bicause if he did sinne he was to die But he would not that it should be lawfullie said This is mortall Therefore it shall vtterlie die Euen as we grant that our flesh is in such case as it may be wounded and yet it may come to passe that it shall not be wounded The bodie also of man as I may saie is in case to be sicke wheras neuerthelesse it chanceth manie times that some doo die before they be sicke Therefore he saith A similitude The garments and shooes of the Hebrues Deut. 29 5. that the state of Adams bodie was such as although he might die yet vnlesse sinne did happen he should be preserued from death by God euen as the garments and shoos of the Hebrues by the power of God were not consumed or worne by the space of fortie yéers in the wildernesse as we read in the 19. chapter of Deuteronomie And he thinketh Enoch and Elias that as concerning this condition Enoch and Elias haue now the state of Adams bodie bicause they be preserued from death yea whether they be susteined without meate or else doo vse such sustenance as God prepareth for them For the first man had meates wherewith he might be nourished and he did eate other fruits to withstand the defects of nature The tree of life was a remedie against oldnesse But the trée of life was against old age for by the same trée it came to passe that the decaid matter which was amended should be of no lesse goodnes and perfection than that which was lost But séeing the same commeth not to passe in vs we both are troubled with old age and at last death catcheth hold of vs. In Adam therfore there was a state of mortalitie but yet such as was to be swalowed vp by the benefit of God when he should at his due time be translated vnto the chéefe felicitie Whereby Augustine iudged that we may perceiue the greatnes of the benefit of Christ séeing he hath restored vs vnto more than Adam tooke from vs bicause that through Christ Augustine iudged that Christ restored more vnto vs than Adam tooke away not onelie life is restored vnto vs and death chased awaie but mortalitie also at the resurrection shall he taken awaie For we shall not be able to die which thing Paule teacheth when he writeth that This mortall shall put on immortalitie And that saieng vnto the Romans séemeth to make with this doctrine when he saith But if Christ doo dwell in vs Rom. 8 10. verelie the bodie is dead by reason of sinne In which place he saith not that our bodie is mortall through sin but is dead that is to saie subiect vnto death Afterward he addeth vers 11. His spirit which hath raised Christ from the dead shall quicken your mortall bodies This he spake of the resurrection wherin our bodies must be quickened which he called mortall but not dead that thou maiest vnderstand that not onelie death shall be taken from them but also that they shall be mortall no more And whereas the Pelagians thinke Death brought in by sinne cannot be vnderstood allegoricallie Rom. 5 12. that death is allegoricallie to be taken for the fall of soules it can in no wise be allowed séeing it is written in the fift to the Romans By one man sinne entered into the world by sinne death But if that onelie the death of soules he brought by Adam why did Paule expresse twaine who not onelie said Sinne but he also added Death Moreouer the testimonie of the booke of Genesis dooth most plainelie conuince them wherein mans punishment is thus recited Gen. 2 19. Earth thou art and into earth thou shalt returne Which saieng these men are constrained whether they will or no to ascribe vnto the death of the bodie vnlesse they dare affirme that our soules be fashioned of earth and into earth shall be dissolued And whereas they obiected Whence depended the preseruation of the first mans bodie Deut. 29 5. that we haue a bodie by nature compact of contraries if forceth not much bicause the same preseruation dooth not depend of nature but of God as the scriptures declare to be doone as touching the garments and shooes of the Hebrues But of what thing he meaneth death it cannot better be perceiued than by an Antithesis or comparing of it with the contrarie which is with life Life is of two sorts But life is of two sorts the one wherewith we be mooued to spirituall to diuine and to heauenlie good things and the same commeth to passe so long as we be ioined togither with God for vnlesse we be set on by the spirit of God we cannot procéed vnto those things which doo surpasse our owne nature Another life is wherewith we be mooued to pursue those good things which make to the preseruation of nature maintenance of our bodilie state Both of these liues Both the liues did death take awaie did death which was laid vpon vs for sinne take awaie For death is nothing else but a depriuing of life for so soone as euer man sinned he was turned awaie from God and so was forsaken of his grace and destitute of his fauour so that he was not able to aspire againe vnto eternall felicitie This bodilie life also may be said to be taken awaie through sinne How immediatelie after sinne came doth for immediatelie after sinne the beginnings and ministers of death inuaded man such be hunger thirst sicknes consumption of moisture and heate and the dailie quenching of life for all these things doo lead a man awaie to death And Chrysostome vpon Genesis Chrysost treating at large of this matter saith that The first parents so soone as they had sinned were dead foorthwith for the Lord foorthwith pronounced the sentence of death against them A similitude And euen as they which be condemned to die although they be reteined somewhile aliue in prison yet are reputed for dead euen so the first parents albeit through the benignitie of God they liued longer yet in verie truth they were dead by and by after that God denounced sentence against them Ambrose saith Ambrose that they were suddenlie oppressed with death bicause afterward they had no daie nor houre There is no houre wherein we are not subiect vnto death nor moment wherein they were not subiect vnto death Neither is there anie mortall man that can assure himselfe to liue the space of one houre Whereby it appéereth that both sorts of death was brought in by sinne So then we must beware that we consent not vnto them Death is not naturall vnto man which are woont to saie that death is naturall vnto man and as it were a certeine rest whereby the motion of life is interrupted In death there is a feele of Gods wrath Matt. 27 35. Iohn 21 18. Esaie 38 2. These sort of opinions must be left vnto the Ethniks for
thought well of thâ—se things touching which he had erred in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which if it be true then forsomuch as in these bookes he had a most wicked iudgement of the sonne of God it may easilie be prooued that these things could not be written by him in his Commentaries to the Romans But howsoeuer it be touching Origin Origins Commentaries vpon the Romans Cyprian for his Commentaries to the Romans are not extant in the Gréeke whereby we should iudge anie thing of them this is certeine that Cyprian a most ancient writer in his second booke against the Iewes the fift chapter vseth this testimonie to prooue the diuinitie of Christ albeit that when he citeth the words of Paule he leaueth out this word God And so we perceiue to be doone by Hilarie vpon the 122. psalme Hilarie But that may séeme to haue come through the negligence of the Registers as Erasmus himselfe confesseth Neither must we omit that that particle Ouer all may be adioined to that particle Blessed which followeth so that the sense is God that is to be praised aboue all ¶ Touching the vniting of substance of the two natures into one person of Christ looke the dialog of Peter Martyr himselfe set foorth particularlie concerning that matter 5 But in that sentence of Paule In 1. Cor. 15. vers 47. which is written in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter The first man is of the earth earthie the second man is the Lord himselfe from heauen That to this purpose the Antithesis might be perfect manie haue thought it should be vnderstood that euen as the first man had his bodie fashioned out of the earth so the second man namelie Christ brought his bodie out of heauen Hereof it commeth that Valentinus Martion Swenkfields heresie and among the latter heretikes Swenkfeldius and his fellowes agrée not that Christ tooke flesh of the virgine but thought that hée brought his bodie with him out of heauen But it is not necessarie that the comparison should be answerable in euerie point This rather is a certeine allusion of the apostle wherein is not weighed the substance of things compared but the qualities conditions and gifts of nature are compared togither Neither meaneth the apostle anie other thing but that Adam was the figure of this our life and that the latter Adam I meane Christ is the forme of the life to come which we expect Neither dooth hée here make mention of a bodie naie rather when he had said The first man of the earth earthie hée added And the second is the Lord from heauen It is not denied of the godlie that Christ is from heauen séeing they attribute vnto him the diuine nature but yet it commeth not to passe thereby that whatsoeuer the Lord who came downe from heauen had is either of heauenlie nature or else brought from heauen For if we list after that sort to reason of the first Adam we shall not say that he is vtterlie of the earth earthie séeing beside the bodie he had also a soule which is a diuine thing and was not taken out of the slime of the earth So as according to this reason we may saie that as Adam had not onelie a bodie fashioned out of the earth but also a heauenlie mind so Christ comprehendeth not onelie the diuine nature which was out of heauen The Lord came out of heauen although he had his bodie out of the earth Augustine but a naturall bodie which he tooke out of the earth in the virgins wombe And Augustine in the 13. chapter De ciuitate Dei feareth not howsoeuer to attribute vnto the man Christ a naturall bodie otherwise if we shall grant vnto Christ a bodie brought out of heauen he shall not be a man séeing heauenlie things are furthest of all differing from earthlie things But that Christ was verie man as well the scripture euerie where testifieth as also Paule in this place expresselie calleth him a man How Christ his bodie may be said to haue come out of heauen Luke 1 35. Albeit as touching the humanitie Christ may be said to haue come out of heauen séeing his bodie had no originall from the séed of man but from the holie Ghost as the angell promised vnto the virgine when he said The spirit of the highest shall ouershadow thee Moreouer he might be said to come from heauen in respect of affections and actions of his humane conuersation when as in maners and holinesse of life he altogither behaued himselfe heauenlie and diuinelie Furthermore the apostle speaketh of Christ hauing respect vnto the state of the resurrection wherevnto we also shall be brought And it is not to be doubted but that he challenged vnto himselfe the condition of resurrection not naturallie but by his diuine power 6 But now séeing the exposition of this place is manifest there resteth yet to reprooue them which haue otherwise iudged saieng that Christ tooke not his bodie of the virgine but brought the same foorth with him out of heauen The reasons of them which saie that Christ brought his bodie out of heauen and that he passed through the virgine Marie as through a conduit But speciallie let vs consider what reasons they rest vpon First they saie that If the bodie of Christ be not diuine and heauenlie but a creature taken of the virgins wombe when as Paule saith The first reason Ephes 3 17 that Christ dwelleth in our harts as we read vnto the Ephesians we shall haue no more but halfe of him For it shall be no otherwise than according to his diuine nature But we answer them that in what sort Christ dwelleth in our harts the same apostle dooth plainlie declare for he added By faith Which faith dooth not apprehend Christ in part but wholie as well in the sacrament of the Eucharist as also in the word of God which is set foorth vnto vs for our saluation And that this must be iudged after a spirituall sort it appéereth by comparing togither of other places In the eight chapter vnto the Romans it is said verse 11. If Christ doo dwell in you God which raised him from the dead shall also quicken your mortall bodies for his spirit sake which dwelleth in you Here now we plainlie heare that Christ by his spirit dwelleth in vs. And in the third chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians verse 16. we are by no other reason affirmed to be the temple of God but bicause the holie Ghost dwelleth in vs. Neither is there required vnto that coniunction which we haue with Christ that his bodie should in verie déed penetrate our breasts or our minds By faith and by the spirit Christ is all wholie apprehended of vs as well touching his diuine nature as touching his humane nature And when we affirme the diuine nature of Christ to be euerie-where we doo not so say of the humane It must not be
restored to thee in the resurrection of the iust In Iohn Iohn 12 25. He that loueth his soule in this world shall loose it and he that dooth hate the same shall preserue it vnto euerlasting life And vnder the word Soule he vnderstandeth this life of the bodie wherevnto he that is ouermuch affected and will not render it for the Gospell sake shall loose the same bicause in the resurrection it shal be iudged to perpetuall destruction But he that shall loose the same shall receiue it safe vnto eternall life In the 25. of Matthew Matt. 25 32. Before him shal be gathered all nations And in the 13. Mark 13. 27 of Marke And he shall send his angels and shall gather his elect togither from the foure winds and from the vttermost parts of the earth to the vttermost part of heauen In the 17. of the Acts Acts. 17 verse 18 31 Paule preached this resurrection to the Atheniens when there were present with him the Stoiks Epicures in the stréete of Mars who hearing of that doctrine partlie they laughed it to scorne partlie they said We wil heare thee another time of this matter And they called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A carrier about of newes a setter foorth of strangs gods of new doctrine verse 6. In the same booke the 23 chapter when as Paule stood in the college of the Scribes Pharisies and priests and sawe himselfe to liue in great danger he cried out I am a Pharisie and the sonne of a Pharisie verse 15. and I am iudged of the resurrection of the dead And againe in the 24. chapter of the same booke when he had pleaded his cause before Felix the president he testified Acts. 26 8. that both the iust and vniust should rise againe The verie which thing he rehearseth againe when he was before Festus in the presence of king Agrippa and Bernice his wife 54 Yea and Peter in the first epistle vers 3. and first chapter saith that God according to the abundance of his mercie hath begotten vs againe vnto a liuelie hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead And ye by the power of God are kept through faith vnto saluation which shall be shewed in the last time 2. Pet. 3 13. And in the latter epistle the third chapter he saith that In those daies there shall be new heauens and a new earth verse 2. Also Iohn in his first epistle and third chapter writeth When Christ shall appeere then we shall be like vnto him Whereof it is gathered that séeing Christ hath a bodie and is risen againe we also shall rise againe togither with our bodies verse 12. In the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse we read And I sawe the dead both great and small stand in the sight of God c. verse 4. Also in the 21. chapter And God shall wipe awaie all teares from their eies and there shall be no more death verse 14. c. In the 22. chapter also Blessed be they which keepe his commandements that their power may be in the tree of life Rom. 8 11. Paule in the eight chapter to the Romans But if his spirit that raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead dwell in you he that hath raised Iesus Christ from the dead will also quicken your mortall bodies verse 5. And in the sixt chapter For if we be planted with him to the similitude of his death euen so shall we be partakers of his resurrection verse 10. And in the 14. chapter For we shall all appeere before the tribunall seat of Christ 1. Cor. 15. Vnto the Corinthians the first epistle and 15. chapter he intreating purposelie and diligentlie of this question in such sort confirmeth the resurrection that of his iudgement and meaning therein it is not lawfull to doubt I will not drawe out words from thence bicause it should be méet to recite the whole chapter vers 13. c. Howbeit this I will rehearse out of the sixt chapter of the same epistle Our bodie is not for fornication but for the Lord and the Lord for the bodie And God hath also raised vp the Lord and shall raise vs vp by his power And in the latter epistle verse 1 c. the fift chapter mention is made of our habitation in heauen Not being made with hands and that we desire to be clothed vpon and that while we be in this tabernacle we sigh bicause we would not be vnclothed but be clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swalowed vp of life Further it is added that All we shall appeere before the iudgement seat of Christ that euerie one may receiue the things which are doone in his bodie according to that he hath doone whether it be good or euill Vnto the Ephesians verse 1. the second chapter When we were dead through sinnes he quickened vs togither in Christ and hath raised vs vp togither with him and made vs to sit in the heauenlie places verse 10. c. Vnto the Philippians the third chapter That I may knowe him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his afflictions while I am made conformable vnto his death if I may by anie meanes attaine to the resurrection of the dead Vnto the Colossians verse 12. the second chapter Ye being buried togither with him by baptisme in whom ye are also raised togither with him through the faith of the operation of God which hath raised him vp from the dead Likewise in the third chapter verse 3. Your life is hidden with Christ in God wherefore when Christ your life shall appeere then shall you be made manifest with him in glorie Vnto the Thessalonians the first epistle the 4. verse 13. chapter he admonisheth them that They should not sorrowe for them that are asleepe as others doo which haue no hope for if we beleeue that Iesus died and rose againe euen so God will bring with him those which sleepe in Iesus And strait after Ibidem 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shout and with the voice of an archangell and with the trumpet of God and the dead in Christ shall rise first Vnto the Hebrues the second chapter verse 14. That by death he might abolish him who had power ouer death In the same epistle the eleuenth chapter Ibidem 19. when Abraham at the commandment of God would haue sacrificed his sonne Isaac of whom he had the promise of posteritie he considered with him selfe that God was able euen to raise him vp from the dead from whence also he reduced him to be a figure of the resurrection Iude verse 15. in his epistle bringeth in Enoch for a testimonie who was the seuenth from Adam and said verse 2◠Behold the Lord commeth in thousands of his saints to giue iudgement against all men and to
the first point We are risen vp together with him For to the intent he might shewe this Mat. 27. 52 when hée rose vp he had manie bodies of the saintes with him which appeared vnto others Further he rose not to himselfe but vnto others vnto vs I meane séeing hee is our head If he himself be risen the members also are raised vp with him Example of those that bee drowned in the waters Rom. 8. 32. To the Rom. Seeing he hath giuen his sonne howe shall hee not with him giue all thinges But and if he haue giuen all thinges hee hath also giuen resurrection Ephe. 2. 1. Vnto the Ephesians When ye were dead in your sinnes he quickened you together with him and not onelie quickened you but also made you to sit together on the right hand in the heauenlie places And in the same Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 1. 19. What is the exceeding greatnes of his power towards vs which beleue according to the working of his mightie power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the deade c. Furthermore he is risen vp vnto vs and sitteth at the right hande of the father and obtaineth for vs the spirite which was in him the beginning of the resurrection For vnto the Romanes it is saide If the spirite of him which raised vp Christ from the deade doe dwell in you Rom. 8. 11. hee will quicken also your mortall bodies because of the spirit that dwelleth in you Also vnto the Romanes the sixt Chapter Verse 11. Likewise thinke yee also that ye are deade to sinne but are aliue to God in Christ Iesus Weare all dead through Adam and doe presentlie taste of death Wherefore if we will not make Christ to bee worser than Adam let vs saie that he also gaue a newe life which we maie now presentlie tast Christ is the first fruits of them that rise againe as it is saide vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 15. 20 First fruites doe not so goe before other fruites but that they be together with them indéede they be not ripe but yet they are nowe extant so likewise our resurrection although it be not ripe yet is it And as Christ by Baptisme hath drawen vs with him into his death and buriall so hath he drawen vs out vnto life This doeth the dipping into the water and the issuing foorth againe signifie when we are baptised It is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 10. 9. But and if wee confesse the Lorde Iesus to haue risen from the dead wee shall be saued Wherefore the resurrection of Christ pertayneth to our resurrection For we cannot be saued vnlesse we be pertakers of the same Hee was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification c. Rom. 4. 25. If ye bee risen together with Christ seeke ye those thinges which are aboue c. The minor proposition must bee added But ye are risen together with Christ Col. 3. 1. Iohn 3. 36. Rom. 8. 24. therefore ye ought to seeke those things that be aboue He that beleeueth in the sonne hath eternall life By hope wee are saued Howbeit we are yet still after a sort vnder death Neither doe we saie as doe the Libertines that the resurrection is alreadie past wee onelie affirme that it is begunne For God bringeth not by and by vnto the high and perfect degrée he first giueth certaine entrances and beginninges Before that Moses colde be declared captaine of the people of God if we shall giue credite to Iosephus he cast vppon the ground the diademe of Pharao and trode it vnder his féete he slewe an Egyptian and made peace betwéene the Israelites whereby is declared that hee was partaker of his vocation although it were not as yet fullie reuealed Also Dauid being a childe slew Lyons and Beares and being a young man killed Goliath 1. Sa. 17. 34 Ib. ver 49. whereby he beganne nowe to bée a partaker of the gouernment of the Israelites although he were not declared king So wee although we haue not as yet obteyned a perfect resurrection yet are we conuersant therein Now must we sée wherein this resurrection of ours standeth First in good woorkes which are nothing else but enterances and beginninges of eternall life They are degrées whereby God draweth vs vnto a perfect life They are no merites but pathes and imperfect beginninges Rom. 8. 12. We are debters not to liue after the fleshe but after the spirite for if according to the spirite yee mortifie the deedes of the fleshe yee shall liue Mortifie your members which bee vppon the earth Col. 3. 5. And those doeth Paul expresse to bee Fornication couetousnesse and Idolatrie c. And our olde man the more he is destroied the more hee is euerie daie renewed Also in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 15 He died for all men that hee which nowe liueth maie not liue to himselfe but vnto him which died for vs. Whereuppon Paul I liue yet not I nowe but Christ liueth in mee We must take héede that not onelie we testifie in woordes that Christ is risen againe but to shewe that hee is also risen againe in vs. Christ when he was risen againe entered into the glorie of the father that we in this resurrection begun might prooue our selues to be the children of God as we bée Wherefore it is saide vnto the Romanes Rom. 1. 4. Christ is defined or rather declared to bee the sonne of God by his rising againe from the dead All things are subdued vnto Christ so ought we to ouercome all thinges and to faint in nothing Let vs stande out in temptations and triumph ouer our tribulations Christ is aboue Col. 3. 1. and let our conuersation be in heauen Finallie let vs perseuere For in that Christ dyed Rom. 6. 10. he died once and death hath no more dominion ouer him c. An Oration or Sermon of D. P. Martyr out of the 1. Chapter of the Prophet Hagge THe most royall Temple dearelie beloued which was erected vnto God almightie at Ierusalem which in euerie mans mouth was called The house of God we reade was not for one cause alone either defiled or burned For by the armie of the Caldeās it was burned by the Macedonians it was defiled by an Image of Iupitur Olympus finallie the couetous nation of the Iewes abused the same for a Market to buy and sell in to satisfie their gréedinesse Howbeit God who suffereth not that which belongeth to him to be perpetuallie trodden vnder foote procured by Nehemias Esdras Zorobabel Ihesus the sonne of Iosadeck Hagge Zacharie and Malachie that his holie house which had long time lien ouerthrowen should be againe restored And he in like manner did so prosper the valiant indeuours of Iudas Machabaeus his warlike prowesse as the Temple which the wicked licentiousnesse of the Gretians did defile was againe cleansed by
that blast the nature of the holie Ghost but a signe thereof that he would from without come into their soules and that by the worke of Christ Againe in taking of that word for a blast we might saie that God breathed that is he made man himselfe to breath that is after the bodie was made he gaue him the power of breathing so as he being aliue and indued with a soule might be séene and beheld The second interpretation is that that blast is taken for the soule which is giuen vnto vs by God And they saie that Nischmath doth chéefelie signifie that which is diuine and reasonable that doth God giue vnto vs. And where it is added Man was made a liuing soule Nephesch signifieth a sensible life whereof other liuing creatures be partakers Which thing plainelie declareth vnto vs that a soule reasonable is giuen vnto vs from aboue by God FroÌ„ whence commeth a reasonable soule and hath with it all power that other inferiour creatures haue Hence is excluded a double error For we must not thinke that the soule is of the substance of God Concerning the substance of the soule for that is vnuariable and immutable but the soule may become miserable and it appeareth to be most inconstant Furthermore it is no blast of the nature and substance of the dieng man neither must it on the other side be accounted of the same qualitie and nature that the liues be of other liuing creatures bicause it is most certeine that in them is no vnderstanding séeing in the 32. psalme it is said of the horsse and of the mule that in them there is no vnderstanding And other beasts might thinke themselues wrongfullie subdued vnto men if they had bin indued with the same kind of soule But this opinion néedeth not to be confuted by manie reasons séeing the best philosophers were displeased therewith ¶ Looke the propositions out of the second chapter of Genesis in the end of this booke Whether all soules were created at once 23 But héere they doubt whether all the soules of men were created by God at the beginning or else be made by him and planted in bodies according as the course of nature séemeth to require There be some haue thought that they were all created at the beginning among whome also there were manie of the Iewes And among vs Origin hath bin reckoned of that opinion And it séemes that they were vpon this cause mooued héerevnto for that a reasonable soule being incorruptible is not procreated of anie matter And therefore they saie that the same being by God made of nothing it might not be trulie said of him that he rested the seauenth daie from all his worke as touching creation But this opinion hath no likelihood of truth For séeing the soule is the liuelie part and fourme of the bodie it séemeth that the bringing foorth of them should be both ioined togither Moreouer I would demand whether they be idle or doo something all the while that they haue their being before the bodie If thou saie that they be idle it séemeth absurd that things should be so long time destitute of their working But if so be they doo something that must of necessitie be either good or euill But the scripture in the ninth to the Romanes Rom. 9 11. pronounceth plainelie of Iacob and Esau that before they had done either good or euill But that which mooueth more is the historie of the creation which sheweth vnto vs that the soule was made euen when the bodie was wrought out of the earth For séeing there is no mention made thereof before and that the production of so notable a thing should not haue bin kept in silence it remaineth to be vnderstood that it was made by God euen then when we reade that it was inspired or blowne in by him But that reason which concerneth the ceasing from all his labour we may easilie answere if we saie that now also God doth worke either through the continuall gouernement of things or else bicause whatsoeuer things he maketh are referred to the former and be of the same kind that those be which were made in the first sixe daies But why the bodie was first made before the soule this reason is shewed by the fathers bicause if the soule should haue bin brought in before the bodie it might haue bin idle being without the organe and instrument of his actions But this order hath God obserued The order of gods creation that alwaies should be first prepared those things wherein the more excellent things should abide and then to bring in the things themselues that they might worke so soone as euer they be made First the earth was discouered from the waters then the Sun and the Moone were made which should exercise their power and strength vpon the earth and plants thereof All beasts were first made and all the springs and plants of the earth and last of all man which should be set ouer all these things that immediatelie after he was created he might haue somewhat to doo In like manner now the bodie is first and then followeth the soule least it should be idle By which purpose of God we are taught that amoÌ„g vs this also may be done that the more anie men doo excell the more readie matter of working is ministred vnto them least they should liue idlie 24 Moreouer man saith Aben-ezra being made a liuing soule he straitwaie mooued himselfe the first man was not created to be weake as yoong children be which cannot guide themselues and walke but after the manner of other liuing creatures which walke immediatelie after they be brought foorth or else he shewed the tokens of the presence of the soule moouing I meane and sense Of moouing and sense For these two as Aristotle affirmeth séemed to all the ancient philosophers to be the chéefe effects of the soule Of this blast of God vpon the dust or claie whereof the bodie of man was compact we perceiuing the same to be so mightie as it quickned forthwith gaue strength to all members there is gathered a good argument for the easines of our resurrection An argument of the easâ—nes of the resurrection Ezec. 37 5. For if his spirit shall blowe againe vpon the ashes of the dead they shall most easilie put on againe their soules as it is described in the 37. chapter of Ezechiel where he sheweth that by the breath of the spirit of God those bones were quickened which last renewing of bodies shall so far excell this as Paule calleth this first man Of the earth earthie and the latter he calleth both spirituall and heauenlie In Gen. 9 verse 4. How the bloud is the soule 25 But let vs sée how it is true that is auouched in the ninth of Genesis that the bloud is the soule This the Manicheis cannot abide in the old testament and reprooue it as a lie for they vtterlie renounce the old bookes
