and earth should go together and an vndoubted shipwracke doth followe Augustine in his 18. booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth chapter when he had rehearsed that fable how there had bin once a controuersie betwéene Pallas and Neptune which of them should giue name vnto the citie of Athens and that when the men were on Neptunes side and the women with their Pallas and that the women had ouercome the men by one voice Neptune being angrie caused the waues to arise A part of Athens territorie drowned and drowne a great part of the territorie of Athens This I saie when Augustine had recited he added that the diuell might doo the same and that sometime he can raise vp the flouds and sometime represse them If I would reckon vp all that might be spoken hereof it should be infinite let it be sufficient that I haue thus shortlie touched the generall things themselues VVhether it be lawfull to aske counsell of the Diuell and to vse his helpe 30 Now must we consider of that which we set downe in the third place namelie whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of ill spirits or to vse their helpe First indéed it séemeth to be lawfull for God vseth the labour of diuels why then should it not be lawfull for vs And Paule deliuered men vnto sathan 1. Cor. 5 5. and therefore it is lawfull for vs also to vse the ministerie of spirits Here we must make a distinction For we vse spirits either by authoritie commandement as when we command them anie thing in the name of God or else by acquaintance felowship couenant obedience or praiers God beareth rule ouer the diuels Matt. 17 18. Acts. 16 18. and Christ and the apostles commanded that they should go out of the bodies possessed Why it is not lawfull to vse the helpe of diuels but to require or expect anie thing of them vpon anie couenant or bargaine that is not lawfull for it is idolatrie And the diuell séeketh nothing more than to lead vs from God to the worshipping of him Herevnto also tendeth customs ceremonies and sacrifices by this meanes men fall from God vnto the diuell Further they which doo these things doo sinne against themselues for we neuer read that the end of these arts was good whereof wretched Saule may be an example and instruction vnto vs. Sam. 28 19. The diuell indéed feigneth himselfe to be compelled and to be bound by little stones or rings howbeit the same compulsion is onelie a voluntarie and deceitfull compulsion he feigneth as though hée would cast out another spirit but it is nothing For the ill spirits doo but dallie one with another to deceiue men None of vs would commit our dooings to a man whom we knowe to be full of fraud and trecherie Now the diuell is not onelie a lier but euen the father of lies Exorcismes in the church Truth indéed it is that there were certeine exorcismes or adiurations in the church wherof Irenaeus Tertullian Augustine and Eusebius make mention Looke part 4 chap. 9 art 7. but these were speciall gifts for that age dured but for a time now they be taken awaie But thou wilt saie The Hebrues had coniurers Salomon wrote exorcismes Salomons exorcismes I knowe that Iosephus in his eight booke of antiquities writeth that Salomon did so to driue awaie ill spirits and to maintaine the health of man He describeth also the meanes whereby those things might be doone namelie that vnder the broad part of a ring there was a little root and that the same being applied to the nostrils of a man possessed the ill spirit was foorthwith expelled But herewith he writeth that Salomon vsed also certeine praiers and holie names and that one Eleazar being a man skilfull in these things made demonstration of his cunning before Vespasian and his sonnes Titus and Domitian and at the commandement of Vespasian wrought so that a spirit at his comming foorth of a man ouerthrew a basen full of water which was there set for the purpose and he saith that he sawe all these things In verie déed I dare not denie the historie but yet I thinke good to answere one of these two waies either that God would for a time bestowe such a benefit vpon the Israelites which notwithstanding we haue not read or els that Salomon did these things when he was now departed from the true God and had begun to worship the gods of the Gentils That such exorcists indéed were vntill the apostles time it appéereth by that historie of the children of Sâ—eua Acts. 19 13. which is written in the Acts. Howbeit exorcismes must not be vsed but onlie by them which are sure that they be indued with that grace But yet there be certeine which haue the name without the grace these doo vse inuocations by names merits and reliks of saints For this dooth the diuell séeke euen to intangle the people with superstitions The diuels seeme to be delighted with outwarde things Indéed the diuels séeme as though they were delited with outward things as herbs little stones and perfumes but they are not so delighted withall as liuing creatures are with the desire of meate but as it were with certeine seals sacraments Wherefore they come quicklie when they be called least they should not séeme to stand to their couenants They will altogither imitate God for little stones rootes haue no power at all to allure diuels Wherefore euen as God forgiueth not sinnes vnto vs by anie power of the sacraments but onelie for his couenant and promise sake so the diuell will séeme to deale with those that be his to the intent he may shew himselfe to be present with them not for the woorthines of the things offered by them but onelie in respect of his promise and couenant He mocketh simple men And verie pitifullie dooth he mocke simple and foolish men for they which boast that they haue spirits which doo loue them when they are afterward called into iudgment and condemned vnto death cannot by them be deliuered from the extremitie of execution Somtimes indéed they are readie to obeie them that are their owne but that is in foule and dishonest things namelie in adulteries thefts murthers they neuer stir them vp vnto good For they be sathans that is to saie the aduersaries of God They will haue couenants and promises to be made which cannot otherwise be than against God 31 But the Schoolmen stand in doubt Whether we may vse inchantment to take awaie mischiefs whether it be lawfull to vse inchantment to take awaie mischéefs and in generall they answere that it is not lawfull But yet they saie that if we can perceiue that those couenants consist in fethers or roots or little stones and we can find those things it is lawfull to take them awaie breake them for otherwise they saie that one inchantment must not be taken awaie with
although wée affirme that the apprehension or holding fast of the bodie of Christ is doone by faith yet vpō this fast holding followeth an effect euen a true coniunction with Christ not a fained or imagined the which first belongeth vnto the soule secondly it redoundeth to the bodie And the same in the holie scriptures is commended to vs by Paul vnder a metaphor of the head and bodie when he calleth vs members of one and the selfesame bodie vnder Christ the head vnder the state of Mariage wherein two are made one flesh The which that Cyrill might expresse he brought in a similitude of molten waxe which is mingled with other waxe and so of two is made one Thus woulde he haue vs to bée ioined with Christ And to this purpose specially Ephe. 3. 6. make the wordes vnto the Ephesians wherein we are saide to be flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones which words if thou looke vpon at the first viewe wil appeare that it ought otherwise to be saide Whether Christ be of our flesh or we of his to wit that the sonne of God is of our flesh and of our bones because he assumed flesh of mankind Howbeit Paul vnderstoode not meere flesh but flesh cleane from sinne capable of resurrection and immortalitie The which séeing the faithfull haue not of themselues neither drew it frō Adam they claime it vnto them by Christ because they be incorporated vnto him by the sacraments and by faith Wherefore there happeneth a certaine enterance of Christ A falling in of Christ into vs. into vs and a spiritual touching the which Paul weighed when he said vnto the Galathians Gal. 2. 20. But now it is not I that liue but Christ liueth in mee Neither is there any néede in these respectes to drawe Christ out of heauen or to disperse his body into infinite places forsomuch as all this that we teach is spirituall and yet notwithstanding no fained thing for imagined sightes Idols or fained things doe not nourish the minde as here we be certaine that it is doone For we haue saide and we confirme it that these signes doe both signifie and offer and most truely exhibite the bodie of Christ although spiritually that is to bee eaten with the minde How the forefathers had the same thing in their Sacraments that we haue in ours not with the mouth of the bodie But if thou shalt demand after what manner the Fathers of the olde Lawe in their Sacramentes could haue the same that wee haue it is easie to bee aunswered séeing wée haue affirmed that in this Sacrament the thing is vsed spiritually not corporally And in the Apocalyps we reade That the Lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world They waited for things to come wee celebrate the memorie of them alreadie doone Lastly we haue shewed that great héede must be taken least that which we speake of spirituall eating be vnderstoode as though it destroyed the truth of his presence For Augustine saide vpon the 54. Psalme that the bodie of the Lorde is in a certaine place in heauen but that the trueth of the Lordes bodie is euerie where For wheresoeuer the faithfull be they apprehend that Christ had a true bodie giuen for vs and so they doe eate him by faith 82 Wherefore I haue nowe spoken in this sacramentall matter that which in my iudgement ought to be affirmed being according to the Scriptures which I woulde the godly reader woulde well consider and take in good part And God of his goodnesse graunt that at the length the Church of Christ may obtaine both trueth and quietnesse as touching this sacrament Which two things I therefore wish because hitherto I sée that the Eucharist whereof we intreate hath bin so ouerwhelmed buried and defaced with lies craftie deuises and superstitions as it might rather be iudged any other thing than that which the Lord instituted in the supper The which least it should easilie be cleansed the Diuell which is the most gréeuous enimie of al peace and truth hath sowne so manie opinions contentions disagréements heresies and controuersies sauing that they bée without bloud that scarcelie any consent woorthie of Christians can in mans reason be hoped for But these things alas we suffer not without cause who haue doone double iniurie vnto this Sacrament partlie for that in stead of a notable and singular gift of Christ we haue erected an execrable Idol and partly because we haue without sinceritie of faith with a conscience defiled with grieuous sinnes without sufficient triall of our selues abused these most holy mysteries I beséech the Lord to take pitie of so great a calamitie and vouchsafe at length to restore vnto his Church a reformed Eucharist and the right vse of the same through our Lord Iesus Christ Amen Looke the Exhortation to the Supper of the Lorde Also looke his Confession and opinion touching this whole matter Item the disputations with Tressham c At the end of these Common places The end of the Treatise of the Eucharist A short abridgement of the disputation which D. P. Martyr made as concerning the Eucharist against Gardiner Byshop of VVinchester THe matter of the Eucharist according as the Lorde deliuered the same vnto vs is both plaine and easie to be knowen which if it were handled according to the iudgement and sense of the holy scriptures and that there were a consideration had of the humane nature of Christ and of the receaued definition of the Sacrament there should be no great paynes taken either in the vnderstanding or handling of the fame Howbeit by reason of the contention and importunitie of the aduersaries it is become more intricate than any blinde labyrinth and it is come in a manner to passe that through contention wee haue welneere forgone the trueth for they rather thā they would giue place to the right and best opinion yea that they may by all maner of meanes defend their monstrous deuises rather than the truth they haue vsed all kinde of counterfeiting cauillations and deceiueable wayes Whereupon when I of late daies was diligent to encounter with the huge armie of their cauils and sophisticall Arguments and should answere the same with as much diligence as I could the volume grew in a manner to an exceeding greatnesse Fearing therefore least godly men when they come to take my book in hand being ouermuch tyred with long reading should returne as vncertaine as before for seeing the reasons on both sides and those sometimes but latelie and newlie deuised it is not possible but those which be the later should obscure the memorie of those that went before or in a manner make them to be quite forgotten I minded straightway to set the matter before mens eyes in a certaine abridgement or resolution which the Gretians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that those which shall reade my writings or be minded to reade them or haue alreadie read them may haue present
feast daies of the Iewes 376. Whether it be lawfull to solemnize the birth daie of anie man pag. 377. chapter VIII The fift precept of the honouring of superiours pag. 377. A comparison betweene the duties of parents and magistrates Ibidem What dominion the husband hath ouer the wife pag. 379. Of ambition pag. 381. Of the desire of praise pag. 382. Of flatterie pag. 383. chapter IX The sixt precept of freendship 384. Of homicide pag. 385. Whether Elias did well in killing of the Baalites pag. 386. Of parricide pag. 390. Of sword-plaie Ibidem Whether it be lawfull for anie man to kill himselfe pag. 391. Of repelling of violence pag. 397. Of curssings imprecations and bannings Ibidem How far it may be lawfull to reioise in our enimies ouerthrowe pag. 400. Of a cursse shunning of reuenge 403. * Of the affects in generall pag. 405. * Of shamefastnesse pag. 411. * Of temperance pag. 412. Of mercie and Nemesis Ibidem Of crueltie enuie emulation and reuenge pag. 414. chapter X The seuenth precept of not coÌ„mitting adulterie pag. 418. Of matrimonie and concubins Ibid. Of polygamie pag. 420. Of barrennesse pag. 430. Whether it be lawfull for children to marrie without the consent of their parents pag. 431. Of rauine or violent taking awaie 437. Whether marriage be lawfull in persons of sundrie religions pag. 442. Of degrees forbidden in marriage pag. 447. Dispensation for marriage pag. 453. Of dowries pag. 454. Of diuorsements pag. 457. Whether matrimonie be a sacrament pag. 462. chapter XI Of whoordome fornication and adulterie pag 468. Of bastards pag. 475. Of idlenesse pag. 479. Of the punishments of adulterie 482. Whether the man or woman doo sinne more greeuouslie in adulterie pag. 489. Of reconciliation of man wife 495. Of wine and droonkennesse pag. 497. Of danses pag. 503. Of garments and apparell pag. 506. Of counterfet and false colouring 507. chapter XII The eight precept of not committing theft pag. 517. Of beneficence and hospitalitie 518. Of benefiting and vnthankfulnes 523. Of plaies and pastimes pag. 524. * Of gentlenesse and affabilitie pag. 528. chapter XIII The ninth precept of not bearing false witnesse Ibidem Of contumelie Ibidem Of suspicions pag. 533. Of mocking and taunting pag. 534. Of deceit or guile Ibidem Whether guile be lawfull for the rooting out of idolatrie and heresies 539. Of dissimulation pag. 541. Of truth and of a lie pag. 542. Whether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour pag. 546. Whether we may lie for modestie sake pag. 547. Whether faith against a promise breaker must be kept pag. 548. Of a fable and apolog pag. 550. chapter XIIII The last precept against lusting 551. Of the comparison betweene sins 553. Of charitie which is the fulfilling of the lawe pag. 556. Of salutations pag. 560. Whether the commandement of louing God with all the hart c. may bee kept in this life pag. 562. Whether the first motions should bee accounted sinnes pag. 565. Whether by rewards we ought to bee mooued to the obedience of God 573. chapter XV Of the vse and abrogating of the lawe pag. â—75 chapter XVI Of the likenesse and vnlikenesse of the old and new league or couenant pag. 582. A comparison of the sacraments of the fathers with ours pag. 586. chapter XVII Of Christ and his manifestation in the flesh and by what meanes he performed all the parts of our saluation pag. 599. chapter XVIII An exposition vpon the twelue articles pag. 612. The method and order of the Common places of the Third part AFter these things doo followe the causes and the generall meanes whereby we are both put and reteined in the possession of Christ and saluation and there be also shewed the effects of Christ remaining in vs. All which things the places following doo plainelie teach to wit the places of predestination and calling of faith and hope of adoption iustification Christian libertie of repentance of Christian life of patience in afflictions of the praiers of good men and finallie of eternall life THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE THIRD PART chapter I OF the eternall predestination of God wherein also are refelled the arguments which the aduersaries make against the same pag. 1. Whether GOD would destroie anie man pag. 42. chapter II Of the calling of God pag. 44. Of grace pag. 47. How grace and works are vnto eternall life pag. 52. chapter III Of faith and the certeintie thereof and how faith may agree with feare pag. 63. Of securitie pag. 67. Whether true faith may be separated from charitie pag. 69. How faith excelleth charitie and the contrarie pag. 75. What vnion the godlie haue with Christ pag. 77. Of the adoption of the sonnes of God pag. 79. The description of Christian hope 82. chapter IIII That iustification is of faith onelie not of works pag. 89. chapter V Of peace bondage Christian libertie of offense of conscience and of the choise of meates pag. 161. chapter VI Of vowes in generall pag. 175. Of the vow of Nazareth pag. 177. Of the vow of Ieptha pag. 182. Of the Rechabites pag. 188. Of peregrinations pag. 191. chapter VII Of marriage and sole life especiallie of ministers pag. 192. That chastitie is no common gift of God pag. 198. chapter VIII Of repentance of contrition confession and satisfaction pag. 203. chapter IX Of the works of supererogation imagined perfection of the Papists pag. 227. Of purgatorie and papisticall indulgences pag. 232. chapter X Of teares fasting there also of Lent pag. 245. Of watches pag. 256. chapter XI Of a Christian life and there of sundrie vocations pag. 257. Of freendship pag. 258. How we are to take counsel of God 260. The example of Naaman declared 263. That the possession of riches is lawfull for godlie men pag. 267. chapter XII Of liberalitie and magnificence 269. Of fortitude mortification enduring the crosse and affliction pag. 270. Of flight pag. 287. Whether Dauid did well in flieng to the Philistines for feare of Saule pag. 291. Whether the holie men were inferior to the Ethniks in abiding aduersities 296. chapter XIII Of holie praiers pag. 300. Whether praiers be the causes of the benefits of God pag. 310. How God saith he will giue that which he will not giue and contrariwise Ibid. Of the abuse of forreine language 309. Of musicke and meeter pag. 311. chapter XIIII Of death and of the consolation of the godlie against the same pag. 314. Of moorning for the dead pag. 315. Of buriall pag. 319. That soules loosed from their bodies do not sleepe pag. 323. Of wandering spirits pag. 326. chapter XV Of the resurrection pag. 327. chapter XVI Of the taking vp of Elias and Enoch and of their returne pag. 370. chapter XVII Of the end of the world pag. 385. Of the last iudgement pag. 386. That all mens glorie in heauen shall be alike pag. 389. Of the change of all things pag. 393. The method of the Common
The forme of prophesieng For he that declareth naturall causes and arts and sciences is not a prophet And so a prophet is distinct frō a doctor or teacher Wherein a prophet differeth from a teacher For doctors although they be instructed in the gifts of God to teaching persuading comforting yet they get those things by exercise instruction studie and labour but prophets are taught by no other means than by the onelie reuelation of God Howbeit such prophets as are thus taught of God although perhaps there be some now a daies in the church yet I thinke there be not manie But at the verie beginnings More prophets when the church began than now when the church began to spring vp God raised manie prophets For when men were conuerted from Gréekish gentilitie vnto Christ and were altogether ignorant and vnskilfull of the holie scriptures Loke in the 13. art it was néedful that God helped them by such reuelations but now that all places abound with bookes and teachers there is no néed of the helpe of prophets For the Iewes did onlie looke for Christ to come he is now come wherefore we haue no néed of other prophets Besides they were not so instructed in the holie scriptures For at the beginning they had the lawe and nothing else Then came Samuel and other prophets which made all things full and whole Now there is scripture enough euerie-where Finallie they were alwaies curious serchers of things to come and prone to idolatrie therefore least they should run vnto sorcerers and soothsaiers Deut. 18 15. GOD promised that he would giue them a prophet from among their owne brethren Acts. 3 22. This dooth Peter by the figure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 trulie transfer vnto Christ But in verie déed God euermore cared and prouided that they should not be without some prophet of their owne number But in our daies that grosse idolatrie is taken awaie Chrysostome Chrysostome vpon Genesis saith that the sinnes of men haue brought to passe that no such rare pure spirit can dwell among vs which reason dooth not much mooue me For when the people did most gréeuouslie offend God did euer stir vp his prophets The end of prophesieng as Paule saith is to edifie The end of prophesieng that is to bring vs to eternall felicitie but that is not perceiued by mans iudgement For neither eie euer sawe it or eare heard it wherefore it was néedfull to haue it shewed in a more hidden sort by prophets But they could not open it vnlesse they themselues vnderstood it neither could they euer vnderstand it vnlesse they were admonished by the inward spirit of God The efficient cause For otherwise they would be as ignorant in those things which are done by nature as other men be The spirits that stir vp prophets are sometime good sometime euill 4 But now that spirit wherewith they bée stirred vp is sometime good and somtime euill For as God dooth edifie the church by his prophets so the diuell apishlie counterfeiting God subuerteth it by his prophets There was neuer anie heresie that boasted more of prophesies than did the Montanists For they accounted their Prisca and Maximilla being rich and wealthie women for prophetisses The idolaters foretold some things that were true the more easilie to deceiue did mingle them with falshoods But thou wilt saie Why God suffereth the euill men to foretell true things Augustine Why did God suffer them to speake true things Augustine in his 14. booke De trinitate answereth Bicause they were both sinnes and the punishments of sinnes and they had deserued to be giuen vp to lies and strong delusions as Paule saith to the Thessalonians And God saith 2. Thes 2 11 Ezec. 14 verse 19. that If a prophet be seduced I haue seduced him And Augustine against Iulian saith Augustine The diuels report true things euen of Christ bicause God will by all meanes maintaine the truth both to the comfort of the godlie and condemnation of the wicked But such kind of witches are now forbidden by the lawes of princes Lawes of princes against witches as appeareth in the Code De maleficis mathematicis Howbeit bicause none shall be deceiued they are not called Mathematicks in that place which doo foreshew anie thing by the starres or speculation of naturall causes but such as vnder the name of Mathematicks vttered for gaine curious arts and inchantments which kind of people the Emperour Constantine commanded to be burnt But the good spirit is sent in by God which when the heathen knew not they called it furie and distraughting of the mind Plato in his dialogues Phaedro and Ioue Propheticall furie saith that poeticall furie is one mysticall another foretelling of that which should come and another diuine Now concerning the originall of prophesie it is certeine that as touching the time thereof the same was first in Adam Gen. 2 23. For thus did he saie This is now bone of my bones The originall of prophesie Iude. 14. After him preached Enoch which was the seuenth from Adam as it is written in the Epistle of Iude. Then succéeded Moses and Samuel But thou wilt saie If prophesieng bée so ancient whie dooth Peter on this wise saie in the booke of the Acts It is written in the prophets Acts. 3 24. from Samuel and thence foorth I answere that Peter had first made mention of Moses then he maketh Samuel the head or chéefe of the prophets Samuel chiefe of the prophets bicause he had made verie famous the order of the prophets Lastlie bicause nothing was written of anie prophet before Samuel 5 Chrysostome in his second homilie vpon these words of Esaie Chrysost I sawe the Lord sitting Esaie 6 1. setteth foorth although not verie exactlie a definition of prophesie Prophesie saith he Prophesie defined is nothing els but a declaration of things to come And vpon the prologue of Paule to the Romans he saith that the holie men did not onlie prophesie by writings and words but also by déeds Prophesie by deeds as Abraham did in the sacrifice of his sonne and Moses in the brazen serpent and all the people of Israel in eating of the passouer But a fuller definition is this Prophesie is a facultie giuen vnto certeine men by the spirit of God without teaching or learning whereby they are able certeinlie to knowe things heauenlie high and secret and to open the same vnto others for edifieng of the church Here this word facultie is the generall word to prophesie which may be referred to naturall power not that the same power is naturall but that it may make men apt as naturall power dooth whereby they may be assured of their knowledge Which I therefore added bicause they that vtter those things which they themselues vnderstand not be rather mad persons than prophets The other parts of the definition may
