might therfore peraduenture note that the yong man spake in the speech of the tribe of Iuda for asmuch as he was of Bethlehem peraduenture they heard him intreatyng of things deuine wherfore when they perceaued that he was a Leuite whiche executed holy seruices there straightwaye they enquired of him an answer of the successe of their iorney They nothing regarded how rightly he did it but strayghtway sayd Aske of god So at this day souldiers whē they go on warfare they come to their Masse Priests desire them to say a Masse for thē either of George or of Sebastiā neither haue they any regarde whether the Masse be good or euill This is to deale with god after our blind reason At the first burnt it may seeme that the spyes did not euil For it is a point of piety to aske coūsel of god whē we shal do any thing But we ought to take hede that what soeuer is taken in hande the same be ioyned with right reasō sound iudgement of the minde For our actiōs must flow frō the heart which as it is affected Good looketh also vpon the heart and not vpon the actions onely so are they to be iudged either good or euil Wherfore although god require of vs actiōs yet he much more requireth the hart We must not separate the action hart or purpose a sunder let them abyde ioyned together as the Lord requireth them If thou demaūde of a Philosopher how the action is good whether it alone maketh the mā good he will deny it wil say that the action must be directed be a ryght reason whiche if it be awaye then is the action corrupt Wherefore the goodnes of euery action dependeth of reason of the minde and of iudgemētes The goodnes of an action dependeth of the minde or iudgement of the doer If these be euill thē must the action also nedes be corrupt Looke what the roote is in a tree the same is reason in a moral actiō in religious workes such workes as ar truly Christiā fayth it is as it were the soule of good workes as without which nothing cā be acceptable vnto god But faith leaneth to no other thyng thē to the word of God Fayth is the soule of good workes Wherfore for asmuch as these mē cōmaund to aske counsel of God contrary to the word of God they do exceadingly displease God they were more led by their own commodity then by true piety So many at this day say What euil is it to come to Masse and there with a godly mynd to pray vnto god The Masse hath a great shew of piety but we must remember that it cā not be good for as muche as it is appertly repugnant to fayth and to the worde of God Let euery manne take heede he bee not deceaued with the outwarde shewe of piety and let hym diligently consider that outwarde woorkes make not a man good but rather contraryly good workes must procede out of a good man But now come I to examine consider the which is here intreated as touching the asking counsell of God The commaundement for asking counsel of God is moral I finde that it is cōmaunded that in things of great difficulty the mynde of the Lord is to be enquired of This cōmaundemēt thoughe it were geuen vnto the Iewes yet it pertayneth to the moral kinde of preceptes Wherfore it byndeth vs also But vnto the Iewes were adioyned certayne outward ceremonyes from which we are by Christ deliuered They were bound to come to the Priest to the Ephod and to the place of the arke of the couenant or to the Prophet those things are now taken away And yet ought we also when we take in hand to do any thyng to aske counsell of the Lord but remouyng away these addicions which were necessary in the publique wealth of the Israelites But where shall we in this tyme aske coūsel of the Lord We ought to aske counsell of the holy scriptures when we appoint to doo any thyng In the holy scriptures as we haue before taught Wherfore euery Christian ought to haue them ready at hand to do all things by their guiding Whatsoeuer we shall do let vs first looke in them whether it be iust or vniust This is to aske counsell of the Lord which thing if we do not we shal be alway in doubt cōcerning our thīgs Wherfore Paul hath rightly admonished Euery thing that is not of faith is sinne Neither are we ignorant but the fayth cōmeth of hearing hearing by the word of god Wherfore whether we take in hand a iourney or do or go about any thyng els we must not wauer or doubt in mynde but must be assured that our worke pleaseth God Whiche thing when we knowe we must referre the euent therof vnto God Horace Let it suffice vs to haue knowen that Remember this saying of the Poete If the world should breake and fall let the ruine thereof pearse the fearefull The estate of the Hebrues ours is diuerse But why the Hebrues were so careful for the successe of their matters we haue in an other place declared Their state was not all one with ours They wer much careful for their publique wealth bicause God had promised them that it should endure euē vnto Christs tyme. Neither was true religiō in any other place publikly receaued Wherefore they were very carefull for the successe of their expeditions namely that the publique wealth wherin onely was appointed sound religiō should not take hurt Wherfore god also very oftentimes gaue them oracles for their euentes But our state is farre otherwise Sound religion is not at this day boūd to one publique wealth onely For the inheritance of Christ is dispersed thoroughe out the world neither shall it endure so lōg as one onely publique wealth stādeth But rather if one publique wealth fal by reason of sinnes an other shall rise If there arise persecutions for the Gospell sake which oftētymes happeneth it is lawfull to departe to an other place whiche thyng was not so free for the Iewes for they had not a tēple of god his outward worshipping in any other then at Ierusalē Superstition idolatry possessed all other natiōs Farther this was an other cause for that the Iewes for their religions sake wer hated of all natiōs wherfore they had the more neede to be by oracles admonished of the euēt of their things Wherfore for asmuch as such difficultyes are farre frō vs it is sufficiēt to seke out by the holy scriptures whether those things which we do medle with do please god And to the study ioyned with faith let prayers be added that that which we our selues ar not able to do god himself may bring to passe And thē at the lēgth let vs diligētly valiātly attēpte the thing which we haue taken in hād So far as I think the precept for
them in Moses who beyng before shepheardes horsekepers when they came to beare rule did by the power of the spirite of GOD worke maruelous thinges and proued noble men For GOD as the scripture now speaketh raysed them vp And not cōtent with this but he fully persuaded them and with inwarde feelyng made them assured that they were now elected by God to deliuer the Israelites and to set them at libertie And without doubt vnlesse they had ben fully persuaded of this it had not ben lawfull for them to haue fought agaynst their Lordes or to rebelle for so much as it is not the office of priuate men to fight with his enemies Wherfore Cato An example of Cato whose ciuile iustice is meruelously commended gaue his sonne charge that when he was dismissed from warre and no more bounde by an othe of warre he should not fight against the enemyes of the publicque wealth Knowyng this right well that it is lawful for no man to drawe weapon against any excepte it be by publicque authoritie I haue now expounded what this meaneth that God raysed vp Iugdes Now let vs see for what cause God did the same Bicause sayeth the historye he repented God is not reconciled vnto vs by the outward workes whiche we do What is the receaued exposition of these kindes of speache we haue before declared But now we must marke what this meaneth whiche followeth At their sorowinges We may not thincke that God was reconciled or made fauorable vnto them by the strength and dignitye of the worke For that do men obteyne onely by fayth in our mediatour Iesus Christ to whiche fayth in these and such lyke kynde of speaches we must continually haue a respect vnto therby to loke vpon the roote from whence the fruites of true repentaunce and also sighinges and teares are deriued Neither do we for all that denye God rewardeth good workes but that good workes springyng from faith are so acceptable vnto GOD that he rewardeth them with excellent giftes as well outward as also spirituall whiche commeth of his goodnesse So sayd Daniel vnto the kyng of Babilon By almes redeme thy sinnes That is dryue awaye the paynes and punishementes wherewith otherwise thou shalt be punished But if thou shalt demaunde what is to be thought Of morall workes done without faith of those ciuill and morall good workes whiche are done without fayth I aunswere that for so much as they procede from a viciate and corrupt nature they are therfore sinnes And for that cause they deserue dampnation and hell fyre Howbeit God to the end that the ordre and iust disposition of thinges in the worlde might be kept and to defend assemblyes of humane kinde fellowshippes and publicque wealthes causeth that such actions haue many rewardes not for the worthynes and dignitie of those actiōs but by reason of a certain connexion wherwith god would these thinges to be knitte together Wherfore it commeth to passe that when as hypocrites do worke outward workes sometymes goodly to the shew therby they obtayne notable prayse And they whiche are rulers as longe as they honestly behaue them selues in doyng iustice either in warlike affaires or elles in honest conuersation as the Romanes in the olde tyme did may obteyne a moste large Empyre For so would god haue discipline kept the world and publicque wealthes preserued God did therfore repēt at the sorrowyngs of the Israelites bycause thorough the faith from whence sorrowinges and groninges proceded he was made mercifull and fauorable vnto them But peraduenture some man will doubte whether god when he repented God doth not so repente that he is chaunged were in any poynt chaunged All the godly confesse in a maner with one mouth that god can by no meanes be chaunged for as much as that is a certaine signe both of imperfection and also of inconstancy But this variety which here happeneth is not to be ascribed vnto god but vnto vs. Of this thing I haue spokē som what before but this semeth to be added at this presente If a man will say that god without controuersy ceassed to fauour the Chananites agaynst the Israelites whom he had before so strengthened that he would haue them to oppresse the Iewes and agayne afterward to helpe the Hebrues whom before he semed that hys will was to haue them oppressed by the Chananites No man can deny but that these thinges haue variety How can we therfore defend the will of god frō chaunging Variety is the effectes not in God I answere that by the 28. chap of Ieremy it manifestly appeareth the there is a diuersitie in the effectes when as for all the god in very dede continually retayneth the selfe same will For it is thus written there in his name When as I shall speake agaynst a kyngdome or nation to destroye roote out and ouer throwe it if they shall repente I will also repente And contrarywise when as I shal speake good of a kingdome or nation to builde and to plant and that nation or kingdome shall do euill in my sight I