POSSIDETE ANIMAS VESTRAS THE Common Places of the most famous and renowmed Diuine Doctor PETER MARTYR diuided into foure principall parts with a large addition of manie theologicall and necessarie discourses some neuer extant before Translated and partlie gathered by Anthonie Marten one of the Sewers of hir Maiesties most Honourable Chamber Meliora spero In the end of the booke are annexed two tables of all the notable matters therein conteined 1. Cor. 3 11. Other foundation can no man laie than Christ Iesus which is alreadie laid TO THE Most excellent mightie and religious Princesse ELIZABETH by the grace of God QVEENE of England France and Ireland defender of the true Christian faith c. IF almightie God most gratious souereigne Ladie had but as meanlie furnished mee with vnderstanding and vtterance as hee hath plentifullie inriched your Maiestie with manie most excellent gifts and graces my penne at this time would runne more agreeable to your Highnesse eares and my words pearse more deepe into your Princelie breast Then might I though with some boldnesse yet with all humblenesse approch your presence and present you with such matter as God by his holie spirit hath offered mee and in such maner as might be most liking to your godlie disposition Not that J poore simple man can prefer aught as yet vnknowne to your excellent Maiestie to whom God in his sonne Christ hath imparred as great abundance of his wisedome and knowledge as flesh bloud in this life can well conceiue but that J haue of long time beene carried with an extraordinarie zeale and desire incomparable once in my life by some perpetuall record of your roial name to giue an outward testimonie of mine inward hart and an assured seale of my bounden dutie so long borne to your manifold vertues religious profession and high estate And for the better performance of this my determined purpose perceiuing my selfe though not vnwilling yet vnable to publish anie worke wholie of mine owne deuise woorthie the regard of so great a Prince and the reading of so iudiciall a censure J resolued at last vpon this booke a worke not so long as learned conteining matter not so hard as true written by an Author not so late as famous which J haue faithfullie translated and partlie gathered and wholie dedicated to your excellent Maiestie For as all scripture inspired from aboue is profitable to teach to reprooue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse that the man of God may be wise vnto saluation and perfect vnto all good works so in this worke is drawne a perfect forme of the most ancient religion true seruice of God set downe by the Apostles Jn it is reprooued the huge heape of heresies and errours sproong vp in the church since the incarnation of Christ with the particular discouerie of the Romane Antichristian kingdome Jn it is comprised a due correction of sundrie defaults in life and defects in gouernement Jn it is deliuered a perfect instruction for soundnesse of conscience and sinceritie of conuersation to all estates besides manie speciall comforts to the troubled exhortations to the slowe persuasions to the doubtfull incouragements to the forward reprehensions of the obstinate explications of hard scriptures distinctions of difficult saiengs discoueries of false arguments and definitions of diffuse questions And as for the Authour in a word or two neuer was there yet found anie aduersarie so enuious as to denie his learning nor so subtill as to refell his arguments nor so wise as to ouer-reach his discretion nor so terrible as to driue him from his godlie purpose no nor so malicious as to slander his life wherein he bestowed his time and behaued himselfe not onelie as a right Euangelist but if it be lawfull so to saie as a verie Apostle Wherefore I most humblie beseech your Maiestie that according to your accustomed gratious fauour it will please you to be partaker of these fruits of his and protector of these labours of mine sowne and sproong vp ripened and gathered begun and ended within the walles of your Highnesse Court by your most faithfull and loiall subiect and seruant But now in making mention of this matter J cannot but call to mind with ioie and reuerence that this our natiue countrie did first of all kingdoms in the world faithfullie receiue and publikelie professe the religion of Christ. And it reioiseth me much more that after so long and so foule a fall of the house of God this of all other kingdoms did first openlie indeuour to repaire the ruines thereof a principall labourer in which worke was D. Peter Martyr who long susteined vpon his owne and almost onlie shoulders the greatest weight of this burthen but most of all doo I praise the Lord euen from my hart that after satan our ancient enimie had giuen a sharp assault vpon Gods saints who began to laie both their heds their hands to the new building of this temple the Lord by your Maiestie though weake in respect of your sex yet strong by his power who chooseth the weake things of this world to confound the strong that his power might appeere in our infirmitie repelled his violence defeated his practises withstood his force ouerthrew his complices and proceeded to the reedification of his church O that blessed daie wherein your Maiestie was placed in your roiall seate to restore the decaied church so long captiuated vnder cruell Pharao and idolatrous Nabuchad-nezar wherein the bloud of so manie thousand seruants of God was saued from the vile hands of Antichristian tormentors wherin the desperate estate of poore seelie afflicted banished soules was recouered and restored by a mightie hand and stretched-out arme from Babylon to Ierusalem from Dan Bethel to the holie hill of Sion from superstition to religion from idolatrie to true worship from the heathenish masse to a christian Communion from papisticall rites to apostolicall ceremonies from beads to praiers from legends to sermons from bondage to libertie and euen as it were from hell to heauen O that all Christian English harts would celebrate that happie daie with all ioifull solemnitie with all praises to God and praiers for you who reduced vs in triumph your selfe as principall captiue leading the danse before the arke of the Lord Jt was your Maiestie that reuiued those good and godlie decrees which your most renowmed father and gratious brother had made for the repairing of the Lords tabernacle You sent laborers vnto the building you prescribed them perfect rules whereby to square euerie stone and peece of timber according to the paterne that the Lord shewed Moses in the mount You commanded them to raise their building vpon the foundations of the prophets and apostles Jesu Christ being the head corner stone But ô lamentable case to be sorrowed of all such as seeke saluation in Christ alone and sigh with vnspeakable grones to see the perfect finishing and furnishing of the holie temple The enimie hath sowed tares among
Christ Manie are called and but few chosen now here is calling spoken of wherevnto followeth not iustification Moreouer there is a certeine calling which by Paule is speciallie called According to the purpose of God Ephe. 1 5. 9. which is shewed to differ from the other common calling Wherefore it is prooued by the holie scriptures that there is a difference of callings Augustine This Augustine confirmeth First against two epistles of the Pelagians the 19. chapter where he writeth For all that be called are not called according to the purpose For manie be called few be chosen They therefore are called according to the purpose who were chosen before the world was made And of this matter the same Augustine to Simplicianus at the end of the first booke Wherfore it remaineth that wils be chosen but the will it selfe vnlesse some thing happen which may delight and allure the mind cannot by anie meanes be mooued But that this should happen it is not in the power of man What else willed Saule but to inuade to drawe to bind and slaie the christians How raging was his will How furious How blind was it And yet was he with one voice from aboue ouerthrowne Doubtlesse such a vision happened vnto him as thereby crueltie being taken awaie that mind and will was wrested and corrected vnto faith Suddenlie of a woonderfull persecuter of the Gospell he became a more woonderfull preacher of the same So then it is manifest that the calling is of two sorts one common and an other according to the purpose to the vnderstanding whereof wée must knowe that this purpose is nothing else but a sure firme and constant decrée of God wherein he foreknew and appointed those which he would ioine togither iustifie and blesse in Christ The calling which vnto this purpose is confirmed is effectuall and changeth men through the word of God by the helpe of the holie Ghost But the other is common whereby are offered the promises of God through the word either outward or inward but not with such an efficacie as thereby the minds can be healed This distinction did Augustine verie well know Augustine who against Iulian the Pelagian in the fift booke the third chapter writeth after this maner Not all men which be called are called according to the purpose For manie be called Mat. 20 16. but few are chosen Wherefore else where also he saith 2. Tim. 1 9. According to the power of God who hath saued vs and called vs with an holie calling not according to our works but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs in Christ Iesus before the beginning of the world The same Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum the 16. chapter For manie which be predestinate God calleth his sonnes that he may make them the members of his onelie predestinated sonne not with that calling Matth. 22. wherby they were called which would not come to the marriage sith by that calling both the Iewes were called 1. Cor. 1 23. Vnto whome Christ crucified is a stumbling blocke and the Gentils also vnto whome Christ crucified is foolishnesse But he calleth the predestinate by that calling which the apostle distinguished saieng Ibid. 24. that Hee preached Christ the power of God and the wisedome of God vnto them which are called both of the Iewes and Graecians For so saith he in these words Vnto them which are called that he might note them which were not called knowing that there is a sure maner of calling of them which are called according to the purpose Rom. 8 29. whome he foreknew and predestinated to be made like to the image of his sonne Which calling he signifieng said Rom. 9 12. Not by works but by him that calleth it was said vnto hir The elder shall serue the yoonger He saith Not by works but by beleeuing Also he vtterlie tooke this from man that he might yeld the whole vnto God Therefore he said But by him that calleth not by euerie kind of calling but through that calling whereby man is made a beléeuer This also had he a respect vnto when he said Rom. 11 29. The gifts and calling of God are without repentance The same father in his Treatise De spiritu litera the 34. chapter mentioneth an other difference of these callings that the one counselleth and the other throughlie persuadeth And he saith Now if any shall presse vs to search that déepenesse why one is so counselled as he becommeth throughlie persuaded and an other not so two things in the meane time I call to remembrance which I think good to answer O the deepenesse of the riches Rom. 11 33. Rom. 3 5. c. Againe Is there anie iniquitie with God Hée that shall not be content with this answer let him séeke better learned but let him beware he find not them that be presumptuous 13 After this maner did Augustine conclude this sentence bicause he sawe there were men found out which sought for a cause of the difference by frée will whom he called presumptuous He writeth in like manner in the ninth chapter De praedestinatione sanctorum But whie it is not giuen in all men it ought not to mooue a faithfull man which beléeueth that by one man all men vndoubtedlie went into most iust condemnation Euen so there should be no iust reprehension of God although that none were deliuered from thence Wherby it is manifest that it is a great grace that manie are deliuered Againe what should be due vnto them they know by those which are not deliuered that they which glorie may glorie in the Lord not in their owne merits which they sée to be like to theirs that he damned Here also Augustine plainlie teacheth that whosoeuer of vs are deliuered we are not all called by that calling by which we be deliuered that without anie iniustice of God And in the same booke the 8. chapter Wherefore saie they dooth he not teach all men If we shall saie Bicause those whom he teacheth not will not learne Psal 85 7. it will be answered vs And where is that signe which is said vnto him Lord turne thou againe and quicken vs or else if God of vnwilling make not willing whie dooth the church according to the precept of the Lord praie for them that persecute hir c. Augustine resteth not vpon that answer to wit that they are not taught bicause they will not learne for he saith that of vnwilling GOD can make willing Prosper Adcaput Gallorum answereth to them which obiect that they which are called are not called alike but some are called that they should beléeue c. The answer followeth If calling be onlie vnderstood in preaching of the Gospell it is not trulie said that vnto diuers men it is diuerslie preached séeing there is one God one faith one regeneration and one promise But if there be a respect had to the effect
