and so almost to nothing to their owne great greife and the publique damage of the church How often and how grieuously doe Nazianzen Austin and Ambrose confesse that they haue takē these withdrawings and callings awaie from their studies They truely deale more wisely so they be not over stricte which imitate that same Basilius the Greate and Chrysostom For they so closely betooke themselues to their function that they preuented all such withdrawings as are wont eyther rashly or without respect of dutie to be imposed vpon learned men They saw well that if you admit these importune saluters at the first they will afterward challenge it as a right to be troblesome to good men by their example provoke other men to the same importunitie but that you shoulde provide for best if at the first you tooke some care prevented these vncourteous curtesies In this sort therfore did this good soule do seruice to God and the church or else tender his owne health Thou rather art churlish ô thou importune mā whosoeuer thou art which vncurteously desirest that which Vrsinus of curtesie might of duty ought to deny It is folly not to excuse him that is busied in affaires of the church but not pardon him that tendereth the health of his owne bodie is in humanitie both contrarie to the lawe of charity Although to come to the last part of my speech this our deere brother was not so hindered but that whē he was vnable to lift his handes his tongue stambering his iawes almost closed vp almost panting gaspinge for breath did yet attend to these studies duties For whē his strength failed the iuice bold in his body was decaied how often did hee thinke of this our Schoole How often did he cōplaine that he was idle amidst that painfull buisinesse of his infirmitie sicknesse How reasonablie did he persist in those wrightings he had vndertaken vntill that soule which coulde bee conquered tamed by no afflictiōs begā to fleete flie out of his brokē cōquered tamed corps ô blessed is that faithfull and wise seruant whom his Lord when hee commeth shal finde so doing happie is that man whose God is the Lord And that this man of famous memorie our beloued freind is now in that hill of Sion in the citie of the liuing God in the heauenlie Hierusalem amongst myriads of Angels in the companie church of those first begottē which are gathered into a heuēly armie with the iudge of al flesh with God the spirit of the iust that are now perfited with the mediator of the New testamēt Iesus Christ the sprinkling of the bloud of our saluatiō both those argumēts which before I vsed namely those heauēly gifts of wir faith hope study of pietie charitie humanitie and all other duties and curtesies do evidently confirme as also that most happy ende which hee made doth certainly demonstrate For not to speake of this that his soule long since lived vnto God was dead vnto this wretched and miserable world for so I speake holilie with Christes Apostle of an holy thing when mention was made vnto him of faith hope charity resurrection life glory and eternall happinesse Lord how did he assent applaude sweetelie smile at it how did he cast vp his eies to our Redeemer to whom as he had long before cōmended himselfe so also he did at length surrender his soule most peaceably so was wafted out of the deepe sea of this world into a most pleasāt harbour of salvation and rest euen the bosome embracings of our heauenlie father Who is there heere I beseech you amongst vs that wil not religiouslie crie out for ioy and wish together with me O let my soule die the death of the iust and let my ende be like vnto his For he truely saw he saw by liuelie faith heauen open vnto him Christ the Prince and perfiter of our faith sitting at the right hand of maiestie in the heauens incomparable glory provided for him the whole companie of that heauenly church welcomming him lastly all making to saluation since he did so quietly yeeld vp his soule vuto God the Creator and Father of spirits that so hee might liue with him eternallie This then is that soule noble and worthy auditors this is that sanctified soule and acceptable to God which to our great losse is of late daies takē from vs although as sometimes Cyprian and Ambrose saide wee haue not lost it but sent it before purposing our selues in good time to follow We haue not lost but repaied him as Epictetus warneth vs. For he which gaue him hath required receiued him backe againe Why then do we mourne for him whom we haue not lost We lament that so sweet and fit an instrument of Gods glorie is receiued backe from vs we lament this foreshewing of euil hanging ouer vs and now ready to befall vs we lament the present ouer-flowing of wickednes iniustice and al perfidious dealing which commonly preuaileth so much the more as it perceiueth these meanes of protection and saluation to be taken from vs. For haue we not reason to lament the losse of that instrumēt of whom it is sin to conceale any thing that may worthily be spoken in commendation I know right well noble auditors that many here present are able to speak more to this purpose then I either haue done or can do For that dailie familiarity which you had with our Vrsine hath enriched you with store of matter and variety of learning with eloquence But seeing of duty deserte I haue yeelded you the first place in this matter and you haue vouchsafed me the second you wil also I hope willingly pardon me for substituting in my roome a Diuine to speake of a Diuine and attribute vnto this man that which himselfe spake sometimes of Athanasius the stoute mainetainer of the truth and Antagonist of errors He was the Lords faithful laborer a man of God the reconciler of men the trompet of truth the pillar of the church Gods true champion constant in the faith of Christ most fit for defence against poisenous heresies who though he were peaceable moderate in all things yet could hee neuer patiently endure that for quietnesse sake God should be betraied but was a vehement warrier and an invincible Herioicke spirit in this case cōmending some moderately chastising others correcting some mens coldnesse bridling others heate providing for some that they fall not labouring that others which were fallen might be raised againe simple of maners divers in discharge of many duties wise of talke wiser in vnderstanding wherefore he so liued was so instructed and so instructed others that as his life manners might be a list limit to vpright dischardge of the like dutie so also his opinions may bee examples as it were authenticke lawes of faith and religion All this I may wel speake in commendation of this our Divine which
