call it Ab accidenti so that it is faltie for it is an accident A fallacie or happeneth to faith to be out worke in that it iustifieth vs. Wherfore it is a fallacie or deceitfull reason as the Logicians terme it of the accident Besides Pighius obiecteth that charitie iustifieth rather than faith for that it is the nobler and more excellent vertue But this reason we haue before confuted as ridiculous Charitie is more nobler than faith Therefore it iustifieth rather than faith For nobilitie or dignitie serueth nothing to iustification The dignitie of the vertue serueth nothing to the power of iustifieng For it is all one as if a man would thus reason The eies are more excellent than the mouth and the hands Ergo meats are to be receiued with the eies and not with the mouth or the hands Which also we sée happeneth in naturall things that things which followe are of more perfection although they giue not life A similitude In the child conceiued nature ascendeth as it were by degrées from the power of quickning to the power of féeling and from the power of féeling to the power of vnderstanding and yet doth it not thereof followe that the powers of vnderstanding or of féeling for that they are more noble than the power of quickening doo therefore giue life vnto the child And that to iustifie It is shewed by reason that faith not charitie iustifieth rather perteineth vnto faith than vnto charitie besides that the holie scriptures doo teach the same it may also be shewed by good probable reasons for the power of knowledge which perteineth vnto vnderstanding consisteth in perceiuing And therefore they which are taught anie thing after they once vnderstand it are accustomed to saie Accipio or Teneo that is I take it or I hold it For in verie déed by knowledge a thing is after a sort receiued into the mind wherefore it ought not to séeme strange that by faith we are said to take hold of the promises of God and the merits of Christ But charitie consisteth in powring out bestowing and communicating our goods vnto others which thing ought to followe iustification and not to go before for before that we are regenerate we are euill neither can we vprightlie or in such sort as God will allow of it communicate anie good thing vnto others 63 Herevnto Pighius addeth that If so be faith which iustifieth suffereth not with it selfe hainous sinnes which may spoile the conscience alienate a man from God it must néeds followe that if a man which beléeueth doo chance to fall into anie gréeuous wicked crime he is straitwaie destitute of faith and ceaseth to beléeue that there is a God when as yet notwithstanding we sée that wicked men doo not onelie beléeue that there is a God but also doo confesse all the articles of the faith This argument at the first sight séemeth to be verie terrible Whether true faith abideth with sinnes that be grieuous and waste the conscience but suffer not thy selfe gentle reader to be deceiued with a vaine shew examine it well and trie it diligentlie and thou shalt find it is a weake and ridiculous argument We grant that a man that is by sinnes and wicked facts alienated from God may assent vnto the articles of the faith beléeue that there is a God But this good man shuld haue taught further that the same is done by the motion and impulsion of true faith There may in déed be left to a wicked man a certeine humane persuasion either by education or by opinion bicause he thinketh it to be most likelie But least anie man should thinke that this that I saie is of mine owne inuenting namelie that a man which gréeuouslie sinneth is destitute of the true and iustifieng faith let him rather consider what Paule saith For he vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 5 8. He which hath not a care ouer his owne and especiallie ouer his household hath renounced faith and is woorse than an infidell Doubtlesse he which renounceth faith hath not faith And vnto Titus he saith Tit. 1 16. They confesse they knowe God but in deeds they denie him To confesse and to denie are things contrarie wherfore it must néeds be that forsomuch as both are spoken of the same men they are to be taken in diuers senses Wherfore they may haue faith that is a certeine humane opinion such as it is but yet not that firme forceable assent inspired by the holie Ghost whereof we now intreat Iohn saith in his first epistle and second chapter He which saith that he knoweth God verse 4. and keepeth not his commandements is a lier and the truth is not in him So then the true faith whereby we beléeue trulie in God is not without good works Neither ought it to séeme vnto anie man absurd that one and the selfe-same thing may be knowne diuers waies The diuell is not indued with a true faith for the diuell also as well as we both knoweth and confesseth manie things touching Christ whom yet Pighius doubtles as I suppose will not grant to be indued with the true faith whereby wée are persuaded to beléeue those things which we confesse of Christ It is possible also A similitude that one skilfull in the Mathematiks may assent to some one conclusion confirmed prooued by demonstration which demonstration if he chance afterward as oftentimes it happeneth by reason of age or some disease to forget he will not yet for all that cease to affirme that proposition which he before knew but this he will doo by opinion or some probable argument and not as he before did by demonstration Therfore the knowledge of one and the selfe-same thing dooth not of necessitie inferre the selfe-same ground and principle of knowledge And let these things be spoken onelie as it were by supposition as though we granted that opinion which held that after a man hath committed anie great hainous and wicked fact true faith is lost which yet in the elect is afterward by the benefite of God againe recouered otherwise it maie be said that in men iustified and also appointed of God vnto saluation faith cannot through the committing of anie hainous crime be vtterlie extinguished but as it were cast into a sléepe and lie hidden neither breake out to shew his life by good actions vnlesse it be againe stirred vp by the holie Ghost for in such men as haue so fallen the séed of God still abideth although for a time it bringeth not foorth fruit But Pighius goeth on and saith Faith is the foundation Therefore it is farre from the perfection of the building so then it iustifieth not for vnto iustification manie other preparations are required If by this perfection of the building Faith is verie far from the last perfection he vnderstand the blessed resurrection and chéefe felicitie wherein we shall sée God face to face
faith hath equallie a respect vnto all the things which are set forth in the holie scriptures yea saith he he dooth vnto God a thing no lesse acceptable which beléeueth that he created the world or beléeueth the thrée persons of the diuinitie or the resurrection to come than he which beléeueth that Christ was giuen to be our mediatour and that by him is to be obteined the remission of sinnes for that faith is of no lesse worthines than the other And if we be iustified by faith he affirmeth that that faith no lesse perteineth vnto the other articles than to the remission of sinnes by Christ And this he thinketh may be prooued by that which Paule writeth in the fourth chapter vnto the Romans verse 23. And not for him onelie were those things written but also for vs vnto whom it shal be imputed so that we beleeue in him which hath raised vp Christ from the dead Behold saith he that faith is imputed vnto vs vnto righteousnes whereby we beléeue that GOD raised vp Christ from the dead and not that faith whereby we beléeue that sinnes are forgiuen vs by Christ First here we confesse that our faith assenteth vnto all the things which are conteined in the holie scriptures But forsomuch as amongst them there is but onelie one principall and excellent truth vnto which all the other truths are directed namelie that Christ the sonne of GOD suffered for vs that by him we might receiue forgiuenes of sinnes what maruell is it if our faith haue respect vnto this one thing chéeflie For this that we saie Rom. 10 4. Paule prooueth for he saith Christ is the principall obiect of our faith that Christ is the end of the lawe Wherefore séeing he is the end of all the scriptures he is also the summe and principall obiect of our faith although otherwise by our faith we also imbrace all other things which are conteined in the holie scriptures And whereas he addeth that the faith which is of the other articles is no lesse acceptable vnto God than this faith which concerneth Christ and the remission of sinnes we maie first saie that is not true if a man rightlie weigh the dignitie of the action of faith for the dignitie of faith as also the dignitie of other like kinds of powers and qualities is measured by the obiects For as those obiects differ one from another in excellencie and dignitie The dignitie of faith is measured by the obiect so the consents which faith dooth yéeld vnto them ought according to the same to be counted inferiour or of more excellencie Séeing therefore God would in such sort haue his sonne to die and men by him to be reconciled that for this he hath instituted all the other things to be beléeued which are set foorth in the holie scriptures we cannot put anie doubt but that this pleaseth him much more than the other for that the other are directed vnto this as vnto their end And this is a common rule amongst the Logicians That thing it selfe is much rather of such condition and qualitie by meanes whereof another thing hath such condition and qualitie Wherefore this action of faith whereby we assent vnto this most noble truth ought to excell all other actions of faith whatsoeuer they be And so it is not by anie thing like acceptable vnto God whether a man beléeue this or that If we should vse this answer I knowe Pighius were neuer able to confute it But we saie moreouer that he in vaine contendeth about the greater or lesse dignitie of faith as touching this or that article We are not iustified by the dignitie of faith for we are not iustified by the dignitie of faith for it is in euerie man weake and féeble But we therefore saie that we are iustified by faith bicause by it as by an instrument vnto this end giuen vnto vs and by God appointed we applie Christ vnto vs and take hold of the forgiuenesse of sinnes Wherefore the woorthinesse or vnwoorthinesse thereof is to no purpose considered But that which he bringeth out of the 4. chapter to the Romans he bringeth cut and maimed for if a man read the full and perfect sentence he shall easilie sée that plaine mention is there made of the death of Christ and of the remission of sinnes which by it we haue obteined For Paule saith that Vnto vs it shall be imputed Rom. 4 24. as it was vnto Abraham if we beleeue that God raised vp our Lord Iesus Christ from the dead which was deliuered for our sinnes and rose vp againe for our iustification Is it not here most manifestlie said that we ought to beléeue that that Iesus Christ whom God raised vp was dead and rose againe that we should be iustified and haue all our sins forgiuen vs Doubtlesse it is a thing most vncomelie for a man that professeth diuinitie so wilfullie not to sée things that are most manifest That by faith euerie man is sure of his saluation 72 Afterward he maketh a cauilling about the particular faith whereby we saie that euerie one that beléeueth trulie in Christ ought to be most assured with himselfe that his sins are forgiuen him He denieth that there is anie such faith found in the holie scriptures and that therefore this is onelie our deuise and inuention Here vndoubtedlie I cannot hold my selfe but I must néeds saie that Pighius lewdlie lieth for I would haue him to tell me what did Abraham beléeue when he was iustified but that vnto him should one daie be rendered those promises of God For whom is it likelie that he beléeued they should be rendered vnto but vnto himselfe The selfe-same thing may be said of Moses of Dauid and of manie other of whom it is most certeine that they beléeued that the promises which God made vnto them should particularlie be rendered vnto them And what I beséech you ment Christ when he said vnto the man that was sicke of the palsie Matth. 9 2. Sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee and when he said vnto the woman Ibidem 22. Thy faith hath made thee safe And dooth not Paule to the Galathians thus speake of Christ Gal. 2 20. Who hath loued me and deliuered vp himselfe for me What can be more manifest than these words Let Pighius go now and make his vants that we were the first finders out of this proper and singular faith and let him crie that euerie christian man ought to beléeue that the promises are made onelie indefinitelie and that it is not méet that euerie one of vs should applie them seuerallie vnto himselfe For we ought to beléeue of our selues and not of others for we may as concerning others be deceiued whether they beléeue or no but touching our selues we may be assured and certeine of it Let euerie man beléeue the promises of God indefinitelie as touching others for we knowe not who is predestinate and who is reprobate
such like In the second question D. Cartwright BIcause it is not my mind to be anie let to this reuerend man but that he may prosecute his determination as I dealt bréefelie with you in the first question so will I doo in the second wherin I will prooue that the bodie of Christ is not reallie in the sacrament Iohn 16 7. Christ said It is expedient for you that I go my waies If Christ were carnallie present hee should hinder our spirituall commoditie For if he had tarried he should haue béene a lett as he himselfe said of the holie Ghost comming vnto them for bicause they were too much in loue with his carnall presence Wherefore if after the same maner he should be said to be substantiallie present vpon the altar the people should be hindered from lifting vp their minds and eies vnto heauen and from obteining of the spirit and his gifts D. Chadse I denie that that presence wich we appoint is an impediment to the people That presence indéed whereby he was conuersant with his apostles should haue béene a lett D. Cartwright This impediment is euident enough For men that doo beléeue this reall presence doo saie when they haue heard a Masse This daie haue I séene my Lord and this they thinke to be the whole summe of godlinesse and so are they called awaie from an earnest and true eating D. Chadse If the people be hindered or hurt their error must be corrected and it should behooue the people to be taught For if all things that be an offense vnto the people should be taken awaie the Gospell should be taken awaie whereof manie doo take offense D. Cartwright Christ is not more in the Eucharist than the holie Ghost was in the doue but the doue was onelie a signe of the holie Ghost that came downe therefore the Eucharist is onelie a signe D. Chadse The holie scripture dooth not saie that the doue was the holie Ghost as it saith This is my bodie Neither is the Eucharist an instrument to signifie as the doue was D. Cartwright Yes but Iohn saith I sawe the holie Ghost which descended vpon him And it is added In the likenesse of a doue D. Martyr I will prosecute the first argument of D. Cartwright whom I thanke for so taking our part Trulie he hath pleasured me verie much as I hope manie others also You take it as granted that the bodie of Christ is trulie eaten of all those that doo communicate Of wicked mens eating but I vtterlie denie it to be eaten of the wicked and vnfaithfull For an vnfaithfull man if he receiue the bodie of Christ he dooth this either by sense or by reason or by faith By the sense it cannot be said bicause it reacheth not vnto Christ and it onelie receiueth the signes neither as ye heare take the bodie of Christ can it be receiued by the sense And in like maner it cannot be receiued by reason for it passeth the capacitie thereof Now then there remaineth faith the which séeing the vnfaithfull doo want they cannot thereby receiue the bodie of Christ D. Chadse I denie the Minor proposition for with the mouth they receiue the bodie of Christ D. Martyr As though by the mouth anie thing can be receiued without the sense Those things which passe through by the mouth are manifestlie felt of vs. D. Chadse With the mouth they receiue the bodie of Christ but with the sense they receiue the accidents Moreouer if I be without faith mine vnbeléefe taketh not awaie the faith of GOD neither dooth it make frustrate his word for after consecration it is the bodie of Christ whether I beléeue or beléeue not D. Martyr Whereas you affirme that the bodie of Christ is receiued with the mouth that is repugnant vnto that which you hold for you saie that the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist is not of quantitie and the action or receiuing of our mouth séeing it is naturall is not extended vnto spirituall substance and you shall neuer be able to shew anie other thing to be receiued with the mouth but the signes As touching the truth of the sacrament and faith of God I knowe it is a true sacrament although we doo not beléeue And yet that prooueth not but that he which is void of faith hath some other thing than the sacrament that is the signe or the elements And what is to eate Christ What is to eate Christ Cyprian declared in his sermon De coena Domini when he saith That we might knowe that our eating is our dwelling in Christ our drinking is a kind of incorporating into him Againe Wherefore the eating of this flesh is a certeine gréedinesse and as it were a certeine desire of dwelling in him And againe Looke what food is to the flesh that same is faith vnto the soule what meate is to the bodie that same is the word to the spirit And yet againe These things so often as we doo we sharpen not our téeth vnto biting but with a sincere faith we breake and diuide the holie bread Also Augustine in his 21. booke De ciuitate Dei the 25. chapter saith And therefore these must neither be said to eate the bodie of Christ bicause also they must not be accounted among the members of Christ and to forbeare the rest They cannot be togither the members of Christ 1. Cor. 6. and the members of an harlot Finallie insomuch as he saith He that eateth my flesh Iohn 6 56. and drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me and I in him it sheweth what is To eate not sacramentallie but verelie the bodie of Christ and to drinke his bloud that is he to dwell in Christ and that Christ should dwell in him For he so spake this as if he should haue said He that dwelleth not in me and he in whom I dwell not let him not saie or estéeme of himselfe that he eateth my bodie or drinketh my bloud And in another place he saith that To drinke signifieth as much as to liue Againe Whie preparest thou thy bellie and thy téeth Beléeue and thou hast eaten Which matters sith they agree not to the wicked they cannot be said to eate the bodie of Christ D. Chadse The fathers haue respect to the effect of the sacrament and speake not of the matter of the sacrament they write of the spirituall eating and such phrases hath the holie scripture Luk. 13 27. Mark 16 16 I know you not that is to wit vnto that end that I will allow of you Againe Whosoeuer is baptised shall be saued Likewise Whosoeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lord Ioel. 2 32. shall be saued It must euermore be added If so be he shall continue For I may beléeue and be baptised and yet be damned if I doo not perseuere to the end So likewise he that eateth Christ hath not the effect of the sacrament whereof the fathers speake vnlesse he doo eate woorthilie
therfore demanded of the Lord what he might doo to obtaine eternall life But contrariwise Matthew so soone as he heard of his calling Matth. 9 9. imbraced the same with so great faith as leauing his monie and customership he straightwaie followed Christ And Zacheus otherwise a man gréedie of gaine Luke 19 6. when he had heard of the Lord that he would turne in vnto him he not onelie receiued him into his house with a glad hart but also offered immediatelie to distribute halfe his goods to the poore and to restore fourefold to those whom before he had defrauded Wherfore the whole difference consisteth in the power whereby the truth is taken hold of Manie mo things are reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures than we knowe by faith which must not so be vnderstood as though we affirme that we haue not more truth reuealed vnto vs by the scriptures both of the old testament and new than we doo naturallie knowe Onelie we haue made a comparison betwéene the selfe-same truth when it is naturallie knowne and when it is perceiued by faith Out of the preface vpon Genesis 12 And forasmuch as God may be knowen of vs thrée maner of waies the first is deferred vnto another life Which waie when Moses desired it was said vnto him No man shall see me and liue Of the second did Paule make mention vnto the Romans For the inuisible things of God Rom. 1 20. c. Last of all we perceiue him by faith whereof mention is oftentimes made But in the first to the Corinthians they are both compared togither 1. Cor. 1 21. and the one shewed to be but smallie profitable as it was shewed in the epistle to the Romans But in Genesis when as Moses expresseth vnto vs the workmanship of the world How God may bee knowne by the workmanship of the world he sheweth things whereby we may picke out the inuisible knowledge of God But this waie leaneth altogither vpon faith for except we beléeue the words of God we shall obteine nothing Wherefore it is written vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 3. By faith we vnderstand that the worlds were made Wherefore in beholding the creatures of God let vs alwaies put to the strength of faith if we will not loose our labour and busie our selues to our owne hurt As for these inuisible things of God which we perceiue they are innumerable but they are all drawen to thrée principall points his power his wisdome and his goodnes The greatnes of the things brought foorth the making of them of nothing and the sudden making of them by the commandement of his onelie woord doo inferre his most mightie power But the workmanship the fourme the comelines and the singular disposition of them doo testifie the wisedome of the maker The profit which we gather of them declareth how great his goodnes is Of so great importance it is that we should comprehend this creation of the world by faith as euen the articles of our beléefe haue their beginning hervpon For this being taken awaie neither will the first sinne be extant the promises concerning Christ will fall and all the strength of religion will be ouerthrowne And séeing that all the articles of the faith are certeine rules and principles of our godlines among them all this is reckoned the first in order the which since we must learne by the reuealing of God as we must also doo all other not by the feigned deuises of satan or precepts of men we must first speake of all these things before we come to the creation it selfe 13 In the holie scriptures we haue a knowledge of God contemplatiue In the preface of the commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethicks and that which consisteth in action Among the philosophers actuall contemplation goeth formost but in the holie scriptures contemplatiue hath the first place insomuch as we must first beléeue Of contemplatiue and actuall knoledge and be iustified by faith afterward followe good works and that so much the more and more abundantly as we be renewed dailie by the holie Ghost So dooth Paule shew in his epistles for first he handleth doctrine afterward he descendeth to the instruction of maners and to the order of life So likewise the children of Israel were first gathered togither vnder the faith of one God the sauiour Afterward in the desert they receiued lawes which serued vnto actuall knowlege And in the table of the ten coÌmandements the same order is obserued For first he saith I am the Lord thy God which belongeth to faith or speculatiue knowledge Afterward followe the precepts which belong vnto the works required by God Why theologicall coÌtemplation goeth before actiue The cause of this difference is that mens contemplations are gotten by searching out and by the indeuor of meditation and therefore moderate affections are necessarie But those things which we beléeue are receiued by the inspiration of God so that we néed not those preparations And in mans reason it behooueth men first to do before they be iustified But the order of diuine sanctification is far otherwise appointed for first we beléeue afterward we are iustified then by the spirit and grace the powers of our mind are repaired and then followe iust and honest déeds Moreouer the end of philosophie is to obteine that blessednes or felicitie which may here by humane strength be obtained but the end of christian godlines is that in vs should be repaired that image wherevnto we were made in righteousnes and holines of truth that we may euerie daie growe vp in the knowledge of God vntill we be brought to sée him with open face as he is We can not in Aristotles Ethicks heare of the remission of sinnes nor of the feare and confidence of God nor of iustification by the faith of Christ and of such like things For these things are opened by the will of God which can not bée gathered by naturall knowledge through anie of the creatures How one selfe thing is taught one waie by diuinitie and an other waie in the Ethicks Neither doo I denie but that it happeneth oftentimes that the selfe-same things are commended in Aristotles Ethicks which are coÌmanded in the holie scriptures but then are those things the selfe-same in matter and not so in forme properties and beginnings for the respect in those things is diuers the properties diuers and the beginnings are not all one Euen as the matter of raine-water and of anie fountaine is all one but the power propertie and originals are farre diuers for the one commeth by the heat of heauen and by the clouds and coldnes of the middle region of the aire but the other is brought foorth from the passages of the earth and from the sea and is so strained as it becommeth swéet or else it so happeneth by conuersion of the aire into water through the coldnes of the place where the fountaine ariseth Euen so those things which
onelie the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent All these things which we haue recited séeing they be had by saith and without charitie they take no place doo shew that of necessitie true faith is ioined with charitie 25 In the first epistle of Iohn the fift chapter verse 1. Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ The truth reason is borne of God Some there be which sââ¦e that those which haue faith are not presentlie the children of God but that they may easilie become the children of God bicause they haue alredie atteined to some preparation vnto the same And Pighius who amongst other defends this opinion bringeth in the Gospell of Iohn Iohn 1 12. And how manie soeuer haue receiued him to them hath he giuen power to be made the children of God Behold saith he the euangelist hath giuen to them which alonelie beléeue the power to obteine the adoption of the children Howbeit this man should prudentlie haue weied those words which followe The place of Iohn is assoiled for the euangelist addeth that this power is giuen vnto them which beléeued in his name Which are borne not of bloud nor of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Wherefore they which haue receiued him and beléeued in his name are said to be borne of God and therefore are regenerated and iustified the which things without charitie cannot be had And whereas they are said to haue receiued power it is all one as if it should be said that they receiued the gift and grace to be the children of God How the beleeuers may haue power to be made the sonnes of God Power here in this place is not vnderstood to be that which is disseuered from the thing it selfe and from the effect Wherefore Hilarie in his first booke De trinitate saith They which haue receiued are augmented to be the sonnes of God not by growing of the flesh but by the springing of faith Further if we would grant that power in that place doth make shew of some thing as yet to be looked for which had no effect they haue not yet gotten that which they would namelie that they should interpret charitie or iustification to be looked for after faith as though these things for a certeine space of time were differed from faith begun but it should rather be referred to perfect adoption Adoption of two sorts Rom. 8. 15. For adoption as Paule speaketh is of two sorts one we haue now presentlie which is spoken of vnto the Romans Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare anie more but the spirit of adoption of the children wherein we crie Abba Father And this adoption haue they alreadie obteined who haue receiued Christ by faith and as the euangelist saith They be borne of God and the selfe-same men be indued with charitie But there is another adoption which is perfect this shall be giuen in the resurrection when we shall be frée from all gréefe corruption Of this there is plaine mention made in the said chapter to the Romans when it is said Ibidem 19. Euerie creature groneth and waiteth for the reuelation of the children of God yea we our selues hauing the first fruits of the spirit doo grone amongst our selues waiting for the adoption and redemption of our bodies Wherefore we will saie that the beléeuers and those that be iustified and borne of God haue a power I meane a right vnto that perfect adoption the which we expect to obteine at the time appointed Wherefore howsoeuer they haue vnderstood that word Power they prooue nothing against vs. What is to be siad of them which liue vnpurelie and yet confesse that the articles of the faith be true 26 But they be woont to cast vs in the téeth with them which liue an vncleane life which acquaint themselues with hainous crimes who neuerthelesse agrée to all the articles of saith that we doo and yet for all that it is certeine that they behauing themselues so dishonestly be destitute of charitie wherefore saie they it cannot be denied but that in them at the least wise faith is separated from charitie I answere that the faith of these men may indéed be called a true faith as touching those things which they confesse but concerning the faith it selfe if we throughlie consider the nature thereof it is no verie true and lawfull faith To make this thing manifest I will vse examples A similitude If a man conclude that an eclipse shall be which is to com but prooueth it by a false kind of argument sheweth not the same by anie iust demonstration his knowledge as touching the conclusion which he brought in may be called true yet bicause he vseth a naughtie reason the sense thereof shall neuer be called a true knowledge but a false sophisticall Also verie many Turks do confesse manie things that we beléeue as the creation of the world What the Turks beleeue togither with vs. the resurrection of the dead and that Christ was borne of the virgin Marie whom neuerthelesse we will neuer account to be indued with the true faith Againe they obiect that which is in Iohn that There were certeine princes Ioh. 12 42. which beleeued in Christ which notwithstanding durst not confesse his name And againe Iohn 2 24. That there were some which beleeued vnto whom neuerthelesse Christ committed not himselfe Now these things saie they declare that these men had faith without charitie Howbeit we yéeld not as they would haue vs that these princes were indued with the true faith and Christ taught that they did not beléeue trulie How saith he can you beleeue which seeke glorie of your selues And certeine indéed it is Iohn 5 44. Note a testimonie of Christ that the princes which iudged not euill of Christ would not therefore confesse him bicause they feared to be cast out of the synagog and while they desired too much the preseruation of their honor dignitie they were turned awaie from the confession of Christ wherefore Christ pronounced them not to beléeue These men saie moreouer They which beléeue trulie when they fall into gréeuous sinnes and yet neuerthelesse doo beléeue the same things which they did before cannot be counted without faith when as yet they be despoiled of charitie But we admit not that while they be conuersant in their sins they haue faith Titus 1 16. The deââ¦eng of God standeth not with the faith of Christ They haue an image of faith but not faith Against them the apostle beareth record that They confesse themselues to knowe God but in their deeds they deny him But with a sound true faith the denieng of God cannot stand wherefore these men shall be rather said to retaine an image and shew of faith than the true faith of which we now intreat And these things shall suffice at this time for the first question
most assured that he cannot be iustified But the holie scriptures teach far otherwise for they set foorth vnto vs the example of Abraham Rom. 4 18. A man being iustified doubteth not of his iustification how that He contrarie to hope beleeued in hope and that he when now he was well-néere an hundred yéeres of age had no regard either to the barrenesse of his owne bodie or else vnto the wombe of Sara being past child-bearing that he stood not in a mamering through distrust but was by faith confirmed and most certeinelie persuaded that God was able to performe whatsoeuer he had promised This example teacheth vs that we ought not to haue regard vnto those things which either may or séeme to hinder our iustification but out faith ought vtterlie to be fixed in the words and promises of GOD. But contrariwise these men will call vs backe to our owne indispositions as they call them and will haue vs therefore alwaies to be in doubt of our iustification Indéed we ought not to dissemble whatsoeuer imperfection or fault is in vs and that bicause it may be daily corrected amended yet ought we not therefore to be in doubt and wauering touching our iustification and the grace of God 47 Now haue we to prooue the second proposition A confirmation that we are iustified by faith namelie that a man is iustified by faith which we intend first to prooue by testimonies of the holie scriptures Paule in the 1. chapter of the epistle to the Romans defineth the Gospell that It is the power of GOD to saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom 1 16. In these words is touched the efficient cause of our iustification namelie The power of God and the end which is Our saluation and also the instrument whereby it is receiued namelie Faith for he addeth Vnto euerie one that beleeueth And this he confirmeth by a testimonie of Abacuke the prophet Abac. 2 4. in which sentence he was so much delighted that he vseth it both to the Galathians Gala. 3 11. Heb. 10 38. and also to the Hebrues in the selfe-same sense He addeth moreouer The wrath of God was reuealed from heauen Rom. 1 18. by reason of the knowledge of the philosophers which did with-hold the truth of God in vnrighteousnes and who at such time as they knew God glorified him not as God but fell to the worshipping of idols But contrariwise Ibid. 17. in the Gospell is reuealed the righteousnes of God namelie that righteousnes whereby men are iustified from faith to faith which phrase of speach we haue in his due place sufficientlie expounded Vpon the third chapter Now is the righteousnesse of God saith he made manifest without the lawe Rom. 3 21. the righteousnesse I saie of God by the faith of Iesus Christ in all and vpon all them which beleeue in him And a little afterward Wherefore being iustified freelie by his grace Ibid. 24. by the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whome God hath set foorth to be a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Here also is not onelie shewed the grace by which God fréelie iustifieth vs but also Christ and his death is set foorth that it may manifestlie appéere that he is the reconciliator and the mediator Wherevnto is added faith whereby we receiue the fruit of his redemption for the setting foorth also of his righteousnes in this time that he himselfe might be iust iustifieng him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ If men could by their works get vnto themselues righteousnes the righteousnes of God should not then in such sort be declared but séeing we perceiue it is communicated to vs by faith without anie preparation of works it must néeds séeme vnto vs verie great And amongst other things which God requireth of men this is the chéefest that they should not anie thing glorie of themselues But if iustificatioÌ consist of works men might boast of their own trauell indeuor but seing we are fréelie iustified by faith there is no place left for boasting Wherfore Paule saith Thy boasting is excluded By what lawe Rom. 3 27. By the lawe of works No but by the lawe of faith Wherefore he concludeth after this maner verse 28. We iudge that a man is iustified by faith without works And that we should not thinke that proposition to be particular he declareth that it is vniuersall verse 29. God saith he is he the God of the Iewes onlie Is he not also the God of the Gentils Yes of the Gentils also for it is one God which iustifieth vncircumcision through faith and circumcision by faith Wherefore euen as there is but one God ouer all men so iustifieth he all men by one and the selfe-same waie Rom. 4. 48 And in the fourth chapter he saith But vnto him that worketh not but beleeueth in him which iustifieth the wicked faith is imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes By this sentence both works are excluded and also faith is set foorth by which is imputed righteousnes vnto men And straitwaie he addeth of Abraham that He is the father of all them that beleeue Ibid. 11. being vncircumcised that it might also be imputed vnto them and that he is the father of circumcision not onelie vnto them which are of circumcision but also vnto them which walke in the steps of faith which was in the vncircumcision of Abraham our father Afterward by the nature of the promise he sheweth that iustification is by faith Ibid. 13. for he saith By the lawe was not the promise made vnto Abraham and vnto his seed to be the heire of the world but by the righteousnes of faith for if those which are of the lawe should be heires then should faith be abolished and the promise made void In these words are two excellent things to be noted The first is that the promise is frée neither it is ioined with the condition of works and therefore séeing faith as a correlatiue is referred vnto the promise it must néeds followe that it is such as the promise is and therefore it hath a respect vnto the promise by it selfe and not to the condition of our vntowardnesse or indisposition as the holie Fathers of Trent doo teach The second is that if the inheritance and righteousnes should depend of that condition of works then had there béene no néed of the promise for men might haue said Why is that fréelie promised vnto vs which we maie claime vnto our selues by our owne endeuour and labour Or why is it so necessarie that we should beléeue séeing by our owne works we can atteine vnto righteousnes Afterward Paule addeth the finall cause why iustification commeth by faith By grace saith he that the promise might be firme verse 17. for if by our owne works and preparations we could be iustified the promise should alwaies be vnstedfast neither could we appoint anie certeintie of it Afterward
Augustine answereth And yet those whom I would gather togither I gathered euen against thy will Yet the same father séemeth to haue spoken hardlie Obiections out of Augustine in his treatise against Adimantus the Manichei the 26. chapter where he wrote that It is in the power of man to change the will vnto better Herevnto notwithstanding he himselfe answereth in his first booke of refractations the 22. chapter where he saith But that power is nothing vnlesse it be giuen of God by whom it is said Iohn 1 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God For séeing this is in the power that when we will we doo nothing is so much in the power as is the will it selfe but the will is prepared of the Lord and by that meanes he giueth power So must that also be vnderstood that I said afterward it is in our power either that we be ingraffed by the goodnesse of God or by his seueritie be cut off bicause it is not in our power sauing for that he followeth our will which being prepared by the Lord to be mightie and strong that which before was hard and vnpossible is soone become a worke of godlines c. Wherefore let this rule and exposition be of force to answer all the places of Augustine in which he séemeth to attribute more than is méet vnto frée will as touching heauenlie and supernaturall things We must answer that this selfe power hath onlie place in willes alreadie prepared and healed This rule did this father neuer withdrawe but put it as firme and certeine in his retractations Yea and in the tenth chapter of the same booke he sheweth that those things which he wrote as touching frée will against the Manicheis were spoken to the intent he might declare that there is not a certeine first euill beginning contrarie vnto the good God from which euill beginning forsooth sinnes should flowe but that the beginning of sinnes was from the will Wherefore it was not agréeable to that drawing that he shuld speake much of the grace of God that prepareth and healeth which neuerthelesse he after some sort left not vntouched And of frée will he spake rather as it was in nature first instituted than as it is now found in nature defiled and corrupted How far foorth free will is granted It is also obiected vnto vs that we doo euill in denieng frée will and that we giue an occasion of bringing the same in question and that we offer an offense vnto the Papists Howbeit I take not awaie frée will in generall but I grant the same in outward things and in those things which are not aboue the capacitie of man Moreouer I grant the same in part vnto them that be prepared healed and conuerted by the grace of God as a little after shall be said Further we are not to passe much of the slander of the Pharisies They be blind and leaders of the blind and therefore they are not to be regarded Euerie plant Matt. 15 13. which the heauenlie father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Besides they aske whether God doo towards all men as much as sufficeth to their saluation Some saie he dooth But it séemeth not so vnto me for I knowe out of the holie scriptures Matt. 11 21. that they of Tyre and Sidon would haue beléeued if they had séene those things that were doone of Christ in Chorazim Bethsaida Capernaum And this also did Prosper ad caput Gallorum note when he answereth vnto the tenth chapter wherin they obiected against the doctrine of Augustine bicause he affirmed that the grace of the Gospell was by God withdrawne from some He writeth there after this maner Also he that saith that the preching of the Gospell is by the Lord withdrawne from some least by receiuing the preaching of the Gospell they might be saued may discharge himselfe of ill report by defense of our Sauiour himselfe who would not shew foorth his works among some which he saith would haue beléeued if they had séene his signes and miracles And he forbad his apostles to preach the Gospell vnto certeine people And yet still he suffereth some nations to liue without his grace when as neuerthelesse we beléeue it most certeinlie that the church shall be spred abroad into all the parts of the world c. Of the verie same matter also the same father Ad excerpta Genuensium the eight dout thus writeth As touching the men of Tyre and Sidon what thing else can we saie but that it was not vouchsafed vnto them to beléeue And yet neuerthelesse the truth it selfe reporteth that they would haue beléeued if they had séene such signes of powers as were doone among vs that beléeue But why this was denied vnto them let them that falselie accuse tell it if they can and let them shew why the Lord did maruellous things among them whom they should not profit Also we if we be not able to atteine vnto the cause of his dooing and to the déepenesse of his iudgement yet doo we most manifestlie knowe that both it is true which he said and iust which he did and that not onelie the men of Tyre and Sidon but also they of Chorazim and Bethsaida might haue béene conuerted and of infidels might haue become faithfull if the Lord would haue wrought this in them Neither can it séeme false to anie which the truth saith Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father And Matt. 13 1. To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of heauen Againe No man knoweth the sonne Matt. 11 27. but the father nor the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth the dead so the sonne quickeneth whom he will Againe 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie that IESVS is the Lord but by the holie Ghost The same Prosper also sheweth That all men haue not beene called by preaching that the preaching of the Gospell hath not alwaies béene giuen to all nations nor yet in all times and yet the same neuerthelesse is necessarie vnto saluation Ad capita Gallorum the fourth chapter wherein it was obiected against Augustine that according to his iudgement all men are not called vnto grace thus answereth Although it should appeare that the whole world had now in euerie nation and in all the ends of the earth receiued the Gospell Mat. 16 15. which in verie déed is most truelie pronounced that it shall come to passe yet were there no doubt but that since the time of the resurrection of the Lord vnto this present age there haue béene men which haue departed out of this life without knowledge of the Gospell of whome it may be said that they were not called bicause they not so much as heard of the hope of calling But if anie man affirme that
withdrawe himselfe for auoiding of offences and for the trueth sake of the Gospell anie manner of way to be confessed for I iudge that then the commaundement of flying away taketh place That certaine precepts may séeme contrarie and be not And that there may be giuen two precepts which at the first viewe séeme contrarie which neuerthelesse when they be particular are not repugnant in themselues I will shewe by plaine examples On the one part we are commaunded to defende and preserue Christian libertie and not to yéelde the same vnder the tyrannie and abuse of hipocrites On the other part we are commaunded to yéelde vnto the weakenesse of the brethren as wee haue it in the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 14. 1. These in déede séeme to be contrarie but he that rightlie considereth the state of the times dooth easilie take away that repugnancie which appeareth to be which was singularlie wel doone by Paul who then refused to circumcise Titus Gal. 2. 3. when it was required as necessarie to saluation yet did he suffer Timothie to be circumcised when he knew that it serued to edifying Acts. 16. 3. and that it might be doone without danger necessarie to follow Gal. 2. 14. The same Apostle could not abide that Peter should doe according to the Iewes because he sawe that by his example manie were verie gréeuouslie offended Yet dooth he afterward prudentlie exhort his Romans that with louing charitie they should beare with the infirmitie of the nouices and weake brethren These thinges at the first sight are verie contrarie yet are they not repugnant if euerie thing be doone in time conuenient Who knoweth not Exo. 20. 12. Rom. 13. 1. Mat. 10. 19. 27. 29. that it is commaunded by the lawe of God that we should obey parentes princes and Magistrates Contrariwise that we are commaunded for Christ and the Gospels sake to leaue parentes children brethren whatsoeuer we possesse These thinges doe verie well stand together without controuersie so that they be doone in fit times and momentes Matt. 6. 1. c. Otherwhile the time requireth that we should doe our good workes in secret according as Christ warned touching prayer and fasting Matt. 6. 15. Otherwhile also it requireth that we should doe these thinges in the sight of men namelie where they may be doone with the praise and glorie of our Lord. In old time sacrifices were instituted by manie commaundementes of God which neuerthelesse in case of mercy or other matter of more weight were sometimes omitted A good thing was it sometime to rest vpon the Sabbaoth day from all bodilie labours but otherwhile it behooued to fight Wherefore some preceptes are particular which in shew may séeme to be contrarie but this forceth nothing at all for both haue not place at one and the selfesame time Therefore euen as those preceptes whereby we are commaunded to tarie and to flie doe stand firme so likewise dooth the precept abide firme wherein we are commaunded to flie because each one of them must be vsed in his due time But the ground of their doctrine which affirme this precept to be abrogated is this to wit that they thinke that the flying away which hath ioyned with it the feare of death cannot set foorth the glorie of God Howbeit they are deceaued for the feare of death is not by it selfe faultie as we haue declared And if they which flie away be godlie they haue speciallie determined this with themselues that they will not deny the trueth earnestlie desiring to preserue that faith which they know they haue receaued by the bountifull goodnesse of the heauenlie father Which no man doubteth but it belongeth to the furtheraunce of the glorie of GOD. Wherefore we bring to passe by this feare that we auoide manie euils namelie the afflictions of the bodie and death least we being forced by the rigour of these should deny the trueth and make a shipwracke of faith There is no man therefore but vnderstandeth that feare to be good because he considereth not death and tormentes of the bodie by themselues which if he did yet neither should it then be faultie of it selfe but so farre foorth as they might cast a weake Christian man into the danger of forswearing or depriue him of Christian faith which thing vndoubtedlie maketh not to the glorie of God Since I haue aunswered vnto the two questions propounded I would not speake anie further sauing that I perceiue you may iustlie desire more namelie that I should aunswere vnto their Argumentes which with great contention defend the contrarie opinion as touching flying away who would haue vs in anie wise to be of their minde that vnder the pretence of auoyding sin they might commodiouslie abide in their owne pleasant countries with such wealth as they haue retaining still their vsuall slothfulnesse and dissimulation in the affaires of religion Wherefore that I may the more fullie satisfie you since I haue shewed that the feare of death is not in his owne nature faultie and that the commaundement of flying away was not abolished I will as well as I can rehearse those thinges which are obiected and afterward will I confute them so much as the present cause shal séeme to require Obiections 2. Tim. 1. 7 First some obiect that which Paul hath vnto Timothie For God hath not giuen vnto vs the spirit of feare but of fortitude of loue and of temperance If this be so say they it doth not become a Christian man to flie the same being a token of feare Wherefore he ought to remaine being strengthened with the spirit of fortitude and to make no account at all of the threatninges of tyrants Vnto whome I aunswere that in déede it becommeth a Christian man to be valiant and constant and to be voide of all feare Howbeit this fortitude of the spirit is neither in all men nor yet is alwayes after one manner For sometimes it so incourageth a man as he refuseth not both to confesse the trueth and to die for the same euen as the examples of manie Martyrs doe testifie but sometimes it driueth a man to this other kinde of confession namelie to forsake together with his natiue countrie all coÌmodities and delightfull thinges and in the stead of them taketh vppon him manie discommodities griefes daungers and detrimentes which they that trauell into an other place must abide He that neither of both waies dare confesse Christ is shamefullie withdrawen by the dreadfulnesse of feare and had rather reuenge or by dissimulation suppresse the trueth than to die or to forsake the swéete nest of his natiue countrie earthlie pleasures Wherefore this present place of scripture admonisheth the Christians that they should retaine the spirit of fortitude and put it in vre But because there be diuers kindes of that spirit it ought no more to be restrained vnto one kinde than vnto an other But when the one or the other is necessarie to be