manifold miracles shewed vpon mount Sina and in the wildernes which afterward ceassed when they were come to the land of promise so in like maner miracles are now also taken awaie séeing the gospell is spred throughout the world And therefore the promise which Christ would haue to be written in the gospell of Marke The promise of miracles in Marke extendeth not to all times belonged not to all times wherof it is not our part either to complaine or find anie fault bicause that we heare that the holie ghost distributeth to euerie one as he will who neuerthelesse for great considerations him moouing dooth not impart to all men gifts and graces alike By not giuing of graces to all alike they are lesse contemned and charitie the more exercised For if they should happen to all alike they would soone grow out of estimation whereas God hath determined to make store of them Moreouer he would that charitie should grow and increase which is then exercised when one man dooth helpe an other which thing would not haue taken place if all men had béene indued with like gifts The tenth Chapter Of appeerings of diuels of their answers and sundrie illusions In 1 Sam. 28. at the end HEere I may not passe ouer certeine obscure places which we find in the historie of Samuel Looke In 1. Cor. 12 2. But that they may bée the better vnderstood wée will in the expounding of them followe this order First to inquire who it was that appéered at the call of the witch secondlie if it shall manifestlie fall out that it was the diuell whether he can so appéere and knowe things to come lastlie if he can doo this whether it be lawfull to aske counsell of him Who was that which appeered at the call of the witch As concerning this first question it is of necessitie that either the same was Samuelâ— or the diuell but if we affirme that it was Samuel then will it be doubtfull whether he came wholie both in bodie and soule or in his bodie alone or else in his soule alone If he came wholie in bodie and soule It was not whole Samuel in soule and bodie then must it néeds be that he rose from the dead But this being an excellent great miracle cannot be attributed either to the witch or to the diuell yea and there be some which doo not attribute that no not to God But those pestilent opinions are easilie confuted by the verie historie of the holie scriptures For we reade of thrée in the old testament which were restored from death to life 1. Kin. 17 22 2. Kin. 4 34. one by Elias another by Elizeus being yet aliue 2. Kin. 13 21 and the third by the bones of Elizeus when he was dead Matth. 9 25 In the new testament we read of the chéefe ruler of the synagog his daughter of the widowes sonne Luke 7 14 Iohn 11 43 Acts. 9 46. Acts. 20 10. of Lazarus Eutyches and Dorcas Wherefore if we denie that Samuel returned vnto life we doo not therefore denie that GOD could not bring it to passe For Christ prooued the resurrection and said that God is not the God of the dead but of the liuing Luk. 20 38. and Paule in the 15. of the first epistle to the Corinthians by manie reasons of purpose confirmeth the resurrection of the dead and in the epistle to the Hebrues he reckoneth it among the grounds of our religion It is an article of our faith Heb. 6 2. And vndoubtedlie neither the Turks nor Iewes denie that the dead shall rise againe But the Montanists Originists and such other furies The Montanists and the Originists which denie the resurrection are plainlie confuted out of Iob out of the psalms out of Esaie out of Daniel and euerie-where out of the new testament We doo not I saie denie that it was doone bicause it could not be doone but bicause such miracles whereas they ought to be testimonies of the truth would here be testimonies of lies and magicall wickednes and bicause it is not likelie that God would permit it For so notable a thing may not be attributed vnto the power of the diuell bicause to be able to raise the dead belongeth onlie vnto God But Apollonius Tyaneus raised a maid Indéed so it is written in his life howbeit the same in verie déed was but a phantasie and not a thing doone and that is also to be affirmed as touching Simon Magus And now that it was the carcase of Samuel It was not the dead carcase of Samuel it is not likelie Neither doo anie of the interpretours sauing onelie Burgensis saie that it was so And vndoubtedlie a dead carcase is of it selfe senselesse and void of life neither could it haue answered anie thing vnlesse the diuell had put on the same But the diuell could doo these things euen without a dead carcase for hée might haue taken vpon him the forme and figure thereof 2 Wherefore let vs sée Whether it was the soule of Samuel whether it were the soule of Samuel or the diuell For the interpretours séeme to write diuersâ—ie of that matter Some say that it could not be his soule bicause they thinke that the soules of men remaine not after death But these be wicked mad and doting opinions For out of all doubt Vndoubtedly soules remaine after the deth of the bodie Exod. 3 6. the soules of the godlie are extant and doo liue before God For so God himselfe saith I am the God of Abraham the God of Isaâ—… and the God of Iacob And Christ addeth therevnto He is not the GOD of the dead but of the liuing Matt. 22 32. And Christ said to the théefe To daie thou shalt be with me in paradise Certeinlie To daie Luke 23 43 had béene a verie long time if he had commanded him to wait till the generall resurrection But A thousand yeeres saie they with the Lord are but as one daie Psal 90 4. 1. Pet. 3 8. I grant howbeit that aduerbe Hodie To daie is not alwaies to be vnderstood after that sort Yea and Augustine in his epistle to Dardanus vnderstanding that aduerbe properlie saith that The bodie of Christ was that daie in the sepulchre and his soule in hell and that therefore of necessitie the théefe was present with the Godhead of Christ in paradise For he granteth not that either the soule or the bodie of the Lord could be in sundrie places at one time And Paule saith to the Philippians I desire to be loosed from hence he saith not Phil. 1 23. And to sleepe and to be extinguished but To be with Christ And it had béene better to haue continued liuing than to haue departed into sléepe for here wée acknowledge and praise the Lord. Luke 16 22. Moreouer we read that Lazarus was caried into felicitie and the rich glutton was cast into hell And to that other
thinketh that it may be more easilie answered if we saie that it was not Samuel but onelie a vaine imagination and phantasie A rule howbeit he cannot but grant that two things are against this opinion one is that the scriptures doo alwaies so speake as if it had béene verie Samuel But he answereth that it is the vsuall maner of the scriptures to call similitudes by the names of those things which they represent For so the woodden images were called cherubims and Salomon made brasen oxen 1. Kin. 6 23. 1. Kin. 7 25. 1. Sam. 6 11. and the Philistines gaue siluer mice Neither doo the holie scriptures lie when they speake after that sort For men are woont commonlie so to speake and it pleased God to applie himselfe to the sense and capacitie of man Another thing is that he trulie fore-shewed what would come to passe namelie 1. Sa. 28 19. The diuell sometime speaketh true things that Saule with his sonnes should be slaine and that the host of Israel should be ouerthrowne But he answereth that this also is no new or woonderfull thing for the diuels confessed Christ to be the sonne of God Mark 1 24. And in the Acts of the apostles they gaue a verie goodlie testimonie of Paules doctrine Acts. 16 17. Euen so in this place God vseth the seruice of the diuell to the intent he might terrifie Saule that he which had taken counsell of euill spirits might be afflicted with an euill answere But he addeth how might Saule be with Samuel a wicked man with an holie prophet A great distance of places between blessed soules and lost soules Luk. 16 26. Such he saith is the subtiltie of the diuell alwaies to mingle some truth with falshood For assuredlie saith he there is great distance of place betwéene the blessed soules and the reprobate And this he prooueth out of the historie of the rich man and Lazarus This I make mention of forsomuch as I sée that they which affirme the bodie of Christ to be in euerie place haue no reason so to saie For if that were true then the soules of the godlie should be in euerie place also For Christ saith Wheresoeuer I am Iohn 12 26. there also my minister shall be And by this meanes there should be no differences betwéene soules Of vbiquitie for all should be in all places But they saie Ierom against Vigilantius that Ierom writeth thus against Vigilantins For Vigilantius denied that we should call vpon dead men for they are in the bosome of Abraham and doo not wander about their sepulchres and ashes Then are they not saith Ierom in anie stinking prison but in a pleasant and large custodie like certeine fathers of the order of senatours But saith he They followe the Lambe wheresoeuer he goeth now the Lambe is euerie-where Apoc. 14 4. Further saith he shall we grant this vnto diuels that they can wander vp and downe thoroughout the whole world shall we denie the same vnto the blessed soules of godlie men Here Ierom by his good leaue may it be spoken is somwhat out of the waie Ierom misseth concerning the vbiquitie of soules and yet he hath not spoken of that whereof these men did meane He erreth in saieng that the soules of dead men are conuersant about their sepulchres and that they are to be inuocated yet dooth he not saie that they be euerie-where He compareth them with spirits which he saith doo wander euerie where that is they be sometimes here and sometimes there But if they were euery-where they could not wander héer and there and change places and therefore Ierom saith that neither the lambe nor the soules departed nor diuels be in euerie place but that they in such sort wander at large as they may be wheresoeuer they list These things I haue touched by the waie But Augustine answereth that that saieng of Samuel may be vnderstood of the generall state of death and not of the equalitie of happines In the latter end he addeth that whereas there be but these two waies onlie the former may not be admitted vnles it be prooued to be possible that soules departed may by magicall charms be called againe and beare the proportion of mens bodies And therefore of necessitie the other waie remaineth namelie that it was doone by the counsell and will of God But by the power of incantation that could not be doone and yet by the purpose and commandement of God it might be brought to passe And to this opinion I willinglie agrée For if God will I sée not what should hinder it Augustins booke of questions of the new and old testament 5 In the sixt question to Dulcitius he hath in a maner the same that he hath to Simplicianus But in the questions of the old and new testament if that be Augustines booke which I speake bicause of the censure and iudgement of Erasmus who hath separated that booke from the works of Augustine he accounteth it detestable for anie man to thinke that it was Samuel whom the witch raised vp for it was onlie a delusion and an imagination For the diuell did this to bring himselfe vnto honour and to persuade men that the soules of the dead be in his power and that they shall not escape from his hands after death But if the historie be well discussed we shall not find anie thing at all to prooue that it was Samuel but that Saule indéed when he had heard the description of his apparell and the fashion of his bodie thought that it had béene so that the scripture applied it selfe to his mind and opinion that Saule fell downe and worshipped and thereby the diuell had that which he sought for that Samuel would neuer haue suffered it but that he said Saule should be with him the next daie bicause he was wicked and should perish euerlastinglie But what shall we answere as touching Ionathas 1. Sa. 28 19. who was well knowne to be a iust man Wherefore this answere of Augustine séemeth to be féeble In his second booke De doctrina christiana Augustins booke De mirabilibus scripturarum the 26. chapter he saith It was an image raised vp by sacriledge In another booke De mirabilibus sacrae scripturae if the same be Augustines booke he likewise denieth that it was Samuel indéed Also in his little booke De cura pro mortuis agenda he hath manie excellent things but in the end he concludeth The dead knowe not what is doone in this life that it séemeth vnto him the soules of those which are departed be ignorant what is doone in this life For wheras they oftentimes appéere and present themselues to liuing men somtimes waking and somtimes sléeping Looke In 2. Kings 22 verse 23. that may be doone by angels either good or bad And he saith that we our selues doo oftentimes present our selues to our fréends in our sléepe when as we our selues
was in the mouths of the prophets Satan put into Dauids hart to number the people 1. Para. 21 1 And Dauid himselfe in the psalme saith that God plagued the Aegyptians by euill spirits Psal 78 49. In the prophet Zacharie Zachar. 3 1. sathan stood to let Iesus the préest that the people might not returne out of captiuitie God forbiddeth sacrifices to be doone vnto diuels Leuit. 17 7. which he would not forbid if there were no diuels at all Matth. 4 1. and 13 19. Sathan tempted Christ hée plucketh the good séed out of mens harts had bound the daughter of Abraham for manie yéeres Luk. 13 16. The diuell praied Christ that he might go into the herd of swine Matth. 8 31 Christ at the latter daie shall saie vnto the vngodlie Go ye cursed into euerlasting fire Matt. 25 41. prepared for the diuell and his angels by which words the diuels are most plainlie distinguished from men Iude the apostle saith Iude. 9. that Michaël stroue against the diuell for the bodie of Moses And Iames saith that The diuels beleeue and tremble Iam. 2 19. Christ saith that He sawe sathan falling downe from heauen Luke 10 18 and that he stood not fast in the truth Of good spirits Of good spirits also I will onelie speake a word They be the ministers of God For as it is written to the Galathians The lawe was giuen by the ministration of angels Galat. 3 19. And as it is in the epistle to the Thessalonians In the sound of a trumpet Thes 4 16. and voice of an archangel the dead bodies shall arise And Christ saith that God wil send his angels Matt. 24 31. to gather togither his elect from the foure quarters of the earth And therefore we rightlie and trulie affirme that there be spirits A confutation of contrarie opinions of the Peripatetikes 11 But now we must confute those reasons which are woont to be alledged by others These things saie they may be doone by naturall causes I grant indéed that naturall causes are oftentimes great and secret and doo bring manie woonderfull things to passe But these effects which we speake of as images to speake and giue answers and to vtter the distinct voices of men also to foretell things to come and those not common but hidden and secret matters an ignorant man to haue suddenlie learned arts sciences and he to speake Gréeke Hebrue and the Syrian toong and to recite the sentences of philosophers and poets which neuer learned those toongs nor euer handled poets or philosophers a man to walke inuisiblie to stir things that are a farre off to put out a torch far distant from vs an oxe or an asse to speake like a man these things I saie doo far excéed all force of nature The magicians also which worke these things doo ioine therewithall praiers inchantments coniurings commandements wherein certeinlie there is no naturall power of working at all Herevnto they ad also their lines characters and circles which things be within the compas of quantitie But quantities be neuer reckoned of the philosophers among things that worke The temperature of mans bodie I grant hath great force but yet not so great and besides it must néeds worke by touching Imagination can doo much True it is but euerie one in his owne bodie Howbeit no man no not in his owne proper bodie how stronglie soeuer he imagine can worke all things For if a man haue a withered arme and so stopt as the pores cannot haue their passage let him vse as great imagination as he will he shall not cure the same As for bewitching it is not so great a maruell for in old women the humors are corrupted and being drawne into the eies doo easilie infect especiallie children and infants whose bodies be as it were of waxe But there be other things which go beyond all power of bewitchings as that was when Christ fed fiue thousand men with fiue loaues Matt. 14 2◠when Iosua commanded the sunne to stand still Iosua 10 13 whereas Aristotle in his eight booke of physicks and in his treatise De coelo mundo saith that Those intelligencies which mooue the spheres cannot cease at anie time from their worke and that they should mooue the spheres more slowelie if but one star more should be added therevnto when Esaie called backe the sunne Esaie 38 8. when at the death of Christ the Sunne suffered an eclipse the moone being then in opposition Luk. 23 44. Of which thing Dionysius writeth in an epistle vnto Apollophanes and saith that he had consideratelie beheld the same while he was in Aegypt and that it is extant in the historie of Phlegon Aphricanus Hervnto adde that the shadowe of Peter healed the sicke Acts. 5 15. that Elias shut vp the heauens 1. Kin. 17 1. so that it did not raine for the space of thrée yéeres and an halfe 12 But humors in mans bodie can doo much I grant But yet Christ saith The works which I doo Iohn 15 24. no man can doo and he must sooner be beléeued than all the sort of Peripatetikes Others saie that these things are onlie terrifiengs deuised by prudent men to containe the people in their dutie But we doo knowe that nothing in the scriptures is feigned or deuised for They be the pillers and sure foundation of the truth 1. Tim. 3 15. And whereas they saie that the soules of men doo passe and be changed into spirits that was sufficientlie confuted before when the same was obiected Trismegistus Trismegistus saith that Men doo make vnto themselues gods namelie images made and applied vnto certeine aspects of the heauen that they can speake and giue out oracles But a foolish thing it is to thinke that men can make themselues gods and yet if they can why doo they submit humble themselues vnto them whie doo they worship them whom they themselues made For it is a ridiculous thing to imagine that the cause of anie thing is inferiour to the effect thereof This dooth Esaie verie well deride and taunt Esaie 44 12. A man saith he taketh a peece of wood with the one part he warmeth himselfe and baketh him bread and with the other part he frameth himselfe a god But they can speake and giue out oracles Naie rather Dauid saith much more trulie They haue eies and see not they haue eares Psal 115 5. and heare not they haue mouthes and yet speake not And if they be able to make gods why doo they not rather make themselues to be gods For doubtles they shuld be much better aduised if they would make gods of their owne selues than to make them of stones and stocks Further if they be gods whie doo they not defend themselues For those idols were a good while a go throwen downe and abolished And although other idols
