bee disallowed whiche doth appertayne to the nature of teachynge of thynges and doth shewe what order and waye is to be obserued in makyng of Sermones although sometymes those thynges whiche I haue named as accessaries and impertinent are applied by the figure of digression which thing who so euer doth not obserue can neyther make their owne sermons well neyther iudge of other mens nor yet beare them awaye in mynde Wherfore the kyndes of sermons must first be distinguished and then those thinges whiche are added maye verye well bee formed and framed ¶ The kynde of teaching THat part of sermon which appertaineth to teaching is that whose ende is to teache the ignoraunte hearers In this kynde of sermon the godly preacher shall imploye his whole strengthe first that he himselfe do perfectly vnderstande the thing that is to be taught Next that hee frame with him selfe a full and perfecte order of the same in wryting Thirdly that hee expounde the same in a plaine and common speache not hauing any respecte to his owne commendation for his eloquence but rather to aduaunce the glory of God and helpe the capacitie of the present hearers whiche if hee doe he may hope that the hearer shall not wauer in opinions any more but consent to the true and cleare doctrine And because there are two kyndes as before in diuision I haue declared that sermon which appertaineth vnto teaching to wytte Simple or of simple places and compounde or of compounde places The order of teaching requireth that in the first place wee speake of the simple manner of teaching but because in the simple kind of teaching sometimes the persons some times the thinges are intreated of it seemeth best first to speake of the treatise of persons ¶ Of the simple kinde of teaching which belongeth vnto persones THere are twoo kindes of the treatise of persones the one belōgeth to examples the other vnto demonstration For if anye deede of the persone is layde before vs it is an example but if the whole persone be discribed it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say demonstration of the persone Of that treatise of persons whiche belong to examples VVhen any persone therfore is set before vs out of the holy histories whose whole life is not described but some deede of the persone is brought forth that for the cause either of the doctrine or of the immitatiō or els of the admonition it shal be a treatise Paradigmatical that is to say belonging vnto exāples After this māner Paule doth set forth Abraham to the Romaines to the Galathians after this manner the epistle to the Hebrewes chap. xi reciteth a great scroule number of prophets of kings By Abrahā his deede the doctrine nature of faithe is taught the immitation cōmended that exercises of vocation the fruites and workes of true godlines are cōfirmed The repētaūce of Manasses doth teache vs that such as do fal are receiued againe therfore is profitably set before vs for immitatiōs sake it putteth vs in minde of the mercy of God which of his mere goodnes receiueth into fauour so cruell a persecutour of his churche so vile an Idolater But here we must speake against those men who oftentimes do abuse the exāples of sainctes For there ar some who had rather immitate the wicked deedes of saincts then their vertues do defend thē selues with the exāples of sainctes There are some also which out of the personal deedes of sainctes and extraordinary cōmaundements do il fauoredly frame a forme of an act do cōmēd the same as a generall lawe they are not worthy of any answer These ar to be called againe into the right way by an abmonitiō For it behoueth vs to kepe a difference betwene the cōmon personal cōmaundemēts or precepts of godlines which only do touch one people or one mā The Hebrewes were cōmaunded to robbe the Egiptiās Abrahā by Gods cōmaundement maketh him-selfe ready to slaye his sonne for a sacrifice in the moūte Moria These personal actes are not to be applied particularly but onely generally For out of both these exāples we must learne obedience vnto God in those thinges which he requireth of vs in his worde Also in this treatise of thexāples of persons it is manifest that the papistes especially the mōkes haue daūgerously erred who their sermōs haue laide before vs I know not what counterfait petie sainctes haue fained them to haue liued al their life long so blameles that they neuer offēded no not in the least thing Such a fained descriptiō of persōs maketh rather to disperatiō thē to the edifieng of the cōscience wrastling with the greatnes of sinne of the wrath of God. Therfore let vs take vnto vs true examples and let vs leaue fayned examples for the Poetes whiche are not to be handled of thē whiche are called by saint Paule the Stewardes of the misteries of god The sacred scripture and the true historie doth minister examples sufficiently as of Abraham Iob of