was not one innocent to be found among them all Trulie there can be nothing else answered to this question but that the verie fountaines were corrupted and defiled in them euen from the beginning Augustine teacheth also that we be so far foorth onelie regenerated in how much we are become like vnto Christ for in that we be vnlike vnto him therein we are not borne anew but reteine still the old man in vs. Wherefore let vs sée whether from the beginning we haue a mind will and reason like vnto Christ for if they be found vnlike we must néeds conclude that they be corrupt and doo apperteine vnto the old man as touching the corruption of the baser parts of the mind dailie experience sufficientlie teacheth vs. Againe The baser parts of the mind are sprinkled among the members this propertie belongeth vnto the baser parts of the mind that they be sprinkeled abroad in the members doo spred themselues abroad ouer all the parts of the flesh which cannot be agréeable vnto the mind and reasonable part being things spirituall and inuisible That the bodie also and parts therof haue fallen from their dutie to become rebellious and repugnant to the mind Paule teacheth when he crieth out O vnhappie man that I am Rom. 7 24. Who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death And againe when he saith Ibidem 23. I feele another lawe in my members Finallie that the whole man how much soeuer he be is corrupted the commandement of Christ dooth sufficientlie prooue Matt. 16 24. wherein he biddeth vs to denie
of regeneration euen as our baptisme is also Circumcision was the sacrament of regeneration as baptisme is Yea and the Schoolemen themselues confesse that originall sinne was forgiuen vnto the forefathers in circumcision Wherefore iudgement ought not so lightlie to haue béene giuen that they had onelie outward purifiengs But this is a great deale surer when he addeth that They restrained their hands from euill works but we restraine both the mind and conscience Chrysostome séemeth alwaies to be of this mind that the lawe forbiddeth onelie the outward worke and that the Gospell afterward forbiddeth anger hatred and lust of the mind and considereth not that the old fathers had also this commandement Exo. 20 17. Thou shalt not lust and that the prophets euerie-where require circumcision of the hart Deut 10 16 Ierem. 4. 4. and that in the first commandement is comprehended faith hope charitie and whatsoeuer perteineth to the spirituall motions of the mind But whereas he saith that they were driuen by feare and we by loue that indéed is true after a sort howbeit not so as they were vtterlie without loue and we altogither without feare And that is most vntrue of all when he saith that they performed the lawe but we far passe those things which are commanded in the lawe For as we haue else-where prooued they themselues that be regenerate cannot so frame their works that they can in all points satisfie the lawe of God He addeth moreouer that they could not be corrected and amended otherwise than by stoning maiming burning and other such like kind of punishments but we are onlie excommunicated when we deserue to suffer the extremest punishment that the church can laie vpon vs. Howbeit he should haue remembered that those punishments which he maketh mention of were ciuill punishments which our christian magistrates also doo laie vpon such as be malefactors But they saith he had onelie in name the honour of adoption and of children but we haue it in verie déed Certeinlie it cannot be denied but that God was in the old testament called the father of his people For of him he saith Psal 11 1. that He had called his first begotten sonne out of Aegypt And Moses saith in Deuteronomie Deut. 32 18 Thou hast forsaken God which begat thee And Malachie verse 10. in his second chapter There is one God and father of vs all And Esaie I haue nourished and brought vp children Esaie 1 2. and they haue despised me And dooth not Paule saie Vnto whom apperteine the couenant and adoption Rom. 9 4. speaking then of the fathers of the Israelites of whom was Christ according to the flesh Psal 82 6. I said ye are gods and children of the most high They also called God their father when they said in Esaie Esai 63 16. Thou art our father for Abraham knew vs not and Israel had no knowledge of vs. And so great an affection did God the father beare towards them as he saith Esai 49 15. Can a mother forget hir child but although she can yet will not I forget thee And as Chrysostome hath thus written in this place so hath he in other places also manie things like vnto the same which as I haue said must be read warilie and with iudgement 24 Augustine in the handling of that place saith that there is put a difference betwéene the old and new testament of which the one consisteth in feare and the other in loue He addeth moreouer that it is without controuersie that the spirit of adoption is the holie Ghost but the spirit of bondage he thinketh to be that which hath the power of death that is satan séeing so manie are held vnder the euill spirit as are destitute of grace and being not regenerate liue vnder the lawe For they are addicted vnto temporall things and obeie their owne lusts not indéed through default of the lawe but bicause they themselues are strangers from Christ and from God for they cannot obserue the lawe of God and therefore they are both wrapped in sinnes and also disquieted with continuall furies He also signifieth that of this place there is another interpretation as though the spirit should here signifie our mind which is somtime the seruant of lusts and sometime liueth vnder the libertie of the sonnes of God But this opinion saith he cannot stand The spirit of adoption is not our mind but the inspiration of God Rom. 8 16. bicause the spirit of adoption is a little afterward said to be externall and receiued from without namelie being inspired from aboue For so Paule writeth It is the spirit that beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Which words plainelie declare that there is a difference put betwéene the spirit that persuadeth and that spirit which is persuaded And if this saith he be true concerning the spirit of adoption the same opinion also must we haue of the spirit of bondage So that Augustine herein agréeth with Chrysostome that they whom he thinketh to be vnder the spirit of bondage are quite void of the spirit of God For those kind of men he affirmeth not to be regenerate and that they be also strangers from God yea rather addicted vnto the spirit of satan of whom we cannot vnderstand Chrysostome to speake For out of the lawe and the sacraments he bringeth a reason why the forefathers wanted the spirit But Augustine denieth that this came to passe through the default of the lawe What the spirit of bondage is wherefore his saieng is more probable than Chrysostoms Howbeit herein I agrée not with Augustine to thinke that by the spirit of bondage is to be vnderstood satan Two effects of the holie Ghost for here as I said are to be vnderstood two effects of the holie Ghost The first is when we are touched with the knowledge of the lawe and remorse of our sins we straitwaie despairing of saluation perceiue that we be vtterlie vndoone vnlesse we repaire vnto Christ So that the selfe-same spirit being our guide we come vnto Christ and by faith laie hold vpon him and the promise of the mercie of GOD by which meanes our sinnes be forgiuen vs and we are receiued into the adoption of the sonnes of God Wherefore Paules meaning was to declare vnto the Romans that they being now past that first step and being regenerate in Christ haue obteined adoption and therefore it behooued them not onelie to liue godlie but also willinglie and of their owne accord to worke vprightlie Vnto this interpretation of ours Ambrose subscribeth for he saith that the apostle here teacheth the Romans that they be no longer vnder the lawe Two steps of conuersion but doo now liue vnder faith I iudge therefore with him that in these words is set foorth two degrées of conuersion 25 And if a man doo demand as touching the people in the old lawe In what state the old Iewes
action both the father and the holie Ghost had to doo for the efficient cause and the action perteined vnto the thrée persons And that may be prooued by the scriptures insomuch as Esaie saith Esa 48 16. The Lord and his spirit hath sent me Gala. 4 4. And Paule to the Galathians When the fulnesse of time was come God sent his owne sonne Luk. 1 35. And in Luke the angel saith The holie Ghost shall come vpon thee the power of the highest shall ouershadow thee And afterward as it is in Matthew Matth. 1 18 She was found great with child by the holie Ghost By these testimonies it appeareth that Christ was sent both by the Father and by the holie Ghost Besides this the sonne himselfe was the cause of his owne comming Indéed that might séeme to be a hard matter that one and the same thing should both be the efficient cause and the effect yet may it be proued manie waies For first as touching sanctification in the tenth chapter of Iohn it is thus read Whom the fathers sent and sanctified verse 36. doo ye saie that he blasphemeth bicause he saith I am the sonne of GOD Afterward in the 17. chapter Christ againe saith For their sakes sanctifie I my selfe verse 19. The verie same may be said as touching the death of Christ for Paule vnto the Romans Rom. 8 31. writeth Who spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for all our sakes Gala. 2 20. And to the Galathians he saith Who loued me and gaue himselfe for me The same also is said touching the resurrection séeing Paule vnto the Romans saith He that hath raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead Rom. 8 11. shall also raise vp your mortall bodies But Christ himselfe in Iohn saith Iohn 10 18. Destroie ye this temple and I will in three daies reedifie the same Againe I haue power to laie downe my life and to take it againe And By him all things were made Iohn 1 3. The same also we may saie of the incarnation of Christ for Paule vnto the Galathians saith When the fulnesse of time was come Gala. 4 4. God sent his owne sonne The same apostle to the Philippians saith He made himselfe of no reputation Philip. 2 7. taking vpon him the forme of a seruant We sée therefore that it appeareth sufficientlie by the holie scriptures that Christ was both the efficient cause and the effect Wherefore there were thrée that came as touching the efficient cause although the worke it selfe did perteine onlie to the sonne Of this matter writeth Augustine at large in his second booke De trinitate the fourth chapter and against Foelix the Arrian chapter 24. to prooue that Christ is both the efficient cause and the worke And as concerning that which Christ speaketh of himselfe in Iohn Iohn 7 28. namelie I came not of my selfe must either be filled vp with adding this one word Onelie as if he had said I came not onelie of my selfe or else it is to be vnderstood touching his humane nature 2 Paule in the 9. In Rom. 9 verse 3 5. Looke par 1 pl. 11. art 3. to the Romans hath an excellent commendation of Christ wherein he expressedlie confesseth the two natures in him ioined togither in one the selfe-same person so that of both natures is made Christ Of the which saith he is Christ according to the flesh who is God ouer all things blessed for euer In 1. Cor. 11 3. His humane nature is declared in these words Of the Iewes as touching the flesh for by the flesh in the Hebrue toong is vnderstood the whole man His diuine nature is most manifestlie described in these words Who is God ouer all blessed for euer The same also is not obscurelie signified in that which is added As touching the flesh for that particle should not haue béene put vnlesse he had had some thing more than the flesh This doctrine the Arrians Mahumetists A confutation of the Rabbins of Mahumet and of the Arrians and whatsoeuer they be that hold that Christ is a méere man doo impugne among the which also are the Rabbins of the Hebrues For euen as by a corrupt interpretation they had corrupted the lawe as touching maners and life which is manifest by the interpretation that Christ made of the lawe and in that he reproued their vaine deuises so had they also depraued the sincere faith of the Messias to come so that they thought he should be a méere and simple man For when Christ demanded of them what they thought of the Messias they made answer Matt. 22 42. that he should be the sonne of Dauid neither had they anie déeper or higher consideration of him Wherefore Christ obiected vnto them the 110. verse 1. psalme where Dauid called the Messias his Lord which could not agrée to a méere and simple man borne of his stocke as they fondlie imagined Ambrose expounding this place affirmeth that These words must néeds be applied vnto Christ sith there is here no mention made of anie other person vnto whome they may aptlie be applied If they will not saith he haue these things to be vnderstood concerning Christ let them shew some other person mentioned by Paule vnto whom they may be referred and if besides Christ they can find none other then let them leaue vnto Christ the glorie which is attributed vnto him by Paule Ambrose indéed confesseth Ambrose that when the father and the sonne are ioined togither in the holie scriptures the father is called GOD and the sonne Lord. And this he saith is doone for this consideration bicause we preach that we worship one God onelie And if we should repeate the name of God we might peraduenture séeme to depart somewhat from that vnitie and therfore are those names so varied But I sée that that rule is not in the holie scriptures perpetuallie obserued Psal 45 8. Heb 1 9. for we read in the psalme as it is cited in the Hebrues Therefore God euen thy God hath annointed thee with the oile of gladnesse Héere for that he intreateth of the father and the sonne he repeateth the name of God twise He saith moreouer that Christ is aboue all Phil. 2 10. is read also in the epistle to the Philippians for there it is written that In the name of Iesu euerie knee should bow both of things celestiall terrestriall and infernall Out of which place no lesse than out of this which we haue héere in hand he gathereth the diuine nature in Christ séeing if he were not God Apoc. 19 10 and 22 8. he should not be worshipped For in the Apocalypse Iohn was forbidden of the angell to worship him I am thy fellowe seruant saith he take heed thou doo it not Matth. 8 2. and 9 18. else-where But Christ when he often times permitted himselfe to be worshipped did plainelie testifie that
Lord is verie méet and fit for him 8 For first as touching his diuine nature it cannot be doubted but that in the old testament God manie times is called Lord as he that is far aboue all things séeing he is the maker of them Christ is Lord also euen according to his humane nature And this title also perteineth vnto man who in the person of him of whom we intreat was vnited with God bicause he being cléere from all sinne was replenished with all good If anie such therefore were in this world as there neuer was besides him anie would he not séeme to be adorned with those gifts for the which the name of Lord might dulie agrée vnto him Euen so indéed it séemeth to me that when as a man is frée from sinne he is by no meanes a seruant The first seruitude entered into the world by sinne and he that is indued with diuine properties out of doubt is able to helpe others Hereof it commeth that lords and they that are rulers ouer others if they be lawfullie called are not preferred to be aboue others for anie other end but bicause they should not be hurtfull vnto their subiects and that they being void of all vice may be so armed with strength and fortitude as they should be able to succour all those which be vnder their subiection Christ was free from sinne Matt. 1 18. That Christ was vndoubtedlie without sinne I suppose it néedlesse to prooue vnto anie séeing as Matthew beareth record He was conceiued by the holie Ghost that by this means he might be frée from originall sinne The which also is manifest in that he liuing among vs neuer sinned And Peter writeth 1. Pet. 2 22. Esai 58 9. that He did no sinne To whom agréeth Paule when he saith He that knew no sinne 2. Cor. 5 21. for our sakes became sinne Iohn Baptist also shewed him to his disciples as the most pure lambe of GOD Iohn 1 29. which should take awaie the sinnes of the world For it was méet for him to be pure and without all blemish as a sacrifice that should be offered vp vnto God Further the heauenlie father not without miracle testified with his owne voice that he was well pleased in him that is to saie that he was innocent and pure from all fault sith this is an acceptable thing vnto God And who doubteth but that he was adorned with diuine properties Col. 1 15. Séeing Paule vnto the Colossians calleth him The image of the inuisible God bicause he truelie expresseth him and all things that be in him in such sort as there neuer hath béene nor now is nor hereafter shall be anie sonne more perfectlie resembling his father than Christ Iesus did Wherefore of all vs he is called as well God as man Christ the onelie sonne of God And we confesse him to be the onelie sonne of God as he that in diuine nature hath no other brethren insomuch as he is the onelie word of God He is the onelie word of God of which we now speake And among men though he haue manie brethren by adoption he may iustlie be called Onlie for the heape that he hath of the well pleasing graces of God and bicause of the image and similitude of the eternall father Méet therefore it is that he be called Lord as well for that he is without sinne as for the heape that he hath of diuine gifts 9 I let passe this that he which paieth ransome to redéeme a captiue is his Lord. Which thing that Christ did for vs wretches and bondslaues of sinne and satan none that be faithfull ought to doubt séeing Paule both to the Romans and Ephesians affirmeth Rom. 3 25. Epes 1 7. that We haue obteined remission of sinnes namelie by his bloud which he hath plentifullie and liberallie shed for vs vpon the crosse So therfore he must of good right be called our Lord. Furthermore there is a custome receiued by long vse among lawfull sonnes of kings and princes Christ is the first begotten sonne that the first begotten sonne obteineth the Lordship among his yoonger brethren Which thing is not doubtfull vnto them which haue read either the holie or prophane histories or else which haue in verie déed vnderstood what is the maner of gouerning in kingdomes and segniories of the world Rom. 8 14. Gal. 4 7. And vnto the Romans and Galathians it is plainlie shewed that All the faithfull be the children of God Vnto the Romans it is written that His spirit testifieth with our spirit Rom. 8 16. that we be the children of God And vnto the Galathians it is said Gal. 4 6. Bicause ye be the sonnes of God he hath sent into your harts the spirit of his sonne For this cause all we that beléeue be now brethren bicause of that diuine adoption but among all Christ is the first begotten we as we read vnto the Romans being made like vnto the image of his sonne Rom. 8 29. that he might be the first begotten among manie brethren 1. Cor. 1 3 and well neere in all epistles Let vs not maruell therefore if Paule in his epistles for the most part calleth God Father and further comming vnto Christ calleth him Lord. Which maner also the church hath reteined when as in our praiers we ascribe all vnto GOD for Christ our Lords sake as well that which we doo desire as that which we haue obteined But séeing now that after the declaration of those things which were proposed the principalitie of Iesus Christ is so manifest which of vs can abide himselfe to be brought into the power of anie tyrant from such a Lord who also is our brother Which I saie of vs refusing this so notable a capteine will betake himselfe to his enimies alreadie conquered and put to flight by him when as they be mortall enimies to our selues Shall there be found anie that will shake off the yoke of so bountifull a Lord to submit himselfe vnto him that wisheth nothing more than to destroie both bodie and soule For my part I thinke there can be none found among them which haue tasted the swéetnesse of so acceptable a Lordship whereof Christ made mention Matt. 11 30 when he said My yoke is easie and my burthen is light This subiection is voluntarie as the prophet if we haue a consideration vnto the Hebrue truth declareth in the 110. psalme wherein it is said vnto Messias Psal 110 3. Thy people dooth worship thee of their owne accord Rom. 6 14. And the apostle also saith Ye be no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace Wherefore all the charge and burthen of this principalitie was laid vpon the shoulders not of vs but of Iesus Christ as it was foretold of him by Esaie the prophet Esaie 9. Vpon his shoulders shall he beare the souereigntie or rule Note that the prophet saith not that his souereigntie shall
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
predestinated are so to be taken as they are foreséene of God and by this meanes they cannot séeme to be temporall Be it so That which is the latter cannot bee the efficient cause of that which went before take them in that maner yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effects thereof as wée haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficient cause of that which went before which how absurd it is euerie man may easilie vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more woorthie and of more excellencie than the effect speciallie in respect it is such a cause So then Our works cannot be of more woorthines than predestination if works be the causes of predestination they are also more woorthie and of more excellencie than predestination Ouer this predestination is sure constant and infallible how then shall we appoint that it dependeth vpon works of frée will which are vncerteine and vnconstant Things constant and certeine depend not of things vnconstant and vnterteine and may be wrested to and fro if a man consider them particularlie For men are alike prone vnto this or that kind of sinne as occasions are offered for otherwise if we will speake generallie frée will before regeneration can doo nothing else but sinne by reason of the corruption that commeth by our first parents So as according to the mind of these men it must néeds followe that the predestination of God which is certeine dependeth of the works of men which are not onelie vncerteine but sinnes also Neither can they saie that they meane as touching those works which followe regeneration for those as we haue taught spring of grace and of predestination We must not so defend mans libertie that wee spoile God of his libertie Neither doo these men consider that they to satisfie mans reason and to attribute a libertie I knowe not what to men doo rob God of his due power and libertie in election which power and libertie yet the apostle setteth foorth and saith that God hath no lesse power ouer men than hath the potter ouer the vessels which hée maketh But after these mens opinion God cannot elect but him onelie whom he knoweth shall behaue himselfe well neither can he reiect anie man but whome he séeth shall be euill But this is to go about to ouer-rule God and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason for he saith that It is not absurd to take awaie from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelie to doo anie thing vniustlie For we saie that Paule hath in vaine yea rather falselie set foorth this libertie of God if hée neither haue it We must attributed vnto God that libertie which the scripture sheweth of him nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paule hath prooued this libertie of God that place which we haue cited most manifestlie declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for héere is intreated onlie of his mercie Neither can they denie but that they by this their opinion doo derogate much the loue and good will of God towards men For the holie scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherlie loue of God Rom. 5 8. affirmeth that He gaue his son and that vnto the death and at that time when we were yet sinners enimies and children of wrath But they will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good works foreséene in the mind of God And so euerie man may saie with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But another which féeleth trulie in his hart Loue towards God is kindled by the true feele of predestination that he is fréelie elected of God for Christ sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of waies vnworthie of so great loue will without all doubt be woonderfullie inflamed to loue God againe 23 It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation should not depend of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightlie are not constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne strength we should vtterlie despaire but if we beléeue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christ sake we cannot but be of good comfort Further if predestination should come vnto vs by our works foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which opinion the scriptures euerie-where crie out for that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God should then haue néed of the externall rule of our works But Christ saith Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men The same consideration is not of Gods choise that is of mans choise when they begin to fauour a man or to loue a fréend for men are mooued by excellent gifts wherewith they sée a man adorned but God can find nothing good in vs which first procéedeth not from him And Cyprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glorie for that we haue nothing that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we ought not to part stakes betwéene God and vs to giue one part to him and to kéepe another vnto our selues to obteine saluation Touching saluation the whole must be ascribed vnto God for all wholie is without doubt to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this end before him to confirme our confidence and especiallie in afflictions out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. If predestination should depend of works it wold make vs not to hope but to despaire But if the reason of Gods purpose should be referred vnto our works as vnto causes then could we by no meanes conceiue anie such confidence for we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our works is so small as it can not stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chéefelie made mention of predestination we may vnderstand by the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8 1. and 8 c. For when he described the effects of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of children and that we are mooued by the spirit of God as the sons of God and therefore with a valiant mind we suffer aduersities and for that cause euerie creature groneth and earnestlie desireth that we at the length be deliuered and the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs. And at the last he addeth Ibidem 27. That vnto them that loue God all things worke to good And who they be that loue God