to baptise the professors of faith whether hypocrites or no. For the church iudgeth not of things so secret but only the hart-searching God The like reason serveth for all other Ministers which ought to iudge of those that are to bee baptised not according to Gods predestinatioÌ„ but mans professioÌ„ Christs commandement This if they doe themselues are not sacrilegious but the reprobate hypocrits who vnreverently and irreligiously presse to the sacraments But fie on that his blasphemy where hee saith that if sacraments bee ministred vnto reprobate hypocrites yet vnrevealed then God must lie by the mouth of the minister Did God thinkest thou lie by Peters mouth when he baptised Simon Magus He setiously and sincerely by his word sacrament offereth adoption and grace vnto al purposing also to bestow it but coÌ„ditionally if they beleeue coÌ„mandeth theÌ„ to beleeue and receiue by faith the grace offered But to infidels and hypocrites he is so far froÌ„ promising or sealing any grace of adoption and election wheÌ„ they force themselues vnto the sacrament that he threatneth them with a terrible and feareful iudgement Hee therefore is true in offering howsoeuer the grace offered to the vnbeleeuers be of none effect But saith the Iesuite he doth not onely offer but indeede also bestowe it when men are indeede baptized We graunt it For this Calvin also confesseth in Antidot Artic. Paris speaking on this manner The godly do all confesse that in baptisme is offered yea exhibited or giuen vnto vs both remission of our sins grace of the holy spirite But saith he els where these good fathers by reason of their grossenesso doe not here obserue that what grace so euer is by sacraments bestowed on vs must notwithstanding be imputed vnto faith For he which sondereth faith from the sacrameÌ„rs doth as â—f he seuered the soule froÌ„ the body God therefore doth indeed giue that which he offereth but vnto those that beleeue To the vnbeleeuing he neyther promiseth nor performeth any thinge as longe as they continew in their vnbeleife that through their owne fault because by infidelity they refused the good offered as much as in them lieth make a mocke of God which offereth it This Cauill therefore of the lesuites is no lesse impudent and blasphemous against God then was that of the Iewes who accused God of perfidiousnesse vnlesse he would performe the couenant eveÌ„ to the vnbeleeuers which the Apostle retorting shall saith hee their vnbeleife make the faith of God vaine God forbidae Let God be 〈◊〉 euery man a lyar Well then Let vs now returne the Iesuites blasphemy vpon his head Both he his mailler Lombard teach that reprobation is nothing else but that some there are on whom God will haue no mercy For so doeth the maister of sentences define it Suppose theÌ„ that the Iesuite even by the very worke wrought either of baptisme or of the masse should bestow the grace of sanctificatioÌ„ vpon Simon Magus or the like reprobate shall not hee and the sacrament become now sacrilegious in conferring grace on a reprobate of whom God will haue no mercy may shall not he make God himselfe a lier and contrary to himselfe in his name bestowing or testifying vnlesse he altogither exclude God out of the sacraments that God himselfe bestoweth the grace of sanctâ—fication on a reprobate on whom notwithstanding hee hath for all eternity decreed to bestowe nothing and on whom God will haue no mercy From this blasphemy howe the Iesuite can acquite himselfe maintaining his opinion of the worke wrought let him looke to it But howsoeuer he acquite himselfe he must withall discharge Calvin of the cavill devised against him Let this suffice briefly for answere to the perverse peevishnesse of this stage declaiming Iesuit The rest which hee disputeth towardes the ende pertaineth nothing to vs well they may prevaile vpon those against whom they were vvritten namely Swenckefield his brethren Vbiquitaries common corrupters of the doctrine of Christ his person and the sacraments A PREFACE TO THE FOVRTH PART OF the Catechisme wherin are desciphered the pestilent pamphlets of some Divines of this age and Calvin the most valiant Champion defendant of Christ his glory is briefely cleered of the slaunderous crime of Arrianisme * ⎠* THe argumeÌ„t of this part which is Of mans thankfullnesse towards God enforceth me to enter the Common complaint of all the godly against the bruit blockishnesse and foule in gratitude of the world which after so many inestimable benefits heaped by almightye God most aboundantly on these our latter daies hath onely thus farre profited that vnthankfull men continually become worse and worse as if they had sworne perpetual warre against so good a God gracious a benefactor For howe huge a cloud of witnesses of Gods coÌ„tinuall kindnesse doth enuiron vs round about what hath been denied vnto this age that men could haue wished thereby to haue made this life happy blessed I speake not of blessingee common or generall how many how pretious are those we haue receiued in particular The light of the Gospel sincerity of doctrine renewed the purity of sacraments the trew