treateth of contemplation and teacheth that the same without doubt is a great part of mans felicitie Wherefore this distinction shall séeme to be maimed when the third part is omitted But herevnto we will answere that vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contemplation it selfe is contained And it is diligentlie to be noted that Aristotle said not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bicause vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he had not comprehended contemplation so as the diuision is not vnperfect neither Aristotle contrarie to himselfe nor yet is he against Quintilian for although these thrée are rehearsed in the end yet is there two of them comprehended vnder one word 7 But the holie scriptures are herin more excellent than Philosophie The end of man of two sorts according to the scriptures that of men they appoint two sorts of ends whereof the one may be obtained while we liue here but the other is waited for when we shall at the length be loosed from hence which bicause it is the more perfect we will declare the same in the first place And such it is as we shall sée God present and shall fullie and most perfectlie enioie his sight which Paule writing to the Philippians did most earnestlie wish to obtaine Phil. 1 23. I desire to be loosed from hence and to bee with Christ And the same Apostle said 1. Co. 13 12 Now we see as through a glasse and in a darke speech then shall we see face to face Againe Ibid. vers 9 and 10. Now wee knowe in part and prophesie in part but when that which is perfect shall come then that which is in part shall be abolished And this excellent reward doo the gospels set foorth vnto vs which after manie labours and miseries of this life we shall haue laid before vs in heauen The cheefe good of this life But the chéefe end and principall good of this life is that we be iustified by Christ that we be receiued into grace by the eternall Father vnto whose wrath we were thrall from our natiuitie Wherefore iustlie said Dauid Psal 32 1. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sins are couered blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne Which place did Paule for good cause cite so diligentlie vnto the Romans And to conclude those are here blessed which haue Iehouah for their God and doo trust and beléeue in him with all their hart those not in vaine did Paule call blessed Neither is the blessednes of this life altogether distant from the end and principall good which with a constant faith and inuincible hope we looke for in the world to come For euen the chéefe good of this life is none other thing but the selfe-same which at the length wée shall haue Onelie a difference of degrées and perfection passeth betwéene them 8 It is demanded moreouer that bicause we brought a reason why the worke is more excellent than that workmanship whereby it is brought to passe to wit bicause it is ordained to the worke whether this be generallie true Whether that which is ordained to an end be baser than the end that whatsoeuer is directed to another thing as to an end is of lesse estimation than the same which as it may séeme is not to be granted For it is the dutie of a shepheard to looke to his shéepe that they may be in good plight This he endeuoureth to bring to passe by his cunning where neuertheles he far excelleth his shéepe For who doubteth whither a man ought to be preferred aboue shéepe Yea the angels as it is said vnto the Hebrues are ministring spirits for the saluation of the elect whereas neuertheles their woorthines and nature excelleth men And finallie Aristotle writing of generation and corruption said that the end of the celestiall bodies is that men should be begotten whereas yet none of the Peripateticks doubt but that the heauens are of more excellent nature than men Some thought to haue escaped the doubt by saieng that the ends are mentioned to be onlie of actions but not of those actions that are efficient to wit of heauen of angels and of a shepherd Howbeit this auaileth nothing For things efficient attaine not to their ends but by actions wherefore the selfe-same end is to be assigned vnto the thing efficient and to the worke thereof But we must vnderstand that as it is in Aristotles 2. booke De anima the 35. and 37. chapters there is two sorts of ends one end called that for whose cause the thing is doone and the other end is called that to the which a thing is directed The Grecians thus describe them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to saie whereof and to which As for example The end wherefore and the end whereto a creature which dooth ingender hath the end Wherfore to wit that eternall and diuine end namelie perpetuitie which it would attaine which since it cannot absolutelie haue yet at the leastwise it claimeth the same by generation The end Wherevnto is the thing which is begotten the end of nature which is in plants is to bring foorth fruits flowers and this is the end Wherefore But the vse of men is the end Wherevnto It may then well be that the end Whervnto is of lesse honor so is referred vnto that end which is Wherefore And the end which is Wherefore is the more woorthie as matter which is directed to the forme And no man is ignorant of this that the forme is better than the matter But it happeneth otherwise when a thing is directed vnto that which is the end Wherevnto not that it should be made perfect thereby but that the same should make it perfect For then the end Wherevnto is lesse woorthie bicause it is vnto such an end So of the angels and of heauen The end of heauen Wherefore is to be resembled vnto God and to make other things perfect which is the better end For heauen in the dooing of these things is better than if it did them not Likewise in angels the end is to obtaine God and to kéepe vs in dooing wherof they be more woorthie than themselues if so be they did it not And the shepheard hath an end Wherefore euen his owne wealth and increase wherewith he is better than if he were destitute thereof and of the wealth of his familie and citie But the end Whervnto are the shéepe themselues ouer whom he is ordained to kéepe them safe and sound And that one thing is ordeined for another How the more worthie thing is sometime ordeined for the lesse worthie that it should preserue the same and withall be more woorthie than it we haue an example When as by kings and monarchs some are appointed to be chéefe rulers or deputies and are directed vnto the people that they should gouerne
put in record And here it shall not be vnprofitable if we consider of the difference betwéene the word of God The word of God first reuealed then written as it was reuealed vnto the prophets at the first that which was preached afterward or published in writting wherein we shall only sée a difference in the time and not in the strength and authoritie For we grant that the word vnwritten was of more antiquitie than that which was afterward put in writing and that aswell both the one as the other was bestowed vpon the church but yet as we said before it was not lawfull for the church by any meanes to wrest or alter the same Secondlie we doubt not The duty of the church is to preach publish the word but that the churches part is to preach and set foorth the word of God committed vnto it wherein it is likened to a crier who notwithstanding he proclame the statutes of a prince or magistrate A similitude yet is he not either of more or of equall authoritie with them But all his labour is faithfullie to proclame all things euen as he receiued them from the princes and magistrates For if hée should so doo he might be counted a traitour Wherefore it behooueth the ministers of the church that they prouide and indeuour nothing more than to be found faithfull 8 Thirdlie we also acknowledge it to be the function of the church The church discerneth the true scriptures from not canonicall that séeing it is indued with the holie ghost it should descipher discerne the true and proper books of the heauenlie word from them that be not canonicall Which office doubtlesse is not to beare a higher authoritie than the scriptures as many doo foolishlie dreame For thus they saie Forsomuch as the church hath accepted and allowed some scriptures and hath refused other some to be no scripture therefore it hath authoritie to determine of them as it listeth But this is a verie weake kind of argument We will grant in verie déede that the ancient church had such an abundance of the spirit as thereby they easilie knew which of those that were presented vnto them were the true proper words of God and these as canons and rules of Gods word they disseuered by a spiritual vnderstanding from the other books called Apocrypha which being once done it was not lawfull for the church to make what interpretation it would but both the spirit of Christ must be harkened vnto and also the consent of all the places of scripture must be diligentlie considered The verie which thing we sée dailie to be done When a kings letters are brought to a citie or prouince A similitude the lieutenants and gouernours of those places by verie vse and morall skill knowe well inough whether the letters which be deliuered in the name of the king be true or counterfeit but when they shall perceiue them that they be neither fained nor depraued it is not lawfull to alter transforme and wrest them after their owne will Euen so must we thinke of the church For it is not onlie a faithfull witnesse but also a sure kéeper of Gods books and yet it is not lawfull for the church to appoint anie thing in them otherwise than God himselfe hath prescribed There be a great many that can iudge which be the right works of Aristotle and of Pâ—ato and which be not who neuerthelesse are not straight way to be thought comparable to either of them in learning And amongst vs christians euerie one can easilie espie the difference betwéene God and the deuill and yet must we not be compared with God and much lesse be thought to excell him Euen so the church must not for this cause preferre hir credit or authoritie aboue the scriptures Augustine 9 But they alledge that Augustine saith I would not beléeue the gospell vnlesse the authoritie of the church should mooue me But that place of Augustine hath this latine word Commouéret that is to saie To mooue with the help of another thing and not simplie To mooue of it selfe Faith is powred in by the holy ghost and the ministers work togither by him For vndoubtedlie it is the holie ghost which powreth in faith to the hearers of Gods word And the ministers of the church being his instruments are rather to be said to mooue togither by him than absolutelie by themselues The same Augustine against Faustus in the 28. booke and second chapter writeth that the heretikes called Manichei should aswell beléeue that the first chapter of Matthew was written by him as he beléeued that the epistle called the foundation of their religion was written by Manicheus bicause it was so preserued among the elders of their religion and so came from hand to hand at that time And therefore it must on this sort be vnderstood that the church mooueth vs to beléeue the gospell bicause it faithfullie kéepeth the holie scriptures preacheth them and discerneth them from other writings The same father in his sixt booke of confessions the fourth fift chapters dooth plainlie witnes that God himselfe doubtles giueth authoritie to the holie scriptures Tertullian Irenaeus Tertullian Irenaeus standing in disputation with the heretikes did therefore send them vnto the apostolike churches bicause they allowed not full and wholie of the scriptures wherefore they would that they should vnderstand the sense and meaning of them by such churches as were certeinelie knowne to be apostolike For méete it was that such churches should be continuall witnesses and preseruers of the bookes of God And yet did they not by this meanes affirme that the authoritie of the church is to be preferred aboue the scriptures 10 But our aduersaries saie that they are led by a common rule vaunted by the Logicians namelie That thing is to be iudged the more so A rule in Logicke for the which another thing is so Wherevpon they gather this reason If the scripture haue authoritie by iudgement of the church then it followeth that there is a more authoritie in the church than in the scripture But they consider not how that sentence of the Logicians taketh place onelie in such causes as are called finall but that in efficient causes it is not firme For although this inferiour world of ours be warmed by meanes of the sunne and planets it followeth not Similitudes that the sunne and planets be therefore more hot than the things which they haue warmed Likewise surfetters and intemperate men are droonke by reason of wine but we cannot conclude thereby that wine is more intemperate than they Yea the Logicians teach that the foresaid rule is then firme and true in efficient causes when they be brought whole and perfect not when they be mangled and vnperfect Which point doubtles is smallie obserued by our aduersaries in this argument For the church is no efficient cause of that authoritie and credit which
conditions is looked for in vs wherefore the change must not be attributed vnto him but vnto vs. But if thou wilt aske me whether God hath knowen and decréed before what shall come to passe as touching these conditions I will grant he hath For euen at the first beginning he not onlie knew what the euents of things would be but also decréed what should be But séeing the secretnes of his will touching these things is not opened vnto vs in the holie scriptures therefore we must followe that rule which is giuen by Ieremie Ionas 3 4. euen as we haue rehearsed before Esaie 38 1. This rule the Niniuits and also Ezechias the king had respect vnto euen before the same was published For although that destruction was denounced to them in the name of God yet they escaped from it by reason of the repentance and praiers which they in the meane time vsed Neither is there anie cause whie we should suspect that God dooth lie in anie thing God lieth not when he threatneth things which come not to passe when he threatneth or promiseth those things which doo not afterward come to passe For as touching Ezechias death was vndoubtedlie to haue taken hold of him by reason of naturall causes commonlie called the second causes wherefore the sentence being pronounced according to those causes he might not be accused of a lie Also the Niniuits if God had doone by them as their sinnes deserued there had béene no other way with them but destruction And God commanded Ionas to preach vnto them according to their deserts Furthermore a lie which in talke hath a supposition or condition ioined therewith cannot be blamed in such sort as it may be in arguments which he absolute and without exception séeing the euent dependeth of the performing or violating of the condition The xiij Chapter Of the creation of all things wherein is intreated of angels of men of the essence of the soule of the image of God and of diuerse other things I Would thinke that vnder the name of heauen and earth In Gen. 1 1. What is signified vnder the name of heauen and earth Moses shewed that the foundation or ground of all things aswell of the heauens as of the elements was made and that this matter is signified by the names of things alreadie finished For séeing it cannot be knowen otherwise but by the forme and perfection it is méet that that also should be named and specified Wherefore this whole heape is signified by the name of heauen and earth wherein also come the other thrée elements fire aire water He shewed vs of the vttermost things by which he will also haue vs to knowe the things that are betwéene both But how far these things at the first were out of square and order it is shewed when of the