Ioseph of Manasses of Mary Magdalene of the theefe which was cōuerted of such like for out of such as these ar we may not onely reache the hearers true godlines but also the forme of liuing according to their kynde of calling Therfore the godly preacher must remember to shewe forthe examples profitable vnto godlines and not those whiche seeme to cause disperation Nowe it is time that we declare those thinges wherof wee haue spoken with a playne example And because none can be more famouse thē the example of Abraham I wil lay that before you to be examined Paule sayth Abraham beleued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes In this place Paule bringeth forth the example of Abraham especially for doctrines sake and from thēce draweth foorth not only the firme and sure doctrine of righteousnes but also the nature of saith and frō thence doth shewe of what holines of life the beleuing man oughte to be After this manner let vs learne by the immitatiō of Paule to obserue two thinges in examples to witte the facte in it selfe and then the circumstances of the persone and of the facte The facte in it selfe doth teache that true righteousnes doth consist of faith in the promises of god The circumstances of the persone and of the facte doe put vs in minde of many thinges First that Circumcision of necessitie is not required to iustification For Abraham was iustified before Circumcision but afterwards circumcision was added as a seale of righteousnes whiche is of faith Secondly the profession of Abraham his life before iustificatiō witnesseth that he was receiued of God not for his owne proper merites or workes going before but by the onely goodnes of God. Thirdly in this example of Abraham is declared that iustification of faith pertaineth equally to all For Abraham was iustified before men were discerned by any outward workes Out of this circumstance the Prophets without doubt haue
to the deuine nature alone as thoughe the humanity were of no force at all to the benefite of saluation Stancharus on the contrary syde because the worde of promise is of the seede of a woman and Paule calleth Iesus Christe beinge man a mediatour wyth draweth the benefite of redemption from the deuinitie and doth attribute the same to the onelye humanitye Here if there had beene the feare of our Lord and true humilitie and if the desire of contention and pride had beene absente they might easly haue iudged of these misteries by conference of the Scriptures Let the first care be to referre euery interpretation to the proportion of fayth from the which if the interpretation doe disagree it shal be accompted false But contrarywise if it do agree with it althoughe sometimes it erreth from the marke and minde of the aucthore yet oughte ye to knowe that this is done without the dauÌ„ger of saluation But what is it to call an interpretation to the proportion of fayth it is so to ordaine it that it maye be corespondente to the first principles of fayth and that it maye seeme to be as it were builded vppon them For those thinges are sayde to be done accordinge to the proportion which are made by comparison to another thinge or els when other thinges are framed by the comparison of others Wherevppon when Paule doth commaunde that Prophecye that is to say the interpretation of the Scriptures ought to be proportionable to fayth hee wylleth that the interpretour shoulde haue respecte to the firste principles of Religion which are plaine and manifest as conserninge the lawe and the promises of the Gospell with the which euery interpretation oughte to agree Wherefore the Papistes in the exposition of this saying If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundementes Do departe from the proportion of fayth when they do conclude of this sayinge That men may obtaine saluation by their owne proper workes for this interpretation doth striue with cleare and manifest principles As are these The seede of the woman shall breake the Serpentes heade also The Lambe of God that taketh awaye the sinnes of the worlde and againe If righteousnes be of the law Christe dyed in vaine And alwayes after this maner the mind of the interpretour ought to be bent to the firste principles of our Religion from the which hee shall not suffer hymselfe to be drawne awaye by any Sophisticall reason For hee that countemneth this proportion of Fayth commended of S. Paule to the interpretour and els where doth seeke an interpretation contrary to the rule of faith let him be assured that hee shal be plagued of god For like as in tymes paste vnder the olde Testamente fyer oughte alwayes to be taken from the fier of the Aulter wherewith their Sacrifice shoulde be burned so euery interpretation of the Scriptures should depend vppon the euerlasting word of god And euen as Nadab and Abihu for putting straunge fier in theyr Censors which they were