that Christian charitie mooueth mée to fauour them your request also shall cause mée that I will pleasure them any waie that either they themselues shall desire of me or that Iohn Vlmer shall desire in their behalfe That Hooper is deliuered of all his troubles I thinke you nowe vnderstand by others I neuer failed him and I alwayes hoped well of his cause He is nowe in his Bishoprick he exerciseth his function faithfully and earnestly God graunt him that he may plentifully reape the fruites which he most desireth Also Christopher Froschouer behaueth himselfe well for your sake I will neuer forsake him so farre as in me lyeth and I hope so well of him as I thinke hee will well aunswere your expectation I bid you and all yours fare well in the Lorde From Oxford the 25. of Aprill 1551. To Ralph Gualther IF I shoulde not my learned Friend giue you thankes for the paines which you haue taken in the perusing and correcting of my Booke when it was in Printing both I shall be vngratefull and shall not deserue hereafter to haue any benefite bestowed vpon mee by any other Truely I sée that you haue taken no small toyle therein For in copying out the Booke which I sent vnto you there was no such diligence vsed as had bin requisite But I will prouide hereafter that the matter may bee more diligently handled when I shall sende any thing to you to be Printed Wherefore I beséech almightie GOD to requite the paines which you haue taken for mee Your carefulnesse hath brought to passe that the worke is come forth well ynough amended But looke how much you haue furthered the impression so much lesse hath fortune fauoured the carriage of the bookes For to this day there could be conueyed hither but thirtie Coppies wherefore many séeke them in vaine since they are not to bee solde any where in this kingdome Birkman who promised me xx Coppies hath not sent one which I will not thinke to bée doone of ill will but rather that it hath happened through some mischaunce As touching our matters I cannot certifie you of much more than this our carrier I meane your Froschouer is able to shewe who vndoubtedly is an honest and godly young man and all the while he taried here liued moderately and religiouslie wherefore it appeareth that he was not rashlie commended of you at the beginning God increase his godlinesse and graunt you to procéede as ye doe in the instructing of your children and young men Great newes is here spread out of Germanie but yet so vncertaine and variable as we cannot wel assure our selues what to beléeue We are desirous to knowe whether the Switchers which professe the Gospell haue determined to send any of the Ministers of their Churches to the Councell of Trent But to enquire much of these things perhaps will not be thought conuenient since Christes cause is chiefely to bée commended to Christ himselfe Howbeit as the members of the bodie of Christ which is the Church are ioyned one with another by a most sure bonde of the spirit so is it requisite that they shoulde be carefull one of another I bid you farewell in the Lorde Salute in my name Maister Pellican Maister Bibliander together with the rest of our fellowe Ministers Giuen out of the house of my Lorde of Canterburie the 6. of Marche 1552. To the Lords of Polonia Professors of the Gospel and to the Ministers of the Churches there I Am fullie perswaded right honorable and louing brethren in Christ that you so abounde in the grace of God and his plentifull spirite and be so replenished with heauenlie doctrine and wisedome that you are able not onelie to teach and instruct your selues in the waie of God but can also admonishe and teach others yet am I bolde to write these things vnto you that you maie knowe as a certaine testimonie of my minde what coniunction I haue with all the members of Christ what most ready will towardes the holie renewing of the kingdome of Christ and what a certaine singular affection towardes the kingdome of Polonia Polonia embraâed the Gospel First then I giue thankes vnto God the father through our Lorde Iesus Christ that your newe profession of the gospell is with great praise of the godlie spread in a manner euerie where For what can happen more acceptable or more ioyfull vnto them than that the Gospell of God maie be ministred euen in the vttermost parts of the worlde that the oblation of the Gentils where it was least to be looked for maie bee accepted of God and most aboundantlie sanctified by his spirite Verilie they which haue but a sparke of godlinesse in their brest and are touched with anie indeuour of the worshippe of God do not onelie make great account of your indeuours which you bestowe in the reformation of Christes religion but also doe weigh the same as the greatest pleasure and singular delight Procéede therefore as you haue begunne forasmuch as you are nowe become a most ioyfull spectacle vnto God vnto the Angels 1. Cor. 4. 9. and vnto men and for your sakes doth euerie good man from all partes reioyce Verilie I my selfe who am woonderfullie afflicted for the harde misfortunes of the Church of Englande The afflicted state of the Church of England who dailie lament the newe slaughters of holie men and continuallie sorow for the fires wherewith the most holie members of Christ are burned cannot but recreate my selfe by reason of the determination of godlinesse that you haue begunne For with you is increased and amplified that which elsewhere is by the extreme power of Antichrist abated and diminished Howbeit that our thankes giuing maie be the fuller and you receiue more ioyfull aboundant and long lasting fruite of that which you haue taken in hand this must you speciallie prouide that ye ioine with innocencie and purenesse of life that trueth of God which he hath vouchsafed to open vnto you The knowledge of God without integritie of life is hurtfull otherwise it profiteth nothing yea rather it doeth excéeding much harme to haue the knowledge of God to haue the reuelation of his will and to vnderstand the secrets of the Scriptures when wee shall in déedes and life denie all these thinges For what other thing I beséech you should that be Rom. 1. 18. than as Paul saith to detaine the trueth of God in vnrighteousnesse Assuredlie it is the first steppe vnto godlinesse rightlie to knowe those thinges whereby God will be worshipped of vs but herein to labour for performance thereof which we haue nowe by the grace of GOD knowen it is a most certaine fruite of that faith which indéed being taken awaie what soeuer knowledge went before though it were lightened by the spirit of God yet did it make vnto most gréeuous condemnation Wherefore my most déerelie beloued brethren we must take héede that our light be not without heate that the leaues bee not without
Ministerie and purpose so to continue Wherefore I will séeke and maintaine peace as you admonish me yet so neuerthelesse that when occasion is offered not a snatched or sought occasion but that which is iust and necessarie I will teach and speake that which I iudge true coÌcerning that matter wherein I know they disagrée from me and that with such moderation and temperance as I will not gréeue or bitterlie taunt anie man that is of an other iudgement But as for commaunding me to silence or recantation neither haue I hitherto suffered it neither will I now suffer it For I iudge that to be most vnwoorthie for a godlie man and him that publikelie teacheth the holie scriptures so long as out of the word of God it cannot be shewed to be otherwise than I beléeue For when that should appeare and I might know it so to be I would not for anie cause delay to testifie the trueth and openlie to confesse it These thinges woorthie Syr and as you write my most néere ioyned brother in Christ I speake familiarlie to you as you sée and doe sincerelie open my minde and thought euen as it is affected For I haue such a confidence in your iustice and equitie as I neuer will or can séeme to refuse your owne selfe for a right and indifferent Iudge Fare you well and liue you happilie to Christ and his Church I would to God I might once at the length sée you and talke with you according to my earnest desire From Strasborough the 26. of Iune 1554. To Master Iohn Caluin I Am gladde that the little booke of defence of the consent of our Churches as touching the controuersie of the sacrament A consent of the Heluetian churches with the Church of Geneua is nowe come foorth and I wish that the same may bring abundance of fruit And I doubt not but for the Godlinesse and instruction wherewith it shewes it selfe to be furnished it will bring commoditie vnto the weake comfort vnto the learned and much stomacke and hatred to them that be obstinate Neither will this be any newe thing because such is the condition of the word of God That none of those things whereof I gaue counsell is chaunged I vnderstanding the reasons which you haue made in your Epistle do not only take it wel but in verie good part But yet this haue I marueiled at and I woulde with a gladde minde heare it if it were so that N. hath allowed of those things which you wrote For I loue the man because of other his goodlie giftes but in this controuersie which we are nowe in hand with he hath alwayes séemed vnto me to bee more than ynough a right Saxon and to carie a contrarie minde vnto the trueth which we defend Of what iudgement our men will be I knowe not Wée thought good to send both letters and a booke vnto Marpachius Marpachius For you did write nothing but that which may and ought to be taken in good part of meÌ which be of a sound iudgement But maruell not that there was some slacknesse in the answering of your letters For there were assemblies had after your letters were deliuered and Marpachius him selfe was absent a whole moneth which returned fower dayes since He went into his owne countrie and in returning made his iourney by Zuricke and saluted mee in the name of all those ministers In talke he is gentle and curteous ynough but excéeding obstinate in his opinion Thus much hath he profited that he includeth not the bodie of Christ in the breade but saieth that the presence of the flesh and bloude of Christ to the communicants is most truely and in verie déede to be affirmed and that such a presence as wicked men and the vnworthie eaters doe féede thereon Which plainely sheweth that hée doth not attribute the receiuing vnto faith vnlesse we speake of a liuely wholsome receiuing as though there were a certaine other true and reall eating as they call it of the bodie of Christ which the wicked also do vse But héereof I speake too much and especially with you which in one worde vnderstande the state of the controuersie As touching N. N. which you write of I also doe both know and sorowe that it is so He doth not sincerely admit the doctrine of predestination And as I can perceiue he agréeth altogether with Philip yea and he expresseth many things which euen Philip woulde not subscribe vnto him which I iudge méete at this time to be kept in silence But I see no iust reason that can bee alledged why he should denie the breade and wine to be the elements of the bodie and bloude of Christ Which reason although he could shewe yet would I iudge that we ought rather to giue credite vnto the diuine scriptures than vnto him whereby as well the breade as the cup are commended as Symbols or figures of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. Yet woulde I graunt vnto him that the verie action it selfe that is the eating and drinking is a figure of the most swéete foode of soules and of the whole restoring of our nature which figure we receiue by communicating in the Eucharist And whereas he saith that the naturall bodie of Christ is not giuen to be meate I so vnderstoode him as though in speaking this he stoode against them which vainely bable that the bodie of Christ is let passe into the belly by the mouth of the body by the téeth tongue roofe of the mouth and by the Iawes but if he meane any otherwise let him take héede Verily this am I most assured of that whatsoeuer nourishment or spirituall foode is receiued of vs by the bodie of Christ that is had by his true and naturall bodie which heeretofore was nailed vpon the crosse for our sake and nowe fitteth in heauen compassed about with the highest glorie For whatsoeuer foode there is as doubtlesse there is verie much drawne vnto vs by faith who wil say that that faith is caried vnto a feigned or phantasticall bodie Truly none that regardeth the truth and honour of faith will so affirme For faith apprehendeth things euen as they bee Wherefore séeing the body of Christ is not vnclothed of his nature neither heretofore vpoÌ the crosse nor yet nowe in heauen it is by faith receiued of vs a naturall bodie as it is But while I write vnto you these things of N. N. beholde another thing commeth to minde whereof I am mooued for iust cause to demaunde and also to write what I my selfe iudge of it which as I doe boldly so it shall be frée for you when you be at leasure to shew what you iudge thereof For I doe not vrge an answere knowing that you are ouerpressed with profitable businesse As touching the communion which wee haue with the bodie of Christ and with the substance of his nature all men are not of one opinion and I thinke you shall heare the cause why It is a
ashamed and yeeld when they see your diligence in gouerning and vnblameablenesse of liuing ioined with the godlie zeale of your preaching if they perceiue you to contemne all things as dung in comparison of the Gospell of Christ and to be readie if need shall require to laie downe your life for the brethren finallie if ye mortifie your selues to the world that yee may liue vnto Christ For vnlesse life and gouernement be ioined with preaching and teaching ye labour in vaine and withhold the truth of God in vnrighteousnesse making the word of God of none effect And ye shall but loose your labour in rising earlie and in late taking rest and in eating the bread of carefulnesse For if all these things be not performed of you whatsoeuer ye build vp with the one hand ye plucke downe with the other Againe ye that be the heads of both the Vniuersities haue ye a circumspect eie that there be no corrupt member within your Colleges and where yee perceiue anie such to growe vp let him be examined and weeded out from the good come least he persuade Israell to commit sinne and idolatrie Cease ye not but declare him to the magistrates which may take further order for him least he by his libertie infect other places in the realme And generallie all ye that be the common people which liue in hope of your felicitie and looke for the second comming of our Sauiour be ye diligent in hearing and reading of the word And cease not there but if there be anie necessarie place which you doo not easilie vnderstand compare it diligentlie with other places of the scripture which concerne that matter If this will not suffice consult ye either with some godlie and learned man or with this and such other learned bookes how that place should be trulie vnderstood And for this cause speciallie beloued Readers I haue set foorth vnto you large and ample tables whereby ye may by the alphabet of letters find out a full exposition of all those things which this booke setteth foorth out of the holie scriptures necessarie to saluation Those read I saie with all humilitie but be not too curious in searching out of the mysteries which be too high aboue you but desire God alwaies that ye may see what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is For it is no woonder why a great part of the world is yet still lead in blindnesse sith it is their owne wilfulnesse that causeth their error it is their owne negligence that maketh their ignorance it is their owne malignant hart that driueth the Lord to refuse them When Augustine was conuerted from Manicheisme to the true religion hee was commanded by the spirit of God To take vp the booke and read And the Eunuch in the Acts when he was diligent in searching out of a mysterie that tended to saluation God sent Philip to interpret vnto him And thinke we that he will not send his spirit to interpret vnto vs when we earnestlie desire him by praier to vouchsafe vnto vs the right vnderstanding of his word Now last of all though with griefe and lamentation of hart I conuert my speech vnto you the pretended Catholiks of England O ye blind guides the leaders of the blind into the destruction of their soules I bewaile your wofull case howsoeuer ye your selues reioise in your euils The God of this world hath blinded your minds for ye disdaine the glorious Gospell of Christ and deride the plaine sinceritie thereof ye are enimies to the true church euen to them that Christ bought with his pretious bloud yee hate your owne flesh and bloud ye storme and rage against your mothers children and that more furiouslie and maliciouslie than against the Turks and infidels that haue no knowledge of Christ Ye are deceiued and seduced in the waie of the Lord and your ignorance is wilfull bicause ye will not take vp the booke of the holie scriptures and labour earnestlie therein that ye might trie and search out the truth but ye followe your owne waies and the deceiueable paths of your forefathers neither will ye suffer the simple sort to read it or the true interpretors of it Ye knowe that there is but one true religion and that there be assured marks to knowe the same by but ye in so diuine a thing choose rather to trie a certeintie by such vncerteine marks as the corrupt hart of man doth deuise than by the infallible rule of the word of God Ye knowe that all things in the world which are out of square must be compared by that rule and paterne from whence it was deriued The picture of a man is examined according to that man whom it representeth or by the first lineaments taken from him A house to be built is set vp according to the platforme drawne for the same A keie is shapen according to the print of the originall Euerie offense committed against the lawe of man is examined by the lawe prouided against that offense If it so fare in temporal things and that by reason of the vncerteintie of mans iudgement humane things must be tried not by mans will but by mens rules how much more then must the doctrine of Gods religion be tried by the rule of Gods word and by no other meanes Howbeit ye will haue no other iudges of controuersies but your selues nor anie others to interpret the truth but your selues you consider not that ye be our aduersaries and that no aduersarie parts may be their owne iudges ye see not that we are growne of equall number with you our bookes and volumes as manie and as great as yours our arguments not onelie in number as manie but in proofe and substance more inuincible than yours The fathers doo differ your selues doo varie Councels doo erre all men be lyers but the word of God is true and endureth for euer Why doo you not then confesse that the written word is the most equall and indifferent iudge and that the spirit of God speaking out of it to the harts of men is the verie right and iust interpretor of the Lords will and that no mortall man may presume to knowe his will further than he hath declared vnto him out of his holie word but ye intermingle all both diuine and humane things togither Ye make the waies of the Lord to be your waies ye thinke it vnpossible that Christ sitting in heauen can rule his church vpon the earth by his spirit and by the gouernement of Christian magistrates vnlesse he haue one principall prelate on the earth for his vicar and him onelie will you haue to be the bishop of Rome vnlesse the counsels of men doo establish after their maner that which the counsell of God hath alreadie decreed after his maner Besides this of an insatiable hatred that you beare vnto vs and vnto the truth which we professe ye crie out against all our translations of the bible and ye continuallie beate into the eares
to wit Impudicicitie for wantones Longanimitie for long suffering Praecursor for forerunner Euangelize for preaching the good tidings of the Gospell Azyms for vnleuened Bread Parasceue for the daie of Preparation Scandalized for Offended Contristate for making Sorie Propiciat for making Reconciliation Depositum for a thing committed to the hands of another Victims for Sacrifices Prepuce for vncircumcision Contradicted for Spoken against Resuscitate for Stir vp Holocaust for Burnt offerings By iuncture of Subministration for By ioining togither of that which serueth c. and infinite other such obscure and new inuented words which might easilie enough with some small Periphrasis without hinderance of the sense haue beene put in plaine English that can make good anie of your heathenish superstitions What need the common people be now set to schoole to their dieng daie before they can learne that out of Latine by strange and difficult words which alreadie they knowe as perfectlie as their Pater noster in plaine English with a long acquainted custome Was this Christs his Apostles maner of teaching Did they not speake in the plainest termes they could possiblie deuise to make those whom they spake vnto vnderstand them Did not babes and sucklings vnderstand that which the Lord himselfe spake Was not for this cause the gift of toongs sent downe to the Apostles to the intent they might interpret euerie thing to euerie man in their owne naturall language Wherefore be ye better aduised hereafter in accusing of our translations before ye haue purged and perfected your owne and before your gaines in this matter may be comparable to the trauell that you haue taken therein Now then since all these translations of ours haue beene doone by faithfull learned and godlie men and of a good sincere and godlie purpose we praise God perpetuallie and commend the good indeuours of them And we most humblie and earnestlie desire of God that bicause there is no perfect wisedome nor knowledge in man vnlesse it be giuen from aboue and that there were neuer anie mortall men that without the assisting grace of the spirit of God could doo anie thing so trulie and exactlie but others after them might find some imperfection therin it will please him for his sonnes sake to lighten continuallie the minds of men of vnderstanding that they may dailie put to their helping hands to the perfect polishing of this excellent translation And let vs magnifie the Lord of heauen and earth that hath turned the enuie of you which be our aduersaries to the aduancement of his owne glorie the increase of our diligence the refutation of your errors and benefit of his church For ye hating vs vnmercifullie bicause we deliuer the word of God vnto all the people indifferentlie to be read in their owne mother toong and yet being forced to confesse that the same ought not to be deteined from them haue euen against your owne wils in some respect set foorth the glorie of God and so by the selfe-same sword wherewith ye thought to haue destroied vs ye haue pearsed your owne bowels confounded yourselues ouerthrowne your owne counterfet and false doctrine and maruellouslie established the truth of our profession And herein moreouer are we beholding to God though not vnto you which ment not thereby either to pleasure vs or to edifie the people insomuch as by the narrow sifting which yee haue made of our opinions and translations we knowe the verie vttermost which you are able to breath and braie out against vs. And that by this meanes if yet there remaine anie thing that lieth in our power to performe which hitherto hath beene neglected we may run therevnto with all willingnesse of heart till at length we come to that principall marke wherevnto we tend with all our desire and godlie indeuours Moreouer ye contend more vehementlie for all those opinions of yours which we denie than did the ancient fathers with the Montanists Marcionites Arrians and other damnable sects which denied the true humanitie or diuinitie of Christ or as though the holie scripture had as plainlie and preciselie commanded those things as it did euerie other thing that ye and we both alike confesse And yet Christ and the Apostles in setting downe all things in the scripture necessarie to saluation gaue not so much as a word or signe of anie such opinion If your opinions had beene of necessitie to beleeue as yee pretend vnto vs that they are or if so the pleasure of God had beene that we should imbrase them would the holie Ghost haue passed ouer in silence so weightie matters and for the which hee knew so great controuersie should afterward arise betweene the true church and the false Would our mercifull God that so tenderlie loueth his elect and so desirouslie would haue them all to be saued and who suffereth not his truth to faile nor his Gospell to be hidden from anie but from them that perish would he I saie hide from his owne anie of the necessarie principles of religion If he kept nothing backe from the Ephesians but shewed them euen all the counsell of God would he be anie thing lesse mercifull vnto vs than he was vnto them by not shewing to vs in his written word that which by epistles and preaching the spirit taught vnto them No verelie but what he shewed vnto them that hath he shewed vs that is to saie hath plainlie taught vs in the holie scriptures Wherfore laie aside all maliciousnesse and hatred towards vs and discerne with a pure heart and a single eie what the good and acceptable will of the Lord is Againe you would make the authoritie of your church to bee far greater than the authoritie of ours bicause of a great consent of manie Prelates and Bishops You weigh not that there is neither authoritie nor councell nor conspiracie nor consent nor custome which is not agreeable to the will and word of God that is of anie force We knowe that an other foundation besides Christ Iesus which is alreadie laid can no man laie and therefore the true builders will build no other matter vpon that foundation but such as is deriued from the rocke Christ Iesus but ye haue builded your owne vile trash vpon the same and therfore the matter being such as neither Christ commanded to build with nor anie of his seruants long after him vsed nor yet is answerable to the same foundation wee conclude that neither your church is Christs church nor yet the builders thereof the Lords builders But wee for our part haue a more certeine and assured word of prophesie for the knowledge of our church and whereby wee take not vpon vs to woorke the Lords woorke with anie other stuffe than the Lord himselfe hath appointed Wee build altogither vpon the foundation of the prophets and apostles Iesus Christ beeing the head corner stone And we finish the temple euen according to that paterne which is no no lesse euidentlie set downe in the euerlasting testament
is none of all these faculties which hath not speciall precepts appointed vnto it in the holie scriptures and dooth vse all these magistrates and princes for the defence of godlines and for the true worshipping of God eloquence that it may persuade profitable and godlie things gouernement of houshold that new ofsprings may alwaies growe vp vnto Christ and finallie all Arts aswell to the glorie of Christ as to the profit of our neighbours How magistrates and ministers of the Church must behaue them selues one towards another 15 And now as I thinke it may appeare how the ministers of churches which professe these holie scriptures should behaue themselues towards magistrates and magistrates towards them They out of the holie scriptures drawe precepts and rules of the princes function those precepts ought the magistrate to heare which also if he otherwhile transgresse must suffer admonishers and must not be offended if modestlie and with iust reuerence he be corrected And on the other side when ministers shall behaue them selues either negligentlie in their office or against the rules of Gods lawe they may be kept in their duetie by the magistrate and if they will not amend their faults they may be remooued from their place And thus let the ministerie of the church helpe the ciuill power and againe the ciuill power ouersée the ministerie that it may be pure and profitable to the christian Common-weale And in that wée attribute the chéefe power vnto that wisedome which we haue in the holie scriptures it must not be thought that anie thing is plucked awaie or diminished from ciuill administration for that authoritie remaineth still vnto princes and magistrates but we would onelie shew from whence they them selues ought to take the rules and principles of their authoritie that they should not so estéeme of the doctrines of the philosophers and lawes of men as they would straie from the most pure fountaines of iustice and honestie which flowe in the holie scriptures And they shall be able to get vnto them selues this knowledge either be diligent reading of the holie scriptures by them selues which God commanded kings to doo or else they may bée instructed by ministers of the church And whereas it is said that it belongs to the ciuill power to haue authoritie ouer those professions which are to be reteined in a citie and ouer those which are to be reiected from thence let princes magistrates vnderstand that the regard of diuine worship belongeth vnto them namelie that they preserue promote and defend that which is lawfull and that they prohibit and vtterlie roote out that which is vnpure forbidden The second Chapter Of the naturall knowledge of God by the things created whervnto this knowledge tendeth And whether there be anie that knoweth not God Out of the Epistle to the Romans Cap. 1 verse 19. Looke In Sam. Cap. 6 vers 22. PAule in the Epistle to the Romans disputing of the naturall knowledge of God In Rom. 1 verse 19. saith Read after in the fourth Chapter that that which is knowne of God is manifest among them In the Gréek we read ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã As if wée should saie That which may be knowen of God Which therefore is said bicause there be many diuine mysteries Naturallie we can not vnderstand the mysteries of God vnto which wée cannot by nature attaine as is this that God would iustifie vs fréelie forgiue our sins through Christ crucified and restore these verie bodies of ours vnto eternall felicitie These such other like the nature of things teacheth vs not Therfore saith Paule That which might be knowne of God is made manifest in them In that place he declareth what maner of truth it is that they withheld in vnrighteousnes It was the knowledge of things pertaining vnto God which they attained vnto by a naturall instinct And Paule reduceth all those things Two things of God wee naturallie knowe that they knew into twoo principall points namelie the euerlasting power of God and his diuinitie For by the very workmanship of this world they knew God to be most mightie Further they knew by the beautie shew distinction of all things that so great a power was administred by a most high prouidence and wisedome Wherein chieflie consisteth the maiestie of God Also the commoditie and profit of things created taught them the Maiestie of God which consisteth chieflie in this that he dooth good vnto all things These be the things which God bestowed vpon the Ethnikes but they abused the gifts of God Wherfore verie well agréeth with them that similitude A similitude which Chrysostome vseth For thus hée saith If a king should giue much monie to his seruant for the furniture of his houshold amplifieng of his gorgious estate to the end that his magnificence and honor might be the more manifest and the wicked seruant should lewdlie spend the monie vpon brothels and harlots should not this seruant saith he séeme woorthilie rightlie to haue deserued punishment Euen so did the wise men among the Ethnikes behaue themselues The wise Ethnikes abused the gifts of God For they receiued of GOD a verie excellent knowledge of things wherewith when they should haue worshipped and adorned him they turned it to the worshipping of stones and stocks and of images Wherfore not without cause did the wrath of God waxe hote against them 2 And whereas it is written It was made manifest in them neither is it said In all the Scripture dooth seuer the wise and the philosophers from the barbarous vnskilfull multitude For all things were not knowne to all alike which neuertheles happened by the fault of these philosophers For they ought to haue preached openlie and beaten into the eares of the common people those things which they knew The Philosophers hid the knowlege which they had of God Aristotles words vnto Alexander And yet this they did not as did the prophets and apostles but with a proud mind kept these things among themselues yea and after a sort hid them that they should not be vnderstood of all men Wherevpon the epistle of Aristotle to Alexander is much spoken of wherein he saith that his bookes of naturall philosophie are so set foorth by him as if they were not set foorth For the philosophers séemed of set purpose to make their writings obscure to the intent they should not be vnderstood by others Besides this through their arguings they polluted those excellent things which they knew to be pure When they vnderstood that there is but one God and iudged that hée ought to be worshipped they gathered afterward of themselues The original of signes and superstitions Séeing the common people are not apt to worship the high diuinitie that is spred ouer all things for they cannot perceiue it after this maner it shall be well doon to diuide it and to assigne it vnto images The Philosophers diuided the vnitie of
God into parts signes of heauen and to other creatures And the same men when they acknowledged that the nature of GOD was seuered from all corporall matter that is to saie that he is a Spirit and therefore to be worshipped in mind and spirit they thinking the common people to be so rude in comparison of themselues as they could not attaine vnto this brought in outward rites and ceremonies deuised of their owne heads the which men hauing performed they should thinke that they had fulfilled the seruice of God and so by their slender reasons they corrupted that which being pure they had gathered out of the creatures and gaue no such credit as they ought to haue done to the truth which they knew The Philosophers yelded not theÌselues to the prouidence of God Otherwise they would haue submitted themselues to the mightie power which they acknowledged and would haue suffered themselues to be ruled by the prouidence of God and would haue trusted to him in their aduersities which neuertheles they did not The Philosophers despaired naie rather they shamefullie despaired Cicero crieth out in his later time in an Epistle to Octauius O that I was neuer wise And in his bookes De natura deorum he bringeth in Cotta notwithstanding hée were chéefe bishop to saie that he would verie faine haue it prooued indéed that there be anie gods at all And so whilest they would not beléeue those things which they knew naturallie of God they were not onelie wicked towards him but also iniurious towards their neighbours The greateâ the philosophers the fowler of life And oftentimes the more famous philosophers they were the more infamous life they led According as the Poet taunteth them Curious life they faine but followe Bacchus vaine For the wrath of GOD waxed hot against them And euen as a schoolmaister that continuallie instructeth his scholler who yet in the meane time is thinking dooing other things cannot suffer so great negligence so doth God behaue himselfe towards vs. For he conitnuallie holdeth open before our eies the booke of the things created he is euer calling and illuminating of vs but we alwaies turne awaie our mind from his doctrine otherwise occupieng our selues Wherefore God will cast vs awaie as naughtie schollers neither will hée suffer so great an iniurie vnreuenged 3 And by these woords which Paule addeth namelie For God hath made manifest vnto them it was gathered that all truth commeth of God For it springeth not from vs How it is that all truth comes of God but how it is of God there be two opinions For some saie that therfore it is bicause God hath made those things by which wée may perceiue these truths But others saie whom I better allow that God hath planted in our minds certaine fore-gatherings and informations wherby we are driuen to conceiue excellent and woorthie things of the nature of God And these knowledges of God being naturallie ingraffed in vs by God are euerie daie more and more confirmed and made perfect by the obseruation of things created Some doo fondlie and no lesse wickedlie saie that they haue learned those truthes of Aristotle or of Plato so as they will giue God no thanks at all for them Indéed Plato and Aristotle were organs and instruments Teachers are instruments but not auctors but yet not authors But these men saie euen as if an Israelite should saie that hée knew the truthes of the lawe not by GOD but by Moses whereas he was but onlie a mediator messenger of God and one who made relation vnto the people of those things whereof God was the author And it is to be noted that wheras God is a nature so disseuered from anie matter as he cannot sensiblie be perceiued yet he hath béene accustomed by signes and certeine sensible woords to declare himselfe The creatures are signes which set foorth God And those signes which from the beginning haue declared God vnto vs are creatures which when the naturall philosophers did weie as touching the woonderfull properties qualities of nature they are brought vnto the knowledge of God How the Philosophers knew that there is a God For they knew the order of causes and the coniunction of them with their effects and when they easilie vnderstood that an infinite procéeding of things could not be determined they concluded that they must attaine to some chéefe thing and so included that there is a God These things both Plato Aristotle and Galen haue singularlie well set foorth But least wée should neglect the holie Scriptures they also haue declared vnto vs euen the same waie Matth. 6 26. and 28. The holie Scriptures send vs to the creatures to learne of them Prou. 6 6. For Christ sendeth vs to the fowles of the aire and to the lillies grasse of the field to the intent wée should acknowledge the singular prouidence of God in preseruing of those things which he had brought foorth And Salomon setteth before vs the Ant to be followed for his wisedome whereby hée prouideth in summer those things which shall be néedfull in winter Esaie 1 3. Esaie saith that the asse knew the manger of his lord and the oxe his maister but that Israel knew not his Lord. Hereby it plainlie appeareth that we may be taught manie things by the creatures Dauid wrote a Psalme wherein he declared the selfe-same thing Psalm 19 1. The heauens set foorth the glorie of God c. But among other bookes of the holie Scriptures which abound in this matter is the dialogue of the booke of Iob. The booke of Iob. For the speakers which he bringeth in were Ethnikes therfore the matter is there handled onelie by naturall reasons Manie things are spoken of there concerning the reuolutions of heauen of the stars of the earth of the sea of the light of the winds raine thunder lightenings snowe and I se also of beasts as of lions goats harts horsse and Behemoth which manie thinke to be the Elephant and finallie of the Leuiathan the most huge beast of the sea 4 All these things are so handeled there as they preach vnto vs the eternall power and diuinitie of God But among other things which doo chéeflie set foorth God vnto vs is the nature of our owne selues For we are made vnto his owne image and likenes The nature of man doth most resemble God Wherefore we most of all resemble him and especiallie as touching the soule wherein shineth the prouidence of things to come iustice wisedome and manie other most noble qualities and also the knowledge of that which is right and honest lewd and dishonest And séeing that man and his soule is not sproong vp of himselfe but dependeth of God it followeth that we ought not to denie vnto God the verie same that we tooke of him but that we yéeld it vnto him as vnto the chéefe and principall authour reasoning after this maner that God foreséeth
would namelie that he might be iustified when he condemneth and punisheth The doctrine that Iudas the traitour receiued of Christ did thus much profit him that at the length he condemned himselfe Matth. 27 4. saieng I haue sinned in betraieng the innocent bloud For to this passe are the wicked driuen that at the length they are condemned by their owne iudgement And they which should haue taken profit by the doctrine are gréeuouslie hurt by the same as we read in the prophet Esaie the sixt chapter when it is said Esaie 6 10. Make blind the hart of this people dull their eares and shut vp their eies least peraduenture they should see heare vnderstand and be conuerted and I shuld heale them Euen so by the words of Moses Exod. 7 13. was the hart of Pharao euer more and more hardened In Rom. 1 18. 9 And the cause why they are inexcusable is declared in these words Which withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes They attained vnto so much truth as thereby they vnderstood how to behaue themselues towards God and towards their neighbors and yet withheld they the truth in vnrighteousnes The verie which thing did the Hebrues as touching the truth which God reuealed vnto them by the lawe Séeing therefore that both these Hebrues and those Gentils haue béene so gréeuouslie punished what ought men that be christians in profession to hope for which withhold to themselues so great a light of the Gospell without fruit Doubtles they shall become most wretched of all And the thing it selfe teacheth that they which boast of Christ and liue dishonestly doo at the length excéed all men be they neuer so wicked in naughtines and dishonestie The truth is after a sort withheld captiue in them In whom the truth is withheld captiue which vnderstand the same and yet expresse it not in work and life And it is bound and tied with the chaines of naughtie lusts the which With what bonds the truth is bound when they breath out from the inferiour parts of our mind they darken the vnderstanding and close vp the knowen truth in a darke dungeon God doth lighten it in our minds but through naughtie lusts it is woonderfullie darkened We must not thinke as Chrysostome warneth vs that the truth of his owne nature can suffer anie thing For the truth of his owne nature is vnchangable But what discommoditie soeuer happeneth The truth suffereth nothing in it selfe the same hurteth our mind and soule Paule in two words toucheth those things which Aristotle in his Ethicks when he disputeth of the incontinent person vttereth at large Aristotle in his Ethicks For he demandeth by what meanes the incontinent person declineth vnto vices since that in his mind he hath a right opinion And hée answereth that this happeneth by reason hée is too much affected to the particular good which is obiected presentlie to the sense by the weight wherof the better part also is oppressed so as he giueth place vnto the lusts neither doth he his part in effectuall considering of the truth which before he knew Ouid of Medea Which also the Poet affirmeth of Medea I see the best which I allow But yet the woorst I doo insue All this dooth Paule teach vs when he saith that The wicked withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes The truth doth alwaies as much as can be indeuour to breake foorth into act but it is hindered by concupiscence or lust And this is it which is written in the first booke of the Ethicks that the best part of the soule doth alwaies exhort and prouoke to the best things The better part of the soule exhorteth to the better things For so hath God and nature framed vs that the thing which wée knowe we desire to expresse in act which being not doone we are reprooued by our owne iudgement And herein appéereth the woonderfull force of the conscience which in the more gréeuous sort of offences can neuer be perfectlie setled 10 To withhold the truth in vnrighteousnes is properlie to refuse the calling of God which continuallie by his truth calleth vs backe vnto himselfe Wherefore it shall be verie profitable for vs if whensoeuer we haue attained vnto anie truth either through studie or obseruation of things we reckon straitwaie with our selues wherevnto God calleth vs through that truth which he laieth before our minds By this word vnrighteousnes the Apostle vnderstood generallie whatsoeuer sinne we commit either against God or against men Wherefore Paule speaketh of that truth which is naturallie ingraffed in vs also of that which we attaine vnto by our owne studie For either of those instructeth vs of most excellent things touching God Neither is the vnrighteousnes which we commit able to blot it out of our minds Which thing neuertheles the Academicall philosophers indeuoured to teach The error of the Academicks séeing they earnestlie affirme that there can be nothing certainlie taught by vs and so would not haue vs to imbrace anie thing as being sure therof that it is true but would haue vs account all things as vncertaine and doubtfull Likewise the Epicures go about to pull out of our minds those things The error of the Epicures which by a naturall former conceit are printed in our hartâ concerning God And yet neither of these were able to bring to passe that which they indeuoured For will they nill they these truthes remaine still in the minds of men Whether truth bee stronger in it selfe as it is laid hold on by faith or as it is ingraffed by nature Wherin the difference consisteth but which is to be lamented they are withholden in vnrighteousnes 11 Perhaps thou wilt demand how it commeth to passe that the truth which we haue by faith is of more strength to breake out into act than is the truth which we naturallie perceiue This vndoubtedlie commeth not for this cause that one truth by it selfe and seuerallie vnderstood is of more force than another For truth on both parts hath the selfe-same nature but the difference commeth by the meane and instrument whereby the same is perceiued The strength of nature is corrupt féeble and defiled through sinne and therefore the truth which it taketh hold of it hath not effectuallie But faith hath ioined with it the inspiration of God and the power of the holie Ghost and therefore it taketh hold of the truth effectuallie wherefore the diuersitie is not in the truth it selfe but in the meane and instrument whereby we imbrace the same Hereof it commeth that there we be changed but here we remaine the selfe-same that we were before Sundrie examples of apprehension of the truth Matt. 19 22. Of which thing we haue a cléere testimonie in the Gospell Christ set forth vnto the yoong man what he should doo to obtaine saluation the which he hearing was not persuaded to giue place but went awaie sorowfull He trusted vnto naturall strength and
of the Gospell Therefore prophesie at this daie is not so verie necessarie neither yet the gift of healing the church hauing now plentie of physicians neither the gifts of toongs séeing the church is spred ouer all nations and the studie of languages flourisheth among all christians nor yet the power of deliuering the wicked vnto satan since the church hath christian magistrates readie to punish malefactors with the sword Yet in mine opinion it is not to be denied Prophets at this daie but that there be still prophets in the church although not so famous as in times past And it should séeme Teachers in stead of prophets that in the stéed of them there succéed most learned teachers of the holie scriptures plentifullie at this daie giuen vs of God Teachers be no prophets Neuertheles it cannot be prooued by the scriptures that such be called prophets vnles they by the inspiration of God foreshew some secret mysteries without the earnest indeuor of mans eloquence Except thou wilt wrest the words of Paule in the first to the Corinthians to that purpose 1. Cor. 14. and yet thou canst not prooue it necessarilie Mark 16 17. And although that Christ said that there should be such gifts in his church yet he did not warrant that they should continue still for euer neither haue we anie promises that Christ would perpetuallie adorne his church with such gifts The fourth Chapter Of Visions and how and how much God may bee knowne of men Out of the booke of Iudges the 6. chapter vers 22. Looke before cha 3. art 6. NOw the place it selfe putteth vs in remembrance to speake some thing of visions and in what sort and how much God may be séen of men But least that this place should be passed ouer without either method or order I will set foorth certeine distinctions which I thinke to be néedfull And first it is supposed Distinctions seruing to the question proposed The nature of God is not knoweÌ by the sense that the knowledge of God is offered vnto the senses or vnderstanding or else we thinke that it is granted by nature either else by some prerogatiue and reuelation beyond the course of nature And besides this the knowledge of the substance nature and as I may saie the verie essence or being of God differeth from that which consisteth of tokens arguments testimonies signes of the presence of God Lastlie we are to speake either of that knowledge of God which is expedient for this life or else of that onlie which is looked for in the world to come Wherfore I will begin with the outward senses as touching the knowledge of them thus I affirme that the nature substance The nature of God can not be knowen by the senses and essence of God cannot be reached vnto by the senses Forsomuch as those things which be perceiuable by the senses haue no affinitie with God but are a maruellous distance from him and to saie the verie truth the qualities which be of a certeine kind and are numbered among things accidentall doo stir vp the knowledge of the senses wherevnto since that God who is most pure is not subiect it is not possible that he should be knowne by the senses And that this is true it is vnderstood by the certeine experience that euerie man taketh of his owne mind For it is most certeinlie true The error of the Anthropomorphites that no man hitherto hath by his senses perceiued him and yet the Anthropomorphites persuaded themselues that God might be knowne by the senses for they attributed vnto God a terrestriall bodie but their opinion is vtterlie reiected For the scripture beareth record Iohn 4 24. that God is a spirit and it maketh a manifest difference betwéene a spirit and a bodie when our Sauiour saith Feele and see for a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones Luk. 24 39. And there is no man but knoweth that a mans bodie and the parts thereof cannot consist or be without flesh and bones Further the foolishnes of these men herby appéereth in that there is not a bodie to be found that is absolutelie pure simple and vncompounded For be it of as equal a temperature as may be yet it hath parts whereof it is coÌpounded that euerie composition is contrarie to the nature of God the verie Ethnicke philosophers haue perceiued 2 But let vs leaue these Anthropomorphites and speake of others whom Augustine maketh mention of in his epistle De videndo Deo Augustine to Paulinus These men as the scriptures beare record and the true catholike faith confesseth beléeue that GOD is altogither most pure simple and without bodie but yet denie not but that in that blessed state which we hope for the saints departed doo behold him with their eies and therefore they saie that we are deceiued in that we wholie measure the state of the life to come by those things that we sée commonlie doone and exercised here Wherefore saie they although the dull eies of our bodie cannot discerne God nor the angels nor spirits yet being once strengthened with that felicitie they shall sée them not by their owne proper nature or power but they shall haue the brightnes of their sight so lightened that they shall be able to reach to the verie essence of God These men perhaps are lesse deceiued than the Anthropomorphites but yet deceiued For howsoeuer our eies are to be confirmed when we shall be in our owne countrie in heauen yet they shall euen there remaine eies yea bodilie eies shall they be and therfore shall not go beyond the kind largenes of their owne obiects Indéed they shall then easilie indure a more persing and greater light than now they are able to abide with their eies The eies of the bodie shall not attaine to the essence of God neither here nor in the life to com neither shall the sight of those colours hurt them which now offend them yet shall they not reach vnto the essence of God For none of our bodies shall in that blessed resurrection be so disguised that they shall either become spirits or else surcease to be bodies anie longer Wherefore there is not so much granted no not to the bodie of Christ that after his resurrection it should passe into a spirit For that had not béene to haue the bodie rise againe but to haue it abolished Therefore they that thinke our sight shall be made so perfect that it shall be able to perceiue the substance of God doo nothing to the coÌmendation therof but doo in verie déed destroy it The Anthropomorphites offend against the nature of God bicause they cloth it with a bodie but the other doo iniurie to the nature of man in that they persuade themselues that it shall not continue in the blessed resurrection And so our opinion abideth true and in force as well concerning this present life that we liue as