will then also repente me of the good that I had decreed to bestowe on them These wordes declare that god in these kindes of threatninges and promises is therfore not chaunged bycause he speaketh not absolutely simply but vpon condition But the accomplishing or makyng voyde of the conditions is to be considered toward vs. And therfore the chaunge is not to be attributed vnto him but vnto vs. But if thou shalt aske me whether god doth before know and decree what shall come to passe as touching these conditions I will graunt that he doth For he euen from without begynnyng doth not only know of thyngs that shal come to passe but also hath decreed what shall be But bycause the hid priuitye of his will as touching these thinges is not opened vnto vs in the holy Scriptures therfore ought we to follow that rule whiche as we haue declared is pronounced by Ieremy This rule did the Niniuites and also Ezechias the kyng consider and beholde beyng not yet set forth God when he threateneth things whyche come not passe lyeth not For although destruction was threatned them in the name of god yet for al that by repentaunce and prayers they escaped it Neither is there any cause why we should suspect that god doth lye in any thyng when he so threatneth or promiseth any thinges whiche afterwarde come not to passe For as touching Ezechias he could no way escape death if we should looke vpon the natural causes whiche are commonly called the second causes Wherfore the sentēce beyng pronounced accordyng to those causes he coulde not be accused of a lye And the Niniuites if god had done vnto them as their sinnes deserued they should vtterly haue perished And god commaunded Ionas to preache according to their merites Furthermore a lye can not be so takē in an oration which hath a supposition or
thinke Gideon was a holy man That they cannot deny forasmuch as the Epistle to the Hebrues the xi chapter notably testifieth him so to be I wyll demaunde of them also whyther Aaron were a holy man They wil not deny it I suppose when as hee was of God appointed to be the highe Priest and the fellowe of Moses in woorking of miracles And yet for all that either of them when they instituted a woorshipping without the woord of God are greuously accused by the holye Scriptures Let them therefore cease to obtrude vnto vs the Saintes but when we require the woord of God if they wil that we should beleue them let them bring foorth the holy scriptures We know that rites and worshippinges instituted euen by God himselfe are not acceptable vnto him when they are done without fayth as Esay Ieremy and Dauid most manifestly teache howe muche lesse wyll hee receaue those thinges which are inuented of men whiche for that they are not grounded on his woord doo vtterly want fayth ¶ Of a good Intent BVt bycause there is something alledged of a good Intent whereby some go about to excuse Gideon I thinke it good briefelye to touche those thynges which are necessary as concerning it As touching the signification of the woorde Intent signifieth a motion of the mynde whereby by some meane we tende vnto an ende as if a man shoulde study by geuing of gifts or by seruices to attain vnto any honor For the nature of thinges is in such sort that many thinges are so connexed together betwene themselues that by the one is made a steppe vnto the other For by medecines drinkes we attaine vnto health by studies reading teachers vnto wisdome Wherfore an intent is an action of the wil for it is his office to moue and stirre vp the mynde And forasmuch as the wyl doth not perceaue the thinges that he desireth before that it hath the knowledge thereof it moueth not nor forceth the minde before knowledge which raygneth in the power of intelligence or vnderstanding It perceaueth both the end and those things which serue to the end and ministreth them vnto the wyl Therfore Intent stirreth vp to the end as to a terme The definition of an intent by those thinges which vnto it are directed Let this be his definition A wyl tending vnto the ende by some meanes Wyl which is his generall woord is an act of the power that wylleth The differrence is taken of the obiect namely of the ende and these thinges which are ordeined vnto it as nowe as touching Gideon his intent was a motion of his wyll to keepe the memory of the victory geuen him by the Ephod which he had made In will therefore he comprehended at once both the end and the meane There is bothe a good intent an euyll An Intent in deuided into a good intent and an euyll And to a good intent this is chiefely required that the ende be a thing iust and good which yet is not sufficient For if a man should steale to geue almes he vndoubtedlye shoulde set before his eyes a good thing but bycause the meane is euyll therefore the intent can not be called good But if the ende bee both vnlawfull and euyll then shall the intent also be euyll Wherefore that the intent be good both the ende and the meane must be honest and good thinges Howbeit certayne thinges are by theyr nature so euyll that we can neuer vse them rightly As theft periury adulterye An euill intent of two kyndes and suche lyke Wherefore the Apostles rule must alwayes be firme that wee must neuer doo euyll thinges whereby good thynges maye followe Therefore an euyll intent is two maner of wayes that is eyther by the naughtynesse of the ende Twoo thinges are required in a good intent or els of the meanes But the intent can neuer bee good except bothe ende and meane be good Thus farre the Philosophers and schoole Deuines agree wyth vs. Nowe must we see wherein they differ from vs. The Philosophers doo thinke that the righteousnes of the ende and meanes dependeth of humane reason or naturall vnderstanding as though it were sufficient to put a difference betwene iust thinges and vniust but that we denye and requyre fully fayth and the woorde of God Augustine as sure rules whych thyng Augustine testifieth in many places and especiallye vpon the .xxxi. Psalme where he sayth Doo not count thy woorkes good before faythe whyche are nothyng els then as me thynketh great strengthes and a most swyft course out of the waye and he which so maketh haste runneth headlong to destruction Wherefore a good intent maketh a good action Faith directeth the intent but fayth directeth the intent Wherefore we must take heede when we purpose any woorke that our hart haue a regarde vnto fayth whereby it may direct his endeuours The schoole Deuines wyll easelye graunt that fayth gouerneth the intent and maketh it good But we differ from them for three causes Fyrst bicause we affirme that faith dependeth onely of the woorde of God but they wyll haue it to leane vnto Fathers and Counsels Faith must not cleaue vnto fathers coūsels and that in no case maye be graunted vnto them forasmuche as fayth must bee constant and vtterlye without errour whych twoo thynges are not founde in the Fathers and Counsels bicause they speake thinges one contrary to an other Fathers very often stryue wyth Fathers and Counsels are against Counsels and those Fathers are rare yea in a maner none whych haue not sometyme erred and that in thinges most waightye and very many Counsels haue neede of amendement Doth not the scripture by expresse woordes testify that all men are lyers The other thing wherein wee can not assent vnto the Schoolemen is bycause by a good intent they affirme that our woorkes are made meritorious yea and that of eternall lyfe Which thing how farre of it is from the truth the nature of merite may teache vs whereof I mynde not nowe to speake The thyrde thing wherein we differ from the Schoolemen is bycause they wyl haue the worke to be made good by an habitual good entent as they speke The habitual entent of the Scholemen That is to saye done without any good mocion of the hart They fayn that our actions do please god as prayers reading of Psalmes and geuing of Almes although in act we thinke nothing of God they suppose that thys habitual entent which they place in him is sufficient inough So that if thou shouldst demaūd of him whych doth these thyngs why he doth so he may be redy to aunswer that he doth it to the glory of god especially whē in doing of it he hath not a cōtrary mind or repugnant will But this can we not graunt vnto them for asmuch as in this negligence wherby when we work we think not of god nor of his glory the commaundement of
health 135. b Dreames it is not vtterly forbidden to regard them 138. b Dreames of prophecieng geuen by God to the wicked 134. Dreames some ar sent by God 137 Drunkennes hurtes 163. b Drunkennes hath 2. sences 162. Drunkennes bringeth all vices to light 164. b Dwelling of Christians with infidels or godly with vngodly 44. b E. EAre rynges 250. b Eating defined 212. Ecclesiasticall power and Ciuill 257. b Ecclesiasticall causes pertayne to the Magistrate 266. Ecclesiasticall power is subiect to the ciuill 258. b Elect are punished to their saluation 33. Electors of Princes 90. b Elements of bread wine and water 134. b Elias was of the tribe of Beniamin 272. Elloborus is bearfoote 164. b Elohim and Iehouah 112 b Elohim whom it is attributed vnto 206. b Emaus called Nicopolis 41. Emperours why they were ordained 2. Emperour subiect to the pope 257 Emperor corrected of a bishop 145 Emperours all were not consecrated of the Pope 261. b Emulation handled 141. b Emulation described 143. b Enak defined 15. Enakim 15. b Endeuour or labour is required to be ioyned with faith 13. b Enemies described 85. Enemies god destroieth somtimes without the helpe of man 99. England 271. d Enochs booke 16. Enterprises require three things 271. b Enuy intreated of 141. b Enuy described and mother therof 143. Enuious persons described 141. b Epha measure 116. b Ephod what 150 b Ephod what 238. b Ephori 90. b Ephraites more noblethen Manasses 141. b Ephramites pride 197. Epitaphes soong 102. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 reioycing at an other maÌ„s hurt 143 Errour very hurtfull 〈◊〉 the church 148. b Errours of fathers 279. Errour of Ambrose 194. Errour of Augustine 195. b Errours of Grigory 147. b Errour of Grigorye Byshoppe of Rome 56. Esay was maryed 94. Esay deth what occasioned 117. b Espials thre meÌ„cioned in the scripture 35. b Essence of God shal be knowen of vs in the lyfe euerlasting 121 Eternal life fully geuen vs is presently possessed onely in part 7. b Eternall lyfe whether it may be called a reward 272. Ethniks had better knowledge of God then the Papistes 207. b Euensong before noone 277. b Euents no good trial of lawful actions 227. Euils is not to be committed to auoyde euyl 253. Euil lesse is to bee preferred before the greater 253. Euil how it is taken away 268. b Euil not euill if God commaunde it 39 Euil in the fight of the Lord. 67. b Euil works how God may be said to worke in the wicked 7. Euill men sometymes punished by wurs 80. b Euil spirit signifieth either the deuil or wicked affections 168 Euil thinges muste not onelye bee left but good thynges also put in vre 176. Euripides sentence 158. Examples of drunkennes 163 Examples profitable 2. wayes 4 Examples of sayntes abused 4 Examples of Gods doinges is not to be reasoned of alwayes by vs. 233. b Excommunicate person 285. Excommunicate persons howe we may keepe coÌ„pany with theÌ„ 45. b Exercises of the bodi haue no great vtility but piety 140 Exodus what it entreateth of 1. b Ezechias liued in Romulus time 3. b Ezechiel was maried 94 F. FAble defined 159. b Fable of frogs in Aesop 160 Face of the mynde aswell as of the body 121 Fayning is not alwaies lying 209. Fallacy a secundum quid ad simpli citer et accidentis 256. b Faithes efficacy 98. Faith of three sortes 130. b Faith of hospitality 252. b Faith is to be kept with the ennemy 85. b Faith to heretiks is to be kept 86 Faith is not to be kept to him that breaketh faith 85. b Faithes beginning 207. b Faith obtaineth promises 13. b Faithe of no force if it want the word of God 152. Faith cannot sufficiently be confirmed by myracles 129. b Faith iustified the fathers as well as vs. 74. b Faith refuseth not humain help 125 Faithes effectes is prayer and fasting 276. Faith coÌ„meth not of miracles but is confirmed by them 127. Faith is the soul of good works 242 Faith whyther it go before miracles or miracles before faith 130 Faith directeth good intent cleaueth onely to the woord of God not to fathers or counsels 152. b Faith is the gift of God 122 Fals of godli meÌ„ churches 226 b Fathers synnes whether the sonne shall beare 178. b Fathers iustified by fayth as wee 74. b Fathers the more auÌ„cient the more sincere 216 Fathers are not to be excused in all thinges 20 Fathers are neither constant nor without errour 152. b Fathers authoritye yll compared with the scriptures 152 Fasting handled 274 Fastes of sundry kindes 278 Fasting distinguished into common and priuate 94. Fastinges abuses 279. Fastes denounced of Princes whither they are to be obeyed 277 Fastings vpon saints euens 140 Fault where none is ought none to confes 90 Feare of God contrarye to securitye 246. b Feare comprehendeth al maner religion of worshipping 113. b Feare maye not moue againste iustice 38 Feare godly driueth not a man to parricide 194. Feare of the enemies once knoweÌ„ is a good begiÌ„ning of victory 134 Feare at the sight of God or angel how it commeth 117. b Feare euil of two sortes 247. b Feastes are wont to haue ryddels 218. b Felicity of the vngodly 170. b Fellowship of the wicked is to bee fled 251. b Fellowship of godlye with vngodlye 44. b Fellowship of the godlye is profitable 29 Feeding of the flocke was not onely Peters office 149 Feete washing much vsed in Syria 252. b Figuratiue speeches ar no lies 111 Filthy burthens defined 263. b Fish counted among delicates 278 Finders of things ought to restore them 283 Flatterers vsage 84. b Flesh and bone of any man is the most coniunction that may be 156. b Flesh refreining 278 Flight for truth 52. b Foode of angels 212. b Foote measure 16. b Forbidding of things is to some an alluring to the same 158. b Forgeuenes of synnes 13 Forgiuenes of syns may be wythâ—out restitucioÌ„ of so happy state as we had before we synned 65. b Formes why they are more seene sleeping then waking 135 Fornication handled 229 Fornication is hurtful to the common wealth 130. b Forswearing is alwayes vnlawfull 39. b Fortune ruleth not things but the prouidence of God 172 Found things must be restored 283 Foundation church hath none but Christ 149 FoundatioÌ„ of the church is Christ 241. b Foule parents how they shal haue fayre children 4. b Foxes plenty in Syria 223. b Free men may chaunge their dwellings for iust causes 227. b Free will confuted 104. b Free will cannot be gathered of the commaundements 73 freÌ„dships fouÌ„datioÌ„ is honesty 166. b Frendship grounded vpon profit or pleasure is weake 26. b Frendes dreame ofte of their frendes 135. b FroÌ„wardnes of ours whence it springeth 167 G GAbaonites god fauoured 36 Gabaonites traitors â—8 b Gabaonites wickednes 252 Gaine more commonly soughte for then health 174 Garmentes of nedle worke or dyuers colours attributed onely to prynces 111. b
Gates and walles of cities shoulde not be violated 227 Gedeon refused to be king 2 Gelousy may be in good men 204. b Generall worde proued the particuler or species doth not alwaies fol. 272. b Genesis booke what it entreateth of 1 Gentle aunswer asswageth anger 141. b Gentlenes praeposterus 101. b Gedeon of the tribe of Manasses 114 Gedeon was beautiful 145. b Gedeon why he had his sonne kill the kinges of the Madianites 146 Gedeon refuseth to be king 147 Gedeons fall 150 Gedeon sinneth â— wayes 151. b Gedeon whether he wer saued 155 Giftes of God are not bounde to the estates or conditions of men 251 Giftes of God some remaine and some are taken away after sinne 226. b Giftes of free grace common to the godly and vngodly 134 Gifts in way of reward 188 Gifts may be reuoked 188. b Gifts when they may only be reuoked 199. b Giuing vnhonestlye is vnlawfull 231. b Gilgal where it lieth 59. b Gilgal a religious place 82. b Gilead 173 Gilty persoÌ„s it is not ignominious to slay them 146 Gyauntes names inscripture and their originall 15. b Glasse of the deuine essence 68. b Gladnes described 142 Glory may be desired the matter ende therof 97 Glories desire is mother of enuyt 143 God what he is 121. b God author of histories 3. b God taketh tities and surnames of his benefites bestowed 59. b God appointeth maiestrates 25â— God ruleth in other Maiestrates when 149. b God is the distributer of kingdoms 187. b God calling anye man to office geueth him habilitie to execute the same 71. b God was king of the Israelites 1. b. 2. God reioyceth not in bloud 194. b God is bound to no maÌ„ to geue his grace vnto him but is free 167 God is not bound to his lawes 4. b God may do against his lawes wheÌ„ he list 93 God chaungeth not 175 God changeth not his mind 33. b God when he repenteth is not chaÌ„ged 72 God whether he bee the cause of sinne 78 God deliuered the Israelites to their enemies 70. b. God punisheth sins by sins 24. 8. b. Gods operatioÌ„ in bringing sinne to light 166. b God beholdeth not Idols mens doinges but worketh together with them 78. b God instilleth no new malice 79. b God may we not feele in al thinges 129 God is to bee imitated of Christen men 249. b God can doo many thinges that he wil not 97. b God saith he will do that he wil do and contrary 174. b God how he intermedleth and vseth our corruptioÌ„ by his gouernment 167 God punisheth his owne and beareth with straungers 80. b God whether he be without a bodye 121 God how he may be sen of men 118 God neuer fayleth them that obey him following their vocatioÌ„ 83 b God wyl be worshipped as he hath commaunded 1. 1. b God sendeth som dreames but not all 138 God forgiueth synnes but doth not by and by restore the thynges taked away 65. b Gods helpe is not to bee dispayred of though it be deferred 92. b Gods grace is in degrees 167. b Gods of the sea worshipped 234. b Godly vngodly haue many times like succes 236 Godly to make peace with the vngodly whether it be lawful 99 Godlye men flye vnto god in ouerthrowes 271. b Godly to ioyne power with the vngodly whether it be lawful 99. b Golden age of the Israelites 2. b Good age what 155 Good intent 152 Good workes what they requyre 153 Good workes are so acceptable to God he rewardeth them 72 Good workes morall 72 Good workes must not be without faith no more then a body wythout a soule 242 Good workes in hope of reward lawfull or vnlawfull 23. b Goods wast with droÌ„keÌ„nes 164. b Gospell and law is the sum of the Scripture 1 Gospell promises 175. b Gouernment of god whether it be excluded by humane maiestrates 149. b Grace god would haue it knowen 182 Grace of God whether we can resist 167. b Grace of god why it worketh not alike alwayes in vs. 167. b Grapes gathering with wantonnes 168 Gregory deceiued 90 Gregories error 56 Gregory thought it absurd that the Pope should be aboue the Emperour 147. b Griefe described and deuided into his braunches 142 Grosnes oft in Princes 82 Groues to worship Gods in 77 Groues about Idols 123 Ground of all impiety and folye is security 246. b Guile or deceit handled 84 Guile good and bad 84. b Guile to breake an othe 282. b H HAbituall intent 153 Heresy defined 58. b Heresy of the Marcians 58. b Heretikes if they may be suffred among christians 58. b Heretikes how they must be ordered 61. b Heretikes ought men to kepe faith with 86 Hand bredth measure 16. b Hand maiden cannot by the Romain lawes be a concubine 154. b Hangmen Hebrewes had none 146 Harlots how daungerous 228. b Harlot differed from a concubine 154 Harlots are not to be suffered in a city 230. b Harlots are not rapt though they they be had away with violence 283. b Harlots son a iudg in Israel 176. b Harpers 102 Harte or minde and body or outward vesture to worshippe God with 49 Hate of enemies not permitted to vnperfect 31 Head of the church who 241 Head of the whole church caÌ„not the bishop of Rome be nor none els there 148. b Heades couered in token that they haue authority aboue them 93 Heads of captaines ouercumde cut of and presented to the victors 141 Heare growing or clipping 201. b Hebrues sinned three wayes 77 Hebrues vsed the superstition of the Egiptians 122. b Hebrew wordes is none in the Latine churche but such as came by the Grekes 41. b Hebron called Kiriath Arba. 14 b Hebron a city of refuge 18 Helizeus delighted in musike 102. b Helpe at Infidels handes may not be desired 99. b Helpe of God may we not dispayre of 92. b Helpes humain are not to be despised 97 Helping of the Lord. 110 Helth lesse estemed then profit 174 Hems of the Hebrewes 47. b Hercules praise 29 Herod eaten of lice 13 Hesron called also Iephuna 18. b Heauines described 142 Hypocrates of factors 274 History defined 3 History praised 3. b Histories fruite 235. 288. b Holidaies dauncing 287. b Holidaies bestowing 288 Holy ghost is iii. waies in meÌ„ 190. b Honour due to parentes 214. 212. b Honour defined 157. b. How it is the reward of vertues 158 Honestye is the sure foundation of amity 166. b Honest and iuste thinges are to bee done although they be not expresly commaunded in the worde of God 250 Hooring what it signifieth 151 Hops bytter become swete beyng stiept in water 161. b Hope described 142 Hope is a meane betwene securitye and desperation and springeth thereof 246. b Hooredome handled 229 Hooredome punished 4 Hornets of dead Ashes 218 Hospitality 4 Hospitality praised 251 Hospitalitiâ—s lawes broken 100. b more of them 101 Hoste cruell Busiris 252. b Houres of the day among the Elders 277. b House of euerye