are spoken with an exception that exception should belong to all men For Christ said to Pilate Iohn 19 11. Thou shouldest not haue power against me vnles it were giuen thee from aboue Shall we therefore take vpon vs to saie that vnto all men was giuen power against Christ And when as it is written Iohn 5 15. That No man shall enter into the kingdome of heauen vnlesse hee be borne againe by water and the spirit shall we therefore inferre that all men are borne againe of water and the spirit And when the Lord saith Iohn 6. 53. Ye shall not haue life in you vnles ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud shall we take it that all men eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the Lord And if this ought not so to be whie will these men when we saie No man commeth vnto me vnles my father drawe him therof inferre that all men are drawne vnto the father Verelie if a man consider the course of the text he shall sée that this sense cannot stand After that he had made mention of the eating of his flesh and of the drinking of his bloud the Iewes were by reason thereof offended and the disciples went their waie vpon occasion whereof Christ said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father drawe him which he ought in no case to haue said if he had meant to reprooue onelie them of infidelitie He should not doubtlesse haue made mention of the father as though he drew them not if he gaue that gift to all men And Augustine when he interpreteth this place saith Whie he draweth this man draweth not that other man doo not thou iudge if thou wilt not erre In which words hée declareth that all men are not drawne of God And in the selfe-same chapter it is written verse 37. All that my father giueth me shall come vnto me Wherfore if all men were drawne they should all come vnto Christ And in the same place it is written verse 45. Euerie one which hath heard of my father and hath learned commeth vnto mee Séeing then manie come not vnto Christ therby is declared that manie neither haue heard nor learned verse 11. And in the 10. chapter when Christ had said that He is the shepheard and hath his shéepe verse 28. amongst other things he saith These whom my father gaue me no man can take out of my hands But we sée that manie fall from saluation and therfore we ought to thinke that those are not giuen of the father vnto Christ A cauill 39 But héere also the aduersaries cauill that Although no man can take them awaie yet neuerthelesse men of their owne accord may go awaie A similitude As if a man had seruants béeing himselfe a lord of great might hée might doubtlesse saie No man can take awaie these seruants from me and yet they of their owne accord maie go from him But how vaine this their cauillation is the words which followe declare verse 29. For Christ addeth The father which gaue them vnto me is greater than all by which words he declareth that therfore those whom he had receiued of the father could not be taken awaie from him for that he is most mightie Wherefore if they cannot by them be taken awaie which are in Christ neither also are they able to withdrawe themselues not that they are compelled by force It is of necessitie that the predestinate abide but by the waie of persuasion it is of necessitie that they abide The verie which thing the Lord also spake touching the temptation of the latter times namelie that If it were possible the elect should be deceiued Matt. 24 24 In the selfe-same 6. chapter of Iohn Christ said ver 37 44 that No man commeth vnto him but hee vnto whom it is giuen of the father which place hath one and the selfe-same sense with that other sentence wherein he said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father drawe him And Iohn Baptist as it is written in the 3. chapter of Iohn Verse 27. when he heard of his disciples that Christ baptised manie answered that No man can receiue anie thing vnles it be giuen him from heauen And in the selfe-same chapter Verse 8. The spirit breatheth where it will Which although it be spoken of the wind yet notwithstanding it is applied vnto the holie ghost which regenerateth for to declare the force of the holie ghost the similitude is taken from the nature of the wind But this is more manifestlie set forth in Matthew when it is said Matt. 11 27. No man knoweth the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him Wherein we are taught The reuealing of Christ is not common to all men that the reuealing of Christ is not giuen vnto all men Which thing Christ in the same Euangelist declared when turning him vnto the father he said Ibid. ver 25. I giue thee thanks ô king of heauen and of earth for that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent men and hast reuealed them vnto babes There also is declared that the reuealing of true doctrine is not common vnto all men But if thou wilt saie A cauillation that therefore it is not reuealed vnto the wise men for that they will not receiue it the words following doo not render this cause but rather declare that the will of God hath so decréed for it followeth For so it hath pleased thee And againe when the Apostles inquired whie hée spake in parables to the people he answered Vnto you it is giuen to knowe mysteries Matt. 13 11. but vnto them it is not giuen And he said that hée so spake vnto them that they séeing should not sée Esai 6 9. and hearing should not vnderstand And he cited a prophesie out of the 6. of Esaie wherin was commanded that the people should be made blind and that their hart should be made grose least peraduenture they should be conuerted God should heale them Moreouer the apostle citeth out of the booke of Exodus Rom. 9 15. God thus speaking Exod. 33 19 I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie and will shew compassion on whom I will shew compassion Also that which is written of Pharao Rom. 9 17. To this end haue I raised thee vp Exod. 9 16. that I might shew my power in thee And he saith also Rom. 9 22. that Some vessels are made to honour and some to dishonour Which words most euidentlie declare that grace is not set foorth common vnto all men Peter also in the Actes of the Apostles said vnto Simon Magus Acts. 8 23. Repent if peraduenture GOD forgeue vnto thee this thought But they saie that in this place Peter doubted not but that grace is common vnto all men but he was vncerteine whether
made a lier Wherfore if he haue called vs by a iust effectuall calling no doubt but he will performe the worke that he hath begun that on the daie of the Lord whether the same be the time of our death or the last time of inquisition when as sentence shall be giuen vpon all mortall men we shall be reserued vnblameable by him although we haue oftentimes fallen in this life which is our owne infirmitie Touching this faith of GOD it is written vnto the Romans Rom. 3 3. What if some of them haue not beleeued shall their vnbeleefe make the faith of God of none effect God forbid Paule in the first chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1 8. Pauls maner of reasoning séemeth to reason on this wise Now haue yee obteined grace by Christ and by him yee haue obteined manie gifts wherfore ye shall haue that which remaineth that yee may be vnblamable in the daie of the Lord. Neither was the same written in anie other sense by the same apostle in the epistle to the Romans Rom. 11 29. The calling and gifts of God are without repentance Wherefore let vs also vse this kind of argument if as it happeneth at anie time our mind doo quaile A most cōfortable argument in the deiection of our mind An obiection We be called to saluation we haue giuen credit to him that calleth we haue obteined remission of sinnes and haue gotten no meane gifts wherefore we shall be saued and God will not cast awaie the works of his owne hands Thou demandest touching thy calling how I am able to determine whether it be an effectuall calling or no of the faith wherewith thou art indued whether it be a temporall faith An answer therevnto Rom. 8 16. I say that The spirit of Christ doth beare witnes with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God which token of the elect Paule taught the church in his epistle to the Romans Secondlie these things may be knowne by the effects and as the Schoole-men saie à posteriore that is by that which followeth after Good works doo make our calling and election certeine for Peter in his latter epistle and first chapter after he had spoken largelie of works he added verse 10. Wherefore brethren indeuour your selues rather to make your calling and election sure But if thou shalt againe demand Séeing the spirit of our neighbour is not well knowne vnto vs can there be anie other waie for vs to iudge of him than by works Assuredlie Christ left no other meanes whereby we should iudge of our neighbours Matt 7 16. for he said By their fruits yee shall knowe them How we may iudge of our neighbour and charitie ought to persuade euerie man that when thou shalt sée thy brother to be cōuersant in the church to lead an vnblamed life and to mainteine the right professed faith of such a man hope thou well And Paule was in good hope of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1 8. partlie of charitie whereby he imbraced them and partlie for their works sake and gifts of the holie Ghost the which appéered to be manie in their church partlie he was led by the spirit whereby he was warned that in that place there was much people which perteined vnto God Acts. 18 10. Of Grace In Rom. 1 verse 21. Look before place 1. art 38. Abstracts are knowne by their concrets 7 This place putteth vs in mind to speake somwhat of grace Nounes which as the Logicians say be put abstractlie as substantiues are vsuallie declared by their concrets or adiectiues the significations of which are more readier to the sense Wherefore let vs first sée what is signified among the Latins by this word Gratiosus that is Gratious He is said among all men to be gratious whom all men fauour and vnto whom good will is commonlie borne euen so in the holie scriptures men are said to be gratious which haue found grace with God for so the scripture vseth to speake of them whom God dooth fauour and vnto whom he extendeth his loue We are one waie gratious before God and an other waie before men Howbeit as concerning this there is a great difference betwéene God and men for men fauour none but him in whom they find things whereby they may be allured drawne to loue Wherefore it behooueth that he which will be loued of men haue in himselfe the causes of loue and good will But contrariwise God findeth nothing in men woorthie to be beloued whereby he might be induced to loue them for he himselfe first loued vs and through that loue he hath bestowed vpon vs whatsoeuer we haue that may please him The grace of God is taken two maner of waies Wherefore the name of grace in the holie scripture is vnderstood two waies First chéeflie doubtles it signifieth the good will of God towards men and the franke and frée fauour that he beareth vnto the elect Secondlie forsomuch as God dooth indue his elect with excellent gifts grace dooth sometimes signifie euen those gifts which are fréelie bestowed vpon vs by God This two maner of significations of grace being well knowne dooth plainlie shew with how great a diuersitie our aduersaries and we affirme one and the same sentence For both of vs saie that a man is iustified by grace but this is the difference that they vnder the name of grace vnderstand those gifts which are bestowed vpon them that be iustified namelie the habits or grounded dispositions which be powred into them moreouer good works and such other things as God worketh in the elect But we forsomuch as we sée that so long as we are in this life these gifts through our corruption are vnperfect denie that we can be iustified by them or that Gods iudgement can by anie means be satisfied by them wherfore we vnderstand that to be iustified by grace What is to be iustified by grace and by the grace of Christ is to be iustified by the onelie méere and sincere good will of God which he beareth vnto vs of his owne onlie mercie We saie also that we be iustified by the grace of Christ which his father beareth him for séeing he is most gratious before him he bringeth to passe that the father also loueth vs in him as his members and brethren by faith 8 But the School-men feigne to themselues that grace is an habit powred into the soule whereby the soule may the easilier be stirred vp be the readier to doo good works A deuise of the School-men learned out of the Ethiks of Aristotle which deuise of theirs they are not able anie waie to confirme by the holie scriptures And they séeme to haue taken it from the philosophers who teach in their Ethiks that Faculties and powers are strengthened by the habit of the mind whereby they be able to performe that which before they could not or
reprooue all the wicked And soone after Looking for the mercie of our Lord Iesus Christ vnto eternall life Let it be sufficient that we haue brought these things out of the new testament vnto the which adde the article of the apostles Créed wherin we confesse our selues to beléeue the resurrection of the flesh Further all those places wherein Christ is said that he shall be iudge of the quicke and the dead haue relation vnto this 55 Now that we haue séene the signification of the word and also the definition and haue sought whether this resurrection may be plainlie set foorth by naturall reasons and further haue brought testimonies Of the causes of the resurrection verse 4â— as well of the old as new scriptures now it foloweth that we speake somewhat of the causes thereof It is the effect of faith and it followeth iustification Whervpon it is said in the sixt chapter of Iohn He that beleeueth in me hath life euerlasting and I will raise him vp at the last daie So as God by his power is the efficient cause thereof For which cause Christ said vnto the Saduces Matt. 2â— 15. Yee erre being ignorant of the scriptures and of the power of God And not onelie God the father himselfe but also the holie Ghost is cause of the resurrection For as we haue alreadie said it is written in the epistle to the Romans If the spirit of him Rom. 8 11. which hath raised vp Christ from the dead dwell in you c. Yea moreouer the sonne himselfe which is Christ Iesus is a cause of this resurrection for in the Gospell of Iohn he said Iohn 6 40. I will raise him vp at the last daie And againe Euen as the father raiseth vp and quickeneth Iohn 5 21. euen so also the sonne quickeneth c Further Ibidem 28. They which be in the graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of God and shall come foorth Iohn 11 25. c. In the eleuenth of Iohn I am the resurrection and the life Moreouer there is an argument taken hereof that Christ by his death tooke awaie sinne which was the cause of death Verelie no man doubteth but that the cause being remooued the effect is taken awaie In the first to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 22 the 15. chapter In Adam all men are dead in Christ all men shall be reuiued as by one man came death so by one man came the resurrection from the dead The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be 2. Cor. 5 10. That the whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he hath behaued himselfe But the angels although they shall be ministers of the resurrection yet can they be no causes Among the causes of the resurrection to come the resurrection also of Christ is numbered for Paule in the first to the Corinthians verse 13. the 15. chapter saith If the dead rise not againe neither is Christ risen againe and if Christ be not risen our preaching is in vaine But we may argue on the other side Christ rose againe Therefore we also shall rise againe So then the resurrection of Christ séemeth to be the cause of our resurrection which indéed is to be granted but yet not so as that verie action wherein Christ was raised vp and which is now past is the efficient cause that performeth or dooth anie thing which should bring foorth our resurrection but bicause the diuine power and might which is in Christ séeing he is God is reteined still euen as he raised him vp from the dead so will he also quicken vs in due time This we sée come to passe in humane things A similitude For he that is a white man begetteth also a white sonne not that the colour it selfe can procreate but that those beginnings or causes which wrought the begetter to be white do make him also white which is begotten by him Euen so our resurrection shall not be vnlike to the resurrection of Christ Further this must be noted that the diuine actions and heauenlie benefits which are imploied vpon men be as Damascenus saith deriued vnto vs by the flesh of Christ which now should be none at all vnlesse he had béene raised from the dead Wherefore by this meanes the resurrection of Christ may be also called ours bicause without that we might not haue obteined ours Againe if we should like philosophers followe Plato adiecting vnto the foure kinds of causes an Idea or paterne we might saie that the resurrection of Christ was the exemplar cause of our resurrection The finall cause of resurrection is assigned to be that The whole and entire man should be iudged at the tribunall seate of God and should receiue rewards or punishments according as he behaued himselfe And thus much of the causes 56 It followeth that we should speake of the properties and conditions of the bodies Of the condition and propertie of bodies when they shall rise which shall be raised vp The Schoolemen called them indowments or qualities neither can I disallow of those which they haue reckoned bicause I perceiue them to be gathered out of the holie scriptures Howbeit I thinke not that all the properties were gathered by them neither yet may it be for in this life we cannot haue experience of the glorie of the saints but we shall then perfectlie and absolutelie knowe it when we shall come vnto it Immortalitie the first propertie The first condition that commeth to my remembrance of the blessed is immortalitie And assuredlie in the diuine scriptures so often as there is mention of the life to come the same is said to be eternall as being that which shall haue no end Paule saith This mortall must put on haue immortalitie 1. Co. 15 53 and this corruptible bodie must put on incorruption And séeing the punishments rewards which shall be rendered according to the nature of works be sempiternall the subiect or nature which shall be giuen them must néeds be immortall also Furthermore séeing it is no doubt but that Christ destroied sinne and death it remaineth that the life of the saints should be immortall And in the sixt chapter to the Romans it is written verse 9. Christ rising againe from the dead dieth no more neither shall death haue anie more power ouer him Besides in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter verse 50. Flesh and bloud shall not inherit the kingdome of God Yet must not these things be taken for the verie nature and substance of flesh and bloud fâ—… they which shall rise againe shall be wholie indued with these things But the apostle hath respect vnto corruption vnto the which flesh and bloud in this life are subiect wherfore he added Ibidem Incorruption And corruption shall not inherit incorruption 57 Vpon this propertie followeth an other namelie that after
for the splendent and ample light for the constant motion of the circles and procéeding therof in excellent order and for the sundrie and manifold influences as also bicause from the parts aboue we haue winds clouds raine haile lightnings thunder c. Neither dooth the prophet vtterlie exclude men from heauen as though they should neuer come thither for thither they shall come which haue liued godlie but that must be at their time appointed So as the Psalmist speaketh of the time of this life as the state of things now stand But presumptuous men haue sometimes abused the words of Dauid so that some haue thought that it should be lawfull for them to doo anie thing vpon the earth to robbe and slaie to turne all vpside downe as though God dooth not marke these things as he that onelie dwelleth in heauen and walking about the limits of heauen taketh no care of our dooings Againe others haue so wickedlie wrested these words that séeing God hath heauen to himselfe and hath giuen the earth vnto the children of men there is no cause whie we should aspire to heauen but rather that euerie man prouide for himselfe as manie parts of the earth as he can get Of this mind they séeme to be which couple field to field and house to house so as they scarselie suffer a foot of land to be possessed by others Further the prophet procéedeth and saith The dead shall not praise the Lord Ibidem 17. That euen the dead do praise the Lord. nor yet all they which go downe into silence The mind of the suppliant is that God would spare the godlie men lest they being consumed there should be a want of such as would set foorth the praise of God But thou wilt saie If the senses of soules and the life of them that be departed be taken awaie will there be a want of such as should praise God True in verie déed it is that in heauen there wil be no want But he hath appointed to receiue fame and praise not onelie in another world but euen here also vpon the earth which will not come to passe if the godlie be consumed by the wicked And God hath so ordeined this as he brought foorth man for this end Otherwise he gaue also the earth vnto cattell vnto lions and also to serpents flies and créeping beasts for all these things are there brought vp and nourished but yet not so as men be For we be placed in the world that we should publish and set foorth God this cannot the dead doo héere séeing they be far from this world And therefore it is said The dead shall not praise the Lord namelie vpon the earth Indéed brute beasts and dumbe cattell haue their abiding vpon the earth and therein are fed and nourished but they were made for the behoofe of man but vnto this maner of end they are not aduanced bicause they are not so indued with reason as they can giue thanks call vpon and celebrate the name of God Hereby let vs gather that the earth is giuen vnto men not to the intent that they should rashlie abuse the same and that they should deuoure the good things thereof like vnto brute beasts but celebrate and extoll the name of God euen as they are continuallie inuited by his benefits Which being onelie doone by the godlie sort if they be oppressed by tyrants and wicked persons who shall remaine to declare and sing out the praises of God The wicked doo blaspheme the name of God so far is it off that they magnifie extoll it The repetition of the word What is ment by the repetition of the word heauen namelie Heauen of heauens dooth betoken a certeine famous and excellent region of the heauens wherein God and Christ dwell with the saints 72 But let vs come vnto Ecclesiastes where in the third chapter it is written verse 19 that Men and cattell haue one maner of end both the one and the other doo die and they haue all one maner of spirit or breath and who knoweth whether the spirit of the sonnes of Adam go vpward and the spirit of beasts go downeward He had said a little before that the successes of the godlie and of the wicked are all one and that thereby it commeth to passe that no man knoweth by the outward fortunes and euents of men who are beloued of God and who be hated But now he compareth man with cattell affirming that the conditions and qualities of them all are one and the same But these must we distinguish bicause some be generall and some speciall As to the speciall the conditions be not all one in euerie sort for cattell be foure-footed but men be two-footed the cattell are without spéech but man dooth speake cattell be not capable of vices and vertues but men are garnished with vertues and polluted with vices Wherefore Salomon in that place treateth of generall qualities as well of men as of beasts For as men be borne and bred vp so commeth it to passe with cattell as those be dissolued into ashes and elements so dooth it happen vnto men as touching the bodie as beasts be fed with meate and quench thirst with drinke and ingender their yoong ones so doo men likewise And whereas it is said that the spirit as well of the one as the other is one that must not be referred to the soule as though Salomon iudged that all men haue but one soule Auerroes and Peripateriks as Auerroës and other of the Peripatetiks did thinke But by the spirit he vnderstandeth the wind or breath for brute beasts and men doo breath all in one aire By the spirit Salomon vnderstandeth the blowing and breath Indéed the spirit of man goeth vpward and the breath of beasts downeward but who knoweth this Who is able to prooue it by strong naturall reasons It is not denied by Salomon that these things happen but he saith that the knowledge and vnderstanding of these things are scarselie or not at all extant among men as touching naturall principles And whereas he saith Who knoweth He as Ierom interpreteth dooth shew a difficultie not an vtter impossibilitie For Socrates Plato Pythagoras and some other philosophers atteined after a sort to the knowledge of immortalitie of soules by what meanes I stand not to prooue In the same book of Ecrlesiastes the ninth chapter it is written verse 10. In the graue that thou goest vnto there is neither worke cogitation knowledge not wisedome c. These things as Ierom saith perteine vnto the good works whereby it is the part of the faithfull to approoue themselues vnto God while they liue in this world In the world to come there shall be no place for good works bicause in the â—ther life they shall haue no place In this life must we beléeue the word of God that we may be iustified here repentance must be taken in hand here the sacraments must be receiued here