miraculouslie put himselfe betwéene them and their destruction and did hinder the cause but this could not the diuell foresée For God sometime preserueth those that be his and sometime he leaueth them so that they die and so doth it oftentimes come to passe in things that may happen either this waie or that waie For although the experience of spirits be verie great yet is it not so great but that they maie be deceiued Vndoubtedlie the nimblenes of spirits is verie great so that they can easilie perceiue and report what is doone in regions verie farre distant one from another God reuoketh decred purposes but yet oftentimes God reuoketh his purposed decrées And if perhaps God command the diuell to wast and destroie some region and the people in the meane time doo repent if the diuell foretell that the destruction shall come vpon them it must néeds be that he maketh a lie for oftentimes when men begin to repent from their hart God forgetteth all his threatenings These spirits doubtlesse doo sée and knowe the predictions of the prophets but yet those purposes which God doth reueale by his prophets may sometimes be mitigated or changed Esaie prophesied that Ezechias should die Esai 38 1 and 5. but yet when he humbled himselfe and earnestlie repented his life was prolonged for 15. yéeres but that this should come to passe the diuell could neuer haue suspected Wherefore they may be deceiued partlie bicause they knowe not the will of God and partlie also bicause they cannot throughlie looke into our minds But the good angels are not deceiued bicause they referre all things to the will of God The diuell deceiued by ambition Besides this also the diuell is oftentimes deceiued through ambition for he will séeme to be ignorant of nothing therefore he doubteth not to foreshew those things which are far beyond his reach For which cause he mingleth therewith colorable deceits wiles that whatsoeuer should happen he might séeme to haue spoken the truth For he is a craftie and double dealing fellowe as appeareth by these two oracles of his The diuels double meaning I saie that thou Aeacides the Romans conquer may Againe Craesus being past ouer Halis floud shall bring great riches vnto naught Rightlie therefore said Esaie in the 41. chapter Let them tell vs what shall happen we will saie that they be gods not as though they tell not the truth sometimes but bicause they are oftentimes deceiued Wherefore this doth Esaie saie Let them answere vs certeinelie and truelie and alwaies and without error what shall come to passe and we will account them for gods But how fowlie the diuell may be deceiued it chéefelie appeareth in Christ our sauiour Augustine in the ninth booke De ciuitate Dei The knowledge that the diuell had of Christ the 21. chapter saith that The diuell knew and sawe manie things to be woondered at in Christ but he knew not with that holsome and quickening light wherewith reasonable spirits are clensed but onlie by certeine experiments and temporall signes yet did he know him far better than men did For he sawe better and more néerelie than any sight of man can discerne how much the acts of Christ did surpasse the power of nature And yet that knowledge in the diuell did God represse and darken when it pleased him And therefore the diuell doubted not to tempt Christ which certeinlie he would not haue doone Matth. 4 3. if he had knowne Christ indéed For that knowledge depended vpon certeine temporall signes which oftentimes may trouble a man 1. Cor. 2 8. Therefore Paule said If they had knowne the Lord of glorie they would neuer haue crucified him But these words you will saie were spoken of Pilate and of the chéefe préests But that maketh no matter for they were the organs and instruments of the diuell And Iohn saith that The diuell put into Iudas hart to betraie Christ Luke 22 3. But what did let him you wil say that he might not perceiue the Godhead of Christ I will tell you Euen manie things which in Christ séemed to be but poore abiect and vile For he suspected that he which suffered such infamous things could not be God and so it was but a suspicion and not a knowledge But wherefore then did he persecute Christ vnto death Bicause he did not think that his kingdome should by that meanes haue a fall yet on the other side when he saw that his tyrannie began to decline that his ouerthrowe was at hand he thought to preuent it in time and for that cause he sent those dreames vnto Pilats wife Mat. 27 19. The dreams of Pilats wife bicause he now suspected that it was Christ I might shew by other examples how the diuell is woont to be deceiued but I thought this one to be sufficient for our purpose at this time In déed he knoweth naturall things redilie inough vnlesse perhaps God will sometimes blind him and turne him awaie For though he be stubborne and rebellious yet is he in the hand and power of God Moreouer he is manie times let The diuell deceiued through his owne malice and pride through hatred enuie malice and pride And we haue experience in our owne selues how much reason is woont to be obscured by such troublesom affections Herevnto also may be added the greatnes of torments and the sharpenes of punishments wherwith he is vexed wherefore the angels are lesse deceiued bicause they sée al things with a quiet mind 18 But you will demand Whether the spirits see the cogitations of men whether they sée the thoughts and cogitations of men Here they that answere are woont to make a double distinction If we vnderstand the mind to be as it sheweth it selfe by signes and by some moouing gesture of the bodie so diuels can sée the minds of men For they which be in an anger are hot they which are afraid are cold and pale And Augustine saith that All the cogitations of the mind haue some impressions in the bodie by them the diuell can make his cōiecture what we cast in our mind Now our eies are not so sharp sighted that they can sée these things yet the same Augustine in his booke of retractations dooth after a sort moderate this sentence and denieth that anie impressions arise in the bodie by quiet cogitations But if we vnderstand the verie mind as it is of it selfe the diuel cannot reach so far as that he can vnderstand what we desire or thinke But you will saie Séeing mans vnderstanding dependeth of phantasies and forms cannot the diuell perceiue them Yes verelie but whether our vnderstanding be occupied in them that he cannot sée much lesse can he sée what the will dooth determine of them For the will dooth not followe those forms figures but it followeth the vnderstanding Now if we will aske counsell of the holie scriptures they answere most
false prophets God alloweth and commandeth it Go thy waies doo so He giueth incouragement It shall be so Further we cannot denie but that sinne is a certeine humane action but euerie déed as it coms in act dependeth of the first principle of all things God is as the Philosophers acknowledge him Actus Primus actus the first agent Vnlesse he be the vpholder there can be no agent wherefore sinne dependeth on God as vpon the cause efficient Sinnes for the most part be motions and motions haue an order so as the inferiour dependeth vpon the superiour therefore the cause of sinne so far-foorth as it is a motion is directed vnto his owne moouer Augustine hath certeine testimonies of this thing and confirmeth it also by some places of the scripture In his booke De gratia libero arbitrio the twelfe chapter he saith that There is no doubt but that God worketh in mens minds to make their wils incline either to good according to his mercie or vnto euill according to their merits by his iudgement vndoubtedlie which sometime is open sometime secret but euermore iust In the beginning of that chapter he saith Who can but tremble at these horrible iudgements of God whereby he worketh what he will in the harts of the wicked yéelding to euerie one according to his deserts And he addeth He verelie worketh in the harts of men the motions of their will and by them he dooth those things that he will doo who neuertheles cannot will anie thing vniustlie This he prooueth by the scriptures In the first of kings we haue the historie of Roboam 1. Kin. 12 15 who harkned not to the counsell of the ancients that he should deale mildlie with the people But it is said that this turning away was of the Lord to the intent he might establish the saieng of Ahia the Silonite Wherefore as Augustine expoundeth it that naughtie will was of the Lord. He alledgeth another place out of the second booke of Chronicles the 21. chapter 2. Par. 21 16. God stirred vp the Philistines and Arabians against Ioram which followed idolatrie God was minded to punish him Vndoubtedlie the motions of the minds in the Philistines and Arabians were wicked against Ioram insomuch as they inuaded other mens countries and were infected with crueltie and yet God is said to haue stirred them vp In the same historie of kings 2. Kin. 14 8. there is speaking of Amasias which prouoked Ioas the king of Israel vnto battell Yea and Ioas himselfe 2. Par. 25 14 and also the prophet of the Lord discouraged him from the purpose but he being carried with ambition hearkened not vnto the godlie admonitions which thing neuertheles came from God who would that he should be deliuered into his hands bicause he followed the idols of Edom. 4 We reade in the 14. chapter of Ezechiel Ezec. 14 9. If the prophet be deceiued I haue seduced him and I will stretch foorth my hand and will smite him He intreateth of the false prophets which euer betwéene whiles vainlie fed the people Ieremie saith in the fourth chapter Iere. 14 10. that God deceiued the people In the 63. chapter of Esaie the prophet complaineth Esai 63 17. Wherefore hath God so seduced the people or made them to erre that they should depart from him Salomon saith in his Prouerbs Prou. 21 1. Euen as the violence of waters so is the kings hart in the hand of God Vndoubtedlie Pharao was a king therefore he inclined his will vnto what part he would Nabuchadnezer was a king therefore he inclined his will vnto which part he would In the 104. psalme Psa 105 25. it is said of the Aegyptians that God turned their harts so as they hated the children of Israel they séemed before to loue the Israelites In the second epistle to the Thessalonians the second chapter 2. Thes 2 11 Bicause men cast awaie the loue of the truth therefore God sent them strong illusions that they might giue credit vnto lies It is written in the eleuenth chapter of Iosua Iosua 11 20 that None made peace with the children of Israel among all the nations of the Chanaanites saue onelie the Gabeonites For God incouraged their hart to fight against the Israelites And it is added vnto what end namelie that they should be wéeded out by them Assuredly he did animate them that they should not desire to haue peace but rather to haue warre Moreouer he that would an end séemeth to will those things which serue vnto the end and by the same will he would those meanes which craue an end The physician willing to heale a sicke man séeth that cutting or searing or else a bitter potion is fit and euen these he will vse for recouerie of health When GOD would that a testimonie vnto the truth should be giuen by the martyrs and that Christ should die he also would those things that should procure this end namelie the vexation of the saints and crueltie of kings and people for it behooued to attaine vnto that end by these kind of meanes In the prophets especiallie in Esaie Esai 10 5. and 15. kings are said to be in the hand of God like rods hammers and axes which comparisons haue no place if it were not vnderstood that God mooueth the harts for they be not mooued vnlesse they be driuen forward Also when God was displeased with the people of Israel 2. Sam. 24 1. he stirred vp the hart of Dauid to number that people by the poll which thing was wicked It is to small purpose if thou wilt saie that in the booke of Chronicls is read 2. Par. 21 1. that satan prouoked him for satan can doo no more than God giueth him leaue Whether God did it by himselfe or by satan thou séest that Dauid was stirred vp by the will of God vnto that which was not lawfull An obiection They are woont to excuse this matter that God permitteth but not helpeth We saie it is not enough for the offense is still left in our minds God as yet séemeth after some sort to will sinne he knoweth that a man cannot stand by himselfe A similitude If some blind man should walke before vs and we should sée him readie either to stumble against a stone or to fall into a ditch and we are present we may helpe him but we will not we suffer him to go on now when he falleth shall not we after some sort be said to be guiltie of his fall For thou wouldest haue him fall if thou diddest not staie him when thou mightest And that which yet is more gréeuous A similitude if so be that an old impotent man were leaning vpon his staffe and so after a sort were going and if some man should take awaie his staffe wherevnto he leaned although he inforced him not to fall should he not after some sort be called the author of the fall
chance killeth his fellowe is forgiuen bicause that action was not voluntarie Matt. 8 29. The deuill is constrained to speake a truth is compelled to depart from them which were possessed but yet he deserueth no praise or rewards at all Num. 22 31 Balaam is of the angell compelled by the sword that he should not curse the people of God he hath no praise at all bicause he did it not willinglie The definition of violent as it hath an outward beginning so doth it not giue anie helpe as a thing that worketh or that suffereth And it declareth that originall sinne is no violent thing bicause it is an inward corruption in vs and we further it by that naughtinesse which dailie we adde therevnto But and if anie man will saie that we are without knowledge and vnderstanding when the same is gotten and that it commeth by occasion of the first naughtie motions of our mind wherein is giuen no choise or deliberation we answer that those things which Aristotle saith must be vnderstood as touching morall and actuall doings for these sinnes did not he knowe Howbeit this sufficeth vs that such things cannot be called violent séeing they haue their beginning from within Also we grant that there be mingled actions and we affirme that they ought to be reckoned among those which be voluntarie and therefore the holie scriptures doo exhort vs vnto them persuading vs that wée must indure anie thing rather than to run into sinne Paule saith We must neuer doo euill Rom. 3 8. that good may come of it Acts. 5 29. We must rather obey God than men Matt. 10 38 and 16 24. Matt. 10. 39. And we are called To take our crosse and to followe the Lord. And he is said to haue found his soule which hath lost the same Neither hath the deniall of a mans owne selfe anie other respect These actions be of the mingled sort bicause no man would choose these things except by chance but these things we will and we doo partlie to auoid sinnes and partlie to be ioined vnto the Lord. Howbeit thou wilt saie that these things haue an outward beginning wherfore they be rather violent For vnlesse the Lord did these things in vs none of vs would doo them We grant that the beginning whereby our wils are changed is from without but our wils being changed by the spirit of God are inward vnto vs and at their commandement we are mooued vnto these actions and therefore they ought to be called voluntarie for they are not doone of God without vs. Yea and we be praised and dispraised for these mingled actions for Christ saith that He will denie before his father Matt. 10 33 those which shall denie him before men Neither saith he will I be ashamed of him which is not ashamed of me before men And they in verie déed are commended which for Christ his sake do suffer gréeuous vexations Matt. 5 10. Blessed saith he are they which suffer persecution for theirs is the kingdome of heauen In such things as these saith Aristotle is pardon giuen As when Dauid that he might not be slaine feigneth himselfe before king Achis 1. Kin. 21 13 to be mad But there be certeine things which we should neuer be led to commit And what be those They be sinnes And it is an old saieng Vsque ad aras that is to wit Sauing a mans conscience and religion Iob is an example vnto vs who in aduersities could neuer be driuen either by the reprochfull speaking or bragging of his wife to blaspheme God And they which are driuen vnto these things so farre is it off that they find mercie as they rather fall from the hope thereof as in the epistle to the Hebrues it is said of them which departed froÌ„ the knowen truth So did it happen to Spiera the Italian to those which slew themselues when they had abiured the Gospell Aristotle propoundeth two things verie hard The one is what a man should suffer for anie thing The answer is easie We must suffer anie thing rather than we should depart from Christ and his holie commandements Matt. 16 26. What auaileth it a man if he gaine all the world and suffer losse of his owne soule Matt. 10 28 Feare ye not them which kill the bodie but are not able to kill the soule saith the Lord. Of the other difficultie we haue experience in our owne selues and we often sée followers which onelie beléeue for a time Againe The spirit is readie Matt. 26 41. but the flesh is weake But on the other side we comfort our selues bicause All things are possible to him that beleueth Mark 9 23. And Paule said Phil. 4 13. that He was able to doo all things through Christ which strengthened him Iustlie moreouer did Aristotle reprooue them which thought that honest and iust things are voluntarie but affirmed that dishonest things are not voluntarie for we must not thinke so in anie wise Rom. 7 18. Paule said I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Yea and if we haue anie thing that is good that must be altogither transferred vnto God For vnto the Philippians we read Phil. 2 13. that It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe 60 Now let vs sée what is to be said touching ignorance There is a certeine ignorance after which repentance dooth foorthwith followe vpon the perceiuing of the error and sometime no repentance at all dooth followe As touching the latter member Luk. 23 34. the Lord saith Forgiue them for they knowe not what they doo The same thing did Stephan praie Acts. 7 60. Among those neuerthelesse for whom praier was made some did otherwhile repent and some did neuer repent Also Ionathas tasted honie 1 Sam. 14 43 being ignorant what his father decréed and knowing his fathers decrée he sorrowed not but rather was angrie with him But Paule when he perceiued his error sorowed In like maner sorowed they of whom Peter said in the Acts I knowe that they did it of ignorance And that they sorowed those words which they speake doo declare Acts. 2 37. Men and bretheren what behooueth vs to doo The sorowe which followeth doth not alwaies shew that there happened no sinne for both they which crucified the Lord sinned and also Paule sinned for these men were ignorant of that which they ought to haue knowne But if there had happened to haue come a certeine ignorance of the circumstance which could not haue béene knowne as in Noah when he was dronken Gen. 9 â—1 who had not séene the wine before neither knew the strength and propertie thereof And as it happened vnto Iacob when he laie with Lea in the place of Rachel Gen. 29. verse 21 â— for both of them were ignorant what to doo and were excused But he that knoweth not the generall and principall
points of the lawes is not excused Therefore is it said of Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Co. 14 38 He that is ignorant let him be ignorant And this ignorance which dooth not excuse is sometime laid vpon men by God as a punishment while he punisheth sinnes with sinnes 2. The. 2 11 Vnto the Thessalonians the second epistle it is written Bicause they haue not receiued the loue of the truth that they might be saued therfore will God send vpon them strong delusion that they shuld beleeue lies And in Ezechiel If the prophet be deceiued Eze. 14 9. I haue deceiued him 3. King 22 20 c. Also Achab was seduced by the euill spirit God being willing therevnto Thus then we sée what ignorance doth excuse what ignorance doth not excuse Aristotle addeth that Those things which be doone by dronkennes anger are voluntarie the which also we do affirme For as touching those things we haue receiued a lawe Be angrie but sinne not Eph. 4 25. Let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath And we forbid to saie vnto anie man Thou foole Matt. 5 22. And as touching dronkennesse it is said of the Lord Luk. 21 34. Beware that your bodies be not oppressed with surfeting and dronkennesse Also Paule Be ye not dronken with wine wherin is excesse Ephe. 5 18. These things therefore which are doone by anger and dronkennesse doo not excuse séeing these things might either not be admitted or be bridled But that all the wicked and vngodlie sort are ignorant though they be not excused the scriptures doo euerie where plainelie declare Psal 13 2. The foolish man hath said in his hart that there is no God In the seuenth chapter of the Prouerbs verse 22. as touching them which are lead with lust and with pleasures He is led as an oxe vnto the slaughter and like as it were a foole which in fetters is led to his punishment Rom. 1. In the epistle to the Romans They which called themselues wise became fooles and the foolish hart of them was blinded Vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 4 17. Ye shall not walk as other gentils walke in vanitie of their mind being strangers from the life of God thorough the ignorance that is in them and the darkenes of their hart Yea and as Esaie saith and all the Euangelists testifie Esaie 44 18 They seeing shall not see and hearing shall not heare seeing they be in the darkenesse they knowe not whither they may go But among the circumstances which being vnknowne doo excuse Aristotle dooth speciallie reckon vp the end and Whereabout And this in verie déed is true 2. Sam. 15 9 Dauid sent awaie Absalom to go into Hebron but to what end or to what purpose he did it he could not know he is excused Also Abimelech had an other mans wife Gen. 20. but he knew not what she was with whom he was conuersant therefore might he saie vnto God that he did it in the simplicitie of his hart and that it was vnknowne vnto him Acts. 8. Also that Simon Magus was baptised the church is excused bicause it knew not of his ill and fraudulent counsell Howbeit in those ignorances which doo excuse vs if there followe no sorrowe we are giltie we allow not that which is doone He which shot an arrowe by thance slew king Achab 1. Kin. 22. 34. if he had béene witting of the déed he would not haue sorrowed neither would it haue béene perceiued that that which was doone was doone against his will Againe Dauid sorrowed for the death which followed of Absalom also of the death of Abner and Amazias wherevpon it appéereth that such things happened vnto him against his will and mind Voluntarinesse comprehendeth two things both that the beginning be from within and that there be not an ignorance of that which is doon Originall sinne hath his beginning from within and we know that such a corruption is against God and righteousnesse although that of our owne choise we call not for the same and therefore it is voluntarie Yet is it in yong children where there is a want of knowledge But this maketh no matter bicause we meane héere of actuall sinnes Neither can Aristotle or morall facultie atteine vnto that kind of sinne That those moreouer be voluntarie sinnes which are doone through lust and wrath it hath béene shewed by diuers reasons The which thing we doo admit for we haue receiued lawes concerning either of both vices Thou shalt not lust Matth. 5 22. Againe we are commanded that we should not be angrie with our brother without a cause Aristotle in his arguments affirmed that brute beasts doo things of their owne accord Esaie likewise said The oxe hath knowne his owner Esaie 1 3. and the asse his masters crib verse 7. And Ieremie said that The storke knoweth his appointed time chapter eight And the same opinion are we of touching children for in the time of Elizaeus they were punished by beares Also Isaac while he was oppressed by Ismael was commanded to be cast foorth by Sara And further Aristotle affirmeth that it is required and otherwhile exacted of vs that we should be angrie Psal 69 9. The zeale of thy house hath euen eaten me And Phinees is commended by God bicause he was reuenged vpon the vnpure fornicatours And where it is said that those things which be doone against the will haue sorrowe ioined with them Paule to the Romans testifieth the same Vnhappie man that I am Rom 7 24. Who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death But whereas Aristotle saith that those things which are committed through wrath and lust and also those things which are doone by the reason and will are to be auoided this we correct on this wise That auoided indéed they may be if Gods grace be applied therevnto for without the same who can beware of the motions of anger and lust No doubt but we may temper our selues from outward actions but these motions of the hart are not in our power Also we agrée that they be mens actions which procéed from lust and wrath for euen of them also we shall yéeld an account Of mans Election or making of choise 61 Aristotle saith Choise most proper to vertue that making of choise is most proper to vertue For in the definition which he made of vertue first was placed the generall kind namelie the habit then he added the difference to wit mediocritie after that were ioined togither the two properties namelie that through vertue we do things of our own accord and then that we doo them by making of choise Howbeit of these two properties making of choise is the more proper neither onlie if it be compared with that which is of our owne accord but also if it be compared with the other properties of vertue which no doubt are manie For