Vittailers oft ill spoken of 177 Vittaylers women 226. b Vigils cōuerted into fastings why 140 Violence against violence maye be vsed 85 Violence may be resisted by violēce 165. b Violence acceptable vnto god 43. b Violence or coaction god inferreth not to mans will 167. b Virginity bewayled 192. b Visions of Angels 208 Visions handled 118 vngodly chastened by vngodly 80. b Vngodly fall into those euils wherof they be afeard 224 Vnitie of citizens wher in it consisteth 197. b Vnity without agreement in ceremonies 279 Vniuersall supreme Patriarche title refused by bishops of Rome 147 Vniuersality in othes 86. b Vnleauened bread vsed why 116. b Vnthankefulnes loke ingratitude Vnumquodque propter quid aliud magis 5. b Vocation of God is not to bee lefte for reuenging of priuate iniuries nor for lacke of meate and other necessaries 144. b Vocatiō of god whether we ought to obiect our infirmity against it 115. b Vow defyned 203. b. 237. b Vow is a promise made to god 214 Vowes how they are to be kept 86 Vow of vniust things is of no force 95. b Vow of Iiphtah handled 192. b Vowes redeming 192 Vowes before ioynīg in war 190. b Vowes of religious men 203 Vowes for other as mother for the sonne 203 Vowes chiefe property to be wyth a willing mind performed 193 Vowing to do thinges 30. b Vrim and Thumim 7 Vsucapio 189 Vsury where it may take place 85 Vsury vsed by the Popes 232 VV. WValles and gates of Cities ought not to be violated 227 Wantonnes at grape gatheryng 168 Wars may be lawfull 76 War is a thing lawful 156. b Warres proces to send messengers first to debate the iniuries 185. b War must be proclaimed 268. b Wars against the Turkes why they haue not prospered 70. b War iust and vniust 186. b War right 186 Wars obseruations before they begin 271 War what is to be reproued therin 187. b War ciuil is not all vniust 199 Warfare allowed of god 97 Waspes of dead horses 218 Watches who inuented 139 Water skant in Syria 106. b Weake and strong God vseth alike 92. b Weakenes of others is to be borne with 52 Weapons be they neuer so simple may serue when gods word is added and contrary 91. b Wearines is thirsty 100. b Wepying not alwayes token of repentaunce 62. b Weping god aloweth somtime 61. b Weping not allowed 63 West church when it receiued singing 103 Whetstones of vertue 142 Wicked easily agre against the people of God 80. b Will of God of .ii. sortes hid manifest 213 Will of God in nature is one but diuers in respectes 79 Will of God chaungeth not 33. b Will to murther though it be disapointed is to be punished 166 Wit of man is by nature sluggish 218. b Woman condemned of adultry no man can mary 249. b Womens entisements are of great force 228. b Women are not forbidden to prophecy for the common edification of the church but warned to haue their heades couered 93 Woman prophet 92. b Women teachers 93. b Womens vice curiosity 285. b women easily fal to cursings 237. b Wordes defyned 88. b Wordes whence they haue their significations 205 Word of God written or vnwrittē of lyke authority 5 Word of god is the rule of our actions 129 Word of god is it the declareth what or who is godly or vngodly not succes or prosperitie 227 Word of god knowne he wyll not suffer to be despised 80. b Word of god no custom prescribeth against 189. b. 190 Wordes of men are so far fruitfull as the predestinatiō of God hath before appointed 97 Wordes gentle would be vsed in daungerous corrections 253 Wordes doubling affirme more assuredly 206 Workes much auailable 14 Workes of ours do not reconcyle god vnto vs. 72 Workes of ours how holye soeuer they appeare are impure and vnperfect 272. b Workes are not good before fayth 152. b Workes they that trust to muche to them attribute to much to humaine aides 132. b Workes are not meritorious of eternall life 152. b Worshipping inward and outward 49 Worshipping religions of .ii. sortes 68 Worshipping of God fained or deuised by man is nought 48 Worshipping of god by other wais thē he hath willed is idolatry 69. b Worshipping ought to leane to the word of God 202. b Worshipping of the true god with other worship thē he himself hath cōmaunded is Idolatry 238 Woorshippinge of God instituted without his word is to him vnacceptable 151. b Worshipping of god consisteth not in outward thinges only 75 Wowing by iust meanes lawful 23 Wowings by dauncing 287 Wiues right vse and abuse 161. b Wiues vse and cautions 165 Wyues moe then one at once argued against 288 Wyues manye permitted after a sort to the fathers 153. b Wyues called concubines 268 Wyues duety 204 Wyfe helpeth her husband 208 Wyfe of a minister if she be an adultres sinneth more greuously then an other 248. b Wiuely affections in their husbāds absence 111 X Xerxes cruel acte 13 Z ZAbulons tribe 9◠Zeugma 32 FJNJS
spared Benadad king of Siria Of whom he said if he be on lyue he is my brother They condemne Saul also by the voyce of Samuel the prophet bicause he saued Agag kyng of Amaleck oâ— lyue And euen as it was said vnto an other by the messenger of God Whether syns are to be pardoned Seneca Thy soule shal be for his soule so Saul being a litle before placed by God in the kyngdome was depriued therof What shal we do then Shall we not forgeue synnes Seneca in his second booke of clemency and .6 chap. writeth Pardon sayth he is a remission of punishment due by which he is forgeuen which ought to haue bene punished Wherfore he thincketh it is not a wyse mans part to geue pardon bicause a wyse man wyl neuer commit any thyng whych ought not to be done or leaue any thyng vndone which ought to be done This reason of his seemeth to be very good and effectuall enough But least we should be deceiued therby we must here set a profitable distinction of persons that is of God of princes God maye forgeue synnes and of priuate men No man ought to doubt but that god may forgeue whom he wyl wheÌ„ as he is not bound to any other mans lawes Wherfore in forgeuyng he is not sayd to remit that which he ought to haue punished Besydes this he hath not so forgeuen men their faultes A Magistrate ought not to suffer faultes vnpunished but that he hath punished them in hys onely begotteÌ„ sonne Christ But we must otherwise thinke of the Magistrate to whoÌ„ it is not lawful to forgeue the punishmentes of synnes bicause he is commaunded to geue iudgement by the lawes To whom neuerthelesse it is graunted eyther to release or to aggrauate the punishmentes according to the wayght and quantity of the crimes Wherfore when he that is guilty is not wythout hope of ameÌ„dement neither hath geuously offeÌ„ded the magistrate is contented with an easier punishmeÌ„t somtimes he addeth som reprofe or som sharper admonitiâ— Wherfore let him neuer leaue synnes vnpunished the same maÌ„ in punishing is not cruel yea he rather correcteth ameÌ„deth healeth Which worke is both iust and also most milde so far is it that it should be ascribed to fiercenes or cruelty Seneca Many executions ar a dishonour to the magistrate Howe priuate men should forgeue iniuries I wyl also adde this by the way which is written of the same Seneca that to haue many executions is no lesse dishonor to the Magistrates than many corpes are to the Phisitions But now coÌ„cerning priuate men me thinketh it must be answered thus It is their duty to forgeue iniuries don to them selues neyther can Seneca his saying take place in them namely that a wise man wil leaue nothing vndone that ought to be done bycause reuengement is forbidden them by the law of almighty God And they are commaunded after a sorte to punish such as sinne against them in admonishing I meane and reprouing them And they are wylled to be content with that punishment when those which haue offended them are amended and made whole But coÌ„trarily if they perceiue that they be stubborne they by the coÌ„maundement of God ought to complain to the church by whom at the last they are excluded vnlesse they wil be obedient to it And when they are excluded out of the church they maye also be accused to the Magistrate In which thing yet is nothing coÌ„mitted against clemency bycause this is the mynde and purpose of them which accuse namely vtterlye to take away euyl according to Gods commaundement by al meanes possible And these thinges are now sufficient concerning cruelty and also clemency They whych worke of fayth obtain the promises Bycause Iudah and Simeon obtayned the victory according to the promyses of the oracle it shal be our part diligently to consider and marke that they which worke with faith by the woord of God do without doubt obtaine his promises For God hath not left those destitute of his ayde which haue endeuoured them selues to go forward faithfully in their vocation The promises of God surelye are constant and although heauen earth should at any time vary or be chaunged yet shal they alwaies be firme And therefore when as man is pronounced to be a lyer God contrary wise must bee confessed and celebrated as moste true Neither is there any thing found so hard or difficult but that by faith it maye be performed Wherfore it is very well written in the .xi. chap. to the Hebrewes that the saintes by faith haue ouercome kingdomes and obteyned the victorye That sentence certainly hath a principal respect vnto these histories of the Iudges This ought to be so manifest and playne vnto vs that for the obtaynyng of the promises of God We attayn not to the promises of God by merites we ought to attribute nothing to our own workes and merites Yea let vs rather bee assured that what so euer happeneth vnto vs that the same commeth onely of the goodnes of God which promised the same Our endeuour also and labour are required therunto by the scriptures as we see here also to be done where the victory is geuen to Iudah and Simeon when they fought and not when they ceased Not bycause God could not haue geuen them the victory ouer their enemyes although they had done nothing as sometimes he dyd but he hath decreed to bring vs by the crosse and labours after hys accustomed maner to the rewardes which he freely promised Neither yet for al that that our studies and labours are required as causes to obtayne the promyses when as God doth geue vnto vs frely and of his own mere liberality those thinges which he hath promised vs. This is principallye true in those promises which do wholy passe mans capacity as are eternal life and regeneration For they beyng the chiefe and last endes of our vocations doo farre and muche passe the dignitye and pryce of our woorkes Promises of the Gospel and of the law though they bee most perfect And there is a certayne profitable and necessary distinction whych is not to be forgotten namelye that some promyses are of the lawe and other some of the Gospell And this is the nature of promises of the Gospel to be offred vtterly frely to men But to promises of the law some worke is euer anexed And the is required to be most perfect absolute in all pointes Which bicause we can not performe 〈◊〉 altogether fal down vnder our burthen neyther can we attaine to these proâ—â—ses of the lawe in respecte they are of the law Promises of the law are not vayne Thou wilt say theÌ„ that this kinâ— of promises of the law is vaine Not so how is it the they be not geuen in vaâ— if none can attaine vnto theÌ„ They are to this end set forth the meÌ„ vtterly leauâ— the confidence of workes should hope to obtaine theÌ„ by