commaunded to doe were punished of the Lorde so heretickes bringing in the deuision of reason and the deceites of Philosophie in steede of true religion are to be iudged worthye of punishmente And thus muche concerninge the helpes of an interpretour nowe will I declare that which in the second place was propounded ¶ The causes of interpretation IN the preface of Philip Melancthons places foure causes of interpretatioÌ„s are rehearsed whereof this is the first that the kind of speache may be vnderstode for hearers or readers do not in euery place vnderstand the phrases of a straunge tongue yea sometimes men of singuler learning take greate paines in this thinge for oftentimes it happeneth that a sentence being expouÌ„ded wâ—â—â— the word of a straung tongue which thoâ—ghe they aunswering truly in significatâ—â—â— yet notwithstandinge they keepe not 〈◊〉 same sence in both tongues and th◠〈◊〉 the difference of the phrase or manner of speache Therefore leaste here vnwares wee may be deceyued oftentimes a learned interpretour is needeful The second cause is the iudgement of the order of thinges For he that perceyueth not the maner of the handling shal certainly very ofteÌ„ times be deceiued as they are which recyte out of Paule this saying against the Iustification of faith Not the hearers of the Law but the doers shal be iustifyed Here if they had considered the maner of the handling they might haue seene Paule in that place not to haue preached of the iustification of works that is to say the men shoulde be couÌ„ted iustifyed throughe woorkes before God when as Paule there laboureth to confute this opinion against the doctrine of fayth Therefore an interpretour is needeful which may shew cunninglye an order and the partes thereof the profite of which thing is greater then that it caÌ„ be declared in few wordes The third cause ought to be the witnes of a true interpretation for when the hearers perceiue the interpretations to be brought froÌ„ the word of God do see the agreement of the word of God and of the pure Church with the interpretation they loue the doctrine more earnestly and do learne it more greedely The fourth cause is the confutation of false opinioÌ„s least learners should be infected with the poysons of heretickes These causes are sufficiently greate enough for that which God wyll haue the mynisterye of his woorde both in scholes and in Churches to be preserued ¶ The kinds of interpretinge ALthough by those things which I haue sayd alreadye concerning the causes of interpretations the kindes of interpreting may after a sorte be vnderstode yet because it is needeful to haue them seperated I wil intreate of them as plainly as I can accordinge as before I haue promised wherefore I haue noted foure kindes of expounding holy thinges in reading the commentaryes of diuers aucthours ¶ The Grammarian his kind of interpreting SOme nothinge carefull of the Methode of a treatise do onely expounde the wordes and the phrases after a familiar plaine manner which kinde of interpretation because it consisteth of a certaine exposition of Grammer it shal be called Grammaticall This kinde did Athanasius Theophilacte Ambrose and many others followe trulye this is prayse worthie that suche excellente men which were able both aboundantly eloquently to make long disputations and orations of euery matter that notwithstaÌ„ding hath submitted themselues to the GraÌ„mariaÌ„s For they knew wel that froÌ„ thence a true sentence shoulde be taken Furthermore this kinde of an interpretour oughte to be instructed with liberall learning For first he ought to haue the knowledge of that tongue which the authore of the wryting vseth vnlesse he desire to see rather wyth other mens eyes theÌ„ with his owne Althoughe a perfect knowledge is not here requyred yet there ought to be so much skill that hee be able to coÌ„ferre together these thre toÌ„gues the Hebrewe Greeke and Latin. For a deuine interpretour hath neede of these three tongues the conference whereof he that
drawen and framed their sermons of the callinge of the Gentiles Fourthly that the ceremonies of Moyses are not required of them that are to be iustified for euen as Abraham was iustified without them so they that shal be iustified after his example must not require them to the accomplishement of their iustificatiō Fiftly that righteousnes doth come without the morall lawe and the workes commaūded in the decaloge or two tables for if we be iustified according to Abraham his example he was iustified many yeares that is to say 430. yeares before the lawe truly it can not bee that righteousnes is of the lawe But if any mā should obiecte that the morall lawe was from the beginning that Abraham did not wante it the answer is easye for no rewarde is due to workes without the couenaunt of god For workes are not meritorious of their owne worthynes but by