pit or into the place of consuming Also hell is called Tsalmaueth that is The shadowe of death Psa 107 10. whereof it is soong in the 107. psalme They that dwell or sit in darknes and in the shadowe of death Also there is another name wherby it is called which is much more frequented by the latter Iewes Gehinnon to wit Gehinnon But why the same is so called it shall be good to vnderstand It is compounded of thrée words Gue that is A vallie Ben A sonne and Hinnon The proper name of a man So as it was a vallie possessed in old time by the sonne of Hinnon néere vnto the citie of Ierusalem there the Hebrues in ancient time had builded a notable high place for the worshipping of Moloch whom they thinke was Saturne vnto whom they sacrificed men burning their sonnes and their daughters This place was also called Topheth that is A timbrell or bell bicause in those horrible ceremonies they roong their bels excéeding lowd least the crieng and lamentation of their infants which were burned should be heard of them that stood by and of their parents Against this high place did the prophet Ieremie Iere. 19 2. in the 19. chapter prophesie that it would one daie come to passe that it should be cut downe and that the place should become shamefull and detestable so that there the dead bodies should be buried Which séeing it came afterward to passe the place of punishment of wicked men Why the place of punishing the wicked was called Ge-hinnom by a fit metaphor was called Ge-hinnom First bicause a vallie I meane a lowe vile place doth represent hell which is thought to be vnder the earth Secondlie bicause of the fire wherewith the wicked are tormented as in that place children were burned Lastlie bicause the place was vncleane and detestable wherein were cast not onlie dead carcases but also all the filth and vncleanlinesse which was throwen out of the citie of Ierusalem euen as vnpure and wicked soules are thrust foorth of the kingdom of heauen into hell Also our Sauiour called hell The vttermost darknes Matt. 22 13. that is the chéesest and extreme darknesse For euen as the spirits of the blessed doo inioie an incredible light Matt. 10 28 so the soules of the damned doo liue in extreme darknesse Matt. 13. 42. But he often vsed the word Gehenna and said that Gehenna is a fire to the intent he might exaggerate the vehemencie of the griefe and forment Esaie in the 30. Esai 30 30. chapter called that place Topheth An vnquenchable fire whose fewell should be much wood and brimstone He also saith there that it is a breath wherewith the fire is blowen that it may be a great deale the more kindled But Ezechiel in the 32. verse 18. chapter calleth it The nether parts of the earth the lake And Christ in the 9. of Marke described this place verie manifestlie verse 43. saieng It is better for thee to enter into the kingdome of heauen lame and with one eie than hauing two eies or two feet to be sent into hell And by exposition he addeth Into fire vnquenchable for their worme dooth not die the fire neuer goeth out And thus much of the name of hell The reasons of the Rabbins by which they prooue two infernall places 13 But the Rabbins appointing two infernall places doo alledge these reasons First that it is writen in the booke of Genesis the 15. chapter verse 15. how it was said to Abraham Thou shalt be put to thy fathers What saie they were not his parents and forefathers idolaters Yes trulie they were as the booke of Iosuah the 24. chapter verse 2. doth testifie But it agréeth not with the iustice of God that he would haue Abraham to be in a place of paines wherein idolaters were punished Wherefore they conclude that there were two infernall places in the one whereof Abraham was placed and in the other his ancestors Into which place also they thinke that Iacob supposed his sonne Ioseph to haue gone whither he himselfe also should depart by reason of sorrowe for he said Gen 37 3◠Moorning will I descend into the infernall place to my sonne But we are not to beléeue that he thought togither with his sonne to be cast into hell Albeit Rabbi Selomoh minding to infringe this place saith that The particle Al signifieth not To but For as though it stood in the place of Aal that is For this misfortune of my sonne I will go downe to the infernall place that is as this man thinketh vnto the graue As though there were here no mention made of the infernall places or of the spirit of Ioseph now placed there But the Chaldaean paraphrasis is against him wherein is written Luth-bari And the particle Luth signifieth To Neere or Toward wherefore he saith I will go to neere vnto or toward my sonne Nor can this be vnderstood of the graue bicause Iacob did not thinke that Ioseph was buried in a graue séeing he thought him to be torne in péeces and deuoured by a cruell wild beast The same also doo they gather by the historie of Samuel who is said to haue risen againe 1. Sa. 28 14 being raised vp by the witch who was not likelie to haue béene in torments with the wicked And they indeuor to prooue much more plainlie this distinction of the infernall places by his words wherein he foretold that the daie after Saule shuld be with him that is in the infernall place and yet not in the same part bicause Saule Ibidem 19. who would aske counsell of a witch and killed himselfe is thought to be sent among the damned spirits But Samuel is reckoned to be among the number of the godlie and blessed They procéed yet further and weigh the words of the most prudent woman Abigal who thus spake vnto Dauid 1. Sa. 25 29. Thy soule shall be bound in the bundle of life where by The bundle of life or of the liuing they vnderstand the congregation of saints resting with Abraham After that she added But the soules of thine enimies shall God cast out euen as out of the middle of a sling bicause the vngodlie are cast one from an other among the lower infernall places that is vnto diuers kinds of torments And to this purpose also some drawe a testimonie of Dauid wherein he saith Lift vp your heads ô ye gates Psal 24 7. and the king of glorie shall enter in as though that these things were spoken by the angels when the Lord should enter in vnto the fathers into the bosome of Abraham for the spoiling of principalities and powers as it is taught in the epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 4 8 c Col. 2 15. By others also is brought the 4. booke of Esdras albeit it is apocryphall and is not found in the Hebrue Yet is it alledged by Ambrose
speake in essence or in kinde But this verilie agréeth to the father the sonne and the holie Ghost which are the thing signified And that which Augustine here writeth we maie easilie perceiue in the Sacraments which we nowe intreate of wherin the outward signe and inward matter of the Sacrament haue their properties ascribed one to an other Nowe that I haue sufficientlie spoken of the name and definition and also of the matter and forme of the Sacraments there resteth to speake of the finall and efficient cause of them The end of sacraments The ende for which the Sacraments were instituted is that our minde being admonished by the senses might bee stirred vp and by faith take holde of the promises of GOD and so be inflamed with a desire to attaine vnto them For we sée that signes tende to no other end but to transferre and to imprint those things which we our selues haue in our mindes into the mind of an other man that thereby he maie be made the more certaine of our meaning and will And this is not commonlie doone but in matters of great weight For if they be but light matters To things of great weight are added signes wee are not accustomed to confirme them with signes but in things of great importance they are commonlie vsed As when princes are consecrated when matrimonies are contracted when barganinges and giftes or other like couenaunts of great weight are made for we desire to haue them to the vttermost witnessed and to be knowen not onelie by reason but also by the senses The efficient cause of sacraments is GOD. 4 But there can bee no other efficient cause of the Sacraments giuen but either God or our Lord Iesus Christ who also is verilie GOD and of them ought wee to haue an euident testimonie out of the holie Scriptures Which is most plainelie declared by the definition which we haue nowe set foorth for thus we defined them namelie that Sacraments are signes not in déed naturall but giuen and that by the will of God And this his will cannot bee made knowen vnto vs but onelie out of the holie scriptures And therfore it is no hard matter to knowe howe manie there are in number in the newe Testament How many sacraments of the newe Testament there be Look part 3 pl. 8. ar 9. c New found sacraments excluded We sée that Christ instituted Baptisme and the Eucharist but the other Sacraments with the schoole diuines set foorth cannot by the worde of GOD be prooued to be Sacraments Wée speake not this as though wee denie that matrimonie is to be had in reuerence or that the institution of ministers is to be retained still or the pennance is to be doone although we reiect auricular confession and other the abuses thereof and denie it to be a Sacrament otherwise euen we also doe highlie estéeme those things but not as Sacraments Neither mislike we with that confirmation whereby children when they come to age should be compelled to confesse their faith in the Church and by outward profession to approoue that which was doone in Baptisme when they vnderstoode nothing but yet in such sort that of such an action wee frame not a Sacrament But as touching extreme vnction it is manifest that it nothing pertaineth vnto vs especiallie séeing it had no longer anie force than whilest the giftes of healing were extant in the Church And for as much as those giftes are nowe long since taken awaie it were a follie to kéepe still a vaine signe thereof Neither yet did Christ commaund that this vnction should be perpetuallie vsed in the church But those other things which we before spake of although they maie still be retained with profite yet are they not properlie Sacraments either bicause they haue not outward signes or because they want manifest words of promises Why besides Baptisme the Eucharist the rest are not sacraments properlie which should by a visible signe be sealed or else because there is no commaundement of God extant whereby we are bound to obserue those things Basilius in his booke de spiritu Sancto where he reckeneth vp the traditions of the Church maketh mention of the signe of the crosse wherewith wee ought to defende our selues and that vpon the Sundaie and from the resurrection vnto the feast of Pentecost they shoulde worship vpright and standing Basil reckoneth holy vnction among the Traditions Among others also he reckeneth holie vnction Hereby wee sée that this father helde not that this vnction is had out of the holie Scriptures which our aduersaries rashlie doe Further by his words we gather of how great weight it is since it is accounted but of the same value with those things which haue now long since growen out of vre 5 Nowe let vs sée The effects of the Sacraments what be the effects of the Sacraments The maister of the sentences in the fourth booke in the first Dist putteth thrée effectes of the sacraments for he would that as men for pleasure sake haue made themselues subiect vnto things sensible and inferiour vnto themselues so nowe they should for pietie sake doe the same that of a certaine modestie or as they speake humilitie they should suffer themselues to be made subiect vnto these visible signes of the Sacraments We are not by the sacramēts made subiect vnto Creatures But herein he séemeth not to say well For by the Sacramentes wee are not made subiect vnto creatures neither ought we to worship them onelie the mind is there erected vnto God that man maie be restored vnto his old dignitie for he is set to be aboue all things which are seene and not to be subiect vnto them The second effect he putteth to be of instruction that by the outward signes we should bee instructed of heauenlie things In Sacraments we are instructed as touching diuine things Which also we vndoubtedlie affirme Lastlie he saith that therefore they were instituted that we should not bee idle but bee profitablie exercised in true ceremonies casting awaie superstitions But this vnlesse it be declared is not verie plaine for we are sufficientlie occupied in beléeuing praying reading of the word of God and doing good to our neighbours But outward ceremonies although they be instituted of God yet without faith they nothing profite wherefore the exercising of them doeth not of it selfe please God Howbeit if faith be present superstition can take no place For faith hath alwaies a regarde vnto the word of God And so after this maner they maie be called exercises of faith and of pietie and bee counted acceptable vnto GOD. But wee will after a better sort Other effects set foorth these effectes of the Sacraments First we saie that they instruct vs which thing is alreadie saide Secondlie The kindle in vs a faith and desire of the promises that they kindle in vs faith and a desire of the promises of God Thirdlie that they
aunswered Verse 27. A place of Matthew expounded If I in the name of baalzebub doe cast out Diuels in whose name do your children cast them out Where Ierom interpreteth that by the children of the Hebrewes maie be vnderstood exorcistes Exorcists among the Hebrewes which all that time wandered here and there coniuring il spirits by the name of the Lord. It is saide then that they shall be their iudges not by power but by comparison They doubtlesse confessed that Diuels were cast out by the spirit of GOD but these men attributed the power vnto Baalzebub wherefore they were found to be much worse than they But he addeth that that place might also be vnderstoode of the Apostles which were the children of the Hebrewes as touching the flesh and had already giuen by Christ the giftes of casting out of Diuels and are rightlie saide that they shall be iudges of the wicked and of the blasphemous seeing it is saide vnto them Mat. 19. 28 Yee shall sit vppon 12. seats iudging the 12. Tribes of Israel And hee farre preferreth this latter interpretation before the first But mee thinkes the first séemeth the more agréeable For if we affirme that these things are spoken as touching the Apostles the Scribes and Pharises shall not séeme at the full to bée reprooued of Christ For they might haue saide Thy Disciples also cast out Diuels in the name of Baalzebub euen as they be taught by thée Neither do I perswade my selfe that those wicked men make more account of the Apostles in better place than they did of their master But if so be we refer those words vnto exorcistes the Scribes and Pharisees are notablie confuted Wherefore I confesse that among the Iewes there were exorcistes Neither doe I denie but that God bestowed that gift of driuing awaie of Deuils from men to certaine men whom he would yet not vnto such as the Priestes had appointed But the Priestes therein gréeuouslie sinned in that they would at their owne pleasure appoint a felowship or colledge or order of Exorcistes as though they might binde the grace of GOD to their elections and constitutions Christ the head of new Exorcists 10 But afterwarde Christ renued that strength and power yea rather he was the a chiefe and prince of new Exorcists and he dealt against the vncleane spirits with great commaundement and absolute power as it manifestly appeareth in the storie of the Gospell Mark 1. 25 Ibid. 5. 11. Neither did he onelie cure them that were present but them also which were absent for he healed the daughter of the woman of Chanaan which was absent neither had he himself onlie power ouer the diuels but he also gaue the same gift vnto his Apostles But there is another place in the Actes of the Apostles Ver. 13. in the 19. Chapter whereby it most euidently appeareth that such Exorcists were among the Hebrewes For the sonnes of Sceua adiured ill spirites which also they attempted to doe through the name of Iesus Howbeit the auncient Prophets although I reade that sometime they did myracles yet doe I not finde that they vsed Exorcismes But that Christ gaue power of casting out the Diuell vnto his Disciples it is shewed in the 16. Chapter of Mark where it is written And there signes shall followe the beleeuers shall cast out diuels Luke 9. 49. c. And in the 9. of Luke it is declared that Iohn sawe a certaine man which through the name of Christ cast out diuels and yet he did not follow him Wherefore saieth Iohn wee forbad him which déede Iesus disallowed Manie also at the latter daie shall saie as we haue it in the 7. Ver. 22. of Matthew Haue we not in thy name cast out Diuels And Paul as it is written in the 16. Act. 16. 18. of the Actes commanded the spirit of diuination to depart which forthwith was done Howbeit we must vnderstand that the Apostles were not alwaies able by their authoritie to cast out ill spirites For as the historie of the Euangelist teacheth Mat. 17. 16. A certaine man offered to them his sonne to be cured whom they could not deliuer And Christ comming to them taught that that kinde of Diuels are not cast out but by fasting and prayers As if he shoulde saie Ib. ver 21. that therein prayers and that verie earnest are néedefull the which are verie much furthered by fasting true fasting I meane not that fained fasting which consisteth onelie of the choise of meates 11 A great while did these giftes of healing remaine in the Church How and how long the gifts of healing were in the Church The words of Christ in the last of Marke expounded And what time they vtterlie ceased it cannot precisely be defined And because that they are now no longer had we are constrained to thinke that the words of Christ wherein he said These signes shall follow them that beleeue were not generallie spokeÌ„ as if those graces should be giuen alwaies vnto all the faithfull It was sufficient that they were giuen to the Church and remained for a certaine space in it Iustinus Martyr who liued in the time of Antoninus Pius in the first Apol. page 146. writeth that the Christians ouer all the world and in the Citie it selfe healed verie manie that were possessed with euill spirits which other inchaunters coniurers sacrificers could not perfourme and that as yet those men of ours persist in their purpose Neither onelie did these graces indure vntill the time of Antoninus but as TertulliaÌ„ in his Apologie teacheth they continued still vntill the time of Seuerus the Emperour in whose time he florished We are accustomed saieth he to assaile Daemons that is spirites and to driue them awaie froÌ„ men and as it should séeme he reckoneth himselfe among the number of them which did this And in the same place he saieth We driue out ill spirits without reward or hire Likewise in his booke intreating of idolatrie in the 734. page he saieth against them who being Christians yet neuerthelesse solde frankincense and those things which were vsed in the worshipping of Idols When thou séest the Aultar smoking how canst thou contemne it and with what constancie wilt thou exorcise thy scholers And he calleth the Diuels Whose scholers the diuels are counted the scholers of these men because they made their house a Cell for Idols whereby they retayled Frankincense vnto them to the intent they might make a perfume for them By this place we are taught that the giftes of these adiurations were not onelie giuen vnto the Clergie men but that they happened euen to marchants also moreouer that they were graunted vnto souldiers For the same Author in his little Booke De Corona Militis page 454. against them which of their owne accord went a warfare with Emperors writeth Those which he by exorcisme in the day time chased awaie in the night he defended Which he therefore â—rote
is said This is my bodie The Bishop of Rochester saieth in these propositions that when any thing is changed into an other thing it is not absurde that that which was before shoulde bee shewed And so he admitteth that in This is my bodie should be shewed the bread which was before and is chaunged into the bodie of Christ whyle those wordes be spoken But then saie I the proposition is not well framed For it should haue bin said This is made my bodie or This is turned into my bodie otherwise being said This is my bodie the spéech is vnproper 14 They which say that the body of Christ is really ioyned with the signes the natures I meane of bread and wine being preserued doe thus argue against Transubstantiation What dignitie or priuiledge haue Accidentes that they can be ioyned with the body of Christ which ought to be denyed to the substance and nature of bread And if the Accidentes can remaine why shall not also the substance of bread be retained Yea rather many of the fathers suppose that this may be doone And thence they take a similitude that the humane and diuine natures in Christ doe verily remaine and so remaine as one passeth not into another whose opinions we will bring in when time shall serue They fall also into an other absurditie for while they breake the Sacrament What is broken in the sacrament we demaund of them what they break there Here they stagger and some haue said as testifyeth the maister of the sentences in the 4. booke that the essence or substance of the body of Christ is broken but this opinion is by him confuted because the body of Christ is immortall and therefore it is not subiect to these things and to new chaunces There were others which said that the same is no true breaking but that it onely appeareth to be and so séemeth vnto our senses And this is also reiected least we should establish here a perpetuall illusion At length they say that they be accidents which be broken And when as they after a sort appoint a Mathematicall quantitie that is a quantitie separated from matter which if it be diuided it is onely doone by the power of the minde and by the promptnesse of the vnderstanding These men also diuide in very déede so as the partes diuided may most manifestly be séene In Ieremy we reade Iere. 11. â—9 Let vs cast wood vppon his bread which place is cited by Tertullian and Lactantius and they interpret that this was spoken of putting the wood of the crosse into the body of Christ and they will that mention was made of bread because through bread Christ was to giue himselfe vnto vs. And that which the Prophet speaketh The Transubstantiators take away the figure of the old Testament they will haue to be a figure of the bread of the Sacrament which séeing these men take away and onely leaue a figure vnto vs they affirme a figure of a figure so as no sound thing remaineth The very which may be gathered by that which is oftentimes alledged by the fathers as concerning Melchizedeck Gen. 14. 18 who brought the bread and the wine the figure whereof is not by these men obserued when they remooue away the bread and the wine And the selfe same thing followeth as touching the Shewbread 15 Againe we will bring a reason taken froÌ„ baptisme A little before we argued from thence that for the trueth of that Sacrament it was not requisite that water should be transubstantiated now we reason from the men themselues which be baptised The change of vs in Baptisme of whom the Scripture plainely saith that they lay away the olde man and are againe begotten and yet is there no Transubstantiation imagined in them neuerthelesse generation is described to be a motion whereby a new substance is gotten Iohn 3. 5. Wherefore it is no maruell that Nichodemus tooke offence at the wordes of the Lord wherein it was shewed him that he should be borne againe For while he thought with himselfe that a new generation was preached vnto man already brought foorth and well in yeares he stood in a doubt But and if we interpret that generation to be new and the natiuitie to be spiritual why doe we not vouchsafe to doe the same in the Eucharist And why doe we not transferre all thinges vnto spirituall eating I gladly ioyne together these two Sacramentes Baptisme and the Eucharist because Paul in the 1. Verse 13. Epistle to the Corinthians the 12. Chap. knitteth them together How Paul knitteth together the two Sacraments when he saith All wee by one spirit are baptised into one body and haue bin all made to drinke with one spirit Neither is it of any force if thou shalt say that we be baptised into one body to wit the mysticall body because from the mysticall body Christ is not absent séeing he is the head thereof And else where Paul most plainely saith Gal. 3. 27. that We in baptisme put on Christ We see moreouer that the holy writers bring out of the 6. Chapter of Iohn many thinges as touching the Sacrament of the Eucharist Yea rather there is none of the fathers which in the interpreting of that chapter writeth not pleÌ„tifully of the Eucharist Whereupon we conclude a reason after this manner Whether the words in the 5. of Iohn belong to the Eucharist The thinges which be there spoken either serue vnto this sacrament or they serue not if they belong not vnto this what néede is there to rite them or by those places to dispute of the Eucharist But if they haue respect vnto this séeing there is onely a spirituall eating that is by faith whereby is receaued the true body and bloud of Christ what néede is there to bring in an other new receauing and to imagin a carnal eating whereby the same thing should be receaued againe For if we graunt that there commeth some godly and faithfull man then these men shall be constrained to admit that twise he dooth receaue the body of Christ First by a spirituall eating through faith afterward by their carnall eating which they haue neuer prooued And thus thou séest that these men doe stop vp their owne way so as they cannot truely cite those testimonies which are vppon the 6. Chapter of Iohn And while they affirme TransubstaÌ„tiation they are found to be in the same error that the Capernaites were The error of the Capernaâ—…s Euen they also reuolued in their mind I know not what corporal eating of the flesh of Christ from which cogitation Christ straight way reuoked them when he said Ioh. 6. ver 36. that his wordes were spirit and life and that the flesh profiteth nothing And he obiected vnto them the memory of his ascension into heauen saying Verse 62. What if ye see the sonne of man ascend into heauen where he was at the first But these men say