Howbeit I thincke it good this to be added that some iudge that prodition espiall do not much differ one from another and that it maye sometimes come to passe that one man may be both a betrayer a spye For if any Citizen be corrupted with money by the enemyes the same is both a betrayer of his countrey is also in the meane tyme a domesticall spye But this semeth not to be wisely spoken bycause the nature of these things as it appeareth by their definitions doth very much differ although sometimes they cleaue both in one mā so that the same man may be both a betrayer a spye Euen as musike Grammer differ much one frō an other yet it oftētimes happeneth the one mā is both a Grāmarian a Musitian Neuerthelesse the differēce which I haue before mencioned is for the most part obserued although not alwayes namely that espial cōmeth of enemies and prodition of them which be amongest vs whom we trust as friendes Whether prodition be at any tyme lawful Augustine But to the end we may the playnlyer know concerning prodition whether it be at any tyme lawful I thincke it best to cal to memory those wordes which Augustine writeth against the letters of Petilianus the second booke and 10. chap We may not sayth he heare the complaynts of such as suffre but seke out the mynde of them whiche are the doers This the man of God wrote agaynst the Donatistes whiche accused our men as betrayers persecutors And to them he answereth the Paul also deliuered vp some to Sathā whose saluatiō neuerthelesse semed to be committed to his charge but for all that bycause he did it of a good mynde namely to teache them not to blaspheme and that their spirit might be saued in the daye of the Lorde he could not be accused either of treason or els of deliueryng vp bycause as it is before sayd The complaintes of them whiche suffre are not to be heard What proditiō is good but we must seke out the mind of the doers Wherfore when warre or controuersy shall happen betwene any of which the one part is knowen to haue a iust good cause if the other part which defendeth the worser cause therfore doth vniustly wil by no meanes be brought to any good reasonable conditions surely good men whiche peraduenture are founde on the same syde ought in such sort to helpe to defend the other part as they may aduaunce iustice And if it be nede they ought to fall from the vniust to iust men Neither can their prodition be condēned iustly as ill although before they were neuer so much friendes very nighe vnto those which worke vniustly What cause the Israelites had against the Chananites Epiphanius Now must we speake somewhat of the Israelites cause agaynst the Chananites whiche may be considered of vs two manner of wayes namely either by common lawe and ordinary lawe of nature or elles by fayth and by the worde of GOD. Concerning the naturall or common lawe Epiphanius writeth that the lande of Palestine pertayned in very dede to the children of Sem by occasion whereof Melchisedek reygned there whiche was either Sem hym selfe or elles one of hys children But the Chananites whiche came of Cham passyng ouer the boundes of Egypte and Africa whiche were appoynted vnto them dyd caste out of Palestine the sonnes of Sem. And therefore the Hebrues whiche were the posteritie of Sem when they required to be restored to their Fathers landes semed to do it iustly and rightfully Wherefore as he sayeth GOD did both restore vnto the Israelites the countreys whiche belonged vnto their auncestors and also punished the Chananites for their wickednesse and this he did all with one and the selfe same worke Howbeit I can not easely agree to Epiphanius opinion for there was past prescription of very long time for at the least there were fyue hundreth yeares Wherefore it could not be sayde that the Chananites possessed that lande vniustly If we should go by this reason now in our tyme then should there be none in a manner counted a lawfull prince and iuste possessor when as their auncestor came to the possession of those prouinces and kingdomes by violence driuyng out botht the kings and the inhabitors that were in them before Wherfore the Israelites semed not to haue any iust causes by mans lawe by whiche they might make clayme vnto the land of Palestine as to their owne neither alledged they at any tyme any such reason And yet for al that they had good ryght therunto for as much as god testified as wel by words as by wonderfull workes that it was his wil that the Hebrues should haue the possession of those regions to whom as Dauid hath wel said both the earth and the fulnesse thereof belongeth Neither could the Chananites murmure agaynst the iudgement of God for as much as they were iustly cut of from their ryght for their sundry and manifold wicked Actes Wherfore none could in this cause iustly defend the Chananites if they wil cleaue to the true God and beleue his wordes Wherby it followeth that this Luzite which betrayed hys citizens dyd it either of faith as did Rahab in Iericho or els by some humane bargayne For the kepers or spyes sayd vnto him VVe will shewe thee mercy If he were stricken with feare howe could that as they say happen vnto a constant man for he was after a sorte a prisoner and was fallen into the handes of hys enemyes then was he brought to it by humane conuention and then did he fowly for it is not lawfull for any man to make any fylthy couenauntes agaynst hys countrey Neyther can he be excused bycause of feare It is not lawfull for any mā to make any fylthy couenātes against hys countrey for nothyng is to be done agaynste iustice and conscience althoughe what feare so euer he should be stryken with but if he were stirred vp vnto it by fayth and for that he sawe hys citezens obstinately to resiste the worde of God and his workes then he did well neither can hys treason be either disallowed or elles condemned For no lawes no vowes no couenaūtes or bondes thoughe they be neuer so strayte Feare must not cause vs to do any thyng against iustice can bynd any man to fight agaynst or to resiste the worde of God whiche worde all men must earnestly labour to haue done and fulfilled For this sentence abydeth and shall perpetually abyde That we must obey God more than men Neither can any man as Christe sayeth serue two maisters specially if they commaunde contrary thinges It is lawfull for the magistrate priuely to send inquisitors Moreouer the Magistrate is to be ayded in rooting out of vice and naughtynesse and to hym without doubte is lawfull priuely to send men to make enquiry and to deiecte wicked Actes that the offendors may be punished
that it myght easely come to passe that he should fal into the sinne whiche he declared vnto the holy Prophete Naaman the Syrian knewe that his deede was culpable nought And when he knewe ryght well that the same agreed not with true godlynesse he required the prayers and intercession of the man of GOD whereby he fallyng of weakenesse hys faulte myght be forgeuen hym Otherwyse there is none whiche nedeth to aske pardon for that which he thynketh is lawfull for hym to doe We make intercessions for sinnes and not for thinges permitted vs. Wherefore thys place maketh much agaynst our aduersaries and that that is sinne which they moste earnestly goe aboute to excuse is manyfestly proued by thys historye I would to God they woulde diligentlye marke in that action that which theyr Naaman selfe And if they shoulde fall as thys man feared that he shoulde fall they woulde not cloke it with a vayne defence but woulde emplore the mercye of God and prayers of holy men that that maye gentlye be forgeuen them Elizeus gaue not Naamā libertie to go vnto Idols whiche they naughtely haue committed Neyther did Elizeus as they persuade themselues geue Naaman the Sirian liberty to go vnto Idoles he sayde onely Go in peace Which was also an accustomed kinde of salutation at the time Neither may we gather any other thing out of these words then that the Prophet promised to do that which he was requested to do Namely to pray vnto God for the saluation of the man Fyrst to strengthen him that he should not fal Secondly that if he sinned his fault might be forgeuen him They vse to obiecte also certayne woordes out of the Epistle of Ieremye the Prophet which are written aboute the end of a litle booke entituled of Baruch An answer to a place of Baruch And these are the wordes In Babilon ye shall see Gods of golde and Siluer borne vppon mens shoulders to caste oute a fearefulnesse before the Heathen Take heede ye followe not the Gentiles when ye see the multitude of people worshipping behynde and before But saye in your hartes O Lorde it is thou that oughtest onely to be worshipped c. By these wordes do our Nicodemites thinke it to be sufficient that they which are presente at Idolatrous worshippings do say in their hartes O Lord it is thou that oughtest onely to be worshipped But they shoulde more attentyuely consider that the Prophet if he were a Prophet which spake these woordes which I therefore speake bycause the little booke of Baruch is Apochriphus The boke of Baruch is Apochriphus and is not founde in the Hebrewe gaue not the Iewes libertye to goe into the Temples of the Idols and to bee there present at prophane and Idolatrous rites and there to speake with the true God in themselues in theyr hart onely But he speaketh of those Images which were caryed about the citye for that was the manner among the Babilonians as the historie of Daniell testifyeth Images amōg the Babilonians wer crried about the citye which maketh mencion that an image set vp by Nabuchadnezar was openly caried about with great pompe and with Musicall instrumentes and sundry songes At the hearing whereof al men were commaunded to worship the Image which they beheld which the felowes of Daniel would not do Of those images I say it is writtē in the Epistle and the Godly are faythfully admonished that they should not as the Ethnykes did who were behinde and before thē reuerence or worship those images Yea rather in detesting their wicked worshipping they should say or at the least way in their hart O Lord it is thou only that oughtest to be worshipped These metings comming by chaunce through the citie could not be auoyded the Godly therefore were to be admonished how in suche metinges they shoulde behaue them selues But with great importunitye as they be shamelesse Why Daniell was not cast i◠to the fornace with his fellowes they yet go farther and demaund how chaunce Daniell was not cast into the burning fornace with his fellowes when as the punishment was a like appointed vnto thē which would not worship the image of Nabuchadnezar Wherfore these mē fayne with thēselues that Daniell dyd make as though he worshipped it and for that cause the Chaldeians medled not with him And they saye also that they may lawfullye do that which they thinke thys holy Prophet of God dyd They consider not that they openly fal into a false kynde of reason which commonly is called Non causa vt causa which is when that which is not a cause is put for a cause Paralogismos For there might be very many other causes why Daniell was not then punyshed Peraduenture he mette not the image which was caryed about or if at any time he met it the Chaldeians marked not what he dyd Or being founde faultye in it and marked he was not accused bycause the Kyng loued him excedinglye But we must not beleue Daniel dissimuled not the worshipping of the image that the man of god for feare of punyshment or death would dissemble the worshippyng of the image agaynst the lawe and pietie whē as it is afterwarde declared how for piety sake he was caste to the Lyons Wherefore forasmuche as there myghte be diuerse causes that he was not deliuered to be burnt in the fyre with his fellowes Why do these men thē snatch vnto thē only one cause and that such a cause as was vnworthy and ful of reproche to such a holy man and specially seing in the holy scriptures there is not so much as a suspition of so detestable an acte any way geuen vs Of Paule who toke on hym a vowe clensed hymself after the manner of the Iewes They seeme to themselues to speake much to the purpose and trimlye to defende theyr doing when as they bryng that whiche is written in the Actes of the Apostles the xxi Chapter where it is declared that Paul by the Counsell of the Elders of the Churche of Ierusalem tooke vppon hym a vowe and foure other men with hym and purifyed themselues after the manner of the Iewes If the Apostle of God saye they woulde vse the ceremonyes of the lawe alreadye abolyshed we maye also be suffred sometymes to admitte and to be present at rites and ceremonyes so long tyme receaued The sūme of the Preaching of Paule But that thys may the playnlyer be vnderstande we muste knowe that thys was the summe of the Preachyng of Paule We thynke that a man is iustifyed by fayth without workes As many as are vnder the law the same are vnder the curse The iuste man shall lyue by hys fayth How far legall ceremonies were graunted or condemned in the primatiue church Wherefore the Apostle in that fyrst tyme of the Preachyng of the Gospel dyd not condemne the ceremonyes and obseruations of the lawe towarde the Hebrues vnlesse they were retayned