into you and ye shall liue But it is a maruell that the prophet should be commanded to prophesie and speake vnto the bones which be so rude base and void of sense as they cannot either heare or vnderstand anie thing But it must be considered that all things though they be void of life and without sense and motion doo obeie God without delaie And Christ in like maner saith in Iohn The houre shall come Iohn 5 28. when they that be in the graues shall heare the voice of the sonne of God whereas yet the bones ashes of dead men which be in graues neither heare nor féele anie thing yet neuerthelesse it is said that they shall arise at the voice of the archangel and trumpet of God 42 The order and disposition of bones in the resurrection is most diligentlie taught by the prophet First bones being ioined to bones are bound and knit togither with sinews Further they are replenished with flesh which bicause it should not remaine vnséemelie and fowle to looke vpon it is couered with skinne When the dead bodies were now become perfect he commandeth the prophet to prophesie vnto the spirit that it should come and that they should be made things liuing with soule There is two sorts of spirit mentioned A mention of two sorts of spirit namelie of the soule which quickeneth the bodie and of the spirit of God which illuminateth and sanctifieth the soule And for this cause the dead raised vp are not onlie said to haue stood vpon their féet but also it is added And they shall knowe that I am God Vndoubtedlie God is knowne by the greatnes of his works but that knowledge happeneth not without the spirit of God A voice was heard perhaps it was thunder and there was an earthquake for these things were vsed to be doone in shewing of the excellent miracles of God Exo. 19 18. When the lawe was giuen in Sina there was horrible thunder and earthquakes Matt. 27 51. and 28 2. yea and at the death and resurrection of the Lord a great earthquake was made The spirit commeth from the foure winds c. At the resurrection of the saints that be dead the soules returne vnto their bodies from the high places of heauen howbeit by diuers and sundrie waies bicause the ashes and dead bodies of them be not heaped vp togither into one certeine place of the world And all the waies dooth the scripture comprehend by the foure winds that is by the east west south and north Or else perhaps the scattering abroad of the captiues vnto the foure parts of the world is noted Moses also in Deuteronomie promised vnto the penitent Iewes Deut. 30 1. this restitution from the foure parts of the world Hereby moreouer we gather that the soules of men are not bred in them euen as God brethed a soule into Adam and afterward to euerie man createth soules Gen. 2 7. euen so in the resurrection he will send them from abroad vnto them againe which also is a a plaine token that they with their bodies do not die And where it is after added that All these bones is the whole house of Israel thereby we learne that the spéech héere is ment as touching the resurrection of the godlie for they be trulie the house of Israel And the prophet sawe an excéeding great host bicause as we also read in the Apocalypse the companie of the faithfull is a great number Apoc. 7 9. The verbe Is of the same force that Signifieth 43 All these bones is the whole house of Israel When he had now finished the proposition he addeth the application It may be noted that the verbe substantiue Is is all one as if he had said It signifieth for those bones were not in verie déed the house of Israel but they did betoken the same euen as the seuen vnfruitfull and emptie eares Gen. 41 5. which were séene vnto Pharao were the seuen years of dearth I will open saith the Lord your sepulchres But it must néeds be that the graues were open alreadie séeing those bones were scattered in the féeld Vnto this it is answered that as concerning those bones the graues were first opened but if so be respect be had vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the restitution of the Israelits into the land of Chanaan they were yet to be opened And whereas the prophet saith And I will bring you into your land some vnderstand it allegoricallie as if the land of the Israelits should be taken for the kingdome of heauen The resurrection of the dead shall not be in Iudea alone and eternall felicitie But setting allegories aside I rather weigh this in this place that the vanitie of those Iewes is confuted who thinke that the dead shall onelie be raised vp in Iudaea Whereas the prophet in this place affirmeth it to come to passe far otherwise for to the dead alreadie reuiued he promiseth a returne into the land of promise Certeinlie it is a fond and foolish deuise so to tie the power strength of God to a certeine place as it may not or will not doo the same thing in one place that it hath doone in an other The graues doo betoken the captiuitie of Babylon and the lamentable seruitude vnder a tyrant which God promised to release Also the sepulchre of the Iewes was extreame desperation which they ran into casting aside all hope of their returne This sepulchre did God promise to vnlocke by opening the waie of their returne to their own countrie So in verie déed the case standeth as touching assistance of the godlie as when things be in great despaire then ariseth the daie-breake of heauenlie helpe To be short two things are shewed by this oracle the first is The resurrection of the dead the second The returne of the Israelits into their countrie And one thing is prooued by an other for the restitution of the Iewes is confirmed by raising vp the drie bones vnto life 44 Against this sound and true interpretation A confutâ—tion of them which denie that in this place 〈◊〉 is meâ—t of the vniuersall resurrection some doo vehementlie argue two maner of waies saieng first that there is no speaking héere of the vniuersall resurrection of all men séeing those bones made aliue are said to be the house of Israel Secondlie that this was a fained and imagined vision and therefore that nothing can be constantlie affirmed thereby Héere vnto we answer that indéed we confesse that the prophet speaketh of the resurrection of the iust as we haue alreadie said before but in that it was a vision it maketh no matter neither dooth it make anie thing the lesse but that this vision was a generall consolation for confirming the hope of the generall resurrection as well as the restitution of the Iews For it is sufficient that the argument is taken and deriued from the resurrection of the dead Also the Hebrue
manner what preeminence had Henoch and Elias aboue other men All the elect and faithfull of Christ as touching the soule are translated from hence vnto God and are not condemned with euerlasting death Indéed I am not ignorant that sometimes Not to see death is referred to the soule euen as the testimonies which we haue alreadie brought doo declare but sometimes on the other side it is referred to the death of the bodie as it is manifest by Simeon vnto whom it was reuealed Luke 2 26. that He should not see death till he had first seene the Lord Christ Yea and the sonne of God himselfe saith Matt. 16 28. There be of them which stand here present who shall not taste of death vntill they see the kingdome of God that is Note the preaching of the Gospell spread ouer the face of the earth or as others will vntill they shall sée the transfiguration of Christ vpon mount Thabor Neither is there anie doubt but that the death of the bodie is betokened in both these places Further those words of Paule to the Hebrues alledged a little aboue are so significant as they séeme wholie to testifie that Henoch is not dead But they that be of an other mind doo vrge that which is written in the same epistle of the Hebrues namelie Heb. 9 27. that It is decreed that all men shall once die But we answer that these generall propositions must not alwaies be vnderstood without anie exception True indéed it is which is now affirmed as touching the ordinarie and common maner but yet it is not brought to passe thereby but that GOD by his speciall prerogatiue and certeine peculiar will may exempt some from the lawe of death For what shall become either of vs or of others which shall be found aliue at the last daie Vndoubtedlie 1. Thes 4 15 They shall be caught vp to meet with Christ in the aire And Paule vnto the Corinthians said 1. Co. 15 51 We shall not all die but we shall be all changed Besides this if the words of that saieng be vrged with extremitie how will it be true that men once die séeing Lazarus the sonne of the widowe Iohn 11 â—4 Luk. 7 15. Matt. 9 25. Matt. 27 52 and also the daughter of the ruler of the synagog whom the Lord raised vp from the dead died not once but twise And it is thought by Augustine and diuerse others that those manie bodies of the saints which rose after the death of Christ and appéered vnto manie in the citie of Ierusalem when they had performed that which they were appointed to do setled in their graues as they did before 18 They also saie that it is written vnto the Romans Rom. 5 12. that Death by one man entred in vpon all men and that in the first epistle to the Corinthians the 15. chapter it is said verse 22. As in Adam all men are dead so in Christ all shall be made aliue that it may be taught that the life lost in Adam is recouered againe in Christ Vnto these saiengs we answer manie waies First euen as I said before that these generall propositions must not be vnderstood without priuiledge and exception Secondlie I will confesse that Henoch and Elias in their owne nature were subiect vnto death and in that they are not dead but doo inioie eternall life that they obteine by Christ Howbeit an other answer there is much more perfect namelie to saie that the same changing wherby we affirme that the bodies of those saints were glorified in taking vp was a certeine kind of death Wherfore Iustinus Martyr in his dialog with Triphon saith Iustinus Martyr that the world in the last time shall perish and not perish In what respect the world shall perish It shall not perish séeing it shall not be reduced to nothing But it shall perish bicause it shall be changed to better for the light of the sunne and moone shall both be purer and greater than now it is For we shall haue a new heauen and a new earth for bicause all things shall then be made new Others saie that the death of Henoch and Elias is not altogither taken awaie but rather deferred bicause they shall come in the last time shall die in fighting against Antichrist of which opinion was Tertullian Tertullian who in his book De anima page 682. saith Elias and Henoch were translated and their death is deferred For they are reserued to die hereafter that with their bloud they may extinguish Antichrist Againe in the same booke in the 672. page Elias shall come not from the departure of life but from the translation thereof he shall not be restored to his bodie from which he was not exempted but he shall be restored to the world The same father against the Iewes called Henoch an Inceptor Candidâ—tus or one readie apparelled for eternitie And in his booke De trinitate 603. he saith that God translated Henoch into the societie of his owne fréendship And séeing a fréend dooth benefit him whom he loueth and wisheth well vnto it is not likelie that God translated Henoch for to kill him Irenaeus But Irenaeus in his fourth booke thirtie chapter is of the opinion that Henoch hath exercised a message against the angels who were thought in old time to be fallen through a naughtie desire towards women and he saith that he is euen as yet preserued aliue for a testimonie of Gods iudgement And these things may suffice as touching the second point whereby is prooued by probable reason that they séeme not to be dead Thy Henoch and Elias were caught vp 19 It remaineth that we séeke to what end they were so taken vp Some saie that it was doone to the intent we might haue before our eies a certeine figure and shew of our resurrection as if so be that the taking vp of these were a liuelie example thereof to teach vs that we are not to measure our felicitie by or with the terme of this life But in my iudgement examples ought to be cléere and manifest for that otherwise they are but weake proofes Certeinlie in this place there is no mention made of resurrection either ours or theirs The signe of Ionas the prophet dooth manifestlie shadowe the resurrection Matt. 12 40. who was cast vp aliue out of the bellie of the whale Rom. 8 11. But Paule to the Romans did plainlie shew the resurrection after another sort If ye haue saith he his spirit which raised vp Iesus Christ from the dead the same shall quicken your mortall bodies As if he had said Séeing the spirit is one it will bring foorth the same effects And in the first epistle to the Corinthians the 15. chapter he saith vers 12 c. If Christ be risen from the dead we also shall rise againe Which he therefore speaketh bicause it is not méet that Christ
feast daies of the Iewes 376. Whether it be lawfull to solemnize the birth daie of anie man pag. 377. chapter VIII The fift precept of the honouring of superiours pag. 377. A comparison betweene the duties of parents and magistrates Ibidem What dominion the husband hath ouer the wife pag. 379. Of ambition pag. 381. Of the desire of praise pag. 382. Of flatterie pag. 383. chapter IX The sixt precept of freendship 384. Of homicide pag. 385. Whether Elias did well in killing of the Baalites pag. 386. Of parricide pag. 390. Of sword-plaie Ibidem Whether it be lawfull for anie man to kill himselfe pag. 391. Of repelling of violence pag. 397. Of curssings imprecations and bannings Ibidem How far it may be lawfull to reioise in our enimies ouerthrowe pag. 400. Of a cursse shunning of reuenge 403. * Of the affects in generall pag. 405. * Of shamefastnesse pag. 411. * Of temperance pag. 412. Of mercie and Nemesis Ibidem Of crueltie enuie emulation and reuenge pag. 414. chapter X The seuenth precept of not coÌ„mitting adulterie pag. 418. Of matrimonie and concubins Ibid. Of polygamie pag. 420. Of barrennesse pag. 430. Whether it be lawfull for children to marrie without the consent of their parents pag. 431. Of rauine or violent taking awaie 437. Whether marriage be lawfull in persons of sundrie religions pag. 442. Of degrees forbidden in marriage pag. 447. Dispensation for marriage pag. 453. Of dowries pag. 454. Of diuorsements pag. 457. Whether matrimonie be a sacrament pag. 462. chapter XI Of whoordome fornication and adulterie pag 468. Of bastards pag. 475. Of idlenesse pag. 479. Of the punishments of adulterie 482. Whether the man or woman doo sinne more greeuouslie in adulterie pag. 489. Of reconciliation of man wife 495. Of wine and droonkennesse pag. 497. Of danses pag. 503. Of garments and apparell pag. 506. Of counterfet and false colouring 507. chapter XII The eight precept of not committing theft pag. 517. Of beneficence and hospitalitie 518. Of benefiting and vnthankfulnes 523. Of plaies and pastimes pag. 524. * Of gentlenesse and affabilitie pag. 528. chapter XIII The ninth precept of not bearing false witnesse Ibidem Of contumelie Ibidem Of suspicions pag. 533. Of mocking and taunting pag. 534. Of deceit or guile Ibidem Whether guile be lawfull for the rooting out of idolatrie and heresies 539. Of dissimulation pag. 541. Of truth and of a lie pag. 542. Whether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour pag. 546. Whether we may lie for modestie sake pag. 547. Whether faith against a promise breaker must be kept pag. 548. Of a fable and apolog pag. 550. chapter XIIII The last precept against lusting 551. Of the comparison betweene sins 553. Of charitie which is the fulfilling of the lawe pag. 556. Of salutations pag. 560. Whether the commandement of louing God with all the hart c. may bee kept in this life pag. 562. Whether the first motions should bee accounted sinnes pag. 565. Whether by rewards we ought to bee mooued to the obedience of God 573. chapter XV Of the vse and abrogating of the lawe pag. â—75 chapter XVI Of the likenesse and vnlikenesse of the old and new league or couenant pag. 582. A comparison of the sacraments of the fathers with ours pag. 586. chapter XVII Of Christ and his manifestation in the flesh and by what meanes he performed all the parts of our saluation pag. 599. chapter XVIII An exposition vpon the twelue articles pag. 612. The method and order of the Common places of the Third part AFter these things doo followe the causes and the generall meanes whereby we are both put and reteined in the possession of Christ and saluation and there be also shewed the effects of Christ remaining in vs. All which things the places following doo plainelie teach to wit the places of predestination and calling of faith and hope of adoption iustification Christian libertie of repentance of Christian life of patience in afflictions of the praiers of good men and finallie of eternall life THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE THIRD PART chapter I OF the eternall predestination of God wherein also are refelled the arguments which the aduersaries make against the same pag. 1. Whether GOD would destroie anie man pag. 42. chapter II Of the calling of God pag. 44. Of grace pag. 47. How grace and works are vnto eternall life pag. 52. chapter III Of faith and the certeintie thereof and how faith may agree with feare pag. 63. Of securitie pag. 67. Whether true faith may be separated from charitie pag. 69. How faith excelleth charitie and the contrarie pag. 75. What vnion the godlie haue with Christ pag. 77. Of the adoption of the sonnes of God pag. 79. The description of Christian hope 82. chapter IIII That iustification is of faith onelie not of works pag. 89. chapter V Of peace bondage Christian libertie of offense of conscience and of the choise of meates pag. 161. chapter VI Of vowes in generall pag. 175. Of the vow of Nazareth pag. 177. Of the vow of Ieptha pag. 182. Of the Rechabites pag. 188. Of peregrinations pag. 191. chapter VII Of marriage and sole life especiallie of ministers pag. 192. That chastitie is no common gift of God pag. 198. chapter VIII Of repentance of contrition confession and satisfaction pag. 203. chapter IX Of the works of supererogation imagined perfection of the Papists pag. 227. Of purgatorie and papisticall indulgences pag. 232. chapter X Of teares fasting there also of Lent pag. 245. Of watches pag. 256. chapter XI Of a Christian life and there of sundrie vocations pag. 257. Of freendship pag. 258. How we are to take counsel of God 260. The example of Naaman declared 263. That the possession of riches is lawfull for godlie men pag. 267. chapter XII Of liberalitie and magnificence 269. Of fortitude mortification enduring the crosse and affliction pag. 270. Of flight pag. 287. Whether Dauid did well in flieng to the Philistines for feare of Saule pag. 291. Whether the holie men were inferior to the Ethniks in abiding aduersities 296. chapter XIII Of holie praiers pag. 300. Whether praiers be the causes of the benefits of God pag. 310. How God saith he will giue that which he will not giue and contrariwise Ibid. Of the abuse of forreine language 309. Of musicke and meeter pag. 311. chapter XIIII Of death and of the consolation of the godlie against the same pag. 314. Of moorning for the dead pag. 315. Of buriall pag. 319. That soules loosed from their bodies do not sleepe pag. 323. Of wandering spirits pag. 326. chapter XV Of the resurrection pag. 327. chapter XVI Of the taking vp of Elias and Enoch and of their returne pag. 370. chapter XVII Of the end of the world pag. 385. Of the last iudgement pag. 386. That all mens glorie in heauen shall be alike pag. 389. Of the change of all things pag. 393. The method of the Common
angels and yet the sorcerers withstood the same then sathan séemed to resist sathan neither could the sorcerers haue trulie said that their power failed them and haue testified that it was the finger of God which wrought But in my iudgement these things haue no good ground bicause the things doone by the sorcerers were doone by the power of the diuell which vnto him is naturall For thereby he is able to applie the séeds of things and the working causes to the matter prepared and as touching the â—ight of men to worke maruellous things The diuell by naturall causes can woorke strange things But those things wherewith God afflicted the Aegyptians were doon by his owne most mightie power through the instrument of the diuell wherefore it is no maruell if the sorcerers failed and perceiued the most excellent power of the finger of God But the booke of Wisedome the 18. chapter séemeth wholie to ascribe these plagues vnto God verse 15. where hée saith While all things were in quiet silence the night was in the midst of hir course c. And in the 17. chapter it is written that the Aegyptians being among those plagues verse 14. especiallie when they were oppressed with darknes were so disquieted with horrible vexations of mind and verie terrible sights as if most ouglie and discomfortable ghosts had béene continuallie conuersant before their eies and about their phantasie which vndoubtedlie might be doone by the sending of euill angels as the psalme dooth mention Also their hart was hardened and their mind was obstinatelie bent euerie daie more and more against the Israelits and that séemeth to haue pertained to the sending downe of euill angels Wherefore these two places might be easilie made to agrée by ascribing the plagues The places of Exodus the psalm are agreed which are spoken of in Exodus to good angels and the terrible sights and hardening of the hart to the sending of the euill angels vpon them whereof the psalme now alledged maketh mention 9 But séeing that God as it hath béene shewed vseth for the working of miracles The power of dooing miracles maketh not men either better or woorse both euill and good angels and men godlie men ought not therefore to be agréeued bicause this power is not oftentimes giuen vnto them For they are not for this cause of anie woorse condition than others to whom the working of miracles is granted For the Lord said vnto his disciples when they returned from their ambassage Reioice not in this Luk. 10 20. that spirits are subiected vnto you but rather reioice bicause your names be written in heauen In obtaining of signes the diuels labour must not be vsed Some there be so desirous of these things as to worke signes they feare not to vse the helpe euen of the diuell and excuse themselues vnder this pretence that God himselfe about the working of signes vseth sathan in following of whom they saie that they doo well so far are they from confessing themselues guiltie of offense Further they saie that Paule deliuered certeine to be vexed of the diuell and that therefore they also may vse his ministerie But what maner of men I beséech you bée these which would haue it lawfull for them to doo as much as is lawfull for God God is the author of all creatures wherefore it is no maruell if he vse them all but it is prescribed vnto vs by the lawe of God that we should not doo it And to imitate God is commended vnto vs so long as wée be not contrarilie commanded by his lawe otherwise he himselfe will reuenge his owne iniuries But who will saie It is not lawfull in all things to imitate God Iudg. 6 25. that it is lawfull for priuate men to doo that which God dooth God vsed for his owne sacrifice the beast prepared vnto Baal and the wood dedicated vnto the same idoll shall euerie one of vs therefore eate things dedicated vnto idols The rule of our life is the word of God wherefore to imitate him we must not be led except so much as the lawe dooth permit He hath made the same lawe not for himselfe but for men to the intent that they should make their life agréeable vnto it Wherefore it was lawfull for him to require of Abraham the sacrificing of his sonne Gen. 22 1 which is not lawfull for anie of vs to require of our fréend Paule and other apostles had euill spirits subiect vnto them 1. Cor. 5 5. and by them it was sometime lawfull vnto them to punish the guiltie for the furtherance of their saluation wherefore they to whom such a gift is not granted ought to abstaine from exercising the same 10 Now then the vse of the power of euill spirits is of two sorts The one is with authoritie and that belongeth chéeflie vnto God also it belonged vnto the apostles and holie men of the primitiue church but the other consisteth of compact and obedience which is vtterlie forbidden vnto men 2. Cor. 6 14. For what fellowship can there be betweene light darknes betweene God and Belial For which cause the sorcerers and whosoeuer giueth credit vnto them cannot be excused naie rather they are by the lawe condemned to be guiltie of superstition idolatrie Why God forbad vs to vse the diuels help in obtaining of signes Neither is it to be thought that God hath forbidden these things but for verie iust causes and those not vnprofitable vnto vs for doubtles he prouideth that we should not be deceiued and that we should not by such waies run headlong into destruction for therto at the length tendeth felowships with sathan Iohn 8 44. For the diuell is a lier and the father of lies he is also a murtherer euen from the beginning as Christ hath taught Wherefore let this be a sure saieng which also the Schoolmen in the second booke of sentences distinction the eight and among them speciallie Thomas yea the ancient fathers confirmed that If so be wée aske anie thing which goeth beyond the power of man wée must aske it of God onlie which thing they that doo not doo fall awaie as runnagates from the faith worshipping creatures in stead of God The inconstancie of certeine of the fathers and schoolmen I would to God both the old fathers and the Schoolemen had remained constant in it who afterward forgetting themselues I knowe not how haue consented now to the inuocation of saints and haue instituted a sort of exorcists or coniurers to the carcases and relicks of dead men These being indued with no peculiar gift of miracles doo with most gréeuous comminations as much as in them lieth imperiouslie adiure diuels desiring of the saints which are alreadie dead to driue out euill spirits from such as be possessed But these spirits if they depart at anie time according as they be commanded yet they doo it not against their will but doo