worshippe of God and reading of holy scripture restored the discouery of Antichrist the chasing of darknesse the flight of supersticion the ruine of of idolatry the liberty of the church after long seruitude restored These so inestinable treasures how few of vs doe worthily regard not rather with bestiall blockishnesse overpasse or shameles impudency disdaine One saide some times of the Athenians that they knew what was good but did it not How much more may we Christians be ashamed of our selues who not only do not that which we know to be good and know it by the light of the Gospell not as they did by the light of nature but also doe euen those thinges which we know are not good The whole worlde is now possessed with security profanenes ambition luxurye envy contempte of doctrine abuse of sacraments surfet of preaching what not How many are there of those which withhold the truth in vnrighteousnesse of those which professe God in their knowledge but deny him in their life of backesliding Apostataes who eyther inforced by the vnstaâ—ednesse of theâ— owne conceipt looke backe to the Aegigptian flesh-pottes or beguiled by seducing spirites daily reuolt from Christ to Antichrist like dogges returning to their yoâ— mit but this ingratitude is perhappes a fault incident to the common sort O then that the greater part of our Prelates would ascend vnto these breaches and draw a counter-mure and sence before the house of Israel not lyke subtile foxes secke to fatâ—e themselues with the spoiles publique scandales of the church as Ezechiel complained of the prophets of his time It hath bin euer a great plague vnto the church to make sale of the word of Gâ—d or wrest it to the affections of men to the lust fauour
VRSINE exhorting to the study of Christianity pronounced by him in the ELIZABETH Schoole when he began his Lectures vpon PHILIP MELANCTHON his groundes of Divinitie intituled Eramen Theologicum * ⎠* SInce by advise of your regents and overseers in study I haue beene wished to deliuer vnto you some short summe of Christianity I must acknowledge my weakenesse farre vnable to support a burden of such waight For this is a doctrine ever past vnderstanding not only of the most wise and sharpe-sighted of this worlde vnlesse instructed by the voice of the Church and power of the holy Spirit but for a great part vnknowen even to the Angels themselues vntill it pleased the sonne of God to reveale it out of the deepe wisedome of his eternal father which if all the wits and tongues of men and angels shoulde straine themselues to vnfold and grace with curiosity of stile and depth of invention they coulde never be able to speake any thing correspondent to the dignity and deserte of so diuine a subiect Being therefore to my selfe guilty of mine owne defects I had rather leaue this labour to some other who might more worthily attempt more happily perfourme it then my selfe but considering againe the place and person I sustaine I haue thought it my duty to do you al service in furthering your salvation to shew obedience to God inviting me to these religious labours and promising which is the chiefest thing his gracious assistance which who so enioieth neede not despaire of any thing for it pleaseth God to shew his mighty power in weake and abiect instruments according to that of the Psalmist Out of the mouth of babes sucklings hast thou ordeined strength because of thine enemies that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger Psal 8. 3. The worde which he vseth signifieth a childe which beginneth to speake vnderstand But it is a thing vsual to attribute the name of children not vnto those only which are so in years but vnto those also which are such in vnderstanding or doing ought besides They also which are infants in years are sufficient witnesses of Gods goodnesse and providence The manifest tokens of Gods presence in miraculous propagation preservation sustaining of mankind do sufficiently refell and â—efute Diâ—â—â—s and Athâ—sts of al sortes both such as deny at all that there is any God and such as doe not acknowledge him to be such a God as he professeth himselfe to bee But Christ in 21. of Mat. 16. v. draweth this place to a confession in which sence it agreeth to vs al euen as many as thincke or speake ought of God For we are infantes in vnderstanding vtterance of all heauenly things Wee learne in this life some smale rudiments of them as truly and religiously saith the Emperour Gratian in his confession to Ambrose Wee speake of God so much not as we ought but as we can Yea even the Prophets and Apostles confesse as much of them selues As 1 Cor. 13. 9. Wee know imperfectly we prophecie imperfectly But when that which is perfect shall come then that which is vnperfect shall be abolished And in the â—2 ver Now we see through a glasse darkely But then shall wee see face to face But though both those rudiments which wee learne be feawe the word of preachinge bee plained to our capacitie wherein God himselfe speaketh to vs as vnto infants suffereth vs to speake like infantes of himselfe yet will God so exact of vs in this life skill in this doctrine of himselfe that otherwise he giueth vs no hope of an other life these rudiments how simple so euer do so farre exceede all humaine wisedome that betwixt the one and the other is no comparison For these principles or groundes are a wisedome vnknowne to reason necessary sufficieÌ„t to everlasting saluation Let vs therefore not only acknowledge our infancie but also shew our selues willing to be reckned in the number of sucklings infants For as the childe groweth not that is not sustained with the mothers milke or other conuenient norishment so neither must we refuse the milke of Gods worde whereby we are norished and susteined vnto eternall life least we be put besides all hope of our perfection This is that spirituall infancy