the acceptation of God and by reason of the couenaunt Therefore the cōclusion of Paule abideth firme and stedfast Abraham is iustified by the fayth of promise before the couenaunt of woorkes was published to wytte the man that dothe them shall liue in them Wherefore he is iustified by fayth not by workes Sixtly that the true and iustifieng fayth is a certayne full assuraunce whiche is not subdued by argumētes of reason but stedfastly beleueth that he whiche promyseth cannot lie how soeuer the whole nature of thynges may seeme to gayne saye it And that fayth hath good workes and obedience towardes God ioyned with it and that nothing ought to bee estemed dearer to a Christian man then to be obedient to the will of god And so the Prophetes godly kynges Apostles and in like manner all godly men after Abraham first by example haue learned the true waye of iustification and afterwardes by the circumstaunces of the persone and the facte haue bene admonished of moste weyghtye things By this meanes the godly preacher by the example of Paule may applye other examples both in them selues and also in the varietie of circumstaunces and all ways in his application he must remēber to haue a regarde to the proportion of fayth ¶ Of that kynde of treatise of persones whiche belongeth to demonstration THat kynde of treatise of persons whiche belongeth vnto demonstratiō doth handle the whole life and also euery parte of the life of any persone and that in the same order as the places of persones are rehearsed in the questions of Philip Melancton For that order is not only naturall but also profitable to the speaker and to the hearer But first of al this is to be obserued in this kinde of treatise of persones that those members especially are to bee adourned and beautefied from whome these three aboue rehearsed doctrine immitation admonitiō may be taken For Paule in the .xv. chapter to the Romaines doth admonishe vs of this of application when he sayth what soeuer thinges are written are writtē for our learning c. Therefore suche members ought to be applied to the whole body of the church whiche thing is done when wee transferre aright the particuler to the generall sentences as if the life of Iohn Baptiste were to be handled after the manner of demonstration to obserue the naturall order wee should intreate of his parentes of his conception of his natiuitie of his education of his vocation of his office of the testimonie of Christe of his death and of those thinges that happened both about after his death In the member of his parētes these things are contained that the continual prayers of all godly are heard at the length that the afflicted whiche beleue do obtayne comforte at the laste and that God dothe allowe the marriage of priestes In the member of his conception first the office of Aungels is to be considered that they are the Embassadours of God the ministers of the churche Secondly that God is myndefull of his promises Thirdly that the power or worke of God is not hindred by naturall impediment that is to saye through barrennesse wante of nature Last of all because Iohn as yet in his mothers wombe did acknoweledge Christe it teacheth vs that children are receyued of God and that God wyll be acknowledged honoured of children In the member of his natiuitie thankefulnes towardes God for his benefites receiued is commended the mutuall office of the godly is shewed that they ought to reioyce with them on whom God poureth his blessing to conclude that the godly ought to bringe and offer their children vnto god Againe his straightnes of life doth commende vnto vs not a monkishe or solitary lyfe but sobrietie and obedience vnto god After all these things in his office in the circūstaūces of his persone and office not onely his doctrine but also his consolation his constācie in his office his confession his crosse and loue of the truth with other innumerable vertues are set forth vnto the godly His cōfort or consolation is in that he did shewe or point out with his finger our sauiour Christes his constancie in that cōtemning the threatninges of Herode and of the Phariseis hee caught the Gospell without any feare his confession in that he confessed him self to be the voyce of a crier in the wyldernes His crosse in that according to his vocation hee did not onely wander abroade without any certayne mansion place but also doubted not to suffer death All these thinges which are so drawen forth of the circumstaunces of the persone and of his office are first layd before godly ministers of the worde for the cause of doctrine of immitation and of admonitiō and afterwardes generally to the whole vniuersall churche so farre forth as it belongeth to the common duties of godlines simple teaching and also of other Logiciās diligently declared yet I thinke it profitable in this place to prescribe a waye of intreating