which when they geue any precepte do straight way ioyne therunto a promise When children are commaunded to obey their parentes length of life is straight waye promised Deborah also declareth that she exercised the office of a Prophet amōg the people when as she Prophecieth what shall become of Sisera and foretelleth a notable victorye whiche God had decreed vnto Barac Mount Thabor Mount Thabor is called Ithabyrius whiche is here mencioned of the Ethnike writers is called Ithabirius It is nighe vnto the Assirians Nepthalites and Sabulonites There the Lorde Iesus Christ our Sauiour was transfigured before three of his Disciples as it is declared in the history of the Gospell This mount hath by it the riuer Kyson The riuer Kison whiche by the destruction of the Baalites is made notable for there Helias the Prophete slewe the Priestes of Baal Drawe and take with thee ten thousand men This semeth to be a new kynde of speache but vnto the thing whiche is in hande it is moste propre For this Hebrew worde Maschach is not in this place to drawe by violence to but as all the Rabbines almost do interpretate with presuasion to leade that is with faire and pleasaunt wordes to allure them For without doubt it was a great and perillous worke wherunto they wer called for as much as they lyued vnder a Tyraunt their souldiers could not by publique authority be mustered or gathered together but must of necessitie by faire meanes be allured to conspire against a Tyraunt By this place we are taught that good and eloquent speaches are very profytable in warrelyke affaires Rethoricke is profitable in warlike affaires and that the arte of Rethorike by the lawe of God is not forbidden but may in hys place profitably serue for holy men Farther this is not to be left vnspoken of that those two tribes namely Nepthalim and Zabulon were not warrelike tribes but the weakest of all the tribes among the Israelites The tribes of Nepthalim Zabulon were of lesse estimation thā the other tribes And yet God commaundeth to chose out souldiers out of them wherby we learne that it is a lyke to hym to vse either weake souldiers or stronge warriers agaynst his enemies Some man peraduenture will doubte by what argumentes or reasons Barac could be persuaded to beleue the wordes of Deborah To whome we aunswere that he weyghed with hymselfe that those thinges whiche Deborah promised did very well agree with the wordes and promises of God For he as he had threatened that the Israelites when they sinned should by his commaundement and will be afflicted by outwarde nations so agayne had he promised that he would deliuer them out of the handes of their enemyes if they faythfully repented them of their wickednes committed and faythfully from the heart called vpon him He promised that he would fight for them neither should their weaknes or fewenesse in nomber be a let The wordes of Deborah were agreable with the holy Scriptures but that they shuld get the victory ouer their enemies Wherfore for as much as Deborah prophecied that those things should come to passe whiche the Lord had promised vnto the people of the Hebrues it was conuenient that Barac should receaue those wordes for true and faythfull Farther the authoritie of the speaker helped thereunto For Deborah was by God constituted in the ministery not vndoubtedly by an ordinary prerogatiue but by a certayn singular and principall prerogatiue And if we should looke vppon the Etimology of her name Deborah signifieth a bee we shall thinke that her orations were verye sweete For Deborah with the Hebrues is a bee which beast we know is a diligent artificer in makyng of hony And yet all these thinges had not ben sufficiēt to make Barac to beleue her vnles the power of the holy Ghost had persuaded in his mynde those things which were commaunded For fayth is onely the worke of the holy Ghost whiche he can worke in the heartes of men without any outward instrument but he hath decreed for the most part to vse them I meane the worde and the ministery not as though he were bound vnto them but to shew vnto vs how much we ought to make of these two instrumentes Neither do I thinke that it is to be doubted but that this holy woman was both by miracles and also by prophesieng of things to come declared to be the Minister of the true God and the most healthfull Iudge of the Israelites We therefore ought hereby to learne that we must altogether heare the Ministers of God when they set forth vnto vs his wordes promises and also threatninges out of the holy scriptures neither is there any authority in the worlde whiche ought to be preferred before the ministery of the Church and word of God They were heard thynges whiche Deborah commaunded Wherfore iustly ought Barac to beleue the thinges whiche Deborah commaunded althoughe they semed both greuous and heard For she commaunded hym to moue sedition and tumulte to rebell agaynst his prince a priuate man to gather an hoste and that a litle one agaynst a most mighty king Whether Barak were without faith And Barac sayde vnto her If thou wilte goo with me I wyll go In this place it semeth might be demaunded whether Barac were doubtful and beleued not at the beginning as he ought to haue done the wordes of Deborah And that semeth to some absurde when as in the Epistle to the Hebrues the 11. chap Barac is reckened with Sampson Gedeon Iephthe and others which by fayth ouercame kyngdomes And therefore it semeth that his fayth beyng praysed by the testimony of God ought not by our iudgement to be empared Wherfore they affirme that he would haue Deborah to go with him not bycause he beleued not the promise of God but that he myght haue a Prophetesse ready and ac hande whose Counsell he might vse in orderyng his warre in pitching hys Campes and other chaunces whiche are wonte to happen in warres And I am not ignoraunt Augustine that Augustine readeth it after this manner Bycause I can not tell in what day the Lorde will prosper his aungell with me c. As thoughe he should haue sayd I wyll therefore haue thee with me bycause thou beyng endewed with the spirite of Prophesy whiche hath not happened vnto me shalte easly knowe in what daye the aungell of the Lorde will luckely fyght for vs. But I do thinke that Barac did somewhat doubt for Deborah Prophecied in the name of God that bycause of thys aunswere he should be punished And more ouer sayeth she thy glory shal be taken awaye from thee and the Lord will sel Sysara into the hand of a woman Iosephus And as Iosephus testifyeth she spake these wordes beyng somewhat moued And a Prophetesse woulde not haue ben angry neither would GOD haue diminished the glorye of Barac without a faulte And it appeareth not that he
at home or elles if he were at he home was sick Wherfore he could not execute this notable acte 18 And Iahell went out to mete Sisera and said vnto him Turn on my Lorde turne in to me feare not And he turned in vnto her tente And she couered hym with a coueringe 19 And he sayde vnto her geue me I praye thee a little water to drinke for I am thirstye and she opened a bottle of milke and gaue him drinke and couered him 20 Agayne he sayd vnto her stande in the dore of the tent and when anye man doth come and inquire of thee saying is anye man here thou shalt say nay 21 Then Iahel Hebers wife toke a nayle of the tente and toke an hammer in her hād and went priuely vnto him and smote the naile into his temples and fastned it vnto the grounde For he was faste on slepe and wery and so he died Iahel vsed guile and that euel guile but agaynst her enemy not her own enemy but one alredy reiected of God and an oppressor of the people of God And in what sorte it is lawful to vse euel guile against such enemies we haue before declared The couering wherwith she couered him it is vncertayne what manner of one it was and the opinions of the interpretors do muche differ therein For some affirm that it was of silk and fine and other some that it was a thick wollen garment full of heares and lockes hanging in both sides But the matter is of no greate importance and consisteth wholy in coniectures The cause of the drought of Sisera That Sisera was oppressed with thirst we ought not to merueile when as he had traueled so farre on foote and was pressed with so great grief for both they which are weary and also they that are heauy for the most parte are wonte to be thirsty For both labor and the affection of sorow haue a power of drying The woman gaue him milke Paraduenture shee didde it of purpose to cause him to fall on slepe Neither was it any hard thing for her to geue him milke to drinke for she had it in hand when as she her whole family excercised the arte of graffinge of cattle And in that it is said that she opened a bottle it declareth that she had no smal store of milke but greate aboundaunce therof But Sisera when he had wel dronke forgat not yet his owne safety but diligently admonisheth the woman what she shoulde aunswere if any body came to aske for him And that none should haue occasion to entre into the tente he willeth her to abide at the dore to aunswere such as should go by to the ende that if they soughte for him they should sone departe from thence A nayle of the tente I take to be that which they vse to fasten into the ground to cause the tente being bound vnto it to abide spreade abroade And in that the woman vsed a hammer and a nayle this I gather thereby that the Israelites whilest they serued the Chananites had theyr weapons taken away from them by the Chananites that they should haue neither sword nor dagger mete to kill a man withall This holy woman vndoubtedly was gouerned by God whiche durst accomplish so great an enterprise For the strengthe of wemen is not able to atchiue these thinges The cause of Sisaras slepe Sisera being on sleepe died The causes of his sleepe are now sufficiently expressed namely that he was weary by reason of his iourney he dronke a greate deale of milke and lay well couered He was oppressed with heauines and it is possible that he slept but a little the night before The woman came softly or priuely to se whither he were throughly on sleepe and when she saw