rich man which decréed with himselfe to inlarge his barnes and to laie vp for manie yéeres to come it is said Thou foole Luke 12 20. this night shall they take thy soule from thee Also Chrysostome in his second homilie of Lazarus The soules of men saith he are not taken awaie al in one maner of estate for some depart hence vnto paine and others béeing garded with angels are taken vp into heauen Apoc. 7 14. and 14 4. In the Apocalypse the soules of the blessed receiue long garments they stand before the throne and followe the lambe wheresoeuer he goeth Acts. 7 59. When Steeuen was dieng he said Lord Iesus receiue my spirit If the soule should haue died vtterlie why did he rather commend that than his bodie doubtlesse it cannot be found in anie place that the godlie commended their bodies vnto the Lord. And in the second to the Corinthians the 5. chap. For we knowe verse 9. that if the earthlie mansion of this our tabernacle be dissolued we haue a building giuen of God euen an house not made with hands but eternall in the heauens These words are not to be vnderstood of our state after the resurrection for there we shall be clothed with our bodies also and therefore they are ment of the state betwéene our departure hence and the resurrection Wherefore soules doo remaine after this life And in the same epistle Paule saith Whether in the bodie or out of the bodie 2. Cor. 12 3. I knowe not c. Which prooueth that the soule may be seuered from the bodie For he putteth a possibilitie both of the one waie the other In this place therefore the question is not as touching the bodie but as touching the soule of Samuel 3 But the controuersie is whether this were Samuel or the diuell About which matter not onlie the Rabbins but also the christian fathers haue disagréeed among themselues The opinions of the fathers and first of Iustinus Yea and among the latter writers Burgensis thinketh one waie and Lyra another Iustinus Martyr against Triphon saith that It was Samuel In which place he hath certeine things which may not well be granted For he saith that all souls before Christ euen of the godlie were after a sort vnder the power of the diuell so that he might bring them backe when he would But Christ saith Luke 16 22. that Lazarus was in the bosome of Abraham and not in the power of the diuell But that thou wilt saie is a parable I grant it yet is it drawne from things likelie to be true and which might be Yea and Tertullian so accounted that narration to be doone indéed as he thinketh that Lazarus was Iohn Baptist and the rich glutton was Herod and that Christ would forbeare their names verse 23. In the 46. of Ecclesiasticus is set foorth the praise of Samuel where among other things it is said that he prophesied after that he was dead and foreshewed to the king the daie of his death Contrariwise Tertullian in his booke De anima Tertullian hath manie things most worthie to be marked For he calleth the arts of magicke a second idolatrie For euen as in the former the diuell faineth himselfe to be God so in the latter he faineth himselfe to be an angel or a dead man séeketh both waies to be worshipped And it is no maruell if he dazell the outward eies of men when as he before occupied the eies of the mind For so saith he did the rods of Pharaos sorcerers séem to be serpents Exod 7 1◠The rod of Pharao sorcerers but yet afterward falshood was deuoured vp of the truth And wheras the Symonians say that they can with their inchantments call vp the dead vnto life that was onlie a méere imagination and a mocke And euen so the diuell in this place mocked both the witch and Saule and deceiued both the eies of the one and the eares of the other In Lybia saith he there be Nasomons which lie at the toombs of their parents and in Europe French men which lie watching at the sepulchers of mightie men to the intent they may receiue oracles frō them after they are dead but he saith that in those things there is no certeintie or soundnes and that they be onlie vaine lies and phantasies Origin writeth nothing purposelie of this matter and yet in the historie of Balaam he saith Origin that good spirits doo not obeie magicall incantations Contrariwise Ambrose vpon Luke Ambrose held that it was Samuel in the first booke and first chapter saith that Samuel prophesied euen when he was dead But without doubt he alludeth vnto that place of the 46. chapter of Ecclesiasticus As touching Chrysostome and Ierom I will speake afterward Augustine was doubtful whether it was Samuel or not 4 Augustine did not alwaies write of this thing after one maner In the second booke to Simplicianus the third question he saith that both may be defended yet as touching the first opinion he séemeth to doubt how Saule béeing a man now reiected by God could talke with Samuel béeing a prophet and holie man But he answereth that this is no new thing for in Iob Iob. 1 6. the euill spirits talked with God himselfe And in the historie of Achab the lieng spirit offered his seruice vnto the Lord 1. Kings 22. yea and that princes doo sometimes talke with théeues yet to the intent they may punish them whereas in the meane time they speake not with honest men The diuell can doo manie things against the godlie Iob. 1. 12 and 2 6. Luk. 22 31. Matth. 4 5. whom they looue and meane to defend But what power saith he had the diuell ouer Samuel that he was able to bring him He answereth that he had power to torment Iob and that he coueted to sift his disciples that he set Christ vpon the pinacle and furder that if Christ without anie diminishing of his honour might be hanged vpon the crosse and afflicted with torments it is likelie that Samuel also might be raised againe without anie impairing of his felicitie doubtlesse not by anie strength or power of the diuell but by the permission of God that he might terrifie Saule So doo some vnderstand that which was doone in Balaam Num. 22 12 for he was a soothsaier and tooke his iournie to the intent that by magicall charms he might curse the Iewes but God preuented the cunning of the diuell Howbeit of this matter I affirme nothing But Augustine demandeth further how Samuel being so good a man did come vnto an euill man And he answereth that in this life also good men doo come vnto euill men But this is a weake argument for men doo it in this life either of dutie or else of fréendship or familiaritie Now Samuel was out of this life and was called by a witch whom he ought not to haue obeied But Augustine
thinketh that it may be more easilie answered if we saie that it was not Samuel but onelie a vaine imagination and phantasie A rule howbeit he cannot but grant that two things are against this opinion one is that the scriptures doo alwaies so speake as if it had béene verie Samuel But he answereth that it is the vsuall maner of the scriptures to call similitudes by the names of those things which they represent For so the woodden images were called cherubims and Salomon made brasen oxen 1. Kin. 6 23. 1. Kin. 7 25. 1. Sam. 6 11. and the Philistines gaue siluer mice Neither doo the holie scriptures lie when they speake after that sort For men are woont commonlie so to speake and it pleased God to applie himselfe to the sense and capacitie of man Another thing is that he trulie fore-shewed what would come to passe namelie 1. Sa. 28 19. The diuell sometime speaketh true things that Saule with his sonnes should be slaine and that the host of Israel should be ouerthrowne But he answereth that this also is no new or woonderfull thing for the diuels confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Mark 1 24. And in the Acts of the apostles they gaue a verie goodlie testimonie of Paules doctrine Acts. 16 17. Euen so in this place God vseth the seruice of the diuell to the intent he might terrifie Saule that he which had taken counsell of euill spirits might be afflicted with an euill answere But he addeth how might Saule be with Samuel a wicked man with an holie prophet A great distance of places between blessed soules and lost soules Luk. 16 26. Such he saith is the subtiltie of the diuell alwaies to mingle some truth with falshood For assuredlie saith he there is great distance of place betwéene the blessed soules and the reprobate And this he prooueth out of the historie of the rich man and Lazarus This I make mention of forsomuch as I sée that they which affirme the bodie of Christ to be in euerie place haue no reason so to saie For if that were true then the soules of the godlie should be in euerie place also For Christ saith Wheresoeuer I am Iohn 12 26. there also my minister shall be And by this meanes there should be no differences betwéene soules Of vbiquitie for all should be in all places But they saie Ierom against Vigilantius that Ierom writeth thus against Vigilantins For Vigilantius denied that we should call vpon dead men for they are in the bosome of Abraham and doo not wander about their sepulchres and ashes Then are they not saith Ierom in anie stinking prison but in a pleasant and large custodie like certeine fathers of the order of senatours But saith he They followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth now the Lambe is euerie-where Apoc. 14 4. Further saith he shall we grant this vnto diuels that they can wander vp and downe thoroughout the whole world shall we denie the same vnto the blessed soules of godlie men Here Ierom by his good leaue may it be spoken is somwhat out of the waie Ierom misseth concerning the vbiquitie of soules and yet he hath not spoken of that whereof these men did meane He erreth in saieng that the soules of dead men are conuersant about their sepulchres and that they are to be inuocated yet dooth he not saie that they be euerie-where He compareth them with spirits which he saith doo wander euerie where that is they be sometimes here and sometimes there But if they were euery-where they could not wander héer and there and change places and therefore Ierom saith that neither the lambe nor the soules departed nor diuels be in euerie place but that they in such sort wander at large as they may be wheresoeuer they list These things I haue touched by the waie But Augustine answereth that that saieng of Samuel may be vnderstood of the generall state of death and not of the equalitie of happines In the latter end he addeth that whereas there be but these two waies onlie the former may not be admitted vnles it be prooued to be possible that soules departed may by magicall charms be called againe and beare the proportion of mens bodies And therefore of necessitie the other waie remaineth namelie that it was doone by the counsell and will of God But by the power of incantation that could not be doone and yet by the purpose and commandement of God it might be brought to passe And to this opinion I willinglie agrée For if God will I sée not what should hinder it Augustins booke of questions of the new and old testament 5 In the sixt question to Dulcitius he hath in a maner the same that he hath to Simplicianus But in the questions of the old and new testament if that be Augustines booke which I speake bicause of the censure and iudgement of Erasmus who hath separated that booke from the works of Augustine he accounteth it detestable for anie man to thinke that it was Samuel whom the witch raised vp for it was onlie a delusion and an imagination For the diuell did this to bring himselfe vnto honour and to persuade men that the soules of the dead be in his power and that they shall not escape from his hands after death But if the historie be well discussed we shall not find anie thing at all to prooue that it was Samuel but that Saule indéed when he had heard the description of his apparell and the fashion of his bodie thought that it had béene so that the scripture applied it selfe to his mind and opinion that Saule fell downe and worshipped and thereby the diuell had that which he sought for that Samuel would neuer haue suffered it but that he said Saule should be with him the next daie bicause he was wicked and should perish euerlastinglie But what shall we answere as touching Ionathas 1. Sa. 28 19. who was well knowne to be a iust man Wherefore this answere of Augustine séemeth to be féeble In his second booke De doctrina christiana Augustins booke De mirabilibus scripturarum the 26. chapter he saith It was an image raised vp by sacriledge In another booke De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae if the same be Augustines booke he likewise denieth that it was Samuel indéed Also in his little booke De cura pro mortuis agenda he hath manie excellent things but in the end he concludeth The dead knowe not what is doone in this life that it séemeth vnto him the soules of those which are departed be ignorant what is doone in this life For wheras they oftentimes appéere and present themselues to liuing men somtimes waking and somtimes sléeping Looke In 2. Kings 22 verse 23. that may be doone by angels either good or bad And he saith that we our selues doo oftentimes present our selues to our fréends in our sléepe when as we our selues
For Aristotle in his Problems the 30 sextion saith that the Sibyls and the excellent Emperours and famous philosophers were melancholike and that there were some which béeing affected with that humour spake suddenlie manie languages Some spake in manie toongs vpon the sudden which they had neuer learned and that they afterward béeing healed by physicians left off speaking in that manner Thus much for their part But forsomuch as they sée that by the most learned men there is mention made of spirits and that they cannot denie it without blushing while they would confesse somewhat they are diuided into twoo sundrie sects Som thinke that soules become demons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For they which thinke that mans soule is immortall doo saie that those which die after they haue liued well and honestlie are made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but euill and wicked liuers become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and so perpetuallie remaine For séeing they cannot now worke contrarie actions it must néeds be that those habits which they carried with them Som would that demons are onelie in this life should indure for euer But they which would haue the soule to be mortall doo allow of spirits but onelie in this life So that they which applie all their senses as much as in them lieth to vnderstanding be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and good spirits but they which turne vnderstanding into sensualitie be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and disturbe all things So the former opinion dooth affirme that one kind passeth into another which séemes no more possible to bée brought to passe than that a man should be changed into a woolfe But if there be anie certeine nature of spirits no doubt the same must be firme and stedfast But if the latter opinion were true then man bicause he is mutable might be sometimes a spirit and sometimes an angel But these men would haue angels and spirits to be nothing else but mens affections The opinion of Trismegistus Mercurius Trismegistus as Augustine saith in his eight booke De ciuitate Dei the 23. chapter denieth that there be indéed anie spirits at all For he saith that God made gods Intelligences separated from all matter by which the spheres of the world are mooued further that men also did make to themselues gods Asclepius answereth I thinke thou speakest of images Indéed so I doo saith Mercurius but I meane such images as be so applied to certeine aspects of the stars that they can speake and heale men and afflict with sicknes and worke miracles and which be indued with mind sense and spirit Aphrodysaeus Alexander Aphrodysaeus saith that there is a certeine diuine power spred through the whole world which can worke all things but that it is requisite the same should be wiselie drawne to particular effects A similitude For euen as we sée it commeth to passe in the sunne that although the heate thereof be the generall life of all things yet out of it being diuerslie applied there are brought foorth diuers and sundrie things for out of the vine it bringeth foorth grapes and out of the trée apples so if that power which is so spred vniuersallie be fitlie drawn by wise men through herbs and stones there doo followe maruellous effects And thus much hitherto as touching those which vtterlie denie that there is anie certeine nature of Daemons or spirits 9 The Platonists grant The opinion of the Platonists that spirits be certeine substances betwéene gods and men and that of them some be earthie som waterie som airie some fierie and some starrie and to euerie one of the spheres seuerallie there be attributed seuerall spirits as some be of Saturne some of Iupiter and some of the Sunne And they were led thus to saie chéeflie by this reason That betwéene two extreames there must of necessitie be placed a meane for that heauenlie bodies are eternall and incorruptible but ours are mortall and fraile and therefore betwéene both must be the bodies of spirits as certeine meane things which may somewhat communicate with both the extreames For they notwithstanding that in time they be eternall yet are stirred with affects and motions And further that as there be birds in the aire and fishes in the water euen so in the highest region of the aire and in the fire there be spirits And least we should thinke them altogither idle partlie they are tutors of men and partlie rulers of prouinces that they both bring mens praiers vnto God and also carrie the benefits of God vnto men that of som they be called Meane-gods of some Natiuitie-spirits and of other some House-gods Apuleius Apuleius not the least among the Platonists defineth spirits on this wise He saith that by nature they are liuing creatures by wit reasonable by bodie airie by time eternall and by mind passiue for that they be affected euen as men be Howbeit all they doo not séeme to agrée in this that the bodies of spirits are eternall For Plutarch writing of oracles saith it was reported that Pan the great god once died The opinion of the diuines But the diuines fathers of sound religion doo affirme that there be spirits and not onelie those by whom the celestiall spheres are driuen about but others also And some of them saie that they haue no bodies proper I meane and of their owne whervnto they be so ioined as they can quicken them and yet they may ioine vnto themselues bodies which be none of their owne 10 So all these men doo confesse The summe of all these opinions that woonderfull things are doone by spirits The Peripateticks by celestiall bodies the Platonists by bodies proper vnto spirits and our diuines by spirits sometime taking bodies to them and sometimes without bodies These thrée opinions confesse that there be magicians But the first vnderstand by magicians good and wise men which fitlie can applie things that worke vnto things that suffer such as are philosophers and physicians The Platonists doo not alwaies take the name of magicians in euill part but such as haue familiaritie with spirits And christians and the true professors vnderstand them onelie to be magicians which haue made anie league with diuels and conspire with them against God For there be some spirits good and some bad for some fell at the beginning some remained as they were which thing Homer séemeth to signifie in Ate and others in Ophionaeus And it may be that these things came vnto them by tradition from the fathers although darkened with shadowes and fables A proofe of spirits by the scriptures Wherefore we affirme out of the holie scriptures that there be spirits and a few places of the scriptures I will rehearse For it would be infinite and troublesome to recite all Iob. 1 2. The diuell vexed Iob ouerthrew his houses and destroied his cattell and seruants In the historie of Achab 1. kin 22 22. a lieng spirit
was in the mouths of the prophets Satan put into Dauids hart to number the people 1. Para. 21 1 And Dauid himselfe in the psalme saith that God plagued the Aegyptians by euill spirits Psal 78 49. In the prophet Zacharie Zachar. 3 1. sathan stood to let Iesus the préest that the people might not returne out of captiuitie God forbiddeth sacrifices to be doone vnto diuels Leuit. 17 7. which he would not forbid if there were no diuels at all Matth. 4 1. and 13 19. Sathan tempted Christ hée plucketh the good séed out of mens harts had bound the daughter of Abraham for manie yéeres Luk. 13 16. The diuell praied Christ that he might go into the herd of swine Matth. 8 31 Christ at the latter daie shall saie vnto the vngodlie Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire Matt. 25 41. prepared for the diuell and his angels by which words the diuels are most plainlie distinguished from men Iude the apostle saith Iude. 9. that Michaël stroue against the diuell for the bodie of Moses And Iames saith that The diuels beleeue and tremble Iam. 2 19. Christ saith that He sawe sathan falling downe from heauen Luke 10 18 and that he stood not fast in the truth Of good spirits Of good spirits also I will onelie speake a word They be the ministers of God For as it is written to the Galathians The lawe was giuen by the ministration of angels Galat. 3 19. And as it is in the epistle to the Thessalonians In the sound of a trumpet Thes 4 16. and voice of an archangel the dead bodies shall arise And Christ saith that God wil send his angels Matt. 24 31. to gather togither his elect from the foure quarters of the earth And therefore we rightlie and trulie affirme that there be spirits A confutation of contrarie opinions of the Peripatetikes 11 But now we must confute those reasons which are woont to be alledged by others These things saie they may be doone by naturall causes I grant indéed that naturall causes are oftentimes great and secret and doo bring manie woonderfull things to passe But these effects which we speake of as images to speake and giue answers and to vtter the distinct voices of men also to foretell things to come and those not common but hidden and secret matters an ignorant man to haue suddenlie learned arts sciences and he to speake Gréeke Hebrue and the Syrian toong and to recite the sentences of philosophers and poets which neuer learned those toongs nor euer handled poets or philosophers a man to walke inuisiblie to stir things that are a farre off to put out a torch far distant from vs an oxe or an asse to speake like a man these things I saie doo far excéed all force of nature The magicians also which worke these things doo ioine therewithall praiers inchantments coniurings commandements wherein certeinlie there is no naturall power of working at all Herevnto they ad also their lines characters and circles which things be within the compas of quantitie But quantities be neuer reckoned of the philosophers among things that worke The temperature of mans bodie I grant hath great force but yet not so great and besides it must néeds worke by touching Imagination can doo much True it is but euerie one in his owne bodie Howbeit no man no not in his owne proper bodie how stronglie soeuer he imagine can worke all things For if a man haue a withered arme and so stopt as the pores cannot haue their passage let him vse as great imagination as he will he shall not cure the same As for bewitching it is not so great a maruell for in old women the humors are corrupted and being drawne into the eies doo easilie infect especiallie children and infants whose bodies be as it were of waxe But there be other things which go beyond all power of bewitchings as that was when Christ fed fiue thousand men with fiue loaues Matt. 14 2◠when Iosua commanded the sunne to stand still Iosua 10 13 whereas Aristotle in his eight booke of physicks and in his treatise De coelo mundo saith that Those intelligencies which mooue the spheres cannot cease at anie time from their worke and that they should mooue the spheres more slowelie if but one star more should be added therevnto when Esaie called backe the sunne Esaie 38 8. when at the death of Christ the Sunne suffered an eclipse the moone being then in opposition Luk. 23 44. Of which thing Dionysius writeth in an epistle vnto Apollophanes and saith that he had consideratelie beheld the same while he was in Aegypt and that it is extant in the historie of Phlegon Aphricanus Hervnto adde that the shadowe of Peter healed the sicke Acts. 5 15. that Elias shut vp the heauens 1. Kin. 17 1. so that it did not raine for the space of thrée yéeres and an halfe 12 But humors in mans bodie can doo much I grant But yet Christ saith The works which I doo Iohn 15 24. no man can doo and he must sooner be beléeued than all the sort of Peripatetikes Others saie that these things are onlie terrifiengs deuised by prudent men to containe the people in their dutie But we doo knowe that nothing in the scriptures is feigned or deuised for They be the pillers and sure foundation of the truth 1. Tim. 3 15. And whereas they saie that the soules of men doo passe and be changed into spirits that was sufficientlie confuted before when the same was obiected Trismegistus Trismegistus saith that Men doo make vnto themselues gods namelie images made and applied vnto certeine aspects of the heauen that they can speake and giue out oracles But a foolish thing it is to thinke that men can make themselues gods and yet if they can why doo they submit humble themselues vnto them whie doo they worship them whom they themselues made For it is a ridiculous thing to imagine that the cause of anie thing is inferiour to the effect thereof This dooth Esaie verie well deride and taunt Esaie 44 12. A man saith he taketh a peece of wood with the one part he warmeth himselfe and baketh him bread and with the other part he frameth himselfe a god But they can speake and giue out oracles Naie rather Dauid saith much more trulie They haue eies and see not they haue eares Psal 115 5. and heare not they haue mouthes and yet speake not And if they be able to make gods why doo they not rather make themselues to be gods For doubtles they shuld be much better aduised if they would make gods of their owne selues than to make them of stones and stocks Further if they be gods whie doo they not defend themselues For those idols were a good while a go throwen downe and abolished And although other idols