whiche shal be commodious to newe beginning preachers First therefore I will set downe the chiefe chapters and next declare the Methode of the of the treatise The chapters or chiefe pointes ar these 1 Definition 2 Diuision or partition 3 Causes 4 Effectes 5 The vse and the abuse 6 Contrarieties ¶ Of definition OF definition some are ours and some ar our aduersaries Those which ar ours we must expounde as true we must proue confirme and gather together The others we must confute as false In bothe kindes there is a peculier Methode but first we wil speake of the former The definitiō therfore wich the godlye preacher shall declare as true and immouable must haue foure parts in the treatise Exposition Reason Confirmation conclusion Exposition is a sentēce wherby we expounde our own diffinition of any thing with manifest playne woordes And there is two kindes of definitiōs pertaining to a deuine the one short briefe the other copiouse large that is content with the kinde with the difference This doth applie to the kinde to the differēce
causes things adioyning or annexed proprieties sometimes circumstaunces The reason is the proofe of the definition Confirmatiō is that wherby we confirme declare the reason either by examples or by any other manner of declaration Conclusion is a briefe comprehension of the exposition of the reason of the confirmation Furthermore I would haue that whiche is spoken of the reason of the confirmatiō to be so vnderstanded not that a simple reason or a simple confirmation onely but that also both many reasons cōfirmatiōs may bee added as shall seeme proffitable to the hearers to the thing that is to be intreated of Furthermore this is to be obserued that a large definition which is to be cōfirmed proued must first bee resolued into propositions somtimes also into bosides or termes then afterwardes by litle little the partes must be ioyned together by cōposition the necessitie of the definition must be shewed all these are to be added to the māner way of definitiō Now by one or two exāples let vs make our preceptes manifest let vs take Matrimonie in hande for to be first of all defined Matrimonie is a lawful cōiunction of a man womā this is the expositiō of the definitiō the reason followeth for it is writte wherfore let the man forsake father mother and cleaue vnto his wife the cōfirmation foloweth if these wordes were truly examined we should finde in them that which we did put in the definition For first they testifie that there ought to be a coniunctiō which is lawful when it is done according to the word and will of god Furthermore where as he saith they shal be two in one flesh he would haue the copulatiō of one man one womā not of one husband many wiues neither of one wife many husbandes euen as the first wedlocke of Adam and Eue doth witnes declare vnto vs Complexion foloweth Therfore since God hath cōmaūded by his own law that two persōs should be lawfully coupled together that there should bee no mo persons in matrimonie thē two It foloweth that Matrimonie is a lawfull cōiunction of man wife By this exāple the treatise of a simple definition may after a sort be vnderstanded whiche if thou wilt applie to the lawes rules of Logicke the first parte is called the question the second the reason the thirde the confirmation of the reason or the shewynge of the cause of the reason the fourth is the conclusion wherin by a particular forme the reason is repeated with the question Notwithstāding the names of the members whiche I haue aboue rehearsed do serue rather the popular vulgar treatise are more easy to be vnderstanded Let vs also adde an other example of a large definitiō which we wil declare more at large And let vs take the Gospell to bee defined The Gospell is a doctrine reuealed from God wherin deliueraunce frō sinne from the curse of the lawe the wrath of God is preached remission of sinnes saluation life euerlasting is proclamed to al beleuers in the sonne of God for his sacrifice that the goodnes and mercie of God towardes men might be preached and that being deliuered by the sonne they might declare forth fruites worthy of the Gospell Thus farre goeth the exposition of the definition whiche is to be resolued by resolution into these propositions whereof the first is that the Gospell is a doctrine reuealed frō god The second that the Gospell doth declare deliuerance from sinne frō the curse of the lawe the wrath of god c. The third that it proclaimeth remissiō of sinnes saluation life euerlasting The fourth that those benefites happen to them that beleue in Christ The fift that the force of the Gospell doth rest in the sacrifice of Christe The sixt that out of the Gospell God is to be preached The seuenth that man oughte to shewe his thankefulnes to God in godly liuing These propositions must be in order cōfirmed The reason therfore of the first