he said in the 24. chapter of Matthew Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe And it is commonlie spoken euerie where The word of God endureth for euer Esaie 40 8. 3 And although there be in a maner infinite things which may stronglie prooue the woorthinesse of the scriptures yet in this place I will measure my selfe thinking it sufficient that I haue after a sort shewed the springs or heads the rest maie easilie be found out by anie that will take paines to search diligentlie I will now likewise bréefelie declare the commodities which we receiue therby The commodities of the holie scriptures 2. Tim. 3 16. We read in the 3. chapter of the 2. to Timothie that All scripture inspired by God is profitable both to teach and to improoue to wit as touching doctrine and to correct and instruct in righteousnesse which belongeth vnto manners And least thou shouldest thinke that any thing doth want he addeth streight waie Ibidem 17. That the man of God may be perfect and readie to euerie good worke And in the 15 chapter to the Romans we reade Roman 15. For whatsoeuer things are now written they be written before hand for our learning that by patience consolation of the scriptures we may haue hope Which things séeing they are spoken of the old testament for while this was written the new testament was not published what shall we now thinke hauing the monuments both of the Apostles and of the Euangelists added therevnto Trulie we haue now euen these verie things more plentifullie in the holie scriptures The power of sauing attributed to the scriptures 1. Tim. 4 13. And the holie Ghost feareth not to attribute the power of sauing vnto them For in the first Epistle to Timothie the fourth chapter it is written Take heed to thy selfe and to thy doctrine continue therein for in so dooing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and those that heare thee Matt. 13 19. And in the parable of the gospel where it is described that the séede fell some in the waie some among stones and thornes and some in good ground We are borne anew by the word 1. Cor. 4 15. the gospell or word of God by the interpretation of Christ is vnderstood by the séede bicause thereby we are borne anew Wherefore Paule wrote boldlie vnto some I haue begotten you by the gospel And Augustine did then first arise out of his errors wherewith he had béene captiuated Augustine conuerted by reading of the scriptures when he began to reade the scriptures And at the reading of Paule as we may perceiue in his confessions the darkenesse was chased froÌ his eies And vnto such reding he was driuen by an oracle of God For he heard voices as if children had soong and said Take and read Take and read which voice when he had obeied had lighted vpon that place in the holie scriptures Put on the Lord Iesus Christ Rom. 13 14. c. he was conuerted wholie vnto God Decrees of faith must be confirmed only by the scriptures Constantine bad that controuersies should be decided by them who had so long before striuen against the truth These be notable tokens of the word of God Adde herewithall that the decrées of the christian faith can be confirmed by no other meanes than by authoritie of the holie scriptures Therefore as the ecclesiasticall historie declareth Constantine the great in the councell of Nice exhorted the fathers of the church that by the oracles of the holie scriptures they would appease the controuersies sproong vp in religion 4 But he that will knowe more at large the properties of the holy scripture The properties of the scripture out of the 19 psalme Psal 19 8. let him read the 19 psalme there they be described both with maruelous breuitie and great elegancie First the lawe of the Lord is called Temima that is immaculate perfect Secondly it is affirmed that it doth restore the soule and that is not to be looked for in prophane learning Thirdlie it is called a sure testimonie of the Lord whereas mans counsels are euermore variable and inconstant It teacheth the simple and ignorant whereas other knowledges doo instruct only the prudent and sharpe witted hearers Moreouer the lawe of the Lord is right and hath nothing crooked awrie or vniust as in euerie part of mans lawe is espied Also it reioiceth the hart euen with such a gladnes as is chast and holie The Lords commandement is pure but mans deuises are neuer sincerelie made séeing they be fraited with many crafts and deceits It lighteneth the eies but contrariwise the traditions of men darken them The lawe of God is cleane and is offered vndefiled vnto vs being without any falshood or wrong whereas mans ordinances are most fowlie infected with both the euils The statutes of God indure for euer but those things which be ordained by men are alwaies shifting oftentimes changed and are neuer of long continuance To conclude those things which the Lord hath prescribed are both true and iust which cannot be affirmed of mans lawes Moreouer they are to be desired aboue gold and pretious stones where as the best natures doo verie much mislike the precepts of mans lawe Finallie those things which God hath taught vs in the scriptures be more swéet than the honie and the honie combe where contrariwise men are not accustomed to teach any other than hard difficult and often times cruell things Besides these properties of the holie scriptures I purpose not to ad anie more For they that be studious may easilie of themselues find out the other fruits and commodities 5 Now must I declare another point which I promised To what iudgement we must stand for the sense of the scriptures to wit by what iudgements and abitrers we must assure our selues for vnderstanding of the scriptures Two tokens I haue alwaies obserued by which the truth of the diuine scripture may be perceiued namelie the holie ghost and the word of God it selfe Concerning the spirit Iohn writeth in the 8. chapter of his gospell The truth is knowne by the spirit and the word Iohn 8 47. that Christ thus said If ye haue God to your father why doo you not acknowledge my word And séeing it is certaine that we be not adopted to be the children of God but by the comming of the holie ghost Christ testifieth in this place that when we haue once obteined the same spirit we may so discerne betwixt his word and a strange word as the same will appeare verie euident and plaine vnto vs. According to which sense he also said in another place My sheepe knowe my voice and followe not a stranger Iohn 10 4. And there is no doubt but that we by the strength of the holie spirit are made the shéepe of Christ which followe not falshood errors and heresies which be voices of strangers but doo imitate onlie the
the scriptures haue with the faithfull For if it were so it might easilie persuade the Turks Infidels to beléeue the scriptures and the Iewes to imbrace the new testament And how true this is the thing it selfe testifieth 11 Furthermore these men should be demanded What church it is to whom they appoint so great a iudgement and authoritie ouer the scriptures If they will answere that they attribute the same vnto bishops these be verie oftentimes but shadowes or vizards neither doo they vnderstand what the holie scriptures doo containe and commonlie their life is such as it is not lawfull to eate and drinke with them And séeing they are perceiued to be such sensuall men who will allow them to be the chéefe iudges of spirituall things Of the fathers But if our aduersaries had rather flie from them to the godlie fathers of euerie age to learne the truth of the scriptures I denie not but that true iudgment hath manie times béene found among them and yet not alwaies For they disagrée manie times among themselues they change they make retractations and diuers times some one contendeth and disputeth against another I knowe they will saie at the last Of the councels that we must haue recourse to the generall councels as though they neuer erred The generall councell of Ariminum Looke part 4 place 4 art 10. made altogither for the Arrians The second councell of Ephesus fauoured the heresie of Eutyches The councell of Chalcedon so erred as it intituled Leo bishop of Rome to be the vniuersall bishop of Christ his church But the holie man which was not present there hearing of it did vtterlie renounce such preeminence And in a councell which Cyprian held a great errour was committed when it was there decréed that heretikes baptised out of the faith of the catholike church if they returned vnto it should be baptised againe Also the synod of Constance did wickedly condescend that the halfe communion should be ministred to the laie people and manie other errors committed by generall councels might be alledged For since they be but men which determine matters propounded in generall councels they intermingle much carnall and humane sense and therfore we must not subscribe to the opinion of them vnlesse it shall appéere that the same dooth verie well agrée with the scriptures Had not Peter erred Galat. 2 14. vnles that Paule had openlie resisted him Wherefore If Peter erred much more the fathers and councels may erre if so great an apostle was not frée from falling into error what shall we thinke of other miserable and fraile men whom we sée verie often to be turned to fro into manie minds and affections Let all things therefore without anie further delaie be reduced and brought home to a iust examination of the scriptures and so shall we iudge vncerteine matters by certeine and doubtfull by those things which be out of all doubt For euen as the word of God is sure and continueth for euer so mans ordinances are euer doubtfull wauering and inconstant These things must not bée so construed as though wée would that godlie brethren should haue no audience in godlie assemblies or as though wée sought altogither to take awaie the authoritie from fathers and councels we speake not these things to anie such purpose we couet to attribute to euerie one his iust commendation so that there be not attributed vnto men that which is méete for God onelie And let that saieng of Paule to the Galathians be alwaies sounded in our eares that If an angel from heauen shall shew vs of anie other Gospel Galat. 1 8. than is contained in the holie scriptures let him be accursed And thus much shall suffice on this behalfe to declare by what notes marks the truth of the holie scriptures may be perceiued How one may obtaine the meanes to vnderstand the scriptures 12 Now let vs reason by what meanes euerie man may obtaine to himselfe that power of vnderstanding the word of God which we spake of before As touching the first interpretor which we said to be the holie Ghost the meanes to haue accesse vnto him is by praier And therefore Dauid praied on this wise Psalm 119 12. and 18. Open thou mine eies ô Lord that I may see the woonderfull things of thy lawe And againe Teach me thy iustifications Giue me vnderstanding I shall diligentlie search thy commandements And well néere innumerable of these saiengs there be in the 119. psalme Further Paule prateth in his epistles that wisedome Phil. 1 8. spirituall vnderstanding and the eies of discretion to knowe the wil of God might be giuen to those holie men to whom he wrote But as touching the other meanes whereby wée may discerne of the holie scriptures the word of God I meane we must vse no small industrie Diligence must be vsed in coÌparing scripture with scripture whereby we may be able to confer places with places and by those which be most plaine to iudge of them which be most obscure And herof it came that Paule warned his scholer Timothie 1. Tim. 13. that he should be diligent in reading And hée himselfe when he laie bound at Rome 2. Tim. 4 13. desired that Troas might be sent vnto him with his booke parchments which he had left behind By these things we may gather that they which in the interpreting of the holie scriptures doo fall into error may impute it to themselues for that they haue not béene earnest inough in praier nor yet vsed sufficient studie about them Neither ought anie to be discouraged from this excellent exercise No man must be discouraged with the homelie stile of the scriptures A similitude bicause of the plaine homelie phrase of the holie scriptures For euen as within a simple shell is found a pretious stone and out of sorie chaffe is shaken out most profitable corne so out of the plaine and vnpolished spéech of the holie scriptures is brought to light the most sincere and manifest knowledge of the truth But aboue all things take héed that thou approch not to the reading of the scriptures if thy mind be hardened with a preiudicate opinion Laie aside all affectations let thy comming bée wholie to learne and not as is the vse of heretikes violentlie to drawe them to thine opinion An exhortation to the reading of the scriptures 13 Wherefore the surest reléefe that is brought vnto vs by God and which is euer ready at hand Out of the epistle to maister Cooke set before the epistle to the Rom. Consolation by the scriptures is the holie scriptures which we must haue alwaies readie about vs as our herbe of comfort For if ignorance and blindnes be our disease there light is by which it may be shaken off If we be disquieted with manie troubles and vexations of the mind or else if our conscience bée ouercharged with the heauie burden of our sins
set foorth their matter with goodlie words and so it may be vnderstood what they saie they account breuitie a speciall praise of speaking And a little after it followeth thus The name of things doone requireth order of time to be obserued will also haue the description of countries For in matters which be great and woorthie of memorie we first looke what counsell was taken secondlie the acts that were doone and lastlie what end and successe came thereof And in counsels is signified what the writer alloweth and in the acts is declared not onelie what was doone and said but also in what maner they were executed c. By these things we may perceiue what is the nature of Annales or of historie And it séemeth we may affirme The narrations of the scriptures be rather histories than chronicles that the narrations of the holie scriptures be rather like histories than Annales For not onelie acts are there set foorth as they were doone but also the verie causes counsels and meanes are shewed Also the orations admonitions and reprehensions are otherwise set foorth with som ornaments All which rather belong vnto histories than vnto bare Chronicles 21 But since we haue heard the opinion of Cicero let vs sée also what Aulus Gellius saith Aulus Gellius opinion of chronicles and histories who in his fift booke and fift chapter writeth on this sort Some doo thinke that a historie differeth from a Chronicle in this that whereas both of them are a declaration of things that be doone yet that a historie is properlie of such things as the writer himselfe is present at the execution of those things which he intreateth of c. This distinction he himselfe dooth not followe and that for some certeine cause Which distinction neuertheles Seruius the Grammarian vsed and after him Isidorus in his first booke of Etymologies which is a maruell bicause he is not only against Tullie who said that An historie is a gathering of things doone from yéere to yéere but also contrarie to Virgil whose verse is in the first of Aeneidos And if it please you to heare the Chronicles of our labours Wherein he declareth that Chronicles also belong to such things as the writer was present at But I will speake againe of Gellius He reporteth that there were others which thought histories to be either the exposition or demonstration of things that haue béene doon and they be Annales or Chronicles when the acts of manie yéeres are afterward compiled an order of euery yéere being kept According to which iudgment the historie of the scriptures cannot be named among Chronicles séeing in the declarations of things doone in them the course of yéeres manie times is not obserued Afterward the same Gellius according to the mind of Sempronius Asellio added this much But the difference betwéene those which would leaue Chronicles behind them and others which indeuoured to discourse of the worthie acts of the Romans was this In their Chronicles they onlie shewed what déeds were doon euerie yéere but the histories not onelie shewed what was doone but also how by what order deuise and counsell the same was atchéeued And a little after the same Asellio in the same booke Chronicles can neither mooue the more couragious sort to defend the Common-weale nor yet the more cowardlie to doo amisse Wherefore since by the knowledge of the scripture men be admonished and stirred vp to the right worshipping of God to repentance of their life to put their whole confidence in God and finallie to take in hand all offices which appertaine to good life and conuersation they rather containe historie than chronicle I haue vsed manie words touching this matter but I trust not without some fâuit God is the authour of historie 22 But it must not be thought that historie was deuised by man séeing God himselfe is the author thereof who would that the forefathers should declare vnto their children and posteritie the maruellous things that he did in Aegypt in the red sea and in the wildernesse yea and he bad as we read in Exodus that the warre against Abimelech Exod. 17 14 the victorie which the Israelites had of him should be recorded in writing but this kind of writing began before Moses For euen he maketh mention Histories before Moses time Num. 21 15 Ios 10 13. 2. Sam. 1 18. aswell of a booke of the wars of the Lord as also of an other booke of iust men The prophets also oftentimes mingled histories with their prophesies I omit Dauid who manie times garnished his psalmes which he soong with histories of the scriptures I passe ouer our euangelists in the new testament and the Acts written by Luke wherin are large and most profitable histories Of these bookes if God be authour as we must beléeue he is euen God himselfe shal be counted the authour of historie And this is not vnbeséeming for him séeing historie is an excellent thing for as Cicero writeth in his booke De oratore it is a testimonie of times The praise of historie a light of the truth the life of memorie the maister of life and the messenger of antiquitie c. Verie singular are these commendations and not fit for euerie historie but for such onelie wherein those rules are obserued which this authour hath in the same place set downe that is to wit The rules of a true historie that there be no false thing told that there be no bashfulnes in telling the truth that there be giuen no suspicion of fauour or hatred Wherin although the Latine Historiographers were better than the Gréekes The Latine histories of more credit than the Greeke which as Quintillian saith were in these matters almost as lewd as the poets yet Augustine in his 131 epistle to one Memorius a bishop giuing no small praise to historie among other liberall disciplines and writing of the truth saith that he could not perceiue how those stories which are compiled by men can be well able to kéepe the truth séeing that writers are constrained to giue credit vnto men and oftentimes to gather rumors and reports of the multitude who neuerthelesse are to be excused if they kéepe the course that is required in a historie and write nothing of affection or set purpose to beguile men The histories of the scriptures most true But there is nothing more true than the histories reuealed and written by the inspiration of God as these histories of ours be 23 Besides the commoditie of the truth The commodities comming by histories the knowledge whereof is without doubt most excellent we obtaine other commodities also and those not small by the reading of histories By them we may gather great and abundant store and matter of most profitable arguments For as Quintillian saith histories and examples be iudgements and testimonies And the vse of examples is of two sorts at the least Two maner of vses of examples one is
others they are not excluded God verie well knoweth who they be which are wrapped in this kind of sinne but men séeing they knowe not who are by nature fallen into so great a wickednes may not remooue them from the holie doctrine It is requisit no doubt that those which are sinners against the holie Ghost be not such as fall by ignorance or infirmitie but that they be such as are led therevnto by a hatred of the truth to striue against the same so that willinglie and wittinglie they oppose themselues against the truth resist it and to the vttermost of their power hinder the course thereof which neuertheles they will knowe to be the truth How are men able to vnderstand this thing séeing they cannot attaine to the secretnes of anie mans mind and will Wherfore those which be thus ill affected doo heare the word of God without fruit although they be not excluded from the hearing thereof euen for this cause that they cannot be perceiued howbeit that which they heare dooth increase their greater condemnation For of such force is the word of God Iam. 1 21. as either it saueth the hearers or becommeth a destruction vnto them And so great héed dooth the church take 1. Cor. 1 18. that it driueth not awaie anie from the word of God Excommunicate persons are not excluded from hearing the word of God it admitteth thervnto euen those which be excommunicate and them which doo not yet beléeue whom otherwise it driueth both from the sacraments and from publike praiers Perhaps thou wilt demand How coÌmeth this difference betwéene the word of God and the doctrine of the philosophers Herof assuredlie it commeth Wherein the word of God and the philosophers doctrine differ that mens saiengs although they be famous and commendable yet are they not indued with that strength and power as they be able to change or correct vnprofitable and corrupt minds But the power and strength of the word of God to call men vnto God is incredible Not as though euen those things which the philosophers also taught or put in writing be without their strength For we denie not that most ancient common saieng wherin it is said that Whatsoeuer is true of what author soeuer it was spoken procéedeth from the holie Ghost But those things which be spoken by the motion of the holie Ghost cannot be altogither void of some effect although it be of much lesse effect than the vehemencie wherewith the holie scriptures are furnished Who will denie that the common sort of stones are adorned with their owne strength and proper power and the same not vnprofitable to our life although they may not be compared with the strength of pretious stones Vnto whoÌ the holie scriptures must not be imparted But I returne to the matter I find onlie one kind of men vnto whom the holie doctrine must not be imparted and they be such as deride and openlie slander the doctrine of Christ For he commanded his apostles that they should not commit the heauenlie doctrine to dogs hogs which in verie déed must be vnderstood of contempt and outward derision that is Matth. 7 6. when with slanders and contumelies they raile vpon true godlines Which if they doo secretlie to themselues so that they will heare quietlie and will suffer themselues to be admonished and taught they must not be put backe from hearing the same Neither must publike preaching be left off for their sakes which are open scoffers railers reprochfull persons when such cannot be driuen awaie bicause perhaps they be ouer mightie lest for one or two mens causes the whole people should be defrauded of the food of their soule Yée sée therefore that onlie these are to be remooued from the holie doctrine from whence other men of what condition soeuer they be must not be forbidden naie rather they must be exhorted to come verie often therevnto Those things which I haue spoken belong to the vsuall and receiued ordinance of the church since I knowe that the spirit hath sometime forbidden the apostles and may now restraine some that they preach not in some places to those to whom otherwise they had determined to preach which bicause it is a worke of God not of men therefore it serueth not to this purpose The eight Chapter Of Lots whereby Gods counsell was asked and first of Vrim and Thumim which were so called of charitie and perfection AN olde expositor of the scriptures called Kimhi Out of the booke of Iudges 20 27. The maner of giuing out oracles by Drim and Thumim Looke In Iudg. 1 verse 1. vpon the twentie chapter of the booke of Iudges verse the 26 noted manie things not vnprofitable for the vnderstanding of other places of the scripture by questions and oracles He saith that It was the maner among the Hebrues to aske questions of God and he that would demand anie thing touching either publike or weightie matters he came to the préest who being apparelled with his Ephod garment stood before the arke of the Lord. And vpon his Ephod were set twelue pretious stones wherein the names of the twelue tribes were ingrauen togither with the names of Abraham Isaac and Iacob and also all the letters of the Hebrue alphabet It behooued him that asked a question to turne his face towards the préest and his spéech should neither be so lowd as hée might plainlie be heard nor yet so lowe as if he had onlie praied with his inward cogitations but euen in such wise as Anna praied in the first booke of Samuel where it is said 1. Sam. 1 13 that She onelie mooued hir lips said nothing that might be heard After this the oracle was shewed to the préest in this maner By the power of the holie Ghost certeine letters appéered foorth or shined vpon the breast wherin the préest did read the oracle or wil of God And this was that Vrim and Thumim which is spoken of These be the words of Kimhi But what credit should be giuen vnto him I knowe not For it might be that the spirit of God gaue out his pleasure by the mouth of the préest without those letters In 1. Sam. 10 vers 19. 2 Touching lots we haue an example in the first of Samuel the 10. verse for there Samuel willeth that all the people should stand by tribes He himselfe would pronounce nothing least the thing should séeme to be doone by his owne appointment therefore God pronounced Saule to be king doubtlesse not through his owne merit but for the people sake least they should striue among themselues for the choosing of him Saule was chosen by lots The cause of lotting The matter was permitted vnto lots to the intent that dissention might be auoided For if Samuel had chosen the king vpon his owne liking they might haue thought him to be led by fauour affection Againe if the voices of the people should haue taken place
These are woont to be alleadged for the reasons which may séeme to be against it First that God in that matter shall be tempted and that dooth the lawe of God vtterlie forbid Yea and our sauiour with this answere reprooued the diuell Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God And the Hebrues are expreslie blamed bicause they tempted God in the desart The sonne of God also when the Pharisies said Matth. 4 7. Psal 95 5. Matt. 16 4. Maister we will see a signe of thee said This froward and adulterous generation requireth a signe but there shall be no signe giuen them c. And Achas otherwise a wicked king Esaie 7 12. pretended a shew of righteousnesse saieng that he would not tempt God and therefore deferred the asking of a signe Vnto the question I answere that after a sort it is lawful to desire a signe and after a sort it is not lawfull The first part of the sentence is thus prooued when godlie men desire as touching anie vnaccustomed vocation to be made more assured of the will of God and are afraid least peraduenture they should be deceiued for as concerning it they haue nothing for a certeintie in the holie scriptures for neither men nor angels must in those things be verie soone beléeued séeing euill angels doo manie times transforme themselues into angels of light I saie when men are in this perplexitie the will béeing readie bent yea verie desirous to obeie the commandement of God godlie men cannot be accused either of tempting of God or of rashnes if so be thây desire to be confirmed by some signe For whosoeuer in those cases desireth such things as God hath béene accustomed to offer he dooth not amisse No man is ignorant but that to Achaz was offered a signe to the intent he might be assured of the promises offered him by Esaie Esaie 7 12 wherefore to desire those things which God himselfe sometime giueth and fréelie offereth ought not to be forbidden as vnlawfull wherof there is no want of examples Exod. 16 13 and 17 6. Moses béeing in the wildernesse whensoeuer he had néed of the helpe of God he oftentimes obtained miracles for the people of God And to confirme the doctrine of truth 1. Kin. 7 22. 2. Kin. 4 34. both Helias and Helizeus desired of God that life might be restored vnto the children of their hosts And to the same end Christ said But that yee may knowe that the sonne of man hath power to forgiue sinnes Matth. 9 6. he turned to the man sicke of the palsie and said Rise take vp thy bed and walke Wherefore of godlie men miracles are desired For what causes godlie men desire miracles and that iustly to the intent that either they may be brought out of doubt as touching their vocation or that a great and vrgent necessitie may be succored or else that a testimonie may be giuen of sound doctrine And whensoeuer they desire miracles vnto these ends Cautions in the asking of miracles they desire them not of anie creatures but of God onlie and in asking they vse a measure For they declare that they will or desire nothing but that which is agréeable to the will of God When it shall not be lawfull to aske miracles 16 Now on the other side let vs consider the meanes whereby signes are vnwoorthilie and vniustlie desired First there are some which desire miracles bicause they are not well persuaded of the power goodnesse and prouidence of God nor séeke any thing else but to haue an experiment of those things neither doo they rest vpon the doctrine of the holie scriptures which manifestlie and amplie teach vs all those things Wherefore they are iustlie to be reprehended séeing they be more readie to giue credit vnto miracles than vnto the word of God Luk. 16 26. Wherefore Abraham answered vnto that rich man which was tormented in the flames of fier when he desired that Lazarus might be sent vnto his brethren least they also should be thrust foorth vnto the same punishment They haue Moses and the prophets By which words is manifestlie declared that we must rather beléeue the holie scriptures than miracles There be others also which desire miracles to the intent they might haue to serue the flesh more delicatelie and to satisfie their naughtie lusts Num. 11 10 Of which fault the Hebrues are accused for that in the desart when verie great abundance of Manna was ministred vnto them they desired flesh bicause they might liue more delicatelie in that wildernesse Finallie some desire miracles to the intent they may fulfill vaine curiositie Plinie For as Plinie saith The nature of man is most gréedie of new things and therefore it séemes that they would vse miracles as it were plaies and pastimes to sport themselues withall After this maner did Herod expect miracles of Christ Luke 23 8. For when he was brought vnto him he desired to féed and delight that curiositie of his with strange signes Now I suppose it is manifest after what sort a requiring of signes is forbidden and that sometimes it is lawfull to demand them 17 Now must we confute those things which séemed to make against vs. An answere to obiections They which craue miracles after that maner and forme which we haue described vndoubtedlie doo not tempt God What it is to tempt God Before In the 7. chap. Art 5. and part 2. cha 4. Art 54. Matth. 4 7. for as much as to tempt God is nothing else but of an vnbeléeuing heart and rashnesse to séeke for experiments of his will and power which vice certainelie is in the holie scriptures iustlie and woorthilie reprehended Wherefore the Lord Iesus Christ did not without iust cause repell the diuell when he would haue persuaded him to throwe himselfe downe headlong from the temple whereby he might be made the more assured of the fauour of God toward him whereas the reason of man might manifestlie perceiue another waie of comming downe And againe the same sonne of God did not vnwoorthilie reprehend the Iewes as a froward and adulterous generation Matth. 16 4. vnto whom he therefore denied a signe bicause they had alredie séene verie manie and yet they scoffed at them all and in such sort mocked Christ and bicause they desired not anie miracle but one from heauen as though they would not also haue derided signes from heauen Assuredlie their purpose tended to no other end but to alienate the people from the Lord although he had wrought woonderfull miracles Esaie 7 1â But as touching Achaz the wicked king and his refusing of the signe offered I néed not much to trauell For he béeing called by the prophet feined himselfe most faithfullie to beléeue as though he néeded no miracle at all when as neuertheles he was altogither incredulous Which thing is plainlie shewed in the second booke of Kings for he sent vnto Tiglathphalazar the
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 2â 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
men are not right and acceptable vnto God vnlesse they be the branches of faith hope and charitie the which we estéeme for the chéefest vertues We agrée with him also as touching the continuance for we require a perseuerance while we liue héere and in the world to come we beléeue to haue euerlasting blessednes Onlie in this there is a disagréement betwéene Aristotle and vs that he requireth the good things of the world but we affirme that they are not of necessitie héere in this world vnto a Christian to make him blessed 2 The opinions of the philosophers concerning felicitie may thus be distinguished Sundrie opinions of the philosophers as touching felicitie so as we may saie that some of them were notable hauing famous patrons but others vile and obscure bicause they came from men of no account and be not confirmed by strong and euident reasons And of this kind are found health riches and such like whose defenders were no notable men To the other kind belongeth pleasure honestie vertue to liue agréeable with the first gifts of nature knowledge c. Simple ends and conioined ends These indéed are the ends which are accounted without mixture And there be some that haue other things ioined with them for some men vnto vertue doo ioine pleasure others vnto honestie ioine a fréedome from sorrowe othersome with vertue doo ioine the accomplishment of a perfect life Augustine against Iulianus Scyllaeus blameth that good which is compounded with pleasure for in that honestie is placed therein it representeth a shew of man the pleasure which is mingled is a brutish thing But he that will more fullie vnderstand of this matter let him reade Cicero as well in his second booke De finibus as in his Tusculans quest and thou maist also sée that sometimes some of them disagrée with themselues and that which they first iudged to be the chéefest good straightwaie they refuse it for they which being whole made small reckoning of health afterward being destitute thereof placed it in the chéefest good which also hapneth to them that be pressed with pouertie for such not onlie make great account of riches but aboue all things séeke for the same And these whom we haue spoken of doo appoint some thing shat should be euident and manifest For these things namelie pleasure riches and honors be so plaine and euident that they are apparant euen to the senses Yea and Epicurus said that he therefore thought pleasure to be the chéefest good bicause it was the most knowen and most euident good thing And he said that pleasure was no lesse knowne to be the chéefest good than snowe to be white or fire hot Varro sheweth that the number of opinions concerning this matter was verie great as Augustine declareth in his booke De ciuitate Dei for he saith that there might be reckoned two hundred fourescore and eight opinions touching felicitie Let vs then séeke the cause why there arose so manie and so variable opinions thereof which therefore we saie came to passe bicause men did not deliberate of this matter with the better part of their mind but rather counselled with their owne affections which as they be diuers and doo diuerslie stir vp the affections they inclined mens minds vnto so manifold and sundrie ends A man may sée yoong men which diuers waies being hot in loue thinke themselues blessed others make their bellie their God some haue giuen themselues like bondslaues to the séeking of honor There be some such also which thinke that nothing is to be preferred aboue riches and the libertie of the Cynicke philosophers verie well pleased Diogenes and his like But if that reason it selfe had bin consulted withall in this matter aboue the senses and affections without doubt we should not haue had so manie and so contrarie opinions Now since there be or may be so manie in number to reckon all much lesse to examine them should be ouer-great labour Wherefore that we take not a superfluous matter in hand we will in this treatise choose those things which might easilie deceiue vs séeing a great likelihood of truth is discerned in them Eustratius which Eustratius shewed by a verie learned similitude A similitude If one saith he sée a stock-doue he will soone thinke he séeth a pigion which will not happen vnto him when he séeth an eagle séeing the same is far vnlike vnto a pigion So we may iudge that there be some opinions of blessednes so far from the truth as verie few or none can be deceiued by them and againe others in a maner so néere ioined vnto the truth as it is not in all men to discerne or knowe them one from another wherefore those that be of this sort ought not to be passed ouer but to diligentlie be examined Aristotle declareth that men as touching the chéefest good things bent their opinions vnto those kinds of life which they had determined to followe which indéed are reckoned to be thrée namelie delightfull ciuill and contemplatiue But if thou shalt demand the causes why one will incline to this kind of life another to that Why men doo seeke diuers kinds of life manie causes may be shewed for manie in the execution of their affaires and ordering of their actions doo followe the constitution of their bodie wherein if they be giuen to surfeting to drunkennes to the flesh to excellent and good arts to reuenging of iniuries then they speciallie thinke themselues happie when they haue obteined those things wherevnto they are mooued by a certeine naturall prouocation Others are greatlie desirous to atteine this or that thing being brought therevnto by education and it doth not seldome happen that they become like vnto those men with whom they be conuersant and be ioined in frendship Againe vnto others and those without doubt not a few nor alwaies euill men it is argument and cause inough for them to prosecute anie thing bicause they regard their authoritie which gouerne either the common wealth or church or schooles or warfare For looke what princes graue and wise men whose authoritie is verie great doo choose vnto themselues as an end and thing most to be desired that doth a great part of men take in hand and wish according to that woorthie sentence of Plato and of other wise men Such as the kings and princes be Such princes such people such are their people When England had king Edward who was a godlie prince and giuen to good learning Godlie king Edward the sixt all the youth indeuoured to imitate his labours Causes indéed these be but yet no iust causes We ought not to be mooued by authors nor by examples nor yet by the force of bodilie constitution but by the suggestion of reason and of the mind and by the weight of the things themselues But to follow Aristotles similitude héerein the common people are like vnto bond-slaues and brute beasts For this séemes to be the
hath abundance and who is replenished with infinite store of the goods of this world we are otherwise persuaded by the voice of God Psal 32 12. For it is added Blessed is the people whose God is the Lord. Here an act is shewed not a power Psal 112 1. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord Psal 119 1. blessed is the man that walketh in the lawe of the Lord. Further that euen the good habits of the mind may be somtime idle and vnprofitable hereby it is euident That good habits may be vnprofitable 2. Cor. 6 1. 1. Tim. 4 14 that Paule warneth vs to take héed that we receiue not the grace of God in vaine And Paule aduiseth Timothie To stir vp the gifts of God which were in him by laieng on of hands by authoritie of the eldership Séeing then the gifts of the spirit which are more excellent than morall vertues are referred vnto action that others may be holpen and instructed otherwise we should not become the better for them this must be iudged much truer and more certeine as touching humane vertues Where it is said of Aristotle that Calamities and miseries doo let that men cannot be counted happie if this should be considered by it selfe Whether calamities doo hinder men from happines as it is said without anie distinction it agréeth not with the holie scriptures For they which suffer for Christ are in great penurie and are troubled with gréeuous punishments yet doo they enioie that blessednes which in this life is possible to be atteined vnto Psal 32 1. bicause their sinnes are not imputed vnto them and their soule and bodie are then excéedinglie renewed toward the attainment of eternall life Howbeit séeing the felicitie of this life is not yet full but begun therefore we will grant it that the saints which be so afflicted are not in perfect and absolute blessednes séeing they looke shortlie to haue the same wherein they shall féele none of these miseries For the oracles of God saie Esaie 25 8. Apoc. 21 4. God shall wipe awaie all teares from the eies of his saints neither shall there be mourning nor lamentation anie more for these former things are parted awaie Wherfore we saie with Aristotle that betwéene perfect and full felicitie and miseries and calamities there is no agréement which neuertheles disagréeth not with that felicitie which we haue here begun And Paule sawe the displeasures of this life to be so repugnant vnto perfect blessednes and that they could not abide togither as he said vnto the Corinthians If the dead rise not againe 1. Cor. 15 ver 13 19 we are more vnhappie than all men And if that Christ pronounced them blessed which mourne and which suffer persecution for his name Matth. 5 4. vers 4 10. that must not so be vnderstood as though we should be blessed bicause we wéepe and sigh and suffer persecution but bicause we wait for better things hereafter and are saued by hope Neither doo I denie but that in the middest of the troubles of the flesh God will giue maruellous comforts to them that be his which I persuade my selfe passeth all the delights of ciuill happines Yet commeth it not to passe thereby that perfect felicitie is ioined with these calamities After this maner did Paule comfort the soldiers of Christ Rom. 8 18. The things saith he which we suffer in this life are not equall and of like value with those things which at length shall be reuealed in vs when we reigne together with Christ But Aristotle was constreined to iudge as he said bicause he was ignorant of the blessednes to come and sawe that the ciuill happines which he treated of was obscured and diminished by aduersities and afflictions And vnto him were vnknowne those heauenlie comforts which God aboue the power of nature bringeth to the confessors of the truth euen in the verie torments Wherefore if as touching this matter the Stoiks séeme somewhat to disagrée from vs this they did vnaduisedlie séeing they also knew nothing of the life to come neither had they euer triall of the consolations of God in the midst of miseries and death Of the causes of Felicitie 27 Now that we haue largelie inough disputed as touching the nature of felicitie we will inquire of the cause therof Aristotle reckoneth vp fiue causes which may be gathered into two for either they be inward or outward They are reckoned inward bicause discipline custome and exercise doo procéed from vs. But the outward causes are thought to be God and fortune The difference betweene custome and exercise Betwéene custome and exercise this is the difference that custome is referred vnto vertues which are bred by often and continuall actions But exercises and labours are to be applied to a sure obteining and kéeping of riches honour and health in which things manie as it hath bin said haue placed felicitie And first as touching discipline it belongeth vnto them which haue thought that vertues are learned by applieng of doctrines Wherefore if there be néed of discipline it must be learned if of custome we must not desist from honest actions if it be ascribed to exercise there must of necessitie be no labour spared if it be expected of God he must be praied vnto but if of fortune since we are able to doo nothing concerning it all must wholie bée committed vnto the same The Stoiks and especiallie Epictetus distinguish all things which are found either to be in vs or not to be within vs. By those things that are in vs they vnderstand the things which we can rule by our counsell and obteine by our strength and those things that are said to be not within vs are the same that we haue not in our power as nobilitie health and riches Whether God be the cause of felicitie Aristotle in his first booke of his Ethiks speaketh verie ambiguouslie Whether felicitie be of God bringeth a conditionall proposition but absolues not the argument If anie gift saith he be of God felicitie shall be giuen of him And he sheweth a reason of the conclusion bicause the same hath the chéefest place among all humane things But to the making vp of the argument there may be added a double minor proposition that the felicitie of the godlie and ours is all one But manie things are giuen vnto men by God therefore must felicitie be expected from him And that manie things are giuen vnto men by God we doubt nothing at all who doo also extoll his prouidence in euerie thing and since from him as from the chéefe good and fountaine of goodnes is deriued whatsoeuer is good we doo not once imagine that this doth flowe without his pleasure will and election The opinion of the Peripatetiks as touching prouidence But there bée some and those indéed Peripatetiks which doo déeme far otherwise of the prouidence of God for they thinke that his prouidence
himselfe To the 15. We saie that God shall iustlie iudge the world for what wickednes soeuer men doo they doo it against the lawe of God they doo it willinglie and of their owne accord not by constraint and The spirit of God shall reprooue the world of iudgement of sinne c. Besides this it was inferred To the 16. that by this meanes it would followe that there be wils in God one repugnant to another We answer that in GOD as concerning his nature there is but one absolute and onelie will which is the essence and nature of God but yet The will of God is manifold if we consider moreouer the sundrie obiects it may be called manifold In respect of his commandements it is iust good and one onelie but in respect of men some it promoteth and other some it iustlie depriueth of Gods fauour But they be no repugnant wils bicause they be not occupied about one thing Certeinlie such things as be repugnant it behooueth that they be referred to the selfe-same subiect A father hath two sonnes his will is that the one should attend vnto learning and the other not But be there two wils of the father No forsooth it is but one and he dooth rightlie so he doo it vpon good consideration Iames. 4 15. Moreouer Iames in the fourth chapter saith Ye say We will go into such a citie ye ought rather to saie If God will we will doo this or that thing Wherefore the will of God is not onelie as touching the lawe and commandements but it is also concerning those things which be dailie doone of men And that will belongeth not to the commandements for these things are not conteined in the decalog and they after a sort be things indifferent Verie well did Augustine write in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence in the 102. chapter The omnipotent God whether through his mercie he haue pittie vpon whom he will or through his iudgement shall iudge whom he will dooth nothing vniustlie neither dooth he otherwise than with his will Afterward it was said If he should be a cause of sinne to what end tend so manie warnings and so manie obtestations of his To the 17. by the sonne of God by the prophets and apostles We saie that these things are not doone in vaine naie rather they bring profit and vtilitie Admonitions are not vnprofitable First they which admonish rebuke and exhort do obeie the commandements of God who would this to be doone But thou wilt saie It will not profit me the euent must be committed vnto God Further these things doo profit the saints which are predestinated though it appéere not presentlie yet in some case they haue their fruit doubtles they make the vngodlie the lesse excusable Of this matter reade in the booke of Augustine De correctione gratia for these things were also obiected to him To the 18. 27 It was argued that If the matter should be on this wise all difference betwéene good and euill would be taken awaie all things without exception should be the works of God as the Libertines doo saie We grant that if God were verelie the cause of sinnes the Libertines should saie rightlie but their opinion is detestable To the rest of the arguments The iudgement of consciences would be taken awaie inward accusations and repentance would be dispatched a windowe would be opened vnto mischéefes giuing of thanks would be withdrawne for we would delight in sinne and a great deale of the estimation of God would be lost All these things be most true but they make not against vs for we affirme not God to be trulie the cause of sinne Lastlie was brought foorth that God would haue all men to be saued 1. Tim. 2 4. if he will this he vseth good meanes not euill therefore he is not the cause of sinne We most plainelie confesse that God is not properlie the cause of sin but yet out of this place I affirme with Augustine in his Enchiridion the 103. chapter How God would haue all men to be saued that the sentence must not be so absolutelie vnderstood as though there were not some which God would not haue to be saued This sentence saith he is thus ment God hath his elect among euerie state condition of men so in this respect he accepteth not the person He calleth kings and priuate men bond men frée men man and woman And excellentlie well dooth this interpretatioÌ agrée with the place of Paule He had commanded to praie for princes but some man might haue thought that the condition of them was such as saluation should be repugnant therewith In no wise saith he God hath his elect among euerie kind of men The like reason he bringeth there out of the 23. chapter of Matthew Matth. 23. 23. and Luk. 11 42. Yee tyth mint and rue euerie herbe that is all kinds of herbs that are among you not which be in India and Europe for how could they tyth herbes of all the world From which opinion disagréed not he that was author of the booke De vocatione gentium which they attribute vnto Ambrose For he saith that God hath his generalitie Generall propositions must be restrained wherfore he iudgeth that this generall proposition must so be restrained as if it were said that God would haue them to be saued which belong vnto his flocke and number euen as when it is said All shall be taught of God And againe Esai 54 13. Luke 3 6. All flesh shall see the saluation of God An other waie whereby Augustine vnderstandeth this place is euen there also We vnderstand saith he that none shall be saued but such as God will haue to be saued As if thou shouldest saie A Grammarian is at the citie of Tigurie which teacheth grammar vnto all he saith not all the citizens but that there is none which is taught grammar whom he teacheth not And so likewise he vnderstandeth that place He lightneth euerie one that commeth into this world that is Iohn 1 9. How manie soeuer be lightened are lightened by this word But that he would all men absolutelie to be saued he saith it is not true For in the eleuenth of Matthew it is written Wo be to thee Chorazin Matt. 11 21. Wo be to thee Bethsaida for if the miracles that were doone in the citie of Tyre and Sidon had beene doone in you they had long agoe repented of their wickednes in sackcloth and ashes Christ would not shew foorth the power of miracles among them who he said would haue repented if they had béene shewed foorth And he addeth Expound it which waie ye will so we be not compelled to beléeue that God omnipotent would haue some thing to be doone and is not doone when as the truth speaketh that All things Psal 135 6. whatsoeuer he would haue doone in heauen and earth he hath doone surelie what he would