indured cruell iniuries all his life long he was beaten and finallie was crucified like an euill dooer Neither did the punishment fall vpon the murtherers and rebels till after certeine yéeres These things dooth GOD diuerslie according as the counsels of his prouidence doo permit In 2 King 1 verse 9. 5 There remaineth to sée wherefore it was admitted to Elias that he should destroie with fire from heauen those princes and their soldiers and yet it was denied to the apostles Luke 9 54. which in like maner desired that the same might be lawfull for them against the Samaritans Looke In 2 Kings 2 23. who most cruellie excluded Christ from harbouring among them when he iournied from Galilie to Ierusalem for Iames and Iohn desired this of Christ Some saie that hereof commeth the difference that the spirits of the lawe and of the Gospell be verie contrarie For the propertie of the lawe is to condemne punish and slea but the propertie of the Gospell is to forgiue preserue and quicken So that Elias was to kill them which did openlie violate the lawe of God but the dutie of the apostles was to helpe and to heale men and not to destroie them Wherefore the Lord added Ye knowe not of what spirit ye be I doo not thinke that these words are so to be vnderstood as though Elias was so much addicted to the lawe that he had nothing common with the Gospell for he himselfe was sometime a helpe to men For in a verie great dearth he fed the widowe of Sarepta 1. Kin. 17 16 togither with hir sonne and familie yea and when hir sonne was dead he restored him vnto life againe and heauen being opened hée gaue raine most plentifullie Also the apostles of Iesus Christ were not so addicted vnto goodnes as that they neuer hurt anie Acts. 5 5. Acts. 13 11. for Peter by his word destroied Ananias and Saphyra Paule made blind Elimas the sorcerer and deliuered verie manie vnto satan to be tormented according to the flesh Howbeit I grant that the spirit of clemencie and gentlenesse flourished more in the apostles of Christ than in the ancient prophets and againe that the spirit of seueritie and reuenge was more vttered in Elias and his fellowes than in the euangelicall disciples And I thinke good to adde that the apostles were therefore warned of the Lord bicause they were mooued against the Samaritans by an humane anger and not by a diuine persuasion to wish euill vnto them But it is verie likelie that they were vrged to aske that thing through the site of the place bicause in the same place Elias procured fire from heauen vnto those princes For king Ahaziahu was in Samaria when he commanded that Elias should be brought vnto him Wherefore there was a certeine fond zeale in the apostles wherewith they indeuoured to imitate Elias Nor in the meane time did they make anie difference betwéene the nature of their vocations For thereto was Elias called that he should execute the iudgements of Gods seueritie neither did he so sharpelie behaue himselfe of his owne accord but by the warning of God and of his angel Indéed in outward shew he might séeme to be a manqueller yet must he not so be reputed séeing he was onelie the minister of God And so we must beware that we doo not by anie example of our forefathers assure our selues of those things which we earnestlie and extraordinarilie desire Thus vndoubtedlie did the sillie woman of Samaria Iohn 4 20. who reasoning with Christ at the well side laboured to prooue that God should be worshipped in that mountaine bicause Iacob had worshipped him there Indéed he did that which was lawfull for him to doo in that age wherein he liued but afterward when the lawe was giuen the worshipping was to be doone at the tabernacle and after that in the temple of Salomon Neither must the examples of the forefathers doone against the lawe of God be taken as rules to imitate and followe The which if we shall doo we shall not be counted as followers of the fathers but as mockers of them Wherefore when we will take vnaccustomed things in hand against the ordinarie commandement of God it is not enough to alledge an example of the forefathers but we must descend into our selues in examining by what spirit we be led least vnder a certeine glorious pretence we followe the wisedome and affection of the flesh For this cause Iesus said to his apostles Ye knowe not of whose spirit ye be Ye purpose with your selues to followe Elias but ye be not led with his spirit 6 Two waies we sée there is offense committed in this age of ours Warres of christians against the Turks The christian princes haue diuers times taken in hand wars against the Turks pretending a iust cause for that they thought méet to recouer those lands which the barbarous nations and wicked tyrants had taken awaie from the christians Bu◠whether they were stirred vp by a good spirit it is verie doubtfull Peraduenture they were mooued by a gréedie desire of bearing rule or for worldlie glorie sake or else by other inuentions of mans wisedome and therefore had seldome anie good successe Againe there haue béene some Fighting for the Gospell which indeuoured by armes and humane power to spread abroad the Gospell and propagation of churches These perhaps did not well trie with what spirit they did it This is it whereof Christ warned his apostles that they should descend into themselues and examine with what spirit they were led namelie Luke 9 55. whether they could be like vnto Elias And when they had desired of their maister that it might be lawfull for them by his leaue to vndertake and doo it he denied that request bicause he was not sent to the end he should afflict or destroie men but rather to helpe them and that therefore he would not passe the limits of his vocation Whereby he also warned them that they should not rashlie indeuour to arrogate such things vnto themselues But that Christ was not sent to punish and take reuenge of wicked déeds his life and acts doo testifie For he was a succour vnto all men and he helped them that were in miserie so often as occasion was offered And when he was with most bitter taunts reuiled he did not reuile againe And being fastened to the crosse he praied most patientlie for his enimies Wherefore the places which at the first sight séemed to varie are reconciled And we be all warned that when we are to take in hand anie thing against order custome we must first discerne with what spirit and instigation we be mooued Neither let vs be of the mind to imitate Helias in reuenging vnlesse we vnderstand for a certeintie that we be led with the spirit of Helias Yet is not therefore the power which the magistrate hath of iust reuenging taken from him for he hath lawes prescribed vnto him
saluation this we ought to account with our selues that by this action which easilie appéereth among others the greatest and chéefest commodities doo redound vnto vs. Wherfore let this cogitation first enter into our mind that séeing Christ could not be ouercome of death he is able now the better a great deale to reléeue our necessities and that by the fauour and power of his father vnto whom he hath alwaies as it hath béene said so familiar accesse and to whom he continuallie offering praiers of singular efficacie for vs winneth vs his fauour and procureth vs such strength as otherwise we could neuer obteine to our selues Moreouer Christ being raised from death The hope of our resurrection A similitude who is our head we also are raised in him Tell me I beséech you will you not iudge him to haue escaped the danger of death which falling into a swift riuer holdeth vp all his head aboue those déepe and dangerous waters notwithstanding that the rest of his members be as yet drowned in the same Euen so we which be one bodie in Christ séeing he which is our head hath escaped from the excéeding depth of death whie also of good right are not we said to be raised vp from death howsoeuer we as yet in this mortall state be couered with the same For otherwise doubtlesse we should denie him to be our head And if we professe our selues to be the members of him we must of necessitie also acknowledge that our resurrection is after a sort begoone in his resurrection A similitude If in the winter time we sée a bare trée without leaues flowers and fruit so that by the outward rind it may be taken as withered and yet so long as the root sticketh fast in the ground it is aliue and is not counted dead But if a man cannot persuade himselfe thereof let him expect till the spring of the yéere and then the truth of the matter will appeare by the leaues and flowers which spring foorth For by euident effects it will be well knowne that the life of that trée laie hidden before Euen so we which here séeme to be as it were the bootie of death and in whom no tokens of sound life doo appeare if we be ingraffed in Christ which is our root who liueth for our sakes is raised vp againe wherefore doo we now doubt of our resurrection to come And this is it that Paule writeth in the epistle to the Colos Col. 3 3. Ye are dead saith he and your life is hidden in Christ with God when Christ which is your life shall be made manifest then also shall ye be made manifest with him in glorie Further The gift of the spirit Christ departing into heauen gratified vs with that singular gift of the spirit to whom as the originall life of our soules and beginning of christian regeneration is chéeflie due so is it also of the resurrection of our bodies as Paule testifieth in his epistle to the Ephesians Ephes 1 19. to wit that We be led vnto faith through the effectuall woorking of his strong power which God shewed foorth in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his right hand in heauenlie places Séeing therefore we haue the first fruits of the spirit by the vertue whereof Christ rose againe from the dead who as we knowe hath atteined vnto that glorious end wherevnto he indeuoured to come we must be of a chéerefull mind and confirme our selues in that gift which he hath granted vnto vs. For what so great disquietnesse of state shall happen vnto vs in this life that can kéepe vs in sadnesse and heauines of mind For as Paule saith in the epistle to the Romans Rom 8 32. We are now saued by hope Assuredlie it is not to be counted a small gaine that we by Christ are deliuered from death Rom. 8 vers 32 c. so that we may now boldlie triumph not onelie against it but against all other miseries and misfortunes which be as it were garders of the same And we may comfort and chéere vp our minds against the violent motions of the flesh the which being constreined by such miseries dooth continuallie murmur séeing there is not onelie a promise made vnto vs of a new life but we haue also a certeine and sure pledge of the same in Christ 26 Furthermore Christs resurrection furthereth our saluation that noble resurrection dooth out of all doubt further greatlie our saluation For albeit that sinnes be forgiuen by the death of Christ and by that onelie and most acceptable sacrifice and that in his flesh fastened vpon the crosse all our faults haue béene punished yet neuerthelesse the forme of that spirituall life wherein we must liue no longer vnto the flesh but vnto the spirit not vnto old Adam but vnto Christ not vnto our selues but vnto God our father is not perceiued thereby But this did afterward appeare in that life which Christ receiued by his most mightie resurrection And therefore Paule writeth in his epistle to the Romans that Christ died for our offenses Rom. 4 25. and was raised vp for our iustification Indéed by the death of Christ we were reconciled vnto God howbeit therein is not discerned anie paterne of our state to come The resurrection of Christ is the fountaine of our sanctification but doubtlesse in the resurrection it shall shine most perfectlie For it was not beyond nature that the flesh of Christ which was subiect to the same infirmities that we be should die but his resurrection so went beyond nature it selfe as when the flesh of it selfe was instructed in no vertue whereby it might assure it selfe of a new life that wholie was giuen to it by the méere grace and bountifulnesse of God We also as far as apperteineth to that new and iustified regeneration can compasse the same by no vertue or desert of our owne works but God of his grace and goodnesse gaue it vnto vs without anie respect of our owne merits Further euen as Christ being risen from the dead ascended into heauen so we being iustified by his grace it is méet for vs in all our whole life to thinke no more vpon earthlie but vpon heauenlie things This dooth Paule teach vs in his epistle to the Colossians If ye be risen saith he with Christ Col. 3 1. seeke ye the things that be aboue and not earthlie things Besides this as Christ being risen from the dead dieth no more so he that is regenerated by faith let him take héed that he doo not fall againe into miserable and dangerous infidelitie For which cause Paule admonished Timothie that he should remember 2. Tim. 2 8. that Iesus Christ was risen againe from the dead For the remembrance of the same resurrection of Christ is of no small stirring vp to the leading of a godlie and innocent life that in such sort we may followe Christ who dieng once
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
haue aboue confessed And he offered himselfe to be seene and felt of his disciples Besides this when his will was neither to be séene nor yet to be caught hold of by anie man he so ordered his bodie Luk. 4 30. as neither the one nor the other happened otherwise than it pleased himselfe Iohn 8. 59. Mat. 28 1. c. As in Nazareth when they endeuoured to throwe him downe headlong from the mounteine or when they went about to stone him in the temple Mat. 17 2. Againe when he rose vp and went out of the sepulchre which the soldiers kept he would not be séene No more would he be séene vpon mount Thabor wherein his bodie being transformed became bright like the sun And we are not anie waie forbidden to hope but that our bodies shall probablie be adorned with those qualities in the life eternall For it séemeth altogither conuenient that the members should be like vnto their owne head Fleshlie care of the bodie must be reiected Wherfore if anie man haue a fleshlie care of his owne bodie he dealeth vnwiselie to obeie it in those things which manifestlie striue with so blessed an end He ought rather for that fauour wherewith he is indued by the grace of God to yéeld the same bodie of his to the obedience of the spirit by whome it shall at the length be quickened and carried vp into so excellent a state In consideration wherof Paule decréed Rom. 8 18. that Those things which we presentlie suffer are not worthie of the glorie which shall be shewed to vs And as in the same maner Christ disputing of eternall life said Hee that will find his life Mat. 10 39. shall loose it In the which place vnder the name of life he meaneth this naturall life the which whosoeuer withdraweth from mortification and the crosse laid vpon him by God and dooth attempt with highlie dishonouring of Christ and his name to repulse danger and temporall death from it then dooth he verelie loose it although he determine with himselfe to find it and to recouer it For he despoileth it of those properties which otherwise it should perpetuallie haue in that eternall felicitie with Christ But the spirituall and true christians which by the iudgement of the world are thought to betraie their owne life while they make ouer-small account of the same taking great and infinit perils in hand yea willing death for Christs his sake these I saie as Christ most truelie testifieth in loosing of their soule doo in verie déed find and most certeinlie obteine the same Iohn 12 24. And that is most aptlie expressed in the similitude of a grain of corne which vnlesse it should first become rotten in the earth it would neuer giue out flower or fruit framed in the order of an eare of corne 50 But let vs procéed sée in what thing the spirits of the blessed may rest themselues in that state whereof we haue spoken They that be iustified by Christ although that euen in this life they haue setled their desire to loue God with all their heart with all their soule and with all their strength so long as they acknowledge they be verie far off from dooing that which they ought to doo they must néeds be disquieted with excéeding sorrow How pleasant a thing thinke we will it be to them that they shall be able to satisfie their desire so iust so excellent so great and so long desired of them A deliuerance from slane Then we shall be indued with this gift that we shall offend him no more we shall be deliuered from the seruitude of sinne and from our domesticall enimie namelie from the assaults of the flesh séeing the same shall be at peace with the spirit We being constrained with the bonds hereof cannot fulfill the lawe of God But in that state we shall loue God with all our strength and more than either our selues or whatsoeuer else is in the world Neither shall that flesh let vs anie thing from the true perfect loue of our neighbour he vndoubtedlie shall haue no néed of the duties of this life but yet we shall loue him in that we shall no lesse be desirous of his felicitie than of our owne The motions of enuie selfe-pleasing and of other desires the which things be verie great enimies vnto vs and make vs the slacker to loue our neighbours shall haue no longer abiding in vs. But as touching that which is of greatest importance and is greatlie wished for of all men that be indued with reason and anie godlinesse at all I meane the knowledge of God shall then at the last be granted vnto vs. Indéed it is now after some sort giuen vnto men to knowe God by the euident tokens of things created by the testimonies of the scriptures and by inward reuelation of the spirit but there shall be then a full and perfect knowledge Wherfore saith Paule to the Corinthians We see saith he through a glasse as in a darke speaking 1. Co. 13 12 Now there be certeine darke sentences laid before vs which the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 then shall it be set foorth to be perceiued indéed All vailes and couering shall be remooued that we may penetrate euen to the face of God himselfe the which cannot be perceiued in this life as God himselfe verified to his faithfull seruant Moses Exo. 33 20. in these words It cannot be that a man should see me and liue Therefore thou shalt not see my face but I will cause that as I passe by thou maist see my backe part But when we be loosed from this mortall state we without doubt shall be capable of that excellent gift In the which thing chéefelie consisteth that eternall life as our sauiour Iesus teacheth in the Gospell of Iohn Iohn 17 3. This is the life eternall that they may knowe thee onelie the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent And againe he saith Iohn 8 56. that Abraham desired to knowe the daie of the Lord and he knew it and reioised Matt. 13 16. And vnto the apostles he said Blessed be the eies which see that ye see I saie vnto you that many kings prophets desired to see that which ye see and yet it was not granted vnto them In which place we must vnderstand that Christ spake of his first comming in the which he had the mortall and passible properties of humane nature But if thou wilt obiect that they sawe him also after his resurrection when he was now indued with an immortall and impassible life I answer that he had not euen as yet gotten the full victorie of all his enimies nether ha◠procured the kingdome to be perfect peaceable and sure from all aduersaries such as it shall be by the iudgement of Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians When he hath put all his enimies vnder his feet 1. Co.
iustification then come through workes The .34 reason Further there is no doubt but that iustification commeth of the good will and fauour of God séeing by it men are receiued into grace adopted to be his children and made heires of eternall life But such as before iustification are occupied in the workes of the lawe are bound vnder the curse so farre is it off that they should haue the fruition of the fauour of God For the apostle addeth As manie as are vnder the lawe vers 10. are vnder the curse But to the end we should not thinke this to be his owne inuention he saith As it is written Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the lawe After this he argueth from the time I speake after the maner of men The .35 reason though it be but a mans testament yet if it be allowed vers 15. no man reiecteth it or addeth anie thing thereto Moreouer vnto Abraham were the promises made and vnto his seed he saith not to his seedes as speaking of manie but to thy seed as of one which is Christ This I doo saie that the lawe which began afterward beyond .430 yeeres dooth not disanull the testament that was before confirmed of God vnto Christ-ward to make the promises of none effect First saith he The testament of God and the first promise offereth iustification without works wherefore the testament confirmed receiued and allowed is not restrained by the lawe which was so long time afterward giuen If there had beene a lawe giuen The .36 reason vers 21. which could haue giuen life then should righteousnes haue beene of the lawe This reason of the apostle is not full for there must be added the deman of the antecedent namelie That the lawe can not giue life For as it is declared vnto the Romans It was weakened through the flesh although as touching it selfe it conteined commandementes which perteined vnto life Wherefore séeing it is for certeine that the lawe can not giue life no more can it likewise iustifie But before that faith came we were kept vnder the lawe The .37 reason vers 23. and were shut vp vnto that faith which afterward should be reuealed Wherefore the lawe was our schoolemaister vnto Christ that we should be iustified by faith If the lawe be as it were a schoolemaister then should we doo great iniurie vnto God and to Christ which are vnto vs in stéed of parents if we should ascribe vnto the schoolemaister that which is proper vnto them It is not the schoolemaister which maketh vs heires which adopteth vs which giueth vs all things but it is the father wherefore let vs ascribe our iustification vnto God and vnto Christ and not vnto the lawe nor vnto workes nor to our merits Tell me The .38 reason Gala. 4 21. ye that would so faine be vnder the lawe doo ye not heare what the lawe saith For it is written that Abraham had two sonnes one of an handmaiden an other of a freewoman and he which came of the handmaiden was borne according to the flesh but he which came of the freewoman was borne according to promise which thinges are spoken by an allegorie For these are two testaments the one from the mount Sina which ingendreth vnto bondage the which is Agar for Agar is mount Sina in Arabia and is ioined vnto the citie which is now called Ierusalem and it is in bondage with hir children but Ierusalem which is aboue is free which is the mother of vs all In these words this thing is chéeflie to be noted that the lawe ingendreth not but vnto bondage as Agar did But if by the works therof it could iustifie it should ingender to libertie for what thing else is iustification than a certeine libertie frō sinne But forsomuch as it is both called a seruant and gendreth to bondage we ought not then by it to looke for iustification In the fift chapter it is written verse 2. The 39. reason verse 3. If ye be circumcised Christ shall nothing profit you And he brings a reason of the said sentence For that man saith he which is circumcised is debter to keepe the whole lawe So much dooth Paule take iustification from circumcision and works as he saith that Christ nothing profiteth them in case they will be circumcised after they beléeue And still he more stronglie confirmeth that which was said The 40. reason Christ is come in vaine vnto you for if ye haue iustification as the fruit of your works then the comming death and bloud-shedding of Christ should not haue beene necessarie verse 11. And I if I yet preach circumcision whie doo I suffer persecution Then is the offense of the crosse abolished The offense and slander of the crosse is that men being wicked and otherwise sinners are by God counted iust through Christ crucified and by faith in him Here the flesh is offended here dooth reason vtterlie resist which thing happeneth not when iustification is preached to come of works whether they be ceremoniall or morall But God would haue this offense to remaine bicause it pleaseth him 1. Cor. 1 21. by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beléeue verse 1. The 41. reason 16 Vnto the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is written And ye when ye were dead in trespasses and sinnes in which in time past ye walked according to the course of this world euen after the gouernor that ruleth in the aire and the spirit that now worketh in the children of vnbeliefe among whom we also had our conuersation in time past in the lust of the flesh and fulfilled the will of the flesh and of the mind and as it is in the Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our thoughts were by nature the children of wrath euen as others are Let vs note in these words that men at the beginning before they come to Christ are dead in sinne and therfore are not able to helpe themselues to liue and to be iustified Who euer sawe that a dead man could helpe himselfe Further by those words is shewed that they were in the power of the prince of darkenes which worketh and is puissant in the children of vnbeliefe Séeing therefore they were gouerned by him how could they by their works tend to iustification And bicause we should not thinke that he spake onlie of some other certeine vngodlie persons he addeth All we comprehending also the apostles in the number Among them saith he we were And what did we then We were conuersant in the lusts of our flesh And to the end we might vnderstand that these lusts were not onelie the wicked affections of the grosser part of the soule it followeth We doing the will of the flesh and of the mind or of reason did followe also the thoughts or inuentions of human reason If we were all such from whence then commeth saluation and
And Paule in the 1. to the Corinthians verse 8. the 12. chapter Vnto one saith he is giuen the word of wisedome vnto another the word of knowlege vnto another faith and vnto another the grace of healing And then he addeth that It is one the selfe-same spirit which worketh all these things diuiding vnto euerie man as pleaseth him And if thou wilt saie that this place and the foresaid petition of the apostles perteineth vnto the particular faith by which are wrought miracles doubtles I will not be much against it And yet if thou wilt néeds haue it so I will reason A minori that is From the lesse for if these frée gifts are not had but from the spirit of God much lesse can that vniuersall effectuall faith whereby we are iustified be had from else where Further Paule vnto the Romans Rom. 12 3. Vnto euerie one saith he as God hath diuided the measure of faith And in the last to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 4 13. Hauing saith he the selfe-same spirit of faith euen as it is written I haue beleeued for which cause also I speake We also beleeue and speake that God which raised vp Iesus from the dead shall through Iesus raise vp our bodies also Vnto the Galathians are reckoned vp the fruits of the spirit Charitie ioie peace patience lowlines Gal. 5 22. gentlenes faith meekenes and temperance Faith here is numbered among the fruits of the spirit wherefore it procéedeth of the spirit But vnto the Ephesians he saith more manifestlie Eph. 2 8. By grace ye are saued through faith that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And in the Acts of the apostles it is thus written Acts. 16 14. The Lord opened the hart of the woman that sold silks to giue heed vnto those things which Paule spake And in the 13. chapter They beleeued Acts. 13 48. as manie as were predestinate vnto eternall life Wherefore it is not to be doubted How the holie Ghost is in men not regeâ—erate but that faith is ingendered in our harts by the holie Ghost who in déed may for all that be had of them which beléeue not but yet as persuading onlie and not as sanctifieng them And although into the elect he suddenlie powreth in faith yet forsomuch as he is the cause of faith he is therefore before it both in dignitie and in order 67 Now let vs sée what absurdities Pighius gathereth out of this our sentence iudgement If the spirit saith he be the author of our faith and vseth the instrument of the word of God and may be also in them that beléeue not how commeth this to passe How it commeth that at one verie sermon part of the hearers beleeue and part not that when as there are manie at one and the selfe-same sermon where as both the spirit is present and the word preached yet part doo beléeue and part beléeue not We answer in one word that that commeth bicause the spirit is not of like efficacie in all men neither doth after one and the selfe-same maner teach all men inwardlie in the mind But of his will we cannot render anie cause although we nothing doubt but that it is most iust If the matter be so saith he the hearers will easilie content themselues neither will they put to their indeuor or studie for they knowe that that is in vaine when as it wholie dependeth of the spirit of God This is not onelie a verie common but also an enuious obiection But we answer that all men are bound to beléeue the word of God and therefore their bounden dutie is diligentlie and attentiuelie to hearken therevnto with all their strength to assent vnto it and if they so doo not they shall then incur the punishments of the lawe Neither are they to be hearkened vnto if they shall saie that they could not obeie it or if they would haue gone about to haue prooued what their strength could haue done their indeuor for that they were not as yet iustified should haue béene in vaine and sinne A similitude As if a maister should bid his seruant which is lame to walke and he would excuse himselfe and saie that he were lame and could not go without great deformitie it is not to be thought All sinnes are not alike that therefore he is excused We are not of that mind to thinke that all sinnes are alike naie rather we teach that they which omit or neglect those outward works which they might performe and put not to their indeuor and studie to doo well doo much more gréeuouslie sinne than they which according to their strength and power obserue some outward discipline And as Augustine saith Cato and Scipio shall be much more tollerablie delt with than Catiline or Caligula But I would haue Pighius himselfe whom our opinion so much misliketh to declare when he thinketh that the holie Ghost is giuen vnto men He will answer when as now these preparations haue gone before when a man hath beléeued feared hoped repented and sincerelie loued What thing else would Pelagius saie As though to beléeue to loue and such other like doo spring of mans strength He alledgeth this also thinketh it to make for his purpose Mat. 11 28. Come vnto me all ye which labour and are laden and I will refresh you For he thinketh that labours burthens contrition confession and as they call it satisfaction fastings teares and such other like doo make to the obteinement of iustification But this place is to be vnderstood farre otherwise for Christ calleth them labouring and loden which were oppressed with the lawe and felt their owne infirmitie and the burthen of their sinnes and which had now long time laboured vnder humane traditions These men being now wearie and in a maner without all hope the Lord calleth vnto him for they are more apt and fit for the kingdom of heauen than are other blessed and quiet men which by their owne works and good déeds doo thinke themselues verie iust God saith Pighius requireth works preparatorie and then he promiseth not to faile them of his grace This was wholie the opinion of the Pelagians Against which the holie scriptures are vtterlie repugnant for they teach that It is God which giueth both to will Phil. 2 13. to performe according to his good will that it is God which beginneth in vs the good worke and accomplisheth it euen vnto his owne daie Phil. 1 6. that it is God from whom onlie we haue sufficiencie when as otherwise we are not able to thinke anie thing of our selues as of our selues Wherefore it is manifest that Pighius confoundeth the lawes of God describeth those things which are well set foorth in the holie scriptures 68 Further when as we saie that vnto iustification it is not sufficient to haue an historicall faith he faineth himselfe to maruell what