ouerthrowe heretikes I on the other part say that vnlesse wee vse figures as it appeareth in those things which we haue cited a little before the Heretickes haue the ouer hand For they also will vrge the proper sense that sense I meane which straightwaie offereth it selfe Onely this remaineth to shewe that such a phrase and figuratiue spéeche is verie often in the holy scriptures Such figuratiue speeches as this are most familiar in the scriptures Luke 8. 11. and this will easilie be doone Wee reade that The seede is the word of God The rocke was Christ Albeit I knowe some doe cauill 1. Cor. 10. 4 and woulde no figure to be héere also because Paul tended his spéeche vnto the spirituall rocke which they say is Christ verilie and not figuratiuelie Howbeit Augustine and Origen bee on our side who plainely say that the same outward Rocke signified Christ But least we might séeme to shift off that which is obiected wée say that if they will vnderstand The spirituall Rocke let them also in this place vnderstand spirituall and allegoricall bread and as touching the same wee shall truely and without figure confesse it to be Christ Moreouer the Lord said I haue chosen you twelue and one of you is a Diuell Iohn 6. 70. yet was not Iudas therefore transubstantiated into a diuell Of Circumcision it is written My Couenant shall be in your flesh Ioh. 17. 13. whereas the Circumcision is not the couenant but onely a signe of the Couenant Verse 20. In the 33. Chapter of Genesis it is shewed that Iacob builded an Aultar which he called the mightie God of Israel Exo. 17. 15. And Moses in Exodus after the victorie against Amaleck called the Aultar which he builded Iehouahnesi Ier. 23. 6. God my banner and Ieremie maketh mention of a Citie that was called Iehouah Zidkenu God our righteousnesse because these shoulde bee Monuments of those things which they expressed in names Iohn 5. 35. Of Iohn Baptist it is written that he was a burning and a shining Candle also Mat. 17. 12 he is Helias if ye will receiue him Christ saieth of himselfe Iohn 15. 1. I am the vine and ye bee the branches Iohn 10. 7. 1. Pet. 2. 6. I am the doore Of himselfe also it is written that Hee is a stone set for a ruine and resurrection Deu. 12. 23. In Deuteronomie The bloud is the life Whereas it is that wherewith the life is preserued and signified Gen. 37. 37 Of Ioseph his brother Iudas saide Let him not be slaine he is our flesh By which phrase of spéech was signified the naturall coniunction of kindred 1. Co. 10. 17 Paul saieth That manie be one bread which we must vnderstand figuratiuelie And Christ breathed vpon his Disciples and saide Ioh. 20. 22. Receiue ye the holie Ghost Yet is not the breathing transubstantiated into the holie Ghost In Genesis Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not abide in man because he is flesh And in Iohn The word became flesh Iohn 1. 14. wherein is the figure Synecdoche for the whole man is vnderstoode vnder the name of flesh And the Lorde vppon the Crosse saide Woman behold thy sonne Ioh. 19. 26. and to the Disciple Behold thy mother yet were they not transubstantiated they remained the same that they were before but there was appointed a new order a new relation and respect to be had betwéene them Of Christ it is said That he is our peace Ephe. 2. 14. whereas he is onlie the cause of our peace Againe Iohn 6. 62. My words be spirit and life whereas they only signified or brought these things vnto the beléeuers Iohn 1. 29. Iohn said of Christ Behold the lamb of God yet was not his nature changed into the nature of a Lambe 36 We reade euerie where in the holie scriptures Psal 19. 10. Psal 105. 5. 118. v. 13 that the wordes of the Lorde are iudgement trueth righteousnesse whereas these things be therein onely signified and expressed And this similitude doeth excellently well agrée with the sacraments which are said to be visible wordes Wee haue in the Apocalips I am Alpha and Omega that is Apoc. 1. ◠the beginning and ende of all things And Paul saieth of his Gospell which he preached It is the power of God to saluation vnto euerie one that beleeueth Rom. 1. 16 whereas it is onelie the instrument whereby the power of God declareth it selfe vnto men that shall be saued And as touching the Gospell of the crosse he saieth 1. Cor. 1. 21. That vnto the vngodly it is foolishnesse that is it signifieth a foolish thing vnto that kinde of men But he addeth Ibid. 24. That vnto the godlie it is the power and wisedome of God because it representeth these things vnto them And as touching the lawe it is said Deu. 30. 15 that He set before the Hebrewes life death blessing and cursing that is by signification of the lawe by the promises threatenings which were expressed in the same In the Booke of Genesis the vij Gen. 41. 26 kine and the vij eares of corne are saide to bee the vij yeares 1. Kings 11. 31. and this was as touching the signification Ahia the Prophet of Silo gaue vnto Ieroboam ten péeces of his torne mantell said that he gaue him the kingdome of the x. Tribes Ver. 10. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the xj Chapter Paul wrote that the woman ought to haue on her head power 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a couer whereby the power of the husband is signified And in the second Epistle to the Corinthians it is written 2. Cor. 5. 21 That God made Christ to bee sinne namely as touching the similitude and representation of the flesh Leuit. 7. v. 2. 7. 37. Osee 4. 8. Yea and the sacrifice which was offered for sinnes is called sinne And the Priests were saide to eate the sinnes of the people that is the sacrifices which were offered for the sinnes of the people In Ezechiel it is written Eze. 36. 25 I will poure vpon you pure water and by water he signifieth the holy Ghost The verie which thing we reade of Christ when he saieth Iohn 4. 14. He that shall drinke of this water and the rest that followeth where the Euangelist calleth to minde that he spake of the spirit which they were to receiue Exo. 12. 27. Of the Lambe we read that it was called the Passeouer although some indeuour to denie it But in the Hebrewe it is Zebah pesah hu The sacrifice is the Passouer By sacrifice cannot otherwise be vnderstoode but eyther the beast slaine for sacrifice or else the same action of offering the slaine beast Euen so we haue the bodie of Christ expressed both in the bread and in the wine and in the action aswell of eating as of
ought not to abandon him to present death The power of the sword is not committed vnto him to the intent he should afterward permit the same to the rashnesse and furie of two men Nay rather he is for this cause placed in so great authoritie that he should doe what lyeth in him which vndoubtedlie he dooth not if he permit controuersies to be decided by Combate 5 The fift cause is Whether it be lawful in warre leâ—… the whole Host should be put in daunger Rom. 3. 8. that least in an Armie all the forces should be put in perill it is better that the whole matter shoulde stand in the danger of twaine Yet this is not sufficient For we must not doe euil that good may come of it But if thy cause be iust why doest thou suffer the same to be hazarded in the life of one man Thou oughtest first and formost to take héede that thou take not vniust warre in hand secondly to doe as much as thou canst and to fight with all thy forces sith iustice must not be dallied with and placed in the fortune of twaine There is also another cause whereby some of the Schoolemen being ouercome which I should not passe ouer graunt that such a time may happen Whether a combate be lawfull in a iust cause and where the power in warre is the weaker when Combate ought to be permitted Of that minde was Caietanus And if there be two Armies saith he and one is superiour in the equitie of the cause but inferiour in strength by manie degrées so as if the same should come to hande stripes they must all of necessitie perish it is better that the life of one man come into danger than that the whole host should come into certaine destruction But neither can this in verie déede be a sufficient cause for it procéedeth of feare and desperation For as we haue before said God defendeth not with sword and shield and no lesse can he ouerthrowe with fewe than with manie But we shal perish saiest thou How knowest thou that Thy life is the life of God Whether it be lawful to make a combate if the Magistrate be corrupted against the Innocent and thy cause if it be iust is the cause of God But Caietanus addeth If an innocent be pressed with the false accusation of his superiour and that the Magistrate being corrupted pronounceth against him the sentence of death and the other be not able to resist in this case it is lawfull saith he to admit a Combate if it be offered by the Magistrate Since if it be lawfull to defend thy selfe against a robber by the highway why may it not be lawfull against a violent accuser For what difference is there whether he himselfe drawe sword against thée or whether the Magistrate doe it by his appointment 2. Sam. 12. 9 For so is it said that Dauid flue Vrias with the sword of the Ammonites Herewith some doe yéeld Howbeit I sée no cause why they should so doe For as we declared before there is a great difference betwéene a Combate and defence against a robber sith in a Combat they fight by appointment in the other by chaunce Against a robber to defend himselfe All meanes must be tried rather than to coÌ„mit any thing against the word of God in Combat to slay the other What shall I then doe wilt thou say Euen desire helpe of the Lord and suffer all thinges rather than to commit anie thing against the word of God Now let vs aunswere vnto their Argumentes Answeres to the argumentes brought for a combate 6 We must obay the Magistrate say they I graunt but yet sauing our conscience and duetie vnto God Controuersies say they can be finished no other way Yes verilie I taught before by what meanes they may be finished Godlie princes haue in such wise fought Though they were godlie yet were they also men and they might erre and be deceaued And most prudentlie dooth Demosthenes aunswere We must liue by lawes and not by examples It is lawfull say they to vse Lottes therefore it is lawfull to vse Combate I aunswere although there be some Lotte in Combate yet is there slaughter added therewithall But euen Ionas thou saiest Ionas 1. 7. was by Lottes cast foorth into the Sea Nay rather he was in verie déed found out by Lottes but not cast foorth Howbeit he being a prophet willed himselfe to be cast in by the commaundement and inspiration of God Warre may lawfullie be made therefore a Combate they say Nay rather we haue taught before that betwéene Combat and warre there is a great difference 1. Sa. 17. 60. But Dauid fought with Goliah I graunt but yet was he led so to doe by the inspiration of the holy spirit Neither must all thinges which are doone by holy men be drawen straightway vnto an example The Hebrewes trust vp the goods of the Aegyptians Exo. 12. 35. Gen. 22. 3. Iud. 14. 4. Abraham decréed to sacrifice his sonne Sampson married a wife that was a stranger but that was doone by the Lord. Wherefore we must giue eare to reasons good lawes For the Actes of holy men are oftentimes rather to be woondred at than followed 7 But nowe will I set foorth vnto thée which art the Reader The iust and necessarie combatâ— a necessarie Combat which we must continually make God him selfe set two aduersaries together in fight namely the olde man and the new the fleshe and the spirite For as Paule saith vnto the Galathians Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirite and the spirite against the flesh And vnto the Romanes Rom. 8. 7. The wisedom of the flesh is enmitie against God I know that in mee Rom. 7. 18. that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing I feele another lawe in my members Ib. ver 23. fighting against the law of my minde Vnhappie man that I am who shall deliuer me Ibid. 24. Let vs striue heere that sinne may not raigne in our mortall bodie and that our olde man may be crucified And these verily bée no light and playing pageantes 1. Cor. 9. 27 2. Tim. 2. verse 9. I saith Paul chastise my body and bring it into seruitude Neither shall any be crowned vnlesse he striue as hee ought to doe And they which contend in wrestling abstaine themselues from al things And no man being in the warfare of GOD intangleth himselfe with carnall desires And in the twelfth Chapter to the Hebrues Hebr. 12. 2. Let vs looke backe vnto Iesus Christ the Captaine and finisher of our faith This Combat lasteth not for the space of one houre or moneth or yeare but all our life long We haue a magnificall Theater 1. Cor. 4. 9. For wee are made a spectacle vnto God vnto Angels and vnto men Wée haue the sworde of the word of God and the shielde of faith Ephe. 6. 13. and for our
belongeth vnto the generall word of qualitie for it is an affect and propertie of the will but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an action And how qualitie and action doo differ in themselues all men knowe That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is an action the same authour sheweth in defining of it He saith that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Two things being propounded to choose prefer the one before the other Further the same author where he speaketh of the will of the Lord saith that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is will agréeth vnto that which vndoubtedlie is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is selfe power not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is frée election For that requireth consultation which noteth a former ignorance and that cannot be ascribed vnto God Furthermore as we haue it in Aristotle the third booke of his Ethiks the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is occupied about the end but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 about those things which belong vnto the end Besides this to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doo belong those things which can be doone of vs but the will is touching those things which cannot be doone of vs as when we wold one wrestler to ouercome another a ship to hold his right course These things are in our power to will but not to choose for the will of his owne accord and power would sometimes things vnpossible as not to die But election is occupied onelie about things that be possible wherefore they differ so as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 extendeth more largelie séeing it not onelie agréeth to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but also to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet is it not the generall word of them But if thou wilt saie that of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is inferred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I will grant it although the words doo not signifie one thing And I confesse that the thing it selfe is found in the holie scriptures although the word be not there extant euen as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 concerning the word it selfe is not in holie scriptures albeit that the thing it selfe is there concluded and prooued Séeing these words be not in verie déed all one I might rightlie saie that the one is not in the holie scriptures though the other be there found Neither haue I alone affirmed this Oecolampadius but Oecolampadius a man well learned and verie fréendlie to our church of Tigurie wrote this vpon the prophet Esaie Esai 1 19. when he intreateth of these words If ye be willing and doo harken vnto me c. For he saith This place the Pelagians and manie also of the fathers abuse for the affirming of frée will saieng If ye be willing and if ye be not willing Therefore our choise is frée And vnto this purpose they drawe a testimonie out of Ieremie the 21. Ierem. 21 8. chapter Behold I laie before you the waie of life and death So is it also in the 15. chapter of Ecclesiasticus Eccl. 15 18. Deu. 30 15 and in the 30. of Deuteronomie Vnto which we answer Trulie if the contention be about the name to saie that Voluntas that is will and Liberum arbitrium frée choise or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe power which name I haue not yet found in the scriptures is all one forsomuch as the churches maner is not to contend we permit them so to vse those names sith charitie is more pretious vnto vs than little words For who knoweth not that the willing sort both sin and doo well But if vnder the pretence hereof the glorie and mercie of God be derogated it is better to speake contrarie vnto men than to be made partakers of blasphemie c. And a little after Howbeit they are not as I haue said to be lamented for this cause as though they were kept in barbarous seruitude for GOD maketh good men to be partakers of his fréedome and They be trulie free when the spirit of GOD worketh in them who is more rightlie said to further than to take awaie the will whose woorthinesse the apostle commending saith Rom. 8 14. Whosoeuer are led by the spirit of God they are the sonnes of God For so much the better are our works as they more purelie procéed of God And in good things not the least thought or indeuour commeth else-where but from God And strait after Vnto God is the glorie vnto vs is onlie confusion due But shalt thou not most trulie saie that those be seruants who being destitute of the spirit of GOD which put to his hand that they should not fall are carried headlong by their owne fault whither soeuer their sensualitie leadeth them O miserable fréedome that we haue libertie to sin For God dooth leaue vs a power to sinne and such as by nature we can turne our selues from him And by and by after Why doo we boast of the fréedome of will whom the scripture reprooueth to be seruants of sinne In the 8. of Iohn verse 34. Whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne And there a little after Wherefore euen he that saith If ye be willing he it is that stirreth the will in vs and worketh and whatsoeuer it is It is not of him that willeth Rom. 9 16. nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie And a litle after For such are we in our owne nature after that Adam sinned as being left vnto our selues we wax slothfull and become deafe at the voice of the Lord we fall into sinne and whereas not to will is by it selfe a damnable thing we being destitute of the spirit of God are compelled and there also make GOD to be angrie whose word we contemne The demonstration of this sentence dooth also Ieremie teach in the 15. chapter Be ye conuerted I will turne c. Iere. 15 19. And a little after this did Augustine iudge saieng Giue what thou commandest and command what thou wilt c. By these words we gather that we are not to contend for the word and that Liberum arbitrium or frée choise may be granted so it be the same thing that will is so that there be not attributed vnto it a fréedome vnto spirituall things We also account will not to be frée except it be by grace otherwise that it is a bond will It is also assured which I haue set downe that these words Liberum arbitrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be not found in the holie bookes 8 That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is had and taught among the philosophers I denied not but I said that they doo place in our mind the vnderstanding and will and perhaps the memorie Not that they there place Liberum arbitrium as a fourth or fift power of the mind but doo attribute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto the will But whether these two words Liberum and Arbitrium be Latin words I neuer called it