pleasing God as Christ witnesseth when he rebuketh the Pharises which were offended at the children singing in the teÌ„ple Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid These are those infantes in whose wordes it pleaseth him to bee powerfull by whose mouth as the psalme addeth he perfiteth his strength or as they translate it who consider the originall he stablisheth his kingdome But he speaketh of that strength or kingdome which is seene in this life which is for the son of God to appoint vphould his ministrie to gather his dispersed church to quicken the faithfull beleeuers by the preaching of the Gospell to sanctifie them by the holy spirite vnto eternall life to protect his church in this life against the kingdome of Satan after this life to raise vp the faithfull vnto life eternall that in theÌ„ his Deitie may raigne openly not by ministry What the foundation of this kingdome is Saint Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 3. 11. saying Other foundation can no man lay then that which is said which is Iesus Christ The foundation is Christ first in his person for that he beareth keepeth and comprehendeth all the members and parts of this kingdome vnited and ingraffed in him as doth the foundation al other partes of the building or as doth the vine all the branches â— then to the doctrine of himselfe that is of his person and office For as good lawes are the strength and sinewes of kingdomes politique so this kingdome is composed confirmed and ordered by this doctrine deliuered of Christ And as the house cannot stande without the foundation so except we know who Christ is and what he hath perfourmed for our sakes al religion besides is but vaine forged none at all This foundation is laid by the mouth of suckelings and bâ—bes which beleeue and being â—â—red vp by the holy Ghost doe learne embrace the doctrine which they heaâ—e so grow into Christ in whom they be ingraffed In this weighty worke God vouchsafeth to vse our infancy for an instrument to the advancemeÌ„t of his glory whilest the weightines of the worke and weakenesse of the instrumentes doe plainely shew that all this is done not by our strength but by the power and might of the almighty God and also to abate the pride of his enemies whilest their might and power is surpassed by our weaknesse and our shew of wisedome doth in the ende shew that nothing is more foolish then their wisdome as it is said your strength shall be in silence and hope For the son of God destroieth the workes of the Devill deliuering those that beleeue from his tyranny pardoning and putting away their sins beginning in them righteousnesse life
hee can susteine mans nature without meate as hee did Moses and Christ forty daies and therefore it is a labour vnnecessary not a meanes to compasse what we wish and expect either for schollers to busie themselues about bookes and study and to go to their instructors schooles or for husband men to manure their grounde or for any of vs to spend our life in susteining our life Doe you see vpon what rockes of blindnesse and distraction the Divell doth driue these vnhappy men who hauing neuer learned the grounds of godlines or good artes nor loving the labour toile of learning would notwithstaÌ„ding seeme what they are not desiring to extol theÌ„selues against the knowledge of God not doubting to subiect the eternal wisdom to their vile censures for they shew them selues as wel witles as shameles in alleaging exaÌ„ples either of such as by miracle were coÌ„uerted as Paule or endewed with giftes extaordinarie as the Apostles in the PeÌ„tecost or of many hearing the Gospell not beleeuing or lastly in 〈◊〉 such places of scripture as preâ—ch vnto vs the power and office of the holy Ghost We know God be thanked confesse the God can without helpe eyther of teachers or learners coÌ„verte whom he will and that the end and vse of miracles is this to shew that the order of nature wherin he is powerfull was by him before created and is still by him most freely preserued We know further that the conuertinge of soules is the gifte of God aboue so that looke how much greater and more miraculouse a worke it is to restore man being lost vnto salvation then to create him of nothing so much more impudency madnesse is it rather to attribute our redemption then our creation to the force efficacie of mans wordes This also we know that it pleased God by foolish preaching to saue those that beleeue why it hath so pleased him although he need not make vs accoumpt yet is he content to yeeld vs some reasons ever of this his purpose though he propose not the like reasons to the godly and vngodly To the vngodly he yeeldeth this reasoÌ„ because his iustice in coÌ„demning their malice which resist the word reueald should be more manifest in sight of the whole church their consciences also bearing witnesse But we may also consider other causes which make for our instruction and comforte Wheras the voice of the ministrie and all our conceipt of God is vailed with darkenesse wherin we now behould God and know his pleasure hence he admonisheth vs of the greatenesse of our fal whereby it is come to passe that now we enioy not the presence of God dealing with vs as it were a far of by interpreters stirring vs vp to aspire vnto that heavenly schoole wherein God will be seene of vs face to face and shal be al in al. Besides God in this life will haue the searching meditation and confession of this doctrine touching himselfe and his will not to bee concealed in the mindes of men but to bee openly sounded and celebrated and therefore on his authority he hath bound vs to a necessity of knowing it promising thereby to restore vs to salvation Furthermore being willing to haue vs fellow-labourers in the most excellent of his divine workes wherein could he better shew his loue to vs miserable creatures except in giving his