earth it is said It was without form Gen. 1 2. wast Wherfore this rude heape was brought foorth being as yet stuffe or matter void of order the which belonged aswell to the vpper things as to the lower And so perhaps as the more noble had the vppermost place so to the lesse noble was assigned the nethermost for this cause the name of creation is verie fit for the first and vnorderlie heape The difference betweene making and creating For those things séeme onlie to be made of nothing and other things are said to be made and fashioned And yet this difference is not obserued in all things for some things are called created which are said to be deriued from some former matter Two things doubtles men haue béene accustomed to attribute vnto creation both that it should be of a sudden and that it require no matter to be before hand The Philosophers error touching the beginning of the world 2 Thus the world was not rashlie made neither is it coeternall with the maker or creator Manie of the ancient philosophers assigned the workemanship of things vnto rashnes and chance séeing diuers of them in the stead of beginnings named discord and debate or else such little small bodies as smaller cannot be Aristotle attributed eternitie vnto that whereby he maketh God not to be the working cause of the world but onelie attributed vnto him the cause of the end or if he doo he taketh from him the power of working according to his will and thinketh that the world followeth him as a shadowe dooth the bodie or as the light dooth the sunne Which the Peripatetikes will séeme to doo for diuine honour sake least they should be driuen to ascribe anie lacke of power or alteration in God But these things hurt not vs at all for we affirme not that God is borne or apt to suffer anie thing but we attribute vnto him the chéefest power to doo And although God in his eternitie minded to make the world it followeth not therefore that when he did make it there was in him anie alteration of his purpose or will Againe let vs beware of the error of them in old time A curious imagined error which thought that there was an eternall and vncreat Chaos or confused heape extant before and that God did onelie picke out those things which were there mingled togither But we saie that the same heape also was made the first daie Some there be which demand that séeing God could haue brought foorth the world long before why he did it so late This is an arrogant and malepert question wherein mans curiositie cannot be satisfied but by beating downe the follie thereof For if I should grant thée that the world was made before at anie certeine instant of time that thou couldest imagine yet thou mightest still complaine that the same was but latelie made if thou refer thy cogitation to the eternitie of God so as we must herin deale after a godlie maner and not with this malepert and rash curiositie Of Angels and their creation 3 But verelie it séemes to be a maruell why the creation of Angels is so kept in silence as there is no mention thereof in all the old testament in the old testament I saie bicause in the new testament it is spoken of In the first chapter to the Colossians there is plaine mention of their creation Colos 1 16. There be some which bring two places of the old testament namelie Who maketh his Angels spirits Psal 104 4. And in an other place Psal 33 9. when he said And they be made Howbeit these places doo not firmelie persuade it The heauens are turned about by Angels It should be rather said that they are comprehended vnder the name of heauen séeing it is generallie receiued that the heauens are turned about by them The first reason is bicause if their creation had béene first described it might haue séemed that God vsed their labour in the bringing foorth of other things But to the intent wée should attribute vnto God the whole power of creation therefore did Moses kéepe
instruction of Angels was not vsed or néedfull vnto diuine things as commonlie it had bin in the old Testament euen so in the euerlasting kingdome where we shall haue Christ reuealed and the father euidentlie knowne vnto vs certeinlie we shall enioie the fellowship of Angels but not vse the ministerie of them But as touching the substance and nature of Angels and of men we cannot certeinelie knowe in what degrée we and they shall be placed in the heauenlie habitation but yet if we respect nature we doubt not but that they are more excellent than we be But who can boldlie either affirme or denie whether the grace and spirit of God shall more abound in some certeine men than in them Neuerthelesse as concerning the place of S. Paule in the second chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 2 6. it sufficeth that his words be true namelie that we as we be and are conteined in our head may be said to sit at the right hand of the father aboue all creatures But afterwards if one would infer thereby that we shall doo the same as touching our owne proper nature or person that cannot be prooued by anie firme argument And Paule vseth things past for things to come to wit that we are alreadie taken vp and sit in heauenlie places and that not without reason that he might make the same more certeine euen as those things be which are past alreadie Or else if we haue respect to the will and decrée of God these things be alreadie done But in the epistle to Timothie the selfe-same things are assigned vnto the time to come when the Apostle saith If we be dead together with Christ 2. Tim. 2 1â— we shall liue together with him If we suffer with him we shall also reigne with him Yet neuerthelesse we must not accuse him of a lie in that he vseth those times that be past in stead of the times to come For whatsoeuer is come to passe in our head we confesse it to be done in vs in so much verelie as we are growne vp together with him Wherefore let none saie If Christ be risen from death if he be carried vp into heauen if he sit at the right hand of God what belongeth this vnto mée Yes doubtles verie much for whatsoeuer hath hapned vnto him thou maiest of good right estéeme that it hath happened to thy selfe Those shall not greatlie trouble vs which by thrones principalities powers and dominions will haue to be vnderstood such princes monarchs magistrates For Paule when he maketh mention of these speaketh manifestlie of Angels of spirits that be aboue whom in the second to the Ephesians Ephe. 2 2. Colo. 2 15. he calleth rulers or guiders of the world and to the Colossians he saith Christ hath spoiled principalities and powers hath led them as it were in open triumph In which place who séeth not that these words doo signifie vnto vs the spirits which be aduersaries vnto God In 1. Cor. 15 verse 14. 20 But whereas it is said in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chapter When he hath put downe all principalitie 1. Cor. 15 verse 14. Chrysost and rule and power these things aswell Chrysostome as diuers other interpretors refer vnto the diuell other wicked spirits being souldiers of his band which I mislike not Albeit if anie will vnderstand them as concerning magistrates and principalities of this world I will not be against it For kings and princes haue the sword to the intent that sinne may be kept in subiection and that innocent subiects may be defended from violence and iniuries which things shall take no place when things shall be set at peace and quietnes by Christ We might also vnder these names comprehend the good Angels which be assigned as ministers and helpers vnto vs while we be here in this miserable life as we read in the epistle to the Hebrues and as Daniel testifieth Heb. 1 14. Dan. 10 13. and 12. 1. Angels be gouernours of kingdoms and gardians of men Mat. 18 10. The cause of the motion of the planets they be set ouer kingdoms and they be the gardians of men séeing Christ said as touching the yoong children Their Angels doo alwaie behold the face of the Father But when the kingdome of Christ shall be fullie appeased then these ministeries shall be superfluous and therfore it is said that they shall be taken awaie Yea and the labours of the sunne moone stars and celestiall bodies shall not be néedfull for therefore are they mooued and kéepe their circuite in the world that they may driue awaie darkenes and cold and bicause that fruits also may be brought foorth for the defense of our infirmitie which béeing perfectlie healed these helps and supportations shall be at rest Wherefore we read in the Reuelation of Iohn that an Angel sware by him that liueth for euer Apoca. 1 5. that hereafter there should be no time anie more which cannot be taken awaie vnles the motions of the heauens be at rest And therefore it is said that all these things shall be abolished if not as touching their substance In what respecâ—s the celestiall bodies shal be abolished yet as touching their gifts and offices which they exercise towards men The same thing also may be said of ecclesiasticall dignities and functions which now indéed further vnto edification but when all things shall be perfect absolute in the elect they shall cease and haue an end Manie things hath Dionysius concerning the signification of the words Principalitie power and dominion but yet such as are spoken onlie of him for among the rest of the fathers there is verie little extant as touching these things and that for good cause for the holie scriptures teach not these things bicause they further not to our saluation Wherefore they A iudgment of bookes ascribed to Dionysius which be of the greatest iudgment in ascribing of bookes to the true authours of them doo not thinke that Dionysius which wrote of these things is that Areopagita the scholer of Paule but some later Dionysius Neither is it likelie to be true that that worke was in estimation long ago séeing that Gregorie except Gregorie who was a Latin man none of the ancient fathers cited those writings I haue heard sometimes diuers saie that these surnames of Angels were commonlie translated by a metaphor taken of the powers of this world and therfore they would that Paule when he happened to make mention of Angels remembred these names as if he should saie Whether they be principalities or dominions And they alleadge the place vnto the Ephesians where it is said Ephe. 1 21. that Christ is set aboue euerie name that is named whether it be in this life or in the life to come But I doo not much allow this iudgement bicause not onlie the Rabbins Orders of Angels Among the celestiall spirits there be orders and offices In Rom
bodies into the hands of those whom he will defend Which things being so then this vndoubtedlie is brought to passe that we are not in anie wise to stand in feare of tyrants which alwaies for the most part are against God and haue a confidence in their own great strength when they defend a wicked cause and assure themselues of abilitie to ouerthrowe the weake and féeble flocke of Christ at their owne pleasure For against them the strength of Gods word and the power of the spirit although we be weake and féeble of nature shall make vs mightie and inuincible Indéed in mans reason we being compared with them may easilie appeare to be but woorms or grashoppers but we being fortified and walled in by the power of God shall not onlie ouercome them Rom. 8 37. but as Paule to the Romans saith We shall conquer them For Christ himselfe shal be present with vs who bindeth that strong armed man plucketh from him by force those most rich spoiles which he had heaped togither Happilie did he wrestle with the diuell and his members and through him shall we also fight prosperous battels and shall obteine a far more noble victorie than the poets feigned their gods to carrie with them against the Cyclops Titans and other the giants which at a place called Phlaegra as they fable were quite extinguished by Iupiters thunder-claps It is proofe inough whie in old time the giants Why giants mightie and wise men doo resist God and now at this daie the mightiest princes and wise men of the world resist God verelie euen bicause they trust leane ouermuch to their owne strength wherein they hauing more affiance than is méet there is no mischéefe but they dare attempt there is nothing that they thinke not lawfull for them But God vouchsafeth not by such men to bring to perfection those things which he hath determined to do but is woont rather by Dauids and such other abiects Whie God dooth execute by weake men and not by mightie to perfourme the things that he hath purposed to doo to the intent that his strength and power may far and largelie appeare 37 I would thinke that inough hath béene spoken of this matter but that yet there remaineth a certeine place to be expounded to wit how it is written in Deuteronomie that Og the king of Basan was onlie left of the giants Deut. 3 11. Whether Og was the last of the giants What Rabbi Selomoh fableth I am not ignorant but his exposition is so childish and ridiculous as I am ashamed to rehearse it Wherefore I iudge that it was not spoken absolutelie and without exception that he was left as though there had béene no giants left in the world besides himselfe but it is shewed that he onlie did remaine in those places namelie on the other side of Iordan Further it must be knowne that not the Israelites onelie did rid the giants out of those regions The Moabites and Israelites draue giants out of their borders Deut. 2 20. for the Moabites also as we reade in the second chapt of Deuteronomie draue them out of their coasts Which thing also we must thinke did happen vnto them by the fauour of God for it is there declared that God gaue those regions to the Moabites to dwell in The xiiij Chapter Of Felicitie in generall and of the cheefest good out of the commentaries vpon Aristotles Ethikes TOuching the name of Felicitie all men in a maner agrée which is manifest by the Latins Gréekes and Hebrues for none of them doo contend about the name but about the thing it selfe and especiallie wherein the subiect or matter is to be placed they are at great dissention For the vulgar sort differ from the wise men yea if thou wilt somewhat narrowlie consider the matter all the common sort agrée not with themselues and wise men doo not a little differ from wise men The matter or subiect of felicitie The definition of felicitie From this felicitie did Aristotle exclude all creatures void of reason and this he did by vertue of the definition of felicitie which he affirmed to be the chéefe action of mans mind arising of the most excellent vertue If this be so then brute creatures shall not be partakers thereof séeing they be not capable of such an action Indéed it would not be denied but that they haue in their owne nature or kind som good proper to themselues which to them is principall and chéefe but yet we must not thinke that the same is blessednes séeing it is of such a nature as it cannot be without reason But before we come to the thing it selfe I thinke it shall be good to knowe how this definition of Aristotle dooth either agrée or disagrée with the holie scriptures How Aristotles definition agreeth with the holie scriptures Psal 118. and 127. 