willing But this wrong turning he thinketh ought not to be suffered as he teacheth in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence the 22. chapter but more largelie in the first booke to Simplicianus in the second question where he writeth after this maner Those words also if thou diligentlie marke Therefore it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that hath mercie the apostle shall not séeme onelie for this cause to haue spoken this bicause we may by the helpe of God atteine to that which we would but also in that sense wherein he saith in an other place Woorke yee your owne saluation with trembling and feare for it is God which worketh in vs both to will and to worke according to his good pleasure Where he sufficientlie sheweth that euen that same good will it selfe is doone in vs by the worke of God For if therefore onelie it be said It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that hath mercie bicause the will of man alone sufficeth not vnto vs to liue iustlie and rightlie vnlesse we be holpen by the mercie of GOD it may also be said after this maner Therefore it is not in GOD that hath mercie but in man that willeth bicause the mercie of God is not alone sufficient vnlesse the consent of our will be added Yet this is manifest that we will in vaine vnlesse God take mercie of vs. But I know not how this can be that God taketh mercie in vaine vnles that we be willing for if God take mercie we also be willing sith vnto the same mercie belongeth our willingnesse Phil. 2 13. And it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to worke according to his good will For if we demand whether a good will be the gift of God it were a woonder if anie man dare denie it c. And in the same question to Simplicianus he writeth the same thing But if this calling be so effectuall a worker of a good will as euerie one being called dooth follow it how shall this be true Matt. 10 16. Manie are called but few are chosen Which if it be true and that he which is called dooth not consequentlie obeie his calling and that to obeie is put in his will it may rightlie also be said Therefore it is not in GOD that hath mercie but in man that willeth and runneth bicause the mercie of the caller sufficeth not except an obedience doe followe But perhaps they which being called after this maner doo not consent yet being called after another manner may consent so as that saieng also is true Manie are called but few are chosen So that although manie be called after one maner yet bicause all are not affected after one sort they onelie can followe their calling which are found fit for to take the same And this may be no lesse true Therefore it is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie who in such sort called as was fit for them which followed their calling And to others doubtlesse the calling came but bicause it was such as thereby they could not be mooued to become apt to take the same they might indéed be said to be called but not to be chosen But this is not now likewise true Therfore it is not in God that sheweth mercie but it is in man that willeth and runneth bicause the effect of the mercie of GOD cannot be in the power of man if he in vaine take mercie man being vnwilling Forsomuch as if he would also take mercie of them he might in such sort call them as should be conuenient for them that both they might be moued and vnderstand and followe Wherfore it is true that Manie be called but few be chosen For those chosen were called fitlie to the purpose but they which were not fit nor were tempered togither for their calling were not chosen bicause they followed not although they were called Againe it is true that It is neither in him that willeth nor in 〈◊〉 that runneth but in God that hath mercie 〈◊〉 cause that although he call manie yet he taketh mercie of them onelie whom he so calleth as is fit for them to be called that they may followe But it is false if anie man saie Therefore It is not in God that taketh mercie but in man that willeth and runneth bicause God taketh not mercie vpon anie in vaine And of whom he hath mercie he so calleth as he knoweth it is agréeable to him that he should not refuse the caller Here will some saie Whie was not Esau so called as he would obeie For we sée that men are some one waie some another waie moued to beléeue those things which are shewed or signified As for example sake Luke 2 25. Simeon beléeued in our Lord Iesus Christ being yet a yoong infant knowing him by the spirit reuealing vnto him Nathaniel at one sentence that he heard of him Iohn 1 48. Before that Philip called thee when thou wast vnder the tree I sawe thee answered Master thou art the sonne of God thou art the King of Israel Which thing a good while after bicause Peter confessed Matt. 16 18. he deserued to heare that he was blessed and that to him should be giuen the keies of the kingdome of heauen At the miracle doone in Câ—na of Galile Iohn 2 11. which Iohn the euangelist mentioneth to be the beginning of the signes which Iesus did when he turned water into wine his disciples beléeued in him Christ by speaking stirred vp manie vnto faith Manie beléeued not no not when the dead were raised vp The disciples being terrified with the death and crosse of Christ staggered and yet the théefe then beléeued when he sawe him not his better in works but his equall in the fellowship of the crosse One also of the number of the disciples after his resurrection gaue credit not so much to the liuelie members as he did to the gréene wounds Manie of that number of whom he was crucified which séeing him doo miracles had contemned him yet beléeued the disciples which preached him and did such things in his name Wherefore since that one man is mooued after one sort vnto faith but another man after another sort and that oftentimes one and the selfe same thing spoken after one maner dooth mooue and spoken after another maner dooth not mooue and another man it may mooue who dare saie that GOD wanted the maner of calling whereby Esau also might applie his mind and ioine his will vnto the faith wherin Iacob was iustified But and if there can likewise be so great an obstinacie of the will as the turning awaie of the mind should be hardened against all the waies of calling it is demanded also whether that same hardnesse it selfe be of the punishment of God For when as God forsaketh man by not calling in such wise how can he be
while we sée our selues both to be called and to beléeue we haue an earnest pennie or certeine pledge of our saluation Rom. 8 16. The spirit of God bearing witnesse with our spirit that we be the sonnes of God But yet the féeling of our calling and of our faith is a token of predestination not a cause thereof As prouidence so also dooth predestination bring in no constraint or violence to mans will for whatsoeuer we doo we doo it willinglie and of our owne accord Whether the Masse be a sacrifice THat the Masse is a sacrifice there is no lesse variance at this daie than was in old time betwixt the Troians and Graecians for Helen And they which defend the Masse would haue the Eucharist to haue a double respect first that it is an oblation and sacrifice that is offered vp by the priest secondlie that it is distributed vnto the faithfull for a communion And in the sacrifice of their Masse they indeuour to comprehend these two things For there the Masse-priest as they themselues with full mouth testifie not onlie sacrificeth and offereth vp the Lord Iesus Christ but also eateth and drinketh and that alone whatsoeuer he had offered vnto God before as well for himselfe as for others But that thou maist know what error superstition is conteined in this opinion Two kinds of sacrifice propitiatorie and gratulatorie we must bréefelie sée what is the nature of a sacrifice Which that we leaue not the iust method of a treatise we will diuide it calling the one propitiatorie the other thanks-giuing or as the Graecians speak 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These parts of the distinction are concluded vnder a certeine common and generall definition The definition of a sacrifice wherein we saie that A sacrifice is nothing else but a worke in which we offer some thing vnto God according to his will that we may honour him And maruell not that I haue added that particle According to his will séeing by the godlie nothing should be offered vp vnto God but that he himselfe hath required and declared to be acceptable vnto him This doo we obserue when we would present anie man with a gift for honour sake we speciallie learne to knowe with what things he is most delighted But betwéene a propitiatorie sacrifice and a gratulatorie this difference we note that we saie A propitiatorie hath power to pacifie God being angrie and to deserue forgiuenesse of sinnes for all men for whom it is offered But the sacrifice gratulatorie or of thanks-giuing hath not this power to reconcile vs vnto God but of those which are alreadie receiued into fauour It is offered to the intent they may giue thanks as well for the reconciliation which they haue obteined as also for innumerable other benefits which they perceiue themselues dailie to obteine And this diuision is sufficientlie taught vs in the old lawe Leuit. 1. For as it appéereth in Leuiticus the men of old time had sacrifices for sinnes and burnt offerings which are said to haue made God mercifull and fauourable to them Whereof they rightlie gather this first member of our diuision Moreouer they had peace offerings for they offered first fruits tenths and manie other such kind of things which must be referred to the other kind to wit the sacrifice of thanks-giuing Wherefore we will prooue that the Masse is no propitiatorie sacrifice that is to wit that the priest can offer our Lord Iesus Christ the sonne of God vnto the father and by such a sacrifice can make him well pleased and mercifull also that he can of him obteine remission of sinnes vnto them for whom he saith he dooth offer or as they rather would haue it dooth sacrifice And this being shewed we shall sée whether the Masse may be called a sacrifice of thanks-giuing And that we may performe that which at the first we determined to shew we will begin with that wherein we knowe our aduersaries doo agrée with vs which is this that the supper of the Lord or the Eucharist is a sacrament Which if it be as they fréelie grant it followeth that the same can be no propitiatorie sacrifice for the nature of a sacrament altogither differeth from the nature of a sacrifice Which that it may be perceiued I will define a sacrament A sacrament is a worke The definition of a sacrament whereby God exhibiteth that which is there signified by the word of promise with an outward signe added therevnto as a seale of the promise made For two things doth a sacrament conteine first the word whereby the promise is expressed and offered of God secondlie it hath the outward element whereby is sealed the promise that we may the more firmelie take hold of the same Therefore so great a difference there is betwéene a sacrament and a sacrifice as is betwéene giuing and receiuing bicause in a sacrament we receiue of God that which he promised in a sacrifice we giue and bring that which he requireth of vs. Wherefore if we will speake properlie the supper of the Lord séeing it is as they will haue it a sacrament it cannot be a sacrifice except we would that to giue and to receiue should be all one Neither shall this shift vantage them to saie that the Masse hath hir name of a propitiatorie sacrifice bicause it is a remembrance of the oblation which Christ offered vnto his father vpon the altar of the crosse And no man will denie but that that was the true propitiatorie sacrifice and it séemeth agréeable that signes should be called by the same names that be the things which they expresse Wherefore Augustine in the 23. epistle vnto Boniface Was not Christ once offered vp in himselfe and yet not onelie in all the solemne feasts of Easter but also euerie daie is offered vp in a sacrament vnto the people and yet vndoubtedlie he lieth not which being demanded answereth that he is offered vp For if sacraments should not haue a certeine similitude of those things whereof they be sacraments they should in no wise be sacraments and of this similitude the signes oftentimes take euen the names of the things signified These things haue they béene accustomed to obiect for their opinion therefore did I saie that our aduersaries haue gained nothing vnder this pretense bicause we doo not here dispute what the supper of the Lord by a certeine similitude may be called but what properlie it is and ought to be estéemed indéed For Augustine which is cited dooth not grant this name but by translation or the figure Metonymia There is another reason which proueth the same thing Christ offered himselfe therefore it is not our part to offer him againe otherwise we must néeds confesse that that sacrifice of Christ was not perfect and sufficient Which is contrarie to the epistle vnto the Hebrues in sundrie places of the ninth and tenth chapters Howbeit here also are they woont to alledge that Christes sacrifice vpon
the diuell are rehearsed whereby we may be easilie brought to beware of him proposition 4 By the names which were giuen to the wife of the first man to his first begotten sonne and to manie other in the old testament we are taught to giue those names vnto them that be of our familie whereby we may be often admonished of the benefits of God towards vs. proposition 5 In the casting foorth of Adam out of paradise we may perceiue a shadowe of the accurssed and excommunicates out of the church Propositions out of the fourth fift and sixt chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 HE that refuseth himselfe to be a kéeper of his neighbour as Caine did he sheweth himselfe to be vncharitable proposition 2 So long as GOD suffereth the wicked to remaine aliue a priuate mans sword must not arise against them proposition 3 Since that GOD can defend those whom he loueth and yet suffereth them to be oppressed it is euident that the same oppression is profitable for them proposition 4 Insomuch as we beléeue that God is iust and that now his fréends are oftentimes ill intreated it followeth that his iudgement must be looked for afterward whereby these things may be recompensed proposition 5 Albeit that the finding out of munition came of an ill occasion yet is the vse thereof lawfull proposition 6 The vtilitie is not small that commeth by the description of genealogies which be in the holie scriptures proposition 7 Euen as the maner of godlie men is to inuent titles and names for things which may set foorth the praises of God so contrariwise the vngodlie séeke by them to establish their owne memorie not a memorie of the Lord. proposition 8 How manie soeuer as are now borne amongst men are marked not onelie with the image of God but also with the image of the first Adam Probable proposition 1 IT is verie likelie that the old fathers which were before the flood came more latelie to the time of generation than men of our age doo proposition 2 They which be reckoned in this genealogie it may well be that they were not all the first borne proposition 3 The huge host of the children of Israel which of a few men were multiplied within a short time in Aegypt prooueth that mankind was soone increased in number proposition 4 Whether the angels or the spirits or the godlie men or the sonnes of princes are said to be those sonnes of God which went into the daughters of men it cannot by the holie scriptures be defined proposition 5 The hundreth and twentie yeares which are said to be giuen vnto men before the flood were the space granted them to repentance Propositions out of the sixt seuenth and eight chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 GOD did not onelie by speciall words prouide that his prophets should warne men concerning their commoditie but he would that the same should also be doone of them by certeine outward actions proposition 2 Albeit that God knew that some would not returne to him yet dooth he not in vaine call them manie waies proposition 3 Sometimes it may be that holie men praie not for certeine persons not led therevnto by their owne fault but by the commandement of God proposition 4 When God maketh a couenant with men all things there depend of his mercie proposition 5 God sometimes giueth manie things to certeine men for their forefathers and posterities sake proposition 6 In a church well ordered euen this among other things must be taken héed of that there be no want of bodilie sustenance to the members of Christ proposition 7 Good works are not causes of saluation but we verie well grant it to be requisit that to whom GOD hath giuen them to those he also gaue saluation proposition 8 Manie things which are commanded in Moses lawe touching ceremonies are found also to haue béene kept before the lawe proposition 9 God is said to remember not that he at anie time forgetteth but bicause he hath the effects of man who remembreth some thing proposition 10 We read that God hath sometime repented him not that he is troubled with this perturbation but bicause he dooth that which repentants are accustomed to doo proposition 11 When we affirme that he repenteth himselfe of some thing the change must not be placed in himselfe but in man proposition 12 It must not be attributed vnto punishment it selfe that it hath the power to purge sinne proposition 13 Outward sacrifices are acceptable to God if they be ioined with inward sacrifice proposition 14 Outward sacrifices doo excéedinglie displease God if the mind be void of inward sacrifice Probable proposition 1 THat some liuing creatures be cleane and vncleane it commeth rather to passe by our estimation than by the nature of them proposition 2 The flood is a figure of the last iudgement proposition 3 The arke was a figure of the church Propositions out of the eight and ninth chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THe Lords supper may be called a sacrifice howbeit not that it purgeth the soules of the dead and that it iustifieth as they saie for the worke sake that is wrought proposition 2 Whosoeuer are borne altogither of Adam are guiltie of originall sinne proposition 3 The saints are absolued from this vice by repentance and faith wherewith they haue béene indued the corruption of nature is not taken awaie proposition 4 They which are punished for originall sinne suffer punishment not for another mans sinne but for their owne proposition 5 No morall vertues or mans industrie can take awaie this disease of nature proposition 6 We affirme that in this originall corruption is folden vp togither both sinne and guiltinesse proposition 7 Guiltinesse and originall sinne be not the selfe-same one with an other proposition 8 Originall sinne is a corruption of the whole man from the image of GOD brought in after the fall of the first man proposition 9 This bringing in is not admitted this thing is not in our power therefore it is no sinne proposition 10 Originall sinne is forgiuen through faith by Christ proposition 11 It is not forgiuen in baptisme for the worke wrought as they speake but by the power of faith proposition 12 God did not so greatlie addict the remission of sinnes to the sacrament of baptisme as without it he dooth not otherwhile giue the same proposition 13 Vnto them which belong not vnto Christ originall sinne bréedeth damnation vnto hell fier proposition 14 The promises of God doo come to an indeuor of praieng Probable proposition 1 THrough the excéeding great coniunction of the soule with the flesh the same flesh after the fall of Adam being defiled the soule also it selfe is contaminated with originall sinne proposition 2 The ceremonie whereby it was commanded that men should absteine from bloud dooth in part shadowe out the sacrifice of Christ and partlie dooth admonish vs of inconstancie proposition 3 When the soule as well of brute beasts as of
receiue but may be séene onlie of the saints through a purenesse of hart what are we else â—o iudge of him but that all honour belongeth vnto him All other powers are beléeued to be in a place limited For the angel which stood by Cornelius was not in the same place wherein hée stood with Philip. Neither yet the angel which spake vnto Zacharie from the altar did for that time also fill his station in heauen But the holie Ghost all at one time both wrought in Abacuk and was beléeued to be in Daniel at Babylon and was with Ieremie in the dungeon and with Ezechiel in Chobar for the spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole world Psal 138 7. And againe Whither shall I go from thy spirit Or whither shall I flie from thy face Also the prophet Bicause saith he the Lord saith among you Agge 2 6. And my spirit standeth in the midst of you But of what nature must we beléeue that he is who is in euerie place and who is present with GOD Whether of a nature that comprehendeth all things or else that is tied vnto particular places Such as the sonne of GOD shewed the nature of angels to be Howbeit this thou wilt not saie Here you may perceiue that these most holie learned men doo decrée that euerie creature yea euen angels be of a limited nature and that they cannot be in diuers places at one time And by this meanes they prooue the diuinitie of the holie Ghost bicause he may be found at one time in diuers and sundrie places Let vs contriue the matter into the forme of an argument Whatsoeuer is in manie places at once the same is God The bodie of Christ is not God but a creature Therefore the bodie of Christ is not in manie places at once D. Tresham I did not affirme that the bodie of Christ is euerie-where although it may be in diuers places at once And albeit that the bodie of Christ assumpted be not GOD yet is Christ God And as touching Basil Didymus and Augustine they speake onelie of that which of his owne proper nature is euerie-where or in manie places at once and that they prooue to be God but yet doo they neuer abridge the power of God but that another thing than God may by his power be in diuers places at one time D. Martyr When it is auouched that it can be togither in manie places by the like reason it is appointed to be eueriewhere And wheras you saie that these fathers doo speake of that which in his owne proper nature may be in manie places and doo name such a thing to be God and yet that they denie not but that anie thing which is created may by the power of God be in manie places at once it is not true But this rather ouerthroweth their argument concerning the holie Ghost For if the holie Ghost haue béene in manie places at once the heretike will saie This was by the power of God not by his owne proper nature And so by this reason it should not be prooued that he is a thing not created And therefore for the proofe of this matter it behooued them to vnderstand absolutelie that whatsoeuer is in manie places at one time is God D. Tresham Christ is God and that is sufficient for vs. D. Martyr But yet saith Augustine we must beware that we doo not so build vp the diuinitie of Christ that we destroie his humanitie D. Tresham I saie that the humanitie of Christ is not destroied by ascribing vnto him a multitude of places For séeing he himselfe is omnipotent he may if he will euen according to his bodie be in manie places at one time D. Martyr The question is not whether Christ be omnipotent or God for both of these doo we confesse but it standeth in this whether his bodie may be at one time in manie places which these fathers denie can be said of anie creature but you affirme it of Christs bodie the which neuerthelesse is a creature Wherefore I demand of you whether the bodie of Christ be circumscribed or no D. Tresham To be short it is wheresoeuer it will and it may be in manie places at once D. Martyr Then heare what Cyrill saith in his dialogs of the Trinitie the second booke pag. 245. If the diuine nature should trulie as they saie receiue diuision and partition as they saie it dooth it would be vnderstood to be a bodie and if a bodie then to be altogither in a place both in bignesse and quantitie And if it should be of quantitie then might it not choose but haue limit or bound Sée then to how small purpose you delaie to grant me that that bodie of Christ is within limits séeing that Cyrill euidentlie saith that the diuinitie it selfe should be within limits if it were of quantitie And so this argument is inuincible Whatsoeuer is within limitation cannot be in manie places at once This proposition would the fathers now haue cited Héerevnto adde the Minor The bodie of Christ is bounded within limits For seeing it hath quantitie it cannot choose but haue limitation that did Cyrill now testifie Wherefore it cannot be in manie places at one time D. Tresham The Maior is vnderstood of grose bodies not of glorified bodies How can that bodie be closed vp in anie place which rose vp the sepulchre being fast shut and entered in when the doores were closed D. Martyr This did I earst while teach out of Cyrill that if the diuinitie it selfe were of quantitie it should be circumscribed séeing therfore it dooth not exclude God much lesse dooth it exempt glorified bodies sith there is nothing more glorious than God Neither is there anie néed now to obiect against me either his comming foorth the sepulchre being shut or his going in when the doores were fast The place will serue to speake of those matters when it shall be appointed my turne to answer and yours to oppose D. Tresham Cyrill speaketh of a quantitie which hath the measure of quantitie and after that maner he dooth not restreine glorified bodies Againe we doo grant that an accident may be in manie places at one time As for example health is one and the selfe-same in all parts of the bodie and shall we denie this to the bodie of Christ D. Martyr Cyrill could not more expresselie saie more diligentlie stop all shifts when he said that Euen the diuinitie it selfe also if it were of quantitie should both haue a place and be bounded within limits And as to that which you answer me as touching an accident namelie of health the reason is not alike in both for health is a qualitie not a bodie neither dooth it occupie a place and is one and the verie same according as the bodie of the liuing creature wherein it is said to be called one But the health of one and the selfe-same liuing creature is not the selfe-same in another liuing creature