only begotten sonne a ransome for our sinnes wee therefore affirme the reading hearing and knowing of this doctrine to be a necessary instrument of our salvation not in respect of GOD but in regarde of our selues not because GOD coulde not otherwise haue converted vs as the builder cannot builde an house without his tooles but because he would not otherwise doe it True faith is indeede the gift and worke of none but GOD onely yet so that it is wrought in vs by the holy Ghost through the hearing of Gods word Pauls planteth Apollos watereth but God giueth encrease And when Paule tearmeth the gospel preached by him the power of God vnto saluation to as many as beleeue Ephes 4. v. 11. He gaue some to bee Apostles and Prophets and some Evangelists some pastors and teachers for the gathering togeather of the sainctes for the worke of the ministerie for the edification of the bodie of Christ can any more gloriouse worde be spoken concerning the office of teaching let not vs therfore presume to be wiser theÌ„ God let not vs forsake thinges ordinarie to follow thinges extraordinarie neyther let vs so much esteeme the pride and reprobate coniumacie of such as contemne the voice of the Gospell that we lesse regard and reuerence the force and fruit of Gods ordinance in his instrumeÌ„ts of mercie as neither the sloth and peruerse peeuishnes of some schollars being baries to profit and all good proceedings can perswade others that instruction and study are things vnnecessary to the attaining and encrease of learning and vertue but let vs rather with al submission and thankefulnes embrace this sweetest comforte whereby we are assured that our labours please God and are not vndertakeÌ„ by vs in vaine according to those sayings Eccles 11. 1. Cast thy â—read vpon the waters for after long time thou shalt finde it againe 1. Cor. 15. 58. Your labour is not in vaine in the Lorde Mat. 18. 20. Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered togither in my â—ame I am in the middest of theÌ„ Were not these promises wel knowne vnto vs and certaine in themselues in this so great fury of Satan and misery of mankinde our best teachers and most careful furtherers of the publique salvation were in conditioÌ„ most vnhappy could not maintaine this place without great difficulty I truly for mine own part knowing my selfe to be of no reckoning feele my selfe so surprised with sorrowe that for griefe I should nether be able to abide this place nor giue passage to my speech did not I certainely know that eveÌ„ in this coÌ„pany there ar some whose harts receiue and approue true wholsome doctrine are by the holy Spirite inflamed with desire of acknowledging and worshipping God aright are living temples of God such as shall hereafter glorifie him with the Angels in heauen Neither do I so speake this as if I did expect that all men should haue like knowledge of this doctrine and equal giftes of the holy Ghost without difference for Saint Paule willeth vs in the 12. to the Romaines to bee wise according to that measure of faith which God hath given to every man but it is necessary that al which look to be saved should hold the same foundatioÌ„ that is they must know and beleeue what Christ is and what he hath perfourmed for every of vs as it is said by Iohn the 17. cap. 3. v. This is life everlasting to know that thou art the only true god whoÌ„ thou hast sent Iesus Christ Ioh. 3. 36. He that beleeveth in the senne hath eternall life By
the people of his charge with the sword of Gods word chased and put to flight the enemies of the faith But what should I speake of his meditations We founde ô deere Vrsine that thou didst truely obserue what Demosthenes had before in word deed approued That easie things were harde to bee conceived by the negligent and harde things easie to the diligent So certaine was it that thou thoughtest nothing vnworthy thy meditation For what easie thing did escape him What difficult thing was there wherevnto he did not attaine Whatsoever the eternall spirit of God delivered in the bookes of the Prophets Apostles all that he beleeued faithfully searched diligently and attained by medâ—â—ating theron miraculously For those he accoumpted the worthiest paines which were bestowed in those divine studies As often as I thinke on the greate laborious and peremptorie desire of meditation which was in this man and I cannot but thinke of it verie much and often I still call to minde that elegaÌ„t senteÌ„ce of Baâ—â—â—us the Great seeing the truth is harde to finde wee must euerie where seeke after it For if the conceiuing as of arts so also of true 〈◊〉 and religion be made greate by that continuall encrease vvhich by little and little is gathered together there is not that thing so meane simple which they that enter into that kind of know ledge may or ought to despise But what thinke you of this that there was nothing delivered by those great men principall philosophers which this my busie fellow professor did not by meditation attaine were it neuer so crabbed deepe and obscure was he not well seene in the moral wrightings of Aristotle and other wrighters was not natural philosophie plaine open and easie vnto him did hee not absolutelie conceiue the drift and nature of Aristotles Organon the subtiltie of vvhich worke some flie as despairing of the vnderstanding thereof others with rash iudgement coÌ„deÌ„ne it as the fatal and pernicious Scylla or Charybdis of youth the subtiltie and commoditie of vvhich vvorke Vrsine sharpelie and speedilie perceaued and presented it as it were in a table to be perceived and perused by others What should I heere speake of the Mathematiques vvhose foundations are commonlie grounded on serious meditatioÌ„ of mind whose principles are coÌ„tained in axioms or petitions as they cal theÌ„ Their difficult preceptes were not vnknowne to Vrsinus vvho by serious