1. Psal 111 1. and 127 1. Psal 1 2. Psal 32 1. Iohn 2. And first where he appointed mans worke in act to be felicitie he decréed no otherwise than doo the holie scriptures where it is said Blessed are those which walke in the lawe of the Lord. Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and which dooth meditate in the lawe of the Lord daie and night All these be most godlie acts and exercises for this life But it is obiected Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes be couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne which things belong not to the worke of men but flowe from the méere liberalitie of God Héerevnto we saie that Aristotle vnderstood not nor beléeued this iustification through Christ which the holie scriptures haue reuealed vnto vs neither doo we in the meane time speake of this felicitie but we speake onelie of that which followeth this first blessednes and standeth in the right dooing while we liue héere and in the other world in the contemplation and fruition of the sight of Gods maiestie And yet neuerthelesse if we will also regard the blessednes of iustification and laie that before our eies whereby it is applied vnto vs then commeth the worke of faith For we be iustified by beléeuing although we are not iustified by the merit of that action nor yet for the dignitie thereof are receiued into grace but of this felicitie we doo not now treate And that which we doo speake of although it be the worke of man yet doth it not breake out from his strength but is produced by the power of the spirit of God and from the heauenlie maiestie In the world to come this felicitie shall be perfect which shall neuer be interrupted but shall be one and a continuall act Whereas this blessednes of Aristotle as his definition sheweth may manie times betwéene whiles breake off He would that this action whereby a man is blessed should flowe from a most excellent vertue The same also doo we thinke who shew that the actions of faithfull
the mind are distinguished A distinction of the goods of the mind for either they are referred to that which is to be vnderstood or to that which is to be desired vnto the former part are referred sharpenes of wit quicknes of spirit spéedinesse of perceiuing fast holding in the memorie prudence wisedome and also knowledges and right opinions but as for the will and desire all the morall vertues doo adorne The goods of the bodie are distinguished The good things of the bodie distinguished for some of them are dispersed ouer all the bodie as health strength and beautie for these settle not in one part of the bodie but generallie in the whole But there be other things which are proper vnto some of the members namelie swift running vnto the féete to the hands strength in holding fast in driuing in in drawing to and in casting from volubilitie or readines vnto the toong and to all the senses Outward good things are distributed into fréends Outward good things distinguished nobilitie honours riches and such like But whie the goods of the mind haue the first place manie reasons may be brought but now it shall be sufficient to saie that in good right those are the better properties which are of a better matter that is subiect But the argument of Aristotle may thus be gathered Those be the chéefest good things which belong to felicitie A resolution But the goods of the mind be the chéefest Iustlie therefore are they comprehended in the definition of blessednes Wherefore since the actions of the mind obteine the first place among the good things thereof they are rightlie set downe to be the generall word vnder which felicitie is conteined Manie there were and those not of the vulgar sort Riches are remooued from felicitie which held riches in estimation as the chéefest good and therefore Aristotle for two causes remooued those things from felicitie the first is for that they belong vnto violence for that which is violent hath no respect of felicitie But that the possession and obteining of riches is a violent thing vse and experience doth teach vs for there is none that can get great and abundant riches or can long kéepe them vnlesse there be a violence and that no small violence vsed Another reason is bicause they tend to profit and are referred to another thing wherefore the state of them is seruile For we haue them to this end that they may helpe vs to other things which we desire neither would anie man estéeme them the value of an heare vnlesse he knew them to be profitable vnto those things that he would haue And how strange this is from the nature of the chéefe good all they are not ignorant which knowe that the same should be desired for it selfe sake Verie much therefore are they deceiued which haue riches in the greatest honor bicause they be profitable vnto all things This if Midas had set before his eies he would not haue so adicted himselfe to the studie of heaping vp riches that he was iustlie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen mad for the desire of gold Neither is he alone among princes and kings to be reprooued séeing now the greatest part of them is infected with this vice who neuertheles might haue bin admonished not onlie by these two reasons of Aristotle but by manie other reasons to set downe some moderation of their desire Reasons why riches be not the cheefe good For it is without reason so greatlie to estéeme that kind of good which is externall and in a manner perteineth nothing to the mind but is onelie reckoned among the instruments whereby men are holpen to doo those things which they haue purposed Also this kind of good doth besot men if it happen vpon them that be vnwise they be verie carefull to atteine vnto riches but haue no care of their children to whome they shall leaue them nor yet of themselues who should vse them They are like vnto him which would haue manie shooes and in the meane time went barefoote Besides this the nature of riches is doubtfull in so much as they serue no lesse to the accomplishing of lewd desires and wickednes than of honest and iust duties Moreouer if vertue be therefore not the chéefest good bicause it may be with them which be asléepe and which be in miserie whom no man iudging prudentlie would call happie how shall felicitie be attributed vnto riches séeing they be oftentimes possessed of most miserable men yea rather of them which be monsters and woonderments of the world who hate all honest arts and all vertues Vnto honour it is denied and that iustlie that it should not be accounted blessednes bicause it is not in their power which be had in honour Which if we shall affirme no doubt but we may iudge the same of riches séeing the possession of them is subiect to infinit perils they are gotten and lost well-néere in an houre One man boasted of excéeding great riches which his ships had brought vnto him another hearing him answered that he made no account of goods which hoong on gables and winds And that they be not the chéefe good indéed it séems they verie well knew which termed riches a gilted felicitie Indéed I denie not but that riches be good The scriptures testifie that riches be violent Luke 16 9. 1. Tim. 6 20. but that they be the chéefest good that we denie That they be violent are referred to another thing the holie scriptures in one word testifie Make ye freends of vnrighteous Mammon That they doo hurt the vnwise it is said The root of all euils is couetousnes They which will become rich fall into snares tentation c. And as for the inconstancie of them Paule saith to Timothie Command that they trust not in the vncerteintie of riches 1. Tim. 6 9. Luk. 12 20. and Christ said This night will they fetch awaie thy soule from thee Finallie they are a hinderance vnto men as in the gospell And the yoong man being rich Matt. 19 21. went his waies so as they be good things but yet in their owne degrée Certeinlie this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is That outward goods belong not to the nature of felicitie doo comprehend must be diligentlie considered of for we easilie vnderstand thereby that the elder fathers thought not that the abundance of outward goods belonged to the nature of felicitie but onlie called the same a thing added for a helpe Riches make not the nature of felicitie they are not placed in the definition therof they are not counted among the goods of the mind wherein it is said that felicitie chéefelie standeth To what end are they then First they are therfore added to the intent they may further manie actions of an happie man for neither a liberall man nor a man of valiant courage nor he that is
all things but as it were a potter Chrysostome in the 19. Homilie vpon the epistle to the Ephesians saith that If a ship though it be sound and well rigged can not brooke the seas without a good maister or gouernour how much lesse can the whole workemanship of the world stand without the care and gouernment of God For if a maister-workeman will not begin to build before he haue deuised in his mind all the parts fashions and fourmes of the building shall we thinke that God hath rashlie without counsell or reason made all things vniuersallie Vndoubtedlie the heauenlie spheares the stars the firmament the aire the water the heate the cold so manie causes and changes of things contrarie and repugnant one to another would fall to ruine vnlesse they were susteined by some gouernour Without care and prouidence our bodie might not be defended from the rigor of the heauen We call those prouident men which being of such excellent iudgement and disposition doo kéepe all the parts of their bodie in their proper office and dutie But God hath the same place in the world that the mind hath in man Besides this the holie scriptures ascribe vnto God the destructions of kingdoms and prophesies and miracles which things doo far passe the compas of our nature And last of all they attribute vnto him the generall iudgement wherein God will one daie render to euerie man according to their works Wherefore we being induced by these and manie more reasons doo conclude that there is a prouidence For we passe not for the Epicureans whose maner of spéech is this Why the Epicures denie prouidence Euen so the powers on high With labours toile are prest The care whereof which on them lie Bereaue them of their rest And this also God walketh vpon the poles of heauen and considereth not the affaires of men These monstruous opinions haue they bred partlie for that they being of grosse wit could not perceiue higher things and partlie being of a shamefull and abhominable life would deuise for themselues this consolation least they should be perpetuallie tormented with the feare of punishments For He that liueth wickedlie Iohn 3 20. abhorreth the light And children when they haue done a fault would not haue either their father to be at home or the maister in the schoole And as touching the first part these things vndoubtedlie should be sufficient for Christians who are perswaded onelie by the word of God without other reason that there is a prouidence 7 But what prouidence is we shall easilie vnderstand by the definition of the same What prouidence is Prouidence is the power of God whereby he directeth all things and bringeth them to their appointed ends In this definition the generall word is power Assuredlie God is most absolute yet for our capacitie sake we saie that there is in him two maner of powers to wit the power of vnderstanding the power of willing For God vnderstandeth and séeth all things and not this onelie but he also willeth all things Héere I will make no néedles disputation whether the will of God be before the vnderstanding or vnderstanding before the will If anie man would knowe these things I send them vnto Scotus and Thomas This power and facultie which I speake of belongeth vnto the qualitie for it is a naturall power The difference is that God by this power directeth all things whatsoeuer either be or hereafter shall be But yet this is not enough for he also conducteth them to their ends But to what ends Euen vnto agréeable ends And those be agréeable which his purpose hath appointed The power is the cause and that things be brought to their proper ends is the effect Here haue we comprehended all the kinds of causes which can be assigned in this matter All the causes of prouidence No efficient cause of the prouidence of God This I speake bicause there can be giuen no efficient cause of the prouidence of God The formall cause is the power of God The matter whereabout are all manner of things whatsoeuer for we in no wise except anie thing But the finall cause is that all things may atteine to their owne ends and may redound to the glorie of God By this definition we sée Prouidence is no bare but an efficient knowledge Acts. 17 28. Rom. 11 36. Prou. 16 1. that the prouidence of God is not onlie a bare knowledge but it is some bringing to effect For as Paule saith In him we liue we mooue and haue our being And againe Of him and in him and by him are all things And as Salomon saith Man may prepare his heart but God ordereth the speach For we are not able to mooue no not the toong being the lightest part of the bodie without the prouidence of God Matt. 10 19. And Christ saith that A sparowe dooth not light vpon the ground without the will of our heauenlie Father And All the heares of our head are numbered Some dreame that God indéed made all these things but after he had made them A similitude cast them off So forsooth carpenters when they haue doone sufficientlie in building of a house they afterward leaue the same but if God should doo so this world would soone come to ruine For a house vnles it be oftentimes repaired and vnderpropped falleth to ruine and decaie If the soule be seuered from the bodie what remaineth but that the bodie will become putrified and rotten Neither are they to be heard which saie that God indéed ruleth all things but that this is nothing else but to minister vnto all things the common influence which euerie thing draweth vnto it selfe This is euen to make God not in verie déed but in name to be the ruler and gouernour of the world Whether God onlie by common influence doo rule all things For if so be that euerie thing according to the nature thereof doo bend and applie vnto it selfe that common influence of God then God followeth the nature of things created where as rather contrariwise all things created ought to followe and séeke after God But they saie that euen as he which throweth a stone A similitude or shooteth an arrowe hath doone enough to haue first forced the same although he himselfe afterward followe not after them when they be out of his hand so it was sufficient for God in that he indued all things with a certeine power although he do not perpetuallie gouerne them But these things be not alike for a stone and an arrowe doo fall immediatelie after that they be shot bicause that force which is in things created cannot be of long continuance Wherefore vnlesse that God should prosecute by his euerlasting care and prouidence the thing which he hath forced the nature of euerie thing could not abide When the Peripatetiks perceiued that all these inferiour things were continuallie troubled they iudged that the prouidence of God was aboue the moone