men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen to whome be all glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier of D. Peter Martyr against false worshipping of God and all maner of superstition COme we beseech thee at the length O heauenlie father illuminate the harts and minds of all thy Christians with the spirit of Iesus Christ thy Sonne that they forsaking idols and superstitions may conuert to thee alone who oughtest to be purelie sincerelie serued honored called vpon And suffer thou no longer the honour which onelie is due vnto thee to be impiouslie and lewdlie giuen vnto bread wine images and dead mens bones Thy holie name hath now beene long enough dishonoured with reproches the purenesse of thy Gospell hath now beene long enough polluted enough a great deale too much haue men abused the institution of thy sonnes supper vnto most vnpure idolatrie Stop at the length O Lord these furies of men which are mad and doo most miserablie ouerthrowe themselues Let them not anie longer with bread and wine vnder the name of the sacrament of thy sonne so shameleslie and desperatelie vpon euerie hill vnder euerie tree in all high waies streets temples and chappels commit fornication and so horriblie and detestablie defile thy holie religion Vnlesse thou O omnipotent God by thy mightie hand doo rid and turne awaie these things there is no more hope of mans saluation and cleansing againe of thy church Helpe O God helpe thy people whom thou hast redeemed with the bloud of thy sonne And thou Iesus Christ the true and eternall God confirme this worke which thou hast begun and bring the same to a desired end or else if there be no hope of recouerie and that there shall be no more in thy church anie publike and open place for thy truth come quicklie and hasten thy iudgement and for the glorie of thy name turne awaie so shamefull contumelie from thy holie supper which thou of thine incredible mercie and singular goodnesse hast instituted who with the Father and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest world without end Amen A SERMON OF CHRISTES DEATH out of the second Chapter of Saint Paul to the Philippians THey dearely beloued in Christ which behold the powers of the minde and they which haue writtē any thing of the same do for this cause commende and extoll memorie that it is an incomparable treasure of things that be past and a most faithfull preseruer of the same Further because great héede must bée taken lest those excellent things giuen vnto men by nature be not violated through our default therefore must not euerie thing but those things which bee most excellent and most profitable be committed vnto memory And among the workes of almightie God there is nothing in the worlde that doth either profite vs more or is worthie of greater admiration Wherefore he that most of all loueth vs and all thinges belonging to vs hath often commanded vs by his lawes that we should continually without ceasing beare in minde the woonderfull acts which he hath wrought for our saluation He not onelie would haue the people to beare in mind that he euen at the beginning made the workemanship of the world for our profite but he also commaunded straitlie that by obseruation of the Sabbaoth among them Exod. 20. 8. the same should be perpetually remembred He commanded those which were brought into freedome to shewe continually how he had deliuered the Israelites from the tyrannie of Pharao Exod. 12. 1. 26. and that the remembrance might be helped by an outward signe he tooke order to renew euerie yeare the feast and sacrifice of the Passouer And he doth not take it in good part that at any time his Church shoulde forget that in the last age of the world he deliuered his onely begotten sonne to the death and to the Crosse for the redemption of the world Esa 53. 3. c. Wherefore he not only prouided that the death of Christ should bée recorded in the bookes of the holie scriptures both of the new and olde testament but also when he should goe out of the world vnto the father Matt. 26. hée left vnto his disciples an institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist to be continuallie exercised among the faithfull Now then séeing this is the chiefe and principall benefite which euer God bestowed vpon mankinde let vs neuer suffer obliuion to blot the same out of our remembrance And that this may not happen the yearely reuolution of the dayes of the world which haue nowe passed since the time wherin we beléeue that Christ was crucified doe perswade me to expound◠vnto you in such sort as I can his infinite loue whereby he refused not for our sakes to suffer death But because there is laide before me a huge heape of thinges to speake of least my spéech through the violence of the waues and heape of the flouds should either stray from the right course or fall into the depth of confusion we must chuse some place of the scriptures which as a certaine and stedfast lodestone may direct both you in your hearing and me in my speaking And this we will take out of the second chapter to the Philippians Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesu who being in the forme of God Phil. 2. 5. thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and was found in habite as a man He humbled himselfe being made obedient vnto the death euē the death of the crosse for the which also God exalted him and gaue him a name which is aboue euerie name that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glorie of God the father And that God may further the purpose which we haue begun let vs according to the accustomed manner craue his assistance by prayer They which iudge of the nature of the waters A similitude doe by taste make a triall of their swéetenesse by sight do trie their clearenesse they diligently examine their weight and finally they mark from what fountaine they spring Euen so in expounding the sentences of the scriptures not onely the signification of the words the sense of the sentences the things that went before and the things which followe must be considered but also with a speciall héede taking we must sée with what minde or to what purpose are spoken those things which were set foorth Remember at the beginning of this Chapter the words of the Apostle His minde is to exhort vnto charitie and vnto vnitie one with another The two plagues of these vertues are contention and vaineglorie The two rootes of them submission and
Church which féede not the shéepe with doctrine but as it were hyrelings do thinke nothing at all of the saluation of their flocke not correcting that which went astraie nor yet séeking that which was lost but all onely taking of the shéepe milke and wooll that is to wit meate and garments Wherefore the Ministers of the Church and the Princes haue their part in building and without doubt if at any time these kindes of men doe erre this neuer happeneth without a common losse euen in like manner as the Eclipsies of the Sunne draw therewith many inconueniences vppon the world When the Lorde woulde builde the Church of Ierusalem he specially adorned the Prince and Priest Moses and Aaron whose conduct and authoritie they should vse in all things Albeit as the holy historie doth not suppresse in silence the infirmities of them both so was the people more easily giuen to followe their offences than readie to vse the benefite of their good gouernment And it must not be passed ouer that the building of this second house was to bee perfourmed of the people after seuentie yéeres The number of seuen is woont to bee reckoned with the Sabboth He teacheth plainely that it behooued the builders to rest from all their labour Neither are we ignorant that they be our workes which haue procéeded from nature corrupted without the guiding of the holy spirit For no man ought to be lead either for gaine or ambition or any couetousnesse or else by any reasons of man to restore the Temple of the Lorde Further as Paule hath taught vs we ought to builde onely vppon Christ which is the foundation and we must take héede with all our indeuour that we builde not haie or stubble or timber 1. Cor. 3. 12 that is to say fond trifles and humane reasons Golde siluer and precious stones must bee vsed in this building Neither is knowledge sufficient for the building of the Common wealth of Christ which in verie déede is oftentimes fearefull when it is taken by it selfe wherefore charitie must néedes be ioyned therewith which Paul shewes doth edifie And no man must maruell if so notable instruments are required to this worke since it is a matter of great moment to change men from that they were I woulde to God the Romish Priests would also consider this and woulde not account all their honour to consist herein that they haue transubstantiated or chaunged the nature of breade which is but a legerdemaine and a vaine deuise but that they finally vnderstoode themselues to be called by God vnto this ende that by the worde and doctrine as also by good manners and examples they should transubstantiate men into Christ and make them his liuely members This change haue men perpetually before their eyes when they handle the holy mysteries The same do the scriptures of God vrge in euerie place which then lyeth contemned and neglected when they with all their power contende for an Altar which is none at all Now haue we heard of the prophet what is néedefull to be doone namely that the Church of God according to Gods appointment should be builded Nowe fourthly is taught what fruit this sermon of our Hagge obtained Zorobabel saith he heard and Iesus saith he the sonne of Iosadeck and all the people heard the worde of the Lorde They not onely heard with their eares as the Scribes and Pharises heard Christ but their hearts by the power of the holy spirite were open and they feared This is the proper effect of the holy scriptures First we are reprooued by the authoritie of Gods lawe For the hearts of those hearers are stirred vp by repentance which is described in feare But it followeth not heere that the Prophet is heard and that they which heard him doe feare vnlesse he be receiued as the messenger of the Lord. For so long as we thinke of him that buildeth that he dealeth by mans reason we wil be moued nothing at all Perhaps we will maruell at the wisedome and prudence of his doctrine but doe turne neuer a whit the more vnto God But when faith comes therewithall and that we thinke it is the worde of God which is proposed by and by feare repentance enter into our hearts They that feare and tremble straightway the voyce of the Lorde comforteth them wherein he saith I am with you God is with them not which be magnificall mightie and proude men of this world but with the broken and contrite of heart whose lot must not be counted vile abiect but since they haue God with them there can bee no want of good This was said to the blessed virgin and to many of the saincts when any harde matter was to be taken in hand that they should ponder it in their mind and that they should not doubt of their successe If God shall be with vs who can either hinder vs or stay vs from the building O yée that be the heades of this Vniuersitie of Oxforde I would to God that I also might truely and faithfullie say God is with you Assuredly I shoulde then preach vnto you a most profitable and vnto me most acceptable glad tidings of the Gospel And the Lord stirred vp the spirite of Zorobabel and the spirite of Iesus the sonne of Iosadeck and the spirite of the people that in comming they should do the work of their God It is the Lord that stirreth vs vp to do well not onely in calling vs by the outward worde but also by chaunging of our minde For by the most comfortable féele of perswasion hee of vnwilling maketh vs willing Then is the outwarde preaching fruitfull because the heart of the hearers is inwardly mollified by God This is to stirre vp the spirite of the Prophet Nowe do we also perceiue by this place that the building belongeth to all sorts of men which are so described seuerally Not onely the magistrate and highpriest but together with al is the whole people ioyned We must vnderstand that the order and placing of thinges is not negligently set downe vnto vs by the prophet In which place is shewed the word of God the faith of them that heare the Lords worde is mingled therewith feare and repentance is stirred vp The Lorde is in them and dwelleth in them and mooueth them to take good workes in hande Last of all are placed those workes which do not please God vnlesse we be iustified by faith replenished with the grace of God and mooued by the inspiration of the holie Ghost to doe them O miserable city which hast so long béene without the word of God and holie sermons No maruell if being destitute of the spirite of God thou hast so much neglected to builde vp his Church Truelie I cannot well tell whether I should here blame the minde of ministers or the sloth of the people or faintnesse of the magistrate since they haue all sinned verie gréeuously The Pastors teach not vnlesse they be driuen therunto by
threatnings and statutes and the people which daily bewayleth the déerenesse of thinges and the scarcitie of corne complaineth nothing at all of want of the holy worde Those being kindled and stirred vp with the words of the Prophet came and did the worke of God Make yée hast also my most déere brethren and builde yée quicklie the house of God For the byrds of heauen haue their nests and the foxes haue their holes but the sonne of man hath not where to lay his heade The house of Ierusalem lay ruinated onely 70. yeares and yet God made so great shewe of his indignation And how doe ye thinke his furie is nowe kindled when he séeth his Church to be cast downe defiled and wasted so manie ages together Let so great a matter mooue you and differ you no longer this holy building But if your mindes indeuouring to come vnto God haue béene any thing kindled by this sermon I desire you hartely that yée will not extinguish the same but that yée will with holie communications and talke of the scriptures nourish it Now that the sin of negligence hath béene blamed out of the worde of God and hath béene made manifest by the Prophet after what manner and fashion we ought to builde and lastly that we haue vnderstoode what vtilitie such exhortations hath brought vnto the hearers I might séeme to haue performed those things which I promised at the beginning But since we are minded to mooue earnestly by examples I haue determined before I make an ende to bring foorth a good and diligent builder whereby ye may haue an example whereunto if yée regard ye shal at the length performe the worke which yée haue taken in hand And because such is the miserie of the time present as of them that be aliue there is no example extant therefore am I compelled whether I will or no to flie vnto writings Let Paul the most chosen vessell of God shewe himselfe vnto vs. He as he hath written in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians the 11. Chapter Verse 23 attempted all manner of wayes to addresse those that were his to bee as a chast and pure spouse vnto our husbande Christ he sought not for himselfe that which he diligentlie builded by doctrine he lead them thereby vnto Christ as a faithfull seruant Neither did he onely indeuour to conuert them but with carefull trauell he prouided that they in a sound faith and certaine maidenly religion might cleaue vnto their spouse I am afraide saith he least as the serpent deceiued Eue so ye should be deceiued by euill and false teachers Now verily was the Apostle Paul in feare wherein he was vigilant not about his owne commodities but about the saluation of many Yée sée the end of the Church which a good builder must set before his eyes namely that to bring manie vnto Christ and so perpetually to take care of them and instruct them that they flie not from building of the Church But when they shal labour in this building it shal be good to heare Paul himself what and how great things hee indured In labours more abundant In stripes aboue measure 2. Cor. 11. 23. In prison more plenteouslie In perils of death often Of the Iewes receiued I fiue times fortie stripes saue one I was thrise beaten with rods I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwarke I liued night and day in the deepe sea In iourneying I was often in perils of waters In perils of robbers in perils of mine owne nation in perils among the Gentiles In perils in the citie in perils in the wildernesse in perils in the sea in perils among false brethren in labour and in painefulnesse in watching often in hunger and thirst in fastings often in cold and nakednesse besides the things which happened outwardly I am cumbred daily with the care of all the Churches who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not Al which things to remember my most deare brethren haue in them a verie large sea of temptations He liued in continual carefulnes we would be ridde of all care and thought whereby we inioy our welth and quietnesse He was exercised in continuall labours and perils and we will not put our selues in any daunger for religion And yet do they say at this day although those things which be spokē in this Euangelicall reformation be true yet will I expect a yeare or two Thou wilt kéepe thy selfe safe that if the state alter thou be not so incumbered but that thou maist easily be at libertie He if any were weake woulde bée weake together with them and did burne because of offenses But we though that manie be offended doe eate and drinke and we threaten others we play and laugh What maruell then if the Church lie in ruins O happie builder is he that can say with Paul I haue fought a good fight 2. Cor. 12. 5 I haue runne my course I haue kept the faith So carefull was this Paul of the holie building that he would most willingly both spende and be spent for these members of Christ for their soules but we suffer all to perish rather than any profite and commoditie of ours shoulde perish Verse 14. He saide I seeke not those things that be yours but you Neither ought the children to lay vp for the parents but the parents for the children But we can do the contrarie We séeke not you but those things that bée yours nothing is looked for at our handes He was made all things to all men 1. Cor. 9. 22 that he might winne some to Christ But wee are made all things vnto all men that we may alienate our selues and all others with vs from Christ Paul had manie whom he edified as the signes of his Apostleship but wée many whom we haue grieuouslie displeased and offended which are manifest signes of our office and calling forsaken Wherefore I pray and beséech you that by conuerting and changing your indeuours yée will imitate this noble artificer and chiefe master builder Which that it may be graunted vnto you of almightie God let vs call vppon him with our prayers after this manner WE beséech the O heauenlie father for thine infinite gratious mercy that since thou hast vouchsafed to make choice of thy spouse the Church vppon the earth and to honour it with all kinde of spirituall ornamentes despise not the same now being deformed defiled and in a manner ouerthrowen Stirre vp I beséech thée and kindle with thy holie spirite the Princes Pastors Teachers and all them that be here present to a restitution thereof and giue them patience diligence and strength while they bée doing the worke to the ende that they may prepare a place for thée where thou liuest and raignest together with the sonne and the holie Ghost To thee be glorie for euer world without end Amen A Sermon out of the xx Chapter of Iohn vpon this place Christ
vsed it is onelie knowen by the motion of the spirit which sometime mooueth to one kinde of confession and sometime to an other according to that which both the places times conditions of persons strēgth requires Moreouer it must be vnderstoode that Paul in this place speaketh particularlie of the minister of the Church For first hee saide 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee by laying on of hands Wherunto he straight waie ioyneth those wordes which are nowe obiected For God hath not giuen vnto vs the spirite of feare c. By these wordes doubtlesse he woulde teach nothing else but that offices of ministers which be weightie ful of labors dangers striking a great terror into carnal affections should be valiantlie vndertaken For the spirite that God hath giuen vnto them which are nowe promoted to the ministerie is properlie the spirite of fortitude of loue and of temperance For erudition good manners and other good qualities are required in a man before he be chosen into the ministerie séeing he that is destitute of such kinde of qualities is not woorthie to be chosen But that spirite by whose guide euerie function is doone with a couragious minde with much loue and with singular modesty to the edifying of the Church the Christian people desire of God and doe then obtaine it when the minister is alreadie chosen and inuested into the ministerie by imposition of hands How farre foorth flying may be lawfull vnto Pastors Ioh. 10. 12. Therefore if we speake as Paul did particularly of this kind of men the aunswere maie be easilie made For I maie saie as Christ also saide that they bée heirlinges not pastors which forsake their flocke vnlesse they haue manie Pastors let onelie one of them hazarde himselfe sith in this case when the Church maie be without him it shall be lawfull for him to flie awaie For so I thinke Paul fled awaie out of the citie of Damascus Acts. 9. 30. not leauing that Church without Pastors But yet this must be considered that he perhappes be not such a notable man in the Church as the defence of the trueth and safetie of the Church séeme to depende chéefelie of him and that it is verie likely that after his departure al things wil be full of trouble For if thinges be in that state he must tarie still and must as becommeth a good Pastor laie downe his life for his shéepe Besides further Augustine teacheth in his 180. Epistle vnto Honoratus that if the Church be furnished with manie ministers it standeth with the profite thereof that when persequutions bee at hande a part of them shoulde hide themselues least they shoulde altogether in one moment be taken awaie For if a first sort shall be taken away they which lie hidden maie succéede in the place of others And for this verie cause haue I thought that Abdias the Prophete in the time of Achab and Iezabell 1. kings 18 13. hid manie Prophetes in dennes that if those first had béene slaine there shoulde yet haue remained other Prophetes by whose helpe the people in due time might haue béene reléeued This place therefore of Paul wee haue expounded two manner of waies First that flying awaie as it was described by vs is a worke of fortitude secondlie that the author speaketh particularlie of the Pastors and Ministers It is obiected moreouer that they which flie awaie they flie for the feare of death which thing is repugnant to the scriptures For wee are commaunded not to bee anie thing afraide of them which kill the bodie Vnto whome I aunswere as before it was expounded Mat. 10. 28 that the feare of death kéeping it selfe within iust bondes is not of it selfe faultie especiallie if he that feareth doe not onelie feare death but haue most respect vnto this that is to wit least when he is not yet come into the handes of the Magistrate nor is stirred vp by the spirite to tarie and to indure tormentes or death it selfe hauing in the meane time an occasion offered of departing he shoulde denie the trueth and should fal away from the faith once receiued which otherwise might happen vnto him He which after this manner feareth death and directeth this feare of his to the glorie of God as the diuine law in all thinges commaundeth such a one doeth not violate the law of God nor yet doth sinne If a man saie our aduersaries bee weake in faith hee must not streight waie séeke for remedie by flying awaie but must runne vnto prayers euen as Christ taught and must praie that hee yeeld not vnto temptations Touching this we haue a commaundement which if wee will follow we shall be heard but as concerning flying away we are not instructed by anie place of the Scriptures They which obiect these thinges doe euermore suppose a repealing of that commaundement which is extant in Matthew but we shewe Mat. 10. 13. that they doe erre neither doe themselues prooue that which they say by anie effectual reason But if it be lawfull without reason to alleadge what a man will I also maie say that the precept of not fearing them which kill the bodie is abrogated because it was deliuered to the Apostles in their first Embacie and written in the selfe same 10. Chap. of Matthew Wherefore both the precepts remaine firme but we must take héede that they bée not wronglie vnderstoode So then hee that flyeth awaie according to the rules prescribed is fauoured not onelie of the Scriptures but also of manie of the Prophetes of the Apostles of the Martyrs yea and of Christ our Sauiour who though he fled not away through feare of sinning yet neuerthelesse he fled that by his example hee might teach what is lawefull for vs so long as our houre is not yet come which must then be vnderstoode to be come when the spirite doeth inwardlie stirre vs vp and prouoke vs to tarie or that necessitie otherwise requireth that is to wit if we be alreadie in the power of the magistrate if we be tyed by anie vocation that we maie not depart euen as a little before it was saide of Pastors As concerning prayers those we doe not reiect but we verie much allowe and therefore wee warned before that they which intended to scape through flying awaie must commende themselues by most earnest prayers vnto God that they in no wise maie erre But if powring out their praiers the spirite doe still sollicite them to flie and doeth not minister more strength and boldnesse they ought to vse that remedie which the goodnes of God doeth offer except they will tempt God And so in the holie scriptures we reade that Dauid him selfe fledde from the face of his sonne Absalon The flight of Dauid 2. Sa. 15. 16. in which flight hée sung that excellent Psame which by order is the thirde in the booke of Psalmes Wherefore hee fled and gaue place to the furie of