proposition doth follow that the Gospell is a doctrine reuealed frō god Paule doth reache manifestlye calling the Gospell a secret misterie frō the beginning of the world The confirmation by whiche wordes he teacheth openly that the Gospel dependeth not of mans reason For if reason by any meanes were able to knowe this doctrine of his own strēgth it had not bene called a secrete misterie from the beginning of the worlde The reason of the seconde proposition furthermore that deliueraunce from sinne from the curse of the lawe and the wrath of God is declared in the Gospell many testimonies of the Prophetes and of the Apostles do teach vs Daniel saith plainly that Christ shal take away sinnes Paule teacheth that the curse of the lawe is abolished by Christ his cōming The father crieth from heauen that he is pleased by his sonne the confirmation that this is true al godly men haue experience hauing the testimonie of the holy ghost by whome they crie Abba father whiche certainly they would not do vnlesse they did stedfastly beleue that sinne is taken away the curse of the lawe abolished the wrath of God pacified the reason of the third proposition furthermore that the remission of sinnes saluatiō life euerlasting is proclaimed in the Gospel these testimonies beare witnes The lorde himself saith it is thus written that repentaunce remissiō of sinnes ought to be preached in his name the same preaching beginning at Hierusalē In the last of saint Marke saluatiō is promised to all beleuers Likewyse in the x. chap. to the Romains Furthermore the lorde him self doth promise euerlasting life to al them that beleue in him what nedeth many wordes The vniuersall scripture doth promise remission of sinnes saluation euerlasting life to al people embracing the Gospel the confirmatiō For it cannot be chosen but that the wrath of God the curse of the law sinne being taken away saluatiō righteousnes life must needes bee obtained But because these things happē not to al men For Caine Iudas Saule many others haue perished at this day a great part of the world a grief to heare do fal into euerlasting destruction In the definitiō fourthly is added that these benefites do happen to them that beleue the reason for the lord saith plainly he that beleueth in me shal not perishe but haue euerlasting life The confirmation and lest any man should thinke that this doth depend vpō the condition of workes Paule wryteth that a man is iustified by faith without workes with lōg disputatiōs cōfirmeth the same in his epistle both to the Romains to the Galathians Moreouer in the fift place is added that the force of the Gospel doth consiste in the sacrifice of Christe the reason for so Paule sayth by the redemption whiche is in Christe Iesus The comprobatiō for the worde which Paule vseth here is Apolytrosis that is to saye redemptiō
it into other places eyther simple which the very wordes them selues do geue or compounde which either do coÌ„siste of them which are necessarely included in the wordes them selues as the formes or particular sentences are included in their kyndes or generall sentences and what thinges soeuer are necessarely ioyned with the matter or els are taken out of them which are annexed and ioyned to the condicion and state of the matter as in this example layde before vs are included two simple places one of honour the other of superiours These are to be handled a sunder by the simple kinde of teaching of thinges after the same sorte as I haue haÌ„dled before Secondly out of the diuision of this generall sentence superiours are to bee honoured many particular sentences do arise according to the contrary diuision of the subiecte and predicate The subiect may be deuided into these formes that of superiours some are priuate which are either natural as parentes or els not naturall as scholemaisters patrones and housholders some are publike as the ciuill and ecclesiasticall magistrate with their differences Further more the predicate to be honoured may be deuided into partes of honour for he which honoureth an other doth reuerence him obey him and is thankefull vnto him So there are three partes or differences of the predicate From hence as out of a groue we may gather particular sentences As we must reuerence our parentes we must obey our parentes we must bee thankefull to our parentes wee must reuerence oure maisters wee must obey our maisters wee must bee thankefull to oure maisters wee must reuerence patrones wee must obaye patrones wee must bee thankefull to patrones After the same manner particular sentences are to bee framed out of the rest whiche I haue declared from whence may ensue a moste great plentie of needeful questions Ouer and besides this places oftentymes are proffitably taken out of theÌ„ whiche consist of the state and condition as if parentes scholemaisters patrones are frowarde or