that he was so with a stout and valiant courage she gaue him a stroke Sisera died and that with ignominy For God for this cause suffred him for a time to flye that he might not be killed in battayle amonge men but being on slepe be slayne by the hand of a woman 22 And behold Barak pursued after Sisara and Iahell came out to mete him and sayd vnto him Come I will shew thee the man whome thou seekest And he came in vnto her And beholde Sisara lay on the ground deade and the nayle in his temple 23 So god brought downe Iabin the kinge of Chanaan that daye before the children of Israell 24 And the hande of the children of Israell prospered and preuayled against Iabin the king of Chanaan vntill they had destroyed the same Iabin king of Chanaan Iahel meeteth Barak and shee therefore sheweth him his enemy killed that he shoulde no more trauayle in seekinge of him Sisera was not deceaued when he thought that Barak would come to the tent of Iahel for he came thither in dede for pursuinge the Chananites euen vnto Hazoreth of the gentiles he sawe not Sisera among them which fell wherfore he iudged he lurked somwhere and suspected that he had without any more a doe fledde vnto the tente of the Leuites bicause of the league and peace which he had with them God therfore broughte downe Iabin yea if ye maye beleue Iosephus the Israelites destroyed his citye with sword and fire Whither Iahel in violating the laws of hospitality did well or no. But it semeth that Iahel in this her enterprise and notable act did violate the lawes of hospitalitye and league and therefore nowe resteth either to condemne her or to quitte her But bicause al controuersye not a litle dependeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What maner of mē the Kenites were that is of the circumstance of the persons let vs therfore set her before our eyes and consider with our selues what maner of men the Kenites wer They assuredly in bloude wer ioyned with the Israelites For it is written that they wer the posteritye of Hobab the father in law of Moyses Farther in the study of piety and the lawe of God they most purely consented with the Hebrues Neither was theyr faythe ydle but of efficacy and working For they leauing their country followed the Israelites and God which was their guide thorowe the deserte places Wherefore at the length when the landes were distributed they obtayned inheritance together with them in the lande of Chanaan For these causes if Iahel went about to set the Iewes at libertye she did but her dutye neyther tooke she vpon her any other mans office On the contrary part let vs thus thinke of Sisera What Sisera was He was an oppresser of the people of God and nowe killed by the power of God and vtterlye confounded neyther appeared there in him any token of repentance but rather would therfore hyde himselfe that escaping this so present a daunger he might againe gather a new host against the Israelites In deede after a sorte hee was in league with Heber the Kenite but as it is to be thought not with a pure hart but onelye
speake for for that he is most simple The knowledge of God by fayth he is farre otherwise good iust wise thā men either are or are called But besides this naturall knowledge of god this knowledge also offreth it selfe vnto vs which consisteth of faith is by the worde of god reueled vnto vs. But faith is not of vs as to the Ephesians it is sayd but it is the gifte of God for Christ also saith No man can come vnto me except my father drawe him Faith therfore aboundantly gathereth out of the holy scriptures the knowledge of god as much as sufficeth to saluation or as much as this our lyfe is able to receaue Howbeit as Paul testifieth this knowledge also is imperfect For now we know hym by a glasse in a shadow but partly althoughe in this knowledge we profyte whilest we liue here yet can we not atteyn to the knowledge of the essence of god I know that Augustine thought as touching Paul Moses the sometyme The opinion of Augustine of Paul and Moses in minde whilest they were here they saw the substaunce of God but I can not easely agree vnto it forasmuch as I iudge that those places of Iohn of the lawe of Paul which I before alledged are most euidēt Vnto which this may also be added which is written in the 6. chap. of Iohn Not that any man hath sene the father he which is of god he seeth the father And this is not to be passed ouer the that which is here spoken of the father is true also of the sonne as touchyng his deuine nature Bycause as I haue aboue declared both out of Chrisostome and out of Augustine the nature as wel of the Sonne as of the Father is inuisible And it skilleth not if thou say as Augustine sayth that they sawe the nature and substaunce of God not vsing the outwarde senses but in a certayne traunse or rauishing or beyng alienated from the vse of this lyfe These thinges are not gathered out of the Scriptures yea contrarily we haue heard that Moses was denyed the sight of the face of God Wherfore by the knowledge of fayth we both knowe God and his good will towarde vs as much as is sufficient to our true and perfect saluation But among all those thinges wherby out of the holy sciptures we know god In Christ god is sayd to be made visible there is none more excellent than Christ himselfe Wherefore Paul hath iustly sayd without controuersye it is a great mistery God is made manifest in the fleshe c. The Lord also sayth Philip he whiche seeth me seeth also the father Paul also said that he knew nothing els but Iesus Christ and him crucified And vndoubtedly in Christ God may be sayd to be made visible bycause he was ioyned together with man in the same selfe person Wherfore they whiche sawe Christ might say that they had sene God And he which by faith beholdeth and acknowledgeth him doth see far much more than if he should behold the burnyng bushe of Moses Wherfore to the Collos it is written that in him are put all the treasures of the wisdome knowledge of god And Iohn doth healthfully admonishe vs in his Epistle the 3. chap. as he which hath a hope to see God as he is let him prepare himselfe therunto by purging himself as he is pure cleane Thus much of the Question now let vs returne vnto the history 23 And the Lord sayd vnto him Peace be vnto thee be not afeard thou shalt not dye 24 And Gideon built there an alter vnto the Lorde and called it Iehouah Shalum euen vnto this day It is yet in Ophrath the pertayneth to the Abiezerite Whē these things were spokē vnto Gideō by the history it appeareth not but I thinke it was the next night after the things already rehearsed wherfore he was cōmaūded to build there an alter where the meates which was setforth were cōsumed with fire namely vpon the rocke wherof is menciō made a litle before Why God appeared vnto Gideon the second tyme. Gideō was vexed with feare supposing the bycause he had sen god he should die Wherfore god cōforted him that he being voyde of the feare might the chearefullier prepare him selfe vnto those thinges which wer cōmaūded him That feare wōderfully letted his faith For how could he beleue that he should set the Israelites at liberty which euery houre suspected death to be at hād Wherfore god in cōforting him remoued away the feare that he might persecute the worke which lōged especially vnto faith Thou shalt not die saith he Peace be vnto the. In the hebrew phrase peace signifieth trāquility good successe as the cōmon people say prosperous fortune This word Shalū is deriued of the verbe Shalā which is to performe to finish to accōplish The latin word Pax also which is peace agreeth with the hebrew significatiō For if we may beleue Augustine Pax that is peace is a trāquility of ordre And then we recken al things to be peaceable whē they are right quietly disposed And Gideon built there an altar These wordes are spoken by the figure Prolepsis for he was in the night admonished of the Lord to builde this altare for the holy scripture vseth to set forth a thing summarily then to declare the thing as it was done Wherfore god came vnto Gideon in his sheape comforted him that he should not feare least he should dye cōmaunded him to buyld an alter to take a bulloke to do sacrifice to cut downe the prophane groue and to ouerthrow the alter of Baal Why the Elders vsed alters which was had in estimation The elders vsed alters not only to sasacrifice vpon but that they might be monumentes of some notable benefite geuen by god We read that Moses did so when the Israelites vnder the Lord obteyned the victory against Amalek After the exāple of Gideō euery one that is iustified by faith hauing peace toward god by Christ being assured of eternall life ought in his hart to graue such a litle Christe is our peace Christ is my Peace which thīg Paul also hath taught when he wrote to the Ephes He is our Peace which made both one 25 And the same night The Lord said vnto him Take thy fathers yong bullok the other bullok of vii yeares old destroy the altar of Baal that thy father hath cut downe the groue that is by it 26 And build an altar vnto the Lord thy god vpon the top of this rocke in a playne place take the second bulloke offer a burnt offring with the wood of the groue whiche thou shalt cut downe That which before was in a sūme spokē is now particularly expressed Some thinke the two bullokes are here mēcioned of which the one is called the secōd other by order of natiuity or as they stoode in order at the racke mangor
god is violated which commaundeth vs to loue god withall the hart withall the soule and withall the strengthes Wherfore we rather counsell that this maye bee knowleged a synne then to be counted a good woorke But bicause they perceiued that theyr sayinges haue some absurdity they added so that in the beginninge of that woorke we thinke somewhat of god and his glory and so that that which is purposed be directed vnto hym But no man doubteth but that the begynning of all those thinges whiche we do oughte to be good but afterward if fayth follow not those thinges whyche we haue well begonne and if when we are working we haue not a respect vnto god and his glory we shall runne hedlonge into sinne which may not be dissembled Farther if we should worke as we ought to do and as the law requireth yet should we as Christ sayth be still vnprofitable seruants so far is it of that we can clayme vnto our selues any merites Wherfore so long as we desist from thinkinge vpon the honor and glory of God we fall neyther are such falles to be dissembled but rather to pray that they may be turned froÌ„ vs forasmuch as of their own nature they are sinnes Fayth is not sufficient in hâ—bite but we must beleue also in acte although vnto the beleuers for Christes sake they are not imputed vnto death Wherfore let there be added to our workes a good entent But yet such an entente as is adorned with faythe and let vs performe the same not in habite but in acte Wherfore the Lord sayth in the Gospell of Mathew the .6 chap The lyght of the body is the eye And if thyne eye be symple the whole body shal be lyght But if the light which is in thee be darknes Augustine how gret shal the darknes theÌ„ be These things Augustine in his questions of the Gospels the .2 boke .15 questioÌ„ and agaynst Iulianus in the .4 boke 20. chap. iudgeth to