meditatioÌ„ not fleeting slender insight throughly pervsed theÌ„ all Well then let vs now see what witnesses we can produce for this matter After I haue vsed his own testimony I wil then thinke of others Vrsine himself in the whole race of these his too shorte daies is a most substantial witnes of his owne meditatioÌ„s al those vertues which before I haue recited For what duties of piety or ChristiaÌ„ charity or coÌ„moÌ„ curtesie did he omit his religious duty toward God God himselfe did see acknowledg seal hath now at the last rewarded But because the best vvay to knowe the tree is by the fruit let me with your patience a litle turne your thoughts to the fruits of his godlinesse religion Truly I thinke that in holy scripture they are the greatest fruits of godlines which coÌ„cerne the advancemeÌ„t of Gods glory And wheÌ„ was this sacred soule at al waÌ„ting herevnto wheÌ„ did it not endevor labor vehemently to giue light everie day more theÌ„ other to the truth therwith to lighteÌ„ others with whoÌ„ it did coÌ„verse that so it might dispel the foggy clouds of error But those duties of piety are most neerely linked vnto charity which concerne both edifying of the church the salvatioÌ„ of our neighbors Wherfore now I wil speak iointly of both sorts of duties demoÌ„strate how painful this couragious soldier of Christ did labour by his speech his wrightings his whole minde that he might not in the least maner trip or waÌ„der froÌ„ his duty As therfore the duties of piety charity ar between theÌ„selues agreeable vnited so also they liued encreased altogither shoÌ„e forth of this maÌ„ when he lived For if we respect the exercises hee vndertooke in regarde of these duties good Lord how great was his faith his diligence his fasting his watching for not onelie the fruits ensuing heereon can witnesse thus much vnto vs but also that macerating and pullinge downe his bodie that taminge of his flesh that outwarde man worne and spent with sore passed labours so that hee died an vntimelie death I woulde to God my deare Vrsine thou hast not so weekned thy selfe with vnmeasurable 〈◊〉 that thou mightest longer tyme haue 〈◊〉 vs 〈◊〉 schoole Gods church For thou diddest so far respect god that thou diddest no way respect thy selfe Alasse alasse deere Vrsine the light of Germanie the pillar of the church the father of this our schoole and the immortall glorie of this couÌ„tie Palatine I woulde thou couldest haue been perswaded to haue taken thy-selfe a little from thy-selfe and respited thy-selfe a little from thy continuall cares that so wee this schoole the whole church might a little longer haue enioyed thee when I in times past admonished thee somwhat to this purpose thou madest mee aunswer that bodilie exercise did little profit where vnto I replied that it was profitable and that by entercourse it was to bee ioyned with the exercise of the mynde and that it was elegantly proved by Chrysostom to the people of Antioch all this I tryed with him but to no purpose But what meane I the Lordes will hath been done it is better to bee silent then to reply Who then is there which can shew that the duty of this worthy and laborious man was ever wanting either in speech or wrightinge as long as hee was any way able to shew it for mine owne part I know not whether the remembrance of his invincible paines which hee vncessantly vsed in perfourmance of these duties did more greiue me or the conceipt of that fruite whith without care of him selfe hee dealte vnto all posteritie doth delight mee although tyme may were awaie greife but this fruit shall continue beyonde all tyme. Yf I respect private conference thy mynde was an wholesome and well sured treasure if thy publique speeches it was the oracle of God at least for that measure that may be found in mortalitie if both togeather that thy divine disposinge and dispensinge of the mysteries of God doth not the brightenesse therof dazel and blinde the eyes of my mynde and vnderstandinge Thou man of God thou well furnished Divine with all the holie complete armoure of divinitie thou excellent amongest all divines when diddest thou at anie time cease from preaching and professing of the truth when diddest thou coÌ„ceale those mysteries which were stored vp in thy armoury that is in thy mind wheÌ„ wert thou at any time idle it is straÌ„ge that I wil tel you yet very certainly true there neuer came in my preseÌ„ce
not what may concerne the gospell if these things doe not It may suffice againe to admonish you as before of mainâ—taining the purity of our article of iustificatioÌ„ But those words of yours O bow that exclamation troubled mee TO WHOM DOTH GOD OWE ANY THINGâ— filled 〈◊〉 partly with admiration partly with indignatioÌ„ griefe I was out of patâ—ence when I read theÌ„ Surely either you haue bin little conversant in reading holy scriptures or to much possessed with affection preiudice wheÌ„ you so sawcily condemne the words of scripture Is it not the exclamation of Paule Rom. 11. 35. Who hath first giuen vnto the Lord that he may recompence him Truly nothing more comforteth me then this vnspeakable loue of God towardes me that oweing no more to me then to Iudas or Cain yet for all that of an enimie he hath made me a son by the death of his onely begotten For that which you aleadg of Gods binding himselfe vnto vs by promise is nothing at all to the purpose What then I pray will you pretend before the applying of this promise To whom doth this promise bind God but vnto him that embraceth it by faith But who embraceth or receiueth it besides those on whoÌ„ God vouchsafeth to bestow this benefite he obligeth himselfe to as manie as beleeue and this very obligation proceedeth of his free goodnesse But where â—el me where in scripture do you read that God bindeth himselfe by any promise to giue faith repentance vnto all this you wil never be able to shew vs. Leaue