Colossians frée will worship is condemned although it be offered vnto angels And I will not omit that which was spoken by Claudius bishop of Thurine against those which did prostrate themselues before the image of the lambe whom Iohn Baptist shewed with his finger These men saith he doo worship painted lambes but deuoure liuing lambes Againe They honour painted lambes but they doo flea and spoile the true lambes of Christ Furthermore the godlie which be departed are blessed yet are they not become gods that they should be worshipped and adored much lesse the images of them But God saie they adorneth his saints and therefore so it becommeth vs to doo True indéed it is that God indueth his saints with honour and with vncorruptible reward séeing he giueth them eternall life Let vs doo the same in like maner by speaking well of them by setting them foorthvnto the church to be followed Let vs consider beside that God dooth make his saints honourable yet dooth he not either adore them or put them foorth to be adored Matt. 25 40. But it is said by Christ that Whatsoeuer ye did to the least of mine that ye haue doone vnto me But these words must be vnderstood as touching the duties of charitie and not as touching worship and adoration And certeinlie what Christ ment he himselfe verie well expounded Ibidem 35. when he said I was hungrie and ye gaue me meate I was thirstie and ye gaue me drinke Why christians oght to flie the worshipping of images Origin in the eight booke against Celsus sheweth a reason why the christians should abhorre the worshipping of images and he saith Images we haue indéed not outward images which haue béene made by most vile carpenters but the minds of the faithfull and holie men from whence procéedeth as from the altar of God most swéet sauour of praiers which doo reach vp euen vnto heauen Wherefore in the reuelation of Iohn Apoc. 5 8. the praiers of godlie men are called swéet odours And Dauid sang Let my praier be in thy sight as the incense Psal 141 2. Afterward he addeth We abhorre the worshipping of images bicause they haue no sense Another obiection This also is woont to be obiected that If vpon the death of one emperour there succéeded another the images of the first were destroied throughout all the prouinces of the empire vnto which images honour was doone as vnto the emperour who was not present This I grant but that was onelie a ciuill honour whereby they testified themselues to be subiect vnto him and they receiued their new emperour with ioifull voices Also this must be well considered Idolatrie hath beene spoken against in all ages that there haue béene alwaies some men in euerie age which haue fréelie cried out against the worshipping of images And vndoubtedlie for that cause manie of the Graecian emperours as namelie the Philippicans the Constantines the Leos resisted the Romane bishops against whom on the other side the Romane bishops opposed themselues of a certeine hatred bicause they desired earnestlie to be rid of their subiection For which cause they ioined themselues with the French men and by that meanes rent in sunder the Romane empire Wherefore it is no maruell if at this daie also for images sake they stir vp vaine contentions Further they obiect woonders and maruels Miracles are obiected for the defense of idolatrie An answer which are wrought before images And did not Peter saie they while he was vpon the earth worke things of great woonder and admiration This cannot be denied and yet did he not suffer himselfe to be adored Wherefore the argument is most féeble namelie Some miracles be doone at signes and images Ergo they must be worshipped and adored Antichrist also shall come with manie woonders 2. Thes 2 9. and yet to followe and honour him is a heinous wickednes Also the brasen serpent did heale them 2. Kin. 18 4. which were hurt in the wildernesse which neuerthelesse when it was worshipped it was abolished by Ezechias In like maner the Ethnikes shewed manie signes and miracles for the establishing of their idols as we may read in Valerius Maximus Liuius and other old writers They obiect for their idols the tradition of the church An answer At the last when they haue nothing else they saie that This worshipping is the tradition of the church and therefore must be still reteined Verelie we reiect not all the traditions of the church but those without controuersie we reteine which agrée with the word of God those also which be not superfluous nor bring in a new seruice or worshipping But if there be anie which be repugnant to the word of God or burdensome to the church of God or doo import some new kind of seruice we vpon iust cause reiect them Moreouer how is the worshipping of images an apostolicall tradition when as the primitiue church vsed no such things Naie rather as we haue before declared some of the ancient fathers not onelie condemned images but also the makers of them And most vaine is that which these men haue alwaies in their mouth It is a tradition inquire not of it But I on the other part saie It is a tradition therefore inquire diligentlie of it whether it be agréeable to the word of God or whether it were in times past allowed of all the ancient fathers But as concerning miracles which be obiected vnto vs we must vnderstand that the diuell dooth manie times put himselfe among who is accustomed to nothing more than to establish superstitions and idolatrie Againe the miracles which are of that sort be doone by the iust iudgement of God bicause men doo cast awaie from them the loue of the truth 2. Thes 2 12 as it is in the epistle to the Thessalonians Note 20 The diuell séeing the signe of the crosse faineth himselfe to flie when neuerthelesse by such counterfeiting he créepeth more and more into vs. The strength and power of the crosse consisteth not in the signe but in the true and sound faith of Christ crucified The sacrificing priests also doo report that they sanctifie in a maner all things with the signe of the crosse But the scriptures speake farre otherwise which testifie that meates are sanctified by faith praiers and by the word of God 1. Tim. 4 5. Wherevnto while we assent and doo praie for the vse of things to the cleane all things are made cleane I denie not but that certeine miracles haue sometimes béene wrought by the signe of the crosse as Augustine reporteth in his 22. booke De ciuitate Dei and eight chapter But I haue alreadie declared the cause thereof which séemeth not néedfull to be repeated onelie this I will report that the diuell is maruellouslie fed and delighted with mans errors And withall it is to be added that manie of those miracles were forged Fained and falso miracles for the
sacrificing priests and monks séeking after gaine doo spread abroad manie things altogither false which were neuer anie where doone or spoken But whie the elders as we haue aboue said signed their forehead with a crosse it is no easie matter to alledge the certeine cause Before in art 14. But I thinke that there were two respects first to testifie themselues to be Christians as though they were not ashamed of the crosse of Christ And this I gather by Augustine De verbis apostoli the eight sermon for the Ethniks triumphed ouer the Christians casting their follie in their téeth bicause they worshipped Christ that was nailed on the crosse To whom that father maketh answer A hart in déed we haue but yet no such as ye haue neither are we ashamed of him that was crucified but in that part where the signe of shamefastnesse is there haue we the signe of his crosse An other cause is that they would of a certeine euill and preposterous zeale imitate the legall ceremonies and bicause it might not be lawfull after the comming of Christ to sacrifice after the maner of the Hebrues Exod. 12 22 who were bidden to besprinkle the doore-posts of their houses with the blood of the paschall lambe our Christians in semblance thereof signed their foreheads with the crosse As Augustine dooth testifie in the 20. chapter De catechizandis rudibus Moreouer they persuaded themselues as it is alreadie shewed that the euill spirits were by such a signe chased awaie Yea and Gregorius Romanus also in his third booke of Dialogs writeth A wonderfull historie of a Iew that came by night into the temple of the idols that A Iew entering by night into a temple of an idoll there to take his rest and being greatlie astonished with the sight of verie manie wicked spirits which were in that place armed himselfe by the signe of the crosse And when the prince of the euill spirits vnderstood that a man was present he commanded one of the diuels that he should go vnto him and trie him what he was Who after he had beheld him returned and said Trulie I found an emptie vessell but it was marked and he left the Iew quite and cleane without anie harme Which thing he considering with himselfe came to the religion of Christ But Gregorie in that booke heaped vp togither manie vaine fabulous things the which not onlie may mooue the readers of them vnto laughter but also they are verie much against the religion of Christ The signe of the crosse is worne by princes vpon their crownes without superstition bicause by that signe they onelie testifie and professe that they honor and mainteine the religion of Christ Further if it be lawfull for a man to beare in armes the badge of his owne familie it is also lawfull for him by the signe of the crosse to professe Christian religion The signe of the crosse appeered vnto Constantine And in times past there appeared in heauen the signe of the crosse vnto Constantine the great and an inscription was added In this signe shalt thou ouercome For God was minded by a miracle to cōfirme him in the religion of Christ which he had latelie receiued Neither may he be condemned for that he caused that signe to be expressed in the banner which he ment to vse But that he afterward made such a maner of signe in gold that I allow not bicause by the dooing thereof he opened no small gap to superstition Concerning the finding of the Lords owne crosse by Helen wise men maruell that Eusebius Caesariensis who was verie familiar with Constantine and set foorth his life wrote nothing of it But Theodoretus Sozomenus indéed write somwhat of that matter Howbeit rather of the report of others than by the certeintie of their owne knowledge Yet in the reading of that historie there is found no mention of worshipping neuerthelesse it is said that it was placed in the temple Moreouer what great estimation Helen made of the nailes which the report is that she found it appéereth in that it is written that she put one of them in the bridle of that horsse which hir sonne vsed an other into his helmet and the third she cast into the sea for appeasing of tempests The speare which pearsed Christs side At this daie also they worship and honour at Rome with singular adoration the speare wherewithall they saie the Lords side was pearsed vpon the crosse This is the wilinesse of the diuell that he may perpetuallie driue men forward till at length they be throwne downe headlong into the bottomlesse gulfe of impietie An other obiection 21 Our aduersaries blame vs as being ouer hard and bitter and they saie If one walking by chance shall espie a faire plant not onelie gréene but loden with fruit and he being inflamed with an earnest affection towards the most bountifull goodnesse of God and féeling his mind stirred to worship God the author of so beautifull a worke what should let but that he may prostrate himselfe néere vnto that pleasant trée and there worship God and render thanks vnto him for his singular benefits bestowed on men Nothing as I thinke So in like maner if one shall behold the image of Christ and is earnestlie affected to the benefit of Christ his death wherefore may he not worship Christ the author of his life néere vnto the same Héerevnto I answer that the word of God must alwaies be before our eies whereby it is forbidden for religion sake to prostrate before a creature This ought to remaine alwais firme and sure and to be in force that neither we prostrate our selues vnto a trée nor yet vnto an image Neither is it lawfull to excuse these things by saieng that they doo not worship the outward matter neither the figure nor the lineaments What then doo they honour They saie they honour the thing signified So might the Ethniks likewise haue excused their idolatrie that they did not worship stones wood and metall but onelie the properties which were represented by those signes The epistle of Symmachus of restoring images confuted by Ambrose Verelie Symmachus wrote an epistle to the emperours that they would at length restore the images of the Romans and there he vseth such and such like arguments verie Rhetoricallie but Ambrose most stronglie hath confuted them all The writings on both parts are yet at this daie to be séene in the epistles of Ambrose God commanded absolutelie that images should not be worshipped wherefore we must rather obey his words than the subtill sophistications of men Augustine vpon the 113. psalme wrote this argument By the iudgement of Paule it is said Rom. 1 25. They turned the glorie and truth of GOD into a lie and they desired rather to worship the creature than the creator The first part of Pauls saieng condemneth images bicause they be lies which are repugnant vnto the truth and glorie of God and the other
By what resons they that defend this practise resist them that cōdemne it For séeing all things that stir men vnto lust are sin we thinke that all things which prouoke men vnto concupiscence are to be condemned That the case dooth not so stand A similitude they also bring an instance of naturall beautie the which out of doubt kindleth naughtie concupiscence with the sight of the same yet none will saie that the naturall appéerance of beautie is to be defamed as a sin Some grant that sinne may happen thereby howbeit not through the nature of the thing it selfe but by the circumstances adioined that is if they go about to paint their face to the intent they would be vnhonestlie loued of those which behold them Or else if they be so proud and hautie as by such meanes they indeuour and are desirous to excell other women in beautie then saie they that euill créepeth in by accidentall meanes and not by the nature of the counterfetted colour Wherefore they affirme that there be two sorts of prouocations vnto wantonnesse namelie that either it commeth according vnto the naturall condition or else through a lewdnesse of the intent and lust And in these they grant sinne to be in respect of the corrupt will and vnhonest desire but they admit not that there is sinne by the naturall condition of the counterfet colour And they saie moreouer that the effect is to be considered all alike whether it procéed from nature or come by art Whereby they indeuour to prooue that if the fault be not in the naturall beautie no more is it in the artificiall beautie A similitude They bring a similitude of the health that it is all after one nature and maner whether it grow by temperature and naturall equalitie of humors or else if the same hauing béene distempered is restored by the art of physicians Moreouer they put a difference betwéene cause and occasion And they saie that coloured faces be not causes of the ruine and offense taking of the beholders but are onelie an occasion and that things must not be iudged by the occasion but by their owne proper nature otherwise we should in a maner doo nothing but we might be accused of sinne For euen the verie best things may be occasions of falling vnto sinne and that it should not be lawfull for anie man to shew either gold or siluer or pretious stones bicause there would be an occasion giuen of coueting them And that by this meanes it would followe that a beautifull woman ought neuer to step out of hir house least she should be an occasion of wicked concupiscence Wherefore let vs reiect saie they the things that come by accidentall meanes and those things which be occasions and let vs onelie haue respect vnto them which be causes both iust and by themselues And let vs remooue corrupt nature and naughtie concupiscence as vice and sinne which be the true causes of vnhonest loues and raging lusts and let vs not blame either feigned colours or else naturall beautie Lastlie they saie that we cannot denie but that God hath made the nature of colours and painting and that we cannot but grant euerie creature of God to be good and that therefore it followeth that Christian women may vse them fréelie These are the things which be alledged by these men But we on the other part iudge that they be not lawfull the which we will prooue as well by the scripture as by verie likelie arguments Proofes on the contrarie part 63 Paule when he went about to teach that the ceremonies of Moses were not necessarie to saluation was ill reported of by the Iewes and by the false apostles Gal. 1 10. the which they verie oftentimes obiected against him But he answered If I would please men I should not be Christs seruant By the which saieng he giueth vs to vnderstand that we must not greatlie striue to be well liked of men But those women which set a false colour vpon themselues doo labour all the waies they can to please men If it were not lawfull for Paule to please men in the ceremonies which were not mens inuentions but had their beginning from the word of GOD how much lesse must we yéeld to these men in the thing which procéedeth from the follie of man from naughtie lust and as Cyprian saith from the diuell himselfe Further it is chéefelie commended to the Christians that they should imbrace sinceritie and truth for we ought to banket in the vnleauened bread of sinceritie and truth as Paule verie well admonished vs 1. Cor. 5 8. but in feigned colours neither sinceritie nor truth can take place And Christ saith in the fift of Matthew that verse 36. Men cannot make no not one haire of their head white or blacke But they which practise feigned colours indeuour by their art to impugne that sentence when as they die their face and their haire with colours at their owne pleasure Also Paule in his epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 2 9. forbad that women should dresse themselues with curled haire with gold and pretious stones And euen thereof dooth Peter in his epistle 1. Pet. 3 3. giue warning Wherefore the part of Christians is to obeie so great masters of the church And if so be thou wilt saie that they made no mention of counterfeiting or colouring I answer that there is lesse naughtinesse in gold siluer and pretious stone than in false colours Which I alone doo not speake but I haue Augustine for my warrant in his epistle to Possidius I haue also Chrysostome in the 31. homilie vpon Matthew Now for so much as the apostles forbad that which is the lesse euill we must consider that they also remooued that which is counted for the more gréeuous fault Also it is read in Deuteronomie the 22. chapter verse 5. that God commanded that men should not be clothed in womens apparell nor women in mens for bicause that is to hide the sex giuen by nature and to shew themselues to be of an other sort than God did create them Séeing therefore this dissimulation is forbidden to be doone in garments whie shall it be granted that we may feigne and alter the forme and fauour of our countenance To these things adde that Paule did forbid Christian women to go with their heads vncouered 1. Cor. 11 6. least in verie déed by the comlinesse of their long haire they might be an occasion of offense vnto men Wherfore séeing he forbad that they should laie before mens eies the beautie of their haire how much rather must we vnderstand that he forbad them to make that ostentation of beautie whereof they be destitute by nature And whereas we by the diuine Oracles are commanded not onelie to prouide for our owne saluation but for other mens also how may there be safelie vsed anie feigned colours which be swords poisons and firie flames vnto yong men who are
But at this daie they are not regarded sith the canonicall lawes be condemned by the Clergie and the ciuill lawes despised by Princes For there is in no place more shamefull and continuall plaie vsed than among princes and ecclesiasticall persons who in times past when they wrote those lawes were of a sound iudgement but in our daies they both haue liued and doo liue shamefullie 18 But the other kind of plaie What kind of plaie is licenced Iustinian wherein is exercise of the powers either of the bodie or of the mind is not vtterlie forbidden Iustinian in the lawe before alledged when he had forbidden plaies which depend of chance ordeined this other kind of plaies in the stéed of them as the throwing of a round ball in the aire handling of the speare running and such like Aristotle Yea and Aristotle in his Rhetoriks commendeth those exercises of the bodie And certeinlie forsomuch as a man hath néed of some refreshing and pleasure to recreate himselfe withall it is méet that he should haue leaue to vse such things as be honest So at this daie the publike weale dooth sometime promise rewards vnto such as can best handle their weapons to the intent their citizens maie be the better exercised Howbeit there must be héed taken that the kinds of plaies be not hurtfull and pernicious and that therein be no danger of killing maiâ—ing or miserable tearing them which either exercise themselues or be present or be assembled to behold And this kind of games is forbidden Ad legem Aquiliam in the lawe Nam ludus and in the decrées De tormentis Those things which of their owne nature be not euill but are euill oftentimes through that which insueth ought to be forbidden In the old time rewards were appointed for singers orators poets and readers which are not altogither to be disallowed if they be doone well and with moderation Afterwards were added stage plaies whereof I will saie nothing in this place There were also danses whereof we haue spoken in their place But men could not content themselues with these plaies bicause the mind of them also which for diuerse causes cannot exercise the powers of the bodie must be refreshed with some pleasure Wherefore they inuented another kind of plaie namelie the plaie of chessemen which we commonlie call chesse and is not thought fit to be condemned Againe there is a certeine other kind of gaming which standeth partlie vpon chance and partlie vpon industrie as is plaieng at tables such like where in verie déed they cast by chance but the casts are gouerned by indeuor Tableplaie Plato Wherfore Plato affirmed the life of man to be like vnto the plaieng at tables For euen as in tableplaie so also in the life of man if anie thing chance amisse the same by art must be corrected Vnto which sentence Terence in his Comedie Adelphorum alludeth Terence And in déed these kind of plaies séeme to be such that sometime they maie be permitted so that they hurt not so they recreate the spirits and be ioined with honestie and that the time which should be spent vpon better things be not consumed in these 19 But what shall we answer vnto Ambrose This certeinlie maie be said that that place De officijs perteineth not vnto plaies forsomuch as he there treateth of pleasant talkes tawnts scoffes speciallie such as are ioined with scurrilitie Psal 118 37 Neuertheles in the 118. psalme vpon these words Turne awaie mine eies that they behold not vanitie he calleth stage plaies vanitie Augustine Lactantius Ierom. Stage plaies condemned by fathers as dooth Augustine Lactantius Ierom and other fathers for they had in them much filthinesse And in the beginning they were instituted vnto the honour of idols and for that cause were odious vnto the fathers and christians But the reason which Ambrose first alledged was bicause there was nothing found in the holie scriptures how these things ought to be vsed Therevnto we answer that they are found in the holie scriptures generallie Whether ye eat 1. Co. 10 31 or whether ye drinke or whether you doo anie thing else doo all things to the glorie of God Wherefore the bodie and the mind must otherwhiles be so refreshed with plaies as afterward we maie be chéerefull and prompt to weightier matters Furthermore there is nothing found particularlie in the scriptures touching bakers cookes or shipmen and yet neuerthelesse their exercises must not be altogither excluded Chrysost Chrysostome said that the diuell found out plaie alledging this that The people sat downe to eate and to drinke 1. Cor. 10 7. and rose vp to plaie If a man looke throughlie into the place of this father he shall perceiue that he spake of those men which would not repent but were woont to saie I would to God I might neuer wéepe but might alwaies laugh and plaie To whom he saith Matth. 5 4. Christ preached Blessed are they that mourne And forsomuch as we sinne so often doo so gréeuouslie offend God how should we haue leisure to plaie He also condemneth those plaies whereby we are made sluggish and vnapt to good works We doo not saith he in plaie or laughing imitate Christ or the apostles for we neuer read that they either plaied or laughed Howbeit he addeth a moderation séeing he saith I doo not generallie take awaie all laughter but excessiue and immoderate laughter Lastlie he conuerteth his speach vnto stage plaies and saith that They were inuented by the diuell for they conteine the wicked acts and whordoms of the gods whereby the consciences of godlie men are gréeuouslie woundedâ— and wicked lusts are manie waies stirred vp And whereas he saith that these things were inuented by the diuell he speaketh nothing contrarie vnto the truth sith as I haue declared they were instituted vnto the honour of false gods What must be iudged 〈◊〉 plaies Yea and he addeth moreouer that the diuell builded stages in cities But now to conclude me thinketh that those kind of plaies which serue for refreshing of mens strength are not vtterlie to be forbidden Neither ought we lightlie to be offended if we sée men plaie at chesse with which plaie the powers of â—h◠〈◊〉 are nothing holpen but onelie the industrie of the mind exercised For if strength faile through age so that they cannot exercise themselues by anie other meanes or that their bodies be but weake why should they not be permitted to delight themselues moderatelie with this kind of plaie Neither also is he straitwaies to be condemned which being sicke or weake recreateth himselfe with that kind of plaie which dependeth vpon chance or fortune so that therein be no hazarding of monie For we must chéefelie consider to what intent the lawes forbad it vndoubtedlie it was bicause a man should not prodigallie waste his goods And therefore it was prouided by the lawe To what end the laâ— forbad games that a man