him for he of his owne accord suffered it for our saluation But to affirme that there be some without sinne although all men doo die is euen to ioine together things which be repugnant and contrarie one with another By testimonies it is prooued that infants are not without sinne Psal 51 7. Ephe. 3 3. Gen. 8 21. But besides this place there be a great manie of others also which maie prooue that infants be not without sinne for Dauid saith Behold I am conceiued in iniquitie and in sinne hath my mother conceiued me And Paule to the Ephesians calleth vs The children of wrath by nature And in Genesis it is written The hart of man is prone to euill euen from his infancie Also there be manie other places which serue for this purpose besides these which are brought foorth by vs. 48 Now séeing it hath bin declared of me what the apostle meaneth by Sinne and by what One man the same is entred into the world there remaineth to consider by what meanes the same hath bin spred abroad The matter indéed is obscure and verie hard and therefore I purpose the lesse to stand vpon it For séeing the word of God doth plainlie teach vs that there is originall sinne and that it is conueâhed ouer vnto the posteritie The maner of propagation of originall sinne is obscure although we vnderstand not the maner and waie how it is powred into them yet we must yéeld vnto truth and not to be too carefull or to trouble our selues in reasoning more than is necessarie as touching the waie and maner which is hard to be knowne and maie without damage be left vnknowne Howbeit I will not thinke much to rehearse those meanes which I haue obserued amongst the Ecclesiasticall writers whose opinions touching this matter are foure in number The first is of them which supposed that we receiue of the parents the soule together with the bodie that euen as GOD by humane séed dooth frame the bodie so of the same he createth the soule This opinion Augustine mentioneth in his tenth booke vpon Genesis ad literam and in manie other places and did neuer so farre as I can remember disallow the same yea rather he saith that by this doctrine maie be dissolued this knot of originall sinne Tertullian thought that men receiue their soule from parents Tertullian and manie of the ancient writers fauoured this opinion whose arguments when I examine diligentlie I iudge them probable but yet not necessarie for that which they alledge out of the 46. chapter of the booke of Genesis touching the 66. soules which came foorth of Iacobs thigh What is alledged for the same out of the scriptures verse 26. it may be expounded not vnfitlie by the figure Synecdoche so that by the soule which is the chéefe part of man is vnderstood the bodie which without controuersie is begotten of the séed of parents Also by the soule we may vnderstand the groser parts of the soule such be the vegetatiue part the sensitiue part which doubtles are procreated of the séed And that the holie scriptures sometime vse this word Soule in that sense Christ testifieth in the Gospell where he saith Mat. 16 25. He that looseth his soule for my sake shall find it Another of their reckons as Augustine writeth in his tenth booke vpon Genesis is this In the creation of the woman Gen. 2 â1 Whether God breathed a soule into Eue. it is not written that God breathed into hir a liuing soule wherevpon they gather that she had not onlie her bodie from Adam but hir soule also But this reason Augustine iudgeth weake for it might be replied vpon that it had bin once alreadie said that God breathed a soule into Adam and that therefore there néeded no repetition therof For if there had bin a new maner of procreation of soules brought in the scripture would not haue passed it ouer with silence but séeing the scripture maketh no mention at all of a new maner we ought to vse that which it had before expressed especiallie séeing we sée that Adam said of his wife Gen. 2 14. This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh but did not adde And soule of my soule the which had bin more swéeter and had rather serued to expresse the knitting of matrimonie But Augustine confesseth that the doubt is not therefore dissolued for if we affirme that there be soules created euerie daie and so created as in the bodies of them there goeth before no meanes of séed which he calleth Ratio seminalis Whether God ceased the seuenth daie from all his works then God shall not séeme to haue perfectlie ceased from all his workes the seuenth daie séeing he still euerie daie createth soules of nothing But vnto this argument it maie peraduenture be answered that in the bodie deriued from parents it is sufficient if there be found qualities and conditions whereby it is able to receiue a reasonable soule and this is that Seminalis ratio here spoken of 49 But whatsoeuer is to be said as touching these arguments and answers so it is Augustine thinketh that the soule of Christ proceeded not from the virgin by propagation Heb. 7 9. that Augustine altogether inclineth this waie that at the lest wise he thinketh that the soule of Christ procéeded not from the blessed virgine by propagation Which he saith that others also did iudge besides himselfe and that they did affirme that the same might be prooued by the epistle to the Hebrues for there it is thus said that The priesthood of Christ did excell the priesthood of Aaron because Christ is a priest according to the order of Melchisedech And the priesthood of Melchisedech was more excellent than the préesthood of Aaron bicause Leuie gaue tenths vnto Melchisedech for he was in the loines of Abraham who paid tithes vnto Melchisedech But Christ also should haue béene no lesse in the loines of Abraham Christ was otherwise in the loins of Abraham than was Leuie than was Leuie if he had receiued both his soule and his bodie from him And so in this respect the dignitie of each préesthood had béene alike séeing either of them in Abraham paid tithes to Melchisedech But here they which fauour that opinion might answer that there was besides some other maner of difference betwéene Christ and Leuie bicause albeit both of them were in the loines of Abraham as well concerning the bodie as touching the soule yet did not both of them after one maner deriue their nature from him For Christ was borne of the virgine by the meanes of the holie Ghost but Leuie was begotten and borne after the ordinarie maner that other men be procreated Wherefore Augustine passeth ouer this reason and bringeth another out of the booke of Wisedome wherein is written as he thinketh vnder the person of Christ Wisd 8 19. I haue by lot obteined a good soule For he thinketh
Gal. 3 28. Wherefore he writeth In the Lord there is neither Iew nor Greeke neither bond nor free man and that circumcision also and vncircumcision are nothing but onlie the obseruing of the commandements of God and a new creature Againe He that is circumcised let him not desire to haue vncircumcision if thou be called in vncircumcision be not then circumcised Let euerie man abide in that wherin he is called And that such things Things indifferent may sometime be obserued and sometime intermitted 1. Cor. 9 22. as were ciuill and indifferent might sometime be obserued and sometime discontinued as best should serue for edification he declareth by that which he spake of himselfe I am made all things to all men that I might win some To the Iewes I am made a Iew and to those which are without a lawe I am as without a lawe Neither did he anie lesse confirme his saieng by examples than by doctrine for when he was required to circumcise Timothie according to the maner of circumcision he granted vnto it Acts. 16 3 But when they would haue compelled him for the ouerthrowing of christian libertie Gal. 2 3. to circumcise Titus likewise he iudged that it was not to giue place no not for one houre For saith he false brethren are priuilie crept in among vs to search out our libertie He obserued therefore the ceremonies of Moses when the same might be doone without ill purpose and hurt of the church and by this means auoided the offense of the Iews least they should be alienated from the christian religion which they had receiued Neither ought the Nicodemites to compare the ceremonies of the old lawe with the inuentions of men The ceremonies of the lawe must not be compared with the inuentions of men For those ceremonies were brought in by the word of God but these were thrust into the church by the subtiltie of the diuell and deceitfull men They were not forbidden by and by after the ascension of Christ into heauen but might be so long obserued as the temple and publike weale of Israel remained and vntill the Gospell of the sonne of God were reuealed and preached vntill the church were well conioined both of Iewes and Gentiles Neither was it méet as Augustine godlie and learnedlie writeth vnto Ierom that those ceremonies of the ancient synagog should straitwaie without honor be reiected Augustine but idolatrous and superstitious things haue alwaies béene are and shal be forbidden Now then it was lawfull to obserue them for a time so that from them true righteousnesse were not looked for Wherfore Paule the apostle albeit thou shouldst looke vpon the actions themselues which he by the lawe obserued cannot be iustlie reprehended and much lesse can be blamed when thou shalt thoroughlie perceiue his mind purpose and as they terme it his intent But to the fauorers of the Masse They that dissembling lie go vnto a masse they seeke not God but their owne both these things be wanting First they defend that which is contrarie vnto the word of God and as I haue declared is woonderfullie against it Moreouer by meanes of that their dissimulation they trauell onelie for themselues namelie to kéepe their riches degrée place dignitie estimation wheras Paule sometime kept the legall ceremonies onlie bicause the Iewes should not start backe from Christ and to the end he might the better and more easilie allure them vnto the Gospell Whether Masse must be gone vnto for auoiding of offense 32 They obiect also that by their dissimulation they would auoid offenses For they saie If we shall vtterlie be enimies vnto the Masse we shal be accompted wicked and vngodlie men and in our owne countries we shall procure great offense I beléeue indéed that these men doo auoid offenses to wit offenses of the world that they would not be anie offense vnto tyrants and antichrists as who saith they would not prouoke their weapons anger and rage against them But these be not the offenses which Christ taught to be auoided when he saith of the Scribes Pharises Matt. 15 14 Let them alone they are blind and leaders of the blind What offenses then be dissallowed What offenses are to be disallowed Euen those verelie which hinder the spreading abroad of the Gospell of the sonne of God which staie men from comming to the pure doctrine and call them backe which alreadie beléeue in the religion of Christ Now let them consider I praie you whether by their dissimulation they offend not the superstitious and idolaters Yes vndoubtedlie for they saie with themselues Behold these men that knowe the truth of the Gospell doo come to our Masses Sure if they were so verie wicked as they are said to be these men would also abhorre them Wherefore they being confirmed by the example of them doo verie oftentimes determine to stand firme in their purpose The vngodlie by such dissimulation are the more confirmed Yea and the weaker brethren newlie conuerted vnto the Gospell perceiuing this learneder sort as ring-leaders to dissemble dare also doo the like suspect themselues to haue béen deceiued they which ought to haue gone profitablie forward in religion doo go backward But we ought saie they to beare with the weake ones and sometimes to frame our selues vnto them For there be manie which are not yet persuaded that the Masse is euill and they perceiuing vs not to come vnto the same would not giue eare vnto other points of religion Wherefore somewhat must be doone for their weakenes sake as Paule in his epistle to the Romans faithfullie gaue aduise Rom. 14 1. We grant that somewhat must be consented to for their sakes that be so weake howbeit with Paule we may not abide the same to be doon otherwise For the weake sake onelie things indifferent must be consented vnto Rom 3 8. than in things indifferent But things which of themselues be euill and forbidden by God we counsell that they be not doone for anie mans sake For this is a most firme and sure rule as I haue often before said that No man is permitted to doo euill things that thereby good may ensue Yea we must not alwaies beare with the weake ones in those indifferent things except in the meane time while they may be the better more perfectlie taught But when they once vnderstand the thing and yet neuertheles sticke fast in their opinion their weakenesse is not to be nourished Moreouer we must not so much beare with them as by our example we should hurt other and also manie members of Christ 33 Againe they obiect vnto vs whether we must dissemble for preseruation of the church If wée should so doo as you would haue vs either we must escape awaie or else strait waie be put to death Which things if they should happen our churches would be vtterlie forsaken there would be none to teach vs anie more I answer
chapter where he saith The first image of brasse was made vnto Ceres at the proper costs and charges of Spurius Cassius Here we sée that this writer calleth the idoll of Ceres Simulachrum Vitruuius in his second booke and eleuenth chapter where he intreateth of the hewing of stuffe calleth the image of Diana Simulachrum The seuentie interpretors where it is in Hebrue Atsabbim there they translate it in Gréeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã but the Latine text hath Simulachra Yea and Iohn in the place a little before alledged saith Defend your selues from images 1. Ioh. 5 21 We read it in the Latine translation Fugite simulachra Ierom vpon the eleuenth chapter of Esaie declareth that Idols be the images of them which be dead Wherefore it appéereth that these men deuise distinctions which be fond and ridiculous Againe it must be considered FroÌ whence the worshipping of idols came into the church of Christ that this worshipping of images which is outwardlie of them vsed hath béene fetched as well from the Hebrues as also from the Gentils For in the tabernacle of Moses there was the candlesticke and the altar and also the incense such as these men doo set before their images Albeit Christ is now come and hath abrogated the ceremonies of Moses Cicero in his third booke of offices saith that Perfumes and wax candles were set before images Wherefore such rites or ceremonies were deriued aswell from the Gentils as from the Hebrues But at the last the matter came to such passe which is more intollerable as it is now thought of them which be called christians that some diuine power is in those images In which point I sée not what they differ from Ethniks They vndoubtedlie did thinke that such as vsed the image of Alexander were more fortunate than other men Wherefore Augustus which had before vsed the image of the Sphynx did afterward vse the image of Alexander Marius was delighted with a siluer eagle the which came afterward to the hands of Cateline who also worshipped the same himselfe and praied victorie of it Euen so doo they at this daie attribute sundrie vertues vnto images they make sacrifice vnto them and doo aske manie things of them Ierom vpon the 57. chapter of Esaie declareth that in his time at Rome the image of Tutela was worshipped in the entries of houses The image of Tutela worshipped at Rome in the time of Ierom. with tapers and lights But for vs if we be true christians it is no decent thing to take rites and ceremonies either from the Iewes or from other nations but we must onelie vse those things which are commanded vs in the word of God 1. Co. 11 23 Wherevpon Paule being desirous to commend the vse of the Lords supper saith that He deliuered vnto the Corinthians that which he had receiued of the Lord. 17 Wherefore séeing we haue it manifest out of the word of God that we must not worship images we ought to obeie suffering our selues to be gouerned by the lawe of God and not by the inuentions of men Moreouer we knowe Iohn 4 23. that God must be worshipped in spirit and in truth but no man is ignorant that images be not spirit and truth for so much as they be things which may be séene 2. Co. 5 16. And Paule saith that We knowe Christ no more after the flesh therefore much lesse after an image I beséech you let vs conferre the state of the primitiue church where vnto the seruice of God images were not vsed at all with the latter state wherin they be allowed and it will most manifestlie appéere that all things are become more corrupt Moreouer Augustine in his booke De quantitate animae most wiselie wrote that It behoueth him that is worshipped to be much better than he that dooth yéeld the worship but all men vnderstand that images be not better than men Further if they might be indued with life and reason they would honor their makers by whose hands they were made When men sinne in this kind of worshipping they doo nothing else but as S. Paule taught the Romans They change the glorie of God into the similitude of a mortall man of birds Rom. 1 23. of foure footed beasts and of serpents Those which defend and mainteine such worshippings doo drawe awaie men from the true worshipping of God For 1. kin 12 28 when as Ieroboam went about to drawe awaie the children of Israel from the worshipping of the true God he erected two images of calues one in Bethel and the other in Dan. Furthermore in this matter we knowe the forwardnes of men for whereas Christ hath commanded that we should beare his crosse we had rather worship the same and all to becrosse our head and forehead therewith which thing he commanded vs not Neither can we but grant that the Christians as we may learne by Tertullian began euen at the first to fortifie themselues with the signe of the crosse Matt. 13 25. For the diuell began foorthwith to sowe cockle vpon the good séed of the church Also Paule putteth the Corinthians in remembrance 1. Cor. 12 2. that they were sometime carried awaie vnto dumbe images the which verie thing we sée doone at this day in euerie place We read not anie where in the time of the primitiue church that faithfull and godlie men did direct their praiers vnto pictures and images But now this is vsed euerie where and it is come to that passe that men giue more honor vnto images than they doo vnto the word of God For there is not a man found at this daie that dooth worship and honor the holie scriptures Christ when he was vpon the earth Iohn 15 7. bicause he was now readie to depart comforted his apostles saieng that Vnlesse he departed the spirit of the Comforter should not be sent vnto them Which the interpretors expound to be said bicause that the presence of Christ as concerning his flesh would hinder them that they should not be fit to receiue the spirit Which thing if it be trulie said as touching the flesh of the Lord how much rather shall it be affirmed of his images and pictures Neither doo we doubt that Peter would not be worshipped of Cornelius the Centurion If Peter would not be worshipped himselfe much lesse his image who was not to be thought that he would doo diuine honor vnto him With what mind thinke we dooth he beare that his images and pictures should now be worshipped among men But if they will saie We doo not honor them with the chéefest honor let them vnderstand that neither Cornelius minded so to worship Peter 18 Neither must we be ignorant Apo. 19 10. and 22 9. that the angell in the Apocalypse did twise reprooue Iohn for that he would haue worshipped him Then if so be that neither angels nor men must be worshipped much lesse their images and pictures And
had them to make peace with the Chananites of their owne accord but it is added Vnlesse they had demanded peace but they alone desired it This therefore is not against the commandement of God especiallie séeing they not onlie did receiue the religion of the Israelites but also were appointed for perpetuall seruice vnto the tabernacle Also the Israelites thought themselues to be deceiued by their owne fault bicause they had not taken counsell from the mouth of the Lord. The promise which Dauid made was not lawfull namelie that a wicked man should be spared Therefore it is no maruell if afterward he warned Salomon that this euill might be amended 13 But verie manie doo doubt In 1. kin 8. verse 31. Whether an oth must be giuen vnto him that is suspected of periurie whether it be lawfull to offer an oth vnto him which is suspected of periurie and by great coniectures is thought that he will be forsworne For not onelie sinnes must be auoided but also there must be no occasions of sinning offered vnto our neighbours To this I answer It is necessarie for vs to ponder that they which offer an oth be not all of one sort Wherfore if they be iudges that doo it and that the order of lawe require that an oth should be offered in obeieng of the lawe they sinne not Let them commit the matter vnto God and diligentlie warne him of his dutie vnto whom they offer the oth For as it hath béene said the lawe of God in Exodus commanded that in certeine cases an oth should be taken This if the iudge obserue it can not rightlie be said that he giueth a true occasion of periurie But if so be the oth shall be voluntarie to wit betwéene priuate persons it must not be offered to such a man as vpon iust cause is suspected of periurie For it is not lawfull to anie man for his owne aduantage sake to prouoke an other man vnto sinne As touching priuate conclusions bargains and couenants let them be omitted rather than for our sakes the name of God should be made a iesting stocke 1. kin 8 31. Wherefore that which Salomon desireth is holie and iust namelie that euill may be taken awaie from the people and that men may be terrified from taking of the name of the Lord in vaine either by denieng of a truth or affirming a falsehood by the testimonie of his name King Salomon desired nothing but that he knew God himselfe did like of For in the ten commandements it is written Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for God will not account him innocent that so dooth but will gréeuouslie punish him as one that is guiltie That this might come to passe Salomon desired and especiallie vnto them that forsware themselues in that house which he had latelie builded The oths which as I said were taken were accustomed to be doone ouer against the altar of sacrifice that is in the court of those men that were cleane But the oth of prophane persons which commonlie they call the laitie was doone at the wall whereby the court of the priests was seuered from the same Whie an oth was inuented and how inuiolablie it should be kept Certeinelie an oth was inuented for the honour and glorie of the name of God and was commanded in the lawe So then it is the part of a good prince to be verie circumspect that it fall not out otherwise namelie to the contumelie and iniurie of God And therfore Salomon is to be commended when he praieth that the honour due vnto the name of GOD might remaine entire and that euerie mans owne so far foorth as is possible might be rendered vnto him and that the lawe of laieng to pledge or of stealing or of dooing harme might be kept inuiolate But at the first shew it séemeth that Salomon did not the office of a godlie king bicause he desireth iustice and damnation vnto sinners To this may be answered that he likewise on the other side desireth good things vnto those that were innocent namelie that right iudgement might be ministred vnto them and that God would defend their cause Further it must be considered that the glorie of God and publike safetie is to be preferred before the commodities of priuate men But God hath delt much more seuerelie against periurie The seuere chastisement of periurie verse 3. as it is in the sixt chapter of Leuiticus for there he not onelie condemned the periured man but also all those which being priuie of the periurie held their peace For the lawe commanded that they which for a certeintie knew that an oth was falslie taken shuld in stepping forth reueale the same that the name of God might not be had in derision Wherefore Salomon praieth God that he will heare it out of heauen The seuenth Chapter The fourth precept of sanctifieng the sabboth daie In Gen. 2 at the beginning IN the seuenth daie God finished his worke which he had made not that he created anie thing the seuenth daie but that so farre forth as our vnderstanding reacheth it might be knowne that he finished all things the seuenth daie when as we knowe that there was nothing made by him vpon that daie Some thinke that the letter Caph which is added vnto Iod dooth signifie Before and they cite the place out of the 25. chapter of Deuteronomie verse 4. Thou shalt not moosill the oxe before the treading out of the corne But it prooueth it not bicause héere we may also vnderstand it in the treading out Howbeit héere in verie déed there is no question for the same consummation perfection or finishing of cretures is not anie worke added to things created the sixt daie but that on this seuenth daie the things are noted to haue béene finished and made perfect In that he rested the seuenth daie vnderstand it not from labour but from the worke of creating For Rest may betoken two things How the word rest is to be vnderstood either the end and termination of that which is doone and so it is taken in this place or else as a refreshing after labour which thing must not be ascribed vnto God for without anie maner of labour did he create the world But as the Hebrues saie in the letter He which is vttered with a breth onelie By the word of the Lord were the heauens made and all the hoste of them with the breath of his mouth verse 6. The number of seuen Psalme 33. Let vs héere passe ouer the mysteries of the number of seuen wherewith vndoubtedlie God is delighted séeing he hath comprised in that number the great and noble things which he made and commanded And this onelie let vs note that of euerie seuen daies one must be reserued vnto God How did God cease from working Ioh. 5 17. séeing he now also worketh Yea and he is a pure and méere act neither is that most
indéed for there is but one God but bicause the most part so beléeued and common persuasion conceiued that there was an infinite number of gods Therefore he saith Manie gods But to vs which iudge aright there is but one God and one Lord Iesus Christ It is no vnaccustomed or strange thing in the scriptures so to call things as men vse commonlie to speake yet else-where when they speake properlie they call euerie thing by his owne name Howbeit thou wilt saie We neuer read that the children of Esau were not legitimate I answer that Esau had indéed a great posteritie but whether it were lawfull or no the scripture sheweth not Wherevnto adde that by those nations among whom he liued they were counted legitimate for those had not the word of GOD wherein it is commanded that this should not be doone and they had woonderfullie corrupted the lawe of nature 26 Others crie What we are to account of marriages made without the consent of parents What shall we thinke of our forefathers What also of manie which liue at this daie haue contracted matrimonies without the consent of their parents Shall we call them matrimonies or else adulteries And shall we count their children so borne for legitimate or for bastards I answer that when as such marriages were had in that time of darkenesse before the new light of the Gospell those men in verie déed were not excused from sinne for it was not lawfull for them to be ignorant of the lawe of God but yet bicause they were doone publikelie and by the permission of the magistrate I am persuaded that such matrimonies are firme and ratified If they obiect that in such marriages the consent of the parents wanted I answer that it was therein and it was not therein For the magistrates had made the ciuill lawes subiect to the canons which vndoubtedlie they ought not to haue doone Now in this all men agrée And forsomuch as the magistrate hath the authoritie of the people if he consent vnto anie thing there after a sort is the publike consent of the people As at this daie in Parleaments when they assemble for the paiment of some summe of monie although some priuate men of the people be not contented with it yet bicause it is agréed vpon by the magistrate they also should séeme to haue giuen their consent So indéed the father would not that the matrimonie of his sonne should be firme without his consent Howbeit séeing he submitted his will to the iudgement of the magistrate he should séeme after a sort to haue giuen his consent But now the truth of the thing being knowne the magistrate ought to reuoke the error So as the matrimonies which hitherto that is in darknesse haue béene contracted against the will of the parents ought to be firme and the children borne of them ought to be legitimate Neuerthelesse if the lawe should afterward be repealed then should they be no matrimonies but onelie presupposed and in verie déed whooredoms fornications and adulteries euen as Euaristus rightlie iudgeth Howbeit while the lawes which are now in force are not abrogated I dissolue not the matrimonies which in the meane time are so contracted Neither doo I saie that the children borne of these marriages are bastards but I declare what dooth séeme most agréeable to the word of God and to honestie But Euaristus might iustlie write so bicause in his time the Romane lawes were of force which accounted not such coniunctions to be matrimonies Further I adde that fathers are not to be obeied when they lett the marriages of their children onelie for religion sake bicause in that cause God must be obeied in all things who is the head father of althings Looke the first to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter verse 37. Of Rauine or violent taking awaie In Iudges 21. about the end 27 This word Raptus Rauine in the Hebrue commeth of Chatath The Gréekes saie ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã the Latins Rapere which is To take awaie by violence not after euerie maner of sort but as it were by a certeine furie and great violence Wherein rape differeth from their Wherefore rauine differeth from theft bicause theft may be committed secretlie without violence For which cause in the Digests De iureiurando in the lawe Duobuâ reis it is written If a man sweare he hath not taken anie thing awaie violentlie yet is he not straitwaie quit of theft For although that thing which a man dooth be not rauine yet it may be theft So the ciuill lawe putteth a difference betwéene theft and rauine But to what things rauine perteineth it is mentioned in the Digests De conditione triticiaria in the lawe the first Things immooueable as houses lands farms are entred vpon but those which be mooueable as things not hauing life beasts men are violentlie taken awaie Howbeit What kind of rapt is here intreated of we treate here of the violent taking awaie of things mooueable yet neuertheles not of all but of mens bodies that are by violence taken awaie for lusts sake This is another kind of rauine but not proper which Augustine toucheth in the 19. sermon De verbis apostoli and it is mentioned in the Decrées Augustine 14 cause question the fift in the chapter Si quid inuenisti where he saith that things which be found must be restored Which if thou doo not thou hast taken them awaie forceablie forsomuch as thou hast doone what thou couldest so that if thou haddest found more thou wouldest haue taken awaie more There the Glosser verie well declareth What is to be doone concerning things found what is to be doone with things that be found Either saith he the same are counted for things cast awaie as if the owner haue cast awaie anie thing the same if a man reteine when he hath found it he committeth not theft but if that thing which is found be not forsaken neither thought to be cast awaie willinglie by the owner as when a ring is found or a purse or anie such thing which is not woont to be cast awaie if thou deteine it it is theft vnles thou kéepe it by thée with a mind will to restore it againe So then thou must openlie tell that thou hast found these things whereby the owner may come to his owne againe as it is decréed in the Digests De furtis in the lawe Falsus in the Paraph Qui alienum But if thou kéepe it by thée with a mind not to restore it it is theft And this dooth Augustine in the place now alledged reprooue The verie same is decréed in the Code De thesauro in the lawe Nemo and in the institutions De rerum diuisione where it is ordeined that If a man find treasure in his house or ground it shall be his that findeth it Howbeit if he find it in another mans soile either he hath gotten it by chance or else he sought for it If
setteth foorth his seruice of Baal by a comparison Achab séemed in that religion to be most superstitious but it is said that in comparison of Iehu he worshipped Baal but a litle This is euen as if he should saie Those things were but sport and plaie in comparison of those same which I am minded to giue The holie scriptures testifie that he did these things fraudulentlie Why Iehu pretended an honour and seruice vnto Baal to the intent he might gather all the Baalites into one and slaie them all togither bicause he might not otherwise haue brought his purpose to pas For verie manie of the Baalites hauing intelligence of the slaughter of Achab and Ochozias and also the children of Achab and kindred of Ochozias fled awaie for feare and hid themselues in secret places Wherefore Iehu feigned these things and made proclamation that he did maruellouslie fauour the Baalites Moreouer he perhaps feared least if he should deale violentlie and openlie a sedition might be raised among the people to take in hand new matters But the Baalites being inuited by such faire and curteous indeuours came in and of their owne accord cast themselues headlong into the danger of death whereas otherwise they were both subtill and craftie But after this maner God dooth infatuate such men and taketh them tarde in their owne wilinesse Euen as we also perceiue that it came to passe in Pharao Exo. 14 23. who wilfullie and of his owne accord entring into the red sea was drowned and all his whole host with him The fact of Constantius Cesar This kind of guile and lieng in times past Constantius the father of Constantine the great vsed who hauing imbraced Christ set foorth an edict which was far contrarie vnto his will as though he would not suffer anie christian to liue in his Court. So as he commanded by his edict that they which would professe christian religion should surrender the offices which they had receiued and should be discharged from the wars They which sincerelie imbraced Christ despised courtlie dignities and departed from the Emperours traine on the other side they which onelie bare the name of christians bicause they would kéepe their former place and degrée departed from Christ But the matter fell out otherwise for the Emperour called home those that went their waie and commanded that they should enioie their former offices and commodities and he put awaie those from him which had forsaken Christ And he vsed this reason If they were not faithfull to that power that is Christ whom they worshipped neither will they be faithfull to me nor yet faithfullie labour and indeuour for the defense of me and mine empire But Iulian whom they call the Apostata who reuolted from Christ made an other maner of lie A lie of Iulian the Apostata For as Ammianus Marcellinus reporteth when he led his armie against Constantius his brother by the fathers side fearing least he should offend his soldiers of whom the most part were Christians feigned himselfe to worship Christ also when as he was alreadie reuolted from him Wherefore vpon a solemne feast daie of Epiphanie he entered into the temple togither with the Christians And there be verie manie dissimulations as touching religion to be found out in the histories Of Dissimulation In Iud. 3. at the end 26 But what shall we set downe as touching dissimulation Dissimulation is of two sorts I saie that the same is of two sorts One which hath respect onelie to deceiue the which séeing it differeth not much from a lie vndoubtedlie it is sinne If one being wicked doo faine himselfe to be honest and godlie the same man is an hypocrite in that he dissembleth he sinneth gréeuouslie Whosoeuer also hauing a malicious and enuious heart against anie man flattereth him and feigneth to be his fréend is not without sinne yea he is infected with a detestable dissimulation But there is an other kind of dissimulation which tendeth not to the deceiuing of anie man but serueth onelie to kéepe counsell secret least they should be hindered and this dissimulation is not to be refused or condemned as sinne séeing as we haue alreadie declared it is not alwaies required that we should open whatsoeuer truth we doo knowe Socrates was praised In the Commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethiks although he were a verie great dissembler Howbeit he said he knew nothing meaning in comparison of the knowledge of God So dooth Plato excuse him in his Apollogie Also he compared those things which he knew with those things which he knew not and being so compared they might be accounted nothing Besides this his mind was not to deceiue but rather to shew vnto others which boasted that they knew manie things how verie little or nothing they knew So Christ being most innocent tooke vpon him the flesh of sinne After what maner Christ dissembled 1. Cor. 2 8. and hid his innocencie and diuine nature the which he did not to deceiue mortall men but that he might suffer for the saluation of men For if he had béene knowne to be the Lord of glorie they would neuer as saith the apostle haue crucified him Moreouer Christ feigned also before two of his disciples that he wold haue gone further this he did not Luke 24 28 bicause he would deceiue them but he therefore opened not himselfe vnto them for a time bicause he would reprooue them of their incredulitie and instruct them by testimonies of the scriptures Therewithall also he signified how far he was from their hearts or as Augustine interpreteth it he shadowed vnto them his departure into heauen Wherefore it euidentlie appéereth that in those dissimulations there was no lie séeing his words well agréed with the thing signified 27 And Dauid Of Dauids dissimulation Looke in 1. Sam. 21. at the end when he fell into a most perillous danger being with Achis the king of Geth changed his countenance and feigned himselfe a foole and by meanes that he séemed to be such a one he escaped Héere some saie that he dissembled not but that God to deliuer him strake such a feare into him and that his senses being taken from him he might doo those things which be spoken of him in the first booke of Samuel 1. Sa. 21 13. Wherefore in his psalme which beginneth I will alwaies giue thanks vnto the Lord Psal 34. he gaue God thanks for so great a benefit Togither also with this his act he by the inspiration of God shewed what Christ should suffer for our sakes namelie to be counted as a foole and a mad man Or else it may be answered that Dauid is not wholie to be excused of sinne if he as being a man more afraid than was méet sought for this kind of helpe But if he by the motion of God did it wittinglie and with knowledge we will not accuse him of sinne though we may not imitate his example Neither is it lawfull
that anie man should feigne himselfe to haue committed anie crime which he hath not doone Gregorie though Gregorie saith that It is the part of good minds there to acknowledge a fault where none is Of this matter Augustine Augustine in his 29. sermon De verbis apostoli hath taught more soundlie and trulie For he writeth By feigning on this wise if thou wast not a sinner before thou shalt become a sinner namelie in saieng that thou hast coÌmitted that which thou hast not committed Indéed it is lawfull for euerie man to confesse himselfe generallie to be a sinner but this or that crime speciallie hauing not committed the same no man ought to take vpon him Moreouer we must note this to be true to wit that it is not required of vs to open the truth at all times and in all places to speake all that we knowe Howbeit in iudgement the case is otherwise for there while we be examined as witnesses we are bound to testifie that which we knowe to serue vnto the thing whereof we be at that time demanded Of Truth and of a Lie which place is treated of In Iudges 3. and also In 1. Sam. 21 verse 12. Of truth 28 Now let vs treat of another question namelie whether it be lawfull for a good and godlie man to lie But before I speake of a lie I thinke best to speake somewhat of truth which doubtlesse is an excellent vertue What is truth Cicero Truth as saith Tullie in his booke De inuentione is that whereby things which are haue béene and shall be are spoken without alteration Wherein we will first note that it consisteth in words for he saith that they are spoken Not that I am ignorant but that dumbe men and others doo sometimes speake by signes Augustine But bicause as saith Augustine in his first booke De doctrina christiana among other signes words are the principall and most plaine Further we be taught hereby that truth is not onelie to be considered as touching one difference of time but as touching thrée differences For he saith that both those things which are which haue béene and which shall be These things be then spoken trulie when they be set foorth without alteration that is euen as they are and by speaking made neither more ample nor lesse than they be The verie selfe-same thing in a maner hath Augustine said in his booke De vera religione Augustine the 36. chapter where he writeth that Truth is whereby that which is is signified And it is a vertue Truth is a vertue bicause by it men are made prone and readie to speake that which is true If thou demand what is the generall word of truth It is equalitie wherevnto is ioined The generall word of truth for difference sake namelie of words about the things which are signified And as it is well knowne to all men all vertues doo aime at the meane and eschew extremities Wherefore Two faults in speeches in the kind of speaking thou shalt perceiue two faults namelie if thou speake more than the thing will permit or lesse than the thing is Neither is vertue content onelie with the meane for we must adde circumstances which vse commonlie to followe it So as the truth must not alwaies be spoken to euerie man neither at all times nor yet of euerie thing and yet we must not lie But it is wisedome sometime to kéepe secret those things which for iust cause we will not haue known He which should vaunt abroad euerie-where and to all men the gifts of God giuen vnto him should be counted foolish and fond As contrariewise he which should boast of a crime whereinto by mans infirmitie he hath fallen ought iustlie and woorthilie to be reprooued Wherefore truth requireth What thing truth requireth that what we haue within vs as touching our sense and will that should prudentlie be signified by vs as it is Further the vertue whereof we speake hath simplicitie most of all ioined with it and it is verie contrarie vnto doublenesse Besides this it is a part of iustice for both vnto things it giueth the proper words and vnto a neighbour the truth which is due vnto him without the which mans fellowship cannot stand For if a man should continuallie suspect himselfe to be deceiued by anie man he would neuer giue anie credit vnto him by meanes whereof all trades and societies among men would decaie Aristotle in his Ethiks Aristotle affirmeth that Truth declineth somewhat toward the defect especiallie when anie man speaketh of himselfe For this wisedome requireth that a man boast not of himselfe Wherevpon Paule in his second epistle to the Corinthians and twelfe chapter wrote If I will boast of my selfe 2. Cor. 12 6. I shall not be vnwise but I will forbeare lest anie man should thinke of me more than that he seeth in me or that he heareth of me By these words he reprooueth them as foolish and vnwise which doo boast and glorie euen of those good things which they haue and he saith that he will absteine from it Neither saith he doo I require that anie man should thinke more of me than either he séeth in me He that speaketh lesse of himselfe than he hath lieth not or heareth of me And he which speaketh lesse of himselfe than he is is not straitwaie to be accused as a lier For that which is the more comprehendeth and conteineth in it the lesse For whosoeuer hath fiftie he may truelie saie that he hath twentie although he speaketh not of all that he hath Howbeit if the same man should affirme that he hath but twentie onelie or else should denie that he hath anie at all We must not lie for humilitie sake out of doubt he should lie the which must not be committed either for modestie sake or as they saie for humilitie 29 Concerning testimonies out of the holie scriptures which doo stir vs vp to speake the truth doubtlesse verie manie might be alledged but a few shall suffice In the ten commandements Exo. 20 16. it is written Thou shalt not beare false witnesse Which commandement must be obserued not onelie in iudgement but in all things which in our talke we testifie to be either true or false Moreouer God is set before our eies to be followed Rom. 3 4. whom the scriptures in euerie place pronounce to be true Wherefore we also ought to be most feruent louers of the truth verse 21. And for that cause Iethro in the 18. chapter of Exodus counselled Moses to set such men to be rulers ouer the people as did feare God men of courage louers of the truth and those which hated couetousnesse Psal 51 8. Also Dauid saith Behold thou hast loued truth and therefore thou hast made me to vnderstand wisdome in the inward and secret parts of my mind These things sufficientlie declare that we are taught of God
both by inward inspiration and also by outward doctrine bicause he is a louer of the truth neither dooth he suffer that his children should either erre or be deceiued by lies In Zacharie the eight chapter verse 16. it is written Speake ye the truth euerie man to his neighbour Which selfe-same sentence Paule vseth to the Ephesians Ephes 4 25. Col. 3 9. and he commandeth the same to the Colossians But in the latter epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 3 8. he saith of himselfe and of the other apostles that they can haue nothing against the truth Yea and the Scribes and Pharisies being ioined with the Herodians on this wise flattered Christ whom they went about to intrap in his spéech Maister Matt. 22 16. we knowe that thou acceptest no persons yea thou teachest the waie of God in truth Hereby they declared that it is a singular vertue for a noble and notable man to prefer the truth before all things But let these testimonies of the holie scriptures be sufficient at this time 30 It remaineth Of a lie that I now come to treat of a lie Augustine Augustine who wrote thereof to Consentius affirmeth that A lie is the false signification of the spéech And vndoubtedlie of this vice may all those things be spoken by a contrarie position which are before declared of truth And first contrarie to that which Tullie affirmed of truth that that is true whereby things which are which haue béene and which shall be are said to be vnaltered And a lie is that whereby is signified that which is not for Augustine defined truth by the contrarie This vice is so hurtfull that it maketh a man which is infected therewith to reioise and be glad in falsehood The generall word of truth is equalitie Inequalitie the generall word of a lie and the generall of this vice inequalitie And as truth is verie néere ioined with simplicitie so a lie belongeth to doublenesse Truth is a part of iustice but a lie is a part of iniustice By truth the societie of man is preserued but by lieng it is hurt and ouerthrowne But returne we to Augustine who writeth that He is said to lie which with a will to deceiue speaketh that which is false that To lie is nothing else but to go against the mind for liers speake another thing than they haue in their mind But the desire to deceiue is vtterlie against iustice loue and amitie which we mutuallie owe one towards another So then there be thrée things in a lie first Three things incident to a lie to speake that which is false secondlie his will in speaking and thirdlie a desire to deceiue The first part belongeth to the matter of a lie the other two parts perteine vnto the forme 31 A lie is distinguished into an officious lie a sporting lie and a pernicious lie The distinction of a lie And this diuision commeth of no other thing but of the effects or of the ends For this is euermore true that the ends themselues may haue the nature both of the cause and of the effect séeing lies doo either profit or delite or else hurt The end of a pernicious lie is to hurt the end of a sporting lie is to delite and the end of an officious lie is to profit But forsomuch as in vertue Aristotle Aristotle hath respect chéeflie vnto the meane if then in speaking thou excéed that meane Looke In 2. Sam. 16 verse 33. he calleth it boasting but if thou come short he nameth it dissimulation or mocking And in this euill that most of all hurteth bicause an euill or false opinion is ingendred in the mind of our neighbor For which cause it séemeth that the same Aristotle said well that Lieng is a wicked thing A lie is wicked and must be shunned and must be auoided Which we may prooue by testimonies of the holie scriptures For herevnto belong all those things which we rehearsed before for prouoking of vs to speake the truth And there be manie other places dispersed here and there which detest lieng Dauid saith Psal 5 6. Thou shalt destroie all those which speake lies Psal 5 6. There be reasons also which persuade the same whereof one is In a lie is an abuse of signes that in a lie there is an abuse of signes And for so much as it is not lawfull to abuse the gifts of GOD a lie also is vnderstood to be forbidden Moreouer as it is before said a lie is enimie vnto the societie of man For in lieng the vnderstanding of the mind is not communicated vnto our brethren but lies Wherefore séeing by nature man is made vnto societie and communication when he speaketh that which is false he striueth against his owne nature And as Augustine saith Augustine Faith héerein is harmed bicause he which heareth beléeueth those things which are spoken Wherefore that faith which he giueth vnto others words is made void and so notable a thing cannot be hurt without blame And to conclude euerie man by lieng looseth his owne credit for being taken in a lie he shall be euer after suspected of it Wherefore though he would he shall not be able by admonition or correction to helpe his neighbour So the fault that is in a lie not onelie respecteth the losse or hurt of our neighbour but it is in it of his owne kind as manifestlie appéereth by that which we haue alreadie said What kind of lie is most greeuous But among lies that séemeth to be most heinous which is in matter of religion doctrine and godlinesse for in no other thing can guile be more hurtfull and pernicious For if we shall erre therein we be cast from euerlasting felicitie Wherefore Augustine in his Enchiridion the 18. chapter hath verie well written that They indéed sinne gréeuouslie which deceiue trauelling men in shewing them a contrarie waie But they be much more detestable which in lieng about matters of religion doo bring men into error 32 If the thrée kinds of lies should be compared togither I meane the pernicious lie the sporting lie and the officious lie the pernicious lie should iustlie be counted the more detestable Bicause in it are two euils one is the abuse of signes In a pernicious lie are two euils an other is the hurt of our neighbour and that both of the mind that is deceiued which is common to all lies and also of the thing which is lost But as for other lies although they be not without fault yet is the same fault much diminished by the benefit either of delight or of supplie of the helpe A sporting lie And indéed a sporting lie hath in it but a small and slender nature of a lie for so much as the falshood is straitwaie found out neither can it be long hidden from the hearers Augustine Yea Augustine writeth that such lies are not to be counted
the harlot or vitler Augustine answereth Augustine that it was not the lie which the midwiues made but the faith and feare that they had towards God and the mercie shewed vnto the Israelits that pleased the Lord which the holie historie by expresse words dooth testifie And no otherwise must we thinke of Rahab Gregorie But I neuer like of the opinion of Gregorie who saith that for the lie which they made their eternall reward was turned to a temporall reward bicause it is said that God for their euerlasting blessednesse builded them houses But I iudge that by reason of the true faith which was effectuall in them in such sort as it brought foorth in them both loue and the feare of God which be lawfull and iust fruits of that faith the lie which they made through infirmitie béereaued them not of eternall felicitie 36 Abraham also is obiected who said Looke In Gen. 12. at the end and 19. 8. Gen. 12 13. that Sara was his sister Howbeit therein as Augustine teacheth he lied not he told that which was true but yet he spake not all the truth And that is of no man required to vtter all that he knoweth to be true He did not saie that she was his wife yet bicause she was his kinswoman he might according to the maner of the Hebrues truelie saie that she was his sister Notwithstanding he séemeth not to be holden altogither excused for although he lied not in calling of hir sister yet it appéereth that therein he fell bicause by not reuealing that she was his wife he put hir in danger of loosing hir chastitie sith he lest hir void of that helpe whereby onelie she might haue béene defended from falling into the loue of strangers Neither is it néedfull that I should indeuour to excuse Abraham altogither for he was a man and by too muth feare might easilie doo amisse Howbeit Augustine Augustine mentioneth that Abraham was then in danger two maner of waies the one least he should be killed him selfe the other the adulterie of his wife The first he might shun in calling hir his sister the other namelie least she should be polluted he was not able to repell For although he had said that he was hir husband that would not haue serued to deliuer hir from the shamefull lusts of the Aegyptians Wherefore that which he himselfe was not able to shun he committed vnto God and in that which was in his owne power he would not tempt him This séemeth to be the iudgement of Augustine But what I iudge I haue before declared 37 But did not the same Abraham lie when he said vnto his seruants Gen. 22 5. Looke In Gen. 27 19. Tarrie here and we will returne vnto you when neuerthelesse he was minded to sacrifice his sonne Which if he had doone he might not haue returned hauing his sonne with him but should haue returned alone without him Iacob also by expresse words lied Gen. 27 19. when he said vnto his father I am Esau thy sonne Paule also as it is written in the Acts saith that he knew him not to be the chéefe priest which commanded him to be striken when for all that as Augustine testifieth in his sermon of the Centurions sonne and as it is written in the 23. cause question the first chapter Paratus he knew him well enough Paule saith he was brought vp among the Iewes he had learned the lawe at the féet of Gamaliel wherefore he verie well knew the chéefe priest from other men 2. Kin. 10. 18 Iehu also lied manifestlie when he said Augustine Two kinds of men that he would worship Baal Augustine writeth that there be two kinds of men mentioned in the holie scriptures For that there were some so perfect as although they were not without sinne yet we may not rashlie iudge euill of them but rather séeke how we may defend those things which in their works haue a shew of sinne They oftentimes were so mooued by the holie Ghost that God by their words and acts might make certeine secrets knowne And so we must beléeue that oftentimes they both spake and did certeine things by prophesie So Abraham when he said We will returne vnto you prophesied vnwares that which shuld come to passe for he safelie returned from the mountaine with Isaac And Iacob in saieng I am Esau ment to declare nothing else but that he was the man to whom the degrée blessing and dignitie was due which séemed to perteine vnto Esau who was the first borne Paule also prophesied what should at the length become of the high priest namelie that as a painted wall and a thing altogither feigned and hypocriticall he should be taken awaie Further saith Augustine there were other men not so perfect but were euill which are spoken of in the old testament either to haue lied or else to haue doone some thing that might séeme to be sinne But he thinketh that we should not so greatlie indeuor to defend the good name and opinion of those men Of this sort of men was Iehu for although that murther which he executed vpon Achab and his familie and also his wéeding out of Baal and the worshippers thereof pleased God yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked king neither forsooke he the worshipping of golden calues Wherefore it shall be lawfull to confesse that in lieng he committed sinne But in my iudgement and as I noted before by this onelie distinction we may easilie dissolue this doubt namelie Note a distinction that those men were stirred vp to lie either by the spirit of man or by the motion of God When they did it as men we will not denie but that they sinned but when they spake so by the inspiration of God we maruell at their saiengs and dooings But we will not take it as an example and president to followe VVhether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour 38 But there ariseth a harder doubt Looke In 2. Sam. 15 33 namelie whether it be lawfull to make a lie for the preseruation of our neighbors life Augustine Augustine De mendacio ad Consentium saith If a man shuld be in great perill of death and the same man should also knowe that his sonne were in extreame danger who happening to die thou hauing knowledge thereof if the father aske thée Dooth my sonne liue And thou art sure that he also will die if thou shew him that his sonne is departed what wouldest thou doo in this case Whether thou saiest he liueth or whether thou saiest I cannot tell thou liest But if so be thou answer that he is dead all men will crie out vpon thée as though thou haddest committed man-slaughter and as though thou by thy heauie newes haddest béene the occasion of the death of this father being sicke and lieng at the point of death Augustine granteth that the case is hard neither denieth he but that as a man