then to bee troubled with the words of Christ proceeding from a most inwarde feeling of piety true humility before God neither dreame that by them Papisticall doubts are confirmed whereas rather in deed without them the certainety of faith cannot consist Sixtlie they should long since haue beene ashamed of the argument they bring for vniversal promises For themselues are faultie in that which they obiect vnto vs. You answeare the argument and yet vse it Yf this vniuersall promise did partaine to all men what a confusion of impietie absurditie would follow But if it must be restained vnto those that beleeue as indeed it must we also maintaine this vniuersall truth and comforte hauing learned out of Gods worde that all and they alone which beleeue be heires of eternall life and so receiued into fauour by God that they shall for euer all continew thenn and not one perish according to those scriptures No man shall take awaie my sheâ—pe from me Of that which my father hath giuen me I wil not loose c That if it were possible the verie elect should be seduced Whom he hath chosen them he hath called iustified glorified This is the conclusion of Christian faith and consolation and this article is placed in the end of the creed that we might beleeue eternall life and with the Apostle singâ— that triumphant song who shall seperate the elect c. They on the other side do openly and greeuousely wrong the maiestie of God whilest they imagine his loue to be mutable as the loue of man as for the goldy them they depriue of their comfort they weaken disgrace and vilifie the force vse and comfort of vniuerfall promises whilest they feine that some truely beleeuing may finally fall aware perish that they which are new in fauor with God were not so from all eternitie nor shall be euerlastingly which being most absurd it followeth necessarily that because they will not be certaine of Gods future and eternall grace therefore they can not be certaine of the grace present The scripture teacheth that as many as beleeue are to be saâ—ed they oppose the contradictory that sâ—me which beleeue are not to be saued Where is now your comfort by which you may include your selfe in the vniuersall fall These are those secret sleights of theâ— devill which must be obserued avoyded Augustines exposition vpoÌ„ Paules Epistle to Timothy of al sorts of men fitteth that place properly as may appeare by the drift and words of Saint Paule But to the coÌ„teÌ„tious I vse to yeeld thus far that it is spoken of al particular men according to the effect towards all vocation but not according to efficacie As for our wrighters none of them would endure much lesse desire that an indefinite might be substituted in place of an vniversall Your coockow song of contradictory wils is broken of by an answere of vniversals For there is no contradiction in this God will that al which beleeue should bee saved and that none which beleeue not should be saved Againe you do ill to confound the commandement pertaining to all men that all shoulde come vnto Christ with the promise for Christ wil ease not al men but al which come vnto him And therfore as the excludeth none no not the reprobate such as perish from the commaÌ„dement so likewise he excludeth froÌ„ the promise none which come vnto him that is which beleeue in him At odious is your exprobation of respect of persons That may be committed when a thing is given of debt or duty not when it is given of free mercy as God giveth He is rich to all yet not giving the same giftes and benefits to all because in his most spacious pallace hee will haue variety of furniture But whereas the Apostle in this place speaketh principally of eternal riches you spightfully omit what he addeth Calling vpon him Wil you know vpon what ground we acknowledg two sortes of election I will shew you three sortes in scripture First God chose the people of Israel to be his church SecoÌ„dly Christ chose the twelue Apostles to spread the Gospell abroad in the world thirdly he chose not al of either of these to eternall life because amongst the Israelits many were called but feaw chosen amonst the Apostles one was a Deuil But he knew whom he had chosen I meane to eternall life and not only to the Apostleship wherevnto also he chose Iudas So there are three sorts of vocation or calling first to the visible church whereof it is saide manie are called secondlie to the church of Saints which calling is internall and effectuall which Paule nameth according vnto his purpose vz. of saving those which are called thirdly to some certaine charge or dutie in this life so my vocation is to labour in this schoole The will of God named will of revelation and good-pleasure the Schoole-men haue well distinguished not as contrary or two wils but one wil and that partly manifested and partly coÌ„cealed partly proving and partly efficient which are thinges agreeable to the nature of God Eightly you conclude with a grosse and pestilent cavil that the doctrine of final perseueranâ—e maketh men presumptuous but do you call it presumption to beleeue eternall life You deale too contumeliously with the holy spirit and too heynous is this ingratitude for