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 cōmitted 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
to be doone And yet notwithstanding God foreknew that it might haue béene doone and although it should neuer come to passe yet was it not hindered by foreknowledge but that it was possible Wherefore as the foreknowledge of God letteth not possibilitie so likewise it taketh not awaie contingencie and libertie 53 This necessitie of infalliblenes is not onelie declared and prooued by the holie scriptures and by resons as we haue now shewed but also is acknowledged of the fathers Origin against Celsus in his second booke against the argument of Celsus which he obiected against the christians saieng Your Christ at his last supper foretold as ye saie that he should be betraied of one of his disciples Matt. 26 21. if he were God as ye counted he was could not he let the dooing thereof Origin here woondereth answereth that this obiection is verie ridiculous for forsomuch as he foretold that that should come to passe if he had letted it then had he not spoken the truth and therefore he added that it was of necessitie neither could it otherwise be but that the same should come to passe which was foretold Howbeit bicause that this foretelling changed not the will of Iudas therefore he is woorthilie accused neither ought the blame to be laid vpon Christ which foretold it Origin in that place acknowledgeth the one and the other namelie the necessitie of certeintie and the nature of will not letted Ambrose also interpreting these words of Paule Iacob haue I loued Rom. 9 13. but Esau haue I hated referreth the sentence of the apostle to works foreséene and yet addeth that it could not otherwise haue come to passe but as God foresawe that it should come to passe Chrysostome also expounding that which is written vnto the Corinthians 1. Co. 11. 19. It behooueth that heresies should be confesseth that this necessitie is a necessitie of foretelling which is nothing preiudiciall vnto the power of our will choise Neither is this necessitie taken awaie by certeine places in the scriptures which otherwise at the first sight séeme to affirme a change to be in the mind of God as is that of Esaie when he threatened to Ezechias the king 2. Kings 20. 1. and 5. The certeintie of the foreknowledge of God is constant is not changed Ionas 3 4. and 10. Esaie 38 1. present death which prophesie neuertheles God séemed to change when he prolonged his life fiftéene yéeres And to the citie of Niniuie it was foretold that it should be destroied within fortie daies which neuerthelesse came not to passe Those things in verie déed make nothing against the truth before taught for God foretold vnto Ezechias his death which was euen at hand according to the causes of the disease whereof he was then sicke and therein was made no lie But as touching foreknowledge as GOD foreknew that the king should be in danger of that most deadlie disease euen so foreknew he that his life should be prolonged fiftéene yéeres And as he foreknew that the sinnes of the Niniuits deserued present destruction euen so likewise foreknew he that of his mercie he would giue vnto them to repent and to be saued By the verie which rule is to be expounded that place of Ieremie verse 8. in the 18. chapter wherein God saith that He also would change his mind or repent him of the plague which he had threatened vnto anie citie nation or kingdome if they would repent But what shall we saie of Paule who writeth to the Corinthians that He chastised his bodie 1. Cor. 9 27. Why Paulr chastised his bodie and brought it into bondage that he might not be a reprobate What ment he to change that firme purpose of God Verelie Paule ment not that he was able to inuert the order of the predestination or reprobation of God The saints worke well to the end they may be obedient to predestination and therefore he said not Lest I become a reprobate but Lest I be reprooued for he minded by all industrie and carefulnesse to be obedient to the predestination of God For they which are predestinated vnto eternall life studie to mortifie the flesh And he said that he would not become reprooued that is he would not be found and accused to lead his life otherwise than he preached which kind of vice all men disallow detest and condemne Wherfore in that place was not intreated of the reprobation of God but of that kind of crime It is dishonestie for a man to giue good admonitions and to liue wickedlie which they are guiltie of whosoeuer giue good monitions and in the meane time they themselues lead their life most wickedlie Although if a man will néeds refer these things to the iudgement of God he might well grant the same as touching present iustice or iniustice but not according to firme purpose wherof we at this present intreate 54 Cicero a man otherwise full of wit and of good literature verie well deseruing was excéedinglie deceiued in this question as it is euident by his second booke De diuinatione Which thing Augustine declareth in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei the ninth and tenth chapters For he thought it vnpossible that the foreknowledge of things to come should not ouerthrowe the facultie or power of mans will Ciceros opinion repugnant to our religion therfore he tooke awaie all maner of predestination or foretelling Which opinion how much repugnant it is to our religion all men vnderstand séeing it is staid vpon the oracles of the prophets God reuealeth to the prophets things that he will doo Amos. 3 7. Gen. 6 3. Gen. 1◠17. as vpon sure foundations And it is written that God did neuer anie thing which was of anie weight but he first reuealed it vnto the prophets He shewed vnto Noe the destruction that should come by the floud long time before it came to passe Vnto Abraham he foreshewed the burning of Sodoma and vnto him he signified the oppression and deliuerance of his posteritie in Aegypt Gen. 15 13. And in a maner vnto the selfe-same prophets he gaue charge to foretell the captiuitie of Babylon Ier. 25 verse 8 and 12. and the returne from thence He also commanded all the prophets to prophesie The authoritie of the prophets is constant that Christ should come And therefore vnto vs so constant is the authoritie of prophesies that to denie it is vtterlie to ouerthrowe all religion Wherefore Augustine not without iust cause said that Those men which were called Genethliaci If we denie GOD the foreknowledge of things we denie him to be God Psal 14 1. which auouched the fatall necessities of the stars were more tollerable than Cicero for they gaue some place vnto God But if he be denied to foreknowe things to come thereby also is he denied to be God Dauid saith The foolish man said in his hart There is no God Which saieng he sheweth
Paule toward the end of the chapter compareth charitie with true faith it is most likelie that he did not so before But if we should fullie grant this vnto Pighius that that faith whereof Paule speaketh is the generall faith whereby men are iustified yet neither so vndoubtedlie should he obteine his purpose For the apostle going about by all maner of meanes to set foorth charitie thought to amplifie that same by a fiction or feining which is a figure of Rhetorike knowne euen vnto children Figura fictionis And yet doth not Paule therefore bring a false proposition for he vseth a conditionall proposition which may not resolue into a categoricall proposition and yet notwithstanding is the truth in the meane time kept As if I should saie vnto anie man A similitude If thou haddest the life or vse of the reasonable soule without the life or vse of the sensible soule thou shouldest not be troubled with perturbations of the mind No man could reprooue this kind of speach as false and yet it is not possible that in a man the life and vse of the reasonable soule should be seuered from the sensible Such kind of speaches also are found in the holie scriptures as for example Psal 139 ver 7 8 c If I shall ascend vp into heauen thou art there if I descend downe into hell thou art present and if I take the fethers of the morning and dwell in the vttermost ends of the sea thither shall thy right hand lead me These sentences are true yet it is not possible that a man should take vnto him the fethers of the morning After the same maner we saie If a man should separate faith from charitie he should make it vnprofitable though in verie déed it cannot be separated from charitie And that Paule in that place vsed such an excesse of speach or fiction that euidentlie declareth which he a little before spake 1. Cor. 13 ◠Though I should speake with the toongs of men and of angels haue not charitie I am like to sounding brasse or a tingling cymball But wée knowe that angels haue neither bodies nor toongs and yet notwithstanding Paule speaketh truth that If they had toongs and I should speake with them yet that should nothing profit me without charitie And this exposition Basilius confirmeth in an epistle Ad Neocaesarienses for he saith that The apostle minded in this place to commend charitie and he saith that he vseth those reasons not that all those things which he here maketh mention of can be separated from charitie Wherefore of the former interpretation we haue Chrysostome for an author and the later interpretation Basilius confirmeth Let Pighius go now and of this saieng of the apostle conclude if he can that which he contendeth so much about 58 But as touching those words of Matthew Lord haue we not in thy name prophesied and in thy name cast out diuels c. Matt. 7 22. Which things Pighius denieth can be doone without faith and yet they which haue doone them are not iustified séeing they are excluded from the kingdome of heauen We maie answer with the selfe-same solution which we haue now brought namelie that they whome Matthew maketh mention of had the faith of signes or a dead faith but not a true and iustifieng faith Moreouer I sée not how true this is that miracles cannot be doone without faith Miracles are not alwaies doon for faiths sake for God sometimes worketh miracles not for his faiths sake by whome they are doone but either to aduance his glorie or to giue testimonie vnto true doctrine Vndoubtedlie Moses and Aaron when they stroke water out of the rocke of strife Num. 10 12 Psa 106 32. wauered in faith and yet God that he might stand to his promise with a great miracle gaue water vnto the people and reprooued Moses and Aaron of infidelitie And Naaman the Syrian doubted of recouering his health in the waters of Iordan yea also he would haue gone his waie for that he said that the riuers of his countrie were much better than Iordan and yet notwithstanding GOD left not his miracle vndoone And when the dead bodie was cast into the sepulchre of Elizaeus 2. Kin. 13 21 by a great miracle it came to passe that at the touching of the dead bones of the prophet life was restored vnto it But there was no faith there neither in the dead corps nor in the bones of the prophet nor in them which brought the dead man thither And yet not alwaies is it granted vnto them that desire to doo miracles that they should doo them when faith is absent for in the Acts we reade that when the Exorcists which were the sonnes of Scaeua the high priest would haue cast out diuels in the name of Christ whome Paule preached Acts. 19 15. the diuell answered Iesus I knowe Paule I knowe but who are ye And straitway he ran vpon them Here we sée that God would not giue a miracle when it was asked as it is most likelie by wicked and vnbeléeuing men Howbeit contrariewise in Marke the 9. chapter that a certeine man did cast out diuels verse 38. in the name of Christ who yet followed not Christ and when Iohn would haue reprooued him Christ suffered not Iohn so to doo By this Pighius might haue séene that to the working of miracles is not alwaies required faith And yet if I should grant him that faith is of necessitie required therevnto were sufficient either the faith of signes or else a dead faith Wherefore Pighius in his second confirmation prooueth nothing for it hath nothing in it that is found 59 Now let vs examine his third proofe Iohn saith Manie of the princes beleeued in him but they confessed him not Iohn 12 42. for feare they should be cast out of the synagog and therefore they were not iustified by faith This reason is but a waterish reason and not so strong as he thinketh it to be for we denie that they beléeued trulie For that assent of theirs was nothing but an humane assent for when they sawe that by Christ were wrought woonderfull works and that his doctrine was confirmed by most euident signes they began by a certeine humane persuasion to giue credit vnto him The diuell also for that he certeinlie knoweth manie things doone by God assenteth vnto the truth There is a certeine humane faith not inspired by God and beléeueth it and yet it is not to be thought that he is by a true faith induced to beléeue And that these rulers had not the true and liuelie faith hereby it is manifest that Christ said vnto them How can ye beleeue when ye seeke for glorie at mans hand Iohn 5 44. By which words we vnderstand that they which more estéeme humane glorie than godlinesse cannot beléeue trulie in God And those princes were to be numbred amongst them for they so
the power of vnderstanding is diuided according to the respect that it hath to diuers things And according to those things which we onelie behold and haue in contemplation the vnderstanding is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Contemplatiue but if towards those things which consist in doing then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Actiue Wherein séeing by the great goodnesse of God there is preserued for the dooing of things much naturall knowledge it is called Synteresis Synteresis of the Gréeke Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is To preserue What conscience is But conscience is a practising knowledge by the which our actions are both defended accused First preseruation Wherevpon it is not vnwiselie said that in such accusations or defenses as these be the conscience doth giue the Maior proposition for it saith From whence are the Maior and Minor propositions of accusations and defenses We must not commit fornication but liue chastlie But the conscience taketh the Minor proposition and vrgeth That which thou now doest or art about to doo is fornication or contrarie to chastitie Wherevpon it concludeth an accusation by the which it prooueth that That which thou doest thou doest most vnwoorthilie And that the conscience is the knowledge of this thing These definitions are drawne out of the epistle to the Romans Rom. 1 14. Paule sheweth in the 1. chapter to the Romans When saith he the Gentils which haue not the lawe doo by nature the things perteining to the lawe and shew the worke of the law written in their hart their owne conscience bearing them record and their thoughts accusing one an other excusing Out of this place diligentlie examined we haue a description of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Conscientia Conscience God according to his goodnesse hath ingraffed these knowledges in our mind to instruct vs in stead of a schoolemaister And the conscience séemes to be as it were a lawe and it hath this propertie also that it stirreth the mind forward which the lawe doth not alwaies Verie aptlie therefore we shall call it a liuing lawe which crieth pricketh vs forward and driueth vs to good things And bicause the affects of feare and sorrowe of repentance and desperation are naturallie prouoked in our minds by reason of this accusation of our consciences The Furies the Poets feigned Furies which did sometime driue men vnto those extremities that they made awaie themselues euen as the holie scriptures testifie to haue come to passe in Iudas and Achitophel Mat. 27 5. 2. Sa. 17 23. Chrysost 9 Chrysostome vpon Genesis wrote that The conscience is a sufficient schoolemaister vnto vs. Which saieng is not in euerie point true for it behooueth It behooueth that the conscience to doo hir part aright be framed to the word of God that the conscience be framed by the holie scriptures vnto this end that it teach accuse and defend rightlie For sinne hath partlie obscured and partlie corrupted our naturall knowledge so that some nations there haue béene among whom euen fornications were counted no sinnes Further we saie not that the conscience which is well instructed by the word of God is sufficient of it selfe vnto saluation vnlesse grace and the holie ghost be present wherby strength may be giuen vs to obeie those things which are thereby prescribed Howbeit Chrysostome perhaps called the same a sufficient schoolemaister An excusing of Chrysost The conscience is a sufficient schoolemaister to condemne vs. bicause it prompteth vs in manie things and againe bicause it is sufficient for to condemne vs. For albeit that the Ethnikes be ignorant of the holie scriptures may excuse themselues that they haue not béene rightlie instructed as touching all actions yet are they most euidentlie taken tardie herein that in manie things they haue gone against the rules of conscience For as Paule writeth to the Romans They turned the truth of God into a lie Rom. 1 25. Augustine Augustine vnto Alipius writeth the which maketh verie much for this place which we haue in hand that We must specially prouide to haue an vpright conscience But in the meane time there must be consideration had of them that be weake A similitude least anie man with his conscience drinke pure water but with his féete tread the fountaine so as the shéepe cannot drinke of the same otherwise than troubled There be some which boast of a good conscience 1. Cor. 8 1. as the Corinthians did but in the meane time through the boldnesse of their dooings they disquiet them that be weake We must take heed of the Libertines Let vs beware of the Libertines as of infection it selfe who séeme to renew the heresie of the Valentinians and of Simon Magus while they persuade that all sense and féeling of sinne must be reiected bicause vnperfect men are troubled with the motions of conscience and those they saie are trulie renewed in Christ and raised vp from the dead which haue no more féeling of sinne and they iudge that whatsoeuer they doo or attempt of what kind so euer it be they please God Wherefore when such kind of adulterie and wickednes is found to be in them they denie them not at all but saie that to them they be no sinnes bicause they account them not for sinnes but to such they saie they are accounted for sinne which by reason of their infirmitie doo thinke them to be sinne Touching the choise of Meates Jn the 1. Cor. 8. 10 The matter then which we haue in hand Looke after in place 10. art 18. and In 1. Cor. 10. ver 25. In what things choise may take place Which things be necessarie In things necessarie to saluation we must not passe for offending or not offending men Mat. 10 34. Mat. 5 2◠persuadeth vs to write somewhat touching the choise of meats And first it is to be vnderstood that choise taketh not place in euerie thing but in those things onlie which cannot otherwise be done Wherefore we will make a distinction of actions that some be necessarie vnto saluation and other some indifferent or meane actions Those things be necessarie which God hath commanded and vnlesse we doo them we shall be shut out from God and from Christ In this kind of things there is no choise herein are neither the occasions nor the offenses of men to be regarded For Christ said that He came not to send peace but sword and fire he came to set the father against the sonne and the daughter against the mother he said moreouer If thy right eie offend thee pull it out and cast it from thee and the same commandement also he gaue of the right hand and of the foote By which words he declared that those things which we shall estéeme more déere vnto vs than either our eies hands or féet we must cast awaie from vs lest we should be drawne awaie from the will of God
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