derideth vs as often as we saie that faith is had by the grace and inward working of the holie Ghost For he saith that it is woonderfull that the holie Ghost should haue his abiding and worke in them which doo not as yet beléeue The same Origin vpon Leuiticus in his third booke and third chapter The holie sicle saith he representeth our faith for if thou shalt offer faith to Christ as a price to the ram without spot offered vp for a sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes Here also we haue expressedlie that remission of sinnes is obteined by faith by that faith I saie which is directed vnto Christ who was deliuered vnto death and sacrificed for vs. There can be nothing more manifest than these testimonies which Origin hath brought for vs. But these men are so obstinate that they will not be led from the opinion which they haue once taken in hand to defend although thou bring neuer so great light with thée least they should séeme to anie of theirs to haue defended an ill cause Cyprian 79 Cyprian beside those things which we afore spake touching the coniunction of faith with a good life writeth also in his third booke to Quirinus that Faith onelie profiteth and that we are able so much to doo as we doo beléeue The first part of this sentence perteineth vnto the third article of this question but the latter serueth verie much for that which we are now in hand with It is a woonderfull saieng doubtles that So great is the force of faith that by it we are able to doo what we will And yet did not Cyprian thinke it sufficient absolutelie to pronounce this but he hath also confirmed it by manie and sundrie testimonies of the scriptures As touching Basilius and Gregorius Nazianzen that shall suffice which I haue before cited Chrysostome Chrysost in his sermon which he hath intituled De fide lege naturae spiritu saith that Euen faith is of it selfe able to saue a man And for example he bringeth foorth the théefe Luk. 23 42. who saith he onlie confessed and beléeued but works saith he alone cannot saue the workers Faith can saue without works but not works without faith without faith After that he compareth works without faith with the reliks of dead men for dead carcases saith he although they be clothed with pretious and excellent garments yet they obteine not heate by them so saith he they which want faith although they be decked with glorious works yet are they by them nothing holpen A similitude And the same father vpon the epistle vnto the Romans vpon these words of Paule Rom. 10 6. But the righteousnes which is of faith Thou séest saith he that this is chéeflie particular vnto faith that we all treading vnder foot the complaint of reason should inquire after that which is aboue nature and that the infirmitie of our cogitations being by the vertue and power of God cast awaie we should imbrace all the promises of God Here we sée that by faith we obteine the promises of God and although by it we assent vnto all that which is conteined in the holie scriptures yet it peculiarlie hath a regard vnto the promises of God This is also to be considered that he saith that The infirmitie of our cogitations in beléeuing is by the vertue and power of GOD cast awaie for this maketh against them which contend that this is doone by humane power and strength as though we had faith of our selues and that it should go before iustification The same Chrysostome vpon the 29. chapter of Genesis in his 54. homilie This saith he is the true faith not to giue héed vnto those things which are séene although they séeme to be against the promise but onelie to consider the power of him that promiseth Let them well consider this which will haue vs to haue a regard not onelie to the power and promises of God but euen chéeflie to our owne preparations And expounding these words in Genesis Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. and it was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes Let vs also saith he learne I beséech you of the patriarch of God to beléeue his saiengs and to trust vnto his promises and not to search them out by our owne cogitation but to shew a great gratitude for this can both make vs iust and also cause vs to obteine the promises Here also are two things to be noted the one is that we are made iust by faith the other that by the same we obteine the promises which two things our aduersaries stoutlie denie The same father vpon these words of Paule vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 1 20. Of whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander which haue made shipwracke as concerning faith So saith he he which once falleth awaie from the faith hath no place where he may staie himselfe or whither to repaire for the head being corrupted and lost what vse can there be of the rest of the bodie For if faith without works be dead If faith be dead without works much more works without faith much more are works dead without faith Here is to be noted that this is an argument A minori that is From the lesser vnto the greater for he saith that works are more dead without faith than is faith without works The same authour in his sermon De verbis apostoli vpon these words of the apostle Hauing one and the selfe-same spirit of faith 2. Cor. 4 13. for it is vnpossible saith he yea doubtlesse it is vnpossible if thou liue vnpurelie not to wauer in faith By this we sée how great a coniunction Chrysostome thought that to be betwéene faith and good works The same father expounding these words of the apostle Rom. 3 31. Doo we then destroie the lawe by faith God forbid naie rather we confirme the lawe So soone as saith he a man beléeueth So soone as a man beleeueth he i◠iustified straitwaie he is iustified wherefore faith hath confirmed the will of the lawe whilst it hath brought to an end euen that for which the lawe did all things How then dooth Pighius saie that faith is onelie the foundation and therefore is verie farre from the perfection of iustification Or vnto what purpose is that that after faith he putteth so manie degrées and meanes whereby we come vnto iustification For Chrysostome speaketh farre otherwise that a man is iustified straitwaie so soone as euer he beléeueth Further he attributeth vnto faith euen this also that it maketh men iust when as the law was not able to performe that although by manie waies it did endeuour it Moreouer when he expoundeth these words They being ignorant of the righteousnes of God Rom. 10 3. Rom. 9 33. going about to establish their owne righteousnes were not subiect to the righteousnes of God This righteousnes of God saith he he calleth the righteousnes of faith which
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
growne to such a number as they haue gotten the vpper hand of the physicians art if it be wounded if it be torne if it be fired if it hunger and be pressed with miseries and calamities finallie if it be ill handled with penurie and beggerie how can it otherwise be but the mind will be mooued troubled and gréeued These and manie other things doo sufficientlie shew that we are past all hope of absolute felicitie while we liue in this world 3 This haue diuers men noted and therfore haue referred the inioieng of perfect happinesse to another life but they thought that the same must onelie be attributed vnto the soule yea and they iudged that the bodie if it should be reuoked would be an impediment thereto And with this error was infected Marcion Basilides the Valentinians the Manicheis The error of them which said there are two beginnings of things a good god and an euill god and such other pestiferous sects who affirmed that there were two beginnings of things namelie a good god and an euill And séeing they thought the euill god to be the author of visible creatures they said also that he was the maker of the bodie and of flesh and that therefore the soule being seuered from these things after death should be happie and that there should be no néed of them to be restored againe which doo hinder and not further felicitie The same opinion had they which thought that the soule is ioined to the bodie An error about the coupling togither the soule with the bodie A similitude as a mariner is coupled to the ship and as a thing moouing vnto that which it mooueth and therefore they affirmed that it would not come to passe that the soule after this life shuld be ioined againe vnto his bodie For euen as the shipman or they which mooue and put forward anie burdens when they be rid of their businesse and haue gotten wealth inough doo not returne againe to their former labors so did they thinke that soules being once put awaie from the laboursome gouernment of bodies should not returne againe But they erre excéedinglie for the soule must not so be adioined to the bodie How they be trulie ioined togither for it is the forme and perfection thereof and of both being ioined togither is made one person So then there is left remaining in soules after death a vehement disposition to take vnto them their bodies againe Which Plato séemed not to be ignorant of nor yet Pythagoras for either of them said that There is * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a passage of soules frō one bodie into another For as they would haue it soules after death are remooued into other bodies And bicause they returned not to the selfe-same againe that was rather said to be an alteration of place than a resurrection 4 But what maner of resurrection soeuer they haue appointed which haue taught Resurrection after the reuolution of the great yeare that after the great yéere or perfect reuolution of the heauens all things shal be restored as they now be so that thirtie six thousand yéeres hence we shall become euen the same both in number and in verie déed that we now be so that I my selfe shall teach in this place you sitting here in such sort as I now teach and you being present The reason of this opinion is astronomicall For they will haue it as Ptolome taught that that highest or be of the heauens comprehendeth in it thrée hundred thrée score and six degrées and that euerie starre doth euerie hundred yéeres passe ouer one of those degrées whereby it should come to passe that after thirtie six thousands yéeres euerie starre should returne to the point from whence it was loosed and began his motion And séeing the state or situation of the celestiall bodies was then euen in the same maner that it was from the beginning they thinke that all things shall returne to the same forme in which they then were I knowe there were some of them which prolong this restitution of all things not to six and thirtie but to fortie thousand yéeres howbeit this their reckoning is not allowed But ridiculous and vaine is each opinion and is confuted by Aristotle who affirmeth earnestlie that it can not be that the things which perish and decaie in the meane time should returne to the verie selfe same in particularities whatsoeuer space of time you will admit in the meane season Howbeit these men might lie without controllment for who can reprooue them after thirtie six thousand yéeres especiallie séeing from the beginning of the world vnto this daie six thousand yéeres are not yet finished I passe it ouer that such a kind of deuise is repugnant to the truth bicause the resurrection of the dead dependeth not of celestiall bodies nor of starres nor of degrées of the firmament but vpon the will of the high GOD. Besides this the holie scriptures doo shew that by the last resurrection eternall life shall be giuen vnto them that be dead so as they shall die no more But such a life cannot be loked for of celestiall bodies Moreouer the blessednes of saints would not be firme and stedfast when they should consider that they must be thrust foorth againe vnto the same trauels and miseries which they suffred before whiles they were héere Wherfore men haue verie much erred touching the resurrection of the dead The error of the Saduces Act. 23 8. The error of the Libertins 2. Tim. 2 17. The error of Hymeneus and Philetus And among the Hebrues were the Saduces who beléeued that there were no spirits and denied the resurrection of the dead At this daie also there be Libertines which make a iest at it and the resurrection which is spoken of in the scriptures they onelie referre vnto the soules And in the time of Paule there liued Hymenaeus Philetus who affirmed that the resurrection of the dead was euen then past whose doctrine as the apostle saith was like a canker that hath a wide fret for the minds of the vnlearned are easilie corrupted with such peruerse opinions 5 An other reason for the which God will restore the life of the bodies of them that be dead dependeth of his perfect iustice the which is not in this life declared Where we sée that for the most part the wicked doo florish in power and dignities and that they be gentlie vsed but on the other side that godlie and honest men be hardlie intreated and be in danger of most gréeuous displeasures which things vnlesse there shuld remaine an other hope might séeme to be vniust neither also would it be iustlie doone if the soule onelie should be either blessed or tormented with punishments séeing it hath had the bodie with it a companion in executing of actions as well good as bad Therefore it is méet that togither with the bodie it should haue experience both of ioies and paines séeing it did
all things by the same The Rabbins among the Iewes A fable of the Rabbins concerning the coniunction of the soule with the bodie for the testifieng héereof deuised a fable saieng that A certeine mightie and rich man planted himselfe a garden of most noble kinds of trées which did beare verie excellent fruits and lest it shuld be robbed he appointed kéepers for the same And bicause it behooued to take héed vnto the kéepers themselues he appointed two which were so made as the one did perfectlie sée but yet so lame as he might not in anie wise be able to go the other was in déed able to go but was blind When the Lord of the orchard was gone the ill kéepers began to consult among themselues about eating of the fruits The blind man said I in verie déed lust after them but I sée not the criple said I sée them but I am not able to come at them After long talke they agréed that the blind man should stoope downe and receiue the criple vpon his backe who hauing his sight directed the blind man with his hand wherefore they being both ioined togither came vnto the trées and fulfilled their lusts with those fruits according to their owne desire The lord of the garden returned and espieng the harme that was doone blamed the kéepers The lame man excused himselfe that he could not come to the trée and the blind man said that he might not sée the fruits Then the owner when he knew their sleight and shift Ye haue saith he ioined your labours togither wherefore I also will ioine you againe and will punish you togither Therefore he bound them togither againe and by beating and striking them punished them both togither So saie they dooth the case stand in a man the soule in déed knoweth vnderstandeth perceiueth but it can not take anie outward worke in hand by it selfe Certeinlie the bodie of it selfe is a senselesse thing neither dooth it perceiue The which neuerthelesse being mooued stirred vp by the mind is a fit instrument of th outward actions Which being so both reason iustice requireth that they should be againe ioined togither after death for receiuing of punishments rewards 6 These things are spoken generallie And now comming to the matter we will diuide this treatise into certeine principall points First we will bring the reasons which séeme to hinder and gainsaie the resurrection of the flesh Secondlie we will search out what is the nature thereof Thirdlie whether by humane reasons and that by such reasons as are probable it may be prooued and confirmed Moreouer we will bring testimonies out of the holie scriptures as well of the old as of the new testament whereby it shall be prooued that the same must in anie wise be looked for Afterward we will intreat of the causes thereof Ouer this some things shall be spoken of the conditions and qualities of them that shall rise againe And last of all shall be confuted the arguments of them which séeme to persuade that there shall be no resurrection And those arguments will I first of all recite yet not all but those onelie which I shall iudge to be of most importance by the confutation whereof others may easilie be dissolued Arguments of them which denie the resurretion 7 First Porphyrius said that All bodies must be auoided for atteining to the felicitie of the soule bicause they hinder and further not the contemplation and knowledge of God wherein consisteth our felicitie By which there séemeth to be affirmed that soules can not perfectlie be made blessed if they should be coupled againe to their bodies Further this can not be that when the bodies are alreadie dissolued and are gone into ashes they should returne to their first elements or to the first substance of their nature Besides it happeneth sometimes that a man is eaten of a woolfe a woolfe of a lion a lion of the fowles of the aire which afterward become the meat of other men therefore the flesh of the first man might not be discerned from the flesh of the latter men Moreouer this will the more plainlie appéere if we consider of those Anthropophagi being men that féed vpon mans flesh whereby it commeth to passe that the substances of humane bodies by that kind of meanes are mingled Wherefore if there shall be a resurrection of the dead vnto which men shall those fleshes be attributed To them that eat or to them that be eaten We sée also in nature that it is taken for an impossibilitie that one and the same indiuisible thing should be restored to number when it hath perished And therefore was generation appointed that at the leastwise by procreating like things in kind order might be continued To this in death when the soule is taken awaie from the bodie not onelie the things accident therevnto are destroied but the essentiall beginnings also wherby a man is made namelie the bodie and also certeine parts of the mind as is the power of nourishing and féeling which can not be had without the bodie Besides this if anie quantitie be sundred it is no more one in number but they be two quantities And a motion that surceaseth if it be begun againe it may be in kind the same that it was but in number it shall be distinguished from the first For who is it that when he shall haue walked a mile if he stand at rest for a while and afterward returneth can affirme that his latter walke is the verie same that was before And this is not onelie perceiued in quantitie and motion and in things that happen but also in qualities and formes For if a man inioie health and doo fall into a sicknesse the first health doubtles is gone but if so be he afterward recouer the health that happeneth is not altogither the same that the first was In like maner if bodies with all the things belonging vnto them are to be restored all the humors haires and nailes shall be giuen againe and the heape will be monstrous But if all these things shall not be restored but a certeine of them there can be no reason made whie rather one sort than an other shall be giuen againe 8 There be moreouer in the holie scriptures manie places which are against resurrection if they should be weied as they appéere at the first sight In the 78. psalme it is written verse 39. that God did after a sort chasten the Iewes in the wildernesse but that he would not vtterlie powre out his wrath vpon them bicause he remembred saith Dauid that they were but flesh and as a spirit that passeth awaie and commeth not againe But if so be that the soules returne not againe there is no resurrection Also it is said in the 114. psalme The dead shall not praise thee Psal 114 17 ô Lord. And if the spirits of them that be dead doo not celebrate the praises of God and that they which be
ours must chéeflie be remembered to wit What substance the bodies rising againe shall be of that through this diuersitie of qualities and coÌ„ditions the subiect that is the substance of our bodies is not to be altered for in anie wise the same bodie and the same flesh is to be raised vp Origin Neither must we giue eare to Origin which thinketh that onelie the bodie shall be restored but not the flesh We must rather beléeue Christ which said after he was risen from the dead Luk. 24 39. Feele and see for a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye see me haue And if the same bodie shall rise againe the same flesh and members shall also be restored A place also shall be appointed for them for these things cannot consist without a place But that the subiect shall be all one Paule plainlie prooued when he said vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 53 This corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortall must put on immortalitie The pronounce demonstratiue This dooth plainlie declare the substance and verie humane nature of a bodie Yea but thou tellest me verse 13. that the same apostle in the sixt chapter of the same epistle saith Meats are ordeined for the bellie and the bellie for meats but GOD shall destroie both it and them It is also said that The blessed shal be as the angels Matt. 22 30. so as they shall neither marrie wiues nor the women shall be married To what purpose shall varietie of sex be in the blessed which rise againe to what vse or to what end We answer that indéed God in the euerlasting felicitie will take awaie from them that be raised vp the vse and action of these parts but not the substance and nature of them And being demanded why the things themselues shall remaine still To what end shall remaine the parts of the bodie wherof shall be no vse the vse and action being taken awaie we answer that therfore they shall remaine bicause they belong to the wholenesse and perfection of an humane bodie For if all these things should be taken awaie what part thereof would be remaining First the throte should be plucked out the stomach and all the bowels whereby dregs haue their passage and flowing humors are distilled Further it is méet that those parts which we haue rightlie vsed while we liued here should be benefited with reward togither with vs. And séeing blessed men did honestlie and temperatelie vse their throte their taste and their bellie and chastlie kept their inferiour parts why should they not receiue these parts that they may be crowned togither with them 61 Neither is it a firme consequent The vse of certeine parts and members is taken awaie Therefore they themselues also must be taken awaie It dooth not so come to passe in nature An old barren woman A similitude which can no more bring foorth children or giue sucke is not therefore depriued of hir paps nor yet of those parts which serued for procreation Yea and a valiant and noble emperour which hath doone manie woorthie acts in battell when he dieth hath his armor which sometimes he ware fastened about his toombe although he is not to vse the same anie more afterward And the ships which somtimes bare awaie the victorie vpon the sea albeit that men cannot vse them anie more yet doo they drawe them vp into docks and will haue them preserued there for a perpetuall memorie of the things that were doone Yea and Christ himselfe also being risen from the dead brought againe with him the skars of his wounds and said vnto Thomas which doubted Iohn 20 27 Put thy fingers here into my side and into the holes of the nailes and be not vnbeleeuing but faithfull The wounds had alreadie performed their part for by them mankind was redéemed and yet had he them after he was risen from the dead to the intent it might be perceiued that it was the verie same bodie which had suffered before Exod. 3â— â—8 1. Kin. 19 8. Elias also and Moses when they had fasted by the space of fortie daies had not in vaine their mouth throte and bellie when as neuerthelesse they vsed not them a long time 62 But I returne to Origin who thought that the bodie should rise againe but not the flesh But we in the Créed doo confesse not the resurrectioÌ„ of the bodie but of the flesh But this father as we gather out of his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith that There be two errors noted as concerning the resurrection The first he maketh to be ours which thinke that flesh bloud bones and the verie same members are to be receiued when we shall be raised vp For this he supposeth to be absurd and fond and ouer grosse bicause he thinketh that it would followe thereof that we should eat drinke and marrie wiues againe But how weake this argument is we declared before when wée shewed that it is méet and conuenient that without vse and proper functions these parts shall be receiued at the blessed resurrection Another error he maketh of certeine heretikes which altogither denied the resurrection of the dead attributing eternall saluation to soules onelie and of such as were bold to call the resurrection of Christ a fantasticall resurrection as who should saie it were onelie shewed by an imagined vision Wherefore he hauing set downe these two errors as certeine extremities pretended to allow of a certeine meane waie He said that when the soule shall be separated from the bodie the foure principall things whereof the bodie consisteth retire themselues againe to their owne store-houses of nature so as the flesh goeth into the earth the breath into the aire the bloud and other humors into waters the heat into heauen These he affirmeth doo not perish when they come there but are so mingled with those elements as they can be no more discerned or drawen awaie from thence Howbeit he affirmeth that the bodies shall rise againe and so rise againe as to euerie one shall be giuen his owne proper bodie and not an other mans The bodie of Peter as he saith shall be giuen to Peter of Paule to Paule bicause it is not méet that sinnes should be punished in a strange bodie and not in the same by which they were committed And after what maner this may be doone he thus declareth In séeds there is ingraffed by God a certeine nature and power of things that it may drawe vnto it all the matter that is to come and the corporall substance of things which doo come from thence Yet neuerthelesse in the séed of the trée are not séene the fruits the flowers the leaues the branches the barke or the bodie whereas otherwise the nature power of all these things hath being in the same Euen so he iudgeth to be in the ashes and matter that remaineth of our bodies And he calleth that power by the Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