vseth the actions of all things euen of men and of euill men he vseth them I saie for the establishment of his purposes When he fauoreth his owne he giueth them plentifull increase of fruits the raine falleth earlie and late But if he will of his iustice punish the wicked nothing commeth well to passe there is giuen a heauen of brasse and an earth of iron if the fruits be ripe they perish in one night These things must not be ascribed vnto fortune When we knowe not the cause we take it to be fortune wherevpon the poet saith A goddesse Fortune we thee call And place thee high in heauenlie stall Wherefore we must not occupie our selues alonelie in a generall consideration of things of the world How sins do seruice vnto God but we must weigh the vse wherein they serue the prouidence of God whereas sin commeth of proper causes I meane of our owne will and corrupt affections yet doth the same serue God also A similitude There be manie poisons in the world A similitude they haue manie and dangerous qualities yet the physician occupieth them and the magistrate rightlie vseth them The physician by tempering of the poisons healeth the sicke the magistrate at Athens gaue poison for the taking awaie of such as were guiltie So was Socrates compelled to drinke hemlocke Although therefore poisons are euill yet may the magistrate and the physician vse them well for the safetie of the common-weale and preseruation of the sicke Euen so God ruleth sins which haue their proper causes corrupted for the performing bringing foorth of his counsels to act I might also vse another similitude Those things which séeme to be done of vs by chance in the world A similitude doo most of all serue the prouidence of God For the Lord saith in the lawe Exodus 21 and Deut. 19. How things that come by chance serue the prouidence of God Exo. 21 13. Deut. 19 2. If two shall go togither into the groue to hew wood the axe flieth out of one of their hands and he is smitten therewith that stood next him and is slaine this he did vnwittinglie he shall not be guiltie of death For God deliuered him therevnto and that for iust causes deliuered he him of a determinate purpose we vnderstand it not he knoweth it Euen so they which offend indéed they doo as they would they haue determined with themselues what they will doo but yet God vseth these actions So by the curse of Semei God would haue the patience of Dauid to be thoroughlie knowne vnto all men 2. Sa. 16 10. and would open his iudgements against his adulterie and murther but this man meant to shew his hatred against Dauid God doth that which he will as touching those crimes which men of another purpose committed not to the intent they might obeie the will of God but their owne corrupt lusts And to returne to the testimonie now alledged He that heweth wood this he would doo but the axe hitteth another man and the hitting serueth the counsell of God Ierome vpon the twelfe chapter of Ieremie writeth that Nothing hapneth rashlie and without prouidence whether it be good or euill but that all things come to passe by the iudgment of God Wherefore creatures be certeine instruments in the hand of God The creatures be the instruments of God but not all after one sort he vseth them according to his owne purpose But yet these instruments bée not all after one sort for some there be which haue no knowledge nor sense nor will and yet neuerthelesse they doo seruice vnto God But there be others which perceiue vnderstand and will those things which they doo and yet they doo it not alwaies of purpose to serue God yea rather they oftentimes vnwillinglie and vnwittinglie doo that which God appointeth Wherefore we will saie that as well liuing creatures as not liuing creatures things hauing sense and hauing no sense Angels good and bad and generallie all creatures be the instruments of God which he vseth according to the consideration of his prouidence He did vse the Assyrians Chaldaeans Persians Greekes and Romanes for punishment of the wicked Hebrues he did vse also the diuell against Saule and against Iob. But it is further to be considered that when God vseth creatures especiallie the reasonable creatures and euill creatures such as be euill men and diuels he doth not so vse them as though they did nothing themselues for euen they themselues fulfill their owne naughtines but God vseth it to purpose God dealeth not with these as with stones which haue no sense at all they will they knowe and they haue sense and when wicked men and the diuell doo naughtilie and are mooued by their owne proper lust they doo seruice vnto the prouidence of God They perceiue doubtlesse and will not that their mind is such as they would serue God for they séeke their owne Neither are they so moued by the superior cause as they vse not withall their owne naughtinesse How one worke may be both of God of the diuell and of euill men 10 But thou wilt saie that If God after this maner haue recourse as the chéefest cause vnto these actions and that euill men as the next causes doo them it shall be all one worke of God of the diuell and of naughtie men This indéed must not be denied but yet this worke commeth far otherwise from the superiour good cause than from the next cause which is corrupt This worke as it is of the diuell and of wicked men is euill It draweth infection from the wickednes of the diuell and of naughtie men which being euill trées cannot bring foorth good fruit But God the verie best and chéefest cause as he concurreth with these actions dooth them rightlie and in due order Euen as both God and the diuell would Ierusalem to be destroied but yet in sundrie respects God to the intent he might punish the obstinate the diuell that he might fulfill his cruell hatred against mankind Christ was to be deliuered vnto the crosse which also was doone and this worke as it procéeded from the hatred and malice of the Iewes was euill but the selfe-same in as much as God through that most holie action would haue mercie vpon mankind had goodnes Wherefore it is said in the Acts of the apostles Act. 4 27. that They did those things against the Sonne of God which his counsell and hand had determined Yet must those things which they did against Christ méerelie be called euill bicause they haue both their name and nature from the next cause although that God rightlie vsed them according to his owne prouidence The diuell and God exercise Iob in a farre sundrie respect also the Sabees and other robbers spoiled his substance for the satisfieng of their owne hatred so did the diuell But God did it to prooue his patience and to testifie his good will towards the godlie
5 3. 1. Pet. 1 6. for Tribulation worketh patience patience experience And Peter in the first chapter of his first epistle saith that There is ioie to the saints in temptations yea and Paule dooth glorie in his aduersities 2. Cor. 21 9. The which he meaneth not as they procéed from the diuell or from wicked men Temptations distinguished but as they come from the prouidence of God and be the instruments of his reward and saluation But if they tend vnto euill that is that they be prouocations vnto sin then must they be distinguished bicause therein is either fall or victorie If victorie be ioined with them this kind is desired of saints to the intent the diuell the flesh and the world may euerie daie more and more be vanquished in them But if they be afraid of falling it is either temporall or eternall if it be temporall we must praie for the auoiding of temptation as we doo in the Lords praier And lead vs not into temptation Matt. 6 13. This did Christ teach his apostles when hée said The spirit indeed is readie but the flesh is fraile Matt. 26 41. watch and praie that ye enter not into temptation And reason leadeth vs therevnto for we ought to detest all things that are contrarie vnto the will of God such is a fall against the lawe of God yea nothing ought to be more displeasing vnto vs euen as it appéereth by the commandement Thou shalt loue the Lord Deut. 6 5. with all thine hart and with all thy soule To these things adde that none ought to haue such confidence in his owne strength as he should not feare in temptation Wherefore in temptation we must alwaies praie but not that wée may not be tempted at all séeing God hath appointed our life to be a warfare But godlie men are not afraid of temptations which haue a perpetuall and deadlie end for they knowe that God is a father vnto them which they would not beléeue if they misdoubted that they should be forsaken of him Further they acknowledge Rom. 11 25. that The calling and gifts of God are without repentance as it is said in the epistle to the Romans ¶ Looke the propositions out of the 22. chapter of Genesis at the end of this booke The end of the first part E R THE Second Part of the Common Places of PETER MARTYR Wherein is intreated of the woonderfull knowledge of God the Redeemer The first Chapter Of Sinne especiallie originall sinne and of the vniuersall corrupting of mans nature ¶ Looke the like place In Gen. 8. at the end In Rom. 5. The cheefe points to be intreted of FIrst wee will sée whether there be anie originall sin or no for there be some which vtterlie denie the same to bée then wée will declare what it is lastlie what properties it hath and how by succession it is conueighed to the posteritie and by what meanes it is released As touching the first we must remember that both in the holie scriptures also among the fathers it hath diuers names for in the seuenth chapter of the epistle to the Romans verse 8 23. The names by which originall sin is called it is called sinne and the lawe of the members and concupiscence Else-where it is called the want of originall righteousnes a corruption of nature a lumpe of wickednes a froth a weaknes naturall The Pelagians and Anabaptists denie originall sinne The arguments of them that denie originall sin Nahum 1 9. the lawe of the flesh and such other like The Pelagians in old time denied this sinne at this daie the Anabaptists denie it These in a maner may be accounted their arguments First they saie that the fall of Adam was sufficientlie punished in himselfe and that there is no cause why God will reuenge it in his posteritie especiallie séeing it is written in the prophet Nahum that God dooth not twise punish one and the selfe-same thing for it sufficeth him that he had once punished Moreouer it is also written Ezec. 18 20 that The sonne shall not beare the fathers iniquitie but the soule that sinneth the same shall die Further that the bodie when it is formed in the wombe is the workmanship of God and hath nothing that ought to be blamed naie rather which is not woorthie of great admiration that the soule also is either created or infused by GOD and that the meanes of propagation cannot be accounted euill bicause marriage in the holie scriptures is commended and that from the beginning God commanded man to beget children Wherfore among so manie defenses of innocencie they demand by what entrances sinne could insinuate it selfe They adde also that Paule in his first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 14. when he exhorteth the beléeuing wife to abide with hir vnbeléeuing husband if he will abide with hir among other things saith Your children are holie But they saie that they cannot be holie if they be borne in sinne and that therefore they which be borne of faithfull parents cannot drawe with them originall sinne They affirme withall that it is commonlie said that sinne is a thing spoken doone or lusted against the lawe of God and that it is not sinne vnles it be voluntarie And as Iohn saith in his first epistle the fourth chapter Sinne is iniquitie 1 Iohn 3 4 contrarie wherevnto is equitie or right and that this can be no other thing than is conteined in the lawe and so that sinne is a transgression of the lawe All which things cannot fall into infants when they be borne And they saie further that it séemeth not conuenient which is spoken of some namelie that this sinne is by the flesh or bodie powred out from one to another for that the flesh and the bodie are in their owne nature senselesse things neither can they séeme to be a méet subiect for sinne And to establish their feigned deuise they said besides that those things which are spoken by Paule verse 12. in the fift to the Romans must be extended vnto the sinnes which be called actuall But they saie that it is therefore said that sinne entered by one man into the world bicause of the imitation and example which the posteritie followed 2 By these and such other like arguments they being led denie that there is anie originall sinne But as for death and the afflictions of this life which are commonlie brought as tokens whereby originall sinne is confirmed they say that those consist of naturall causes such as in the temperature of the elements and of the humors And therefore they saie it is a vaine fable that we refer them to the fall of Adam And they thinke it to be a thing most absurd to affirme that to be sinne which by no maner of meanes can be auoided Lastlie they saie that if by that meanes we shall be said to sinne in Adam bicause we were in his loines according as it is