to be with Christ And Steeuen Acts. 7 59. being at the point of death praied Lord receiue my spirit The opinion of Gregorie touching souls departed I knowe indéed that Gregorie writeth in his dialogs that There be certeine spirits of the dead appointed to serue in common baths and to practise some harder exercises abroad in the world But bicause that booke conteineth manie tales I therefore thinke it better to beléeue Chrysostome who dealeth by the scriptures Againe he also prooueth that that peruerse opinion is against reason for he saith If it should be lawfull for soules after this life to wander abroad in the world they would much more easilie returne to their owne bodies Nor is it agréeable vnto reason that wicked men for parricide should carrie awaie a benefit namelie to haue the spirits of them whom they haue cruellie slaine to be seruiceable vnto them at their owne pleasure A similitude And euen as it cannot be that the bodie of a man should be turned into the bodie of an aâ—…e so it is vnpossible that the soule of a man should be turned into the nature and substance of an ill spirit And when as euill spirits by vsing of coniurations are demanded what they be and they answer that they are the soule of this or that man who be alreadie departed he saith that there must be no credit giuen vnto them for their testimonie must not be of anie value séeing they be infamous And therefore Paule as we haue it in the Acts of the apostles the 16. chapter when an euill spirit witnessed that those men were the seruants of the liuing God and preached the saluation of men he rebuked the spirit and commanded the same to silence And Christ reiected the testimonie of the diuell who said that he knew him c. And not without cause for the diuell is a deceiuer and among true things which he somtime speaketh he mingleth manie false So as he must not be credited vpon any shew of truth seing he is not commanded by God to teach men or to preach saluation vnto them These things are written by Chrysostome in the places now alledged Whereby may be confuted the fables of those men which feigne that the soules of the saints doo stand and are present abroad in the world at their sepulchres and reliks to giue helpe vnto those which call vpon them For that father laboureth to prooue that soules seuered from theâ— bodies doo not wander abroad vpon the earth The xv Chapter Of the Resurrection THE entitle of the resurrection of the flesh is verie hardlie beléeued In 2 Kin. 4. bicause it is a thing â—atre from mans reason It comprehendeth manie principall points But a sure persuasion thereof comprehendeth manie principall points of the christian faith which be verie necessarie vnto saluation And they that are fullie and firmelie setled in their minds of the resurrection doo prouide well for themselues against the last houre For they which being at the point of death doo assure themselues of the blessed resurrectition cannot choose but depart ioifull and chéerefull out of this life But contrariewise they which wauer in this article are then in great disquietnesse they are vexed they storme and knowe not certeinelie whither to turne them Further this persuasion dooth comfort vs when by death we loose our kinsfolks and fréends So did Paule teach the Thessalonians Besides this 1. The. 4 13. we are hereby armed against persecutions and hard chances which we must suffer for the faithfull confession of the name of Christ For what is it that martyrs will not patientlie abide when they knowe for a certeintie that a most happie life shall be restored vnto them Moreouer the remembrance hereof maketh vs to haue temperance in estimation for we easilie forbeare vnlawfull pleasures when we assuredlie trust that we shall haue true and perfect pleasures giuen vs both of mind and bodie And if this article be abolished manie principall points of religion are ouerthrowne Paule faith in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15 16 If the dead rise not againe Christ is not risen Which is most absurd for then he should euen to this time be deteined in death which is not conuenient for God nor for the redéemer of mankind And if he be not risen neither did he trulie die otherwise he should be deteined by death Whervpon they which denie the resurrection of the dead affirme that Christ did not verelie die neither will they that he had naturall but phantasticall flesh onelie that is to saie he died in shew and outward appéerance 2 Séeing therefore a disputation of the resurrection of the flesh is so profitable and necessarie we shall for good cause stand the longer vpon it Why God did institute the resurrection First if it be demanded why GOD did institute the same two reasons may be brought first that he might trulie and perfectlie make happie his elect for true happines cannot be obteined in this life bicause no humane actions More things that we knowe not than that we knowe neither contemplatiue nor actiue can be counted exquisite and perfect For as concerning knowledges there be a great manie more things which we knowe not than which wée knowe Which Socrates perceiuing said that This one thing he knew namelie that he knew nothing Further those few small things that we knowe we haue a verie scant and slender vnderstanding of them Neither may we affirme this of naturall things onelie but of those also which are opened vnto vs by the spirit of God 1. Cor. 13 9. Wherefore Paule said Now we knowe in part and prophesie in part and we now see as through a glasse and in a darke saieng We be of weake memorie and manie times our memorie faileth vs. Who remembreth all things that he hath read that he hath learned that he hath taught and determined The knowledges which come later to mind exclude the former as one naile is driuen out with another and as in the course of waters A similitude the latter driueth awaie the former And whereas the knowledges of things doo consist either in inuention or in teaching what one of manie is found to be excellent at inuention And verie manie are vnapt and vnméet to learne Wherefore as touching things contemplatiue we are of small happinesse in this world Also in matters of practise there is great want in vs séeing either we liue vnhonestlie or else in honest actions we be verie farre wide from perfection For our vertues are maimed and vnperfect therefore we cannot drawe out of them anie perfect and absolute actions There happen moreouer perturbations or affects of the mind which drawe vs to and fro so as we cannot altogither be inclined to doo those things which be right Yea and from the bodie it selfe which is fraile and brittle as glasse manie inconueniences doo come For if it be touched with diseases which are
was not so changed as that he went into a round figure as be the bodies of the sunne moone and starres His face remained seuerall from the rest of his parts for the euangelist writeth Luk. 24 43. What maner of bodie Christ had after his resurrection that His face did shine like the sunne Furthermore when as after his resurrection he did eat and drinke togither with them I iudge he did it with his téeth mouth throte and bellie not with his féet or the skull of his head Also he talked with them and that no doubt with his toong and mouth not with his knées and legs Besides it is said in plaine termes Iohn 10 10. that he shewed his side that was piersed vpon the crosse wherefore he had the same distinguished from the other parts of his bodie So as these members were either members in verie déed or else counterfeit members and delusions If they were verie members let these men agrée that bodies with their seuerall members shall be restored in the resurrection But if they were delusions and counterfeit things the truth of the resurrection is ill prooued by a lie But they will saie that these were certeine prerogatiues belonging vnto Christ bicause he was not as we be conceiued of mans séed but by the helpe of the holie Ghost was fashioned in the virgins wombe Howbeit for my part I take the resurrection of Christ to be the image and similitude of our resurrection so that if to him were restored his owne proper parts they shall also be restored vnto vs. But they adde that these things were doon of the Lord with his apostles by a certeine dispensatiō when he was raised vp from death vnto life otherwise he shewed the condition of his bodie to be airie and spirituall Luke 24. 16 Ibidem 3◠when as he so delt wish his apostles as they knew him not and vanished not out of their sight in such sort as he became inuisible as also when he entred in vnto them the doores being shut But the apostles knew him not in respect that he himselfe was inuisible or that he wanted flesh and hands but because as saith the euangelist their eies were holden Ibidem 16. that they should not know him Wherefore when as they knew him afterward he writeth that their eies were opened to the intent we should knowe their eies to be letted and no diuersitie to be in the bodie of the Lord. Further he withdrew himselfe vpon the sudden from their eies neither did they sée him anie more bicause their eies were let that they should not perceiue his departing Apollonius the coniurer vanished awaie before Homitian Apollonius Tyanaeus when he was in the councell before Domitian was suddenlie taken from among them neither did he appéere anie more not that his bodie was made inuisible or vanished into aire but bicause the eies of them that were present were held by the coniuring of diuels that they could not sée him while he was yet present or when he went awaie Therefore that which was doone by diuelish sorceries about the bodie of a prophane man shall we denie vnto the bodie of Christ in whom was present the perfect Godhead Iohn 20 19 Also the argument as touching the doores is weake for it might be that he came in vnto the apostles by the house top or in at the windowes when as the gates were lockt And perhaps at his comming the doores gaue place and made passage for him But what néedeth much speach Ezech. 37 7 Ezechiel making mention of the resurrection of the dead speketh nothing of an airie or elementall bodie but he saith that the bones came vnto bones and euerie one to his owne ioint that they were iointed togither with sinewes couered with flesh and skinne put therevpon and that at the last they stood vpright vpon their féete And so the prophet describeth bodies euen as he knew that it would come to passe at the resurrection And Iob saith Iob. 19 26. In my flesh I shall see God with these eies of mine neither shall I be another but as touching substance the verie same that I now am These things are so manifest as they haue no néed to be explained That the bodies of them that rise againe shall be in a place 65 And in the resurrection we shall not onlie haue that bodie which we now haue but it shall also occupie a place neither can it be togither and at one time in manie places bicause the nature of bodies and especiallie of humane bodies suffereth not this for séeing they be limited and described with their parts members and lineaments they must néeds be conteined in certeine places And yet notwithstanding at this daie there be found some so shamelesse and vntemperate who to defend their opinion either of vbiquitie or of reall and substantiall presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the holie supper dare require of vs to prooue vnto them and that out of the holie scriptures that a bodie can not be without a place and that it can not be togither at one time in sundrie places What if we againe for our part should demand of them that out of the same holie scriptures they should shew vs by expresse words that a definite bodie maie be without place or togither at one time in sundrie places Certeinlie vnlesse they will vse other canonicall books than those which the catholike church acknowledgeth they shall neuer be able to shew vs anie such testimonie Wherefore the voice of nature which hath God himselfe to be author must be heard That vndoubtedlie hath decréed that these things can not be euen as our aduersaries them selues doo testifie And Augustine in his epistle to Dardanus hath acknowledged and Cyrillus also in his dialogs De trmitate who wrote that Euen the diuine nature if it were diuisible should be of quantitie and in anie wise in a place nor might not auoid circumscription Verelie the grounds of nature are not to be new made except it be when they withstand the word of God But these things which I haue declared are not repugnant therevnto Séeing then they cannot shew it to be otherwise had in the holie scriptures let them cease without them to obtrude vnto vs articles of faith That Christ his bodie risen from the dead was in a place which are not lawfull to be coined without the word of God But we will followe the teaching of the holie scriptures which wheresoeuer they speake of the bodie of Christ doo euerie where attribute a place vnto him sometime saieng that he was in Galile otherwhile at Ierusalem Iohn 2 1. 13. 14. Ioh. 12 1. now and then in Bethania or in the temple or in the house of Simon And they so assigne him a certeine place as they may exclude him from an other for he himselfe saith Matt. 26 6. when he went to raise vp Lazarus He is dead I am
and ceremonies For as yet by the ordinances of Moses they retaine the sacrifices and Ceremonies and no man was constrained to giue assent vnto their false opinions But we are forced by the Popes and Bishops to professe wicked doctrines neither can we by reason of them receiue the Sacraments according to the institution of Christ sincerelie call vpon the name of the Lord. Wherefore the consideration of both partes is not alike neither can the example which they haue brought be applied vnto the present cause The crime of breach of Charitie They accuse vs also that we haue broken charitie with them neither doe they remember that charitie dependeth of faith And so séeing they retaine not the same but haue renounced it we cannot as touching Ecclesiasticall communion exercise brotherlie charitie with them neuerthelesse we withdraw not Christian loue from them we continuallie wishe and praie for their bettering namelie that they maie conuert to the Gospell of the sonne of God and that they will at length correct and reforme those things which they haue marde corrupted in the Church Further they disquiet vs They obiect that wee haue departed of our owne priuate authoritie for that we are departed not by publike but by priuate authoritie Neither consider they that God commaunded euerie man to haue a care of his owne saluation What if others will not assent vnto the truth and auoide the corruptions of Religion shall he that is bound to the studie of Gods commandements glory of Christ neglect to doe what he can and that which belongeth vnto him Moreouer all men maie sée that our Churches are not without publike authoritie séeing in them dwell both Magistrates and Princes Neither doeth that subtiltie which they often vse hinder vs in saying that it is not the part of this or that common weale or of this or that Prince thus to doe but that we must expect the consent of all Christendome Here doe they excéedinglie erre séeing God hath commanded both euerie Magistrate euerie Prince that they should with singular diligence and watchfull studie be carefull for the saluation of them which be committed to their charge Ouer and besides Constance and Constantine when they had imbraced Christ they did not expect a consent in Christian Religion of Dioclesian Maximianus Licinius and of their Emperours or Caesars which were their fellowe Magistrates and had then the rule in their hands And ill came to Tiberius for that he expected the consent of the Senate in appointing of Christ to be among the number of the Goddes 34 Hitherto I haue taught howe iust causes they be for the which we haue departed from the communion of the Papists and as I thinke haue sufficientlie to the nature of this place answered their argumentes wherewith they rent and teare vs. So then remaineth that I should descend to the other point of the treatise whereby I maie declare that this was altogether necessarie Which shall thrée wayes appeare First shall be shewed that the commandement of God which is the strongest weapon vnto godlie mindes did vrge vs. Further that it behooued vs to flie least our mindes and consciences shoulde be polluted by the vnpurenesse of doctrine and idolatrie of our aduersaries And finally least we shoulde be in daunger of the wrath and punishments of God which they bée in daunger of As to the first Commandements of GOD by which we are bidden to depart from the companie of the vnfaithfull there be verie manie and sundrie precepts of God extant in the holie scriptures which commaund this separation Yet all those I will not recite because it would be ouer long but I will onlie repeate some Christ saide Matt. 7. 15. Beware ye of false Prophets for although they be in sheeps cloathing they be rauening wolues Wherefore euen as we should flie from Wolues so should they be auoided which destroy soules by peruerse doctrine and religion He in like maner as we reade in Iohn said Ioh. 10. 27. My sheepe heare my voyce and follow not the voyce of strangers Therefore séeing the aduersaries haue alienated thēselues frō Christ we cannot cleaue vnto them vnlesse we will cease to be the shéepe of Christ The same Lord saide Mat. 15. 14 If the blind followe the blinde both of them shall fall into the ditch so as we haue renounced the conduct of the Papists least we should fall headlong together with them It is also written in Iohn Ioh. 12. 48. that manie of the Princes beléeued in Christ who neuerthelesse because of the Pharisées confessed not Christ least they shoulde be estranged from the Synagogues because they rather sought the glorie of men than of God Wherefore if we had taried with our aduersaries it had bin also néedefull for vs to haue feared least we should haue more hunted for glorie and honour at their handes than to haue entirelie loued the sincere truth of the Gospell We haue heard also that Christ said Mat. 10. 34 I came not to send peace but a sword and to separate euerie faithfull man from his owne housholde which would hinder them from the doctrine of the Gospell Then séeing our enemies studie earnestlie indeuour nothing more than to turne vs awaie from the trueth receiued we haue vpon iust cause departed frō them But in the Epistle to the Galathians the first Chapter Gal. 1. 8. there appeareth a most plaine testimonie of this matter for there the Apostle commandeth that whosouer shall bring another Gospel than that which he had preached vnto them he shoulde be accursed vnto vs he goeth so farre as he testifieth the verie same thing of himselfe and he ascendeth from himselfe euen to the Angels Nor doeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifie anie other thing than a malediction or curse And who séeth not that it behooueth euerie Christian man speciallie to beware that he runne not into the curse of God And if so be that Paul once wished to be accursed for the brethren Rom. 9. 1. he sawe that it redounded to the glorie of God But in this cause by adioyning our selues to the Papistes we should become accursed together with them doubtlesse not vnto their saluation but through our consenting they would be more and more hardened in their errors Whereof would procéede not the glorie of God but rather the dishonor of his name Augustine expounding this place in the Epistle to the Galathians brought in an excellent exposition of the Apostles meaning namelie that the trueth for it self is worthie to be desired but not for their sakes which set forth and publish the same For if it should be admitted for feare of thē it might easilie be that we woulde also receiue lyes for dread of them And we are not to thinke that the Apostle in that place rashlie vsed a repetition because the matter was both weightie and doubtfull for euen the aduersaries themselues will séeme to
1. Cor. 5. 30 through all and in all He saieth also that wee be one bodie of the flesh and of the bones of Christ that we be most néerelie conioyned vnto him and the giftes which wée haue are deriued vnto vs by God through the flesh of Christ giuen for our sake vppon the Crosse and so by the flesh of Christ we be coupled and vnited vnto God And in the 17. Chapter of Iohn Christ prayeth the Father for the Apostles Ioh. 17. 20. and all that doe beléeue and shall beléeue Cause thou that they maie be one euen as I am in thee and thou art in mee Wherefore he would that they should be one by communicating I meane of one and the same spirit The vnitie of the Church therefore by the places alleaged consisteth in the spirit in the worde of God in the Sacraments and in a most néere bond with Christ who is the head of all the members of the Church Such a vnitie haue not we broken but we wish euerie manner of waie that it maie be maintained safe and sound Much more might be brought for the deciding of this controuersie but those things which are alreadie spoken I thinke are sufficient vnto godly mindes to confirme and comfort themselues against the cauillations of the Papistes What is to be done of theÌ„ which haue departed from the Papists 51 Lastlie this remaineth that séeing we haue departed from that congregation which persecuteth true godlines let vs shew that we haue done the same in good earnest least we should séeme onelie to be absent from them in bodie Therefore let vs with our whole heart and with all our indeuour imbrace sound and true godlinesse and shewe forth plentifull and manifest fruites of our faith In this vocation of ours let vs auoide the offences by which the course of the Gospell maie be hindred and they called backe from the going forwarde in Christ who as yet be somewhat tender therein Let vs rather labour to edifie the brethren and driue them so farre as we are able to the purer religion And let vs remember that it is not sufficient to haue put our hand to the plough we must perseuere vnto the ende Luke 9. 22. And since we stand in the right waie we must take verie diligent héede of the furie and sleightes of the Diuell Let vs not suffer our selues by peruerse opinions and erronious sectes to be led awaie from that trueth which we perceiue by faith This if we shall doe we shall purge our selues both to the godlie and to the wicked but if we behaue our selues otherwise we shall be verie much hated of both not for the cause sake but through our owne fault The seuenth Chapter Of Sacramentes and namelie of Circumcision THe worde which signifieth a Sacrament in Hebrew is Sod and Razi In Rom. 4 ver 11. Looke In Gen. 17. Look Epist 18 vnto the brethren of Polonia Verse 16. The first of these wordes is common vnto all secretes and hidden things is more in vse And the other Esaie vsed in the xxiiij Chapter when he said Razi-li Razi-li that is a secret vnto me a secret vnto me Daniel also in his second Chapter setting downe the interpretation of a mysterie vseth the selfesame word Such is the nature and condition of Sacramentes that they containe things hid knowne yet vnto some but not vnto all And from this Etimologie the Gréeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differeth not much which is deriued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is because wée ought to kéepe things close inwardlie After such a sort were the mysteries of Ceres Eleusina in the Countrie of Athens The mysteries of Ceres of Eleusis which were opened vnto none but those who had bin first instructed And they are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to whose secresie these things are committed Chrysost Rom. 11. 25 Chrysostome when he interpreteth the xj Chapter of the Epistle of Paule to the Romans where Paul saieth that he writeth a mysterie of the Israelits partlie blinded and partly to be restored saith that a mysterie signifieth a thing vnknowen and vnspeakable which hath in it much admiration and which is aboue our opinion The same father when he interpreteth the second Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2. 7. where it is sayd We speake wisedome in a mysterie thus writeth It should be no diuine or perfect mysterie if thou shouldest adde anie thing of thy selfe Vnto diuine mysteries must nothing bee addâ—… By which wordes it is manifest howe much they are to be blamed which at their owne pleasure and iudgement ordaine Sacraments and from that which Christ himselfe hath ordained plucke awaie what they will Those wordes of Chrysostome doe manifestlie reprooue them Neither let them thinke themselues to be anie thing relieued by saying that he speaketh of that mysterie which is found in the holie scriptures whervnto he saieth nothing must be added nor taken awaie Forsomuch as the Sacraments whereof we intreate are of no lesse weight than the holie Scripture The sacraments of the same weight that be the holie scriptures For they as Augustine verie aptlie saieth are the visible wordes of God Furthermore Chrysostome expounding the place before alleaged saieth that we in the Sacraments sée one thing beléeue another thing beholde with our sense one thing vnderstand in our mind another thing The faithful and the vnfaithful are not affected both after one maner towards the sacraments Whereof it followeth that all are not after one and the selfe same maner affected towardes these mysteries For an Infidell when he heareth that Iesus Christ was crucified thinketh it to be a thing foolish and of no value But the faithfull man acknowledgeth in that mysterie the most high power and wisedome of God If an Ethnick heare that Christ was raised from the dead he will thinke it to be a fable But a Christian not onelie beléeueth that the same was done but also will not doubt but that he himselfe as a member of Christ shall one daie be raised vp from the dead Afterward Chrysostome commeth to the visible Sacrament and saith If an Infidel sée Baptisme he wil iudge that there is but water onely but the faithfull beholdeth the washing of the soule by the bloud of Christ And in the Eucharist by the senses is knowen onelie the bread and wine but the beléeuers referre their minde to the bodie of Christ Hereunto he applyeth a similitude of a Booke A similitude For if an vnlearned and rude man that cannot reade a worde should light vpon a Booke he onelie may behold and woonder at the prickes figures and colours but the sense and vnderstanding of them he cannot finde out but he which is learned draweth from thence either Histories or else other things pleasant and worthie to be knowen Now that we haue declared the interpretation of the Gréeke and Hebrew worde there