ouerthwarte harde or cruell whether then wee should shewe them any reuerence obedience or kyndnes and to what ende and so out of other conditioÌ„s questions are multiplied But this laste kynde of questions whiche doth growe out of the coÌ„dition may be handled very fitly by a figure called occupation Beholde if thou wilt vnfolde these particular sentences by resolution and wilt handle them by diuisioÌ„ and confirme and garnishe them with the methode of confirmation not one sermone but soe manye as there are particular sentences may be made and framed I confesse that all common places doe not shewe so great plentie of particular sentences not withstanding there is none so barraine but at the least it may minister some sentences which ye may frame out of a commoÌ„ place by the same reasoÌ„ which is declared which thinge that thou maiest doe cunninglye it woulde muche profite thee if thou haddest sailfull knowledge in the doctrine of predicables predicamentes and propositions ¶ Of a plentious confirmation A Plentious confirmation consisteth in the kindes of proofes in heapinge and in dilating of arguments and in confutation of the contrary opinion of which we wil speake in order ¶ Of the kindes of Proofe THere is a three fould kinde of proofes in Diuinity The first and most safest kind is when proofe is brought out of the euideÌ„t and cleare propositions of the Scripture As for example Parentes are to be honoured because the 5. ComaundemeÌ„t euidentlye and plainly commaundeth Honour thy father and thy mother In like câ—â—â— Righteousnes is of fayth not of works because the word of the Lord doth so pronouÌ„ce We hould that a man is iustifyed by fayth without workes The second kind is reasoning as oftentimes as it is not pronouÌ„ced by plaine woordes but is gathered by a stronge and vnmouable consequence And this kinde is double streight and indirect The streight is when that which is to bee proued is gathered plainly in the first conclusion which kinde is borowed from the place of inuentioÌ„ of the kinde of the forme of the definition of the causes of the destinates of things adioyning As if this questioÌ„ were asked whether scholemasters are to be honoured out of the kinde or general thou maiest conclude well that all superiours are to be honored ergo scholemasters also but the indirect kind concludeth not simplie that whiche is set downe to be proued but doth gather an inconuenience out of the opposite or contrary wherwith he ouerthroweth the Antecedent which being ouerthrowen the truthe of the opposite immediatly floweth as if superiours are not to be honoured neither pareÌ„ts are to be honoured but this is false ergo the also Therefore it followeth superiours are to be honoured The third kinde is of lesse reputation when we laboure in the testimonies examples of theÌ„ which seme to haue florished in the church which kinde is disproued if it be depriued of the former proofes Let vs propounde an other exaÌ„ple And let the question bee whether Christe bee god This is first proued by a saying or by the first kind of proofe For thus is it spokeÌ„ of Christ in the first of Iohn chap. 5. he is true God life euerlasting Secondlye by reasoning Christe hath done the workes pertaining to God of his own proper power the honour of God is attributed to Christe ergo he is God by the indirect waye If Christe were only a creature euery one only were accursed that would put their confidence in him but nowe Gods woorde pronounceth them blessed which put their trust in him ergo he is no creature but true god Thirdly the testimonie of the church as the crede of Athanasius and the voyce of all the people in geuing their consent do testifie Christe to bee god Furthermore this our distinction of proofes waÌ„teth neither reason nor exaÌ„ple The reason is this whatsoeuer is proued or disproued in sacred thinges it is needefull that the same be done either by testimony of the scripture or of the churche If it be done by the scripture it shal be either by the expresse woordes from whence the firste kinde doth growe or els intricatly or obscurely that either in the generall or in the particular sentence from whence the second kind of proofe is taken But if any thing be proued by the testimonie of the churche it shal be the third kind of proofe Hereof truly we haue an example of Paule who in his wryting as it is wel knoweÌ„ hath vsed this threefolde kinde of proofe That righteousnes is of faith by saying or wordes he proueth it when as hee saith The iust man liueth by faith by reasoning thus If righteousnes be of woorkes Christe died in vayne From hence now that followeth whiche he propounded that righteousnes is of fayth By example Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed to him for righteousnes Also wee beleeue in Christe that wee may be iustifyed by fayth If these kindes be delated or spoken of at