haue procéeded from sinne These similitudes doo nothing at all further Pighius cause for although Augustine vsed now and then to speake after that sort yet his will was to be vnderstood concerning those defects and imperfections which are remaining in man after baptisme 7 But Augustine saith that in anie wise they be sinne before baptisme yea the holie Ghost also by Paule calleth them sinnes Rom. 7 5. and the nature of sinne is agréeable vnto them For wée haue defined sinne in such sort as it apperteineth vnto all things whatsoeuer doo striue against the lawe of God for as Iohn saith 1. Iohn 3 4. Sinne is vnrighteousnes and who perceiueth it not to be a thing vniust The nature of sinne is extended vnto all things which are against the lawe of God Psal 51 7. that the flesh should make the spirit subiect vnto it and that our soule will not repose it selfe in the word of God Séeing therefore all these things doo stir vs vp to transgresse and rebell against the word of God both they are vnrighteous and must be called sinnes Beside this the words of Dauid are against Pighius Behold I am conceiued in iniquitie and in sinnes my mother hath conceiued mee If naughtie desire In whom is iniquitie and these vices were the works of nature surelie the man of God would not complaine of them And what did Paule the apostle otherwise meane when hée wrote these words vnto the Ephesians Ephes 2. 3. We are by nature the children of wrath but that sinne is in euerie one of vs But Pighius goeth about by a peruerse interpretation to wrest this testimonie from vs saieng that To be the children of wrath by nature is no other thing than To be the children of wrath by a certeine condition of our birth bicause we are so brought foorth into the world And he alledgeth that some be called seruants by nature A similitude which is no other thing but that they be borne vnto such a state as they doo serue But we neither can nor ought to rest vpon this feigned deuise for the wrath of God is not stirred vp but vpon iust cause The wrath of God is not stirred vp but iustlie for it is no such thing as can be kindled either rashlie or by chance So as it behooueth that in our nature there bée something amisse whereby Gods wrath is prouoked to reuenge And that similitude of his serueth not to his purpose for those which are said to be borne bond-men by nature Bond-men by nature haue somwhat in them apt vnto bondage haue euen by nature something in them apt for bondage for if we giue credit to Aristotle in his Politiks they are bond-men by nature which excéed in strength of the bodie but in reason be slowe and dull And thereby it coms to passe that they are more méet to serue than to command others or to liue at libertie verse 2. Also the apostle dooth sufficientlie declare wherefore he calleth vs by nature the children of wrath euen bicause we by nature séeme to be prone to stir vp Gods wrath and doo walke according to the prince of this world and also for that the diuell can doo much in our harts by reason of incredulitie and that we fulfill the will of our flesh and of our mind These be the things which make vs the children of wrath And how can it be denied that sinne is in our nature séeing Christ would haue vs to be regenerate Iohn 3 3. for vnlesse we are framed amisse what néed were it for vs to be fashioned anew Besides this in the eight chapter of the booke of Genesis it is plainelie spoken Gen. 8 21. that The imagination of mans hart is euill euen from his childhood And how dare Pighius be so bold to call that a good thing and the worke of God That which the holte Ghost calleth euil is no worke of God which the holie Ghost in plaine termes hath called euill But least he should séeme to saie nothing he imagineth that the same was spoken by God of his mercie as though he would so excuse men and testifie that he would not destroie the world anie more by water bicause that men were made on that sort and that the cogitations of them did tend vnto euill yea euen from their childhood But while he iudgeth this to be an excuse he is far deceiued The true sense of that place of Genesis for this is thought to be the better and more naturall sense of this place namelie that God would enter into a couenant with Noah that he would neuer destroie the world againe with water though otherwise men were such as they deserued the same and the imagination of their harts was euill euen from their childhood These things doo not cleare mans nature from sinne but rather signifie the same to be more vicious and corrupt which neuertheles God will spare for his mercie sake Rom. 5 19. 8 Lastlie we reade in Paule that By the disobedience of one man many were made sinners which sheweth that there is sinne in them which be borne of Adam for the which they may be called sinners But Pighius thinketh himselfe able by shifts to auoid this bicause that sinners are sometime so called by reason of the gilt or fault although the act of sinning be past and shew it selfe no more Notwithstanding it be so yet is he neuer able to shew out of the scriptures that anie man is called a sinner but that either he hath sinne in him or else hath surelie committed sinne before None is called a sinner but either he hath sinne in act or else he hath committed sinne Pighius maketh a middle state betweene the damned and the blessed Matt. 25 34. and 14. Mar. 13 13. Iohn 5 29. vnlesse he will saie that God maketh men guiltie without anie sin committed by them Moreouer Pighius considereth not that by this his feigning is brought in a middle opinion touching the state of them which die onelie in the guiltinesse of Adam whereas the scriptures doo plainelie teach vs that in the last iudgement there shall be no meane but that men shall either be committed to euerlasting fire or else shall inioie eternall felicitie And it is a rash part to procéed further in such things than is reuealed in the holie scriptures wherefore they deale with more moderation and greater wisedome which refer all this whole matter to Gods diuine prouidence But it is a goodlie matter to sée by what reasons our Pighius is mooued They shall not be gréeued saith he with anie sensible paine bicause they did not contaminate themselues in this life with anie lewd purpose A corrupt nature in him that is without Christ sufficeth to damnation A similitude What matter maketh this It sufficeth that they had a naughtie nature for they were prone vnto sinne although in respect of their age they could not sinne
forme or as if ye did saie A shape But an idoll as we now speake of is euerie forme or figure which men haue inuented vnto themselues to resemble and expresse God And as there be found out sundrie and manifold matters of these formes so be there also diuers kinds of idols Wherevpon if the matter be stones wood or metall whereby God is outwardlie counterfeited to the intent he should be there worshipped those be grosse and most manifold idols There may be vsed also a spirituall matter which then happeneth when those formes and images are nothing else but conceits of the hart and mind which men doo frame to themselues to represent GOD himselfe not as the scripture declareth him but according to their owne opinion and rashnesse Wherefore according to the properties of the matter Visible idols and inuisible an idoll is diuided into two kinds the one is outward or visible and hath recourse to the outward senses of men but the other is inward that is wrought in the inward parts of the mind There be also two parts of religious worshipping The one is inward whereby we beléeue in God himselfe trust in him giue him thanks submit our selues and all that we haue vnto him and deuoutlie call vpon him in our praiers in these actions no doubt consisteth the inward worshipping But the other part hath outward tokens wherein we giue a testimonie of this mind of ours by prostrating the bodie and bowing the knée by vncouering the head by speaking and by exercising rites and ceremonies by God appointed And this is an outward worshipping or adoration 2 But we must note Outward signes of worshipping are giuen vnto princes that such outward kind of signes of bowing the bodie or knées and such other like are doone also vnto creatures I meane vnto princes and kings which in earth doo represent vnto men the authoritie of God and doo supplie his place in the administration of things And verelie then they are nothing else to be estéemed but certeine sure testimonies whereby as manie as are subiects doo trulie and from the hart confesse that they in the name of God will be subiect and obedient vnto such powers so farre as pietie and the word of God shall permit But we must beware lest in our inward iudgement we attribute more vnto them than is méet or expect more of them than their power and might is able to performe for otherwise we should not scape idolatrie Wherefore if anie by bowing himselfe to his prince would signifie that he can not erre and that it is lawfull for him to doo whatsoeuer him listeth to command anie thing whatsoeuer his pleasure is doubtlesse such a one should be counted an idolater and should commit the crime aswell inwardlie as outwardlie And whether the Popes hirelings doo vse this trade we may héereby easilie gather The Papists doo commit idolatrie towards their Pope in that they so cast themselues at his féet to testifie that they will be subiect vnto him as to the onelie vicar of Christ vpon earth as to the vniuersall bishop of the church as to him that can not erre in decrées of doctrines concerning faith and finallie as to whom onelie it is lawfull as he list himselfe to determine of religion and christian discipline Note a rule certeine Let this then be euerie where a sure and firme rule that these outward submissions of the bodie doo then apperteine to idolatrie when they shall be testimonies that the mind attributeth more vnto the creature than is méet or which are onelie proper vnto God For they be not referred vnto God himselfe or to the obedience of his commandements but to vaine formes and similitudes which we our selues haue imagined to our selues and conceiued in our mind 3 Héereby we may also gather The inuocation of saints departed perteine to idolatrie that the inuocations of saints which are vsed by the Papists are idolatrous For they attribute vnto saints those things which belong onelie vnto God namelie that they being absent heare our praiers or that they can be present at one time either euerie where or else in manie places at once thereby to be able to succour those which call vpon their names in diuerse parts of the world Augustine in his epistle to Dardanus Augustine durst not thus affirme no not of the soule of Christ to wit that it might at one time be in manie places Wherfore that which Christ spake vnto the théefe Luke 23 43. This daie shalt thou be with me in paradise the same he expoundeth should be vnderstood as touching his diuine nature séeing the bodie of Christ should the same daie be in the sepulchre and his soule in hell neither could that soule be both in hell and in paradise all at one time Basil Didymus Basilius De spiritu sancto and also Didymus would not grant this vnto the angels that they may be in diuers places at one time affirming that that thing ought onelie to be granted to the sole nature of God But they which call vpon saints beléeue that they heare them and that they are present with them which without doubt is to attribute more vnto them than the power and course of a nature created can suffer 4 But here they trifle and saie that they doo not so thinke but that God himselfe which heareth their praiers dooth open vnto the saints what is required of them But thus I answer They deceiue as well themselues as others for they knowe not whether God will shew vnto the saints their petitions wherefore the praiers which they powre out cannot be grounded vpon faith which ought to be sure and vndoubted They bring also a feigned lie of the glasse as they call it of the diuine essence A feigned tale of the glasse of the diuine essence wherein the saints behold all things but their feigned deuise hath no ground at all in the holie scriptures Ouer this séeing they will néeds haue it so admit it were so as they feigne it to be yet must they be compelled to grant that the same their glasse hath not a naturall but a voluntarie representation so as there is onelie so much séene of the saints as God will haue to be knowne For else without all exception the saints should behold all things therein Which is both false and manifestlie repugnant to the holie scriptures for Matt. 24 36. Of that daie saith the Lord the verie angels shall not knowe which neuerthelesse doo behold the face of the father which is in heauen Moreouer the Papists doo not after this maner call vpon saints for by this reckoning they should thus saie Cause O God that this or that saint may knowe those things which I require of him and that he may be with me and grant me that which I desire But they deale far otherwise O holie Peter saie they O holie Paule praie for me bring this or that thing to passe