of the Sentences déemeth do serue for honestie comlines and solemnitie This doubtlesse is lamentable that almost all things in Christianitie be corrupted not onelie 〈◊〉 concerning manners but also as touching doctrine and Sacraments Verilie it had béene méete in baptisme to haue delt by faith and to require a full and perfect profession thereof And let not anie man answere that the créede is recited because in the baptisme of Papistes it is doone verie coldlie especiallie séeing it is alwaies vsed in the latine tongue which is not vnder stoode of them that stande by And although they that be present doe after a sort knowe by long experience the articles of the faith yet doe they but lightlie vnderstande them wherefore it is necessarie to instruct them more plainelie They boast also that they vse a Catechising or instruction But in what sort Forsooth the same consisteth of fiue or tenne words and these not vnderstood Besides they commaunde him that is to be baptised to renounce the Diuell and the pompes of this world For the which they haue no commaundement of God 7 But leauing the rest of their trifles Exorcisme added to Baptisme Look part 2 pl. 1. Art 24. part 1. pl. 9. Art 30. let vs come to Exorcisme wherein they put the whole summe and effect of the thinges that be added And séeing the matter is of great importaunce I thinke it first méete to speake somewhat of the signification of the worde In Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to adiure by holie things Augustine in his booke de Beata vita writeth that an euill spirite inuadeth the soule troubleth the senses and casteth men into madnesse in the driuing out of which they that haue authoritie doe laie on their handes and exorcise that is do driue him out in adiuring him by diuine thinges Hereby it appeareth now that exorcisme is an adiuring by holie things Vlpianus in the Pandects in the Title de variis extraordinariis cognitionibus in the first law saith that he alloweth not of those Phisitians which inchaunt and exorcise and he addeth that the same is a woord which deceiuers vse And although some saith he affirme that they be holpen yet doe they nothing but inchaunt and curse Also Plinie beléeued that there bee certaine diseases which maie be healed by inchauntments and adiurations In like manner there were some which supposed that exorcisme is therefore applied to holie baptisme because a great oth is there made in the name of Christ But they be verie far deceiued for that the sacrificer doth there adiure the euill spirit neither doeth he take anie oth in the name of Christ True indéed it is that the verbe is deriued of the nowne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is an oth And vndoubtedly as I haue already said A certain adiuratiō by holie things is performed in exorcisme I haue noted that the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is thrée times found in the newe Testament For in the fifth Chapter of Marke the Diuell adiured Christ saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Verse 7. I adiure thée by God that thou torment me not In the 19. Verse 13. Chapter of the Actes the sonnes of Sceua saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Wee adiure you by Iesus Christ whom Paul preacheth And in the first to the Thessalonians the last Chapter Verse 27. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I adiure you by the Lord that this Epistle be redde vnto all the Saintes Wherefore these places declare that exorcismes as it hath beene saide is an adiuration by diuine things But exorcisme is exercised by a certaine commaundement and royall power because the exorcistes cōmaunde the vncleane spirits and verie boldlie commaund them to depart and by this meanes exorcismes differ from prayers and supplications Now it throughlie appeareth what is exorcisme and what is to exorcise Look part 1 pl 8. Art 13. pl 9. art 30 Vnto what times may be referred the original of Exorcisme 8 Nowe are there thrée things to bee considered in order first when exorcismes began secondlie whether exorcistes should be retained and so retained as they maie belong to the holie ministerie Lastlie whether exorcismes are to be ioyned with baptisme As touching the first I saie that in all the old Testament I haue not read that any exorcismes were ordained for the driuing out of diuels I know indéede that there be adiurations extant Wherfore there is a law of zelosie in the booke of Numbers Num. 5. 12. which commaunded vnto the Israelits a forme of a certaine adiuration but by it the Priestes did not adiure the woman to cast Diuels out of her but he wished either good or euill vnto her according as she had behaued her selfe If she had béene chast and blamelesse he wished her well but if shee were vncleane and defiled with whoredome he cursed her with expresse words Also Iosua adiured Acham Iosua 7. 19. not to driue the Diuell out of him but to driue him to confesse a trueth of conueying awaie the accursed thing Some thinke that Dauid did exorcise Saul 1. Sam. 16. 23. which I allowe not for he with his Harpe played before him and with most pleasant verses praysed God But that hee vsed not exorcisme it maie for two causes bee affirmed First because he did not perfectlie heale him but as it is written in the historie While he plaied his trouble was asswaged yet was not the euill spirite vtterlie cast out from Saul Further Dauid vsed not the forme of adiuration which the Scripture teacheth but verses of Musicke and these as it is like lie of the nature of prayers But that there were Exorcistes among the Hebrewes I denie not as I wil streightwaie declare by plaine Testimonies although I graunt that I am ignorant 〈◊〉 what age they first began Iosephus in the 8. booke of Antiquities the second Chapter writeth that Salomon made certaine charmes and exorcismes But of that matter I spake sufficientlie when I interpreted that place where it is shewed that Salomon passed in wisedome all the men of the East and the Egyptians But to come somewhat néerer vnto the matter I thinke that the wisedome of Salomon was inspired into him by GOD. And those things which God bestoweth vppon men are not to bee counted euill but good but that incantations are condemned by the lawes of GOD it is most certaine For which cause they are not giuen to men by the spirite of God Whereby it is prooued that the exorcismes inchauntments and the booke of the little Kay the which are caried abroad vnder the name of Salomon A counterfeit booke of Salomon are counterfait and not to be fathered vpon him They abound euerie where with superstitions and be fraughted with gestures both ridiculous and Idolatrous 9 But that the Hebrewes as I haue said had Exorcistes it is prooued by the testimonie of Christ in the 12. of Matthew For there the Lord
because the souldiers were constrained otherwhile to watch about the Churches and Temples of the Idols Also in his Booke De Anima the last Chapter but one he teacheth that vncleane spirites did oftentimes deceiue men The diuels fame themselues to be the soules of men departed and made lies vnto them namelie when they fayned themselues to be the soules of men departed which wandred in the shape of mens bodies For the Diuell woulde not that it should be thought of the Christians that the soules after this life should be detained in hell To some was graunted the frée gift of adiuration And he addeth that at the last they were conuicted and constrained by adiurations to confesse the trueth to wit that they were no soules of men but ill spirites Further in his Booke De Praescriptionibus aduersus Haereticos page 111. saith that the women among the Hereticks were woont to vse Exorcismes 12 But it must be considered that what hath hitherto bin brought as concerning Exorcismes must not bee vnderstoode of the Exorcismes in baptisme In ancient time there was no mention of Exorcisme about Baptisme but of those whereby the possessed with ill spirites were healed by the Christians Yea and Iustinus Martyr in the former Apologie while he is earnestly occupied about baptisme maketh no mention of Exorcisme Neither did that Dionysius whatsoeuer he were that wrote the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie make any mention of such Exorcismes In déed he hath certaine things I cannot tell what of thrée times breathing out and thrée renouncings Which neuerthelesse must be done as he teacheth by a mā that is to be baptized and not by an exorcist or minister of the sacrament Of renouncing also Tertullian made mention in his Booke De Corona militis but hee writeth that the same was woont to be vsed vnder the hands of the chiefe Prelate But at this day there be no Bishops present when the sacrament of baptisme is administred But they were present in those dayes and also in the time of Ambrose as he himselfe testifieth in the first booke De Sacramentis in the first and seconde Chapters And also in the Booke of them which were entered into orders euen from the beginning Yea and Basill in his Booke De spiritu sancto in the 27. Chapter made mention of Renouncing lykewise annointing and holy water and also of thrice dipping in the water but he speaketh nothing of Exorcisme But the consent of Colen to prooue their trifles as touching fault and annoynting alledge Origen in the 6 and 7 Homilies vppon Ezechiel But if a man diligentlie weigh his sayinges he hath nothing which serueth to that purpose Eusebius Caesariensis in his 6. booke 43. Chapter maketh mention of an Epistle of Cornelius the Byshop of Rome vnto Fabius the prelate of Antioche in which he describeth the manners and life of Nouatus making mention among other thinges that at the beginning when he was possessed with a diuell he was remedied by exorcismes which was an occasion that he was conuerted to Christ where notwithstanding he was afterward baptised lying beddered And Cyprian in the 4 booke and 7 Epistle writeth vnto Magnus that the vncleane spirites doe sometime deceaue the seruantes of God while they bee adiured by them and do faine that they go their waies whereas neuerthelesse they depart not But he saith that when they come vnto the water that is to wit vnto Baptisme there the diuel cannot staie he vtterlie departeth neither is hee able to abide the Sacramentes While I diligentlie consider with my selfe this place it séemeth to me that I haue found the fountaine head and beginning of Exorcisme ioyned together with Baptisme For that Father séemeth to signifie that if deliuerance succéeded not after Exorcismes men in those daies fled vnto Baptisme and that men folowed this way in the curing of them which were possessed with ill spirits Wherefore the age that followed would imitate this that Exorcismes should bee vsed before Baptisme euen though the possessed were not to be baptized least they should séeme to haue any thing lesse than the former church in which they which could not bee cured by Exorcismes were brought to the receiuing of baptisme And afterward it followed that although the power of casting out deuils bée not nowadayes had yet doe the Papists vse Exorcismes But to returne vnto Cyprian He in his treatise De Baptismo Christi manifestatione Trinitatis Acts. 19. 13 calleth those children of Sceua of whom we made mention before gainefull Exorcists as though they solde those adiurations and made a market of them Also Gregorie Nazianzene in his Oration De Luminaribus or in his third Oration ad Sanctum Lauacrum made mention of Exorcismes and also many other Fathers But this must be considered that the latter age vsed Exorcismes as being ioyned with baptisme and as though they belonged vnto a certaine order of Clergie men Whether Exorcists are still to be retained in the Church Arguments for retaining of thē 13 Wherefore I will now come to the second point of the question proposed wherein we must trie whether at this day Exorcists should be retained and so retayned as in the Church should be a certaine peculiar order of Exorcists It hath séemed good vnto many that such an order should be had in the Church Epiphanius For Epiphanius in his third booke and second Tome when he reckoneth the holie orders among others nameth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is adiurers Indéede after a sort he altereth the word but yet indéede he meaneth the selfe same thing Isidorus Also Isidorus in his book De Officijs Ecclesiasticis Chap. 13. citeth the place of Esdras where in the second Chapter Verse 55. the sonnes of the childrē of Salomon are reckoned together with the children of Nathan The Hebrewes were declared to bee those seruants of Salomon for the reparations of the Temple namely that they should prouide to kéepe it safe from winde and water But Isidorus saith that they were Exorcists But howe truelie let others iudge In the decrées Gratian Distinct 77. in the Canon Monachus Exorcists are called defenders as if in my iudgement they should defend bodies and soules from the diuell In the Laodicene Councell in the Chapter 26. it is forbidden that none should exorcise vnlesse he be ordained by the Byshop as though the Byshoppe bee able by his imposition of hands to giue power to driue away ill spirits This also we haue in the decrées in the distinct the 69. in the Canon Non oportet c. Againe in the fourth Councel of Carthage it is decréed that whē an Exorcist is ordained the Booke of Exorcismes is deliuered vnto him and he is commanded to learne them by heart that he may vse them when oportunitie shall serue Arguments on the contrarie part But at this day the Papists in their Churches haue onlie the titles names but they performe nothing of those things which they
first sight yet ought it not to bee accounted either true or wise for if wise men will allowe and praise any action they must also praise and allowe the Authour thereof Neither doth any man lawfully vnto others that which he would not suffer himselfe And there is no mortall man that would haue either himselfe or his to be betrayed Furthermore one Lasthenes Lasthenes when he had betrayed his Countrie Olynthus to the Macedonians and thought that for the same he shoulde haue bin had in honour of them it happened farre otherwise vnto him For he was by the souldiers called Traitour euerie where throughout the Campe. Philip king of Macedone Wherefore he grieuouslie complained thereof to Philip the king who made him answere that his Macedonians were verie rude and rusticall people which knew not how to call thinges by any other name than by their owne and proper name They call saieth he a boate a boate This was as if he had answered Séeing thou art such a one thou oughtest not to be called by any other name Asconius Paedianus Asconius Paedianus vpō the second against Verres saith that to betraie is worse than to besiege For the enemies besiege saieth he and it ought not to be counted a vice in them but they betraie which woulde séeme to be friends and ought to be such in déede towardes vs. And therefore when they depart from their duetie they sinne farre more grieuouslie than doe the other Ierom. Ierom also in the place nowe alleaged De optimo genere interpretandi vnto Pammachius Theodosius the Emperor sheweth howe Theodosius the Emperour put to death Hesychius a man that had bin Consull because he opened the letters of Gamaliel the Patriarche Neither was that any maruel for that with the Romanes it was death to open the secretes of any man as we haue it in the Digestes De re militari in the lawe Omne in Paragraphe the 2. And in the Code De Commercijs mercaturis l. 2. And in the Digestes Ad Legem Iuliam Maiestatis in the lawes the 1. 2. and 3. he that had forsaken any munition committed to his charge fell into the crime of treason 30 The example of Camillus also is worthie to be noted Camillus who commaunded that the Schoolemen of the children of the Phaliscians shoulde be brought home againe into his Countrie with the stripes of his owne scholers because he would haue betraied them In like manner the Phisition of Pyrrhus The Physition of Pirrhus which promised vnto the Romanes that for their sakes he would destroy his king was by them detected to the king to the intent he might the better beware of them Whereby peace followed betwéene Pyrrhus and the Romanes Esaie in the 16. Chapter Verse 2. doeth therefore vehemently rebuke the Moabites because they had so cruellie intreated the Isralites when they were oppressed by their enemies and admonished them Verse 4. not to betraie the Iewes flying vnto them at the same time 2. Tim. 3. 4. And Paul writeth in the latter Epistle to Timothie that in the latter times there shoulde be men corrupted with most grieuous crimes among which he reckoneth Traitours also Besides this the Citizens are sworne vnto the Magistrates A reason why Citizens must be sworne to defend their Magistrates to defende the Citie or publike weale when néede shall require And though they were not sworne yet the naturall and common lawe requireth the same of them And this doe the members of all liuing things testifie which doe willingly most readilie indaunger them selues for the bodie for the nobler parts therof I mean the head or heart The verie which thing Citizens are by the lawes of nature bound to doe for their countrie if it be in daunger Wherfore if they should betray it they cānot be excused but that they sinne most grieuouslie 31 But before we goe anie further it séemeth good to define what Treason is Prodere in Latine which is to betray séemeth so much as belongeth to this matter to haue thrée significations What is to betraie Namelie to laie open to deceaue and to deliuer Treason therefore is an action whereby through guile bewraying or deliuering our neighbours or their goods are hurt and that speciallie by them which ought rather to haue defēded the same But there be manie kindes of Treason Manie kindes of prodicion For they doe betraie which doe by subtill guile detect the faultes of their brethrē Augustine Augustine is alleaged for this matter Cause the 2. question the first in the Chapter Si peccauerit Where he saith Mat. 18. 15. Reproue thy brother whose sinne is onelie knowen to thee secretlie For if thou shalt doe it before all men thou shalt not then be a corrector of sinne but a betrayer Also he which circumuenteth an other and bringeth him into daunger he betrayeth him Ierom. Wherefore Ierom as it is in the 24. Cause quest 3. in the Chapter Transferunt saith that the same belongeth principallie vnto false Prophets and euill Pastors which by their naughtie doctrine and examples destroy the sheepe of Christ committed to their charge whome they ought to defend They are numbred amongest them which deliuer vp Castles and munitions vnto their enemies Whereof there is written at large in the 22. Cause quest 5. in the Chapter De Forma They are also counted betrayers which doe detect and open secretes committed vnto them especiallie such as are of great weight and bring in danger the life estimation or goods of their brethren And this kinde is noted in the Title De poenitentia distinct Chrysost 6. in the Chapter Sacerdotes Finally Chrysostom vpon Matthew the 25. Homelie as it is alleaged in the decrees the 11 quest the third and in the Chapter Nolite timere Not onely they are saide to betraie the truth which in the place of it speake a lie but they also which doe not fréelie professe the same Wherefore there be reckoned manie wayes or kindes of betraying But we will not now presentlie speake of them all onelie we will touch those kindes which serue for our purpose Howbeit this I thinke good to be added that some iudge that betraying and espialship differ not much one from another And that it may sometime be A betraious and a spie is sometimes all one that one man may be a betrayer and a spy For if anie Citizen be corrupted with monie by the enemies the same is both a betrayer of his countrie and also dooth in the meane time the part of a domesticall spie But this séemeth not to be wiselie spoken because the nature of these thinges as it appeareth by their definitions dooth verie much differ although sometimes they cleaue both to one man so as the same man may both be a betrayer and a spie Euen as Musick Grammar differ much one from an other and yet it oftentimes happeneth that one man
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