word of God is sinne And in a certain oration of the confession of faith It is a fall saith he from faith and a crime of excéeding great pride either to start backe from that which is written or to admit that which is not written Iohn 10. 17 And he addeth a proofe Because my sheepe heare my voyce Neither are we bound saith he to heare others than the shéepheard And that he might affirme his saying the more he brought a place vnto the Galathians Gal. 3. 15. No man altereth a mans Testament or addeth thereunto And if so great honour saith he be done to the testament of a man howe much greater must bee done to the Testament of God And in the exposition of the Créede which is attributed vnto Cyprian after the recitall of the Canonicall Scriptures By these things saith he are gathered what soeuer is necessarie to saluation And against the Aquarians he alwaies appealeth from custome vnto the holie Scriptures and vnto those thinges which Christ himselfe did And in an Epistle vnto Pompeius he hath manie things to the same purpose Ierom. Ierom also vppon Ieremie the 9. Chapter The Elders saith he must not be followed as touching errors but faith must be sought for out of the holie scriptures Chrysostome vppon the 7. Chrysost Chapter to the Hebrewes Euen as they which giue rules haue no néede to teach a thousand verses but a certaine fewe by which the rest maie bée vnderstoode euen so if we would onelie hold fast the Scriptures of God not onelie wée should not fall our selues but we should also call them backe which be falne And this he prooueth by that which Christ said Iohn 5. 39. Search ye the Scriptures in which ye thinke there is eternall life Againe Yee erre Mat. 22. 29 not knowing the Scriptures And he citeth the place of Paul Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15. 4. are written for our learning that by patience and consolation of the Scriptures we may haue hope Lastlie he bringeth al those places the which are cited by me a little before and in his oration de profectu Euangelij vppon the place of Paul vnto the Philippians Phil. 1. 18. Whether by occasion or by enuie c. If ye would holde fast these words saith he ye may encounter with heretikes But vpon the Epistle to the Galathians de Diuite Lazaro he hath manie things much more euident Abraham aunswereth They haue Moses and the Prophets Luk. 16. 29. Here Chrysostome sheweth saith he that greater credite ought to be giuen to the scriptures than if a man should rise againe from the dead And he addeth that we ought not onelie to giue more credite to the worde of God than vnto dead men but also more than vnto the Angels as Paul hath admonished Gal. 1. 8. Also if an Angel from heauen shall teach you an other Gospell than that which wee haue taught let him be accursed 16 Furthermore it is certaine The Church iudgeth by the word and by the spirit that the libertie of the Church must not be taken awaie But the Church hath alwaies iudged by the word and the spirite Therefore it is now méete also that it should iudge as it list For what did those most auncient writers when as yet there were no fathers If then the Church iudged by the word and the spirite why maie it not now also iudge in the same sort For the Fathers vndoubtedlie meant to helpe the Church not to depriue the same of her libertie But they are woont to saie that in the Apostles times was onlie an infancie of the Church and that afterward the same grew more and more to perfection These things are not to be confuted but to bee laughed at For woulde to GOD that wee could attaine to the lowest steppe of the Church which was in the Apostles time Howbeit admit that the same were the infancie of the Church as ye affirme but if so bee that they were then able to aduaunce the Church by the word and the spirit why can not wee now also promote it after the same sort For there bee manie thinges alwayes in the Church which ought either to be renewed or taken awaie iudging by the spirit and holie scriptures those thinges which the fathers ordained either by giuing consent vnto them or dissent from them according as we are now in a riper age of the Church than they were But how do these men estéeme of the Fathers If for age sake we also shall one day become fathers and those schoolemen which were fiue or six hundreth yeares past shall now bee fathers And so there will neuer bee anie certaine number of the fathers But they saie that the Scriptures are obscure and therefore that there is néede of Fathers to bee interpretours But the fathers were also obscure and therefore there was néede of the Master of Sentences But séeing the Master of sentences himselfe might séeme to be obscure there was néede in a manner of infinite commentaries And hereof arose verie manie sectes disagréeing in opinions one from an other so that some were called Scotistes others Thomistes others Occamistes others were called by other names Neither certeinlie can it be denied The fathers Councels Traditiōs erre and are sometimes one against an other but that the fathers erred often times Cyprian erred as concerning the baptisme of Heretikes Tertullian as touching Monogamia that is the Mariage of one wife and others after another sort Councels also did oftentimes erre as we haue aboue declared at large Lastly the traditions do other while erre are repugnant in them selues The tradition of Ephesus was that the Christians should celebrate Easter vppon the 14. daie of the moneth as the Iewes did and they ascribed the same vnto Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist But contrariewise the Romane tradition was that the Christians should not celebrate Easter but after the 14. daie of the moneth least they might séeme to agrée with the Iewes And of this tradition they make Peter and Paul to be authours Either of both is Apostolicall yet both of them maie not be allowed Panormitanus But Panormitanus de electionibus in the Chapter Significasti saith that the vnlearned if they bring the Scriptures must be more beléeued than the Pope the whole Councel if they deale without the scriptures A man that was a Canonist although hée oftentimes erred in manie other things yet could he sée this Paul saith 1. Cor. 14. 29. When anie man prophesieth let the rest sit still and iudge The fathers when they interprete the scriptures doe not they Prophesie Wherefore we must as it were sit and iudge of their sayings 17 But they saie that then at the leastwise the Fathers are to be allowed The fathers are not to be allowed in all things wherein they agrée together when they agrée among themselues No verilie not then alwayes For the consent of
raised vp manie tumultes against the Church That is true which is commonlie said of liuing creatures that by a dried vp member the spirite of life can haue no passage into the other mēber For if the arme be dead and withered vp the life and spirit cannot come vnto the hand But in the Church there is no such great coniunction betwéene men For the power of the Sacraments is to vs A similitude as the light of the sunne which light although it be dispersed through vile and filthie places yet is it not therefore defiled or corrupted 7 But the times of the sacramentes we will diuide into two partes Of Sacraments same were before the comming of Christ some after They differ one from another by notes and signes For some were before the comming of Christ and some after And these differ the one from the other by outward notes and signes Neither was that done rashly or without great consideration for we also as saith Augustine doe after one sort signifie thinges to be doone and after another sort affirme thinges alreadie done and this doe these two wordes now pronounced sufficiently declare But here are two errors to be taken héede of vs Two errors to be shunned in Sacraments as the same father against Faustus very well admonisheth vs first that we thinke not that though the signes be changed therefore the thinges also are diuers or that for asmuch as the thing is one and the selfe same therefore the signes ought not nor can not be changed For if an housholder may commaund straiter thinges vnto those seruantes whom he knoweth it expedient to be kept vnder with great seruitude Two similitudes and may lay easier burdens vpon their neckes whom he will count as his children why then may not God doe the same towardes men Phisitions also vse according to the diuersitie of the diseases of the sicke persons to minister diuers and sundry medicines of all which medicines yet the force is one and the same namely to restore health But whether the signes of the old testament haue now vtterly ceased or no Augustine answereth in his booke de vera religione How the signes of the old Testament remaine and how they are taken away that they remaine by interpretation and faith but are in very déede taken away But touching the very things thēselues those which were set forth vnto the Elders in their sacramentes and which are set forth vnto vs in our sacramentes were one and the same And if thou demaund what were those thinges which were common vnto the fathers and vnto vs it may in fewe wordes be aunswered God Christ Reconciliation Grace Remission of sinnes and such other lyke matters What things were common to them vs. These thinges in times past were signified and set forth to be beléeued in the sacramentes of the old fathers the selfe same are in our time signified in the newe Testament and set foorth in our sacramentes But the signes and symboles which the father 's vsed were changed by the comming of Christ At the second comming of Christ our signes shal be taken away at whose second comming also those which we now haue shall in lyke maner be taken away For when we haue once the fruition of that chiefe felicitie which we waite for we shall then néede no sacramentes Further besides the alteration of the signes are also out of Augustine gathered some other conditions whereby is declared that our sacramentes are more excellent than were the sacraments of the forefathers Our Sacraments are more excellent than those of the forefathers For ours saith he are in power greater in profit better in act easier in number fewer in vnderstanding most ful of maiestie in obseruation most pure and in signification most excellent Those things in déede are great Look part 2 cap. 16. Art 12. part 4. p◠10. Art 8. but yet they alter not the nature of the things signified Neither cause they but that our sacramentes and the sacramentes of the old lawe are as touching the substance one and the same Paul in his Epistle vnto the Romans sayth Ro. 11. 17. that the Iewes as vnprofitable brāches were cut off from the holy trée and we grafted in their place And the roote saith he caryeth thée and not thou the roote How we and the Fathers are both in one stocke and in one roote Whereby it is manifest that both we and the fathers as touching the substance of saluation are in one and the same stocke and in one and the same roote The nature of the things signified is one and the same So then the better and worthier part of the sacramentes is one and the selfe same And whatsoeuer difference there is betwéene vs and them the same consisteth wholy in the comming of Christ past and to come Wherefore Augustine against Faustus saith that our sacraments are signes of things now fulfilled but the sacraments of the forefathers were signes of things to be fulfilled And vppon the 6. Chapter of Iohn he saith that in signes they were diuers from ours but in signification of thinges they were both alike The fathers extenuate the sacraments of the old fathers 8 I know in déede and I remember that the fathers are sometimes woont aboue measure to extenuate the sacraments of the olde lawe Chrysostome in his 27. homilie vpon Genesis denieth that circumcision any thing profited vnto saluation but that the Israelites caried it about with them as a token of gratitude and as a signe and seale to the end they should not be defiled by mingling themselues with other nations And in his 39. Homilie he saith that it was a bridle and a payre of fetters vnto the Iewes that they should not mingle themselues with other nations And he affirmeth that God commaunded it vnto Abraham and vnto his posteritie that by an outward signe he might declare that he was the possessor of him And for that cause he changed his name A similitude For so doe we also when we take into our possession a beast or bondman for we giue vnto them a name and we marke them with our signe or marke And vppon the same booke in the 40. Homilie he saith that the Iewes by circumcision might be knowen And hereunto may be added Ambrose for he declareth that circumcision did onely put a difference betwéene the posteritie of Abraham and other nations The Fathers speak not of this thing after one maner Howbeit they doe not euery where speake after one maner For the same Ambrose when he expoundeth that place in the 10. Chap. of the first to the Corinthians That the olde fathers were baptized in the sea saith that their sinnes were not imputed and that they were without doubt purified These thinges are of much more excellencie than to be separated or to differ from other nations Augustine admitteth vnto the old Fathers true Baptisme And
drinking The Lambe was not that Passouer of the Angel but onely a monument and signification therof Mat. 26. 17 Christ sought a place where he might eate the Passouer with his Apostles And by the Passouer he vnderstood those meates and those things consecrated which did betoken the passing ouer 1. Cor. 5. 7. Paul also said Christ our Passouer is offered In which place he called Christ himselfe our solemnitie and our passing ouer Which wordes cannot otherwise be vnderstoode than by a figure And that Lambe was not that passing ouer of the Angell which then should be but was alreadie doone of old the memorie whereof was represented by those outwarde signes Héere also we haue the bodie of Christ which before time suffered not that it is now deliuered to be crucifyed or whose bloud is now to be shed 37 And if they would expound these wordes of Christ rigorously Where a signe should be there the â—…rsaries admit none and where it should not be there they will 〈◊〉 one when he saith This is my bodie which is giuen for you it should be néedefull for them to say that the bread was to be crucified or at the leastwise Christ hidden vnder accidentes as they appoint in the Sacrament For Christ shewing that which he had in his handes said that the same should be deliuered and shed for them But if they shall say it was in déed the same that was deliuered but not after the selfe same manner or in that forme then they séeke interpretations and shiftes and take not the proposition simply The very which thou maist perceiue in these wordes Is deliuered and is shed The which if while we vtter the wordes of consecration they be vnderstood of vs as they sound the bodie of Christ will be signified that it is presentlie crucified and his bloud presentlie shed or within a while to be shed But they would haue these wordes to be conuerted into the preterperfectence that we may vnderstand that the bodie is deliuered that the bloud is shed and this is to deale figuratiuelie when as one tence is taken for another And whereas Paul said That they which eate vnwoorthilie are guiltie of the bodie and bloud of the Lord 1. Co. 11. 27 also they eate their owne condemnation because they put no difference of the Lordes bodie it is nothing For Ambrose answereth as touching the first while he interpreteth that place They shal be punished for the Lordes death because he was slaine for them who make no account at all of his benefit Wherefore as we haue heard he interpreteth them to be guiltie of the Lordes bodie yet is not Transubstantiation required herevnto And they which receaue vnwoorthilie are said not to put a difference that is to haue the Lordes bodie in no estimation because so great is the coniunction betwéene the signes and the thinges signified as the reproch of the one redoundeth vnto the other On this wise spake Paul when he said 1. Cor. 11. 4 A man praying or prophesying with his head couered dishonoreth Christ where plainelie he would haue that redownd vnto Christ which was doone about the head of the man The conâ—…melie of the Sacrament redoundeth to the bodie of Christ which is the thing of the Sacrament because it should be the signe of Christ It is also to be considered that Paul wrote vnto the Corinthians who were not altogether voide of faith but meÌ„ troubled with some infirmities And we said not that this kinde of men onelie doe receaue the signes and haue not the bodie of Christ but this we affirme of the Infidels Epicures Atheistes and strangers from the Church Wherefore it might rightlie be said vnto them not onely as touching the signes but also as touching the matter of the sacrament that they were guiltie of the bodie and bloud because they made no difference of the Lordes bodie séeing they receaued them without faith and expressed them not in lyfe And in this place this also is to be considered that Paul when he intreateth of the sacramentall action that is to wit of the eating and drinking maketh mention of bread and saith Ibid. v. 27. He that eateth this bread But afterward when he would exaggerat the fault hee maketh mention of the Lords bodie and if we make an account and iust reckoning we shall finde that in the whole Treatise of this Sacrament the Apostle more often expressed bread than he made mention of the bodie of the Lord. For thou maist very well finde that he mentioned bread fiue times and onelie foure times the bodie of the Lord. The reasoÌ„s that prooue a figure to be in these words This is my body 38 But now must we sée what those thinges be that mooue vs to vnderstand this speach This is my bodie figuratiuelie First let vs consider that Christ was present at the supper wherefore there was no néede that he should shewe his bodie vnto his Apostles For they sawe him Further how might it be that he could eate himselfe really and corporally That he in very déede communicated with his Apostles not onelie the fathers affirme but Christ himselfe saith it as thou hast in Matthewe Mat. 26 29. I will not hereafter drinke of this fruit of the vine Moreouer we haue regard to that which is heere spoken of Remembrance wherein the figure is shewed And we sée that these men change the tences and that which is pronounced by the future or by the present tence as touching the deliuerie of the bodie and shedding of the bloud they interpret it by the preterperfectence We consider afterward that they cannot be without signes in their consecration because they vnderstand this verbe Is for It is changed it is transubstantiated or it is made And Christ séeing he instituted a Sacrament it is méete that by significations and figuratiuelie the signes should be vnderstood according to the nature of a Sacrament which is that it should be a signe Wee haue also respect vnto the ascension of Christ into heauen vnto the trueth of the humane nature which he tooke vppon him and also vnto that which is written in Iohn when it is said vnto the Capernaites My wordes be spirit and life Iohn 6. 63. the flesh profiteth nothing namely being carnally eaten it is the spirit which quickeneth And againe we doe consider Paul who here most manifestly nameth it bread 1. Cor. 10. 11. where notwithstanding these men would haue it to be a figure who are so greatly against our figure Also wee heare Paul testifie 1. Cor. 10. 1 that the forefathers had the selfesame Sacrament that we haue For by the iudgement of Augustine it was not sufficient for him to say that they had spirituall meate and drinke but he added The selfe same Ibidem And againe least thou shouldest doubt the Apostle also expressed Baptisme which he saith that they obtained in the sea and in the clowd whereby
Otherwise he saith the flesh profiteth nothing but it is the spirite that quickeneth Wherein thou maist note that this saying of our Sauiour which is in the 6. of Iohn is vnderstoode by Augustine as touching the flesh of Christ but not of the carnall vnderstanding as some will haue it 50 And as touching adoration I will knit vp in few words will rehearse what I haue elsewhere spoken in my exposition of the Epistle vnto the Corinthians In what things adoration consisteth namelie that the same consisteth in inuocation and confession which is of two sortes aswell of the heart as of the mouth and in thanksgiuing And those things are due both vnto God and vnto Christ God and Christ must be worshipped wheresoeuer they declare themselues vnto vs. Looke the Dialogue of both natures in Christ and in the treatise against Gardiner wheresoeuer they shewe themselues vnto vs. And this is doone thrée manner of wayes First by the internall worde when as by the power of the spirit of God anie vehement cogitation of God and of Christ entereth into our mindes Then followeth worshipping because wee either confesse or inuocate or else giue thankes Sometime these thinges declare themselues vnto vs by the outward worde when as we our selues reade the holie scriptures or else heare godlie sermons Then are we oftentimes stirred vp to inuocation or else to other things which belong to the order of seruing God Finallie Christ and GOD otherwhile declareth him selfe by outwarde signes as vppon mount Syna Vnto Esay vnder the forme of a king sitting vppon his royall seate in the Arke of the Couenaunt in the Sacraments and there also worshipping is giuen vnto him But euen as Augustine admonished that we must not settle our minde vppon the fleshe but wee must haue accesse vnto the Godhead Whether in receiuing the Eucharist it be lawful to vse adoration by the outward signes So I héere admonish that in worshipping when we receiue the Eucharist wee must not staie in the signes but must worship in spirite and trueth Christ sitting in heauen at the right hande of his father And this because the simple sort doe not vnderstande by reason of the confirmed and grounded errour of transsubstantiation therfore I thinke it not vnprofitable if we woulde forbeare from outward worshipping namelie from prostrating or knéeling vntill such time as these might be instructed Inwarde worshipping maie be vsed without danger neither would outward worshipping in his owne nature be euill for manie doe knéele and worship deuoutlie at the hearing of those wordes And the word was made fleshe and yet is it not to be saide that those words be worshipped but the things signified And why may not the same be doone here so that the signes be not worshipped but that which is signified by them Howbeit in these dayes for the cause aforesaide perhappes outwarde Adoration is not méete vnlesse that oftentimes mention shoulde bee made hereof in Sermons 51 Neither let anie man take an occasion of my sayings Whether pictures Images are to bée worshipped that it should be lawfull to worshippe either Images or pictures because God and Christ séeme otherwhile to declare themselues there effectuallie For we haue the plaine worde Let vs not make vnto our selues Images for to worship But as touching the words of the holie scripture and the Sacramentes nothing letteth that we should adore in the hearing or receauing of them because those things are instituted by the worde will and commaundement of God Of the remnants of the Eucharist after the vse of the Sacraments that we maie be prouoked to the seruice of GOD which consisteth in adoration Neither oughtest thou to gather hereby that the remnantes of the Eucharist must bee worshipped For whatsoeuer strength the signes haue that they haue by the holie Ghost by the words of the Lord and by his institution which thinges without the vse of the sacrament are not extant And whyle we eate drinke there is a promise Wherefore that opinion of consecration was not vniuersall because in the time of Hesychius as hee himselfe testifieth vpon Leuiticus the remnantes of the Eucharist were burned And euen this thou hast in Origen vppon Leuiticus although it bee the same booke which is ascribed vnto two And Clement the Bishop of Rome as appeareth by his decrée which is de Consecratione distinct 2. ordained that the remnantes of this sacrament shoulde be eaten by the Ecclesiasticall persons We denie not that they were sometime kept but this was doone without adoration and superstitious worshippinges They were giuen vnto children and vnto Women to be caried vnto the sicke Of the Eucharist sent from house to house as appeareth out of the Historie of Eusebius Caesariensis and out of Ierom. And I would not willinglie saie that the receauing of these remnants after that manner out of the holie congregation and besides the rite appointed by the Lorde was a iust communion which neuerthelesse I graunt the sicke might haue so that they repeated the holie wordes and that some faithfull men did there communicate among themselues For where manie doe not communicate the nature of the sacrament is not retayned Christ saide Take ye eate ye and drinke ye The breade is broken which pertaineth vnto distribution And in their Canon they saie manie thinges the which vnlesse manie doe communicate be lies Moreouer it is called a supper a Communion a gathering together Which names little agrée with priuate action Neither doe we at anie time read of priuate masses among the olde Fathers Honorius the Bishop of Rome brought in a decrée that the Eucharist shoulde be kept and he added that honour and reuerence should bee doone vnto it when it shall be caried about Which if it had béene doone before his time it shoulde haue béene néedlesse for him to make such a decrée And to speake briefelie we affirme that this Sacrament as before hath béene sayde hath not his force or efficacie except when it is exercised and receaued which also thou séest to come to passe in all other Sacramentes T Hilarie 52 Hilarius is obiected against vs. But he had verie great controuersies with the Arrians against whom he dealeth because they thought that betwéene the father and the sonne there is no coniunction vnlesse it bée by a consent of will Against these Hilarie saith I demaunde of you whether betwéene vs and Christ there be a coniunction by the propertie of nature or by an agréement of the will For the Arrians woulde lay holde of that place wherein Christ prayed that we might be one together with him euen as he and the father be one betwéene themselues There is a place in Iohn the 17. Verse 21. Chapter where it is saide Euen as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may bee one in vs. The Heretikes added that wee haue no coniunction with Christ vnlesse it be as touching the consent and will
as setting all other things aside we put our trust in him alone and contemning those things which we sée doo hope for of him those things which we sée not c. These things agrée with those which be written by the same apostle in the same epistle the second chapter verse 1. that When we were dead in our sinnes God quickened vs togither in Christ Wherefore euen as a dead man is able to doo nothing towards his owne raising vp or resurrection so we also doo not rise againe although the words of God call vnto vs alowd vnlesse the spirit and life be first restored vnto vs then doo we mooue and stir vp to well dooing And in the first epistle to the Corinthians it is written 1. Cor. 4 7. For who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued whie doost thou glorie as though thou haddest not receiued If we should appoint that frée will can receiue the promises offered and can consent to the saiengs of God propounded the answer will be easie for anie man to saie He hath seuerallie appointed vnto me my frée will aboue others bicause I would they would not I haue consented they haue refused wherefore the difference would appeare to be of vs. And when Paule saith Thou hast nothing that thou hast not receiued he meaneth not that of creation but of faith of christianitie and regeneration For he dealt with the Corinthians themselues who professed christianitie 10 Further Iere. 17 14. Psal 80. 7. séeing this healing of the mind dependeth of God we rightlie praie Heale me Lord and I shal be whole And in the Psalmes Turne vs ô God of strength Which thing when God dooth he taketh the veile from our hearts whereby we were let that we could not be méet for heauenlie things And the naile of obstinacie and stubbornesse is driuen out Iohn 6 44. by the naile of the word of God for Christ said No man commeth vnto me except my father shall drawe him Whereof Augustine speaking in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn saith Feare not as though thou shouldest be drawne against thy will the mind is drawne and is drawne with loue neither shalt thou saie How doo I beléeue willinglie if I be drawne Thou art not onelie drawne by will but also by pleasure for as the Poet said Euerie mans owne pleasure draweth him And he addeth similitudes A similitude Thou shewest to a little shéepe a gréene bough thou drawest him Thou shewest nuts to a child and thou drawest him We are not drawne by the hurt of the bodie but by the cord of the hart Further making this drawing more plaine he saith I while I speake vnto you what doo I I bring in a noise into your eares vnlesse there be one within to reueale what speake I What saie I I am he that trimmeth the trée without the Creator is within 2. Cor. 2 7. But he that planteth and he that watereth is nothing it is he himselfe that giueth the increase and maketh all men apt to learne All which men Iohn 6 45. They which haue heard and learned of the father they doo come vnto Christ He intreating of the verie same matter against two epistles of the Pelagians the 19. chapter writeth Who is drawne if he was alreadie willing And yet no man commeth except he be willing Wherefore he is by maruelous meanes drawne to be willing by him which knoweth how to worke inwardlie euen in the verie hearts of men not that men should beléeue against their wils which is vnpossible to be doone but that of vnwilling they should be made willing I knowe that some be of the mind that all men are drawne of God and that some come not bicause they will not not bicause they are not drawne Howbeit this exposition agréeth not with the discourse of the Gospell for some contemned the words of Christ murmured and went their waies But the twelue cleaued vnto Christ who séemeth to giue the reason of this difference namelie that none should come vnto him vnlesse the father shall drawe him Of this sentence it may be prooued They depart and come not vnto Christ Therefore they are not drawne The apostles cleaue vnto Christ and followe him Therefore they be drawne So then these be drawne and those be not drawne And the cause why one is drawne and an other is not drawne iudge not thou said Augustine if thou wilt not erre More might yet be said of this drawing but I surcease I come vnto Paule and to the prophet Esaie Esai 45 69. Rom 9 20. who in such sort compare vs with God as he is the potter but we the claie Which must not onelie be vnderstood of our creation but also of our forming anew for so Paule vnto the Romans vseth the same similitude And it must be diligentlie considered that a potter dooth not onelie forme and fashion the claie but dooth also soften renew and temper it the which thing belongeth vnto that change whereof we now speake Rom. 9 16. It is also said vnto the Romans It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in GOD that sheweth mercie In which words Paule testifieth that our saluation is wholie of him and that we ought not to contend with him as touching the bounds as to saie This is mine and this is his but we must sincerelie and truelie confesse that all our saluation how much so euer it be is of God And this did Oecolampadius a singular man in godlinesse and learning note in 26 Oecolampadius chapter of Esaie the 156. leafe But we must not thus imagine that God prospereth the businesse and yet dooth nothing for euen this dooth he a little after prooue to be false yéelding vnto God all our works Neither doo we giue onelie false titles vnto him as some flatterers doo vnto kings bicause through the authoritie of kings manie thousands are slaine in battell when as they themselues neuerthelesse are occupied in the meane time in games and huntings Augustine in his treatise De bone perseuerantiae the second chapter saith that We liue well when we attribute all vnto God And Cyprian as he is alledged by Augustine said that Of vs there is nothing and that therefore we may not glorie This he spake not alonelie for christian modestie sake but bicause of the truth for that so the thing is And if the exposition were true which some men make of those words It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that hath mercie that it is therefore so said bicause our will and strength are not sufficient vnlesse the mercie of GOD be present the sentence might be inuerted so that we might saie that it is not in God that hath mercie but in man that willeth Because according to the iudgement of these men the mercie of God is not sufficient vnlesse that we also be