the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of seasonable helpe and sound consolation will so at the length be present with you as both you may be in better health of bodie and that the troubles wherewith you are pressed beyond your power shal be somwhat mitigated I am verie sorie that the matters of France do fare so ill although I iudged before hand that things would so come to passe For I perceiued nowe that they would soone beare the sway into whose hands if the chiefe ruler should come it was easie to be iudged what a fal the state of religion should haue Others perhappes do maruell at the Quéene But I maruell not for I neuer perceiued hitherto any token of her godlinesse towards sincere religion Howbeit it séemes to be verie new in the king of Nauarra that hee which appeared before to fauour with a full spirit the Gospel of the sonne of God should shew himselfe now when most néede was to be voide of godlinesse What shall we héere doe Hée that is the king of kings and Lord of Lords shall defende and promote his owne cause without the Kings and Lords of this world and as I hope will be a defendor and maintainer of your citie also For he is not woont to faile the faithfull in such times as they be oppressed And since he hath not hitherto omitted this towards any we are not to thinke that hee will nowe begin with you Howbeit since it lieth not in vs any other way to helpe we doe assist your state with earnest prayers vnto Christ we mistrust not but that according to his goodnesse wee shall at the length be heard I haue saluted Bullinger and the rest in your name who in like manner wish you verie much health As for the young man whom you haue commended in your letters I will willingly gratifie all the wayes I can I pray you commende me heartily to your fellow ministers and especially maister Viret and maister Beza for whose sake Letius gaue me the institutions of your College which I greatly reioyce that you haue erected and for that cause I also giue God great thanks beséeching him that he will happily prosper that which yée haue well begun Trulie I would with all my heart haue written now vnto Beza sauing that the carrier made too much hast Fare you wel most louing Sir and reuerent brother in Christ From Zurick the 16. of September To Theodore Beza MY good friend and louing brother in Christ I receaued by one Himmanuell the booke which you deliuered him for me whē he departed from vs. Wherefore I giue you thankes for the gift aswell for the excellencie and woorthinesse thereof as also because I now perceiue there is a way open whereby we shall not silentlie shut vp in our selues our good will which we haue through Christ and his Gospell but shall hereafter exercise the same by our mutuall letters and salutations one to an other Truelie you began this excellent and comfortable kinde of coniunction wherefore it is not méete that it should cease in me This therefore did I receaue as méete it was with great delight and pleasure and for continuance thereof these few lines I thought good to write whereby I might reioyce with you for this happie stile of writing this aboundance of learning and sinceritie of faith which excellent giftes no doubt since you acknowledge to be giuen you by God for the profit of the Church now vse you them diligentlie when they be most needefull for the flocke of Christ and when your yeares are in state to doe the same Howbeit because it is but superfluous to admonish him that is wise enough of himselfe therefore I will not make manie wordes An other thing that I thought to signifie vnto you is that I as I thinke together with me all the godly and so manie as loue the saluation of the Church doe giue you singular thankes for the labour which you take in writing And euen this would I should be a spurre vnto you to procéede as you haue begunne and that the greater number of enemies of the trueth there be the greater forces and the stronger campe you prepare against them God long preserue you safe among vs and graunt that you may happilie liue to Christ and his Church I pray you salute in my name Viretus and signifie vnto him that the matter of the French Church hath at the length had a happie end From Strasborough the 18. of Nouember 1554. Vnto Theodore Beza I Am assured right woorthie Syr welbeloued brother in Christ that you looked I should long agoe haue aunswered your two learned and courteous letters This in verie déede I had doone but that I lackt trustie and sure carriers And I am of that minde that I thinke not that letters should be committed vnto euerie man Now at length I doe write an aunswere and I pray you beare with this my slacknesse séeing it hath not happened either because I made small account of your letters or for that I estéeme you but after a common manner or loue you but coldlie but rather to the intent that those things which I write might be straightway caried whither I appointed The doctrine of predestination necessarie to be taught in the Church I vnderstand it to be a verie profitable and necessarie thing that the doctrine of predestination should be retained pure in the Church and be truelie and plainelie taught which because we sée it not to be doone as both of vs doe wish it gréeueth me verie sore Zanchus and I according to the strength and power giuen vs of God haue not failed of our part but aswell by teaching as disputing haue plainelie and openlie defended the truth The cause I write not because as I thinke it to be all one generallie so I know you are not ignorant thereof And whereas you for making of the matter no lesse profitable than it is withstood haue determined amongst mē so to declare it as you may also in certaine painted tables set it before mens eyes explane it and make it euident I both commend and verie well allow therof As for my counsell which you of your gentle nature and of a certaine modestie of minde doe require I doe not thinke that you haue anie néede thereof which neuerthelesse if you should néede I might not giue the same according to those descriptions which you sent vnto me by Sampson an Englishman For although I finde in them a compendious diuision and that there is diligentlie obserued a fit way of teaching yet can I not perfectlie comprehend what is the whole doctrine while there is not added some exposition nor the places out of the holie scrptures be set downe Yet neuerthelesse as I can coniecture of the Lyon by his clawes I doubt not but that it is circumspectlie deuised diligentlie comprised of you Wherefore I not onelie counsell you but I also warne and desire
so straitlie driuen as Hadrian thinketh as though the same ought onelie to be vnderstoode touching that rule wherein it is saide that Sinnes are freelie forgiuen vs through Christ Indéede the same is the most happiest message of all other but yet it is the Gospell also which the Apostles taught in like manner of other principall articles Whereupon Paul in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the 2. Verse 8. chapter saith Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the deade according to my Gospel Beholde nowe in the same place vnder the name of the Gospell is comprehended the doctrine which teacheth that both Christ is risen from the deade and is borne of the séede of Dauid And to preach the Gospell otherwise is nothing else with the Apostle than that which he saide in the first Epistle to Timothie the 6. chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say otherwise to teach Wherefore it must not be suffered that that same saying of the Apostle shoulde be restrained to one Article onelie Neither can there be anie reason assigned whie that cannot iustlie be called a good message and gladsome preaching whereby it is testified and declared vnto the worlde that God stoode vnto the promises who sent his sonne to take flesh of the séede of Eue of Abraham and of Dauid euen as in old time he promised by his Prophets to doe Therefore since we haue these generall sayings it is not to be looked for that we should shewe this or that errour to be condemned and suppressed by name and in expresse words in the scriptures For where shall we finde there that they be condemned and are estraunged from God which doe not receiue the bookes of the olde testament which opinion neuerthelesse was common vnto the Marcionites Manichees and manie other heretikes Neither are they at anie time condemned by expresse words which denie that the soules after the death of the bodie do liue but thinke that they die together with the flesh and that as touching life euerlasting they about the end of the world shal be raised vp againe together with their bodies Also they which woulde not that pardon and reconciliation should be giuen vnto the brethren that be fallen are neuer saide in the holie Oracles to be either condemned or to be out of the way of saluation Wherefore when Hadrian requireth this at our hands concerning the errour of the Anabaptists both he dealeth fondlie and whilest he taketh away one or two errours he openeth a verie wide gappe vnto manie For of verie fewe doeth the scripture speake in that forme and phrase which he nowe requireth of vs. Lastlie remaineth that wee should examine the syllogismes which Hadrian brought in against vs as our men had doone against him that those as he thinketh he might cōfute the more euidentlie but these I haue thought good for two causes to passe ouer First because it séemeth not verie lawefull for godlie men to be childishlie subtile especially in defending of an opinion the which as at the beginning hath béene sayde edifieth no man and may hurt verie manie Secondlie because we iudge that in this question those thinges are to be written which are vnderstoode of the greatest part of the holie congregation and that there be verie fewe which haue exercised themselues in the quirkes and subtilties of Logicke and sophistrie The trueth it selfe especially that which is euangelicall is plaine is taught and made euident by the apostolicall light and simplicitie Furthermore those thinges be alreadie before alleadged whereby is plainelie and manifestly discouered whatsoeuer deceite is in these trifeling argumentes Nowe for the finishing of this that wee haue written let vs adde this namelie let vs celebrate with high prayses the most ample mercie of God that in all thinges he discouereth himselfe with maruelous brightnesse and as Dauid singeth in the burden of his Psalme florrisheth for euer that is eternallie Howe farre foorth the praises of God must be celebrated But yet ought we so to celebrate his praises as on the other side the iudgementes of God towardes vnbeléeuers and heretikes be not thereby cancelled This is therefore written because Hadrian saith that he was verie much driuen to defende these thinges which hee defendeth for that they greatlie auailed to the worthinesse greatnesse of Gods mercie Howebeit after this manner they also perhappes did excuse themselues which reckened Caine and Iudas among the number of the saintes and blessed men Also Origen and his fauorers hadde vnmeasurable respect vnto the clemencie of God when as they taught that the punishmentes of the godlie should one daie at the last be finished and in verie déede the fires of hell should not be euerlasting and since they wrote that euen to the diuelles themselues after a multitude of ages shal be geuen pardon and saluation No iust prayses of the mercie of God are those which ouermuch obscure the seueritie iustice of God Wherefore letting this newnesse of doctrine goe let vs thinke with ourselues that we must by al meanes séeke the peace and quietnesse of the church Of intricate and vaine questions vndoubtedlie there is store enough Wherefore it shall be your parte that kéeping the trueth safe and sounde ye spéedilie returne into amitie thinking this diligentlie with your selues that it is a singular benefite vnto you to haue there where you are both the french and flemish Church This cannot the diuell abide and for that cause stirreth vppe discordes and contentions among you to the intent that strangers may be more and more hatefull to English men Wherefore watch yee with singular care and diligence that the euill spirit haue not his owne desire and that the Church of the sonne of God receiue no losse He that is reprooued let him beare it with no lesse patient minde than Peter did when he was reprehended by Paule And contrariwise they that haue taken vpon them the defence of the trueth if their brother which hath turned from the right waie not of mallice as it should séeme but rather of a certaine errour giue eare vnto them that admonish him well let them account him no lesse than before in the place of the minister of God and of a most louing fellowe in office Fare you well my verie good brethren assist vs with your prayers vsing your indeuour to maintaine peace among you as much as yée can From Zurick the 15. of Februarie 1561. An Epistle to the English Church 46. MY déere beloued brethren in Christ albeit wee doe maruelouslie loue your Church and doe iustly and worthilie make great account thereof yet are wee verie loath to determine of such nice questions as doe bring none or in verie déede small edification For since there are among you two sorts of the which one affirmeth and the other denieth it might easilie bee that they which cannot abide the doctrine set foorth had rather rent in sunder the Church than change their
childe I haue sinned but speake it from the heart Wéepe ye with Ezechias Esa 38. 3. but wéepe with faithfull and syncere teares Prostrate your selues before Christ with the sinfull woman Luke 7. 37 Wéepe yee bitterlie with Peter with prayers and fastinges procéeding from a true faith Mat. 26. 75 Crie you out vnto God with the Niniuites Ionas 3. 5. Acts. 2. 37. Bée ye conuerted with those Iewes of whome Christ was crucified whome if ye spared no doubt but hee will also spare you For this doe I promise you by the authoritie of the word of God so that this repentance which I laie before you be firme and effectuall But and if ye demaund what I meane by a firme and effectuall repentaunce I will shewe you the cause and effectes thereof that it maie be discerned from a vaine Effectuall repentance feigned and hypocriticall repentaunce The originall mother thereof is of necessitie true and perfect faith For what soeuer is doone of vs without the grounde of the worde of God is vnfruitfull and hurtfull But wee haue not the worde of God for anie grounde but so farre foorth as we beléeue Therefore if ye sorrowe if ye lament if ye bewayle the fall that is past ye must néedes be mooued by the worde of God If a man beléeue it he reuealeth aboundaunt fruites for it cannot be idle in the heart of the faithfull Beholde therefore vnto you the beginning originall and fountaine of true repentance Nowe let vs consider the effectes True and effectuall repentaunce suffereth not sinne to goe vnpunished and without iust amendement But you will say coulde it euer bée brought to passe that the thing which is doone might bee vndoone That indéede cannot be vndoone which is doone but yet afterwarde the contrarie vnto that which before was doone maie be doone Vnto the deniall of the trueth made before the confession of the same is contrarie It behooueth therfore that by your testimonie you affirme whatsoeuer by abiuring yee haue denied And this maie be doone two maner of waies First if ye will in that place where ye committed the crime boldly confesse that ye haue erred wil by a liuelie contradiction testifie that ye hold no such opinion as the forme of the abiuration sheweth But in verie déede because this kinde of remedie requireth fortitude constancie and a singular valiantnes of minde because the waie is welnéere most certaine vnto Martyrdome which all men haue not the gift to suffer therefore dare I not require so great a matter of euerie one of you Let euerie man measure the strength giuen him by God and let him consider whether he bee able to performe this excellent and laudable worke If he haue confidence enough let him goe forwarde in the name of the Lorde for he shall doe no new thing in the Church of Christ Mat. 26. 69 Peter when hee had denied Christ he for Christes sake suffered the death of the crosse The renued constancie of the godly Marcellinus Bishoppe of Rome hauing first doone seruice vnto the Idols hee being led with repentance preached that which hee had denied and being made a martyr hee by his bloude gaue a testimonie vnto the trueth Holy Cyprian in his Sermon De Lapsis maketh mention of Castus Aemilius which when they were ouercome with the bitternesse of persecutions were humblie afterwarde conuerted to repentance and were so strengthened by Christ as the fight being renewed with the aduersary they gate the victory being made stronger than the fire and mightier than the flames confessing in the meane time with great constancie whatsoeuer they had before denied Howbeit thankes bee to God there is no néede to recite olde examples Some such thing within our age hath happened at London in England A certaine Priest being ouercome through cruell tormentes and long captiuitie did abiure The Bishoppe not content with his abiuration requireth his hande writing It is giuen him whereuppon the poore wretch goeth home and there is mooued and stirred vppe with so great sorrowe with such remorse and with such true and effectual repentance as when he coulde inioye no comfort rest nor anie quietnesse of minde nor could anie longer indure the sharpe threates of the conscience he commending him selfe to God returneth home to the Bishoppe and desireth to sée his hande writing which hee a fewe dayes before had deliuered and being shewed him he takes it violentlie and teares it blaming himselfe that he had béene so disloyall and notable a traytour vnto the Lord Iesus Christ adding moreouer Beholde here I am handle mee at your owne pleasure I saie I iudge and I affirme contrarie vnto those thinges that I first wrote Which when he had so boldlie and notably confessed hee was againe taken and within a while after burned I woulde to God that at the leastwaie so much valiant courage might happen to each one of you from the father eternal that by this meanes the truth of Christ may be made famous in you and that they which through you are made the weaker and haue suffered offence might be confirmed and returne againe into the way of God and goe forward in the purposed iourney But if that the weakenesse of your strength be such as hauing shewed the forme of repentance it cannot bring foorth fruite wee must come to an other kinde of remedie which consisteth in this that yée make voide your abiuration by your flight and departure otherwise the same doth yet burne before God and men For how shall it by repētance be extinguished or blotted out while yee remaine in the selfesame state while there appeareth in you no signification of a contrarie opinion doe not you by tarying and holding your peace plainlie confirme that which yée haue doone Depart yée at the least way I beséech you from this kind of intolerable death For your departure shal be a certaine kinde of martyrdome and confession So often as I consider in my minde the state of your affaires if happily there be left in you any féele of Godlinesse if anie sparke of light if any small droppe of the holie Ghost as I verilie thinke there is some left I maruell yea I am amased that ye so staie your selues For I sée not how you can liue what quietnesse of minde yée can inioy with what confidence yee can pray nor what communication yee can haue one with another Can any thing be it neuer so good whether the same belong vnto the spirit or vnto the body be swéete and delectable vnto you or refresh you Are yée not all whollie shaken with feare when yée go vnto masses in making no account of the commaundements of God but in seruing of men and as witnesses consenters in crucifying againe the sonne of God Is not this torment more bitter vnto you than a thousand deathes By this one idolatry yée communicate with antichrist in all things I maruel how it comes to passe that yée there
the spirite and with faith For while in the holie supper we reuolue in our minde the death of our Lorde and with a syncere faith do faithfullie beléeue that these thinges were wrought vpon the crosse for the redéeming of vs wee eate and drinke those thinges for our great benefite for they be vnto our mindes as it were the most excellent meate and the most holsome drinke And that faith doeth God stir vp in them that bee his through the holy Ghost applying thereunto two outward instrumentes the worde I meane and the elements of bread and wine Wherefore they which beléeue and comprehende by faith that the fleshe and bloud of the Lorde were giuen vnto death for our saluation doe spirituallie eate and spirituallie drinke those thinges Therefore wee confesse that vnto the natural and proper eating and drinking is required a presence of the thing to be eaten and of the thing to be drunken otherwise thinges that be absent can neither be eaten nor drunken But withall we denie that of spirituall eating and drinking can be gathered or concluded that those thinges which are saide to bee eaten and drunken allegorically are there bodilie and properly present But that the eating of the flesh of Christ consisteth of faith he himselfe most plainely testified in the 6. chapter of Iohn Ver. 35. 47. Wherefore that Euangelist since he iudged the whole matter to be there aboundantly expounded of him he did not rehearse in the historie of the last supper in what sort the outwarde signes of breade and wine were added Moreouer by this is the selfe same thing gathered that vnto the true and proper bodie of Christ cannot be applied a true and proper eating since that nowe it cannot be rent in sunder broken in small peeces and grinded verilie both the breade in déede and the wine are properlie eaten and drunken with the mouth of the bodie which thinges in their manner are called the flesh and bloud of Christ because they be outwarde signes of those thinges Wherefore after a sort we may bee saide to eate and drinke with the mouth the bodie and bloude of the Lorde Wherefore Cyprian and Augustine when they treated of the eating of these thinges which be signified namely the spirituall eating did prudently say Why preparest thou thy teeth and thy bellie Beleeue and thou hast eaten Wherefore there is no néede that the bodie and bloud of the Lorde should be sent downe out of heauen into the earth or that it shoulde yet bee conuersant in the worlde that they might mixe themselues with our supper but it behooueth that our mindes beeing admonished by the worde of God and the outwarde signes should be caried by faith vnto heauen that they may eat this holie meate and be nourished And here it followes that they which be vtterly destitute of faith doe not receiue the bodie and bloud of Christ because those thinges as I haue saide are eaten and drunken by faith and spirite onelie In déede these do eate and drinke the outwarde signes but they do not attaine to the thinges that be signified euen as they that be blinded cannot receiue the light and the colour which are things apprehended by the eyes Whereas afterwarde I am demaunded whether I thinke that in the Church the supper is had without the bodie and bloud of Christ I answere If we speake of that presence which they call corporall reall and substantiall I confesse that the bodie and bloud of Christ is absent neither shoulde they if they were present bring anie more profite commoditie and aduantage than we drawe from thence while they remaine in heauen farre disseuered from vs. Moreouer the flesh and bloud of Christ are present vnto vs by spirite grace merits and other wonderfull fruites which are from God deriued by them vnto vs euen as the sonne is sayde to be present with vs by the light by the beames and by good influences which we receiue from thence Neither are the bodie and bloud of the Lorde so present vnto our minds spiritually and by faith as that there onelie they should containe their most helthfull efficacies and powers and suffer the bodies of the faithfull to be méere voide of the same The matter is not so But because in beléeuing that the bodie and bloud of the Lorde are the pryces of our saluation wee are iustified and regenerated or else both in the same iustification and regeneration wée are increased and confirmed but iustification and regeneration are the beginnings of our blessed immortalitie Thereof it commeth that by faithful receiuing of the supper of the Lorde not onelie the soules are fedde and refreshed but also the bodies are made more and more capable of the blessed resurrection This is the iudgement of my faith as touching the holie supper of the Lord the which right worshipfull syr I haue parhappes for the barrainnesse of the stile not so exquisitely as faithfully expounded But I trust that you setting aside the rude and vneloquent words will with a friendely minde cleaue to the sentences and thinges themselues Fare you well and loue mee as you doe euen as I doe verie much loue you and pray for the fruite of my vocation Maister Bullinger and the rest of your friendes willed me to write their heartie salutations vnto you Frō Zuricke the 24. of Maie 1562. To the Right honourable the Earle of Bedforde THe courtesie of your excellent Lordship hath béene so great towards mee as neither am I able nor yet knowe I howe to expresse it Wherefore since I cannot write vnto you as I ought perhappes it were better for me to holde my peace which neuerthelesse the gratitude of a Christian man will not permit wherfore not knowing else what to do I wil let the matter rest And setting a side the praise of your godlinesse nobilitie and goodnesse I will onelie giue you thankes for the fauour helpe and courtesie which you haue shewed towards Iulius my faithful seruaunt in his businesse For the which I account myselfe so greatly and effectually bound vnto you as more I cannot be if I would And truely for his part he is neuer well appaied nor content but when he is declaring setting foorth your honors courtesie goodwil affirming that without your helpe fauour and trauell he coulde neuer haue dispatched his businesse And this vndoubtedly is a singular pleasure vnto me because I am sure that both in him in me you chiefely respect Iesus Christ his syncere Religion wherein howe zealous you are and howe feruently you loue the same it is euery where knowē and of all men confessed And that causeth al good Christians to loue honor you in their heart Which notwithstanding it be a great glorie in it selfe yet is it nothing in comparison of the great pleasure that our almightie God taketh therin And I likewise know that this is it which hath caused you to make me such an offer as you haue For the which I giue you