Ephes 5 3. and 4. nor couetousnesse be named among you as it becommeth saints Then is added ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã filthinesse ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã foolish talking and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã iesting which are not comelie By these words he reprooueth all communications which are defiled either with dishonestie or scurrilitie The verie same sawe Plato Plato in his third booke De Repub. where he excludeth poets that spake of gods as though they should speake of men bicause they in so writing doo both dishonourablie treate of the nature of God which is the best and most excellent and also excuse the sinnes of common men when as they testifie that both the gods and also noble men did things alike Which certeinlie we may perceiue in the comedie of Eunuchus in Terence where Chaerea Terence a wicked yoong man beholding a wanton table in the harlots house wherein was painted Iupiter comming into Danae by a shower began to haue a pleasure in himselfe séeing he being but a séelie man did those things which he perceiued by that table that the chéefe god in old time had committed I did it saith he yea I did it with good will Also Cicero saith Cicero that Homer feigned these things and translated humane things vnto the gods But I would rather they had transferred diuine things vnto vs 46 Augustine in his second booke of confessions the 15. and 16. chapters Augustine complaineth and soroweth that he being a child and a yoong man learned profitable words but yet in vaine things I would to God saith he I had béene instructed in profitable writings I heard Iupiter thundering and therwithall committing adulterie The minds and affections of men are prone enough vnto vices Wherefore it is wickedlie doone that children and yoong men should in that age be stirred vp to sinne by vile and filthie fables But apollogies are profitable which consisting both of honest words and good arguments doo rightlie instruct that first age Aesope the ancient writer Aesope happilie exercised himselfe in this kind although some doo ascribe his fables vnto Hesiodus who was before Aesops time But this one apollogie whereof we now treat was written long before the time of Aesope Hesiodus For the time of the Iudges and namelie of Gedeon was an hundreth yeares and more before the war of Troie There is an other apollogie also in the second booke of kings verse 9. the 14. chapter where Amasias obteining victorie of the Edomits prouoked the king of Israel to make warre with him Vnto whom king Ioas answered thus The thistle of Libanon sent vnto the cedar that is of Libanon and said Giue thy daughter to my sonne to wife And a wild beast went out of Libanon and trode down the thistle By which apollogie he shewed that he was so much greater than Amasias the king of Iuda as the cedar trée excelleth the thistle and gaue him warning that he should after that sort be troden downe and oppressed by his host as the thistle perisheth that is troden downe by wild beasts The vse of apollogies 47 These things haue I therefore rehearsed bicause the Gréeke and Ethnike writers should not be thought to be the first inuenters of these profitable deuises All men agree that the vse of apollogies is then to be added when we haue to deale with rude persons For they vnderstand not what a perfect argument or an vnperfect meaneth neither are they able to perceiue inductions so that of particulars they might gather vniuersals And they passe not vpon the examples of noble personages bicause they themselues are abiect and base Wherefore séeing they be smallie instructed by those meanes there remaine fained narrations where they being allured with the strangenesse of the matter giue great héed to the things that are spoken and are otherwhiles at length persuaded Moreouer they are good to helpe memorie for things that are so new and pleasant doo verie much delight and those things that be so pleasant be not easilie forgotten Furthermore men can sooner abide themselues to be reprooued by apollogies than by euident spéeches For the plaine truth ingendereth hatred but being couered with apollogies or darke spéeches it may be abidden At the beginning the hearers know not wherevnto the matter tendeth therefore being ignorant what will be spoken they tarrie out the end and perhaps be persuaded at the length Christ finished the whole parable of the vine Matt. 21 33. and at the end the Scribes and Pharisies perceiued that it was spoken against themselues So also among the Romans Menenius Agrippa by an apollogie wan the coÌmon people which had diuided themselues from the Senators to ioine themselues againe with them For these causes are the parables dreames and visions of the prophets verie much vsed in the holie scriptures The xiiij Chapter The last precept Thou shalt not lust Wherein is treated of the comparison and connexion of sinnes one with an other Also of the summe of the lawe the which consisteth in charitie PAule In Rom. 7 verse 7. in disputing of the knowledge which we haue of sinne among all others precepts bringeth this onelie one precept Thou shalt not lust which vndoubtedlie the apostle did as all other things most prudentlie séeing he ment speciallie to speake of that kind of naughtinesse which is most hidden from the iudgement of men and is not set forth in other lawes For the naturall lust and corruption which driueth vs into all euils is in this place touched and discouered as the fountaine and head of all euils Lust is here touched bicause it is the head of other euils Wherefore it is verie well said of Augustine that there is no sinne committed without lust For this cause Paule would not speake of the grosser outward sinnes bicause he sawe that they perteined vnto discipline and are not onelie set foorth by the ciuill lawes but haue also their punishment prouided for them Neither would he speake of wicked affections and perturbations bicause he perceiued them to be condemned by the philosophers in their morall discipline and that they gaue precepts for bringing of them to a mediocritie He went rather vnto the roote of all sins and sheweth that the same being vnknowne and hidden is manifested and brought to light by the lawe of God And to expresse this more plainlie we must consider that all the commandements of God doo either command or forbid something The precepts of God are distinguished into commandements and prohibitions And they not onelie command that a thing be doone lightlie but also that it be doone with all the heart with all the soule and with all the strength and most exactlie so that there be nothing in vs which should not be obedient to the will of God And what they forbid they not onelie forbid that it selfe should not be in vs but also that there should be left in vs no desire or inclination therevnto And
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
other side he saith Iohn 14 1. Iohn 6 44. that No man can com vnto him but he whom the father shall drawe Matt. 13 9. He also saith He which hath eares to heare let him heare And yet God saith in the scriptures Deut. 30 6. that He would giue them an hart from aboue to vnderstand eies to see eares to heare Wherefore these things are not repugnant one to the other namelie that the appointment of good works lieth in God and that the gift of them is to be hoped for at Gods hands onelie and that we also must put our care and endeuor to liue vprightlie and godlie for as we haue before said the holie scriptures teach both Moreouer As well the fore-knowlege of God as predestination is certeine if for this cause we should denie predestination séeing after the selfe-same maner the fore-knowledge of God is certeine and can not be deceiued shall we therefore denie that God fore-knoweth all things if peraduenture there be some which may be offended with this doctrine An example brought by Augustine And in his booke De bono perseuerantiae the 15. chapter he bringeth an example which happened in his time He saith that in the same monasterie that he was in was a certeine man of a loose life who when he was admonished of his fault was accustomed to saie Such a one shall I be as God hath fore-knowne me And when he so spake saith Augustine he spake indéed the truth but although his iudgement was true yet became he euerie daie woorse woorse at the last also he saith that he returned to his old vomit howbeit saith he what maner of one he shall in time to come be God onelie knoweth Though this man abused the truth A thing is not made euill by the abuse thereof yet will not therefore anie godlie man denie that God fore-knoweth all things And that this fore-knowledge of God is no let vnto good works Christ declared when he commanded his disciples to praie Matth. 6 9. when as yet in the meane time he plainlie told them Ibidem 32. that God knew right well what they had néed of So then The fore-knowledge of GOD ought not to call vs backe from the indeuor of praieng fore-knowledge of God dooth not call vs backe from desire to praie for the things profitable and necessarie which God hath decréed to giue vs he hath decréed to giue them by this meane They also are deceiued which thinke that this doctrine is an vnprofitable doctrine yea their sight is but small and they vnderstand not the profite thereof Vnto the godlie it is verie profitable to the end they should not put anie confidence either in themselues or in anie other men but should fixe all their whole hart and confidence in God alone Which thing vndoubtedlie none can trulie and from the hart doo but those which are fullie persuaded both that their saluation and also their good works depend not vpon themselues but of God No We cannot acknowlege the gifts of God without wee knowe froÌ whence they spring we cannot acknowledge the gifts of God except we vnderstand from what fountaine they spring But that fountaine is the frée purpose and mercie of God giuen vnto them whom he hath elected before the constitution of the world He which séeth not this séeth not the goodnes of God towards him By this doctrine may men be brought What that fountaine is not to glorie in themselues but in the Lord which they cannot doo that ascribe vnto their owne frée will that little whatsoeuer it be for the which they saie they are chosen of God for they haue in themselues whereof to glorie Ouer this the scriptures will haue vs to be mortified and to behaue our selues lowelie which thing nothing more easilie bringeth to passe than dooth this doctrine The certeintie also of saluation which we defend is by no other means made more manifest And in the latter epistle to the Thessalonians 2. Thes 2 13 Paule willeth vs for this cause to giue thanks vnto GOD We are willed to giue thanks for our election that we are elected of God but this can we not doo vnlesse this also be wholie made plaine and knowne vnto vs. Neither without this doctrine can the grace of God be sufficientlie defended against the Pelagians for they taught that the election of God commeth by our merits Predestination confirmeth the doctrine of iustification It is no new doctrine seeing it is set foorth in the holie scriptures Heresies the cause why doctrines were the more diligentlie searched out Frée iustification also should perish except we be rightlie taught of predestination Séeing therefore this doctrine being soundlie vnderstood is vnto so manie things so profitable no man ought to count it vnfruitfull and sithence it is set foorth in the holie scriptures it cannot vndoubtedlie be called a new doctrine 4 But if the fathers before Augustines time haue not so diligentlie spoken of it it ought not to be maruelled at for the occasions wherefore doctrines were the more diligentlie discussed and searched out were new heresies which often sproong vp in the church And for that before Pelagius time no man had spoken against the grace of God there was no néed that anie man should defend it but when there arose vp a new error it was necessarie that this doctrine should the more diligentlie be examined And yet did not the fathers which were before Augustine alwaies leaue this thing vnspoken of The Fathers before Augustines time taught this doctrine For Augustine himselfe prooueth that in the 19. chapter of his booke De bono perseuerantiae Ambrose vpon Luke saith that God could if he would of vndeuout persons make deuout And againe he saith that God calleth them whom he vouchsafeth and whom he will he maketh religious These things writeth he vpon that place wherein it is written that the Samaritans would not receiue Christ He citeth also Gregorius Nazianzenus who saith that God granteth that the faithfull both beléeue the blessed trinitie and also confesse it But whereas they quarell that this doctrine is verie obscure and cannot be vnderstood but rather bringeth men to be vncerteine of the will of God he answereth that indéed it is an obscurenes vnserchable How predestination is obscure and how not obscure if anie man go about to séeke out reasons of the iudgements of God why other men being reiected this or that man is chosen But if so much be taught of predestination as the holie scriptures doo set foorth vnto vs those things are not so obscure but that they might be manifest inough vnto our faith When we will do anie thing we must not haue an eie to predestination but to the scripture The certeine number of the elect hindreth not preaching Neither counsell we that when a man dooth anie thing he should deliberate with himselfe of predestination but rather
of righteousnes taken by it selfe yet can it by no meanes be spoken of vs and of our righteousnes Wherefore séeing that sentence could neither edifie nor make anie thing to the purpose I sée not how Paule could so haue written howbeit in this matter I will not contend with Augustine more than is méet The third Chapter Of Faith and the certeintie thereof and of the vices of feare and securitie which are contrarie vnto the same also of the nature of our adoption and hope and vnion with Christ NOw it shall be conuenient to declare what faith is In Rom. 3 verse 22. Faith therefore is an assent A definition of faith and that a firme assent vnto the words of God obteined not by reason or naturall demonstration but by the authoritie of the speaker and by the power of the holie Ghost And this definition disagréeth not from that which Paule taught in th' eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues By this we may sée Verse 1. about what things faith is occupied namelie about the word of God And it is euident what the chéefe and principall ground is vnto which all things perteining to God are referred and that is The Lord hath said But the authoritie of the speaker cannot be of so much effect with vs as it ought to be vnles the persuasion of the holie Ghost be therevnto adioined In Gréeke it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which word is deriued of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã for we are not accustomed to beléeue vnles it be in that thing whereof we be full persuaded Basil as touching faith when he expoundeth this place of the psalme Psal 116 10 I haue loued and therefore haue I spoken writeth thus Doo not contend to sée those things which are laid vp far off neither make those things doubtfull which are hoped for Two breake necks or downe-fals to be taken heed of In which words he sheweth that two principall things are to be auoided the one is that we be not with too much curiositie stirred vp to séeke out the proofe of things which we ought to beléeue which proofe so long as we liue here cannot be had the other is that although they be obscure yet we should not doubt of the truth of them And the same writer intreating of the confession of faith saith on this wise Basil saith that they swarue from faith which adde anie thing to the scriptures Iohn 10 vers 4. 5. It is a manifest falling awaie from faith and a point of pride either to refuse anie of those things that be written or to bring in anie thing that is not written forsomuch as our Lord Iesus Christ said My sheepe heare my voice before that he said But a stranger they will not followe but will flee from him bicause they haue not knowne his voice The apostle also hath by another humane example straitlie forbidden either to adde or to diminish anie thing in the holie scriptures when he saith Gala. 3 15. And yet no man dissanulleth the testament of man when it is confirmed neither addeth anie thing therevnto In which place a man may perceiue how warilie this writer affirmeth that as touching faith nothing ought either to be added or diminished in the holie scriptures Which thing maketh chéefelie against them that obtrude inuentions and traditions of men as of necessitie to be beléeued Further the same writer plainelie setteth foorth the certeintie of faith when he declareth the propertie thereof in his Morals the eightie Summe 22. chapter where he saith What is the propertie of faith He answereth and vnseparable certeintie of the truth of the words of God which is not atteined to by anie kind of reasoning or brought in through anie naturall necessitie nor being framed to anie pietie can euer be shaken off And he addeth that it is the dutie of one that beléeueth in such a certeintie to be affected to the power of the words spoken and not to presume either to disanull or to adde anie thing Rom. 14 23. For if it be so that Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne as the apostle saith And faith commeth of hearing and hearing by the word of God Rom. 10 17. then whatsoeuer is not of faith being not conteined in the scripture inspired by the spirit of God the same is sinne This father togither with vs confirmeth the certeintie of faith and sheweth wherevpon the same dependeth when he calleth it vnseparable bicause when we beléeue we doo not examine by our owne reason what is possible or not possible to be doone And he séemeth to allude to those words which Paule speaketh of the faith of Abraham Rom. 4 20. that He wauered not through vnbeleefe where he vsed this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Wherefore let certeintie be the contrarie thing vnto doubting which happeneth through inquisitiuenes or examination of mans reason Moreouer Basil saith that is sinne which is without faith the scriptures Rom. 14 23. Note how Basil vnderstandeth this text whatsoeuer is not of faith is sin Faith differeth from opinion and suspicion that which he in another sentence had spoken he plainelie repeateth againe namely that Those things which are without the scriptures are not to be beléeued And this place of Paule Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne he vseth in his naturall and proper sense as we also vse it which thing our aduersaries cannot abide Faith differeth from opinion for opinion although it make vs leane vnto one part yet it dooth the same both with reason and also not without feare of the truth of the other part And suspicion dooth yet ingender a weaker assent than opinion dooth bicause it is both destitute of reason and also it leaueth men doubtfull of the truth of the other part It is true indéed that science ingendreth a firme assent but that is brought to passe by adding of demonstrations Forsomuch as we now sée plainelie as well what faith is as also how it differeth from opinion science and suspicion let vs sée how manie waies faith is taken How manie waies faith is taken For there is one kind of faith that is mightie perfect and of efficacie whereby we are iustified but there is another which is void without fruit and the same being vaine and during but for a time bringeth not iustification Which thing is manifest by the parable of the Gospell where it is said that The séed that is to saie the word of God Mat. 13 19. falleth sometimes vpon good ground and somtimes vpon stonie ground vpon thornes and by the high waie side where it is lost bringeth foorth no fruit Againe Iustifieng faith is not in all alike that faith which is good and profitable is not in all men alike for it hath degrées according to the greater or lesse infirmitie of the flesh Wherefore Paule saith Rom. 12 3. Euen as God hath diuided vnto euerie man the
and discerning them from other writings They will answer that bicause it is gouerned by the holie Ghost But I beséech you how knowe ye that Bicause they will saie Christ hath promised Matt. 28. 20 that Hee will be with it euen to the end of the world And bicause he hath also said Matt. 19 18. Where soeuer shall be two or three gathered togither in my name there am I in the middest of them And againe I will send the holie Ghost the comforter Iohn 16 13 which shall lead you into all truth These are the things saie they which persuade vs of the authoritie of the church but I would faine knowe from whence ye receiued these things The church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures but out of the holie scriptures wherefore we may contrariwise conclude that the church hath hir authoritie of the scriptures 4 Further by that place of Paule is declared another difference of faith Faith is a sinne assent Rom. 4 20. namelie that it is a firme assent For he pronounceth of Abraham that he nothing doubted and he vseth this verbe ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which signifieth To reason with himselfe and to put doubts In which signification Luke in the Acts vseth the selfe-same word for so it is said vnto Peter Acts. 10 20. that he should go vnto Cornelius the centurion ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is Doubting nothing Abraham had a respect vnto the will and power of God which made the promise and not vnto his owne infirmitie or to the infirmitie of his wife Without God he had nothing whereby he could promise himselfe anie such thing wherefore as saith the apostle he was strengthened in faith neither doubted he through vnbeléefe which is all one as if he had said Else-where on euerie side were offered vnto him incredulitie and doubting Neither ought this sentence to be reprooued as though we doo féele no such experience in our selues for there is none in whose mind there riseth not at anie time some doubt touching those things which we beléeue for this commeth not of faith but of our infirmitie Of which thing we may be easilie instructed by that which we sée to happen in the habit of anie science especiallie of the mathematicall science for therein is certeintie and that verie great certeintie for there the conclusions doo necessarilie and most euidentlie followe of the premisses But if a man haue not perfectlie learned or perfectlie attained vnto the science hée shall sometimes doubt and this commeth to passe not by meanes of the science but by reason of the fault of him that vseth the science Euen so we bicause so long as we liue here we be weake neither can haue a full and perfect faith Why douts doo sometimes arise in vs euen against our wils therefore doubts doo oftentimes arise vnto vs yea euen against our wils But touching the nature of an opinion thou maiest perceiue it to be otherwise the which is such as there can be no blame laid vnto vs if we somewhat incline to the other part from that which we thinke to be true But the infirmitie which happeneth to vs concerning faith may come two waies for sometimes we firmelie cleaue vnto those things which we beléeue howbeit there are other things behind which are to be beléeued the which as yet we perceiue not And after this maner they which togither with the Gospell obserued choise of meates and other ceremonies are called by Paule in his epistle to the Romans Weake in faith Rom. 14 1. for they knew not as yet that the ceremonies of the lawe were abrogated Sometimes it commeth to passe that we sée indéed the things which are to be beléeued but yet we are not so perfect in faith that wée can firmelie and constantlie cleaue vnto them So Christ called the apostles Men of little faith and especiallie Peter Matt. 8 26 14 31. We must praie vnto God to increase our faith when through doubting hée was almost drowned with the waues of the sea Wherefore as touching each part we must alwaies praie vnto God to increase our faith It is also to be noted that the power of beléeuing commeth of the holie Ghost when as we yéeld not vnto so manie and so dangerous flouds of doubting which doo inuade the mind but doo in the end ouercome them which thing cannot be doone without a heauenlie and supernaturall power But in this assent of the faith What things we are to examine in the assent of the faith we must diligentlie examine both what he is that hath spoken and also what it is that is said and is set before vs to beléeue bicause the diuell dooth studie nothing more than to cause vs to beléeue that God hath spoken that which hée spake not Oftentimes also those things which be spoken by God himselfe are by false deceiuers wrested to a wrong sense are corrupted and so forced vpon vs to be beléeued Wherefore We must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued séeing we haue néed of reuelation concerning each part we must praie vnto God that he will not suffer vs to be deceiued One of them which writeth vpon the sentences is of this opinion that If it were most assuredlie knowne that God spake anie thing faith therein could take no place for straitwaie saith he by the light of nature we should knowe that it ought to be true which GOD hath spoken vnles we will thinke him to be a lier But this man is woonderfull far out of the waie for we doubt not but that the prophets assuredlie knew that GOD spake in them yet they beléeued those things which they foretold We also assuredlie knowe that God spake those things Whether it followeth that they beleeue which knowe assuredlie that God hath spoken anie thing which are read in the holie scriptures and yet we beléeue them The apostles knew that they had receiued the holie Ghost and yet were they not therefore destitute of faith But that which is spoken of this man should then be true if we could knowe euidentlie by reason or sense that God spake these things which thing can in no wise be doone for they come not to our knowledge otherwise than by reuelation But this man in stead of euidence did put certeintie The last part which is in the definition wherein it is said that this assent wrestleth with the sense and wisedome of the flesh may manifestlie be declared Examples not onlie by the example of Abraham but also by a great manie of other examples God promised deliuerance vnto the children of Israel Exod. 3 8. Exod. 5 6. and yet in the meane time increased their affliction they were charged with a great number of bricks they had no strawe giuen them for their worke they were sharplie and cruellie beaten and when they were alreadie departed out of Aegypt the sea came against them on the
against an ill feare 17 Against such feares Seneca hath inuented remedies namelie that we should liue vprightlie and commit nothing that is wicked But who can by this meanes be secure at anie time For who is he that sinneth not But we much better repose our selues in the faith of Christ put all our confidence securitie in his mercie onelie This maner of waie Paule teacheth vs Rom. 5 1. Being iustified saith he by faith we haue peace with God This medicine hath vertue against all diseases Also carefulnes which séemeth to be contrarie vnto securitie Carefulnes is not alwaies to be praised is not alwaies to be praised bicause therein are two vices to be taken héed of The first is that being mooued with it we séeke not by vniust meanes to remedie an euill that commeth vnlooked for as the Iewes did when they said Ioh. 11 48. If we suffer this man to liue the Romans will come and othrowe our place and nation wherefore they decréed to destroie him Furthermore we must beware that we be not so mooued for temporall things as we should cast awaie our hope and confidence of the goodnesse and prouidence of God Wherefore the true securitie is that Which is a true and laudable securitie Rom. 8. 31 which is receiued by faith and consisteth of the promises of God Paule did put vs in mind hereof when he wrote to the Romans If God haue giuen his sonne vnto vs how shall he not also giue vs all things with him Who shall laie any faults against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ which died yea and which rose againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall affliction Shall trouble Shall persecution Shall hunger Shall nakednes Shall danger Shall the sword I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor anie other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now it sufficientlie appéereth as I thinke what maner of securitie is allowed and which is condemned VVhether true Faith may be seuered from Charitie 18 But now let vs propound thrée things to be inquired the first In 1. Co. 13 verse 3. whether true faith may be seuered from charitie as our aduersaries persuade themselues that it may another is whether charitie be the forme of faith according as the Schoole-men teach lastlie Wherein charitie and faith excell one another let vs sée wherein charitie is more excellent than faith and likewise how faith dooth excell charitie Concerning the first it shall be conuenient before all things that we by some certeine definition set foorth the nature of faith for then we may easilie discerne how much it is ioined with charitie Let vs rip vp the matter throughlie first let vs make a difference betwéene supposing and beléeuing The difference betweene supposing and beleeuing When anie man dooth giuen his assent vnto one side of a controuersie he is said to suppose or haue opinion which thing is not without suspicion and a doubtfull mind least peraduenture the matter should be otherwise But we are not said to beléeue vnlesse we doo alreadie giue a firme and assured consent vnto the one side so that we suspect nothing at all of the truth of the other side Wherefore to beléeue according as serueth to our purpose What is to beleeue is by the inspiration of the holie Ghost to giue a firme assent vnto the word of God and that by the authoritie of God himselfe We saie that the inspiration of God is required bicause humane reasons in those things doo faile and The naturall man perceiueth not those things which be of God for he thinketh them to be but foolishnes and he cannot giue credit vnto them And that a firme assent is required in a true faith Augustine Augustine declareth in his 109. treatise vpon Iohn when he saith We must beléeue immooueablie firmelie stedfastlie and couragiouslie least a man wander about his owne affaires The word of God of two sorts and abandon Christ And we must giue our assent vnto the word of God which is of twoo sorts written and not written For those things which God spake vnto the prophets the prophets beléeued yet were not those things written by others before them Gen. 15 6. Abraham beléeued that he should be blessed so as all nations should obteine blessing in his séed also he beléeued that God was to be obeied Gen. 22 3. when his sonne was demanded for sacrifice and yet had he not read anie thing written thereof Wherefore that which we haue spoken of faith maketh nothing against them which saie that faith is an assent giuen to the Gospell of Christ or to the mercie of God giuen vs through Christ or else offered vnto vs by him for the remission of sinnes Forsomuch as these be the most high and principall things in the word of God vnto the which the lawe the prophets the threatenings promises and histories how manie soeuer be found in the holie scriptures be directed Wherefore I agrée with them and what they imbraced in the Gospell but as touching remission of sins through Christ I also doo affirme to be conteined in the word of God Heb. 11 1. The definition of faith which is in the epistle to the Hebrues 19 The epistle to the Hebrues the eleuenth chapter hath a most plaine definition of faith where it is called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is The ground or being of things which are hoped for in Gréeke ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã And surelie in this respect faith comprehendeth the Gospell eternall life the fellowship of Christ and thereby the remission of sinnes for these be the things which wée hope for But séeing those things cannot appéere by naturall euidence neither yet sticke fast in our minds or can firmelie abide by the industrie of our owne reason or by the helpe of humane knowledge they haue néed of faith as a prop or ground-worke vnto the which surelie they may leane Afterward is added ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is An euident token or argument of those things which appeere not For those things which be taught vs in the scriptures vnlesse they be admitted by faith will not séeme of themselues verie likelie to be true vnto our reason And whereas there is mention made of ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã or ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is A being or euident token that firme assent is declared the which we saie we haue néed of in beléeuing Wherevnto there is no let that we being compassed on euerie side with the flesh are oftentimes put to trouble by wauering and infirmitie If at anie time wee wauer in faith that is not faiths fault but ours
strength of Christians which loue is powred in our harts not by fréewill but by the holie Ghost which is giuen to vs whereas no merits go before that grace And in the 25. chapter We ought to preach to beléeue that by the sin of the first man fréewill is so decaid and diminished that no man afterward can either loue God as he ought to doo or beléeue in God or for Gods sake worke that which is good vnlesse the grace mercie of God preuent him Wherefore iust Abel Noah Heb. 11. Abraham Isaac Iacob and all the saints in the old time are in the epistle vnto the Hebrues said to haue done those things which in the holie scriptures are mentioned to haue béene done by them which faith we haue before taught to come of God And Paule writeth of himselfe 1. Cor. 7 25. I haue obteined mercie that I may be faithfull But he saith not I haue obteined mercie bicause I was before faithfull but contrariwise And in the selfe-same chapter This also we profitable confesse and beléeue that in euerie good worke it is not that we our selues do first begin afterward are holpen with the mercie of God but that he first inspireth into vs both faith and the loue of him and that without anie of our merits going before Wherefore we must without all doubt beléeue that both Zacheus and the théefe and alsoo Cornelius atteined not to beléeue through nature but by the gift of the bountifulnesse of GOD. 44 These things haue I alledged out of the Arausican Councell peraduenture more largelie than maie séeme to be conuenient for this place But for this cause haue I the willinglier doone it for that I sawe that all those things which are there affirmed are confirmed by the holie scriptures and doo verie much serue for our purpose Such Councelles gentle reader must be harkened vnto What Councels must be harkened vnto which cleaue vnto the word of God for whatsoeuer commoditie or discommoditie the church hath the same ought wholie to be ascribed vnto the obseruation or contempt of the word of God For in the old and auncient Councelles how were Arrius Eunomius Nestorius Eutyches and other pestiferous heretikes ouercome otherwise than by the word of God For without doubt they could neuer by anie other engines be ouercome and vanquished And contrariewise when began the church to giue place vnto abuses and to superstitions but when the word was contemned And now in our times vnlesse the word of God had béene sought for and called againe in a maner out of exile how could we euer haue béene deliuered from the tyrannie of the Pope Let these few things be a warning vnto vs not rashlie to beléeue euerie Councell but let vs receiue those Councelles alone which haue soundlie confirmed the decrées of their doctrine by the scriptures But that the thing which I affirme The Councell of Trent maie be more manifest let vs bring foorth the Councell of Trent that by the contrarie the truth maie the better be vnderstood In that Councell the fift Session from the fift chapter vnto the eleuenth chapter is intreated of iustification There these good holie Fathers the hirelings of the Pope doo thus decrée that The beginning of iustification is of grace But what they there vnderstand they straitwaie make it plaine For thus they saie It calleth and it stirreth vp they which are to be iustified are so holpen by it that being called and stirred vp they giue assent vnto this grace and worke therewith and are made apt to regeneration But this assent and working togither with it they doo attribute to frée will as the words doo shew What else would Pelagius saie if he were now aliue For euen he doubtlesse denied not grace if thou take it for an admonition calling and stirring vp He also attributed this vnto frée will that it had power to assent and to obeie the commandements of God But the grace which the holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs reneweth our vnderstanding and will and in steed of a stonie hart giueth vs a fleshie hart for it dooth not onelie counsell our reason but also fullie persuadeth it and bendeth and changeth the will Our men of Trent doo grant indeed that God toucheth the hart of man by the illumination of the holie Ghost but least a man himselfe should doo nothing they adde that man admitteth the inspiration as he which maie also refuse it Wherefore they fullie conclude that it perteineth to man to admit or receiue although they confesse that he can not doo that vnlesse he be called and stirred vp by grace But how can the hart of man vnlesse it be renewed by the spirit and grace of God receiue those things wherevnto it is enimie by reason of his nature being yet corrupt and defiled Assuredlie though it be neuer so much stirred vp taught and mooued yet vnlesse it be vtterlie changed it will continuallie refuse it and resist Wherfore Augustine Ad Simplicianum It is not in our power that those things which be set foorth vnto vs should please vs. writeth verie well that It is not in our power to bring to passe that those things which are set foorth vnto vs should be acceptable and pleasant vnto vs. But that thing which is neither acceptable nor pleasant we choose not though we be vrged by admonishers As if there should be offered vnto a sicke man good healthfull meats A similitude and verie pleasantlie dressed yet bicause they are neither pleasant nor acceptable vnto him he refuseth them though there stand manie by which saie vnto him that those meats are wholsome and verie well dressed The selfe-same thing vndoubtedlie happeneth vnto a mind not regenerate except that as touching the receiuing of the grace of God there can no violence be doone vnto the mind but the sicke person maie be compelled to take meats that are to him vnpleasant Wherefore so long as our will and vnderstanding is not changed by the spirit of God it will not admit anie healthfull admonitions And euen as a sicke person A similitude before he be restored to health neither abideth nor gladlie receiueth anie meats when they are offered him euen so the mind of man vnlesse it be changed from infidelitie to faith from impietie to godlinesse as saith the Arausican Councell it neither obeieth nor giueth place vnto grace which calleth stirreth it vp which thing neuerthelesse the good Fathers of Trent doo affirme 45 But least they should séeme to speake without scriptures they bring foorth two testimonies the one out of the first chapter of Zacharie Be ye conuerted vnto me Zach. 1 3 and I will be conuerted vnto you This saie they hath a respect vnto the man who is commanded that euen as touching iustification he should do somwhat Iere. 31 18. And Ieremie saith Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted by which words is declared that vnto this
much did set by their estimations and the iudgements of men that rather than they would be cast out of the synagog or yet be noted of anie infamie with the people they would forsake the confession of the name of Christ Wherefore when as the Lord saith that Such cannot beleeue and Iohn affirmeth that They did beleeue it is manifest that they spake of a diuerse and sundrie faith vnlesse we will saie that two contradictories maie both at one and the selfe-same time be true Wherefore Iohn spake of an humane faith but Christ of the sincere and true faith Two places reconcilled which at the first sight seeme repugnant Rom. 10 10. which true faith ought to be ioined with confession as Paule declareth saieng With the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation He which séeth the connexion betwéene righteousnes and saluation must néeds also sée the coniunction which ought to be betwéene faith profession Wherefore we saie that their faith was a dead faith but a dead faith is not a faith A dead faith is no faith no more than a dead man is a man 60 Although Smith in a certeine little booke of iustification which he wrote against me Smith contendeth that a dead faith is a faith which he prooueth chéeflie by this argument for that he by bodie of a dead man although it be dead is notwithstanding a bodie And this good wise man woonderfullie delighteth in this his similitude in which yet he hath vttered a sophisticall argument not disagréeing from his studie and skill For let vs a little examine this notable similitude Whether a carcase be the bodie of a man I would haue him to answer me whether a carcase be the bodie of a dead man or simplie the bodie of a man I thinke he will not answer that it is the bodie of a man for the bodie of a man and a dead carcase doo differ much the one from the other and that in verie déed more than two particular kinds which are of one and the selfe-same generall for that they are conteined vnder diuerse generall kinds from which they come next and as it were lineallie descend I grant that the carcase of a dead man is a bodie in the generall nature of substance as are stones stocks such other like but that it is in verie déed the bodie of a man I vtterlie denie For death taketh away from the bodie of a man the proper forme nature which he had before but it leaueth the generall nature onlie so that it maie be called a bodie Euen so true and iustifieng faith when it is lost or ceaseth to be a true and proper faith it maie indéed as touching the generall word which dooth betoken all kind and nature of faith be called a certeine cold assent sproong of humane persuasion and not such as commeth of the holie Ghost and which hath the selfe-same strength efficacie that it had before Wherfore if on either side be kept the selfe-same proportion of the similitude this woonderfull subtill shift shall make nothing against vs for as we confesse that a dead bodie is a bodie so we grant a dead faith is a faith so that by faith we vnderstand the generall kind which comprehendeth all sorts of faith and not that liuelie true faith whereby we are iustified Parlogismus aequiuocationis This reason is as they call it Paralogismus aequiuocationis that is a false argument comming of a word of diuerse significations He addeth moreouer that faith cannot iustifie bicause of his owne nature it is a thing dead receiueth life of another thing namelie of charitie and of good works True faith is no dead thing These obiections are vaine and trifling for none that is in his right wits will grant that true faith is a dead thing for The iust man is said to liue by his faith Abac. 2 4. And if out of faith we drawe life how can it then vnto anie man séeme dead But that it taketh life of an other thing From whence the life of faith commeth we denie not for it hath it partlie of those things which it beléeueth namelie of Christ and of the promises of God and partlie of the holie Ghost by whose breathing it is inspired In this sort we will grant that it hath life of another thing but not in that sort that this man will namelie that it hath it either of charitie or of good works For what man that is well in his wits will euer saie that either the stock of a trée or the branches or the fruits or the flowers doo giue life vnto the roots A similitude And faith is before either hope or charitie therefore of them it receiueth not life for in verie déed faith cannot be the matter of these vertues And euen as that facultie or power of the soule wherby we liue and are quickened which they call Vegetatiue giueth life to the bodie and receiueth not life of the facultie or power sensitiue whereby we féele or rationall whereby we vnderstand the which dooth followe euen so faith giueth life vnto the soule but taketh not that life either of charitie or of good works How faith is increased by good works Howbeit I grant that that life of faith is made so much the greater and ampler as it hath more and better works more feruent charitie breaking foorth of it not that it is increased by dooing of manie actions as they saie of vertues which they call morall but bicause God of his grace mercy multiplieth the talent for that it was not idle and bicause God by his power bringeth to passe that faith when it worketh through loue is stronger than it selfe when it dooth not so 61 But omitting these things let vs returne againe to Pighius He as much as lieth in him laboureth to prooue that a man cannot be iustified by that faith which is in Christ and in the remission of sinnes for that faith saith he whereby Abraham was iustified was not applied vnto these things For God promised vnto him onelie a plentifull séed and possession of a countrie and straitwaie is added that Abraham beleeued God Gene. 15 6. and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes In this argument Pighius dooth scorne and triumph in words against the truth and vtterlie derideth this our opinion and iudgement but this is nothing else than to deride Paule himselfe For he by most expresse words affirmeth Rom. 4 3. that We are iustified by faith in Christ and by the remission of sinnes Neither is there anie thing else in Pighius than a méere madnesse and a wicked desire to contend But let Paule come foorth and answer for himselfe what he thought to be vnderstood by the séed promised vnto Abraham Vndoubtedlie in his epistle vnto the Galathians the third chapter he calleth that séed Christ verse 16. Vnto Abraham
being ended let vs all agrée in one But Pighius cannot abide that this agréement should take place for afterward when he would expound how we are iustified fréelie he saith that that is nothing else but that God will fréelie impute vnto vs vnto righteousnes the works of faith hope and charitie What haue we here to doo Doubtles it séemeth vnto me that this man dooth not with a sound iudgement read the scriptures but dooth with a corrupt affection wrest them at his pleasure For where works are Rom. 4 4. there Paule denieth that there is a frée imputation for these two are repugnant one to an other wherefore in that Pighius goeth about to ioine them together doth he not séeme most manifestlie to be against the apostle 76 Thus much of Pighius vnto whom our Smith the eight wise man of Greece Smith an English man and the first wise man of England ioined himselfe a companion as Theseus did vnto Hercules But in verie déed he bringeth nothing else but that which he hath drawen out of the sinks of this man and other such like First he saith that faith is not for the remission of sinnes and that therefore we fondlie faine that iustification is had by it For the faith saith he whereby christians are discerned from no christians is in Iesus Christ which thing also as though it made much to the purpose he goeth about to prooue by the holie scriptures and by a testimonie of Ierom. But I would haue this man to answer me if euer he learned the Hebrue toong what is the signification of this name IESVS Vndoubtedlie amongst all the Hebrues this word Iascha signifieth To saue The signification of this word Iesus wherefore IESVS may in Latine rightlie be turned SERVATOR that is A sauiour But if which thing I thinke true he be ignorant of the Hebrue toong yet he ought at the least to haue beléeued the angel which so interpreted that name Mat. 1 21. That faith is touching the remission of sinnes Thou shalt call his name saith he IESVS for he shall saue his people from their sinnes How then can faith bée in CHRIST IESVS vnles it be also touching the remission of sinnes through Christ Afterward he is not afraid to cite that also out of the epistle of Peter 1. Pet. 4 8. Charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes Behold saith he forgiuenes of sinnes is here ascribed not vnto faith but vnto charitie A rule He that will haue a fit axe to cut these knots asunder let him attentiuelie consider the holie scriptures and diligentlie sée from whence those places which are cited in the new testament are taken out of the old This sentence of Peter is had in a maner out of the 10. chapter of the Prouerbs verse 12. for there it is thus written Hatred stirreth vp reprochfull speaches For whom a man hateth he discouereth publisheth abroad his faults as much as in him lieth but contrariwise charitie hideth and couereth the sinnes of his brother For they which trulie loue one another are woont to defend one another and to couer one anothers faults so much as they sée by conscience they may And this is a most true sentence of Salomon Wherefore Peter going about to exhort christians vnto charitie wiselie and aptlie borowed this sentence out of Salomon But Smith not vnderstanding or considering this supposeth that Peter thought that remission of sinnes is gotten by charitie howbeit he is most fowlie deceiued as oftentimes he is woont to be Another rule But passing ouer these men let vs remember that if at anie time the fathers séeme to attribute righteousnes vnto works the same is not to be vnderstood of that righteousnes which God fréelie imputeth vnto vs through Christ but of that inward righteousnes which is rooted in vs which we get and confirme by leading continuallie an vpright life Or if those things which they speake doo manifestlie perteine vnto the righteousnes imputed that is vnto the remission of sinnes we must alwais as we haue before taught run vnto the foundation of good works namelie vnto a liuelie faith in Christ which rules and such like if our aduersaries would consider they would neuer so impudentlie and obstinatelie defend so manie lies Although if I should speake anie thing touching Pighius forsomuch as I sée that he is neither of dull wit nor vnlearned I cannot saie that he in earnest and from the hart wrote touching this matter but when he had once taken the matter in hand he tooke these things for pastime and pleasure 77 Now to prosecute that order which I haue begun let vs come vnto the Fathers and sée how much they make on our side And vndoubtedlie for this matter wée shall not néed anie great number of testimonies For euen as to vnderstand what taste the water of the sea is A similitude it is not néedfull that a man drinke vp the whole sea euen so to vnderstand what the Fathers thinke touching this we shall not néed to go through all their saiengs Irenaeus Irenaeus a most ancient author in his 4. booke and 30. chapter against Valentine writeth somewhat touching this matter although brieflie And I suppose that he for this cause wrote so brieflie of it bicause this truth was in those first times so confessed certeine that it was not of anie man called in âout But yet by that little which he hath it may sufficientlie be vnderstood what his iudgement was as the saieng is that Protogenes knew Apelles by the draught of one line onelie Irenaeus therefore saith that the old Fathers euen those also which were before the law were iustified by faith For first when he had spoken of Abraham he ascended from him vnto Lot vnto Noe vnto Enoch And afterward he addeth a reason why in these mens times the law was not written bicause saith he they were alreadie iust vnto whom the lawe was not giuen for the iust haue the lawe written in their harts But peraduenture you will scarselie admit this testimonie bicause Irenaeus in that place when he speaketh there of Enoch saith that he was sent a legate vnto the angels which may séeme to be apocryphall so not to be counted of as of sound authoritie But I thinke the same is cited not so much out of anie apocryphall booke as out of some old tradition for manie things were as it were by hand deliuered vnto the ancient Fathers that are not to be reiected so that they be not repugnant to the holie scriptures Otherwise if for that cause we reiect this testimonie why doo we not also reiect the epistle of Iude For he also citeth a sentence of Enoch Iude. 1 5. that God shall come with thousands to iudgement But whereas Irenaeus saith The expounding of a place of Enoch that Enoch was a legate vnto the angels I suppose that it may be thus vnderstood to saie that those Angels were men