which he commanded by Moses that We should honour our parents And this honour consisteth not onelie in vncouering our heads vnto them or in giuing them place but he would that they should be nourished and maintained by their children And how much we are bound to the rest of our neighbours in communicating of our goods verse 13. Paule declareth in the second to the Corinthians the eight chapter where he wrote that we must communicate our goods vnto the poore yet not so as those which are poore should liue at ease and abound and the giuers themselues to want Indéed we owe vnto God both our selues and all that we haue but he dealeth with vs according to right and equitie and as he is a mild father so he sheweth this equitie or moderation Wherefore the matter is so to be determined as that which Elias demanded that which the widowe granted vnto him we must vnderstand to be a prerogatiue or priuilege beside the common lawe and ought not to be taken as an example for vs. 6 But Christ in the 23. of Matthew In 2 King 5 verse 13. forbad that we should call vnto vs manie maisters in earth bicause we haue one master Iesus Christ so likewise he forbad vs to procure anie other fathers vpon the earth saue onlie the heauenlie father Wherefore that custome séemeth not to be allowable 2. King 5 13 wherein the seruants of Naaman called their lord Father Héerevnto we saie that the words of the Lord must not be absolutelie vnderstood but his mind and meaning must be considered For it ought not to be doubted but that Christ himselfe appointed his apostles to teach and instruct as well the Iewes as the Gentils But it would be verie ridiculous and I may saie a follie to giue the thing it selfe and to take awaie the title and name Neither may Paule be accused of sacrilege when he saith that he was appointed by God to be the teacher and maister of the Gentils 1. Tim. 2 7. Yea moreouer he maketh himselfe the father of the Corinthians and also the father of Timothie Phil. 2 22. in the second chapter to the Philippians And although he was not ignorant that Christ is the pastor of the flocke of the faithfull yet he teacheth that in the church there be pastors and doctors Ephes 4 11. Neither haue men arrogantlie challenged vnto themselues the name of father but haue as it were by inspiration receiued such a title offered vnto them For the lawe dooth earnestlie command that children should obeie their parents Exod. 20 12 which if they shall doo it promiseth great benefits But on the other side if they will despise them it pronounceth gréeuous cursses and execrations against them That therefore which Christ pronounced in Matthew either represseth the ambition of men which vainlie and ambitiouslie sought after such trifles or else forbiddeth them to be maisters and fathers who obscure the honor of God and his honour while they teach and preach other things than GOD and Christ either taught or preached and doo seuer the honour of parents and maisters from the honour of God and of Christ Otherwise they be fathers and maisters but yet in God and also in Christ For euen as of Christ dependeth all kindred and paternitie as it is said in the epistle to the Ephesians the third chapter so all the doctrine of the maisters of the church ought to depend of the dignitie of Christ onelie Howbeit so far as I remember Christ is not anie where in the historie of the Gospell called father Wherefore he saith in the Gospell of Iohn Iohn 14 13 Ye call me maister and Lord and rightlie for so I am Also the apostles as we read in the Acts were not called fathers onlie that Paule as I warned before named himselfe a father But at this daie among them of the church there is no measure or end of titles They are not onelie called fathers but Most reuerend Most excellent Right honourable Most holie and Most blessed Howbeit the greater titles that are giuen them by the doting world the more abiect they are in the sight of God yea and of all vnhappie men most miserable Of Ambition 7 Ambition is an ouermuch desire of honour And honour is that reuerence In Iudg. 9 verse 5. which is yéelded vnto anie man What is ambition and honour for a testimoniall of his excellencie And a testimonie is giuen to him euen of right for it is méet that we somewhat recompense them which helpe and mainteine vs Excellent men are iustlie recompensed and are furnished with the gifts of God And there is nothing that we hold more woorthie or better than honour Moreouer we giue them honour that they and their like may go forward to exercise themselues the longer and more constantlie in helping and preseruing of others Besides this that we yéelding such a reuerence may get them authoritie wherby they may the more aptlie and commodiouslie execute their office Hereby it appéereth It is lawfull for godlie men to receiue honours offered them that it is lawfull also euen for holie men sometime to imbrace the honours which are giuen vnto them for vertue learning and godlinesse sake For they both desire and allow of that which is iust and doo reioise that men performe that good which GOD would by his lawe haue doone And his commandement is that we honour our father mother magistrate and such like So as if men obeie his commandements godlie men cannot but take it with a thankfull mind Furthermore if it should not thus be doone their ministerie would be contemned but that must by all maner of meanes be auoided And forsomuch as we are prone to pride hautinesse and arrogancie therefore it behooueth to take verie warie héed that through the desire of honour how iust soeuer it may be we abuse it not And thus I purposed to note those things which I iudge méet to be taken héed of in this matter First Cautions to be vsed in admitting of honours that we repose not our selues in this kind of good thing as the chéefe end Whatsoeuer we doo must be directed vnto God and speciallie that honour which is giuen vnto vs when we rightlie and orderlie doo our duties so that thereby both we our selues may knowe and also may teach others to glorifie God and not men in their works This moreouer hath Christ commanded that we should so order our works as thereby those that sée them may glorifie God Matth. 5 16 the heauenlie father Neither ought it to mooue vs which is commonlie spoken that Honour is the reward of vertue Honour is not in verie deed the reward of vertues For that is not to be vnderstood neither as touching the vertues themselues nor as touching the men which be adorned with them For it should be verie ill with either of them if they had no other end prescribed than honour
faith by the benefit of the holie Ghost springeth in vs The holie Ghost as well goeth before as after faith by which faith is increased the abundance of the selfe-same spirit whose increase the former faith hath preuented and of a greater faith is still made a greater increase of the spirit But yet neuerthelesse we constantlie affirme that there is but one thing chéeflie from whence all these good things flowe to wit the holie Ghost Secondlie saith Augustine the lawe by the helpe of faith is otherwise confirmed bicause by faith we praie and calling vpon God with praiers we doo not onelie obteine remission of sinnes but also a great portion of the spirit and of grace so that we haue strength to obeie the lawe Doubtlesse the lawe The lawe maketh vs vncerteine of the will of God if it be taken by it selfe maketh vs both vncerteine of the good will of God and after a sort bringeth desperation vnles faith come and helpe which both maketh vs assured that God is pacified and mercifull towards vs and also by grace obteineth the renewing of strength And the apostles phrase whereby he saith that by faith he established the lawe is to be noted For thereby he signifieth that the lawe if it be left vnto it selfe and without faith is weake so that it cannot firmelie stand And therefore vnlesse it be holden vp by faith it will easilie fall And this is the point of a singular artificer not onelie to repell from him that which is obiected but also to declare that the selfe-same maketh most of all for his purpose The lawe and faith helpe one another The lawe and faith helpe one another and as the common saieng is giue hands each to other For the lawe dooth as a schoolemaister bring men vnto the faith of Christ And on the other side faith bringeth this to passe that it maketh them after a sort able to accomplish the lawe For straitwaie so soone as a man beléeueth in Christ he obteineth iustification and is liberallie indued with abundance of the spirit with grace The intent and purpose of the lawe was that man should both be made good and also saued But this it was not able to performe Then succéeded faith and did helpe it for through it a man is renewed so that he is able to obeie God and his commandements Chrysostome saith that Paule prooueth héere thrée things first that a man may be iustified without the lawe secondlie that the lawe cannot iustifie thirdlie that faith and the lawe are not repugnant one to the other 25 Ambrose teacheth that therefore by faith is the lawe stablished bicause that those things which by the lawe are commanded to be doone are by faith declared to be doone And we knowe that this righteousnesse which Paule here commendeth hath testimonies both of the lawe and of the prophets And if anie man obiect that therfore the lawe is made void by faith bicause thorough it ceremonies are abolished he answereth that this therefore so happeneth bicause the lawe it selfe would haue it so and foreshewed that it would so come to passe In Daniel we read that after the comming of Christ Dani. 9 27. and after the slaieng of him the dailie sacrifices should be taken awaie and so also should be the holie annointing such like kind of ceremonies Wherfore Christ did not without cause saie Matt. 11 13 The lawe the prophets endured vnto the time of Iohn Baptist Ieremie also manifestlie said Ier. 31 33. that another couenant should be made far differing frō that which was made in old time The epistle to the Hebrues thereby concludeth Heb. 10 16. that that which was the old couenant and so was called should one daie be abolished Zach. 2 4 Zacharie the prophet in his second chapter saith that The citie of Ierusalem should be inhabited without wals Which signifieth that the church of the beléeuers should be so spred abroad and dispersed through the whole world that it should not be closed in by any bounds and limits Esaie 2 ◠Which selfe-same thing Esaie séemeth to testifie when he saith that Mount Sion and the house of the Lord should be on the top of the hils so that the Gentils should come vnto it out of all places And Malachie the prophet pronounceth Malac. 1 11. that The name of God should be called vpon from the rising of the Sunne to the going downe of the same so that to God euerie where should be offered Mincha which manie haue transferred vnto the Eucharist as though it were a sacrifice when as yet the prophet thereby vnderstandeth praiers and the offering vp euen of our selues as Tertullian testifieth in his booke against the Iewes and also Ierom when he interpreteth that place Wherefore when the prophets séeme to affirme that ceremonies should be transferred vnto the Ethniks they are so to be vnderstood as though by the signes they ment the things themselues The Ethniks being conuerted vnto Christ receiued that which was represented by the ceremonies of the Hebrues But they reiected the outward signes and this was by faith to confirme the lawe And forsomuch as the prophets foretold that ceremonies should be abolished the same is to be taken as if it had béene spoken of the lawe sith that the prophets were interpretors of the lawe And that Christ when he should come should change the ceremonies the Iewes themselues doubted not Which is manifest by the historie of Iohn Baptist Mat. 3 2. 6. Iohn Baptist shewed that the ceremonies should be abrogated which we read in the Gospell For when he would purge men being conuerted vnto God he sent them not vnto sacrifices and vnto the ceremonies of Moses whereby sinnes were said to be purged but baptised them into repentance to the forgiuenesse of sinnes adioining doctrine therevnto wherein he made mention of the father the sonne and the holie Ghost Which doctrine vndoubtedlie the high Priests Scribes Pharisies could in no case abide that he reiecting the ceremonies which were receiued should put in their stéed an other kind of waie Wherefore they sent a messenger to him to aske him whether he were the Messias or Elias or the prophet as it were confessing that vnder Messias it wold come to pas that the ceremonies of the lawe should be altered which should not be lawfull for others to doo 26 And if thou demand why God gaue ceremonies which should be afterward abolished Chrysostome hath thereof a proper similitude If a man haue a wife prone to lasciuiousnesse A similitude he shutteth hir vp in certeine places I meane in chambers or parlours so that she may not wander abroad at hir pleasure He moreouer appointeth for hir Eunuchs waiting maids and handmaids to haue a most diligent eie to hir So delt God with the Iewes he tooke them to him at the beginning as a spouse as it is said by the prophet Ose 2 19. I haue
it was necessarie that other signes should be ordeined Neither ought this to séeme absurd For when we signifie anie thing that is doone or that is to be doone we vse diuers and sundrie maner of spéech The verie same he writeth vnto Ianuarius to Optatus and else-where Neither is that anie lett which the same father vpon the 73. psalme speaketh on this wise Their sacraments promised saluation our declare a Sauiour Of these words the Papists doo woonderfullie boast and crie out that our sacraments doo giue grace which the sacraments of the Hebrues could not giue Howbeit How our sacraments are said to giue saluation what Augustines mind was in that place they cannot tell He ment nothing else but that which he taught against Faustus namelie that our sacraments doo giue and exhibite Christ that is they testifie and beare record that he is giuen and exhibited For he addeth I saie not that it hath now saluation but bicause Christ is now come And if Augustine at anie time saie that the thing which is now vnto vs and that was in time past promised vnto the Iewes is not all one vndoubtedlie he dealeth concerning other things and not touching that which was principall in the promises of God For in them besides Christ there was promised an earthlie kingdome Also the countrie of Chanaan being a land flowing with milke and honie and such other like things were promised which be strange and differing from the promises of the Gospell But Christ is common both to vs and to them and is to vs no otherwise than he was vnto them 13 Now come I vnto the former demand wherein was asked How our sacraments be of greater vertue How our sacraments can be of more vertue if the thing be one on both parts Hervnto I answer when the selfe-same thing is set before vs of the which one man taketh more than another there is no difference in the thing it selfe but in the instrument wherwith it is taken A similitude As if so be that a heape of monie be set before anie man from whence it may be lawfull for euerie one to take so much as he is able to hold in his hand the larger and more strong hand euerie one hath so much the more may he take of the monie set before him euen so séeing our faith wherewith we comprehend Christ is greater and more strong than was that of the Iewes we take more of Christ than they in the old time did Whether our faith be greater than the faith of the Iewes But thou wilt saie How can our faith be greater than was the faith of the Iewes Here it behooued to answer warilie For there were some among the Hebrues indued with excellent faith namelie the prophets and patriarchs of the which diuers spent euen their life for religion sake Neither is there anie more beléeued of vs than was of them séeing their Church and ours is all one Christ is ours alike but the difference is in the perspicuitie of the things beléeued For to vs in these daies all things are more cléere and manifest than they were to them Vnto vs Christ is borne is dead is risen out of the graue and is taken vp into heauen all which things they also had but more obscurelie and as it were in a shadowe Séeing therefore these things are more bright and manifest vnto vs our faith also may be called greater and more sure bicause it is more stirred vp by things that be manifest than it is by obscure things For which cause in times past the faith in Christ was verie smallie aduanced beyond the borders of Iewrie whereas at this daie it is spred ouer all the world And when I saie that our faith is greater than the faith of the Iewes I meane of the vniuersall state of them and as it happened for the most