so great a benefiâ— which God through Christ in this life bestowed on vs namely the certaintie of our saluation purchased for vs by Christ which is the summe and foundation of our comforte and religion For what comforte were it to know that indeed Christ did ones purchase saluation for vs but everie moment it is a thousand waies subiect to be lost we must therefore know that our life is with Christ in God and there as safely kept as is the life of Christ him-selfe reigning in heauen This is a thousand times saide in scripture Read Melancthon vpon the 7. ca. of Mat. in the place aboue cited Read the 5. and 8. chapt to the Rom. I see you doe not put difference betweene securitie of the spirit of the flesh and that you stagger even in the verie grounds of Christianity if in heart you maintaine this tedious opinions If it be so I am verie sorrie for you and doe exhorte you to read the scriptures diligently That also is a meere cavill that we should saie the elect cannot forgoe the holie spirit Nay they often loose manie giâ—es of the same spirit but recouer them againe by repentance For they do not quite revolt from God and become professed enimies of the truth that is they sinne not against the holy Ghost nor so fal that finally they perseuere in their errours against the foundatioÌ„ and in their sinnes against conscience Neyther doth this comforte make men secure because it concerneth them onely which haue a purpose to beware of falling abhor nothing more then offending God there is therefore a manifest contradiction in that diuelish scoffe of the wicked which say If I be elected I wil do what pleaseth me because it shal not hurt me For God will haue vs be sure that we are elected but this we can not do without faith and repentance All thinges worke for the best trew vnto them that loue God There is no condemnation to them which walke according to the spiritâ— These two ioyned togeather exclude securitie stirre vs vp to cheerefulnesse and alacritie to runne our race according to the commaundement make your election certaine On the other side they sleep securely in their sins which dreame that it is in their owne handes to take and lay aside repentance whensoeuer and as often as they list and play with GOD at their pleasure But say you I woulde faine shifte of this triall wherevnto the certainetie of saluation doeth call That is it the Divell woulde haue Those sayings Matthew the two and twentith and tenth Hee vvhich continueth to the ende c Revelations the second and tenth To him that overcommeth I vvill giue a crowne c. Doe not derogate from the certaintie of saluation but are exhortations wherby God vpholdeth vs in that certainetie stirring vp in vs a desire of godlinesse and hatred of sinne The like slaunder it is when you say that vvee teach men to iudge of election a priore or by the cause Eyther malitiously they dissemble our opinion or else they vnderstande neither themselues nor vs. VVee iudge by the effect that is by faith and repentaunce of the cause that is of election But to iudge thus is to iudge a posteriors that is by the effect That wee ought not to determine of any before the ende of his life whether hee shall bee saued or no if you meane it of others you say well if of our selues or of euerie mans ovvne conscience and certainetie in himselfe it is a detestable wicked diuelish and blasphemous sayings overthrowinge the whole foundation and grouÌ„dworke of saluation Hee that taught you this taught you a doctrine of diuels though he were an angell from heauen But I will tell you an other lesson except you be certaine before the end of this life whether you shall be heire of eternall life you shall neuer so be after this life For faith in this veâ—â—e certainetie which is the beginning of eternall life this all must haue in this life vvhich looke for that other life If you haue thought on the nature and definition of hope that it is a sure and certaine expectation of eternall life you should haue found no such thing there My hart doth stand on end to think of your blasphemy I would not for an hundred thousand worlds be so seperated from Christ as to be vncertaine whether I were his or noe These are heathenish blasphemes the verie entrance of hell Wherefore you do well to confirme it with testimonies of the heathen for these thinges refarre wide of the worde of God Why doe you so coâ—rupt the wordes of scripture wresting them from a â—onne like to a seruile feare what mystere what blindnesse is it for a man to boast of vniuersall promises and not to sifte himselfe and trie whether he be of their nomber of whom the promises speak This is in deede to bring in amongst men carnall security and a shadow of faith which in the conflâ—ct driueth vs head-long into desperation I do not thâ—nke Luther Melancthon taught any maÌ„ so to babble and fome out these vniuersall promises But the carrier calles for my letters and I haue to my great paines spent the whole night in wrighting these lines Farewell Let me entreat you to provoke me no more with such disputations Fare-well hartily this 2 of september 1573. OF THE CAVSE OF SINNE Parte of a letter of Vrsinus to his friend concerning the cause of sinne ONe terrible bug-beare they haue of the cause of sinne all the rest is foolish and not worthy the aunswearing But even that also is a childish fallacie of accident For by accident that is through defect fault and error of the will of the Divel or man sin commeth to bee that worke which God by will most iust most agreeable to his nature the Law wil haue done permitting in the mean time the sins of the creature that is not so correcting directing it that it may do iustly togither with God doing iustly or els while he doth not enlighten it with the knowledge of his will or doth not so turne it by his spirit that it may doe that which it doth for obedience sake to the revealed will of God So that God ever doth well both by those that are good and also by those that are evill But the creature doth well togither with God in that goodnes wherein it is created preserved or therevnto againe restored by God The good therfore which it doth is the work of God which himselfe doth will and effect the evill which it doth is froÌ„ it selfe Now this euill is not done but permitted by God whiles he doth not cause the will of the creature to become good and to do good togeather with God doing good For the same worke in respect of diuerse causes is both good euil mutable immutable contingent free as the causes them-selues are diuerse which concuâ—â—e in producing therof Hee which