so soone iudged or more rashlie condemned Whence procéedeth it that there is at this daie so manie iudgments concerning meats In the same epistle it is written Whatsoeuer is sold in the market eate ye making no question for conscience sake 1. Co. 10 25. But more plainelie in the second chapter to the Colossians Col. 2 16. Let no man condemne you in meat and drinke or in a peece of a holie daie or of the new moone or of the sabboth daies which were shadowes of things to come but the bodie is of Christ In the lawe many kinds of meats are forbidken Those things which he spake hitherto doo belong vnto the ceremonies of the lawe and to the feast daies of Moses Immediatelie he passeth to other obseruations not procéeding from the lawe but from men when he addeth Take ye heed verse 18. that no man beguile you of the victorie by humblenes of mind and worshipping of angels aduancing himselfe in those things which he neuer sawe puft vp rashlie with his fleshlie mind and holdeth not the head whereof all the bodie being furnished knit togither by ioints and bands increaseth with the increasing of God verse 20. And if ye be dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though ye liued in the world are ye still held with traditions as Touch not Taste not Handle not all which perish with the vsing and are after the doctrine and commandements of men which things indeed haue a shew of wisedome in voluntarie religion and humblenes of mind and in not sparing of the bodie which are things of no value seing they perteine to the satisfieng of the flesh These words doo most manifestlie testifie that the place must be vnderstood touching the superstitious obseruation of mans inuentions And in the first epistle to Timothie it is written In the last daies manie shall fall awaie from the faith 1. Tim. 4 5. and shall giue heed vnto spirits of errour and doctrines of diuels which speake lies thorough hypocrisie haue their consciences burned with an hot iron forbidding to marrie and commanding to absteine from meates which God hath created to be receiued with giuing of thanks by them which beleeue and knowe the truth bicause euerie creature of God is good and nothing ought to be refused if it be receiued with thanks-giuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and by praier Titus 1 15. And to Titus Vnto the pure all things are pure but vnto them that are defiled and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure for their minds and consciences are defiled Also vnto the Romans Rom. 14 14 I knowe and am perfectlie persuaded that by Christ nothing is common but vnto him which shall saie it is common Vnto the Hebrues Heb. 13 9. It is an excellent thing to establish the hart by grace not by meats which haue profited nothing And in the Acts of the apostles it is said vnto Peter when he refused to eate of those creatures which were let downe from heauen Acts. 10 15. That which God hath sanctified doo not thou call common All these testimonies declare that euerie kind of meate is now through Christ made lawfull and pure 13 But against these things much is obiected First concerning that which Christ saith What things are alledged against this libertie of meate Matt. 15 11 That which entereth into the mouth defileth not a man they answer that the question was then whether meate receiued with vnwashen hands could defile a man And séeing the question was priuate they saie that which was answered ought not to be wrested in such sort as it should be vnderstood of all meates in generall For if saie they Christ had answered that generallie no kind of meats doo defile then should we also make things offered vnto idols lawfull neither should it be a fault to drinke poison and they had not sinned which in the primitiue church had eaten blood and flesh strangled Hervnto we answer that an occasion indéed was giuen vnto that sentence of Christ through a priuate question Whether we be contaminated by receiuing meate with hands vnwashen but the Lord when he denied that made a generall answer And that Christ in that place speaketh generallie the cause which he added vnto his sentence dooth make it plaine for That which entereth into the mouth is let downe into the bellie and is cast into the draught Which being incident to all kind of meats it cannot be doubted but that his sentence was generall Wherefore Christ prooued that meats doo not pollute Why meats doo not pollute forsomuch as they doo not touch the mind nor abide in vs but are digested and so auoided Neither is hereby ment that meate offered to idols or poison are lawfull for we are bound by the lawe of God to auoid such things I meane by the precept of charitie The circumstances cause that some meats must sometimes be forbidden not by the commandements of men For the circumstances doo cause that somtimes we must absteine from sundrie things either bicause there followeth offense in them that be weake or else bicause the health is impaired 14 But they saie againe that they also doo not affirme that meates in their owne nature Looke In 1. Sam. 9 verse 13. are vncleane but bicause the church hath commanded that the faithfull sort should vpon certeine daies refraine themselues from eating of flesh to the intent the flesh may be bridled Therefore if we obeie not they affirme that men are defiled not as though meats were euill or vnpure but bicause men deale intemperatelie An answer to the Papists that excuse their superstition in meats by the commandement of the church by violating the ordinance of the church Vnto this we saie that it is not sufficient to grant that meats in their owne nature be not euill and defiled for both the Scribes the Pharisies had knowledge thereof though they were neither Marcionites nor yet Manicheis for they allowed of the lawe of God Wherefore they were constreined to confesse out of Genesis that All things which God hath made are verie good But Christ vrgeth this that they did not well in ordeining of such decrées and declared that it was not well doone to take such carefull héed about washing of hands and in the meane time to suffer the commandements of God to be contemned and neglected bicause they made a religion and worship of God there where God had made none And yet neuertheles that lawe of the Pharisies although it now séeme friuolous might haue a goodlie pretensed shew as who should saie they would by the washing of hands as by a signe haue men to be admonished of the purenesse of the mind which they ought to procure through praiers and repentance And if so be they themselues had kept themselues cleane from sinnes then should the meats haue béene cleane vnto them and they might haue said in their
mortified should haue béene translated We are slaine For the Hebrue word is Horagnu although the Gréeke word ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã sometimes signifieth To mortifie for that word Paule vsed in the same chapter Rom. 8 13. when he said And if ye by the spirit mortifie the deeds of the flesh ye shall liue But héere as we said ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã signifieth To be slaine and to be deliuered vnto the death 15 But that which followeth All the daie long signifieth that death dooth continuallie hang ouer them and that they are neuer secure but that they thinke they shall be foorthwith drawen vnto death Chrysost Albeit Chrysostome amplifieth this an other waie It is of necessitie saith he that men die once at the least But séeing they are so prepared that they are willing euerie daie to die if néed require they haue euerie daie the fruit of martyrdome as if they should euerie daie die And the cause much relieueth and comforteth them for they are not slaine as wicked men or malefactors but onlie for religioÌ godlines sake And therefore they saie For thy sake And for that cause some thinke that that psalme ought not to be vnderstood of the first captiuitie for then the Iewes were not punished for Gods cause or for religion sake but bicause they were idolaters and so wicked as God would no longer suffer them for they had now altogither fallen awaie from God The booke of the law was almost cleane blotted out the temple was shut vp The Iewes for the lawe suffred manie things vnder Antiochus and the Macedonians the citie of Ierusalem ouerflowen with the blood of the prophets Wherefore this is a prophesie of the latter calamitie which happened in the time of the Machabeis vnder Antiochus and the Macedonians For then the Iewes suffered most gréeuous torments bicause they would defend the lawes of God Therefore they saie For thy sake are we slaine And in an other verse it is added And yet for these things haue we not forgotten thee or doone vnfaithfullie against thy couenant These things are not so spoken as though men doo at anie time suffer more gréeuous things than they haue deserued For none of all the martyrs liued so purelie and innocentlie but that they were subiect to some sinnes but those sinnes deserued not onelie the death of the bodie but also without the helpe of Christ his death euerlasting punishment But these paines and vexations God sendeth not vpon them as being angrie but for the setting foorth of his truth and glorie Howbeit in the meane time according as he promised Matt. 19 29. God rendreth an hundreth fold vnto them which haue suffred for his name in this life he repaieth vnto them not onelie life eternall but also in this life he rendreth vnto them an hundreth fold For oftentimes he most abundantlie restoreth those things which were lost for his sake Sometimes also in the middest of tribulations and euen in the verie crosse and death he giueth vnto them so much strength and consolation that in verie deed it is more than an hundreth fold if it be compared with those things which they haue lost And bicause the mysteries of our faith are secret and hidden God will haue them to be testified not onelie by oracles of the scriptures but also by the torments and slaughters of the elect And therefore Christ vnto the apostles Act. 1 8. when he sent them into the whole world to preach Ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Iewrie and in Samaria and vnto the ends of the world But it is no hard matter by words to testifie the truth but those testimonies are most weightie which are sealed with blood Not punishments nor death but the cause maketh martyrs Augustine and with death Howbeit this must be knowen as Augustine hath admonished that paines punishments and death maketh not martyrs but the cause For otherwise manie suffer manie gréeuous things and yet are not martyrs For the same Augustine to Boniface De correctione Donatistarum and in manie other places testifieth that in his time there were Circumcellions a furious kind of men which if they could find none that would kill them would often times breake their owne necks hadlong and would slaie them selues These men saith he must not be counted martyrs Thrée things therefore séeme fit to the state of martyrdome First To martyrdome three things are required that the doctrine which is defended be true and agréeable vnto the holie scriptures The second is that there be adioined integritie and innocencie of life that men doo not onelie edifie the church by death but also by life and conuersation The third is that they séeke not to die for glorie sake or for desire of name and fame Paule saith to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 3 13. If I shall deliuer my bodie to be burnt and haue not charitie it nothing profiteth me Therefore no man ought to account the Anabaptists The Anabaptists or Libertines are no martyrs Libertines and other such pestiferous sects for martyrs For séeing these men doo obstinatelie defend their errors vnto the death they are not mooued with charitie neither towards God nor yet towards men And forsomuch as they hate all good men they be rather the martyrs of satan and of their owne errors than of Christ Two kinds of testimonies we haue Two testimonies that further herin but yet are not firme which helpe verie much to the knowledge of the truth yet are not those altogither so firme that we ought straitwaie to assent vnto them namelie miracles torments which are suffred for the defense of anie opinion In either of them must be had great warinesse that the doctrine which is set foorth be examined by the holie scriptures Paule out of Dauid compareth the godlie with shéepe appointed vnto the slaughter In this similitude are two things to be considered First that they are called shéepe bicause they be simple as becommeth the flocke of Christ to be Secondlie bicause in their punishments they make no resistance following the example of Christ of whom it is written that When he was led like a sheepe vnto death 1. Pet. 2. 22. Esaie 53 7. yet did hee not open his mouth 16 Paule addeth But in all these things we be conquerours The Gréeke word is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã that is We doo notablie ouercome This particle ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã in this place perteineth nothing vnto the works of supererogation for Paule ment nothing else but that so much strength is giuen vs by God as in this conflict we go farre beyond our enimies This the diuell dooth that by these aduersities he may wrest from vs our confidence and loue towards God But that by this meanes is rather increased Rom. 5 4. For tribulation worketh patience patience worketh experience experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed But by what strength this victorie happeneth vnto vs Paule straitwaie
that is to wit adorned with vpper and grosser parts in the which these affections be Augustine Wherevpon Augustine in the place aboue alledged Neither had he a counterfet humane affection séeing he had the bodie and soule of a man Herevpon Ambrose woorthilie saith that Christ tooke vpon him not a shew of incarnation but a truth and therefore truelie had affections And he added that this vndoubtedlie was conuenient that he might ouercome sorrowe and sadnes but not exclude them He addeth saieng Neither is that fortitude coÌmendable which bringeth in an vnsensiblenes of wounds not a gréefe If there be anie that knowe they haue so vnsensible a bodie as they féele not wounds they haue not the commendation of fortitude or valiant courage but those haue it which ouercome the gréefs which they féele How a saieng of Hilarie must be taken heed of Wherefore Hilarie must be aduisedlie read in his 10. booke De Trinitate who speaketh dangerouslie of the bodie of Christ and of those affections He affirmeth that the Lord had a bodie to suffer but not to féele paine And he saith that the crosse sword and nailes put vpon Christ the violence of a passion A similitude but not a gréefe And he vseth a similitude to wit that it fared euen as if one would attempt with a sword to thrust through water fire or aire he should doo violence against these elements and the sword of his owne nature would put to gréefe but those bodies be not of that nature as they can suffer a wound These things are not agreable to the scripture and to a true humane bodie On this wise may we argue that Christ had gréefe A proofe that Christ suffered greefe To the féeling of gréefe in anie man two things are chéeflie required which things being appointed gréefe dooth followe first that the bodie shuld be hurt secondlie that there shall be a féeling of that hurt But the bodie of Christ was hurt being whole it was broken The soule of Christ was most perfect it had sense Ergo it was not without féeling The selfe same are we to iudge as touching sadnes This is the nature thereof When sadnes appeareth that if in the cogitation or imagination we perceiue anie hurtfull thing that is like to happen or is present then it sheweth it selfe Such cogitations had Christ Those things were repugnant vnto nature wherefore there followed a sadnesse howbeit that followed not which had sinne ioined with it They were perfect motions they went not beyond the rule of Gods word they had the nature of a punishment but not of an offense Our affections be vnpure What cause of difference is there Augustine Augustine in the place aboue recited sheweth the reason bicause the affections of Christ were deriued of power ours of infirmitie Christ had that power that he could vse these affections when and as often as he would but ours doo now spring of infirmitie yea and they rise against vs whether we will or no. We can not bridle them wherefore they be troublous but Christs be cléere not onelie as they were by institution giuen vnto Adam but also as they were adorned by the grace of God they presumed nothing but so long and so much as it behooued 39 So then we may assigne thrée differences betweene Christs affections and ours The first as touching the obiects the motions and affections of Christ neuer declined vnto sinne but ours doo verie often The second Christ as saith Augustine vsed when he iudged that they should be vsed as when he would that man should be man was made it dooth not so happen with vs they breake foorth euen against our wils Thirdlie those perturbations be sometimes so forcible in vs as they disquiet reason it selfe and doo hinder faith but it was not thus in Christ Matt. 5 28. Wherefore Ierom vpon Matthew in the handling of that sentence He that shall looke vpon a woman to lust after hir Passions and preparatiues vnto passions c. distinguisheth and saith that There is ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã and ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã which may be called suffering fore-suffering That ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã is alwaies taken in the the ill part when they vanquish and ouercome vs. But ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã be the first motions which although they be held vnder the name of an offense yet are they not crimes they doo not ouercome But what the difference is betwéene a crime and a sinne Augustine in the 41. The difference betweene a crime and a sinne 1. Tim. 3 10 treatise vpon Iohn sheweth Crimes be gréeuous sins which haue accusation and deserue condemnation but sinnes are of lesse weight Wherefore the apostle when he speaketh touching the ordeining of pastors will haue them to be without crime not without sinne otherwise he should exclude all men from the ministerie Therefore in Christ those affections procéeded not so far that they could alienate his will from the right waie as Ierom saith when he handleth that place My soule is heauie c. Matt. 26 3â They had rather the nature of foresuffering than of suffering His diuine nature could bring to passe that they should not begin to come foorth but by a certeine dispensation of grace for our saluation he made place for them when the time serued But if they were affections Why Christ called his affections his will whie did he call them a will saieng Not my will be doone but thine He ment the inclination of nature whereby we shunne things hurtfull And it was requisite that Christ should be sad and mooued with those affections bicause it behooued him to be tempted in all things and to ouercome these affections and this victorie not a litle furthered our redemption neither was it against the will of God For he would haue him not onelie to be crucified but also to be affected with those motions euen as Ierusalem to be ouerthrowen and Christ to bewaile it neither while he wept did he against his Fathers will Wherefore if we shall beléeue Cyrill Christ his death in respect that he was a man and had appetite and sense was not voluntarie yet was it voluntarie bicause it pleased the Father and bicause it serued to our redemption for the which Christ came But it was said Christ was blessed how could he be mooued with those affections Bicause that felicitie was so conteined in the vpper part of the mind as it did not redound to the lower parts 40 All these things make against the Stoiks namelie the doctrine of Christ and the doctrine apostolicall also the example of Christ Wherefore it is no maruell if the godlie be so sorrowfull Yea and I thinke good to adde True affections are greater in the godlie than in the wicked that true affections are greater in the godlie than in the wicked who by litle and litle put them awaie and the greater that they be the more they
short a space of time the doctrine of Christ could be spread abrode throughout the world when as it had so many aduersaries the diuell wicked persons and also tyrants the high Bishops and Priestes the wise men both of the Iewes and also of the Gentils and when as otherwise as touching humane artes the simplicitie and rudenes of the preachers was great Within the space of xx or xxx yéeres the preaching of Christ was in a maner euerie where heard Long before the Philosophers doctrine could be spread as Chrysostome writeth but it was verie long before the wise and learned Philosophers could spread abroade their doctrines further than Greece And in such sort were they at the length published in some places that verie fewe vnderstoode them or gaue credite to them Why Mahomets doctrine was so soone spread The doctrine of Mahomet perhappes may séeme to haue bin published with woonderfull expedition but we must consider that those thinges which he preached as touching the effect were no new opinions For he denieth not the Creator of heauen and of earth he beléeueth that the soules be immortall he commendeth Christ as a Prophet he affirmeth the resurrection of the dead he setteth forth also eternall punishmentes and eternall felicitie and verie manie other things which are contained in the old and new Testament Mahomets doctrine may be called an heresie Wherefore it maie iustlie be called an heresie And in déede they be fragments of the Arrians For he commendeth Christ but yet as a creature he builded therefore vppon another mans foundation But Christ and the Apostles when they began to preache the Gospell found all things vtterly strange from their doctrine so that it was an incredible miracle that the heauenlie doctrine could be published abroade in so short a time and that in some part it remained of long time welnéere in all places For there came vnto Christ some families of beléeuers almost throughout all prouinces and Cities In 1. Sam. 10. v. 9. Looke part 1. place 3. A definition of prophesie 8 But prophesie is a power giuen from God through the inspiration of the holie Ghost whereby the secrets and counsels of God may be knowen and expounded vnto others for the edifying of the church whether those things be present or past or to come And God reuealeth his counsels for the commoditie of the Church Prou. 29. 18. Therefore saieth Salomon in the 29. of Prouerbes Where there is no prophesie the people shall be scattered for prophesie is of great force to kéepe men in their duetie They prophesied in Musicall instrumentes Verse 1. For in the first booke of Chronicles the 25. Chapter they are appointed which should prophesie in Cimbals and Harpes Paul in the 14. Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14. 3. 5. teacheth that Prophesie must be done to edifying he that prophesieth speaketh to men to edifying to exhortation and comfort And if so be that all doe prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not or is vnlearned he is rebuked of all men and is iudged of all and so the secrets of his heart are made manifest and so falling downe vpon his face he will worship God confessing that God of a trueth is in you The diuell also as he is an Ape of God would haue also his diuine worshippers and phantasticall Priests of Sibill The Diuels Prophets who did fret and fume in their ceremonies not to edification but to destruction Deut. 18. 10. 18. 21. God in Deuteronomie doth earnestly forbid that none should aske counsell of a Magitian Soothsayer or Diuinour I saieth he will raise vnto you a Prophet him ye shall heare And by two signes he saieth ye shall knowe him to be the Prophet of God both if the things come to passe which he hath foreshewed and also if he leade not the people to Idolatrie I know that place of S. Peter in the Actes of the Apostles Actes 3. 22. is most truely applied vnto Christ yet also it may be vnderstoode not amisse as touching the Prophets of whom the people should aske counsell yea and in the Psalme Psal 74. 9. the people complaine that prophesie ceased We see not say they our signes At this day also the Iewes are miserablie destitute of all kinde of prophesie But in the Primatiue Church when prophesie florished The difference betwéene doctors and Prophets what differeÌce was there betwéene a Prophet and a Doctor I answere that although the office of them both were all one yet Doctors were instructed by Maisters but Prophets spake vpon the suddaine being moued by the inspiration of the holy Ghost without any helpe of man 9 But yet it is to be thought that Prophetes in olde time were of the tribe of Leuie In 1. Sam. 19. v. 18. Prophets of the tribe of Leui. for all administration and care of holie seruices pertained vnto that tribe Wherefore they that were chosen out of that tribe were brought that after they had bin well and godlie instructed they should afterward offer sacrifice and teach the people And they were taught euen from their childhood that godlinesse being planted betimes it might fasten with the more continuance and stedfastnesse They were exercised vnto no other trade of life than to teach the lawe to offer sacrifice and to pray for the people But thou wilt saie these be the giftes of God why then should they be learned of a Maister In déede I graunt they are the giftes of God yet there is no let but that young men may adorne their mindes with good arts the which afterward the holie Ghost may vse Children of the Prophets and why they were so called 1. Kings 2. v. 3. 5. 7. c. Gal. 3. 19. They were called the children of the Prophets bicause they held and reuerenced instead of fathers the elder Prophets of whom they were taught Also disciples and hearers in the holie scriptures are oftentimes called children Paul to the Galathians My little children saieth he of whom I now trauell in birth And vnto the Corinthians Children lay not vp for parents 2. Cor. 12. 14. Iohn 1. 12. 8. 35. 11. 52. 1. Iohn 5. Esay 8. 16. 18. but parents for children Also in Iohn Christ oftentimes calleth his Disciples Children And Iohn in his Epistles Little children saieth he beware of Idols Esaie in the 8. Chapter saieth Seale the law in my Disciples And straight way he addeth I and the children which the Lord hath giuen mee Vnto these children of the Prophetes the Nazarites of other tribes did oftentimes sort themselues those were vtterlie seuered from the common people and they caried some shew of our Moonkes who also might haue bin suffered Vnder what conditions our MoÌkes might haue bin suffered if all things among them had not bin contaminated with superstitions For they had vowes inuocations of the dead Masses and
it Therefore faieth he it is a commaunding figure namely that we should swéetely profitably lay vp in memorie the flesh of Christ that was crucified and wounded for vs. In an Epistle vnto Boniface he said most plainely that sacramentes take their name of those things whereof they should be sacraments and he expressed by name the sacrament of the bodie of Christ And he addeth that the sacrament of the bloud of Christ is the bloud of Christ And all this he wrote to shew that baptisme is the Sacrament of faith and that therefore it may be said that it is faith and that young children being baptized haue faith because they receiue this sacrament And least that any should say that these be signes substantially as these men speake of the thing present let them consider of the similitudes which these men haue alleaged to wit that we say when we be néere vnto Easter that to morrow or the next day after shal be the Passion of the Lord and vpon Sundaie the Lord rose againe when as yet these things are not nowe present but were doone long before Further he here affirmeth that the baptisme of young children is faith which neuerthelesse yong children presently haue not Yea and the same father as we haue it De Consecratione distinct 2. in the Chapter Interrogo vos saieth that it is as sinfull a negligence to suffer the word which is preached to slip out of our mindes as it is for a part of the sacrament to fall vpon the earth Which if it were graunted this Transubstantiation would take but small place For it woulde séeme to be farre more absurd that the bodie it selfe of Christ should fall or be troden vnder foote than if any part of the holy wordes should be heard with small regard Moreouer vpon the 8. Psalme he saieth that Christ admitted Iudas in the supper when he commeÌded vnto vs the figure of his bodie They are accustomed to say that the figure or signe in this sacrament which is the bodie of Christ being hidden with accidents is his owne dead and vnbloudie bodie as he hung vpon the Crosse and that the bloud hidden vnder the accidents of wine is the figure of the bloud shed vpon the Aultar of the Crosse But who perceiueth not that the deuises of these men be vaine For there ought to be put a signe and figure which is sensible more knowen than the thing signified Therefore the Maister of the Sentences out of Augustine defined a sacrament to be a visible signe of an invisible grace A definition of the sacrament But the bodie of Christ being hidden vnder accidents as themselues affirme is no lesse obscure than is that which hung vpon the Crosse yea and if I may say the truth more vnknowen and obscure than the thing signified Which is against the nature of a signe and figure For more easily is the bodie knowen and considered of vs how it hung vpon the Crosse than as they make it in the Eucharist 28 Leo the Pope in an Epistle vnto the Clergie people of Constantinople wrote Leo. that this is a mysticall distribution a spirituall foode and a heauenly vertue That here we receiue it to the intent we may bée made the flesh of Christ who for our sakes tooke our flesh vppon him Cyrillus in the 4. Cyril Booke and 14. Chapter vpon Iohn On this wise he gaue vnto the beléeuing Disciples péeces of bread saying Take ye The same Father in an Epistle to Calosyrius Wherefore it became him after a sort to be vnited vnto our bodies by his holy flesh and by his precious bloud which we receiue in the liuely blessing in bread and wine Now will we alleage Theodoritus Bishop of Cyrus Theodoritus he liued in the time of Cyrillus and was in the Synode of Ephesus and Chalcedone and he was accounted most learned and eloquent And when in the Synode of Ephesus there had happened a discension betwéene Iohn the Patriarche of Antioch and Cyrillus the Patriache of Alexandria it séemed good to Theodoritus to cleaue vnto the Patriarche of Antioch howbeit the matter came to an agréement and in the Synode of Chalcedone Theodoritus was knowen for a verie learned man and holy member of the Church of Christ yea and in the bookes which he wrote he purposely withstandeth Nestor and by expresse wordes dealeth against him The Booke was printed at Rome And the Papistes perceiued that he is most manifestly against Transubstantiation and they haue excused him for two causes First for that the Church had not as yet pronounced as concerning that matter as though wée shoulde séeke what the Pope with his Cardinals decreed either at Constance or in the Synode where Berengarius was condemned and not rather what hath bin preached and beléeued in the olde Church Further they saide that this man in writing against Hereticks wheÌ he intreated of those mysteries did ouermuch leane vnto the other part and so was against Transubstantiation to the intent the aduersaries might be the easilier confuted But how vaine an excuse this is it may appeare by the discourse of the writer where thou maiest perceiue that not one word hath escaped him but that the whole Argument and strength thereof is drawen from the nature of a sacrament so as if thou mingle therewithall Transubstantiation there can bée nothing concluded Yea rather the Heretickes will carrie away the victorie They adde that he in the selfe same booke speaketh sometime more reuerently of the Eucharist but all things being considered he speaketh no where so reuerently that he is against our opinion which we haue now affirmed He disputeth against them which denied that Christ had a true bodie and said that his bodie at the time of his Ascension was wholy turned into the diuine nature First he alleageth the prophesie of the Patriarch Iacob that he may prepare himselfe a waie to deriue an argument from the sacraments The wordes be these 29 ORTH. Doest thou know that God called bread his owne bodie SOD. I knowe it ORTH. And againe that at another time his flesh was called Corne SOD. This also I know for I haue heard him say that The houre commeth wherein the sonne of man shall be glorified Ioh. 12. 23. and vnlesse the graine of Corne be cast into the earth and die it remaineth alone but if it be dead it will bring foorth much fruite ORTH. He vndoubtedly in the deliuerie of the mysteries called bread his bodie the Cup mixed his bloud SOD. So in déede he named it ORTH. But it might also according to nature bée called a bodie yea euen his owne bodie and bloud SOD. It is graunted ORTH. Yea verilie our Sauiour himselfe chaunged the names and to the bodie he gaue the name of the signe and to the signe the name of the bodie Iohn 15. 1. After the same manner also when he said that he himselfe is the vine he called his bloud the
because it is flesh and bread together Gelasius Gelasius against Eutiches wrote that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist the substance and nature of bread and wine doe not cease to be and he maketh a comparison of this Sacrament with Christ in whom both the natures aswell diuine as humane remaine whole euen as in this Sacrament dooth the nature of bread and of the bodie of Christ Gregorie in the register Gregorie while we take aswell the swéete bread as the leauened bread we are made one bodie of the Lord our Sauiour Bertram Bertram in his little booke De Corpore Sanguine Domini saith as touching the natures of the signes that according to the substaÌce of the creatures looke what they were before consecration the same they remaine afterward Bernard Bernard in his Sermon De Coena Domini manifestlie setteth foorth a similitude of a King whereby any man receaueth either the faith of wedlock or the possession of some dignitie as it commeth to passe in the consecration of Byshops where the King or the Crosiers staffe or the labels of the Miter be signes of thinges giuen and graunted and yet no vaine signes For the thinges which they signifie are most certainelie giuen The very which I haue shewed to be doone in Sacramentes 32 Now let vs confute the Argumentes of these men wherby they indeuour to prooue their TraÌsubstantiation As touching the first A confutation of the arguments for transubstantiation we answere that Christ promised his flesh or his bodie or bloud for to be meate and drinke and that in the 6. of Iohn Verse 51. which he perfourmeth so often as we beléeue that he truelie dyed for vs. He also performed it wheÌ in the supper he instituted this Sacrament For vnto that spirituall eating The meaning of the proposition This is my bodie he added signes But speciallie they obiected This is my bodie about the trueth of which saying standeth the Controuersie howbeit onely as touching the manner for both aswell they as we affirme the proposition to be true and we contend onely about the sense They affirme the proposition to be plaine and wée on the other side say âugustine that Augustine De doctrina Christiana teacheth that wee must not so interpret one place as it should be against many other but so as it may agrée with the rest Neither must they alwayes obiect a plainnesse of the sense otherwise when it is said Gen. 1. 6. Let vs make man to our owne Image and likenesse the heretickes named Anthropomorphitae arise and inferre The Heretikes called Anthropomorphitae that God hath a bodie and a soule and other members as we sée them to be framed in man Thou sayest that this Similitude must be referred vnto the soule because through it man beareth rule ouer other creatures as God dooth but they say that these thinges be there written of man and that thou vainlie goest about to attribute to a part namely to the soule that which is pronounced of the whole Ioh. 4. 24. Luk. 24. 39. Thou againe obiectest That God is a spirit and that a spirit hath not flesh and bones and so by other places of the Scriptures thou gatherest the sense of this one place So said the Arrians that they had a plaine sense of that place The ArriaÌs The father is greater than I. Thou restrainest this vnto the nature of man Ioh. 14. 28. because in other places the diuinitie of Christ is declared vnto thée as in the first of Iohn and in the Epistle to the Romans the 9. Iohn 1. 1. Rom. 9. 5. 1. Ioh. 5. 20. Luk. 22. 36. Chapter and in the 5. Chapter of Iohns Epistle Christ saith He that hath not a sword let him buy himselfe one Whereby he séemeth to stirre vp vnto reuenge In interpreting of one place we must haue respect vnto other places but and if thou haue respect vnto other places thou shalt perceiue it is spoken figuratiuely Paul sayth 1. Thess 5. 17. Pray you without intermission The Heretikes called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã Vp rose the heretikes called ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã ãâã who thought that we should apply our selues to perpetuall and close whispering prayers when as neuerthelesse it is said elsewhere He that prouideth not for his owne 1. Tim. 5. 8. and especiallie for his houshold renounceth his faith and is woorse than an infidell And againe Let all thinges be doone by order And againe 1. Co. 14. 40 2. Thess 3. 10. He that laboureth not let him not eate The heretickes called Chiliastae that is the Millenarij The Millenarii Apo. 20. 7. thought that they had a most plaine word in the Apocalips the 20. Chapter as touching a thowsand yeares wherein Christ shall raigne with his Saintes And the Sabellian hereticks sayd The Sabellians There is no difference betwéene the father and the sonne by reason of that place Ioh. 10. 30. Iohn 14. 9. I the father be one Also Philip He that seeth me seeth also the father Ioh. 10. 38. and as I am in the father so likewise the father abideth in me These thinges the heretickes said were plaine and made for them The Ebionites The Ebionites affirmed Christ to be a meere creature and they said that these wordes My God my God Mat. 27. 46 why hast thou forsaken me might not otherwise be vnderstood séeing that God neuer forsaketh himselfe And because that it is written in the 6. Verse 54. of Iohn He that shall eate my flesh and drinke my bloud shall not dye at any time some haue said that it followeth that they which haue lawfully communicated once cannot perish euerlastingly Which error Augustine De Ciuitate Dei dooth manifestlie reprooue And the wordes of the Canticles of Salomon The Cââ¦ticles of Salomon if thou receaue them as they appeare at the first shew be no other than verses of loue or a wedding song It is not méete therefore to pretend alwayes a perspicuitie of wordes Christ said He that hath eares to heare Matt. 13. 9. let him heare and he that readeth let him vnderstand Neither is it conuenient foorthwith to take quicke holde of the first sense neglecting and not considering other places Christ said vnto the Apostles Matt. 16. 6. Beware ye of the Leuen of the Pharasies They straightway thought that he spake of bread when he spake as concerning doctrine He said also Ioh. 11. 11. Lazarus our friend sleepeth There lykewise the Apostles misvnderstood him If he sleepe he shall be safe when as he spake of death Againe the Lord said Destroy this Temple Iohn 2. 19. and in three dayes I will raise it vp againe Neither vnderstood they that he meant as touching his bodie He that shall keepe my commaundements shall not dye for euer Here also the Iewes thought that he spake of the common death Grossely did Nicodemus vnderstand
and by this they inferred that betwéene the sonne of God and the father there happeneth no other vnion or coniunction than this Wherfore it was the part of Hilarie to shew that we be naturallie vnited with Christ to the intent he might conclude that the sonne also is naturally ioyned to the Father His proofe is on this wise If the word of GOD did truelie take vppon it the nature of man hée doeth naturallie communicate in his fleshe with vs and we are said to remaine in him because he hath in himselfe our nature And semblablie in the Lords supper if we truelie receaue his flesh we doe participate naturallie with him and he doth truelie dwel in vs. And thus Hilarie argueth from the trueth of Sacraments which we denie not And this was the vse of the old fathers that they drewe their Arguments from Sacramentes as from thinges best knowen But there is none of these things against our opinion For Hilarie contendeth not that the flesh of Christ is hidden and couered vnder Accidentes or in this Sacrament but hee onelie affirmeth that we in communicating are trulie ioyned to the flesh of Christ the which we denie not But consider with mee that the selfe same father not much before those words which he speaketh of the Eucharist saith the same of Baptisme that by it we are ioyned vnto Christ and one with an other not onelie in the vnitie of assent and will but also in the vnitie of nature So that ye shall be constrayned there also to appoint Transubstantiation if for that cause yee bring it into the Sacrament Chrysostome is not farre from this vse of taking Arguments from Sacramentes who in the 83. Homilie vppon Matthew saith as we cited before that these be signes of the Lord Iesus whereby we both bridle and stoppe the mouthes of Heretikes For they saie verie often Howe did Christ suffer And wee on the other side obiect If Christ had not true flesh these signes be in vayne And this doth rightlie follow because they shoulde else represent vnto vs fained things And thus were the Manichees Marcionites and such like pestilent sectes put to silence by them 53 As touching Leo the Byshop of Rome To Leo. there is no cause why we should trouble our selues much because he in the sentence obiected against vs both affirmeth a mysticall distribution and setteth downe a spirituall sustenance and a vertue celestiall and sayth that we doe passe into the flesh of Christ euen as he tooke our flesh vpon him They cite Emisenus whose wordes are read To Emisenus De Consecratione distinct the first but there if thou looke well vppon it thou shalt finde these wordes Touch thou with thy minde and with the hand of thy heart take hold of the bodie of Christ By which wordes it is plain that he affirmeth vs to eate the bodie of the Lorde spirituallie Further he vehementlie vrgeth as other of the fathers doe our changing into Christ the wich neuerthelesse as we sée is without Transubstantiation Why we so often make mencion of the chaÌging of our selues in receiuing of the Sacramentes I know that some may woonder why we so oftentimes oppose the changing of our selues against the changing that the fathers séeme to affirme to be in the signes which they constantlie say are all one and some imagine that there is a farre other coÌiunction betwéen the bodie of Christ and the signes than is betwéene vs and the bodie of Christ and that therefore the Analogie and proportion holdeth not although the fathers doe appoint both the one and the other To this we aunswer and say that our Argument is most strong because it is from the greater to the lesse by a negatiue For the ioyning together of Christ vnto vs and with them which communicate is greater than it can be with the signes The communicants are more ioyned vnto Christ than are the signes Seeing therefore in respect of vs transubstaÌtiation is not required much lesse shall it be in signes But that we be more ioyned together vnto Christ than the signes be it thereby appeareth insomuch as that coniunctioÌ was inueÌted bicause of this Further the words and the spirit whereby the signes are consecrated do much lesse belong vnto other things than vnto men Vnto Theophilact 54 Of Theophilact we say that he is a late writer and who perhappes liued in those times when as many questions were begunne to be mooued touching Tansubstantiation vnder Nicholas the Byshop of Rome in the time of Lanfranck and Berengarius Further he was a man of no great iudgement as it may appeare by his interpretation of Iohn the 3. Chapter at the ende where he blameth the Church of the Latins by name as touching the procéeding of the holy Ghost that it procéedeth from the father and the sonne So as we will not thinke his authoritie to be so great as it ought to preiudice the trueth yet neuerthelesse we will examine his sayings He affirmeth bread not to be the figure of the bodie of Christ and that in his treatise vppon Matthew But and if he meane a voyd and vaine figure he saith rghtlie neither doe we appoint such a figure And we doubt not but that this is his interpretation because vpon Marke he saith that it is not a figure onelie otherwise if he should vtterlie denie it to be a figure he should be against the rest of the fathers whom we haue manifestlie prooued to affirme that it is both a signe and a figure He saith that breade is transformed that it is chaunged and transelementated which spéeches if hee vnderstand sacramentally we mislike them not For bread and wine be sacraments and doe passe into the Elements of diuine things they put on a signifying forme But they say that this Father writeth Therfore the flesh and bloud is not séene least we should abhorre it But if thou wilt sharply vrge these words we will obiect that which hee writeth vpon Marke That the kindes of bread and wine are changed into the vertue of the bodie and bloud to wit that the kinds of bread and wine are chaunged into the vertue of the bodie and bloud of the Lord. And if thou wilt say that he in an other place saieth not Into the vertue but into the bodie bloud of the Lord we aunswere that this is the interpretation of those wordes that these signes take vnto them the vertue of the things by which vertue the Sacramentes haue no lesse than if the things themselues were there and as I haue saide the abhorring is taken away if wee appoint the signes to be chaunged not into the thing but into the vertue More violent séemeth an other saying of his which he hath vpon the 6. Chapter of Iohn where he writeth Euen as while Christ liued vpon the earth the bread was chaunged into his fleshe by an vsuall way of nourishment through naturall transmutation so this bread is chaunged into
disputations tend Those Fathers doe not contende neither goe they about to prooue that in the breade lyeth hidden the fleshe of Christ but they woulde haue vs to eate the same in a Sacrament and that truelie and to eate such fleshe as will giue vs eternall life Which we deny not so it be vnderstoode that the eating belong vnto the soule to faith For we grant that in a sacrament the flesh of Christ is eaten spirituallie but yet truly Neither do we at anie time faine such a flesh as is seuered and diuided from the diuine person of the word To the Romans Councell Of Berengarius They obiect against vs the Councell of Rome or the Vercellentian wherein Berengarius was condemned and compelled to recant As concerning which councels séeing their Acts are not extant we cannot answere much wherefore it shall be profitable to weigh the recantation it selfe prescribed vnto Berengarius by Pope Nicholas in the Councell The recantation of Berengarius and thereby wee maie sée of what credite this Councell was and howe well in their wits they were which had the chiefe rule in the same In the decrées De Consecratione the seconde distinction in the Chapter Ego Berengarius his recantation is described wherein he was compelled to confesse that the body of Christ is sensiblie handled with the handes of the Priestes that it is broken and rent with the téeth which things how well they agrée with the bodie of Christ alreadie glorified and vnto that Sacrament let euerie wise man iudge The Glosser vppon the decrées The Glosset of the decrées a man otherwise of grosse vnderstanding could not choose but sée so great an absurditie Wherefore he saith that these things must be very aduisedlie and rightlie vnderstoode if not thou shalt fall saith he into a greater error than that wherewith Berengarius was infected For he sawe that it was not conuenient to be said that the bodie of Christ is sensiblie felt in the Sacrament or that it is broken or rent with the téeth And the master of the sentences in the 4. The Master of the Sentences would defend the recaÌtation by a figure booke would remedie this sore and saith that these things must be attributed not to the bodie of Christ but to the signes which they affirme to be accidentes And so in that spéech he appointed a figure whereby that is attributed vnto the thing which belongeth to the signes Which figure if we vse and that in due time in interpreting the sayings of the Fathers while they speake magnificallie of this sacrament vnto the people our aduersaries exclame that we corrupt and marre and falsifie their writinges whereas here neuerthelesse they themselues flie vnto the selfe same Anchors and they will haue a figure where it ought least to be namelie in the declaring of an opinion and in fraiming a recantation the which ought of all other things to be most cleare and plaine So then we passe not of this councell séeing they delt there so blockishlie 59 They also obiect the Synode of Constance wherein Wickliffe was condemned To the Synode of Constance and where Iohn Husse and Ierome of Prage were burned for sundrie articles but especially for that they held against Transubstantiation which there by a full decrée was ordained Doubtlesse this councell wee cannot choose but cal trecherous The Councell of Constance trecherous and cruell séeing it found the meanes to slay those two men which came thither vnder safe conduct And this also the Emperour tooke gréeuously for he among others had giuen his word otherwise the Bohemians would neuer haue suffred those men to goe vnto that Councell Transubstantiation a news opinion And for so much as they there decréede touching Transubstantiation it is an Argument that the same is a new opinion Neither is it of force which many doe say that it was there confirmed by a decrée but not first inuented because vnder Nicholas the Romane Bishop in the Vercellentian and Romane Synode it was manifestly enough declared We grant indeede that this opinion brake out after a sort and was obtruded before the Councell of Constance but because it was not fullie receiued and had euerywhere many contradictions therefore they iudged it necessarie to establish the same againe and that tyrannically to wit by fire and cruell threatnings But against this Councell we obiect the generall and vniuersall Councell of Florence The general Councel of Florence held vnder Eugenius Bishop of Rome the 4. of that name who was there present And there was also present there the Emperour of Gréece with the Patriarch of Constantinople and manie Bishops of the East part In which Councell the Gréeke Church was ioyned with the Latine they agréed together as touching the dissension that was about the holie Ghost And we maie sée in the Actes of that Councell that after agréement was made betwéene them of the East and of the West about certaine Articles the Pope would haue procéeded further and haue driuen them to intreate of Transubstantiation and to haue receiued it according to the opinion of the West Church There the Greekes resisted and would not deale in that matter neither coulde they by anie reasons be driuen to giue their consent therevnto And when writings of vnion were to be drawne and published they in anie wise prouided that no mention shoulde bée made of that matter Which also was obserued as appeareth in a Bull of Eugenius which beginneth Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth be glad Wherein he reioyceth with Christendome for this good hap that the Gréeke and the Latine Churches were once againe ioyned together Wherefore if this Transubstantiation had bin of so great importaunce the Romane Church would neuer haue bin ioyned with the Gréek which did not receiue the same For at this day they say that it is a pestilent heresie not to admit the same But it is not credible that the Latine Church would then ioyne it selfe with Hereticks be partakers with them And hereby also is the Argument dissolued which they brought as touching the vniuersall consent of the Church For it is not true which they assume that all Churches agréed together in this for that auncient Church which was in the time of the Fathers as we haue shewed neuer dreamed of any such thing Againe the Cast and Gréek Churches were of the same iudgement that we are To the arguments of the diuine power 60 Moreouer vnto their Arguments they adde excéeding great prayses of the power of God that they may bring in men to beléeue so great a miracle But it is a most féeble kinde of reasoning That which they ought to haue shewed in trueth they haue neuer prooued namelie that Gods will is to doe this and that this the holy scriptures promise vs. For that which they alledge This is my bodie is in controuersie and may haue an other sense Wherefore the Argument is made