for qualities haue their subiects according to the places That an accident cannot be togither in two subiects and it is vnpossible for them to be the same in number at one time in diuers subiects but all the parts of a liuing creature be the verie same in subiect and one by the knitting togither of members D. Tresham The reason of Didymus dooth procéed from that that is of it owne nature in manie places and not otherwise And all the Doctors agrée that Christ was borne his mothers wombe being close and that he rose the sepulchre being shut and that he went vnto his disciples when the doores were fast And Hugo de sancto victore saith that The angels are not circumscribed by place Wherefore although the bodie of Christ be properlie in heauen yet bicause it is spirituall it is not repugnant to the power of God but that it may be in manie places D. Martyr Whether the fathers vnderstand their reasons touching that which in his owne proper nature is in manie places I haue alreadie answered As touching the virgines wombe the sepulchres and the doores being fast shut oppose you and I will answer in place conuenient As for Hugo de sancto victore and others when they saie that angels are not conteined within the precinct of place they must I saie be vnderstood as concerning locall compasse whereby the bodies which are among vs are compassed about with the circumference of the aire or some other thing conteining them But these things cannot so be taken that the angels or anie creature should be vnderstood to haue no definit substance so as when they be in anie one place they cannot be else-where And so I returne to the argument it is a firme conclusion This thing is in manie places Therefore it is the Godhead D. Tresham I answer Christ is God and now the speach betwéene vs is as concerning the bodie which hath the Godhead ioined therewith D. Martyr I demand of you Is the bodie of Christ a thing created or no D. Tresham I grant it is but Christ is no creature D. Martyr But I saie that Christ is both to wit a creator and a creature Christ by reason of his sundrie natures is both a creature and a creator As touching his Godhead he is a creator and as touching his humanitie a creature and if a creature as these fathers doo affirme he cannot be in diuers places at once D. Tresham That which Christ tooke once vpon him he neuer let go and therefore bicause of his Godhead which is inseparablie knit vnto his bodie Christ must not be diuided but yet his natures must be disseuered the bodie of Christ may be in manie places D. Martyr We likewise doo not diuide Christ and yet will we haue both his natures to be whole And sith the Godhead doth not cause but that the bodie of Christ is a creature and you haue now heard out of Basil and Didymus that the powers created cannot be in manie places at once you your selfe sée what dooth follow D. Tresham They disputed of the nature of the thing not of the absolute power of God neither is reason or sense to be followed in matters of faith otherwise manie absurdities wold follow in matters of faith D. Martyr I cannot tell how they could haue spoken more apparantlie of the power of God when as Cyrill dooth not exclude euen the diuinitie it selfe when he saith If it were of quantitie it might not choose but be circumscribed And I acknowledge that which you saie that in matters of faith we must not follow reason nor yet sense Howbeit it is no article of the faith that the bodie of Christ is in manie places at once sith the scriptures doo not teach this anie where Naie rather we learne otherwise out of them to wit that Christ is verie man and that he hath a verie bodie whereto is verie agréeable that it should be limited within bounds and compassed within some certeine place And touching his bodie we beléeue that he is ascended into heauen that he hath left the world and sitteth at the right hand of the father The disputation of the second day which was the 29. daie of Maie betweene D. Peter Martyr and D. William Chadse D. Peter Martyr I Thinke it not méet right honorable that I should vse at this present anie preface For yesterdaie we declared those things which were thought good to be applied to the present purpose And by your good foresight authoritie it hapned that all things were peaceablie and quietlie performed which I hope this daie shall no lesse come to passe Now maister Doctour as concerning the matter you being present yesterdaie might sufficientlie vnderstand what questions are propounded perceiue some reasons of mine opinion wherefore to procéed in our purpose I desire you to shew what you doo iudge touching the questions neither doo I feare but that all things shall be spoken of you with indifferencie and modestie Howbeit before you answer you shall suffer me according to my accustomed maner to call for the helpe of God The Praier YEsterdaie O almightie GOD we began by thy gratious goodnesse to dispute and since this daie also wee shall proceed in that businesse we call vpon thee againe who art the founteine of light the most perfect truth and the most cleere wisedome that thou wilt so direct our words that we fall not into absurdities but rather that those things which shall be handled may both become more plaine and also be set foorth to the praise and glorie of thy name through Christ our Lord Amen The Preface of D. VVilliam Chadse GReat is the matter right famous Doctor and full of mysteries which yesterdaie was handled this daie shall be handled Great bicause we dispute of the bodie wherewith we be satisfied and doo liue for euer and of the bloud whereof wée drinke and which redéemeth the people a thing full of mysteries for vnlesse ye beléeue you shall not vnderstand My words are spirit and life It is the spirit which quickeneth Iohn 6. the flesh profiteth nothing The Capernaites heare and saie This is a hard saieng and who is able to abide it The Christians heare and crie incessantlie with Peter Thou hast the words of eternall life Iohn 6 68. we beleeue and knowe that thou art the waie the truth and the life We beléeue that thou diddest promise the holie Ghost not which should come after one or two thousand yeares but euen within a few daies after that thou hadst spoken it We acknowledge the performance of this thy holie spirit he shall lead vs into all truth he shall teach vs all things whatsoeuer thou hast said vnto vs. Forsomuch therefore as thou art true yea the verie truth it selfe sith those things which haue gone foorth of thy lips cannot be frustate I firmelie beléeue from thy mouth and pronounce it from my hart as touching the presence of thy bodie in the
the scriptures For this proposition which we haue in hand is doubtfull wherein it is said This is my bodie For hereof some do gather transubstantiation others a bodilie presence with the bread others impanation whereby the bodie of Christ and the bread doo ioind into one person others appoint a bare signe and others an effectuall signe And there want not those which care no more for the presence of Christ but that they may hereby driue awaie all worshipping as I knowe a yoong man of England did Forsomuch therfore as we sée diuers men diuerslie affirme teach me what sense of this place of scripture must be reteined D. Martyr The sense of this proposition is gathered out of the scriptures The proper meaning of these words may easilie be gathered out of the scriptures if they be well examined In the sixt of Iohn Christ most plainlie sheweth that the eating of his bodie must be vnderstood spirituallie for he said that his words are spirit and life And againe that the spirit quickeneth but the flesh profiteth nothing and straitwaie he made mention of his ascension And of this matter he delt so plentifullie in that chapter that afterward in his last supper he spake nothing thereof as Augustine testifieth in his booke De consensu Euangelistarum Consider afterward in the same chapter that Christ denied the carnall eating which the Capernaites surmised whereby you may gather that the eating of Christs bodie is not carnall but spirituall And so as touching this saieng you haue an easie and cléere sense Besides this the scripture dooth euidentlie call it bread Matt. 26. verse 26. 1. Cor. 10 16. 1. Cor. 11 25. The Lord tooke bread blessed it brake it and gaue it The bread which we breake saith Paule is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ Againe So often as yee shall eate this bread Wherefore in like maner appeareth by these saiengs that bread remaineth neither is there anie cause whie you should complaine of the obscurenesse of the place as touching this matter And that there is a figuratiue kind of spéech in these words manie things declare For it is not properlie agréeable to the bodie of Christ to be eaten séeing those things which we eate we crash grind with our téeth and being passed downe into the bellie we digest them and conuert them into our owne substance which to speake properlie of the bodie of Christ is great wickednesse And at the cup there is vsed a most manifest figure 1. Cor. 11 25. when it is said This cup is the new testament c. Herewithall in the scriptures there be most manifest and euident spéeches of the sacraments from the which may be had the interpretation of this place For circumcision is called the couenant the lambe or sacrifice is called the Passeouer Paule said of baptisme that therein we be buried with Christ neither dooth he saie there that a sepulchre is signified Againe we know that Christ had a true humane bodie and that he was taken vp into heauen and from thence shall come to iudge the world All these places if a man doo well compare togither will iudge no otherwise of the meaning of this scripture than we doo M. Morgan Luther had the scriptures and disagréed from Zuinglius The Catholikes sée them and read them and disagrée from them both And the scriptures séeme to be so ambiguous that vnlesse they be cléered by an other light that is to wit by the fathers they are not sufficient for our instruction D. Martyr Yes indéed they plentifullie suffice as you heard me euen now declare M. Morgan Since I sée that you stand to the scriptures which neuerthelesse are wrested of diuers men diuerslie now will I deale with you by a bréefe reason drawne from that place wherein the sacrament was instituted Christ tooke bread What bread tooke he D. Martyr Since you saie that the scriptures are diuerslie wrested by diuers men according as they be affected I answer that this is doone by the fault either of euill or ignorant men yet must not the scriptures be accused as darke in those things which be necessarie to saluation When they be brought foorth read with a sincere mind they doo their part excellentlie well And the holie Ghost testifieth that they be profitable to teach to reprooue and to instruct a man that he may be perfect and well ordered to euerie good worke But if that anie haue doubted it was their owne fault not the scriptures fault and the scripture must not be accused bicause of their contentions as though it cannot teach vs. We sée that there were oftentimes demonstrations made against the Arrians and that out of the scriptures That Christ is GOD. Yet would they contend neither changed they their opinion neither was this anie derogation to the light and worthinesse of the scriptures There is no cause therefore that you should obiect vnto me men either yet liuing or but latelie dead which disagréed one from an other and yet had the scriptures sith there may be other causes assigned of their disagréement besides the ambiguitie of the scriptures And how I should iudge now of those men the place serueth not to declare it sufficeth for me that I haue defended the right of the scriptures But as to that which you demanded namelie what bread Christ tooke I answer that it was common and vsuall bread to wit swéetbread bicause the feast of Easter was celebrated M. Morgan When did he consecrate the same Whether when he tooke it into his hands Or when he blessed it Or else when he gaue it How shall I know when the bread was consecrated D. Martyr When and how consecration was made By giuing of thanks by saieng as he said and dooing as he did Wherefore we also must saie and doo euen the verie same that he said and did And bicause we haue not else-where by demonstration of the scriptures anie certeine place that is foure or fiue words whereby the bread wine is consecrated therefore must we recite all that which is written in the historie of the supper M. Morgan The ministers doo consecrate after the selfe-same maner that Christ did dooth therefore the minister consecrate by receiuing bread into his hands D. Martyr What is consecration No but by performing the institution of the Lord it is consecrated that is to saie it is appointed to a holie vse and through the words and commandement of the Lord it is made an instrument to signifie effectuallie the bodie of Christ So as I saie that it is then consecrated when all the words be spoken and distribution made to the faithfull M. Morgan If the words of consecration be not written certeinelie then is not the scripture sufficient of it selfe as touching consecration Againe I demand of you whether the bread was a sacrament or signe before the finishing of the words that is when it is said that he tooke bread Was
than from the soule the which if it happen to depart the bodie straightway becommeth a horrible deade carcase which stinketh and with wormes and putrefaction is dissolued on euerie side which euerie man doth auoide So the holy scriptures when the spirit is absent from him that readeth them they be loathsome dead carcases they offende they displease and doe marueilously alienate from the reading of them the minds of those which vse them Wherefore let vs desire God that euen as hee sent out his worde at the beginning when he made the worlde yea and that he sent it downe into the bowels of the earth whereby there sprang out so great an abundance of grasse herbes springs plants and fruits hee will in like manner penetrate our heartes whereby we may execute thoughts words and déedes worthie of our calling Neither maruell yée if I so greatly perswade you to pray for the fruite of the worde because this is the state of the worde of God that it doth not continually fall after a happie sort For as it is taught in the parable of the séede which is set foorth in the Gospell a part falleth vpon the way a part in stonie places a part among thornes and finally that which is committed vnto good grounde doeth not bring foorth fruite generally after one manner but a part thyrtie folde a part sixtie fold and a part an hundreth folde A Prayer Wherefore I beséech God that he will so prepare you and me with his spirite that we receiue not the diuine séede like vnto the high way or the thornes or stonie grounde Let euen he himselfe who is able make our heartes good grounde which may bring foorth fruite an hundreth folde vnto eternall life Amen A prayse of the worde of God taught in the scriptures and an exhortation to the study of them IF after manie daies silence I shoulde take in hande againe to declare the wordes of Paul as I beganne and shoulde not after my accustomed manner exhort you to renew your studies intermitted you might not onelie maruell at my determination but also finde iust fault at the breach of custom Howbeit since I haue this doone euerie yeare it is to be doubted least I shoulde bee constrained to vtter againe the same thinges among you which I haue at other times declared vnto you or else to digresse vnto those things which are not much pertinent to our purpose Yet doth it much comfort and refresh me that I vnderstande ye are so manifolde and sundrie wayes stirred vp to the knowledge of the holie Scriptures that I hope although my wit be slender and my eloquence small I shall not depart from the laudable and receiued custome neither yet digresse vnto those things which be not of much force to cal backe your minds to the studie of diuinitie And to holde you with proheme no longer than Christian synceritie requireth it shall not bee amisse this to thinke speciallie with our selues that there was not a man created by God the father of our Lord Iesus Christ As man â—as made by the word so he is restored by the word but through the worde of God and therefore wee must not looke that he being falen and ouerthrowen can be restored by anie other meanes thaÌ„ by the same worde Hereunto was Adam the prince of man kinde created by God that he shoulde bee a faithfull Scholer of Gods word From which excellent institution hée so farre swarned Gen. 3. 6. that he gaue credite to the perswasion of the serpent not to the worde of God And looke what the diuell did then worke in Paradise by the wordes of the serpent he nowe doeth the same in the Church through superstitions and wicked traditions of men Wherefore he that will beware of death and destruction let him not giue eare vnto the inuentions of men but let him faith fullie beléeue the holie Scripture onelie Let vs set Adam before our eyes so long as hée was obedient to the worde of God we shall perceiue hee was Lorde of all thinges Gen. 1. 28. and the husbandman of most pleasant Paradise But on the otherside we shall acknowledge that the same man when hee mistrusted the worde of God became the seruant of death and sinne subiect to the curse of God a laborer in the continual sweat of his face Gen. 3. 17. striuing with thornes thistles The selfe same daunger remaineth doubtles to so manie as neglecting the worde of God followe the promises of knowledge wronglie so named as though they might be Gods and Masters of their owne selues O woulde to God that that happie garden had not had a serpent and that at this daie there were not in the Church such as woulde call men awaie from the holie scriptures vnto the wisdome of the fleshe And not onelie maie we learne by the bringing foorth and originall of mankinde howe wee ought to be studious in the worde of God but the mysterie also of our redemption doth most plainelie testifie the same For when the natures of God and man were distant an infinite space one from an other yet were they coupled together by the worde into one and the selfe same person Wherefore wée also are to hope of a returne vnto the father if we shal with great indeuor of faith imbrace his word What I beséech you do you thinke of the bookes of the holie Scriptures They are nothing else in verie déede than schoolemasters of the elect giuen most profitablie vnto them by God God vseth weake instruments And séeing they bee instrumentes of our saluation we must not frowardlie looke vppon the nature habit and ornament of them séeing al the worthinesse and excellencie of them must be measured by the power which God vseth in them What more vanitie is there in the nature of thinges than dreames Dreames And yet when God vseth them he instructeth in most weightie matters Gen. 41. 1. c. Dan. 2. 1. Gen. 37. 5. Iud. 7. 13. Dan. 7. 1. Pharao and Nabuchadnezar being the mightiest Monarches of the worlde and confirmeth the faith of Ioseph Gedeon and Daniel Hereby is knowen the excellent power of God whenas by abiect and vile instruments he sheweth foorth incredible actes Euen as a Carpenter should for that cause be counted famous and notable A similitude if he coulde with a corde thréede or haires hewe or cut in sunder most harde wood So Christ with claie healed a blinde man and God in the signes of water and in the outwarde elements of bread and wine stirreth vp the faith of those that be his Iohn 9. 6. and sealeth the promises of heauenlie things The vse of the holie scriptures Therefore the holie Scriptures which be full of dignitie and maiestie being more inwardlie beheld wheras at the first sight they may séeme rude and barbarous weigh thou with thy selfe that they be the instrumeÌ„ts of the holy ghost and looke not for a pleasantnesse of
I cannot otherwise do I desire you for Christ his sake whom I doubt not but you serue in spirite and truth that euen as yée haue bin taught both in doctrine and life by him whom wée now lament we may fly vnto the scriptures to the intent our sorrowe may be so tempered as it excéede not Christian measure and the bounds of Godlinesse There shall wee finde a true medicine of the woundes assured remedies of our sorrowes Christ saide vnto the people The maiden is not deade Matt. 9. 24. but sleepeth And of Lazarus which was already departed Our friend Lazarus sleepeth Iohn 11. 11 1. Thess 4. 13. Paul also calleth them sléepers for whom he will not haue vs in such sort to sorrow as doe the vngodly which haue cast away all hope of eternall life Also Iob a most valiant captaine of our warfare teacheth vs that we should say with him Iob. 1. 21. The Lord gaue and the Lord hath taken away euen as it hath pleased the Lord so is it come to passe If wee haue receiued good thinges at the hande of the Lorde why can wee not also indure euill things This Godlinesse and fortitude doe the scriptures teach vs whereof since your husbands brest was a most large liberarie I doubt not but that you so learned the same of him as you haue no néede of my admonishment Howbeit while I rehearse these things I teach you not but I stirre you vp together with my selfe to renue in our memorie now when most néede is those things whereof through the mist of sorrowe and teares we haue somtimes bin smally mindfull They which be destitute of Christian hope doe bewaile their deade without any consolation forsomuch as they perceiue themselues to be perpetually diuided from them but wee for a most suertie knowe by the spirite of Christ that they which be deade are not lost séeing we haue sent them before vnto God and into the euerlasting tabernacles We sorrow indéede that we be plucked away from so acceptable so profitable and wise a companion especially in the iourney of this darke life but we must also reioyce and giue thanks vnto God that we haue had him so long with vs. He died most constant and in the faith of our Lorde Iesus Christ he sawe not a multitude of euils which hang ouer our heads and ouer the Church because of our sinnes I would to God that wee also might be loosed from hence before the floud of calamities ouerslowe Oh howe greatlie am I afraide of vs wretches who perpetually preach Christ and his Gospel when in the meane time wee liue a verie vngodlie life Our Bucer is deade in peace he is not fallen into the hands of Christes Enimies the good things which he plentifullie sowed in his life time he nowe reapeth with singular pleasure in the Kingdome of Heauen Yet neuerthelesse do not you thinke but that I doe oftentimes consider with my selfe that the seueritie of God may séeme vnto you to be verie rigorous which so often exerciseth you with manie funerals of yours with exile with great charges of household with no small diseases of the bodie but yet I beséeche you let it in like maner come to your remembraunce that it is God which smyteth wherefore he being an excellent father will minister strength to beare the strokes not that he is glad and reioyceth at our calamities but that his infinite knowledge doth prouidentlie vnderstand how expedient it is otherwhile for vs to be turmoiled and pressed with aduersities Israell is not taught but by manie stripes and sorrowes and Tribulation worketh patience patience Rom. 5. 3. tryall tryall hope and hope confoundeth not And therefore that we might not be terrified the Scripture forewarneth vs that we comming vnto bondage should prepare our heart not vnto pleasures and delights but vnto temptations By these reasons she is moued which is a true widowe to make earnest prayers vnto her God day and night Howbeit not to passe the measure and bounds of an Epistle this lastly I desire that you doe not thinke your selfe to be forsaken or desolate seeing you haue Christ dwelling in your heart by faith Your husband which betrothed himselfe vnto you you haue lost in the flesh but Christ vnto whom you are maried in godlinesse and sincere religion you shall neuer lose by any violence of death God who is the father and author of all consolation comfort you Your faith hope and charitie comfort you Finally let the spirit of Christ comfort you who I doubt not but is very plentifully powred into your heart And this specially and aboue all other things prouide that your heart may euermore dwel in the protection of the Lorde My wife and Iulius are so greatlie disquieted for this gréeuous mishap as if they doe not sorrowe equally with you yet doe they come verie neere thereunto and they pray with their whole heart that the abundant helpe of God may spéedilie relieue you and all this godlie familie And in no wise thinke that you are to make any lesse account of me than when your Bucer and mine liued Wherefore I pray you also that if my helpe may any ways stand you in stead you will vouchsafe to vse the same for you shall euermore finde it open and readie at your Godly desires To Ralfe Gualther YF I shoulde giue thankes vnto you for the excéeding great paines which you haue taken about the printing of my booke neither shall I bee able to answere sufficiently to your desertes nor yet can I declare what great account I make of the pleasure which you shewe mée Wherefore I rather desire that some occasion might bee offered vnto mee wherein I maie shewe not in wordes but in déede what account I make of this your good will towardes mée Truelie it grieueth mee verie much that in the restoring of these trifles of mine there shoulde bee so great paines taken and I am greatly afraide least the labour will excéede the matter I haue oftentimes considered with my selfe that through my negligence it hath happened that as good or better thinges might haue bin compyled by you with a small labour more than you can put in order my vncorrected Copies But such is your good will as you are content to take euerie thing patiently because you will not denie your trauell to your Friendes Assure your selfe therefore that I shall bee a continuall debter vnto you for this your fauour which I doubt I shall neuer bee able to requite But GOD which is a most iust weigher of godly labours will not suffer you to bestowe your labour in vaine Nowe sée you in like manner most deare beloued brother in Christ if there be anie thing wherein you will haue mee to deale for you and you shall finde mee no lesse forwards in your businesse than you haue shewed your selfe painfull and willing in mine The young men which you commend vnto mée in your letters besides