hidden and we knew it not Paul saith After the resurrection he was declared to be the Sonne of God Rom. 1. 4. These things did he wel mingle temper He being made a seruant would not be in his owne power He was a faithful seruant for he tooke not counsell of the flesh nor yet of men God had commaunded that hee should redéeme vs by the crosse the flesh shunneth it and giueth no héede thereunto Peter disswadeth him and is reprooued The Iewes woulde make him king The flesh liketh it he woulde not haue it so Compare the ill seruaunt with him which was the first man he séeth that which liketh him he taketh it he desireth the forme of God he giueth eare to the diuell and to his wife not vnto God therefore be the ends contrarie He cast away himself vs Christ profited himselfe vs. Rom. 5. 19 By the disobedience of one manie are made sinners by the obediēce of one manie are made righteous Therefore we wil iudge of actions according to the word of God not according to mans sense Let the same mind be in vs that was in Christ he serued God he serued men he was the minister of the circumcisiō he came not to be ministred vnto but to minister He was founde in the similitude of men and in the figure c. Here doe the Marcionites triumph they say he séemed to be man but he was not So the transubstantiatours It séemeth to be bread yet it is not it séemeth to be wine yet it is not But they erre for Paul speaketh of the conuersation that was like vnto other men Hée did eate he dranke he slept hée walked he hungred he thirsted c. He shewed that his diuine nature did not confounde his humane neither as touching the essence nor yet as touching the conuersation Moreouer as saith Chrysost he was not in all respects as other men be he was not borne of the séed of man neither was he born with sinne he was not a mere man for he was God In the 22. Verse 7. Psalme A worme and no man In the Hebrewe it is not Adam but Ish that is a man wherefore he denieth not the humane nature but the glorie of it But he humbled himselfe hee was like the young braunche in a drie lande as Esaie saith without leaues and flowers such there be in drie places Many would not beléeue they expected a mightie Monarche There commeth one which hath not where to rest his head which rideth vppon an Asse liueth of Almes is hated of the high Priests and Princes is vpbrayded to be the sonne of a Carpenter that he is a Galilean that he is one of Nazareth that he is a friend of sinners and a drinker of wine a Samaritan that hath the diuell a sorcerer a furious and mad fellowe a seducer and one that desireth the kingdome He is a Priest not of the stocke of Leuie he sacrificeth not he putteth not on the high Priests garment he entereth not into the innermost sanctuarie who will acknowledge him for his He is a king he hath no Scepter no Diademe no Garde therefore is he not receiued for Messias We sawe him and there was no beautie in him and wee thought him to haue bin smitten of God Note Esa 53. 2. Beholde now the Church erreth yea and that in matters necessarie to saluation because it excludeth the true Messias Some fewe holy men imbrace Christ the Church of the Scribes Bishops and Priests doe not receiue him Therefore the Gospell which condemneth the flesh represseth frée will reason mans strength the dooing of that which is in vs to doe saieth that the workes of the vnfaithfull are sinnes denieth a regeneration by good workes is refused as being hidden with these follies But we which haue the spirit of faith doe receiue Christ in this ignominie yea and we sée that he by his afflictions sanctified all aduersities Gen. 12. 3. I will blesse thy curses By his bodie he sanctified the waters vnto Baptisme when he descended into Iordan why did he not by the touching of the Crosse sanctifie all the aduersities of death and scourges These be his reliques This remained vnto vs of his Cuppe These reliques many woulde not haue they flie from them Many séeke for the Crosse to adore the same when it toucheth them they flie from it Manie kisse the same very willingly but when they be pressed thereby they reiect it and they shun and detest them that be afflicted But let not vs so say but rather say with Paul Gal. 6. 14. 17. God forbid that I should glorie but in the crosse of my Lorde Iesus Christ I will glorie in my infirmities bearing the markes of my Lord in my flesh All the things which we suffer be the reliques of Christ for being compared vnto them they are nothing If the paines of sicknesse be compared with his thornes and nayles it is nothing If thou be compelled to doe that thou wouldest not or to leaue those thinges which thou wouldest it is nothing if thou compare it with Christ being bounde and tossed to and fro And thou railed vppon what is this to the mockings of Christ Was he not accounted among the wicked Thou oughtest to withstande thy lustes but the flesh of Christ was wounded torne and beaten Doe they hate thée Beholde Christ which prayed for them that crucified him But there heauie things laide vpon thée Behold Christ which did sweate in the Garden It is a wicked thing that the seruaunt should take his pleasure and he so straitely handled Thou art guiltie and he is most innocent As the birds called Alcyones in the middest of Winter are quiet so thou if thou consider of these things wilt shewe thy selfe ioyfull in the middest of tribulations and thou shalt sée farre more vnworthie things doone against Christ than against thy selfe there shalt thou sée godlines in stead of vngodlines punished wisedome in stead of foolishnesse mocked trueth in stead of a lie denied righteousnesse in stead of vnrighteousnesse ouerthrowen mercie for crueltie miserably intreated blessednes for miserie spunged with Vinegar and that which is most swéete for the bitternesse of sinne to be fedde with gall innocencie to be condemned for guiltinesse and life to die fo the dead If thou perceiue not these thinges thou art more senselesse than all creatures which in the death of the Lorde shewed a féeling of this indignitie These things perfourmed he that he might profite vs if the selfe same sense coulde take place in vs which did in Christ wee also shoulde beare the infirmities of the weake c. Doest thou iudge thy selfe to bee strong because thou wilt vse thy strength to oppression that thy selfe mightest be borne Why doest thou not rather beare and support the infirmitie of others Thou saiest he hateth me be thou then reconciled Thou wilt helpe a part of thy bodie when it is cut from the bodie straight waie thou
fruite and that the cloudes caried about with windes be not without waters For those thinges which bee vaine and vnfruitfull because they be without soundnes strength and stabilitie they are not able to stande against the wilinesse of Sathan and assaultes of aduersarie powers Wherefore let faith take most déepe root in your hearts that it maie be the more fruitefull and bee confirmed with constancie not to bee repented of But when I speake of faith I meane not that which men of their subtiltie haue framed by the imagination of their owne thoughtes and by the iudgement of humane wisedome but I speake of that which as Paul teacheth Ro. 10. 17. is by hearing yet not euerie hearing but that which is onelie of the worde of God as wee haue it nowe by the grace of God comprehended in the holy scriptures Which I therefore adde because there be such in manie places which bee not ashamed to weaken counterfeite the same For they saie that they professe the true God séeing saie they we teach and adore him who is eternall who created heauen and earth who is the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ But afterward when they procéede further The â—eâ—orâ— of the Arrians they ioyne thereunto some opinion either of Arrius or Seruettus or some other phansie Also they bragge that they worshippe and imbrase Christ the true sonne of God and our redéemer but straightwaie either they confounde the two natures or else denie him to bee an humane creature The error of the â—…iquitie of Christs bodie They no lesse presumptuouslie than vnlearnedlie saie that his bodie is spread in all places They decrée that it is multiplyed and continued through out all the péeces of bread of the Eucharist and that it is included in them or else they madlie imagine that the substaunce of his flesh was not taken of the matter of the blessed Virgin The error of the Anabaptists but either brought out of heauen or else conceiued and formed of the substance of the holie Ghost What is he which vnlesse he become foolishe or doltish will graunt that these men confesse or admit verie God and verie Christ as he is described in the holie Scriptures Therefore is neither verie God nor verie Christ worshipped and adored of them but that God and that Christ which they themselues haue framed in their owne imagination Heretikes like vnto the Philistians 1. Sam. 5. 2. Dagon Neither doe I thinke that it otherwise happeneth vnto them than vnto the Philistians who instéede of the true God worshipped Dagon whose name was deriued from Fishe if yee respect the Hebrewe worde séeing Dag in Hebrewe signifieth a Fishe For they so fashioned the Image that from the head vnto the thighes there might appeare a humane forme but that his féete shoulde be the tayle of a fishe as Neptune Phorcis and the Meremaides are of some described Verilie these are no other thinges than Monsters But so is the impietie and madnesse of men increased as they haue not one onlie waie changed the truth of God into a lie For they in the stéede of the true God haue worshipped brute beastes and thinges more vile than brute beastes Yea and they are come to such a passe as they haue feigned to themselues monsters which are not extant in the nature of things that they might haue those thinges in the stéede of Gods And such Images haue they oftentimes so made as they beganne with the figure of a man then they ended either with a brute beast or with a fishe So the Heretikes and all they which straie from syncere godlinesse doe for the most part in making of their God beginne with God the maker of heauen and earth and with Christ the sonne of GOD and our redéemer but afterwarde they ende with monsters and straunge thinges of their owne deformed cogitations Neither doe they worshippe the true God and the true Christ but the figures Images and phantasies of their own imagination These things doe I not therefore write vnto you my déere brethren as though I suspect you to bee infected with these euils but to the intent I maie verie plainelie shewe that our father the God immortall and Christ the sonne of GOD and most verie God man must be apprehended and receiued with that faith which shall bee drawen out of the verie fountaines of the holie scriptures not out of the puddle of humane dreames And those thinges which we haue nowe spoken of Christ and GOD the verie same must wee vnderstande of our frée election of iustification of the sacraments of good workes of the Church and of all other things which belong vnto mans saluation wherunto our faith must be so applied as we reade the same to be defined and appointed in the Canonicall scriptures Not the glorie of the world but the holie Scripture is the rule of fayth Let not the dignitie or gorgeous shew of any creature let not kings nor fathers nor Bishops nor Romane Prelats nor Councels finallie let not the learned men of our age which doubtlesse are verie many and may iustlie be compared with the ancient fathers dasell our eyes Let it be a prerogatiue of the holie Scripture onely to ouer rule our faith let that as a most certaine rule prescribe what we are to beléeue besides that let no creature be beléeued except so far foorth as he agréeth therewith And you right reuerend pastors which are now made gouernours of the Church of God I pray and beséeche you in Christ that ye make no delaies in restoring of his temple No delaie must be vsed in restoring the word of God Who séeth not that when a matter is differred occasions which are fit and to be desired are lost This doth the Diuill worke least that which is to be doone shoulde be doone quickelie Now he faineth that a generall Councell must be expected now he pretendeth that there must be had the authoritie of a parliameÌ„t that the consent of princes must be obtained Wherefore if you stay vppon his delaies perswade your selues that you shall neuer bring anie thing to passe Did the Apostles and those most holie men that succéeded them expect these thinges When the Arrian heresie began to destroy the world did not the Pastors of the Churches straightway begin to crie out against the same Certainlie they differred not till the Nicene Councell was had Neither did they in Germanie expect the assent of the Byshopes Princes or Parliamentes The men of God should neuer by these wayes haue brought to passe or obtained anie thing I am not of the minde that these meanes must be refused when they be offered and in the meane time I doe not blame if they be sought for so the time be not for those causes consumed and the occasions graunted by God cut off Wherefore bestirre ye with spéede brethren restore ye the house of God contaminated and in a manner vtterlie destroyed by Antichrist and in
Lawmakers made God to be the author of their lawes as how 2 280 a It greatly auaileth them because of giuing punishments and rewards to know what is doone voluntarie and not voluntarie 2 281 a Le. League What a League is and by what signes it is expressed 2 582 b How the olde and new differ and agrée 2 583 ab Against their errour which affirme that the olde had promises temporall onely 2 584 b By what names the League hath béene called 2 587 b Howe it is deuided into the olde and newe 2 58â— a Whether it bee lawfull to make a League with Infidels 4 294 b 295 a Lent Why Lent was instituted and how it is now kept 3 179 b When it beganne 3 254 a Why the father 's ordeined it 3 254 b Against Christian libertie 3 255 a Gregories opinion of eating flesh in Lent 3 171b Diuers kindes of fasting therein 3 â—7 a Whether fasting therein be polluted by matrimonie 3 255 b Whether sutes of lawe must bee forborne in Lent 3 255 b Letters Thamus king of Aegypt his opinion of Letters 1 52 a Li. Liberall Howe a poore man may be Liberall 151 b Disproued 1 152a Liberalitie Of the bountifull Liberalitie of God towardes men 2 497 b 498 a Libertie Wherein Christian Libertie consisteth 4 208 b The abuse thereof 3 164 b Howe it must be kept 3 164 b Touching meates 3 167 b What things are alleadged against it 3 168 b The institution of Lent against it 3 255 a What Liberty wee must attribute vnto God 3 17 a We must not so defende mans that we spoile God of his 3 16 b Against that of contracting matrimonie and of the libertie of the spirite 2 435 a 436 a Thrée sortes of Libertie in man noted by Bernarde 1 199 b Of the Libertie of the Godlie and vngodlie and of our libertie in heauen 2 271 a Why the Libertie of the godlie to doe good workes is not perfect 2 270 b What the heathen haue doone for preseruation of their Libertie 3 277 ab Licence Salomons Licence for carying horses out of Aegypt 4 317 a 318 ab Licences Popish Licence for eating certeyne kinde of meats 3 171 b Disalowed 3 174 a ¶ Looke Dispensations Lie The definition of a Lie out of Augustine 2 543 b In what respect it is most shamefull 2 318 a Who are to be excused from it 2 545 a Inconueniences depending thereuppon 2 544 a In what hard cases some holde opinion it is lawfull 2 284 a What kinde is most heynous 2 544 a Whether it bee lawfull to Lie for the sauing of our neighbours life 2 546 b Whether such a one be voluntarie or not voluntarie 2 282 a Whether for modestie take it bee lawfull to Lie 2 547 ab Whether God did Lie in saying that hee will not giue that which hee will giue 3 301 b God doeth not Lie when he threateneth thinges which afterwardes come not passe 1 110 a It is harder for God to make a Lie than to frame a bodie 1 116 a A Lie is wicked and must be shunned 2 543 b Alwaies ioyned with a minde to deceiue 1 88 b An officious or seruiceable Lie defined 2 539 b Whether it bee sinne 2 544 a Of two euils in a pernitious Lie 2 544 a We must not Lie for modestie sake 2 543 a Howe it differreth from a trueth and of thrée thinges incident to a Lie 2 543 b Euerie thing that is feigned is not a Lie prooued 1 113 b Plato helde opinion that for common commoditie sake it is lawfull to Lie 1 77 b A sporting Lie is scarse to be counted a lie 2 544 a He that speaketh lesse of himselfe than hee hath doeth not Lie 2 543 a Of Abrahams Lie who said that his wife was his sister 2 545 b 546 a 281 b Of Iacob of Paul and others 2 546 a 547. 548 Of the Hebrue Midwiues and of Rahab 2 545 b Of Dauid in a case of danger 3 292 b Of Iehu whether it were officious lawful 2 539 b Of Constantine the great and Iulian the Apostata 2 54a Of a Lie which in talke hath a supposition or condition ioyned therewith and why it is not so blameable as a lye made in arguments which be absolute and without exception 1 110 b Lies Thrée sortes of Lies and of their diuerse endes 2 543 b Howe speeches that séeme to bee Lies are to be considered 2 548 a Why signes and wonders be called Lies as sayeth Augustine 1 6â— a Of certeine Lies which he counteth prophesies 2 546 a The Papistes speake many Lies in their masse 2 318 a Whether the hyperbolical spéeches vsed in scriptures be Lies or of the nature of Lies 2 545 a How these wordes God will destroy all those that speake Lies are meant 2 544 b Life temporall The Life of man full of alterations read the place it is notable 1 158 a The shortnesse thereof described 3 369 b But a weeke 4 109 b Whether for sauing therof it be lawfull to lye 2 546 b 547 a It appeareth first chiefely in the nostrels 1 121b Of three things that men desire therein 4 142. Why this of ours was so shortened and brought to fourscore yeres 1 126 b 127 a The long Life of the fathers and the causes of the same 1 126 b 127 a What the holie Scripture determineth touching mans chiefe good in this Life the life to come 1 5 b Life of two sortes both which death tooke away 2 247 b The trée of Life was a remedie against olde age and the cause of the same 2 246 b What Life plants and herbs haue 4 22 b Life of thrée sortes delightfull ciuil and contemplatiue and why men seeke diuerse kindes of life 1 133 b The right vse of actiue and a life contemplatiue 1 150 ab The meaning of these wordes He that will finde his Life shal loose it 2 638 b Life eternall Why eternall Life is called grace 3 53 b 54 a How it is alreadie begunne in vs. 3 130 b Whether it be obteined by workes 3 52 b 53 ab 55 b 56 a By what reason it would seeme that it were of dutie 3 54 a Referred vnto two good things 2 638 a Howe it is begunne in vs in his life 2 639 b How it may be the stipend of righteousnes 3 54 a 120 a Whether spéech shal be abolished then 3 393a Curious questions touching the same 3 392 b 393 a The difference betwéene To Liue and to liue well 1 139 b Light All manner of Light doth not giue heate 3 397 a Of the great Light ioyned with the diuine wisedome 4 27 a Light and splendent brightnesse one of the properties of our resurrection 3 358 b Lights Two great Lightes feined in the Church by the Papistes 4 246 b Why Lightes were vsed in temples in the primitiue Church 4 127 b Lo. Loadstone The power of the Loadstone 1 77 b Logike Of Logike
the sacraments 170 a The coniunction of them with the things signified 139 b 140 a Similitude and in what things it must hold 232 b Sinne punished with sinne 130 b Whether a lesse is to be committed for the auoiding of a greater 150 b What necessitie therof is in men 126 b 104 b 105 a How it had place in Christ and how it is in vs 4 b 5 a How it is ment that God would it not 119 b What be the properties which followe it 146 a Why the préests is more gréeuous than the peoples 170 a What we haue to gather when a place where it much reigneth is spared 151 a How it is ment that euerie one shal be punished for his owne 170 b 171 a When it shall be possible for vs not to commit anie 105 a How it is remitted and reteined 26 a How the feare of death is Sinne 67 a b Whether the same in Christ be so and how it is to be considered in vs 66 a b 67 a The difference of the predestinate and reprobate after they are fallen thereinto 143 b 144 a b. Sinne originall and who are guiltie thereof and who absolued from it 147 b 148 a How it commeth to passe that the soule is defiled therewith 148 a Sinne veniall and that the lawfull vse of matrimonie is so counted 167 a Sinnes of committing and omitting 169 b. What those of the old fathers doo shew vs 153 a Forgiuen in sacrifice and how 168 b The regenerate cannot be without them 125 b. 104 b 105 a Not the cause of reprobation 131 a We be naturallie giuen to hide them 156 b Sinners whether they are to be withdrawne from knowledge of the scriptures 48 a Why Christ would haue certeine in his stocke 156 b. Singing in the church lawfull 160 b. 161 a Soldiers their dutie and charge and how they misbehaue themselues 19 a Solitarinesse disallowed 53 b Sonnes of God which are said to haue gone in to the daughters of men c. 147 a. Sorrowe of manie doubled whie it dooth lighten a heauie mind 82 b Where remedies therein are to be found 83 a b. Soule is not deriued à semin◠genitali to the children 146 a The substance thereof and that it is created 148 a How it commeth to passe that it is defiled with originall sinne 148 a Whether the bloud be all one with it 203 b What must be vnderstood when it is so called 141 a An error touching the mortalitie of the same 136 a The reasonable commeth not by the strength of nature 145 b Spirit of God the fortitude thereof and that it is not in all alike 72 b The Demon or good Spirit of Socrates 38 a State of men distinguished 102 a. Stewes are not tollerable in a common-wealth 156 b Suffer and how Christ is said to doo so at this daie 7 b Sunne and whie God placed it in an high place 39 b Superstitions must not be pared awaie but rooted out 87 b Diuerse papisticall ones iniurious to Christ 7 b 8 a Peter Martyrs praier against all maner of them 251. 252. Supper of the Lord and whie it maybe called a sacrifice 147 b 132 b How the vnfaithfull are partakers thereof 139 b Christ receiued by faith therein 138 b Of the outward signes thereof 168 b An exhortation to the mysticall receiuing therof 137 a b From what things we depart in departing from it vnreceiued 138 a Why Iohn in describing it maketh mention of the flesh and bloud of Christ 237 a The Lord offereth himselfe to be eaten of the beléeuers both in it and out of it 238 a How the bodie and bloud of Christ is present in the same 164 a 139 b 140 a Surplis and whether it were a popish inuention 119 a b. A pretended honest signification for the same 119 b. Swearing the vse and abuse thereof 151 b Thrée formes thereof vsed in the scriptures 143 a T. TEmple of God at Ierusalem why it was defiled and burned 12 a How long it laie ruinated 23 a Reedified c. restored and by whom 12 a What causes hindered the Iewes from building it 14 a b 15 a c. Tempt GOD who doo so and by what meanes 152 a 148 b Temptation what it is whether God be the author thereof and of resisting the same 151 b Of Adam and Eue read page 146 a. Why permitted by God 146 a Testament old new how they differ 6 a Testimonies of God vnto vs in the scripture 13 b Theft punished by death 157 a b What mens actions fall within the compasse of it 166 b The Israelites could not be reprooued thereof when they robbed Aegypt 167 a Titles and the diuers ends of them and names inuented by the godlie and vngodlie 147 a Transubstantiation forsaken by expresse words of the Cardinall of Loren 150 a 152 b Manie absurdities do followe it as how 230 a b Proofes for the doctrine thereof 229. 230. 235 b 236 c. 238 b 239 a What kind were to be wished in the church 22 a Whether these words This is my bodie may be doone without it 185 a b Against it and reall presence 88 a 176 b 177 a 24 b The chéefe principle for the which it is denied 221 b Thereby is peruerted the nature of things 229 b A similitude brought to prooue it disprooued 196 b 197 a b Why the scriptures admit none 215 a None of bread and wine in the Eucharist 178 b 179 a b. Tree of life and the trée of good and euill 145 b Who eate the fruit of it 166 a Trinitie and whether the angels that spake with Abraham giue vs a notice thereof 150 b Truth and diuers waies whereby it is established 79 a Who haue changed it into a lie and how 86 b What it is to deteine it in vnrighteousnesse 86 a Tyrants estate touching their regiment most miserable 8 a b Whether priuate men may rise against them and slaie them 155 b Tythes and wherto the institution of them dooth serue 118 a V. VBiquists error touching Christs naturall bodie conuinced 102 b 139 a Vbiquitie of Christs naturall bodie prooued and disprooued 10 b 86 b 88 a 162 a 188 a 189 a b 205 b 221 b 222 a Proper and peculiar to God onelie 190 b Vertue ciuill and the end thereof 104 b Vertues of the Ethnikes fruitlesse and why 47 b 48 a Whereto they are compared 25 a Vices of whom pleasure and idlenesse are the nursses 49 b Violence and how it is lawfull to repell it by violence 167 a 157 a Violent defined 118 b Vnitie charitie with their two plags 2 a Vnrighteousnesse and what it is to deteine the truth of God therein 86 a Vnthankfulnes must not cause vs to leaue off from dooing well vnto men 157 b Vocation ¶ Looke Calling Vowes wherein they stand and what we haue to note in them 154 a Vrim and Thumim and what they signifie 30 b Vsurie of what kind the