depart from the institution of Christ as wel by consecrating the cuppe as by distributing of it vnto the people Wherefore the cauil is vtterlie confuted An answere to the reasons of the aduersaries To the first 6 Now remaineth that we declare that the reasons which they thinke to make for them be of none effect They said that the Church in the first times vsed both kindes while it was yet ignorant I would to God that we were so instructed as the Christians were taught in the first times Afterward say they it sawe that the laie people may be content with one kinde What I beséech you sawe our Popes that the Apostles and prelates of the primitiue Church sawe not who were most plentifullie indued with the holy Ghost What is it else that we sée but méere darkenesse if it shall be compared to the most cleare knowledge of them They adde To the intent that the error of them should be auoyded who perhappes would think that the bodie of Christ is giuen a part from the bloud as though the bodie should sit in heauen at the right hand of the father without bloud These be their monstrous opinions None of the heretickes euer deuised this kinde of error But admit there had bin sometime such an heresie might it not otherwise be amended than by corrupting of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Vndoutedlie many pernitious opinions may arise as touching the other part of the Eucharist which they haue made to remaine And will they because of those thinges take away this also To the second 7 And that which they obiect as touching the Councell of Constance or Basil we passe not of it Neither the Gréeke Church nor the whole East part obayed them not without a cause For they decréed against the word of God And oftentimes Councels doe erre as it is euident of the Councels of Ariminum Chalcedon Ephesus the second and of the Councell of Africa that was vnder Cyprian and many others Yea and in the time of Christ did not the Councell of the Priestes and the Church of that time shamefully erre when it refused the doctrine of Christ and condemned Christ himselfe and the Apostles Elsewhere I haue warned that Councels haue not alwayes decreed that which was true The greater part there had the ouerhaÌd of the lesser and oftentimes the woorser of the better Here bragge they Our Church hath the holy Ghost and therefore it cannot erre They vse a fallacie of the Accident For they that haue the holy Ghost A false argument of the accident doe not all that they doe by him Euen in lyke manner as a Maister builder in that he is a Maister builder in building dooth not amisse but because it happeneth sometime that he is occupied in other cogitations and perhappes hath droonke ouermuch therefore he otherwhile dooth amisse Ioh. 14. 15. 16. Mat. 28. 20 But the Church say they hath a promise of the holie Ghost and that it shal not be forsaken at any time I graunt neither is this promise wanting but is fulfilled and there be verie manie alwayes in the Church which doe iudge rightlie Euen as in the Iewish Church in most corrupt seasons were Simeon Zacharias Elizabeth Iohn Baptist Mary the virgin and Ioseph Nathanael and manie others which were partakers of this promise Wherefore it followeth that trueth preuaileth and errors are discouered Yet is it not gathered by the power of this promise that they alwayes define wel in Councels Oftentimes they be troubled with affections and oftentimes they grope in the dark How should this be knowen of vs How shal we vnderstand whether they haue decréed well or amisse All thinges must be tryed by the touchstone of the holy scriptures there the trueth is found out But let vs procéede to confute other their Argumentes 8 They said that the preceptes of outward thinges and of ceremonies are not so firme To the third as they cannot be changed by any meanes Against this maketh Cyprian in the Epistle now alledged against the Aquarij where he calleth the preceptes of this Sacrament great preceptes Matt. 5. 19. And Christ also saith that he shall be called the least or none at all in the kingdome of heauen which breaketh the least of his commaundementes Moreouer the places out of Deuteronomie the 4. and 12. Chapters and out of the 15 of Numbers the which we alledged before doe plainlie shew that it was not lawfull to change any thing in ceremonies yet doe we graunt that there is some difference in the preceptes of GOD. A distinction of the precepts For there be some of them from which we be neuer loosed as be all those which prohibit Also that same suÌme whereof the whole lawe and the Prophets depend To loue the Lorde GOD with all the heart with all the strength and with all the soule and our neighbour as our selues But there be other precepts which we are not alwayes bound to execute except it be when time place and reason require that they should be doone For the Hebrewes were not bound to doe their holie thinges euery where and at all times but at certaine dayes and in the place which the Lord had chosen And vppon the Sabbaoth day they could not alwayes be voyd of outward woorkes Sometimes it behooued them to fight as we reade in the bookes of the Machabies neither might circumcision be ministred before the 8. day At this day also he that would desire Baptisme Baptisme imputed where it cannot be had and might not haue the libertie thereof his desire should be imputed in stead of the woorke Wherefore in these thinges when the commaundement of the Lord is to be doone it is not lawfull to change or inuert anie thing And although thou be not alwayes bound to doe that which is commaunded yet when thou doest it it is not méete thou should depart froÌ the order which GOD hath appointed Deut. 10. 1. Nadab and Abihu would alter some thing about the holy seruice and they were consumed with fire Oza dyed for his rashnesse 2. Sam. 6. 6. 2. Paral. 26 ver 16. And king Ozias when he would burne incense which was not lawful was stricken with leprosie Why are they not mooued with the example of their pretie Sacrificers who take very carefull héede in their Masse that they say not Masse without their Orarium or as they terme them without their stole or maniple And they iudge it to be a grieuous offence if they shal omit anie signe of the crosse or anie the least iot of this kinde which neuerthelesse be the inuentions of men méere toyes and trifles Why should not we rather beware that we passe not ouer those thinges which Christ himselfe in his word commaunded And among the Ethnickes there was very great care had in their sacred ceremonies least the priest should trippe or misse in a word which if it happened it was iudged to be no light
peace and tranquillitie of the Church that the faithfull might growe vp together among themselues in a greater agréement Wherupon séeing afterward this cause was taken away for so much as Hierusalem béeing destroyed and the rites of Moses vtterlie subuerted this difference was not betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles therefore that decrée might be taken away Howbeit it was kept a long while euen vnto the times of Irenaeus Tertullian and Origen and Caesariensis maketh mention thereof in the historie of Attalus and Blandin These Ceremonies might after a sort bee retained at the beginning vntill the preaching of the Gospel did take better roote and that all men might plainelie vnderstand that the rites of Moses were abolished Augustine Augustine against Faustus the 2. booke and 13. Chapter maketh plaine meÌtion of this matter and saith that vntill both the walles of the Church Synagogue were wel growen together so as the difference should no more appeare somewhat ought to be yéelded to the infirmitie of the Iewes And it séemeth that speciallie that was to bee done in those things which belonged not to sacrifices but vnto daylie foode For the Iewes could not straightway be well content with the dyet of the Ethnickes 1. Cor. 11. 4 To the 12. Afterwarde they obiected the Apostolicall tradition whereby a man is commaunded to prophesie and praie bare-headed the woman with her head couered which preceptes they say Men commaunded to prophesie bare headed are not throughlie kept Héere we answere that it is not our part to bee inquisitiue what is kept or what is not kept This commaundement we know is extant and they that kéepe it not let themselues sée to it I haue not séene anie minister praying openlie but that his heade hath béene vncouered In the verie which habite I sée them to be at Sermons especiallie while they recite the wordes of the holie Scripture 17 Our Aduersaries also argued that Christ gaue the sacrameÌt to his Apostles To the 13. the consideration of whom was not alike séeing they were made priestes therefore they affirmed that this example of Christ was not to be extended vnto the people But certainlie as touching the Préesthood of the Apostles we know nothing neither is there any one syllable extant in the holie Scriptures that the Apostles were Priestes The Scripture vseth not these wordes But goe too Let them vnderstand By Priests the Ministers of the Church Let them tel vs why they giue not to their Massing Priests if they Masse not when they come to Communicate but one part of the Sacrament as vnto the laity séeing Christ gaue both vnto the Apostles and no lesse distributed vnto them than hée receiued for himselfe Further if Christ as they will gaue the Eucharist onely vnto the priests how dare they be so hardy as to giue a part of the Eucharist vnto the laytie and common sort séeing Christ as they say did not communicate with them Adde that in the supper with Christ were no women present vnlesse they will that they were Priestes Why then doe they distribute the Sacrament vnto them seeing Christ gaue it onely vnto men But they which speake so subtillie of the supper which Christ himselfe had with his Apostles what answere I beséech you will they make vnto Paule 1. Cor. 10. 11. who writing to the whole Church of Corinth and not to the Ministers of the Church onelie commaundeth that both kindes shoulde bée giuen And yet they say that in the Canons decrées and Ecclesiasticall histories there is mention made of the Communion of the laitie Communion of the Laitie I denie not but it is so howbeit they are farre deceiued which thinke that the Communion of the laytie doth onely signifie a participation of one part onelie for euen then both the kindes was giuen But it was called the communion of the laytie because the Ministers of the Church béeing once put froÌ their function by reason of some offence did no more communicate in the cleargie or among the Ministers but were mingled with the companie of the laye men To the 14. 18 They saide that they haue the consent of the Church wherein they impudentlie challenge to themselues that which is ours séeing the Churches of Gréece the whole East part and the vniuersall antiquitie holde with vs. For the foule mangling of the Sacrament of the Eucharist is but latelie sprung vp Among the latter men Thomas Aquinas saith Thomas Aquinas that euen now in his time the same began to be practised in some Churches which he writeth in the 3. part Quaest 80. Artic. 12. Doubtlesse the importunitie of the Aduersaries is woonderfull When wée flie vnto the Scriptures they crie out that they bee darke and they appeale to the fathers whom they say are on their side they flie vnto the antiquitie of times whereby they would shift off all the testimonies of the Scriptures But how vncertaine they bée in their opinions we easilie see in this disputation séeing the Scripture is plaine all the fathers make with vs and the whole antiquity agréeth with the Scriptures Wherfore the indeuour that they haue to bee contrarie ariseth onelie héereof that they bée sworne wholie addicted to the lawes of the Pope in comparison whereof they weigh not a haire neither of the truth of the fathers nor yet of antiquitie To the 15. 19 And wheras they alleaged that Christ sometime administred onely the one part of the Sacrament Luk. 24. 35. because they reade in Luke that the Disciples knew him by breaking of bread it is trifling For howe it may appeare for a certaintie that the breaking of bread there signifieth the holie communion they haue not béene able to shewe séeth that worde also is often in the holy Scriptures applyed to common meate And that those Disciples in taking of common meate could know Christ it is no maruell For séeing he had peculiar thanks giuings and particular prayers as we beléeue he had he might easilie be perceiued Further admit it were so that Christ offered them onelie one part of the Sacrament is it therefore lawefull for vs to doe the same He did not by that fact abrogate his generall coÌmandement which he gaue in the Supper and that is confirmed by the writings of the Euangelists and of Paul Gen. 22. 1. God once commaunded Abraham that he should sacrifice his sonne yet did he not thereby plucke away any thing from his generall precept Thou shalt not kill Exo. 20. 13. Hee also commaunded the Israelites Exod. 11. 2 that they should carie away the stuffe of the Egyptians and yet neuerthelesse he would that commandement Thou shalt not steale to be inuiolate Exo. 20. 15 Lastly where it is named The breaking of bread we may by the figure Synecdoche vnderstand the whole Supper euen as it was first declared And they are to be laughed at when they accuse vs to doe absurdly which of one action of
of planting watering there is one thing doone in them whose outward eares are mooued by a bodilie voice an other thing in them whose inward sense God hath opened in whose hart he hath put the foundation of faith the feruencie of loue c. Those two kinds of calling could not more euidentlie be expressed Zuinglius in his book De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 370. That appointment or ordinance wherby is decréed that a man is now called by God not onelie by this generall calling which betokeneth the outward preaching of the apostles but also by that whereby the spirit dooth earnestlie put the elect in remembrance that they desire to obeie GOD in that he commandeth or promiseth c. The same author vpon the epistle to the Romans the eight chapter tome 4. leafe 428. To them which according to the purpose who indéed were called from the beginning These words doo I vnderstand of the inward calling that is of the election not of the outward calling of the word As if he should saie I haue now said that to the saints or them which be called all things turne vnto good Which saieng I allow for all things are grounded vpon the frée election of God God which knew all things before they were determined also before hand that they should be coheires with his sonne so neuerthelesse that Christ is the first begotten that is the naturall and essentiall sonne of God and we the adopted sonnes Whom he hath so before hand appointed and ordeined those afterward he calleth by an inward calling that is he draweth inwardlie Iohn 6. that is he maketh faithfull he draweth them that their mind may cleaue fast and trust vnto him Whom he thus maketh faithfull those also he iustifieth through an assured faith that is to wit of his sonne c. The same author in his booke De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 368. saith For they sawe that this thing is not now signified by signes but doone before the eies whereby the sinnes of the whole world were purged but as touching this outward calling there was nothing doone bicause onelie they did repent whom the holie Ghost lightened that they might knowe this man to be the sauiour and the father did drawe them that they might come vnto him and might imbrace him further to knowe that outward things are not able to doo anie thing else but signifie and shew c. Conradus Pellicanus vpon the first chapter to the Ephesians interpreting these words Ephe. 1 5. Who hath predestinated vs to the adoption of sonnes thus writeth In the which thing must be noted the order wherein election holdeth the first place next vnto that the adoption to be sonnes which is said to be the calling while the Lord draweth vnto him those which he indued with the spirit in giuing a knowledge of himselfe finallie there succéedeth an holinesse of life c. Now by these excellent and holie men appéereth these two maner of callings not deuised by me but both receiued and put in writing by them Whereof it commeth that of them which be at one and the selfe-same sermon and heare the selfe-same Gospell some beléeue some contend some imbrace and some laugh to scorne Verelie they which contend scorne and refuse doo it of their owne naughtinesse which God infuseth not into them but they which beléeue and imbrace doo this by the effectuall caling of God the which is not giuen vnto all men Wherefore Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum chapter eight Therefore when the Gospell is preached some beléeue and some beléeue not they which beléeue the preacher speaking outwardlie do inwardlie heare of the father do learne but they which doo not beléeue doo heare outwardlie inwardlie they doo not heare nor yet learne This is as much to saie as To the one sort it is giuen to beléeue to the other it is not giuen Iohn 6 44. bicause No man saith he commeth vnto me except my father shall drawe him The same father euen in that booke the sixt chapter Many heare the word of truth but some beléeue and some speake against it That these therefore will beléeue and that those will not who can be ignorant of this Who can denie it Howbeit séeing the will of some is prepared by the Lord and of some not we are in verie déed to discerne what springeth of his mercie or what springeth of his iudgement Rom. 10 3. That which Israel sought saith the apostle it obteined not but election obteined it Acts. 2 37. But others be blinded as it is written God hath giuen vnto them the spirit of slumber eies that they might nor see and eares that they might not heare euen vnto this daie c. Wherefore verie great is the difference of hearers the which Augustine as we haue knowne noteth by the diuersitie of callings And wherefore God so tempereth and distributeth them he in the same booke the eight chapter teacheth in these words But whie he teacheth not all men the apostle hath opened so much as he thought méet to be opened bicause He minding to shew his wrath Rom. 9 22. and to make his power knowne suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he prepared vnto glorie c. Here the reason as it manifestlie appeareth is deriued from the finall cause bicause God determined to make manifest not onelie his goodnesse but also his righteousnesse and seueritie But some man will saie If thus the case stand God shall not be vniuersall but particular The which doubtlesse in this respect cannot be denied for we sée that he ruleth at his pleasure and distributeth these two kinds of callings But of this matter we will speake afterward when we shall come vnto predestination The vse of this doctrine 14 In the meane time let vs answer them who say it is but a small matter that they desire and that the frée will which they would haue to be granted them they saie iâ but a certeine little sparke The same we doo grant so farre as godlinesse will permit namelie in those things which are subiect to the sense reason of man and which doo not excéed the capacitie of our nature Also to them that be renewed we grant it as much as mans infirmitie dooth suffer while we liue in this world But vnto those which be not renewed we cannot grant the same as touching heauenlie and spirituall good things bicause such a sparke it is as it would not bréed brightnes but smoke wherby men would soone become proud and withdraw much from the grace and mercie of God For by this little sparke they would boast that they are discerned from others but the scriptures will not haue them discerned otherwise than by the grace and mercie of God not by free will or by their owne gifts and vertues
the spirit of wisedome the spirit of counsell the spirit of fortitude and other such like Yea and Augustine Augustine in his booke of grace and frée will the 17. chapter thus wrote Therfore that we may will he worketh without vs but when we will and that we so will as we doo execute he worketh togither with vs but yet without him either working that we may will or working togither when we do will we are able to doo nothing towards the good works of godlinesse Of him which worketh that we will it is said It is God that worketh in vs Philip. 2 13 euen to will Of him working togither with vs when we now will and we in willing doo execute Rom. 8 28. We knowe saith he that all things worke togither for the best vnto them that loue God But while we be thus prepared and healed by God he dooth not take awaie from vs the power to will but he granteth vs to will well neither taketh he awaie the power to vnderstand but granteth vs to vnderstand rightlie And vndoubtedlie it is the will it selfe that bringeth foorth the act of willing howbeit God giueth it strength that it may bring foorth the same Wherefore Augustine in his treatise De spiritu litera the third chapter thus writeth But we saie that mans will is so holpen to doo righteousnesse as besides that man is created with a fréedome of will and besides the doctrine wherin it is commanded him how he should liue he may receiue the holie Ghost by which there may be in his mind a delight and a loue of that chéefe and vnchangeable goodnesse which is God euen now when a man walketh by faith and not yet in glorie that as it were by this earnest pennie of a frée gift giuen vnto him he may wax more feruent in cleauing to the Creator and be inflamed to come vnto the participation of that true light that through him of whom he hath his being it may happen well vnto him For neither can frée will auaile anie thing except to sinne if the waie of truth be vnknowne And when that which is to be doone and wherein we ought to indeuour beginneth to be knowne vnlesse it is also delight and be beloued it is not doone it is not taken in hand we doo not liue well But that it may be beloued the loue of God is powred into our hearts not by the frée will which riseth of vs but by the holie Ghost which is giuen vnto vs c. By these words he sheweth that of vs ariseth not frée will for as touching the health of the mind it coÌmeth actiuelie but that it is wrought by the holie Ghost that we afterward doo well by louing of God and liuing vprightlie Grace dooth not expect our will bicause if it should expect it we might thinke in our selues that we had strength before to desire spirituall supernaturall good things The Arausican Councell The Arausican Councel in the 4. canon condemned that opinion whereby is beléeued that the diuine grace expecteth mans will In verie déed it preuenteth and yet for all that it causeth no violence For the plainer expressing whereof a similitude of the resurrection of the Lord verie much serueth He was raised vp from the dead as concerning his humanitie to the which raising vp from the dead the humane nature behaued it selfe onelie passiuelie Now is it expounded how in things that be outward and subiected to mans capacitie some fréedome is to be attributed to our will which afterward as touching celestiall and supernaturall things is denied vnto it vnlesse it be conuerted and prepared by God Of the state of free will in them that be regenerate 17 Now must we consider of the state of them that be regenerate vnto whom a fréedome as touching celestiall and supernaturall things is granted so far foorth as the infirmitie of this life will suffer Of that matter wrote Prosper in an epistle to Ruffinus concerning frée will which they will haue to belong vnto all men labouring in the vncerteintie of this life and loden with sinnes so that they which will imitate the méekenesse and gentlenesse of our Sauior and submit themselues vnder the yoke of his commandements may find rest to their soules and hope of eternall life But they which will not doo this are by their owne default void of saluation which if they would they might haue obteined But let them heare what is said by the Lord Iohn 15 5 to them that vse frée will Without me ye can doo nothing Iohn 6 44. Againe No man commeth vnto me except my father which sent me drawe him Ibidem 65. Againe No man can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth them that be dead so also the sonne quickeneth whom he will Matt. 11 27 Againe No man knoweth the sonne but the father neither knoweth anie man the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him All which saiengs séeing they be vnchangeable and cannot by anie interpretation be wrested to anie other sense who doubteth but that this frée will dooth obeie the exhortation of him that calleth séeing in him the grace of God hath ingendered an effect of beléeuing and obeieng Otherwise it should be sufficient for a man to be warned not that the will also should be made new in him according as it is written The will is prepared by the Lord. And as the apostle saith Phil. 2 13. It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe euen according to his good will According vnto which good will No other but that which GOD wrought in them that he which gaue to will might also giue to performe c. 18 Of the verie which thing the same Prosper in the place now alleged thus writeth Prosper Neuerthelesse if we behold with a godlie consideration that part of the children of God which is reserued to the works of godlinesse shall we not find in them a frée will not destroied but renewed Which doubtlesse when it was alone and left to it selfe was not mooued but to his owne destruction for it had blinded it selfe but it could not lighten it selfe But now the same will is changed not destroied and vnto it is giuen to will otherwise to perceiue otherwise and to doo otherwise and to repose the safetie thereof not in it selfe but in the physician bicause neither as yet dooth it enioie so perfect a health that those things which did hurt it before cannot now hurt it or else that it is now able of his owne strength to temper it selfe from those things which be vnwholesome for it Therefore man which in frée will was euill in the same frée will is become good howbeit he is euill by himselfe good by God who according to that originall honour so renewed him with another beginning as he
that receiueth the sacraments as touching the substance of them otherwise than they were instituted by God it is dangerous vnto him and an abhomination vnto God proposition 6 As God called sacrifices abhomination when they were doone without faith so may we truelie determine of other good works in generall which be doone without faith Probable proposition 1 THe originall of lights in the Church procéeded hereof that the temples in old time were darke and the christians watched there in the night proposition 2 The eleuation and motion of the bread in the Masse which is doone by the massing priests is taken out of Leuiticus by reason of the lifting vp and moouing of those things which were offered vnto God Propositions out of the eleuenth chapter of the booke of the Iudges And the brethren cast foorth Ieptha and said Thou shalt be no heire in our fathers house for thou art the sonne of a strange woman proposition 1 As touching the punishments of eternall damnation Deut. 24 16 Eze. c. 18 20 euerie one shall beare his own burthen not another mans proposition 2 Whereas some are said to suffer temporall punishments for others they cannot complaine but themselues haue deserued the same proposition 3 GOD committeth no iniustice if at anie time he punish the children with temporall punishments for the safetie of their parents proposition 4 It must not onelie be attributed to the iustice but also to the mercie of GOD that he punisheth the sinnes of the parents vnto the third and fourth generation proposition 5 Séeing that good men are bewrapped in the temporall punishments of the wicked GOD hath appointed a discipline vpon the earth proposition 6 This is proper vnto GOD and must not be vsed of men to punish children for the sinnes of their parents when they consent not to their parents crimes Thus end the Propositions of Doctor Peter Martyr out of the bookes of Genesis Exodus Leuiticus and Iudges A disputation of the Sacrament of the Eucharist held within the famous Vniuersitie of Oxford betweene D. Peter Martyr and other Diuines of that Vniuersitie Peter Martyr to the Christian reader THere be two causes that haue moued me to write of the Eucharist namelie the slanders of euill men and the desires of my freends The one whereof to contemne had beene a point of vncurtesie and the other to neglect were vngodlie since I perceiued that thereof depended no small hinderance to the religion of GOD. For if onelie mine owne cause were heere dealt withall I might easilie haue contemned these things sith I make not so great an account of mine owne estimation that I thinke I ought to be mooued with the slanders of aduersaries and with the vaine rumors of enimies I knowe it is a wise mans part to dissemble verie manie things and especiallie such as be of this sort and that Christian charitie endureth all things that it seeketh not his owne but those things that be Iesus Christs howbeit not mine owne cause but Christs is here in hand not my name but the word of God is ill reported of For the danger of the authoritie of the ministerie is so ioined with the word of God as it reacheth euen to himselfe for so we see it come to passe that albeit good and godlie things be neuer so godlie and learnedlie handled yet if he that handleth them shall want authoritie speciallie if he be defaced or disgraced by anie blemish they proceed with little or no fruit at all But what the impudencie of some hath spred abroad as concerning the disputation had by me at Oxford the summer last past and how they slandered me to all sorts of men both princes noble men commonaltie citizens and countrie men I will not saie for they haue doone nothing in secret but euerie corner street house shop and tauerne doo still sound of their lieng triumphs and victories And I doubt not but that these ill reports are come also into other nations Wherefore one cause that vrged mee to set foorth these disputations was this and another as I said at the beginning is the requests of freends which in verie deed I denied vntill this present time as well for that I knew there were bookes enow extant of this matter wherein euerie godlie man might be sufficientlie instructed as also for that no man knoweth mine owne dooings better than my selfe which hitherto I haue so accounted of as I would not gentle reader hinder thee by them from the reading of better bookes But now these my freends being mooued and that not a little with the false reports of euill men haue so vrged me that granting to the requests of some compelled by the authoritie of others at the length I yeelded For what could I denie vnto the most reuerend Archbishop of Canturburie vnto whom I am most of all beholding Or what could I denie to the kings visitors which were not onelie present at these disputations but were also presidents thereof Wherfore I deliuer vnto thee this disputation Looke this treatise before part 4 chap. 10. togither with a treatise of the same matter for the plainer declaration thereof All which things I haue written in simple sort and as I may saie without anie stile neuerthelesse faithfullie For as concerning the disputation I compared mine owne with the examples of the aduersaries Which when I had diligentlie read those things which I sawe I had omitted that were of some importance I indeuoured as much as the truth of the matter would suffer to restore againe out of their writings and whereas I perceiued them otherwhile to haue expounded their reasons more largelie and in writing to haue handled them more artificiallie than they were vttered in the time of disputing I also reteining the truth of the matter haue expounded the same somewhat more largelie which neuerthelesse happeneth verie seldome But as concerning the effect the principall points and substance of the arguments and of the confutations or answers I haue not so far as I knowe changed or inuerted anie thing wherein I might doo wrong to them which disputed with me yea and I haue caused that oftentimes and in a maner alwaies the selfe-same words might be set downe which we vsed on either side when we disputed togither so far as either my memorie would serue me or their notes which gathered would giue me to vnderstand Whosoeuer therefore was present at our disputation shall perceiue that in truth there was no argument omitted nor added and shall vnderstand that I haue no where fled from the summe and sense of those things that were spoken But and if anie ill disposed persons shall for such is their nature complaine that I haue omitted or wrested anie thing those things let them put in writing and let them not deale against me by words which maketh no matter if they be spent in vaine but let them deale by written reasons which sith men may both read and well consider this kind of disputation
shall not be without fruit For words said Homer are but wind but those things which are put in writing cannot be so easilie misreported This if they will doo euen as I was then bold to deale with them by liuelie voice so will I now prepare my selfe to answer those things which they shall write In the meane time fare yee well and take this in good part Questions set downe to be disputed of question 1 In the sacrament of the Eucharist there is no transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the bodie and bloud of Christ question 2 The bodie and bloud of Christ is not carnallie and corporallie in the bread and wine nor as others speake vnder the shewes of bread and wine question 3 The bodie and bloud of Christ is sacramentallie conioined to the bread and wine The disputers were these For the one side was Doctor Peter Martyr For the other side were Doctor VVilliam Tresham Doctor VVilliam Chadse and Maister Morgan Maister of Art The disputation of the first daie which was the xxviij of Maie Anno Domini 1549. betweene D. Peter Martyr and D. VVilliam Tresham before the kings visitors among whom the worthie man D. Cox Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Oxford before the disputation should begin spake on this wise YE that be learned men although that of verie dutie I ought to moderate disputations but especiallie diuinitie yet doo I thinke that this must now chéefelie be doone as most apperteining vnto me bicause it so pleaseth the kings maiestie and for that the authoritie is committed vnto vs by letters patents as well in other things as also in the ordeining of publike readings disputations So we haue determined not onelie to be present thereat but also to ouersée gouerne and moderate them But I would haue you which haue taken vpon you this labour of disputing to consider how hard a matter that is which ye shall doo Remember with your selues how greatlie all mens eies are bent vpon you Respect ye diligentlie and regard ye the glorie of God laieng aside contentions and wranglings I knowe that ye be graue and learned men yet in respect of mine office I though it good to admonish you And I aduise other beholders and hearers that factions laid aside if anie such be they will so quietlie and peaceablie giue eare as there may séeme to be no partaking Phil. 2 2. Doo ye according to Pauls precept that In the name of our Lord Iesu Christ ye will vnderstand all one thing iudge all one thing that in you there be no schimes but an entire bodie hauing one mind and one iudgement Set aside ill affections let there be no noise debates scornefull laughters and outcries And ye yong men speciallie I would haue you to be forewarned which haue a greater feruencie of mind than ye haue of iudgement In the greatest controuersies there are woont to be discords hatreds and enuiengs as it came to passe in the disputations of Steeuen and Paule But I would in no wise haue this to happen among you but I wish rather that ye will learne to know the truth and when ye haue knowne it to imbrase the same so shall ye doo your dutie and also that which shall be verie acceptable vnto vs and God will giue good successe to that we haue in hand The preface of Peter Martyr RIght Honourable yée that be the Kings Maiesties Commissioners if I had thought that displeasures hatreds or enimities had béen the perpetuall companions of publike disputations I doubtles had neuer béene brought vnto this place But now that I sée those things doo not alwaies insue but are ioined vnto them casuallie or as they speake accidentallie I am come to dispute And certeinlie the desire which I haue to search out and open the truth hath mooued me aboue all things But they which for the desire of contention or for the vaine glorie of this world or for gaine sake doo take this matter in hand must not be accounted Diuines but light and vaine Sophisters carnall men giuen both to their bellie to ambition But we ought to be of that mind that we willinglie and of our owne accord yeeld vnto the knowne truth manifesting it selfe in disputation Which truelie is no small or slender part of diuine worship And therefore let the troublesome motions of minds cease on all sides and let all factions be far awaie Which if it happen there will arise singular profit of this exercise For iron of it selfe is but cold and a stone is altogither senselesse but if they be knockt one against another they cause fire to come foorth Euen as clouds otherwise of a darke and grosse nature if they méet togither and be one dashed against another doo cause a bright lightening in the aire so likewise the wits and studies of learned men are slowe of themselues but in the conflict of disputation they be stirred vp and made somwhat liuelie Neither must excellent and honest things as are disputations be refused nor yet counted vnprofitable and hurtfull sith we doubt not but they be the gifts of God We are beholding vnto disputations for that excellent doctrine of Iesus Christ our sauiour which he had with the Scribes Pharisies Saduces and Herodians of the loue of our neighbour the resurrection the paieng of tribute vnto Caesar the signe of Ionas the prophet and such other like things And I thinke it is not vnknowne to you how greatlie the disputations of Paule and the rest of the apostles and fathers did profit the church No doubt but they may be doone of vs without bitternesse hatred and enuie so that the spirit of Christ be present Trulie there is a great difference betwéene disagréement and bearing of hatred For the first belongeth to iudgement the which is exercised in the vnderstanding part of the mind but the other which is hatred is a flame of the will Paule dissented from Peter and reprooued him and yet did he not hate him Thus much I thought good to speake of open disputations in generall But comming now néerer vnto these disputations of ours I confesse that I was to staie a while before I should come to this conflict bicause I sawe that I was to deale in that matter for which the church at this daie is excéedinglie disquieted And they which challenge to themselues the order of the priesthood thinke that transubstantiation and a carnall and corporall presence of Christ his bodie in the Eucharist he being taken awaie all the honour they haue would come to naught as though they had no other office but to change the substance of the bread or to close vp the verie bodie of Christ in the bread And so béesotted and doting is the common people as if a man teach anie otherwise concerning this sacrament than hitherto hath béene receiued they thinke that Christ is taken awaie from them and when we teach otherwise of the Eucharist than is beléeued in the Papasie
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
bread is broken and our sense perceiueth the breaking of the bread let this first be determined Afterward when the scripture saith that the bodie of Christ is broken if you will vnderstand by a metaphor figure namelie that it is broken bicause the sacrament thereof is broken we agrée But first of all must the ground of this figure be granted euen that it is bread which in very déed is broken this dooth the sense it selfe knowe to be doone But as for the words Take ye and eate ye I saie that they must be thus vnderstood As ye receiue this bread and eate it with your bodie so receiue ye my bodie by faith and with the mind that ye may be strengthened thereby in stead of meate M. Morgan This in my iudgement is but a wandering disputation wherfore I come néerer to the matter Take ye and eate ye are metaphoricall speaches and after this maner they agrée verie well with the bodie of Christ and therefore the breaking may be attributed vnto the metaphoricall bread that is vnto the bodie of Christ for in the like sense is breaking taken D. Martyr If it be a wandering disputation the fault is yours bicause you frame no argument or reason And whereas you obiect that euen as eating may agrée metaphoricallie with the bodie of Christ so may breaking agrée with the same I affirme that a far other reason both of eating breaking is had in these words forme of speaking of the scripture which we haue in hand to wit Is not the bread which we breake For I suppose you would vnderstand this word To breake in such sort as it should be referred metaphoricallie to the crucifieng vpon the crosse Howbeit you must consider that Paule saith 2. Co. 10 16 The bread which we breake where it is not lawfull to vnderstand that we our selues doo crucifie Christ Well may we saie that we doo eate him metaphoricallie bicause we doo féed vpon him but that we doo crucifie him that is a verie hard and absurd speach M. Morgan If we eate him metaphoricallie that is by the spirit and by faith why doo we not also breake him metaphoricallie especiallie sith all eating hath in it a breaking D. Martyr Paule saith The bread which we breake And if you will vnderstand To breake for To crucifie we by a metaphor shall be said to crucifie Christ Howbeit I grant that all naturall eating hath in it selfe as you saie a breaking but yet all spirituall eating hath not so bicause that eating hath this respect that we should inioie the thing receiued as meate but it is not extended vnto this point that we should breake and grind with the téeth that which cannot be grinded or broken M. Morgan When we behold particularlie the gréefs which Christ indured vpon the crosse we are said metaphoricallie to be broken For the same agréeablenesse that is betwéene To eate and To receiue by faith the selfe-same is betwéene To breake and To behold or To knowe the gréefs of Christ vpon the crosse D. Martyr I woonder that you say there is an agréeablenesse betwéene To breake that is To crucifie Christ and To behold or knowe his gréefs vpon the crosse for we behold or sée with the eies and we breake with strength and with the hands Verelie I thinke you knowe that metaphors ought not to be so wide asunder Againe you double the metaphor séeing if we followe your mind one is in respect that To breake signifieth To crucifie and another that you refer this vnto knowledge And you that cannot abide that we in the words of the Lord This is my bodie should affirme anie figure doo frequent manie figures and those hard vnusuall And to the end you will not grant in the supper of the Lord the breaking of verie true bread you run headlong into what else soeuer M. Morgan To breake is a metaphor apt enough for that which is To behold and with the mind to remember the passion of Christ For Paule saith This is my bodie 1. Co. 11 24 which is broken for you And Bucer Contra Abrincensem episcopum alloweth that breaking may metaphoricallie be spoken of Christs bodie And this same conueniencie that To breake should be transferred vnto our knowledge is vsed in the English toong for we are said to breake doubts to our scholers D. Martyr And if anie where else this metaphor perhaps might be apt yet taketh it no place where Paule saith 1. Co. 10 16 The bread which wee breake is it not the participation of the bodie of Christ Where without doubt he respecteth the outward breaking and distribution of the Eucharist Trulie I confesse with Bucer that the bodie of Christ may be said to be broken that is to saie to haue suffered but I doo not allow that we can breake him that is to saie crucifie him Furthermore as touching your toong séeing I vnderstand it not I cannot shew the reason of such an english metaphor vnlesse perhaps you meane that To breake difficulties is as much to saie as to assoile them But those things which I haue said I haue spoken according as the Gréeke and Latine toong wherein we haue the scriptures of the new testament haue béene accustomed to speake The Visitors transferred the disputation to Doctor Tresham D. Tresham I Am constrained to omit those things which I purposed to speake séeing both the disputation is gon a good waie forward and the time is spent Therefore I humblie desire you his Maiesties Commissioners that you will as fauourablie heare this daies disputations as you did the other which were made the daies before which vndoubtedlie ye did most fauourablie Now our praiers premised let vs come to the matter The praier of Doctor Tresham O Most benigne Lord Iesus Christ the bread of eternall life who of thy vnspeakeable grace in thy mercie descendedst from heauen into mankind to take flesh of the virgins flesh and hauing taken vpon thee the same diddest vouchsafe to giue it a meate vnto vs euen that we should diligentlie eate the same in remembrance of thee and by the participation thereof to be made all one bodie grant vnto thy humble suppliants to feed and nourish vs perpetuallie with that most deintie food which we beleeue to be thy liuelie flesh and with that most pleasant drinke which we confesse to be thy verie bloud that thy light and truth being spread ouer all men we may be of one mind in thy house speaking and iudging all one thing and that there may be in vs no schismes but being perfect in the selfe-same mind and the selfe-same vnderstanding we may walke valiantlie in the strength of this meat euen vnto thy holie hill and by thy grace may be lead vnto thy tabernacles who with the Father and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest one and the same GOD world without end Amen I Remember Maister Doctor Peter that you promised when you disputed with me the first daie
it walked Besides as I said before the scripture sheweth of this miracle but so dooth it not shew to be doon in the Eucharist And this was my chéefest principle against transubstantiation M. Morgan Also Augustine in the third tome Such a bodie had Christ as was put into the sepulchre and therefore was of quantitie Luk. 24. 39. in his booke De agone christiano chap. 24. Neither let vs giue eare vnto them which denie that such a bodie of the Lord rose againe as was put in the sepulchre For if it had not béene such a bodie he him selfe would not haue said to his disciples after his resurrection Handle and see for a spirit hath no flesh and bones as ye see mee haue And it is sacriledge to beléeue that our Lord he himselfe being the truth did make a lie in anie thing Nor let it mooue vs that bicause it is written that he appéered suddenlie to his disciples the doores being shut we should therefore denie that the same was an humane bodie séeing against the nature of this bodie we sée that he entered in by the doores when they were shut for all things are possible vnto God And it is manifest that to walke vpon the waters is against the nature of this bodie and yet not onelie the Lord himselfe before his passion walked after such a maner but he also made Peter so to walke And so likewise after his resurrection he did with his bodie what he would If doubtlesse he were able before his passion to glorifie that bodie that it might appéere as bright as the sunne why could he not also after his passion reduce the same in a moment to what thinnesse he would that he might enter in at the doores fast shut You heare out of Augustine that the bodie of Christ became verie slender or subtill for his entering in at the doores being shut whereby it followeth that two bodies were togither in one place which is no lesse absurd vnto nature than one verie bodie to be in manie places at once D. Martyr This place conteineth in it thrée chéefe points First that the bodie of Christ arose such a one as it was in the sepulchre that is to wit a verie humane bodie which being true it could not be without a quantitie and the measure thereof The second point is that Christ after his resurrection did with his bodie what he would the which I easilie hold with but yet he saith not that he would haue his bodie to be without a quantitie or to be found in manie places at once The third is that he could reduce the same in a moment of time to becom as slender as he would that he might enter in at the doores being shut by which maner of speach quantitie is not taken awaie but prooued For thinnesse is a qualitie of a substance that hath bodie and quantitie wherefore it requireth a quantitie and some measure of the same It is also remembred that Christ said Handle and see c. But who is ignorant that those things which are handled haue both quantitie measure of quantitie Wherfore by slendernesse he vnderstandeth agilitie yet not that which taketh awaie the bodie But as for that which followeth to wit that two bodies were togither I haue alreadie denied it bicause in some part the quantitie of the wall might giue place and yet neuerthelesse the thinnesse of Christs bodie to be added Againe the fathers which on this wise affirme this persing through perhaps accounted it not for so great an absurditie in nature to haue two bodies to be in one place as to haue one bodie to be togither in manie places Lastlie I haue alreadie said that of this accesse of Christ vnto his apostles when the doores were shut the scripture speaketh but it dooth not teach as touching the bodie of Christ that it is in manie places togither or without quantitie and by this miracle there is nothing diminished as touching the veritie of Christs bodie neither is his proper quantitie taken awaie M. Morgan I allow not that which you last spake to wit that Augustine by subtilitie vnderstandeth agilitie bicause that belongeth to the swiftnesse of motion but the qualitie whereof Augustine speaketh dooth serue to the persing through of thicke matters But now I will shew that it is the gift of a glorified bodie to penetrate when it will through most thicke bodies For Ambrose vpon the 24. chapter of Luke saith But Thomas had cause to woonder when he sawe a bodie come in among them all places béeing fast shut by waies vnpossible to be entered being compassed about with bodies the place remaining sound therefore a maruell how a bodilie nature conueied it selfe in by a bodie that could not be passed through by an inuisible entrance but by visible apparance easilie to be touched and hard to be conceiued Finallie the disciples being troubled they thought they sawe a spirit and therefore the Lord to make a shew of his resurrection said Feele ye and see Lk 21. 14. 39 for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me haue Wherefore he passed not through that waie shut vp and vnvsed by nature without a bodie 1. Co. 15 44 but by the qualitie of a bodilie resurrection Sith that which is touched is a bodie that which is handled is a bodie and in a bodie shall we rise For it is sowen a naturall bodie it shall arise a spirituall bodie But that shall be more subtill this is more grosse as that which yet was compact with the qualitie of earthlie corruption For how could that not be a bodie wherein remained the marks of the wounds and prints of the scars which the Lord offered to be felt wherein he not onelie confirmeth faith but also whetteth deuotion Bicause it pleased him to carrie into heauen the wounds which he had receiued for our sakes but abolish them he would not that he might shew vnto God the father the price of our redemption Héere dooth Ambrose affirme that all glorified bodies haue power to carrie themselues through the thickest bodies For he saith that by reason of the qualitie of his bodilie resurrection he passed thorough places which vsuallie were vnpossible to be passed And so we conclude here that it must be attributed vnto glorified bodies that when they will they can penetrate through the thickest bodies And you shall note that he saith The bodie came in when the doores were shut without breach of anie thing that was ioined togither D. Martyr It serueth not for my matter to dispute now of agilitie Wherefore as concerning this I grant that Augustine by this Latin word Subtilitas vnderstood Tenuitas that is slendernesse or thinnesse we will not striue for this matter But I will referre you to that which I said a little before to wit that subtilitie is a qualitie of quantitie and dooth necessarilie suppose a measure of quantitie Then doo I answer that this place of Ambrose maketh