thing of great importance that he which is of Christ shoulde vnderstand by what meanes he is ioyned vnto him Hebr. 2. 14. First I sée that he by the benefite of his incarnation as it is said vnto the Hebrewes would communicate with vs in flesh and bloude For since that the children were partakers together of flesh and bloude he himselfe also would be a partaker thereof But vnlesse that an other kinde of communion had happened therewithall this woulde be verie common and weake For so many as are comprehended vnder mankinde do now after this maner communicate with Christ for they be men as he was So as besides that communion this happeneth to wit that vnto the elect faith hath accesse at the time appointed whereby they beléeue in Christ and so they are not onely forgiuen their sinnes and are reconciled vnto GOD wherein consisteth the true and sounde respect of iustification That our bodies also doe participate of the flesh of Christ but also there is added a renewing power of the spirite whereby our bodies also flesh bloude and nature are made capable of immortalitie and become dayly more and more as I may say fashioned vnto Christ not that they cast away the substance of their owne nature and passe in verie déede into the bodie and flesh of Christ but that they no lesse drawe neare vnto him in spirituall giftes and properties than they did naturally euen at their verie birth communicate with him in bodie flesh and bloud Nowe therefore we haue héere two coniunctions with Christ The one naturall which by byrth we drawe euen from our parents but the other commeth vnto vs by the spirite of Christ by whom at the verie time of regeneration we are made newe according to the image of his glorie But I beléeue that betwéene these two coniunctions there is a meane which is the fountaine and originall of all the celestiall and spirituall similitude which we obtaine with Christ and that is whereby so soone as we beléeue wee attaine vnto Christ our true heade and are made his members Ephe. 4. 16 and so as Paul saith his spirit floweth and is deriued from the verie head by the ioynts and knittings together into vs as into his true and lawfull members Wherefore this our communion with the heade is the first at the leastwise in nature although perhaps not in time before that latter communion which is brought in by regeneration A similitude And héere as it séemeth vnto me naturall reason helpeth vs. In things ingendered first as the same teacheth vs the heart it selfe is ingendered in young ones from thence by a certaine veine is powred out a spirite from the heart and doth somwhat pearce the prepared matter of the liuing creature and there shapeth the heade whereupon by that veine whereby the spirite procéedeth from the heart the head is ioyned with the heart From whence againe by an other veine a spirit floweth from the head and after a certaine space formeth the liuer which kinde of entrall communicateth with the head and with the heart by the arteries or veines which knit together From the liuer also and from the other principal members there are other arteries or veines stretched to the other partes of the ingendred matter whereby that same ingendring spirit passing through fashioneth the rest of the Members Whereuppon it commeth that all those doe communicate together and are principallie ioyned to the heart that is to wit to the fountaine of life not in déede in place or immediate touching as they terme it but that because from thence they drawe a quickening spirit and life by the woonderfull workmanship of the highest artificer And although that this similitude ought not to be curiouslie vrged as touching all the partes thereof yet dooth it after a sort laie the matter before our eyes and dooth shewe vs that after we be now men as he was this first communion with Christ that we are made his members ensueth For as Paul testifieth God gaue him to be the head of the Church For according as the spirit floweth from him he fashioneth and ioyneth vnto him sometime this member and sometime that and by the spirit it selfe maketh the same like vnto him in properties and temperature forsomuch as they naturallie agrée now together Wherefore Christ while we are conuerted is first made ours and we his before that we become like vnto him in holinesse and righteousnesse abiding in vs. This is that secret communion whereby we are said to be ingraffed in him Thus doe we first put him vppon vs so are we called by the Apostle flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones And by this communion now declared that latter is alwayes perfourmed while we liue here For the members of Christ doe euermore regard this that they may become more like vnto him Neither doe the distances of places hinder this mysticall communion but it may be had while we liue in the earth although that the verie bodie of Christ sit and raigne in heauen with the father It sufficeth aboundantlie that we are knit vnto him by certaine spirituall knots and ioyntes which bondes or knittinges together doe depend and are deriued from the head it selfe And these thinges speciallie are faith the word of God and the sacramentes Through these the spirit flowing from our head wandereth vp and downe in the Church and by a iust proportion quickeneth and maketh his members like in iust proportion These communions with Christ doe I admit others to say the trueth I vnderstand not which I chiefelie say the rather because of that which some of the fathers also bring in especially Cyrill which so make the substance of the flesh and bloud of Christ to be our meate that they saie it is mingled in verie déede with our substance Neither doe I sée but that while they thus say they are constrained to affirme that the verie same our flesh bloud which is so nourished dooth passe into one and the selfesame person with Christ and that his bodie by this meanes dooth spread abroad into innumerable places Let on Gods name the sacramentes and the word of God be tokens and signes of the true communion with Christ which as I could I haue now declared also let there be ioyntes and knittinges together whereby the spirit of God so there be a faith is made effectuall in which men he may haue place Neither let these thinges be vnderstood as though we tye the grace and spirit either to the outward word or sacramentes as if it cannot by anie meanes be that some man may be ioyned vnto his head I meane Christ without these thinges One necessarie ioynt and knitting together there is in them that be of ripe age namelie faith whereby we are ioyned vnto Christ himselfe and that inseparablie This is it which perhappes the fathers meant by their excessiue spéeches which while they immoderatelie vsed they ministred no small occasion vnto errors I
should it be doone to Images 2 346 b A shift of the aduersaries for the auouching of the woorshipping of them 2 347 b They are Gods Ministers and of their seuerall offices 2 357 b 558 a Appearing in mens bodies they were not men 1 117 a They did eate not for néede but to procure conuersation and familiaritie with men saith Augustin 1 118 ab Why they were worshipped in the old testament of holie men and the same not admitted in the newe 2 347a What manner of meat it is that they do eat 1 118b Why there is no mention of the creation of them in the olde testament 1 111 ab Tertullians iudgement that they are verie bodies 1 28 b Proued by examples that they haue sometimes appeared 1 27 ab God by their ministerie gouerneth natural things 2 â—58 a They represent the ministers of Churches 2 358 a The may be pictured how farfoorth 2 341 a How they did assume bodies 2 604 b They are not predestinate 3 8 b Defined out of them our of Augustine 1 113 a They doe seruice vnto men and of their gouernement 2 249 b Orders of them and their seueral offices 1 1â—0 b It is a thing worthie to be noted that in the holie Scriptures verie fewe things are mentioned of them 1 121a How they and spirites doe eate which proueth them to haue bodies consisting of vitall paâ—tes 1 88 a They can call things backe from the memorie to the sense 1 89 a Whether teares are beseeming for them 3 284 a While they appeared and seemed to bee men and were not they did not lie 1 113 b Whether we ought to offer prayers vnto theÌ„ 3 284 a 308 b Proofes that there be Angels 3 383 a Howe it is meant that Enoch was a Legat vnto them 3 148 b 149 a Why they are called spirites 1 103 a The heauens turned about by them 1 111a b Bernard and the schoolemens opinions that they haue bodies 1 113 a Whether they be bodies or but méere phantasies 1 87 b 88 a ¶ Looke Spirites Archangels Betwéene Archangels and Angels there is a difference saith Augustine 1 118b Anger Aristotles opinion of Anger and how he defineth it 1 109 b How the power thereof doth resist the desiring part 2 410 a It is a cause of confirmelie 2 529 b It is no simple but a compounded afteer 2 406 a It is a wherstone to fortitude 2 408 a 3 296 b It is the roote of murder 2 517 a Whether the power of desire and of it bee all one 2 409 b 410 a How contrarie it is to desire 2 4â—0 a The Philosophers say it maketh the actions of men not voluntarie 2 289 b A definition thereof and that to Achilles it was like honie melting vnder his tongue 2 290 b Things done therein do not excuse the dooer 2 292 b The scripture commendeth it in whome and in what cases 2 293 b It doth seruice vnto Fortitude 3 272 a It hath sorrowe and pleasure ioyned with it 3 â—46 a It commeth néerer vnto reason than desire doth 2 410 a It pertaineth not to choise sayth Aristotle and why 2 295 b In what cases and against whome Aristotle admitteth it in men 2 290 b What Heraclitus Plato and other say of it and that it is not subduable 2 289 b No refuge against Gods Anger 4 295 b 296 a ¶ Looke Affects Angrie Why the Scriptures say that GOD when he doeth reuenge is angrie 1 207 a How we must vnderstand God to be angrie and to repent 1 109 a Annoynted Why we are sayde to be annointed 2 606 b Some called so who receiued not the outward vnction 4 14 ab Annoynting The signe of outward Annoynting 4 14a Vnder what pretence it was brought into the Church 4 15b To what end it serued 2 577 b It hath not beene long in the Christian Church 4 14 b 15 a.b The originall thereof about Princes 4 236 b What is signified thereby being done to the Byshops heade 4 â—5 a Why it was proper to Prophets Priests and Kings 2 605 b Whether it be rightlie transferred vnto Christian Princes 4 14 b 15 a.b Whether it be necessarie that it be obserued still 2 606a 6. The twise annoynting of all Christians 4 15 a Of the papisticall and superstitious rite thereof 2 â—06 a What the worde signifieth 4 4 b Or the sicke and that it is no Sacrament 3 211 a Of men readie to die 4 15 b The carcases of dead 3 244 a Interpreted to be an aboundance of the Spirit 2 605 b 606a Reckened among traditions 4. 99 b ¶ Looke Oyle and Vnction Antichrist Of Antichrist prophesied by Daniell 3 351 b The Pope prooued to be the same 4 36 b In Gods Temple 4 92 a Of the myracles doone by him and that they be méerelies 1 65 a Antiquitie No Antiquitie can prescribe against Gods worde 3 244 a Of the Scriptures and howe the Papists and Protestants dissent about the same 1 99a Ap. Apostles The Apostles gaue more Epistles to the Church than we haue at this day 1 52 b They are to the Byshops as the Prophets were to the hie Priestes 4 4a Both Christ and they may be foundations of the Church 4 83 b 84 a Difference betwéene their Gospell and the Papists 4 87a They liued at the charges of the godlie 4 29b Forged Canons ascribed to them 4 55 ab 56 a Whether they were Byshops any where 4 79a To what end they were chosen 4 3 b Whether Peter were chiefe of them 4 80 a Difference betwéene them and Byshops 4 3 b 4 a They were not alwayes able by their auctoritie to cast our diuels 4 130 a Their diligence in preaching the Gospell 4 5b In their time the Church had not two swords 4 234 b Whether they were Priestes 4 212 b By what instruments they vsed outward punishments 4 233 a Apostleship The office of Apostleship was but temporall 4 78 b A difference betwéene the Apostleship of Peter and the apostleship of Paul 4 79 b Apparell Of the costlie and sumptuous Apparell of women 2 507 ab Whether Apparel be any impeachment to the ministerie 4 16 b A fonde imitation of Elias and Iohn Baptist in Apparell 1 20b Touching Apparell reade diuerse points page 506 b 507 a ¶ Looke Garments Appeale To whom the libertie of Appeale is denied by the ciuill lawes 2 438 b Paules Appeale from the luietenant of Iurie to Cesar 4 276 a Appeales Of Appeales made to the Romane sea by inferiour byshops and what is thereby prooued 4 39. 40. From Councels and fathers to the scriptures 4 47 a From the Pope to the Emperour in matters of religion 4 244 b None from Scriptures to the fathers admitted 4 48 b 49 ab Appearing Gods Appearing vnto men in the likenesse of straungers denyed by Plato and what the Scripture saith of the same 1 200 a Of the Appearing of Samuel when he was deade reade the iudgement
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
173 ab Of the Carpocratians touching coÌ„fession 3 263 a Of Cerynthus touching Christes kingdome with his saintes in this life 3 396 a Of the Donatistes touching the Church 4 70 b 33 b 63 b Of the Ebionites that Christ is a méere creature â— 166b Of the Enchates touching prayer 4 166 a Of the Luciferians touching repentance 3 208 a Of Mahomets doctrine 4 6 a Confuted 2 600 b Of the Maâ—…chtes touching the beginning of all things 4 â—30 ab Concerning meates vncleane 3 190 b. 191 a 1â—9 b Of the Martionites touching the Eucharist 4 153 b The Heresie of the Martionites and Valentinians that Christ had no true bodie 2 354 b Touching two beginnings of all thinges 3 328 b Of the Messalians touching prayer 3 3â—… a The Heresie of the millenariâ— touching Christes kingdome 4 166 a 51a The Heresie of the Montanists Eucâ—atistes touching meats and fasting 3 170a 253 b 254 a Of the Nestorians which separated Christs diuine and humane nature a sunder 2 340 b 183 a Of the Nicodemites for the Masse 3 266b Of the Nicolaits touching the commonnesie of wiues and how it sprang 2 470 b Of the Nouatians and puritans touching repentance 3 206 ab Of Paulus Samosatenus touching the Trinitie 3 364 a Of the Pelagians in baptising their children 4 108 b In saying that wee haue sole life in our choise 3 2â—… a Touching iustification without grace 3 107 a For ascribing righteousnes to nature 3 120 b Touching originall sinne 4 136 a Controlled by generall Councels 3 121 b Of Pighius in the doctrine of iustification 3 138 b 139 ab Of Pope Iohn the 22. touching mens soules 4 75 b 76 a Of the Priscillianists 4 299 b 300 a Discouered by guile 2 â—40 a Of the Sabellians touching God the Father and the Sonne 4 160 a Of the Seruetians 3 340 a Of Swenkfieldes about Christes bodie 2 602 b The Heresie of the Valentinians touching Christes bodie 3 166 ab 2 354 b Heresies Heresies the cause why doctrines were more diligently discussed 3 3 b From whence all that euer were haue flowed 2 631 a The rising of them must not hinder the reading of the scriptures and why 1 47 a The Heresies of Nestorius Macedonius 4 36 b and Manicheus Nestorius confuted 2 601 ab 603 b How Arrius with Heresies troubled the Church 4 63 a ¶ Looke Error Errors Heretike The definition of an Heretike out of S. Augustine 3 330 ab Against an Heretike which refused Moses his testimonie and why 2 609 a Iohn the Euangelist would not wash or bathe with Cerinthus the Heretike 2 330 b Heretikes Whether faith must bee kept with Heretikes 2 538 a Whether they returning to the Church should be baptised againe 3 244 a Punishments are to be executed vpon them 2 446 b Of the mischieuous marriages contracted and made with Heretikeâ— 2 445 b Heretikes opinions are not alwayes to be disallowed 3 251b In what cases they are not in the Princes power though they bee in their dominion 2 538 b Manie haue liued godly in shewe 4 46 a Why they beleeue not the scriptures 4 â—4 b Of communicating with Heretikes in outwarde things 2 330 b Whether they and such as are not resolues in the tâ—…eth may be compelled to diuine seruice and sacraments 2 325 ab Augustines opinion touching the punishment of Heretikes 4 245 a How the Papistes punish both parents and children being Heretikes 2 367 b Of certeine Heretikes which published and gaue out themselues to be the holy ghost 1 109 a Hi. Historie The rules of a true Historie 1 49 a The definition of an Historie out of â—…tilian and Augustine 1 48 a Praised 1 45 a Historie was not deuised by man but God was the author thereof 1 49 a Whether the narration of Diues and Lazarus be an Historie or a parable 3 325 b A pleasant Historie of a deformed man that had a fowle wife and yet would haue faire children 1 50 b Histories Histories before the time of Moses 1 49 a Difference betwéene them and Chronicles 1 48 ab 49a Written by men scarse true 1 49 ab What commodities are reaped by the reading of them 1 49 b 50 a The Latine of more credite than the Gréeke 1 49 a The Histories of the scriptures most true 1 49 b The Prophets mingled Histories with their Prophesies 1 49 a Holie Whatsoeuer is Holie is iust but not contrarie 3 175 b Holie daie A Holie daie besides the Sabboth may bee appointed by the Church 2 375 a Holie ghost Certeine visible formes wherein the Holie ghost visibly appeared 1 109 a The Holie ghost shewed himselfe in a doue 1 26 a What became of the doue 1 115 a Origens error noted about the ignorance of the Holie ghost in heauenly things 1 108 b A distinct person from the father the sonne prooued by 7. reasons 1 103 ab 2 627 b Neither begotten nor vnbegotten prooued by a reason ab absurdo 1 107 b 108 a Signified by oyle 4 14 a Dependeth not vppon ceremonies 4 23 b Whether infantes may bee endued therewith 4 120 a How he maketh intercession for vs. 3 307 b 1 103 ab 1 107 a When he is giuen vnto men 3 141 a Not effectuall in all alike 3 141a The beginning of faith 3 140 a They that haue the Holie ghost do not all that they do by him 4 207 b His two effects 2 594 b His chiefest worke 2 628 b 629 a The state of such as are void thereof and of such as haue it 2 628a Why he is called by the name of spirite 2 627 a How manie bee his giftes and their properties 3 66 b 67 a What benefites we obteine by him 2 628 ab Howe we haue him in vs. 2 628 b How he is knowen 3 87 b How to knowe that wee are quickened by him 2 629 a Howe wee haue him by faith seeing it goeth alwayes before faith 2 578 a Why in the distribution of giftes hee vseth an inequalitie 1 72 a Hee was not togither of one substance with the doue though it was a verie doue wherein hee descended 1 117 ab What the cause shoulde bee that the Holie ghost is not called a sonne seeing he hath not beginning of him selfe 1 107 ab Why the Holie ghost is powred into the heart when wee bee regenerate 4 114 a The Holie ghost promised in baptisme 4 113 b The Holie ghost is Christs vicar 4 157 a Of the action of the Holie ghost in the communion 4 196 a Howe hee is in men not regenerate 3 140 b Why hee was giuen vs. 2 628 b Reasâ—ns obiected against the Godhead of the Holie ghost 1 107 a Whether the Holie ghost knowe the Father and the Sonne some say nay 1 108 b Whether the Holie ghost be God prooued by reasons 1 103. and so forwardes Whether the Doue wherein hee appeared were a verie Doue or no. 1 115 a The Holie
1 182 a The Soule was made euen when the bodie was wrought of the earth 1 122 b Origen saith that our Soule lamentes and sorrowes heauilie and why 2 251 a Diuers Philosophers and learned men iudged it to bee mortal 3 334 a Some thought wee receiue or our parents both it the body 2 244 ab By it are vnderstoode the part sensitiue vegetatiue 2 244 b Whether it bee sufficient that the Soule suffer punishment or reward and the bodie free 3 334 b Not created sinfull but streightway draweth sinne vnto it so soone as it is ioyned with the bodie 2 246 a Whether we receiue it from our parentes as we doe our bodie Seminaliratione 2 244 b The Soule weakened two mannrr of wayes whereby it becommeth sinful 2 246a Why the Soule being created cleane is put into an vncleane body 2 232 ab 231 b The best part of the Soule doeth alwayes exhort to the best thinges 1 15 b The Soule is the moouer of the bodie 1 121 b Whether the Soule being seuered from the bodie is an vnperfect thing 3 333 b Whether the Soule haue naturally of it selfe the power to foreknowe thinges to come and what Augustine concludeth 1 38 b Of the coniunction with the bodie 3 328 b 1 158 a A double error touching the substance of the Soule excluded 1 122a Whether the separation of the Soule from the bodie is against nature 334 a Platoes diuision of the Soule into the minde and the sense 1 134a By what thing it is best knowen 3 342 b The ioyning of the Soule with the corrupt bodie maketh nothing to the destruction of the elect 2 232 b Whether that coniunction of it with the bodie bee a troublesome thing 3 316a b 317 b It is called fleshe before it bee regenerate 2 226 a The Soule howe so euer it bee is better than anie bodie 1 188 b The death thereof and when it happeneth 3 42 b A speciall place testifying that Aristotle thought it to be mortall 1 159 a God createth it pure whence then hath it sinne 2 231 b A sympathie or mutual agréement betweene Soule the body 2 238 a Both repaired by faith 2 232 b Not corrupted by the body through a naturall action 2 238 a Howe it is meant that the Soule vncircumcised should be cut off 4 110 a When the Soule must be giuen for the brethren 3 290 b Soule of Christ The Soule of Christ was a creature and not immensible 2 572 a That the sonne procéeded not from the virgin by propagation 2 244 b Augustine sayeth that Christes Soule was in hell when his body was in the sepulchre 1 73 a It could not bee in hell and in Paradise all at one time 2 308a What it did in hell 2 621 a The state thereof separated from his bodie 2 622 a What manner of lot coulde haue place therein 2 24â— a Thou shalt not leaue my Soule in the graue expounded 3 343 a Soules The Soules of men are not bred in them 3 350 a Where they rest when the bodie is dead 3 323 b 324 a 325 b They remaine after the death of the bodies prooued against the error of some holding the contrarie 1 72 b 73 a From whence they come to bodies at the resurrection 3 350 a Whether they do satisfie for sinnes in Purgatorie 3 237 b Whether they are deliuered out of Purgatorie by fasting 3 255 b Soules of bodies departed be ignorant what is done in this life 1 75 a Whether being loosed from their bodies they do wander vp and downe 3 326 b 327 a How the Soules of dead folk may appeare to the liuing 1 75 ab A great distance of place betwéene the blessed and reprobate 1 74 b Why they shall not rise againe 3 331 b Whether beeing loosed from our bodies they do sléepe 3 323 b Why they are called spirites 1 103 a Of saluting the Soules of the dead 2 561 a Their immortalitie proued 3 331 b The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or remouing of them from one to another held of the Rabbins 2 â—…8b Tertullians iudgement that they are bodies and howe hee prooueth it 1 28 b Augustine vtterly denyeth the vbiquitie of them 1 75 b 74 b Iustinus Martyrs opinion in what state they were before Christ 1 73 b Whether being departed they may by magicall charmes be called againe 1 72. 73. 74. 75. The state of the blessed curssed set foorth in scriptures 1 73 a How they may extraordinarily returne into men 1 75 b They be in a certaine place wayting for the iudgement sayth Chrysostome 1 76 a The opinion of some which thinke that they become Demons 1 77 a The Rabbins errors and Origens also that all were made at once at the beginning confuted 1 122 ab In what sense as well the life of brute beasts as the soules of men are called bloud 1 123 a The errors of diuerse noted about their creation whether they were al made at once at the beginning c. 1 122 a Of the blessed indued with felicitie are not voide of affections 2 249 a Origens assertion false that they first sinned before they came into bodies 1 113 a Against his opinion that they are thrust into bodies as vnto punishments 1 112 b The schoolemen oppâ—gne the doctrine of deriuation of Soules from parents by naturall reasons 2 245 b The places of Soules departed â— 374. 375. 376. 377. 378 The receiued opinion of the church is that they in creating are infused and in infusing are created 2 245 b How they are sayd to be in places 3 378b Augustine leaueth the question touching the deriuation of them froÌ„ parents as indifferent 2 245 a The error of the Stoiks touching the Soules of the departed 3 372 a The diuels feine themselues to be the Soules of men 4 131 a Of the Soules of the iust and the wicked after their bodily death 2 621 a The Soules of the dead slaine for Christes sake cried vnder the altar expounded 3 324 ab Sp. Speake When we Speake to God God to vs 3 300 b Speech To what purpose Speech is giuen 3 393 a Of two faults committed therein 2 â—42 b Of pleasantnes therein and what circumstances are to bee obserued thereabout â— 528 a Figures vsed of Christ in his Speech 4 289 a Spheres The Spheres of heauen moued and gouerned by spirites 1 77 a ¶ Looke Intelligencies Spies What manner of men Spies must be 4 297 a Their office worke 4 296 b How they and traytors do differ 4 298 b The punishment of them if they be taken 4 296 b 197 a Spirite in diuerse senses The manifold signification of the worde Spirite 2 627 a 1 103 a When it is taken for the Trinitie 1 103 a To whome the same title was giuen 1 100 a The flesh and it sometime taken for one thing 3 366 ab Of the Spirite of adoption the spirite of bondage 2 594 b Why
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
198 b Why Aristotle treateth of that which is Voluntarie and not voluntarie 2 280 b How sinne is saide to be Voluntarie and not voluntarie 1 195 a Whether the affects of our minds be Voluntarie or not voluntarie 2 281 a Against such as though honest actions to be Voluntarie but dishonest to be not voluntarie 2 292 a To knowe which is Voluntarie and not voluntarie maie helpe to moderate the punishmentes which lawes appoint 2 281 a Not Voluntarie The definition of Not voluntarie or rather the diuision 2 281 ab It hath sorow ioyned therewith 2 293 b Of what two kinds or formes it hath his name 2 281 b Distinguished into that which is against the will or violent and into that which is doone by ignorance 2 286 a Which is doone by violence and procéeding from ignorance 2 284. 285. 286. Edipus fault in sâ—eying his Father and marrying his mother Not Voluntarie 2 286 a ¶ Looke Actions Vowe Of the Vowe Cherem beeing a kinde of cursse 2 403 ab 404. 3 182 a A Vowe is a promise made vnto God 2 431 b The rule to bee obserued therein 3 176 b It is alwaies ioyned with prayer 3 175 b The definition therof 3 175 b 181 a Whereof grewe the custome of making thereof 2 175 a What is to bee doone if it made bee against charitie 3 181 b Whether it doe please God 3 176 b The condition thereof all one with the condition of an oth 3 177 b Whether it doeth binde vs to anie necessitie 3 177 a Argumentes proouing that wee ought not to make any 3 176b 177 a The signification of the worde 3 175 a It dissolueth former bondes and may bee broken 2 538 a Whether children shoulde bee bounde by the Vow of the parentes 3 180 b 181 a Whether Ionadab did well to binde his issue to the obseruing of a Vowe 3 190 b Whether Ieptha sinned in vowing and in performing his Vowe 3 182 a 187 a Whether Paul tooke vppon him the Vow of a Nazarite 3 188 a The summe of the Nazarites Vowe 3 177 b Wherefore God instituted it 3 178a Of the Rechabites Vowe 3 188. 189. 190. 191 Why it is wisedome not to Vowe chastitie 3 203 a Whether the Virgin Marie had made a Vow of her virginitie 3 62 b Vowes Against making of monasticall Vowes 2 370 a 3 176 a 180 ab Diuers of the Ethnikes 3 1â—5 a Whether dishonest bee lawfull 3 195 a Whether those against the worde of God are to bee kept 3 177 b what is chéefely to be regarded in paying of them 3 182 b 183 a whether they that make them bee in anie daunger if they breake them 3 177 a Vr. Vrim Of Vrim and Thumim which shâ—ued vpon the briest of the high-priestes 1 58 b 59 a Vs Vse Whether the Vse of a thing being taken away the thing it selfe is also taken away â— 360 b What is determined touching the applying of Idolatrous thinges to a priuate and holie Vse 2 331 a God taketh not away the Vse of his giftes because manie abuse theÌ„ 2 341 a Vsurie Vsurie practises in Bishops 4 61 b 62 a Cleargie men deposed by Iustinian for it 2 525 b In what cases it was permitted to the Iewes 2 536 b They shoulde not bee suffered to exercise it among Christians 2 330 a Vsurie suffered in Rome and elsewhere and vpon what fine 2 472 b VVa. Walke What is to walke before God 3 388 b Wandering VVandering abrode of women a cause of the losse of honestie and chastitie prooued 2 442 a Wares Where ingrossing of wares was chieflie vsed 4 318 b Ingrossing of wares forbidden by the Romane lawes 4 317 ab The ende of ingrossing of wares 4 318 b Warre Whether the ende of warre be victorie 1 7 a What is to be doone before warre be attempted 4 285 a An answere to the reasons which prooue that we ought not to make warre 4 288. 289. 290. 291. 292. The generall kinde of warre 4 280 b The discommodities of warre 4 293 b 294 a Whether in warre it be lawfull to vse wiles 4 284 b Whether it be lawfull for Christians to ioyne powers in warre with Infidels 4 294 b 294 ab The warre of Mercenarie soldiers for many causes disallowed 4 287 b Among what kind of thinges war is to be reckoned 4 293 a How to behaue our selues to our enimies in warre 4 300 b 301. 302. Warre is made for peace sake 4 293 a What must bee taken héede of in warre 4 304 a What a right making of warre may bring to passe 4 293 b Whether vnto a iust warre the authoritie of Magistrates be alwayes required 4 284 a the etymon of the word 4 280 a Whether it be lawfull for safetie sake to make it on the enimies part 3 291. 292. 293. 294. 295. Howe to knowe a iust warre from an vniust 4 303 b 280 b Howe we are to deale towardes them whom we ouercome in warre 4 285 b Diuision of spoiles taken in warre 4 306 b 307 a Whether warre be lawfull for ministers 4 286 b 287 a 327 ab Whether princes may defende their owne persons by warre 4 285 286 a. No lesson giuen in the newe testament touching warre 4 283 b Argumentes that it is lawfull to make warre 4 281 b 282 a 283 a Whether in warre Christians may aide Infidels 4 295 b The difference betwéene warre and combate 4 308 ab Of thinges taken by the right of warre 4 303 a Lawes ordeined of God himselfe touching warre 4 282 ab 283 ab The efficient and finall cause of warre 4 280 b The vse of warre not forbidden in the newe testament 4 284 a The Arguments of the Anabaptists that it is not lawfull to make warre 4 281 ab 290. 291. 292. What vices followe or concurre with warre 4 304 b VVarre compared to a beast 4 294 ab Tertuallians iudgement touching warre 4 292 b In what warre no truce is to bée made 4 294 b It cannot be iustice made without the prines authority 4 281 a VVarre distinguished and defined 4 280 ab Whether warre be an exercise for women 4 288a The warre of Troy in the time of Ieptha 4 312 b Of spies in warre 4 296 b Whether passage ought to be granted to a strange armie in warre 4 304 a VVarres Of warres vndertaken for the increase of the Gospel 2 387 b Whether warres of Christians against Turkes be lawfull 2 387 b VVatches VVatches vsed in holy seruices 3 256 b Watches at the sepulchres of the dead 3 257 a Of Shepheards 3 256 b Of night watches and the inuenters of the same 3 256 ab Abuse therein 3 257 a Water in sundrie senses VVater and the Spirite taken to be both one 4 122 a The grace of God signified vnder the name thereof 4 136 b Raine water and fountaine Water and wherein they differ their matter being all one 2 303 a 1 17 a Whereupon and by whome holie water