1 98 b In thinges indifferent and not much weighty it may be retained as how 1 97 b Many led thereby to doe good and whether the same bee certaine 1 52 b A Custome of tything soldiers in a case of offence 2 365 a Of what things payinges of Customes consist 4 239 b Curse Of the vow Cherem being a kind of Cursse whereto applied 2 403 ab 404 a Whether it be lawful to Cursse tyrants 2 405 a Whether no man must bee punished with a Cursse 59 b Howe al creatures are subiect thereunto for mans sake 2 251 b Whether it be lawfull alwayes to Cursse enemies 1 402 a Why a priest of Athens would by no meanes be mooued to Cursse Alcibiades 2 398 b The Cursse of Cham transferred to Chanaan his son 2 363 b 366 a If we maie not Cursse our enemies much lesse others 2 401 b Whether in Gods cause or our owne cause it be lawfull for vs to Cursse 2 398 b Cursses From what affection the Cursses of the godly do procéed as saith Gregorie 2 399 b Cursses in the Prophets are Prophesies 2 397 b Curssing The auncientnesse of Curssing and who first vsed the same 2 397 a ExaÌ„ples out of the holy scripture of such as vsed it 2 399 b Augustines opinion that it is not lawful 2 397b AdmonitioÌ„s touching the vse therof 2 40â— a Vsed among the Ethnikes examples 2 397 b Dae Daemons What Daemons bee and whereof they take their name 1 77 a They haue no bodies but be spirits onely prooued 1 81 a They signifie spirits both good and bad 1 77 a Some would that they are in this life and why 1 78 a Of some whith thinke that soules become Daemons 1. 77 a Of some that say they be spirits in coÌ„parison of vs how 1 81 a Of some which thought there were none 1 77 a Of whoÌ„ they which walke about the earth to our great harme were begotten as say Lactantius and others â— 128 b 129 a ¶ Looke Spirites Da Damnation The cause of our Damnation is not to be sought for in God 3 20 b It extendeth euen to verie infantes 3 96 b Originall sin goeth before euerie mans birth Damnation 3 24 b Howe it cometh to passe that some Christians are iudged to Damnation and some to saluation 2 626 b Daniel Daniel dissembled not the worshipping of Nabuchadnezars image 2 320 a Danger All thinges that bring Danger through our owne default must not be shunned 3 177 a Dansing What the Ethnikes thought of wantoÌ„ Dansing 2 906 b The effects of the same 2 505 b Of men and women together is euill 2 502 b The hurtes thereof 2 514 b Or it owne nature not euill 2 50â— ab Against their reasons which maintayne it 2 504 b 505 a Diuerse opinions touching the originall thereof 2 503 b When it was instituted 2 504 a Honest Dansing vsed and therefore lawfull 2 505 ab In olde time not against religion 2 503 b Vsed of Christians in Syria on holy daies 2 506 b In armour and why it was ordeined 2 503 b 504a Of the mimicall Dansing whereat Demetrius woondered 2 504 a The opinions of fathers and decrées of Councels touching the Lasciuious kinde of Danâ—ing 2 505 b 506 a Darkenesse Whether Darkenesse was made by God 3 370b 371 a 1 188 a How the sunne after some manner may be laide to make it 1 181 ab Dauid By whome Dauid ruled the common weale 4 247b Notable pointes for vs to learne by his combate with Goliah 3 284 b 285 a Day Howe some vnderstande the Aduerbe Hodie Today and of Augustines interpretation thereof 1 73 a Diuerslie taken in respect of time 3 324 b What Paul vnderstoode by these wordes the Day 3 240 b It signifieth Tryalâ— 241 a What and when the Day of wrath is 3 388 b Christ yesterday and to Day how it is expounded 3 325a Dayes When Dayes are to bee taken for yeares the scripture teacheth 3 324 b 325 a De. Deacons The office of Deacons in the church 4 8 a ¶ Looke Church Ministerâ— Deade The Deade are partakers of the good and euill things of this life and how 1 159 b They know not what is doone in this life 1 75 ab 3 320 ab Appearings of them prooued partlie by reason and examples 1 75 ab Of praying for them spoken to and fro 3 244b 245 a 322 b What Arrius thought of oblations for them 3 251 b Why burying of them must not be neglected 3 322a b Howe they are saide to liue vnto God 3 338 b 339 ab Howe wer â—ust be affected towards them 3 244 b Whether it be lawful to mourne for them 3 315 a 179a Whether it be expedient for them to be buried 3 319 b How God is saide to be God both of liuing and Deade 3 338 b 339 ab Why the scripture saith that they do sléepe 3 326 b How they praise the Lord. 3 367 b Whether their spirites wander vp and downe 3 326 b The good things of this life belong not to them why 1 160 a What we haue to iudge of Apollonius Thyancus his raising vp of the Dead maid 1 72 b Of a Deade byshop that appeared aliue 1 75 b The Deade haue béene raised vp and by whom 3 336 a 1 72 b Whether the first parents were Deade straightway after sinne 3 325 a Death Death in it owne nature is euill and why 2 391 a Therein is a féele of Gods wrath 2 247 a Sin and it are compared together as the cause and the effect 2 244 a In what respectes God made it not 3 44 a 43 a It commeth of the originals of nature 2 216 a Two sorts of life both which it tooke away 2 247 b Chrysostomes similitude that our first parents so soone as they had sinned were subiect thereunto 2 247 a Brought in by sinne cannot be allegoricallie vnderstoode as the Pelagians say 2 246 b Howe soone after sinne had entred it tooke place 2 247 a Pighius and others confuted for saying that it commeth vnto man by nature 2 239 a 247 a It hath no right where there is no sinne 2 217 a The Pelagians and Anabaptists say that it commeth not of sinne but of naturall causes 2 214 a How and in what respect it is called an ende 1 5 a 580 a Thrée kindes thereof appointed in Gods law for offenders 2 414 b How it is conquered sith it striketh all men still 3 318 a Séeing we be iustified wherefore are wee subiect thereunto 3 315 a Death of the Godlie counted but a sléepe 3 348 a Howe sléepe is the image thereof 3 335 b The power of the same is limited 2 636 b In what sense it is saide to be good 3 28â— b A necessarie euill 3 316 a Why béeing euill it is wished as if it were good 2 â—91 ab The fruits or benefites that it bringeth 3 318 b What detestable things are and
bodie 2 605 b What Earth that is which ought to be worshipped 4 177 b Howe Heauen and Earth shall passe away 3 395 b 396 a What is signified vnto vs vnder the name of Heauen Earth 1 110 b Of an Earth of Iron prophesied by Moses and when the same came to passe 2 251 b Easter Of the feast of Easter celebrated among the Iewes 2 376 a Offenders then released 4 263 b What the Canons decree touching the keeping therof 4 55 b Dissension about the keeping of Easter 3 255 a 4 50 a Of watching in Easter night 3 256 b Traditions touching that feast 3 45 ab Obserued in England 4 5 a Eate What Scotus thinketh it is to Fate and how he concludeth that Angels doe eate indeede 1 118 a Of two kindes of Eating the one of power the other of necessitie and which of them is proper to Spirits 1 88 ab Eclipse Of the Eclipse of the Sunne at Christs death and what Dionysius saith of the same 1 79 b Ed. Education Godlie Education may happen vnto bastards example of Adeodatus the sonne of Augustine 2 238 a The daunger of euill Education of children 4 16 a What the diuersitie of Education and bringing vp is able to doe 1 57 a Eff. Effects Effects which in no case can followe of naturall causes 1 79 b Whether they bee necessarie or contingent 1 175 b Whether contrarie may rise of one and the same cause 3 289 b Excellent cannot but proceed of noble causes as howe 1 156 b Noble causes may sometimes bring foorth vile as howe â—1 156 b Betweene causes and them there is a circuite and howe 2 578 a Some be hidden in their causes 3 40 b 41 a Efficient causes working vpon things couer to bring forth Effects like to themselues in nature as howe 1 176 b The coniunction of causes and Effects is hard to change 4 330 a ¶ Looke Causes El. Elders The office of Elders in the Church 4 8 a Two sortes of them in the Church 4 8 b Elect. The Elect by meanes of their corruptioÌ„ are inuited vnto Christ 2 232 b ¶ Looke Faithfull Election Gods Loue Election and Predestination ioyned together 3 9 a It dependeth not of workes foreseène 3 14 b 18. all 19 b 20 a What things make it certaine 3 48 a It cannot bee deceiued 4 117 b The reasons thereof are vnsearchable reade 3 21 b Wee are willed to giue thankes for the same 3 3 b Why it is extended but to a few 3 21 a Temporall eternall 3 1 b Election of Saul king of Israel doone by lots 1 59 a 60 b 61 a Of Matthias the Apostle 1 60 b Elections The Elections of God are sundrie reade howe 3 1 b ¶ Looke Vocation Elements Elementes are contrarie and that they perish 1 80 b Whethey shall continue alwaies vnappaired 3 397 ab Their nature briefelie described 1 181 b 182 a Elie the Priest Elie is blamed for being so milde vnto his children 2 378 a ¶ Looke Parents Elias the Prophet Of Elias his comming 3 382 b 383 ab 384 b Whether he were pâ—esent with Christ vpon Mount Thabor 3 385 a Whether Enoch and he bee dead 3 380 ab 381 a Of the likenesse betweene him and Iohn Baptist 3 384 b Whether Iohn Baptist were hee who was saide should first come 3 383 ab Howe Enoch and he are sent in these dayes 3 382 b To what ende Enoch and hee were caught vp 3 381 ab Whither he was caught vp 3 371a 378 b 372 b 373 a 370. Opinions touching his returne 3 382 ab Whether hee did well in killing the Baalites 2 386 ab c. 388 a 389 a He defended the dignitie of his office 4 319 b 320 a Whether he remained in the aer 3 371 b Elizeus Elizeus called for a Musician to the ende hee might recouer his right minde 1 22 b He gaue not Naaman libertie to goe to idols as the Papists say he did 2 319 a Howe his bones did prophesie 1 22 b Eloquence A definition of Eloquence out of Augustine 4 27 a The gift of God and vsed of the holy Ghost 3 281 ab Whether it be meete for the Gospell 4 26 b A caueat concerning the same 4 28 a The Eloquence of Paul 4 27 a Em. Ember dayes Why the Ember dayes were inuented 3 251 b ¶ Looke fast and Lent Empusae Of the Empusae which were a kinde of diuelish delusions 1 89 b 90 a ¶ Looke Spirites Emulation Of Emulation what it is and whereof it springeth 2 417 a It hath hope ioyned with it 2 417 b Reckoned among laudable affectes 2 417 b betwixt wooers 2 417 b In things good bad and how it degenerateth into enuie 2 417 b En. End The definition of this worde End out of Aristotle 1 5 a The End of celestiall bodies 1 6 a Of fortitude 1 2 a Of prophesie 1 28 b Of temperancie 1 1 b Of Philosophie Christian godlinesse 1 17 a Of wisedome 1 1 b Of iustice 1 1 b Of good men and of vertues 1 381 b Of good and euill things and what the same is 1 1a 2 a Of humane things manifold 1 4 a In what sense and how diuersely this word End is taken 1 5 a The etymologie of the word 1 5 a Of the End of the first table of the lawe that it is nobler than the second and why 1 8b What End is to be preferred before other endes 2 574a Euerie thing requireth his owne proper End 1 2 b Of what thing riches are the End according to Aristotle 1 5 a How Artes are in power to attaine or not to attaine their End 1 3 a The holy scriptures decree and appoint that there is a principall End whereto men direct all their actions 1 6 b Some certaine End set before all humane things and why 1 2 b How it is prooued that one End is better than another 1 4 a There is the End where the motion and action is finished as how 1 2 b 3 a Whether the End of Phisicke be health 1 7 a Whether that which is ordained to an End be baser than the end 1 5 b The reason why the principall End is to be sought for according to Aristotle 1 9a Why some haue thought good and End to be all one 1 2b It cannot be that there shoulde be some certaine End of al things and why 1 2 b He that would an End seemeth to will those things which serue vnto the ende and is concluded thereby 1 179 ab Of the chiefe End and principal gard of this life 1 5 b Of the most excellent End of maÌ„ in the life to come 1 5 b ¶ Looke Cheefe Good and Felicitie Endes The excellencie of Endes and faculties is as well towards the one as the other 1 8a What order the Endes of Christian actions haue 1 8 b Diuersitie of Endes in humane things and some more excellent than others
the olde Iewes were saide to line vnder it 2 595 a Gods Spirite was giuen to them 2 592 b God is a Spirite no body and by what reasons the same is prooued 1 24b 25 a The power of Gods Spirite in raising vp the dead 3 349 b A reason why he sometimes taketh it away from men 1 181 b How it is not bound to persons 4 53 b How we are said to gréeue or make it sorrowfull 206 b 1 207 a Whether all men haue the Spirite of Christ 1 41 b Wee cannot drinke Christ without it 2 593b It is not graunted no not to the bodie of Christ that after his resurrection it should passe into a Spirite and why 1 25 a Why the holie Ghost is called by the name of Spirite 2 627 a It is the roote of the church 2 629 b 630 a The lawe cannot doe her office without it 2 593 a Two effects thereof 2 594 b Who they bee that are saide to haue the first frutes thereof 2 248 b Water and the Spirite taken to be both one 4 122 a Of the Spirite of the soule and the spirite of God 3 349b How it is meant that the Spirite of men and beastes is all one 3 36â— a ¶ Looke Holie ghost Spirits Of wandering Spirits 3 326 b 327 a A definition of them out of Apuleius 1 78 b What maner of bodies they haue 1 80 b 81 a Manie causes why they are often times deceiued 1 82b 83 ab Of the ayer and that they see the scriptures of the Prophets and whatsoeuer is done in the Church 1 82 a To what ende they put on bodies 1 88 a That they can raise vp tempestes prooued 1 90 b Whether they see the thoughtes of men 1 83 b They that stirre by Prophets are somtimes good somtimes euill 1 19 a Of the knowledge which they haue 1 81 b They beguile the outwarde senses how 1 88 b 89 a Their power distinguished and how 1 85 b 81 b 84 b Whether they be bodies or but meere phantasies 1 87 b 88 a Among the celestiall there be orders and offices 1 120 b Their olde age their nimblenes and why they are termed flying 1 81 b 82 a They can perse through the massiest substances 1 87 a How Spirits worke things so suddenly and with such spéedinesse 1 86 ab The opinion of the platonists touching them and their substances 1 â—8 b Whether they know things to come 1 81 b 82 a There be some which gouerne the spheres prooued 1 77 a Foure kinds mentioned in the scriptures 1 81 ab Both good and bad are called Demons 1 77 a Of some that be not impulsions of the minde but verie substances 1 81 a They bee present at the counsels of God and are called to execute his commaundement prooued 1 82 ab Whether the bodies of Spirits be elementarie 1 80b Of whom they which walke about the earth to our great harme were begotten as saith Lactantius and others 1 128 b 129 a Of a people in Norway which haue great familiaritie with Spirites 1 90 b Of Spirites which be aduersaries vnto God noted by Paule in the Ephesians 1 120 a Their offices and vnto what seuerall functions they are appointed 1 78 b In the vpper region of the aer prooued 1 80 b How they doe eate which prooueth them to haue bodies consisting of vital parts 1 88 a By what meanes they can giue answeres 1 84 a A diuision of them into sundrie sortes 1 78 b How Spirites be in a place 3 373 They take to themselues aierie bodies and how that is prooued 1 87 ab 88 a They gather the causes by the effects and how 1 82 b They that be created of God cannot bee séene with our bodily eyes 1 27 a Trisâ—…egistus denieth that there bée any at all and why 1 78 a A proofe of good Spirits out of the holy scriptures 1 79 a They do not deceiue and why 1 88 b They doe not obey Magicall inchantments saith Origen 1 73 b A proofe of euill Spirits out of the holie Scriptures 1 79 a They haue talked with God himselfe 1 74 a Whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of them 1 91 a They did oftentimes deceiue men 4 131 a They are mooued not onely vnto fleshly lust and other sensuall pleasures but also vnto crueltie 1 90 ab The vse of the power of euill Spirits is of two sorts and to whom the same belongeth 1 66 b 67 a By what meanes we must succour the possessed with them 4 132 b Of casting them out 4 129 b 130 ab Whether the Spirits of the deade wander vp and downe 3 326 b None of our bodies shal be so transformed in the blessed resurrection that they shal be come Spirits or cease to be bodies any longer 1 25 a Why Paul saieth that the Spirites of the Prophets are subiect to the Prophets 1 2â— b The great number of administring Spirits reckened vp of Daniel and their offices 2 357 b Of the Spirits wherewith the fathers vnder the lawe and the spirite wherewith we vnder the Gospel are mooued 2 592 b Two rules for the trying of Spirits 4 46 a Howe to discerne betwéene the reuelation of good and euill â— 37 a 4 45 b The gift of trying them ceased in the Church 4 59 a Spirituall It shall rise a Spirituall bodie expounded 3 359 b Spitle In Spitle is a propertie against poyson 4 127 b Added to baptisme 4 127 a A blind and a lame man healed of Vespasian by his Spittle 1 77 b Spoiles Of Spoiles taken in war what is determined â— 3â—3 304. 305. The diuision of them 4 306 b 307 a St. Stars What thinges are foretolde by Starres â— 7 a State Adam was frée in his first State 2 253 a Foure differences of State in man at the least 2 253 a Stature The common Stature of men of our time 1 130 b Beautie and Stature doe nothing further vnto saluation 1 131 a The Stature of giants both out of holy scripture and Ethnike writers 1 130 ab Of mens bodies shal be lesse lesse saith Esdras 1 131 a The Stature of Saul and that hée was hier than the other Hebrues by the shoulders vpward 1 148 a Stealing Stealing away of seruants punished with death 2 518 b ¶ Looke Theft and Rapt Stewes Against the mainteining of the Stewes in Christendome 2 470b 471 a A sentence of Augustine for mainteining of them 2 471 a Common mainteined in Rome 2 472b 473 ab Iustinians greefe when he sawe them mainteined to néere to Gods Church 2 473 b Strangers A lawe for the reléefe of poore Strangers 2 521 a Strength The weakenesse of Strength is admitted for no excuse in the Ethnikes 1 14 b If by our owne Strength we cannot performe the lawe howe are we excusable â— 14a ¶ Looke povver Students A lesson for Students touching these diet 3 174 a Su. Subiectes A distinction or
resteth that wée speake somewhat of the Latine worde Among the auncient writers Sacramentum that is What the Latins haue signified by the word sacrament a sacrament signifieth a bond which passed betwéene men by an othe Wherefore we are accustomed to saie Sacramento cum aliquo contendere that is to contend with a man by an othe and Sacramentum militare that is an othe which a man taketh when he goeth to warfare And perhaps these our mysteries are therefore called Sacraments because in them God bindeth himselfe with couenants and promises being after a sort sealed and we on the other side binde our selues vnto him The treatise nowe is not of sacraments in generall Now then we treate not of a mysterie or Sacrament generally whereby as Chrysostome saieth is signified anie thing that is vnknowen and vnspeakable which hath in it much admiration and is beyond our expectation for after that maner there are a huge number of Sacraments For so the Natiuitie of Christ his Resurrection the Gospell the blinding of the Iewes the calling of the Gentils and manie other things may be called Sacraments But we speake of Sacraments after that maner that Paule speaketh of Circumcision 2 Now because we haue sufficientlie spoken of the worde The definition of a sacrament we will adde the definition of a Sacrament and this definition is most receiued A Sacrament is a visible forme or visible signe of an inuisible grace What a signe is And that is called a signe which besides the forme which it offereth vnto the senses bringeth some other thing into our knowledge The distinction of a signe And a signe as Augustine writeth and the maister of the sentences affirmeth is diuided into a naturall signe and a signe giuen Smoke is a naturall signe of fire and cloudes a naturall signe of raine But a signe giuen and deuised at our owne will is diuerse as Letters Words Gestures Beckes and manie such like And these signes may pertaine to diuers and sundry senses But consider that the things which are signified are eyther past present or to come The tables of the law Hebr. 9. 4. Things signified are distinguished by thrée sundrie times Gen. 9. 20. Manna the rod of Aaron which were kept signified things past for God woulde haue them to remaine as certaine monuments of things past Other signes betoken things to come as the rainebowe in the Clouds which was giuen in the time of Noe Iud. 6. 36. the fléese of Gedeon and the shadow of the sunne which in the time of Ezechias the King Esa 38. 8. went backward Exod. 28. Sometimes things present are signified as in the garments of the Priestes in the apparell of the Leuites in the ornaments of Magistrates in the myracles of Christ For all these signified the present power of God Our sacraments are visible signes not in déede of their owne nature but giuen vnto vs by the will of God and they pertaine to manie senses For the wordes which are set forth in the Sacraments are receiued with the eares but the notes and outwarde signes are perceiued either by sight or féeling or smelling or tasting howbeit the matters thēselues do make demonstration of things present and things past and things to come For the death of Christ which is now past is represented in them and so is the promise and gift of God which in the minde and by faith is presentlie imbraced and so is the purenes of life and mortification and duties of charitie which are afterward to be perfourmed of vs. By these it is manifest what maner of signes we account Sacraments to be But it maie séeme to be better to take the definition out of Paul The definition of a sacrament out of a place of Paul Rom. 4. 11. namelie to saie that sacraments are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is sealings vp of the righteousnesse of faith For they seale the promises by which so that faith be adioined vnto them we are iustified If a man demaund what it is that God promiseth vnto vs What is the chiefest promise that is sealed in a sacrament to answere briefelie it is that he will be our GOD the which when it comes to passe saueth vs and maketh vs blessed and happie This is the promise which is by diuerse outward signes sealed in the Sacramentes And this wee haue in the Booke of Genesis the 17. Gen. 17. 10 Chapter where circumcision is giuen whereby was confirmed the couenant made betwéene God and Abraham Iere. 31. 33. The summe of that promise was as we haue saide that God woulde be his God and the God of his seede The verie which thing Ieremie also testified as touching the new couenāt of the Gospell where he saith that the lawes should not onelie be written in the bowels and hearts of the beléeuers but also that GOD would be vnto them their God and they againe on the other side should be vnto him his people Sacraments consist of two things 3 That also we will allowe which is commonlie said that the Sacramentes consist of two thinges namelie of outwarde signes which the Schoolemen count for the matter and of the thing signified which is chiefelie expressed by the words adioyned vnto the signes whence we maie gather the forme Which is not so to be vnderstood as though those things which are signified are bound to the outwarde signes or lie hidden vnder them otherwise as manie as should receiue the outward elements should together therewithall receiue the things signified And it is necessarie Some Analogie must be kept betwéene the figure and the thing signified that betwéene the signe and the thing signified there be kept some analogie that is proportion and conueniencie for if signes had no similitude with those things that are signified then shoulde they not be signes of them And yet notwithstanding with this conformitie is to bee kept a diuersitie betwéene that which is signified and those thinges which signifie Which Augustine most manifestlie teacheth against Maximinus the Arrian A diuersitie to be kept between the signe and the thing signified in his third booke where hee saith that Sacramentes are one thing and signifie another thing whereby oftentimes it commeth to passe Many times are things spoken of signes which are not agreable to their nature A place one of the 1. Iohn 5. 7 that those things which are attributed vnto the signes agrée in no case with the nature of them but onelie are to bee referred vnto the things by them signified And he citeth a place out of the Epistle of Iohn where this matter is manifestlie shewed for he saith that there are thrée things which beare witnesse Bloud Water and the Spirit and these thrée saith he are one This can by no meanes be true if we haue a consideration to the nature of bloud water and the spirite for these indéede are not one as they vse to