against all commers Againe whereas he vndertooke to dispute he disprooued the vaine saiengs of vaine men which spread enuious and odious things against him namelie that he would not or durst not defend his doctrine Finallie that he so singularlie well answered the expectation of the great magistrates yea and of the Kings maiestie while he not onelie hath deliuered vnto the Vniuersitie the doctrine of Christ out of the liuelie fountaines of the word of God but so far as laie in him hath not suffered anie man either to trouble or stop the fountaines Wee haue heard this christian contention the which was taken in hand for the trieng and searching out of the truth The verie which maner of proceeding ought to bee as the onelie marke whervnto all men doo bend their eie in euerie disputation This ought all men to search out which haue a loue to sincere religion For what else meaneth that saieng Search the scriptures but diligentlie to search the truth out of the scriptures Howbeit wee are not now minded to giue iudgement of these controuersies and vtterlie to breake the strife But then shall it be determined when it shall seeme good vnto the Kings Maiestie and the Estates of the church of England Neuerthelesse if I whome you of your courtesie haue chosen to be your Chancellor did not now supplie the place of an other person for the Kings authoritie hath now otherwise appointed mee I would most gladlie yeeld an account of my faith in these propositions For I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ nor yet of the truth which shineth vnto all men out of his word and this doubtlesse will I be readie to doo at an other time when oportunitie shall be offered And now in the meane time I exhort you that be strangers and forrenners if now there be anie that ye will returne to your owne home I would not haue you continuallie to wander in the fathers and Councels as in your countrie doo not you suppose that those be your principles I would not haue you to be deceiued in the probable words of mans wisedome What principles had the fathers What Councels had they How shamefullie did the fathers fall in manie things How fowlie did the Councels erre I will not here rehearse their errours I will not here stir this puddle And yet for all this shall the fathers and the Councels be the grounds of disputations There haue beene heretofore heretikes which denied either a part of the scripture or else the whole And at this daie there be Libertines which be infected with the selfe-same madnesse those doo denie and tread vnder foote the cheefe principles of our christianitie who place the word of God in the highest watchtower and haue it in verie great reuerence and from hence onelie doo seeke for life and saluation holding principles which bee most assured sound and holie And yet in the meane time not reiecting the most holsome testimonies of godlie fathers naie rather imbracing and reuerencing them as bright beames of the holie Ghost which after some sort doo lighten the darknesse of our eies Wherefore I beseech you for your saluation sake and for the mercie of GOD as well you that be yoong as old that you will performe two things First that you will now at the last laie awaie those controuersies which haue disquieted and rent in sunder the church of Christ these manie ages as touching transubstantiation and I wot not what reall presence There is no end of quarelling these be the diuels snares wherein he perpetuallie wrappeth vs and letteth vs from true godlinesse But it behooueth vs that be godlie christians cheeflie yea generally to regard what Christ did and what he hath commanded vs to do Let vs consider those be the most holie and dreadfull mysteries of Christ Let vs vse them verie oftentimes vnto our saluation let vs come vnto them with feare and trembling least we at anie time come vnworthilie and receiue the same to our iudgement and condemnation Secondlie that ye betake your selues to the studie of the word of God Vnto this marke direct all your darts herevnto refer all your studies Whether they be philosophicall or mathematicall or matters physicall or whatsoeuer else they be let them be as it were the waiting maids of this Queene From hence seeke all your faith From hence let your religion be established and made perfect Heauen and earth shall passe but my word shall not passe By this as it were by a certeine rule let all controuersies be examined and defined Besides this there is one thing wherof we must admonish you all namelie that ye abandoning all papisticall vanities superstitious feined worshipping of God you giue diligent indeuour to search out the truth or at the leastwise that ye be no impediment but that they which be desirous of the truth may proceed in the worke of godlinesse For wee knowe and bee certeinlie assured that there be some vnquiet and troublesome persons mooued of a preposterous zeale to hinder the proceeding of the truth We knowe there bee some which doo perniciouslie follow the example of their father while they spread euerie where the seed of discord and doo inuentlies I knowe there be false and enuious rumors carried about We knowe that vaine men when they cannot by true meanes further their cause they woorke by slanderous speeches so easilie intreated is an euill custome to worke against the truth Howbeit to make an end if yee bee indued with anie loue of the truth seeke out the same with patient minds require it with feruent praiers of almightie God Atteine to the knowledge thereof by a sincere comparing of places togither Let christian charitie wax hot in you Hee that is weake in faith receiue him For the stronger saith Paule ought to susteine the imbecillities of the weake ones and not please themselues let euerie man please his neighbour vnto good edifieng Beware of the wilinesse of Satan which lieth in wait for you least you should yeeld to the words of our Lord Iesus Christ that you may dote about questions and differences and strifes of words whereof arise enuies contentions blasphemies ill suspicion c. We may by our authoritie command you and threaten the obstinate with due punishment yet we had rather for the loue we beare you desire and exhort you Wherefore if there be anie consolation in Christ if anie comfort of loue if anie fellowship of the spirit if anie bowels of compassion fulfill you our ioie And our ioie is that we see manie in this Vniuersitie to grow vp notablie in good learning and godlinesse Our ioie is that wee see you so modest and readie to obeie Fulfill you therefore our ioie that is search ye the truth which hath now manie ages lien hidden as it were in a darke dungion when yee haue found it out receiue it with a sincere faith and beeing receiued beautifie the same with good maners So shall your light shine before
doe vse his key and doe beléeue The holy Ghost is author of both for neither doe men preach well nor yet beléeue rightly vnlesse he doe assist them Yea and in trueth when Christ himselfe preached heauen was not opened vnto all men by his preaching neyther were sinnes forgiuen vnto all men but to those onely which vsed his key and beleeued Wee confesse in déede that the worde of God of whom soeuer it be spoken is all one as if it were spoken out of the mouth of GOD howbeit this maketh not but that all men haue the keyes Yea and it is said as touching the beléeuers and hearers Iohn 1. 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God And neither is the key of vsing the worde of God onely giuen vnto Masse Priests but to the whole Church Now then it is the holy Ghost that giueth the keyes and all that beléeue haue the spirit of Christ otherwise they should be none of his wherefore they all haue the keyes But yet must not all as touching the outwarde function preache and administer the Sacraments but Paul woulde haue all things to bee doone in order Therefore are some of the learneder better sort chosen which deale in place of the whole Church they be called Ministers of the Church For if we would all preach together it would be like a noise of Frogges Howbeit euery priuate man hath keyes with his neighbour and may deale with him by the worde of God and if he shall discouer vnto him his sinne he may comfort admonish and exhort him by the worde of God which worde of GOD if he beléeue his sinnes be forgiuen him and heauen is opened but if he beléeue not his sinnes are retained and he is bounde And thus much of the keyes Blessed bée God which hath giuen such power to men An Oration or Sermon out of the 2. Chapter of Malachie of the profit and worthinesse of the holy Ministerie WHen it was thought méete good people and deare brethren in Iesus Christ that in this distribution of monie somewhat should be said for the perswading and comforting of you that euen as the outward want of the bodie is somewhat relieued so your mindes might be incouraged to goe foreward in the studie of Diuinitie It was laide vppon me who albeit I want no good will to yéeld vnto honest and iust requestes yet doe I féele that those thinges doe in a manner faile wherewith I vse to exhort vnto that indeuour which is most necessarie to the Church aswell for that my witte serues me not readilie to inuent as because I haue both here and in the schooles oftentimes spoken of this matter And that all these thinges might nothing hinder me I haue had in verie déede but small time to consider hereof not onelie in respect of the short space of time but by reason of the excéeding griefe of minde conceaued for the lamentable and vntimelie death of our most excellent king The vntimelie death of King Edward the 6. Howbeit that I neglect not in this duetie those thinges which God would minister vnto vs I will in fewe wordes set forth vnto you that which the text dooth offer I beséech Christ that those thinges which I shall speake to his glorie your profit may reape such fruite as I desire whereof I shall be in great hope if you willinglie and diligentlie giue héede vnto me I sée déere brethren that the chiefest cause why manie are called back from the studie of the holie scriptures and from the Ministerie of the Church is because both this function at this day is accounted vnprofitable and as thinges goe at this day without estimation And therefore mans nature desiring profitable goodlie thinges flieth from the perfect knowledge of the holie scripture as a thing barren and vnfruiteful and it also refuseth the Ministerie of the Church because there is scarcelie séene in it anie authoritie anie honour or excellencie Wherfore since herein consists the whole summe of this matter I thinke it good to set forth two thinges vnto you First that there are singular commodities and great honour in the holie function Secondlie that the despising and contemning of the Ministers procéedeth of farre other causes than from their nature and propertie the which if Ministers would take héede of both they should be happie and without doubt be had in great honor and estimation These thinges if I shall make plaine especiallie by the authoritie of the word of God there shall be no more cause but that you may desire with a glad and chéerefull minde to enter into this office whereunto you be called Albeit there are in the holie scriptures manie thinges which doe much serue to this purpose yet will I at this time take in hand to interprete a péece of the 2. Chapter of the Prophet Malachie Mal. 2 4. And ye shall know that I haue sent this commaundement vnto you that my couenant which I haue made with Leui might stand saith the Lord of hostes My couenant was with him of life and peace and I gaue him feare and he feared me and was afraid before my name The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked with me in peace and equitie and he turned manie from their vnrighteousnesse For the Priestes lippes shal keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassadour of the Lord of hostes But ye haue gone out of the way ye haue caused manie to fall in the lawe ye haue made voide the couenant of Leui saith the Lord of hostes Therefore haue I also made you despised and vile before all the people because ye kept not my waies but haue beene partiall in the lawe To the Priestes dooth the Lord say that his purpose was euen from the beginning that the couenant betwéene him and Leui that is the order of Priesthood should be established The fruite and profite of the ministerie And séeing in a manner in the first wordes are comprehended whatsoeuer fruit and commoditie there is in the priesthood I beséech you that ye will diligentlie consider of those wordes with me The couenant saith he with him was of life and peace and I gaue him those thinges c. Here first of all would I vnderstand of you what as the last and chiefe end should be desired I knowe you will say that felicitie is to be wished for But the same vnlesse I be greatlie deceaued consistes in two thinges First that there be no want of anie honest good thing which may serue to adorne and make vs perfect For our minde is neuer pacified nor yet is it euer at rest vnlesse it haue attained to a ful measure of all good thinges And this dooth God now comprehend vnder the name of peace Hereof it comes that the Hebrewes when they salute anie bodie doe say Schalomlac Peace be vnto thee Euen as they
testifie in the Gospell Christ vnder the name hereof wished perfect health vnto his saying Peace be vnto you And he commaunded his Apostles that into what house soeuer they entred they should forthwith say Peace be vnto this house And thus you your selues perceiue what God meant when in the couenant which he made with the Leuites he promiseth peace He promised in verie déede abundance and plentie of all good thinges to the Leuites The other point of felicitie is that it be not flitting but firme and constant For the good thinges which we possesse séeme not to be fullie good if they may be easilie taken away Wherefore to the intent that God might assure them of the stedfastnesse of his promise he added Of life that they might not onelie know that they should haue peace but also that they should liue therein So then séeing GOD would haue these promises annexed to the priesthood can you perswade your selfe that the Ministerie is an vnprofitable barren vnfruitfull thing Let others beléeue this but he that vnderstandeth the way of the chiefe felicitie will not runne into the way of so strange and absurde an opinion Why then dooth our flesh complaine Without doubt he that is not content with the chiefe felicitie can finde nothing else wherein he may repose himself He whose gréedinesse cannot be satisfied herewith will neuer be satisfied by anie other meanes He that will not fullie replenish himselfe herewith shall be vacaÌt emptie whither soeuer he goe But for so great a commoditie promised vnto vs what on the other side dooth God because of the couenant require of vs Euen a due honor and obedience which in the Hebrewe he calleth Feare And I gaue those thinges vnto him in respect of feare and he feared me he was afraid before my name c. These wordes he speaketh of Phinees the sonne of Eleazer for with him the couenant was made and such thinges were then spoken vnto him But let euerie one of vs thinke them to be spoken vnto him let him obey and reuerence God aboue all thinges let him continuallie haue regard to his commaundementes let the lawe neuer slippe out of his minde let him be gréeuouslie afraid to violate euen the least of his commaundementes against which if at anie time he perceiue himselfe to haue committed anie thing that let him with excéeding gréefe of minde and with great sorowe detest This must be the first care of the Minister as touching integrite of life and these two partes of the couenant are one aunswerable vnto the other God promiseth life and peace let vs on the other side yeeld vnto him and his will woorship reuerence and feare The honour and dignitie of the ministerie But because there hath bin enough spoken of the profite and commoditie now let vs consider of the honour and dignitie The lawe of trueth was in his mouth and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes He walked in peace and in equitie and turned manie from their wickednesse for the Priestes lippes shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth for he is the Ambassador of the Lord of hostes c. If we wil know what maiestie ornament and honor God ioyned to the holy Ministerie let vs consider the last wordes of the sentence rehearsed Because he is the Ambassador of the Lord of hostes c. If it be a singular gift of God to be a man not a brute beast so as manie euen of the Ethnickes thought méete to giue thankes to God for the same againe if it be so glorious a thing to excell among men so as in a manner all mens indeuors bend thereunto now dooth this without all controuersie excell all nobilitie and excellencie to knowe that we be not men but the messengers of God It is no meane gift to be an Ambassador of anie prince much more honorable to be sent of a noble king and yet more honorable to be sent of an Emperour But to haue a message in the name of God and of Christ as Paul said 2. Cor. 5. 20 is an incomparable honour Looke how much heauenlie thinges excell worldlie so much dooth the being of a messenger of God excell all the honours of this life The office of the ministers of GOD. Wherefore yée haue heard the commodities and greatnesse of this vocation it remaineth that we set foorth the duetie which wée our selues ought to shew that we dishonour not so great and so worthie gifts The lippes of the priest saith he shal keepe knowledge Malac. 2. 7. and they shall seeke the lawe at his mouth c. This must they haue a speciall care of that they be skilfull in holy diuine thinges but this shall they neuer obtaine vnlesse that night and day they occupie themselues in reading the holy scriptures And it is not without force that the minister is saide to kéepe knowledge and that with his lippes For this kéeping first of al consisteth herein that he beware that no lie at any time procéede from him secondly that hee alter not those things which he teacheth out of the holie scriptures but that he defend them with a constant fortitude but not of the flesh for that belongeth to the magistrate but with the lippes that is by most assured reasons drawne from the fountaines and treasure of the worde of God Moreouer forsomuch as so great a knowledge is prepared not for himselfe alone but for others the minister must both be able and willing to aunswere concerning al things which belong vnto saluation For some there be that iudge not woorst of religion who are also learned and to say the trueth not vnskilfull of the holie scriptures but those things which they know they impart to others either no way at all or else maliciouslie But the messengers which are described by the Prophet are no such manner of men Because at their mouth the lawe of God is required therefore let them do their duetie that they be the expounders of the will of God or else let them leaue off to be the ministers of the Church or as the Prophet speaketh the messengers of the Lorde They verily that we may still continue in things pertaining to men are called lawiers which giue counsell out of the lawe and interpret the lawes For which cause these also since they bee cunning in the scriptures of God must both aunswere by them and must interpret them vnto the people of God God by the right of the couenant promiseth vnto vs as ye haue heard the honour of Angels but on the other side he requireth of vs that we shoulde be studious in the worde of God and thereof to be good and liberall interpreters where and at what time it is required of vs and required it is when wée see the people of God vntaught hungry and in a manner perishing for lacke of succour infected on euerie side with wicked and peruerse opinions Which although it
from tempting of our Sauiour by no other weapons but by the worde of God Wherefore it is no maruell if Paule doe therefore praise Timothie 2. Tim. 3. 15 because he learned the holie Scriptures from his first infancie whereby he might teache and confute instruct and correct and become perfect and prepared to euerie good worke Happie was the Commonweale of Israel accounted which as concerning her state might aske Counsell of God by Vrim and Thumim Exo. 28 30. But we which haue the diuine light and perfection of the spirit expounded vnto vs in the word of God when wee will are not in worse case than they That could not be our felicitie to haue those things which be necessarie to saluation ingraued in our mindes by the power of the spirit so as we should haue no néede of outwarde writings and helpe of Bookes forsomuch as the entercourse and the most swéete familiaritie which at the beginning mankinde had with God is by sinne broken off Therefore to despise the gift of the Scriptures which succeeded in stead thereof is an extreme madnesse especially since we so soone erre both in the actions of this life and in opinions Mal. 2. 7. We call to minde that God commaunded the Priests that they should with great indeuour procure themselues the knowledge of the law also that he commanded the king that he should neuer suffer the booke of the heauenly doctrine to bee taken out of his handes Deut. 17. 18 Wherefore those shoulde not be accounted eyther kings and Priests which shamefully neglect the holy Scriptures And séeing that Christ hath made his to be both Priests kings none may boast themselues to be Christians which are not delighted with the studie of the worde of God Let some please themselues as much as they will with vnlearned rudenesse there is no man of sounde iudgement will at any time be perswaded but that it doeth greatly please the prudent lawemaker that the lawes should be knowen of his Citizens since that no fruite of lawes vnknowen although they be both iust and honest will redounde vnto the Common weale Our good and mightie God did therefore place the sunne in an high adn eminent place of the heauens that séeing he ordained the fountaine of light to bee therein and to lighten all things the same should bée beholden of all creatures Wherefore it doth please him excéedingly if all men in the Church doe continually turne the eye of their minde to the doctrine of the holy Scriptures And howe much this also doeth profite our mindes hereby it may bee vnderstoode that the eyes of them which liue in a manner alwayes in smoke are not onely fore filled full of teares Similitudes but are also made dum and dull like as on the other side when we liue in the large fieldes and in the gréene medowes garnished with great diuersitie of flowers compassed about with most cleare waters we being of perfect strength then haue we our eyes both bright and of perfect sight They doe liue in the smoke which doe alwayes regard earthlie thinges and doe onelie occupie their minde in naturall sciences These be almost continuallie disquieted with perplexities cares and great vexation of minde and are euerie day made lesse fit to behold heauenlie things And vndoubtedlie nothing dooth more fitlie aunswere the state and condition of these vnhappie sort than dooth smoke For euen as from a thicke fire there breatheth out smoke so from the heate burning and darknesse of filthie lustes all thinges that euer they doe are obscured And how iustlie the holie scriptures are compared to the large heauen to the open fieldes to the florishing medowes and to the running and cleare waters I thinke there is none of you but vnderstand Therefore when I exhort you aswell to the receiuing of this knowledge as to the communicating thereof with others I call you to those thinges that be comfortable and fit for the naturall sharpnesse of out wit yea and they be verie profitable for restoring of the whole man With the verie which counsell Paul thus instructed his Verse 2. Timothie in the 2. Epistle the 2. Chapter And what thinges thou hast heard of me by manie witnesses the same deliuer to faithfull men which shall be able to teach others also The Apostle could not abide that the doctrine of the Gospell being so comfortable should be hidden from men or that it should be kept back or be suppressed among a fewe And all faithfull teachers in the Church haue no other respect in teaching but that the word of God communicated vnto those that be present may by them be spread abroad to infinite others Euen as they which be couetous and liue vppon gayne doe distribute that monie which they haue vnto men that vse the same that at the length it may returne to them more amplie and richlie But alasse this sword of the word of God hath bin a large time put vp and hidden in the sheathe of superstitions and humane traditions therefore haue we lien oppressed with so manie impieties Christ in times past said Ye erre not knowing the scriptures Mat. 22. 29. But now the Pharisies of our time say Ye erre hauing knowledge of the scriptures And they wish and desire nothing more than that this spirituall sword may once againe be hidden But O ye that be the kindred of Christ and faithfull men vnto God suffer not the same to be taken againe out of your hands For beléeue me in the stead of the booke of life they wil giue into your handes the booke of death and thereby O good God what calamities will ye runne into Let the horrible example of Saul teach you 1. Sa. 28. 6. who after he was cast off from God could haue no aunswere of him neither by Prophets nor by priestes nor by Oracle whereby he might be comforted being now cast into most gréeuous dangers What did the miserable man He gaue eare vnto the wordes of a witch and vnto Magicall counsels Howbeit he reapt nothing thereby but extreme feare threates of death and vtter desperation O vnfortunate wretches which being destitute of the word of God doe carrie themselues vnto superstitions and diuelish deuises of mens traditions They are throwen headlong into eternall death and into errors out of which they cannot winde themselues 2. Thess 2. 10. and that iustlie For as Paul said vnto the Thessalonians They receaued not the loue of the trueth Vnto whome they be also néere neighbours and for this cause no lesse to be auoided because like vnto the Samaritans they haue decréed to imbrase both 2. kings 17. 41. namelie the word of God and the vngodlinesse of mens traditions as if they knew not that in Deuteronomie and elsewhere Deut. 4. 12. Apo. 22. 18. it is straitlie charged that we should not adde to or take anie thing away from the word of God and that for iust cause For what
the father of our Lord Iesus Christ who is the fountaine of seasonable helpe and sound consolation will so at the length be present with you as both you may be in better health of bodie and that the troubles wherewith you are pressed beyond your power shal be somwhat mitigated I am verie sorie that the matters of France do fare so ill although I iudged before hand that things would so come to passe For I perceiued nowe that they would soone beare the sway into whose hands if the chiefe ruler should come it was easie to be iudged what a fal the state of religion should haue Others perhappes do maruell at the Quéene But I maruell not for I neuer perceiued hitherto any token of her godlinesse towards sincere religion Howbeit it séemes to be verie new in the king of Nauarra that hee which appeared before to fauour with a full spirit the Gospel of the sonne of God should shew himselfe now when most néede was to be voide of godlinesse What shall we héere doe Hée that is the king of kings and Lord of Lords shall defende and promote his owne cause without the Kings and Lords of this world and as I hope will be a defendor and maintainer of your citie also For he is not woont to faile the faithfull in such times as they be oppressed And since he hath not hitherto omitted this towards any we are not to thinke that hee will nowe begin with you Howbeit since it lieth not in vs any other way to helpe we doe assist your state with earnest prayers vnto Christ we mistrust not but that according to his goodnesse wee shall at the length be heard I haue saluted Bullinger and the rest in your name who in like manner wish you verie much health As for the young man whom you haue commended in your letters I will willingly gratifie all the wayes I can I pray you commende me heartily to your fellow ministers and especially maister Viret and maister Beza for whose sake Letius gaue me the institutions of your College which I greatly reioyce that you haue erected and for that cause I also giue God great thanks beséeching him that he will happily prosper that which yée haue well begun Trulie I would with all my heart haue written now vnto Beza sauing that the carrier made too much hast Fare you wel most louing Sir and reuerent brother in Christ From Zurick the 16. of September To Theodore Beza MY good friend and louing brother in Christ I receaued by one Himmanuell the booke which you deliuered him for me wheÌ he departed from vs. Wherefore I giue you thankes for the gift aswell for the excellencie and woorthinesse thereof as also because I now perceiue there is a way open whereby we shall not silentlie shut vp in our selues our good will which we haue through Christ and his Gospell but shall hereafter exercise the same by our mutuall letters and salutations one to an other Truelie you began this excellent and comfortable kinde of coniunction wherefore it is not méete that it should cease in me This therefore did I receaue as méete it was with great delight and pleasure and for continuance thereof these few lines I thought good to write whereby I might reioyce with you for this happie stile of writing this aboundance of learning and sinceritie of faith which excellent giftes no doubt since you acknowledge to be giuen you by God for the profit of the Church now vse you them diligentlie when they be most needefull for the flocke of Christ and when your yeares are in state to doe the same Howbeit because it is but superfluous to admonish him that is wise enough of himselfe therefore I will not make manie wordes An other thing that I thought to signifie vnto you is that I as I thinke together with me all the godly and so manie as loue the saluation of the Church doe giue you singular thankes for the labour which you take in writing And euen this would I should be a spurre vnto you to procéede as you haue begunne and that the greater number of enemies of the trueth there be the greater forces and the stronger campe you prepare against them God long preserue you safe among vs and graunt that you may happilie liue to Christ and his Church I pray you salute in my name Viretus and signifie vnto him that the matter of the French Church hath at the length had a happie end From Strasborough the 18. of Nouember 1554. Vnto Theodore Beza I Am assured right woorthie Syr welbeloued brother in Christ that you looked I should long agoe haue aunswered your two learned and courteous letters This in verie déede I had doone but that I lackt trustie and sure carriers And I am of that minde that I thinke not that letters should be committed vnto euerie man Now at length I doe write an aunswere and I pray you beare with this my slacknesse séeing it hath not happened either because I made small account of your letters or for that I estéeme you but after a common manner or loue you but coldlie but rather to the intent that those things which I write might be straightway caried whither I appointed The doctrine of predestination necessarie to be taught in the Church I vnderstand it to be a verie profitable and necessarie thing that the doctrine of predestination should be retained pure in the Church and be truelie and plainelie taught which because we sée it not to be doone as both of vs doe wish it gréeueth me verie sore Zanchus and I according to the strength and power giuen vs of God haue not failed of our part but aswell by teaching as disputing haue plainelie and openlie defended the truth The cause I write not because as I thinke it to be all one generallie so I know you are not ignorant thereof And whereas you for making of the matter no lesse profitable than it is withstood haue determined amongst meÌ so to declare it as you may also in certaine painted tables set it before mens eyes explane it and make it euident I both commend and verie well allow therof As for my counsell which you of your gentle nature and of a certaine modestie of minde doe require I doe not thinke that you haue anie néede thereof which neuerthelesse if you should néede I might not giue the same according to those descriptions which you sent vnto me by Sampson an Englishman For although I finde in them a compendious diuision and that there is diligentlie obserued a fit way of teaching yet can I not perfectlie comprehend what is the whole doctrine while there is not added some exposition nor the places out of the holie scrptures be set downe Yet neuerthelesse as I can coniecture of the Lyon by his clawes I doubt not but that it is circumspectlie deuised diligentlie comprised of you Wherefore I not onelie counsell you but I also warne and desire
but doe rather despise him he looseth his labour séeing through such a contempt he is made blinde But if he be indued with the feare of God he will assent vnto him that rightlie admonisheth Howbeit both parts of the argumeÌt are easilie refelled He that feareth not God and when the punishment of eternal death is set before him procéedeth in contemning of him procureth vnto himselfe a more gréeuous iudgement harder condemnation But he that is indued with the feare of God will by applying of more vehement spurs hasten with a swifter course vnto the trueth Wherefore such doctrine as this hath no fruite and draweth much losse with it Those things in effect iudge we of the whole cause Now wil we come to examine particularlie the parts and members thereof which we are faine to doe in fewe words and briefelie séeing we haue other businesse in hande which although we woulde we may not intermit This first of all we cannot choose but maruell at that the Anabaptists are affirmed to haue a true mediatour although they beléeue that his flesh was brought from heauen Whether the Anabaptists doe acknowledge the true mediator not taken of the virgin Vndoubtedlie a mediator he cannot be vnlesse he both be and be comprehended by faith according as God hath ordained him and reuealed him in his promises But he decreed that he shoulde haue flesh of men and this he testified by euident and plaine wordes in the holie scriptures So as they which attribute vnto him a heauenly flesh haue not the mediatour promised by God but him whom they haue inuented to themselues and imagined of their owne braine It is obiected that those men doe not sée nor perceiue that such a mediator is set foorth and promised by God as ought to haue taken flesh of Marie What they can sée or what they cannot sée it maketh little or nothing to the matter This doubtlesse are they driuen to beléeue that in the holie Oracles it is left vnto vs for a most certaintie we doe not affirme that they doe sée these things But this be we assured of that not to sée nor professe those things but with full mouth to denie them remooueth them from saluation A iudgemeÌt as touching the Iewes As touching the Iewes of our times which crie out that they cannot finde by the holie scriptures that Messias is yet come but say that they do beléeue in him as did the Patriarches Prophets and as their forefathers beléeued what will Hadrian iudge Will he saie that they be not out of the kingdome of heauen Let him saie what he will we will saie with Iohn that they be antichrists which say that Christ is not come in the flesh 1. Iohn 4. 3. A blindnesse in those thinges which the scripture teacheth concerning the mediatour remooueth not damnation from the vnfaithfull That blindnesse is laide vpon vs as a iust punishment of former sinnes which when it transgesseth the lawe and bounds of faith it taketh not eternall damnation away They that denie the consequent denie also the Antecedent but rather procureth the same Neither is it truely sayde that it comes oftentimes to passe that they which denie the consequent doe not denie the antecedent for they in déede doe denie this although in words they séeme so much to graunt it For the ouerthrowing of the consequent is so repugnant to the antecedent as they can not stande together But thou wilt say that vnawares they take away the antecedent of Christes humanitie I graunt it but ignorance as touching naturall prophane thinges is counted but a light matter but in articles of the faith it bringeth the extremest and chiefest losse And it is not nowe called ignorance but incredulitie Matt. 1. 25. Luke 2. 7. But that Christ was borne of the virgine Marie no man of sounde religion doubteth but that the same doth belong to the chiefe pointes of faith And for man to be borne of a mother is not onelie to passe through the wombe of her and this euen children themselues doe knowe Further we confesse that he was not onlie borne of a virgin but that hee was also conceiued of her And who I beséech you will say that those things which passe through the wombe are conceiued Howbeit we are not nowe about to bring foorth testimonies of the scriptures whereby the Anabaptists may bee conuinced that it may be shewed to them that the flesh of Christ was receiued of his mother but to the intent wee may prooue that they which denie this which truelie belongeth to a mediatour doe vtterlie take awaie the mediatour himselfe although by mouth and wordes they professe that they beléeue and confesse him A similitude If in anie kingdome a man should teach that we should not for anie cause obey a king and yet neuerthelesse would confesse him to be lawefull king and that he holdeth the same kingdome by right of inheritance hee should as I thinke be punished by death neither should it anie thing auaile him to crie that he séeth not the dependencie or connection betwéene the consequent and the antecedent But they which were wise or had anie knowledge at all of politike gouernement would say vnto him either thou séest or séest not this knitting together by denying this that is the consequeÌt thou ouerthrowest also the antecedent Neither are the papistes deliuered from the curse and euerlasting destruction in this respect that they thinke themselues to preach no other gospell than that which the Apostles taught and they themselues moreouer denie that they doe sée a iust and effectuall coniunction betwéene their doctrine and that which is accursed Yet for all that these thinges must not in such sort be vnderstoode as though we do not thinke that they sinne more gréeuouslie who reiect and oppresse the trueth which they verie well knowe than they of whome consequentes are denied and antecedentes by wordes and false opinion affirmed but in vaine since these may not consist with the contraries of the consequent These men in déede doe sinne somewhat lesse yet so gréeuouslie notwithstanding as vnlesse they at the length repent them That the Anabaptists haue no true mediator they shal perish eternally séeing they haue no true mediatour but such a one as they themselues haue forged Neither doth Hadrians similitude belong anie thing vnto this matter Whether the Anabaptists doe beléeue in Christ Mat. 26. 27 The Hebrewes saieth hee of a false opinion doe thinke that our Lorde Iesus was nothing else but a méere man and that a seditious and naughtie man Wherefore they being deceiued by this errour did naile him to the crosse which iniurie of theirs although it procéeded of a false opinion yet did it breake out against verie Christ not against a fained Christ So the Anabaptistes when they beléeue and call vpon Christ which suffered for vs which rose againe and by whome sinnes are fréely forgiuen although they thinke that he
noble and learned men also manie women of excellent vertue Among whom to let passe other excellent and true noble women yet must I not passe ouer in silence the most honorable Dame Isabella Manricha who for Christs cause is nowe banished her Countrie In this congregation of the godlie there was one Galeazzius Caracciolus the Marques of Vicus other noble men which I neede not now to rehearse banished for the name of Christ And albeit that the first praise of this Church is due vnto Valdesius yet notwithstanding is Martyrs vertue also to be remeÌbred who after that he had giuen him by the Lorde a greater light of Gods trueth and had ioyned himselfe to the congregation of the godlie that doctrine which he knewe to be true he would straightwaie preache it also vnto others For he began openly to interprete the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians and that with great fruite For not onelie the fellowes of that College hearde him but also some Bishops and manie noble men For as ye know that Citie hath bin alwaies an habitation of noble and excellent men But after that the wordes of Paul which are in the third Chapter of the same Epistle The fire shall trie euerie mans worke what it is if any mans worke which he hath built doe abide he shall receiue wages if any mans worke burne he shall suffer losse but he himselfe shall be saued yet neuerthelesse as it were by fire These wordes I say when he had interpreted against the receiued opinion he procured to himselfe many aduersaries and enemies For the common sort are perswaded that by these wordes is the fire of Purgatorie decreed and confirmed by Paul than the which the Papisticall sacrifices scarcelie haue any thing more auailable But Martyr although he did not yet openly oppugne that fire of Purgatorie which the Monkes made as a prison for soules yet did he shewe and that out of the auncient fathers that Paul did not here meane of the fire of Purgatorie since he made it to bee such a fire as both good and euill builders haue triall of but that he rather saieth this that they which doe not rightly build may in deede be saued but yet so as it were by fire For euen as he that passeth through flaming fire leapeth out halfe naked so these men their doctrine being confuted and condemned doe acknowledge that they haue lost their labour and so their sinne being discouered by the iudgement of God doe feele the grief and great sorrowe of repentance This sound right interpretation of this place certaine bondslaues of the Pope and of their owne bellie could not abide For they saw that if this foundatioÌ of Purgatorie which is their storehouse shoulde be ouerthrowen the same in his owne weakenesse woulde fall by it selfe though no man shoulde afterwarde inforce it Further they knowe that vppon the fall of Purgatorie there will necessarilie followe the destruction of the trentals and Masses for their auncestors soules and also indulgences whereof they had hitherto made a profitable gaine Wherefore since they decreed that those thinges were not to be borne they accused Martyr whome they feared woulde be an author of those thinges and at length they brought to passe that it was forbidden him to reade Howbeit Martyr woulde not obey this prohibition as being vnequall and vniust and hauing affiaunce in the goodnesse of his cause appealed to Rome vnto the Pope At that time he had in the Citie mightie and fauorable friends namelie Hercules Gonzaga Cardinall of Mantua Casper Contarenus Reignalde Pole Peter Bembo and Fridericke Fregose all learned men and in fauour with the Pope and who then seemed to be desirous of some reformation of the Church By staying himselfe vppon the fauor and power of these men he easilie obtained that the same prohibition of his aduersaries was taken awaie and that his former libertie of teaching was graunted vnto him the which neuerthelesse hee could not long inioy For he had not yet liued full three yeares in Neapolis but that he fel into a greeuous and deadly disease together with the perpetual Companion of his studies his intyre friend Benedictus Cusanus who in verie deed dyed there but Martyr by the singular benefite of God and diligent care of good Phisitians escaped hardly Wherefore to the intent that the chiefe men of the familie might prouide for his health since they sawe that hee coulde not brooke the Neapolitan ayre they in publike assembly declared him the generall visitor of the whole order And in this office he so behaued himselfe as the good men greatlie commended his integritie stedfastnesse and grauitie the residue did feare him and albeit they hated him yet they dissembled the same There were at that time manie which in that order did exercise a certaine tyrannie and when by the vitiousnesse and vnpurenesse of their life they had procured exceeding hatred to the whole familie they coulde not till this time by anie reasons and admonitions be called home to amendement Martyr thinking it meete that these men shoulde be reduced into order after hee had made the Cardinall of Mantua priuie to the matter who was protector of the whole Familie by his helpe hee depriued manie of their dignities and condemned the generall Rector of the whole familie to perpetuall prison in the Ilande Diomedea And as by this seueritie of discipline hee procured fauour to the whole order and great glorie to his owne selfe so by the selfe same fact he wan himselfe hatred and enuie Wherefore at Mantua in an assemblie that came together of the principall persons of the familie he was assigned Prior of Saint Fridian at Luca the which in verie deede though it be an auncient dignitie in this familie for the Prior of Saint Fridrian hath the Episcopall iurisdiction ouer halfe of the Citie yet was there some that for honor sake promoted Martyr vnto it but the most part because they had hated him or enuied him and iudged that for his countrie sake hee shoulde be hated of all men For the inhabitants of Luca haue a great and certayne old inueterat hatred against the Florentines because they thinke that they lie in waite to bereaue them of their libertie Howbeit Martyr did by his excellent learning and vertue so winne vnto him the heartes of the people of Luca as contrarie to the opinion and hope of the aduersaries and them which hated him he being a Florentine was no lesse welcome and beloued of the Citizens than if he had bin a Citizen of Luca so that afterward by an Embassade sent vnto the chiefe of the familie they desired earnestlie that Martyr shoulde not be taken from them And nowe when Martyr liued in Luca and had in his College diuers learned men and also young men of excellent towardnesse he appointed such a discipline as thereby he might as much as in him laie further good maners Religion and the desire of learning For first
holie scriptures it is intreated concerning iustification by faith other things of that sort those are not to be ascribed vnto a dead faith but vnto a liuelie faith after which maner I at this present may order my spéech Amongst the Schoole-diuines there is boast made of faith formed and faith without forme for such terms they haue but the same we will examine a little after Onlie I will now declare this to wit that Thomas Aquinas held Thomas Aquinas saith that faith formed and vnformed haue both one habit that faith formed and faith vnformed be of one habit or qualitie bicause as he thinketh it belongeth little or nothing vnto faith whether charitie be present or not present for this they thinke is doone by chance or as they saie by accidens Certeinlie it is to be woondered that so notable a man should be so much deceiued as he would not haue these two to be distinguished in their owne nature séeing the one is a dead faith and the other a liuelie faith the one maketh vnto eternall life and the other vnto condemnation For a dead faith putteth a certeine goodlie shew in the mind but such Faith vnformed is faultie bicause it onlie taketh awaie excuse as séeing it dooth not iustifie or regenerate it onelie taketh awaie the excuse of ignorance as Paule teacheth vnto the Romans and Christ in the Gospell of Iohn If I had not come saith he and had not talked with them they should haue had no sinne 23 Faith hope Rom. 1 20. Ioh. 15 22. and charitie we appoint to be thrée seuerall things neither doo we mingle them togither or confound them one in another as our aduersaries laie to our charge but we saie that they be inseparable companions in such sort A similitude as where true faith is there also will hope and charitie be present their natures neuertheles being safe and vnmixed Neither would we euer grant charitie to be an accident vnto faith sauing that peraduenture our aduersaries vnder the name of an accident have vnderstood a thing proper For charitie dooth no lesse folowe faith A similitude than light foloweth the sunne which thing shall be shewed by authorities out of the scripture and also by diuerse reasons Paule vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 1. in the definition of faith as we declared before The first reason appointed Faith to be a ground or argument of those things which are hoped for Here now thou séest that hope and faith are ioined togither for so soone as euer we haue assented vnto the promises of the mercie of God and the remission of sinnes we doo hope for them for we haue confidence that we shall obteine those things which God hath promised And it cannot be but we should also loue those things which we alreadie knowe and hope to be singular good The second reason Moreouer faith is the power whereby we apprehend Christ who is by God made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But what righteousnes or sanctification can there be vnto vs if charitie be absent The third reason Further faith causeth vs to apprehend God not onelie in respect that he is good but also as he is our souereigne good Which thing so soone as euer it is perceiued it followeth necessarilie that we should prosecute the same with loue and charitie I verelie would neuer assent vnto those crabbed Sophisters which saie that it may be that the blessed may vnderstand the chéefest good thing and yet neuertheles may withhold their will from the loue and imbracing of the same Augustine 24 Now let vs come to the fathers Augustine De fide operibus the 16. chap. writeth that Faith which is without charitie is the faith of diuels and not of christians And he iudgeth that to beléeue in Christ perteineth onelie vnto the true faith of the which we now presentlie speake and he declareth it to be the same which worketh by loue And in the next chapter he most plainelie writeth that those adulterous persons which will still persist in their vncleannes begun must not be admitted vnto baptisme bicause he denieth that they beléeue in Christ for either saith he they iudge that God hath made no lawe against such wickednes or else they thinke that they may be the members of Christ togither with the members of an harlot And thus he manifestlie prooueth after a sort that they beléeue not in some place the word of God But it is necessarie that true faith giue equall assent vnto the whole word of God Chrysostome in his sermon Chrysost which is intituled De fide lege naturae spiritu sancto writeth So soone as thou beléeuest thou shalt be garnished with good works he addeth Ierom. that faith by it selfe is full of good works Ierom against the Luciferians dooth saie that Faith is a firme and vndoubted thing I stand readie in praier but I should not praie vnlesse I beléeued and if so be I did beléeue I would clense that hart whereby God is discerned my chéekes would be watered with teares I would knocke my brest my bodie would tremble my face would be wan and I would lie at the féet of Christ crucified c. In these words thou séest that manie good works are ioined with faith In the booke named The calling of the Gentils being ascribed vnto Ambrose it is written Ambrose that Faith is the begetter of a good will and of a iust action Gregorie Gregorie in his 22. homilie vpon Ezechiel saith Looke how much we beléeue so much we doo loue But this thing is more certeinlie prooued by the testimonie of the holie scriptures When the apostles were demanded by Christ The fourth reason whether they also would depart Peter answered Lord to whom shall we go Iohn 6 67. Thou hast the words of eternall life for we knowe and beleeue that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Here it appéereth that vnto knowledge and vnto a liuelie faith was ioined charitie whereby the apostles would not forsake Christ Christ said The fift reason Iohn 6 40. Iohn 3 36. Euerie man that beleeueth in me hath life eternall Iohn Baptist pronounced the same when he said He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life True it is indéed that while we liue here we haue no absolute or perfect faith but haue onelie an entrance of the the same but howsoeuer it be The sixt reason Abac. 2 4. The seuenth reason Gal. 3 26. Iohn 6 45. The eight reason Iohn 17 3. The ninth reason without charitie it cannot consist The prophet Abacuk saith The iust man dooth liue by faith Paule vnto the Galathians saith Ye be all the children of God by faith And in the Gospell of Iohn Euerie man that hath heard of my father and hath learned and beleeued commeth vnto me And againe This is the life eternall that they knowe thee