be vnderstaÌ„ded of a good intent And in like maner writeth he in his .10 Tome the .2 Sermon where he entreateth vpon this place we must not do righteousnes before men to be seene of them The intent saith he is alwayes to be applied vnto the glory of God but the wyll to haue it knowen vnto men is to be auoyded but so much as shall seme to pertayne to the honour of God And to that tendeth that whych Christ speaketh A good tree cannot bringe forth euel frutes neither an euil tre good for as much as the tree signifieth the entent Wherfore this act of Gideon done of a good intent if those thinges be true whyche we haue sayde cannot be excused when as fayth gouerned it not 28 Thus was Madian brought low before the children of Israell so that they lift vp theyr heds no more and the lande had quietnes .40 yeares in the dayes of Gideon 29 Then Ierubbaall the son of Ioas went and dwelt in his owne house 30 And Gideon had 70. sonnes which came out of his thigh for he had many wyues 31 And his Concubine that was in Sechem bare him a sonne also whose name he called Abimelech When we heare that the earth had quietnes we maye note two metaphores The first Metaphore is whereby the land is taken for them that dwell vpon it The other is whereby silence is put for peace for that in peace the cryes of souldiers the noyse of weapons the blast of trumpets and the running to and fro of horsemen and fotemen are not harde Augustine in this place doubteth howe it could be Augustine that God suffred superstition and idolatrye so longe vnpunished And he bringeth two answeres therfore First that GideoÌ„ did indede streyghtwayes as sone as the warre was finished Why the punishmente was differed 40. yeares gather a masse of golde but he made not the Ephod by and by but longe after namely towarde the end of his life or that the Ephod was made as sone as the victory was accoÌ„plished but the people fell not to idolatrye till aboute the latter tyme of his life An other cause he addeth because in that superstition the name of God was kept neyther was the worshipping of Baal and other gods of the Gentles admitted for that as long as Gideon liued the Hebrewes came not to that mischief therfore god delt not so sharply agaynste them And it was no small benefite to geue them peace for .40 yeares of which thing seying I haue spoken before in the former iudges I shal not nede now to repeate the same agayne Ierubbaal wente and dwelte in his house He coueted not a perpetuall rule as did Cesar who after v. yeares did agayn couet to continew vnto himself the prouince of France other v. yeres But Gideon when he had obteined peace ceased from warres and dismissing his host led his life at home in his owne house in a manner like a priuate man Suche are vprighte mindes whiche indeede wante ambicion In his commeÌ„taries vpon the 1. of Samuell the 25. chap. He had .70 children for he had many wiues Of hauinge many wiues I will not nowe speake muche bycause it is to be entreated of in an other place this is sufficient to be sayd at this present that god in the old lawe permitted the same after a sort vnto the fathers VVhich came out of his thigh This is therefore written least peraduenture we should suspecte that of those .70 children some were adopted Besides the 70. whiche he had of his wiues whiche were many he had Abimeleche by hys concubyne ¶ Of Matrimony and hauing of Concubines THe place doth now admonish me somwhat to speak of hauing of coÌ„cubines wherof is often mencion made in the histories of the old testament But fyrst must we define Matrimony that therout we may gather the vse of concubines for vnlesse the nature of it be manifest Of Matrimonye Marrimonium coniungium nuptie connubium The definition of matrimony we can not se how that hauing of a concubine differeth from it Matrimony mariages wedding and wedlocke sygnify al one thing And Matrimony as it is had in the .i. boke Inst Iustin wheÌ„ meÌ„cion is made of the power of the father and in the degestes de ritu nuptiarum is defined to be a coniunction of man and womaÌ„ an inseperable conuersation of life and a communication of gods law and mans law But this diffinicion muste be perfected by the holy scriptures Wherfore we must adde that this coniunctioÌ„ of man and woman was instituted by god for the bringing forth of children for the taking away of whoredome that therby humayne life might haue helpes and commodityes In this difinicion vndoubtedlye the coniunction of man and woman holdeth place in the matter The inseperable conuersation of life pertaineth vnto the forme for with this purpose and will man and wife muste marye together For though by adultery that copulation be taken away yet when the
wife came and tolde her husband saying A man of God came vnto me and the looke of hym was lyke the looke of an Aungell of God very terrible and I asked hym not whence he was neither tolde he me his name 7 And he sayde vnto me Beholde thou shalt conceaue and beare a sonne Now therfore thou shalt drinke no wine nor stronge drinke neyther eate any vncleane thyng for the chylde shal be a Nazarite to God from his birth to the day of his death 8 Then Manoah prayed vnto the Lord and sayd I praye thee my Lord let the man of God whom thou senttest come agayne vnto vs and teache vs what we shall do vnto the childe when he is borne 9 And God hearde the voyce of Manoah For the Aungell of the Lorde came agayne vnto the wife as she sat in the fielde but Manoah her husbande was not with her 10 And the wife made hast and ranne and shewed her husbande saying vnto hym Beholde the man hath appeared vnto me that came vnto me to daye 11 And Manoah arose and went after hys wyfe and came to the man and sayd vnto him Art thou the manne that spakest vnto the woman And he sayd Yea. 12 Then Manoah sayd Nowe let thy saying come to passe But what shal be the iudgement of the childe and his worke 13 The aungell of the Lord aunswered vnto Manoah The womaÌ„ must beware of all that I sayd vnto her 14 She may eate of nothyng that commeth of the wine vine tree that is she shall drinke no wine nor stronge drinke nor eate any vncleane thing let her obserue all that I haue commaunded her The woman thought that it had bene some godly man whom she had sene or a Prophete for she knew not that it was the aungell of God His looke saith she was terrible The Hebrewe worde is ambiguous for it may be turned both terrible and wonderfull And vndoubtedly the thinges whiche are wonderful especially deuine things doo strike into men a feare She faythfully sheweth vnto her husband these thinges and doth the dewty of a good wife What matrimony is For Matrimony is an vnseperable society hauyng the communion both of thynges deuine humane And this matter pertayned partly to thinges deuine bycause it was shewed in the name of God and partly vnto humane thynges bycause it was a matter as touchyng the receauyng and education of a child She sayth she asked him not whence he was bycause in such visions men are so amased that they are attentiue onely vnto the thynges which are spoken neither haue they any leasure to enquire of more thinges So the mother of the Lord when the Aungell saluted her asked hym not what his name was or from whence he came Gideon also when he receaued the oracle of the Aungell for the delyuering of the people was altogether so astonished that he was nothyng inquisitiue what his name was But the woman speaketh these thynges by anticipation for she thought that her husbande woulde heare and inquire of hym the truth Althoughe Iosephus in hys booke de Antiquitatibus as I haue before admonished sayeth that when he hearde the wordes of his wife he somewhat suspected her of euill Ambrose Howit Ambrose in hys .70 Epistle where he very diligently entreateth of this Hystory denieth that to be very lykely For if sayeth he he had ben gelious God would not haue sent an aungell vnto hym But me thinketh Ambroses reason is not firme For Manoah might otherwise be a good man although he were touched with suspition Very good men also haue oftentymes some suspition of such things For euen Ioseph the husband of Mary whoÌ„ the holy Scripture testifieth that he was a iust man somewhat sinisterly suspected hys Spouse to whom yet the Aungell appeared Wherefore I rather beleue that Manoah was eyther altogether without gelousy or elles not very muche gelous For he accused her not abroade her repudiated her not neither vsed he the publique remedy of the lawe For then was in force that lawe whiche was geuen by GOD that if a manne suspected his wife of aduoutry he should bryng her to the doore of the tabernacle where the Priest should searche out the honesty of the woman by solemne waters and by a bitter curse The cause of the lawe of gelousy For God would that maryed folkes should lyue together with a mery quiet and not suspitious mynde But Manoah dyd not onely not vse these remedyes but also he by no meanes rebuked his wyfe But strayghtwaye prayed vnto the Lorde that that man of God would returne the seconde tyme wherby he myght vnderstand how the child should be brought vp Neither dyd he tempt god by hys prayers In deede no man ought to desire a signe that he may beleue the articles of fayth For those thynges whiche are contayned in them are already before sufficiently proued and confirmed by the worde of God and by miracles But if there happen any newe and singular reuelation bycause there may bee deceates and guiles of deuilles who transforme themselues yea euen into the aungelles of lyght if we require a signe of the Lorde or instruction we sinne not That a baren woman shoulde beare or that a childe shoulde set the people at liberty it was a certayne singular thyng Wherefore Manoah prayeth for nothyng curiously and therefore GOD hearde hym He afterwarde demaunded the name of the aungel but bycause he demaunded it curiously he was not hearde The aungell came agayne vnto the woman the selfe same daye as all interpreters doo agree And vndoubtedly it might be that first he came in the mornyng and the second tyme either at noone or about the sunne set Manoah asked VVhether he were the manne whiche spake with hys wife whiche thing wheÌ„ he affirmed vnto hym he sayde Let thy sayinge come to passe It maye be an oration of one that wisheth as if he shoulde haue sayde I woulde to GOD it myght come to passe Or it may by supposition as if it shoulde haue bene sayd If it come to passe as thou haste sayde VVhat then shal be the iudgement of the child When he saith iudgement he asketh not Counsel of Astronomers which aunswere by the starres what shall come to passe of a childe He onely demaundeth what GOD had decreed of the childe Neither ought the decree of GOD wherof he inquireth to be referred vnto the merites of the child but onely vnto the mercye of GOD. For Mischpat is very well turned a decree for a decree is of mercye and not of merite The Aungell repeateth vnto hym all those thynges whiche he had before commaunded the woman to take heede of She maye not eate sayeth he of any thynge that commeth of the wyne grape Certaine wine â—rees beare not wine These woordes declare that there are also other kyndes of vynes out of whiche is not gathered wyne But when the Aungell sayeth Neyther shall she drynke wine nor stronge drinke hys aunswere