part and in most places generallie and not of particular persons For I dare not affirme that the faith of anie man was more stedfast than the faith of Abraham of Dauid of Esaie and such like For Christ testified of Abraham that He sawe his daie and was glad Esaie also Iohn 8 56. in the 53. chapter All the chapter so expressed the whole kingdome of Christ and his death as Ierom pronounceth him rather to be an Euangelist than a prophet And Dauid Psalme 2 verse 22 c in his psalmes most plainlie prophesieth manie things of Christ 14 But there séemeth to be no small controuersie In .1 Cor. 10 verse 3. betwéene those words in the tenth chapter of the first to the Corinthians and that which Christ taught in the sixt of Iohn where he said Iohn 6 32 and 49. that the meate which he ordeined was a great deale better than that which the fathers had by Moses in the wildernesse who he saith were dead although they vsed that meate And he declared that they which did eate him being the true bread should not die Moreouer he addeth that Moses did not giue them bread from heauen and that he is the bread the which God the father sent from heauen These things doo shew that Christ put no small difference betwéene our sacraments and the sacraments of the old fathers whereas Paule indeuoureth to make them all one Howbeit in the holie scriptures things be sometimes intreated of according to their owne nature but otherwhiles according to that that men with whom they haue to doo estéeme of them Paule so writeth of the sacrament of the old-fathers as the nature thereof was and as it was granted by God But Christ hath a respect vnto the iudgement and disposition of those men which came vnto him who repaired to him for no other cause but to be satisfied with the bread For they sawe that a few daies before he had satisfied a verie great number with a few loaues for which cause they said vnto him What signe doost thou that we may beleeue thee For Moses gaue Manna vnto the fathers in the wildernesse As if they had said It behoueth thée also if thou wilt haue the multitude to obeie thée to susteine them no lesse than Moses did Séeing therefore Christ perceiued before hand that these men estéemed or imbrased nothing in this meate which the fathers receiued in the wildernesse saue onelie the outward substance which filled the bellie he tempered his doctrine to reprooue this base and vile vnderstanding of theirs and speaketh of the outward substance of that meate and not of the spirituall thing which was represented thereby and as he might called their minds from that earthlie meate In what respect Christ denied that Manna came from heauen vnto the spirituall foode and denied that Manna as concerning corporall substance was from heauen For as it was vnderstood by them the diuine and heauenlie nature of Christ was secluded there-from And so he concluded that they which were like vnto these might not be quickened with that meate
and sanctified vs and so inriched vs with the knowledge of him and with other heauenlie gifts as now we are destitute neither of strength neither of force neither of light neither of anie facultie to let vs whereby we should the lesse either will or worke aright And thus we shall reteine a chéerefull and quiet life euen in the middest of persecutions which often the world and satan doo stir vp so that we be most fullie persuaded by that holie spirit that we shall obteine eternall life and that not of our owne merits but by the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ which liueth and reigneth for euer Amen I beleeue in the holie catholike church the communion of Saints c. 35 This article of the faith is so aptlie knit vnto the other that goeth before The spirit is the root of the church Two similitudes as to any man that is of sound iudgement the former may séeme to be the root or stem of the latter out of which this latter article ariseth and buddeth foorth as a most fit branch And that is shewed vnto vs after this sort In whatsoeuer bodie life is placed the power and strength thereof is to guide and also by a most sure bond to vnite all the parts of the whole bodie by how great a space soeuer they be disseuered one from the other euen so the congregation of the godlie which commonlie if the beléeuers be considered of in respect that they be earthlie men is called the church how much soeuer it be compact of sundrie people and hath hir parts setled a great space one from another in the world and that as much as the vttermost quarter of the world is distant by the spaces of regions from the other part of the world yet neuerthelesse it is ioined knit and couched togither And for that cause it is by Paule compared to a bodie and that oftentimes in his epistles vnto the Ephesians and Corinthians Ephe. 4 12 and 5 23. 1. Co. 12 12 But by what bond the christians who so greatlie differ one from another whether respect be to their condition countrie or language are so strictlie knit togither it is sufficientlie vnderstood by the order which ioineth this latter article of our faith vnto the former For there our faith confesseth the holie Ghost and here it treateth of the bodie of the faithfull which with a sincere faith imbracing the doctrine of Christ is by him gathered togither in one What the name church signifieth And this congregation by a Gréeke name is called Ecclesia which signifieth no other thing than a multitude called togither For it is compact of them which by the holie Ghost are called vnto the christian faith from the which they be excluded which by an humane motion or persuasion or double heart or by anie other sinister meanes without anie instinct of the spirit of God doo ioine themselues vnto it A similitude Euen as if one should artificiallie ioine vnto a humane bodie some péece of a bone of a sinew of a gristle or else a péece of flesh these be not therefore accounted parts of that bodie séeing they are not moued by the life thereof but they altogither depend of this cunning art Euen so indéed we acknowledge that the communion of saints is here found vpon the earth to wit the congregation of the faithfull the which is gathered togither in one not by the will of man or by anie cunning craft of the world but by the onelie spirit of Christ not doubtlesse that it should be conteined togither in one place but that it should reteine one true vnderstanding of faith The church is a mysticall bodie 36 By these things therefore ye vnderstand that the church is a mysticall bodie the which is gouerned by the holie Ghost Hereby also it is manifest enough who they be that apperteine vnto the same and who liue out of the communion of it Further it is not obscure how aptlie the name of church agréeth vnto it First it is euidentlie proued that this maruellous bodie is gouerned by the holie Ghost by those words which Paule teacheth in the epistle to the Ephesians We saith he be one bodie and one spirit Ephe. 4 4. Againe also it is more plainlie shewed in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Co. 12 13. By one spirit we are all baptised into one bodie and haue droonke of one spirit Wherevpon it followeth that whosoeuer be destitute of that spirit doo not belong to this bodie For he that hath not the spirit of Christ how can he assure himselfe to be a member of that bodie whereof Christ is the head and in whom there is no other life than the diuine spirit it selfe Vndoubtedlie it sufficeth not it sufficeth not I saie to put on certeine colourable shewes whereby we should be taken by the iudgement of men for members of that bodie Peter was called of Christ blessed not bicause he confessed him with outward voice to be the sonne of God but bicause neither flesh nor bloud nor anie humane reason had reuealed vnto him so great a mysterie but onelie the heauenlie father Paule also in his first epistle to the Corinthians in the place aboue recited writeth that No man can saie that Iesus is the Lord but by the holie Ghost By which places it is manifest what confession at the least is required in the church namelie not that which procéedeth of mans sense but that which is stirred vp and brought foorth by the spirit of God For otherwise the diuelles themselues and also the Mahumetanes in their Alcoran doo ascribe a certeine honour vnto Christ while they confesse his praise 37 But here might appeare some difficultie Whether and how farre foorth the church is inuisible What Is the church inuisible that it cannot be perceiued in the world with corporall eies And dooth not the verie sense it selfe tell that the companie of men is there gathered togither for celebrating and calling vpon the name of Christ How then is that beléeued which is séene Is faith caried vnto those things which be most manifest and are subiect euen to the senses themselues Herevnto we answer that the multitude of men which outwardlie professe Christ are indéed séene of vs but not suffâ—icently knowne of vs bicause we apprehend it with our outward sense as it hath béene said But we beléeue certeinlie that this companie of men dooth so come togither as neuerthelesse it is no humane worke A philosopher or some other heathen man would obiect that such assemblies be sects of men which might spring vp of diuerse and sundrie opinions and be brought foorth into light according as places and times require Vndoubtedlie we liue not by the industrie of men but this worke must be attributed to the spirit of GOD whome we haue before confessed Neither must we passe ouer the cause Whie the church is called Catholike whie the church is called
16 that he had chosen his disciples to go and to bring foorth fruit and that their fruit should remaine and yet togither therewithall He commandeth them to be of good comfort Luk. 10 20. for that their names were written in heauen There is therefore betwéene these elections a great difference and there is also betwéene them a great coniunction so that oftentimes the one is taken for the other So Paule by his woonderfull wisedome transferred vnto spirituall things those temporall things Rom. 9 10. Gen. 25 21. Mala 1 2. which séeme to be prophesied of Iacob Esau in Genesis and Malachie The reasons of them which saie that predestination should not be disputed of Prosperus Hilarius 2 Now as touching this latter election I sée there haue béene manie that haue iudged this disputation is not méet to be touched whose reasons Prosperus and Hilarius bishop of Orleans sometimes disciple vnto Augustine doo plainelie declare in the two epistles which are prefixed vnto the bookes of the predestination of saints which epistles were vpon this occasion written that when Augustine writing against the Pelagians touching the grace of Christ had oft in his books vrged manie things of predestination manie of the brethren in France and not of the meanest sort were sore troubled and woonderfullie offended For they affirmed that by this doctrine is taken awaie from such as are fallen an indeuour to rise againe and to such as stand is brought a slouthfulnes For that they iudged that diligence should be in vaine to either part when as by the predestination of God it was alreadie determined of them that they being reprobate could not be restored againe and that they being elect could by no meanes fall awaie and yet could not kéepe a constant and firme course for as much as they were vncerteine of their predestination Therefore séeing by this doctrine industrie is taken awaie and onelie a certeine fatall necessitie dooth remaine it is much better that this matter be left vnspoken of They adde moreouer that it is superfluous to dispute of that which cannot be comprehended For it is written Who hath knowne the mind of the Lord Esaie 4 13. Rom. 11 34. Or who hath beene his counseller So that their iudgements was that it should be taught that God of his goodnes would haue all men to be saued but in that all men are not saued it hereof commeth bicause all men will not be saued this saie they is a safe doctrine But on the other side this doctrine of predestination taketh awaie all the force and vse both of preachings and also of admonitions and corrections For if there be appointed a certeine number of the elect which can neither be diminished nor increased then shall preachers labour in vaine For if the determination of God be immooueable then shall there be an vnserchable confusion betwéene the elect and the reprobate so that none of this sort can go to the other nor none of these other passe ouer to them so in vaine and vnprofitable shall be all the labour and trauell of such as are teachers This doctrine also séemed vnto them new bicause the old fathers had written as touching this matter either nothing at all or verie little or else intreated of it after another sort And for as much as euen vnto Augustines time the church had without this doctrine defended the doctrins of faith against heretikes they also could euen then be content to want it for they affirme that such as teach this doo nothing else but call men backe to an vncerteintie of Gods will which is nothing else but to driue men vnto desperation All these things were obiected vnto Augustine which if they were true then should we rashlie and without aduisement take in hand the treatise of this matter But the reasons The reasons whereby Augustine defended his tretises and disputations of predestination with which Augustine defendeth himselfe may also mainteine our purpose wherefore those things which we intend in this place to speake of we will bréefelie gather out of two bookes of his the one wherof is intituled De bono perseuerantiae in which booke in the 14. 15. and 20. chapters he confuteth those obiections which we haue now made mention of the other is intituled De correptione gratia where in the 5. 14. 15. 16. chapters he intreateth of the selfe-same thing 3 First of all he maruelleth Paule doth oftentimes inculcate the doctrine of predestination Rom. 8 9 10 11. Ephe. 1. 2. Tim. 2 19. Acts. 13 48. Christ and the Acts of the apostles haue made mention of it Iohn 10 20. Mat. 20 16. Matt. 25 34. that those men should thinke that the doctrine of predestination should subuert the profit and commodities of preaching especiallie séeing Paule the teacher of the gentils and preacher of the whole world dooth in his epistles both oftentimes and also plainelie and purposelie vrge that doctrine as in the epistle vnto the Romans vnto the Ephesians and vnto Timothie yea and he saith that Luke also in the Acts of the apostles and Christ himselfe in his sermons maketh mention thereof For Christ saith Whom my father hath giuen me those can no man take out of my hand and that Manie are called and few are elected And in the last day he saith that He will answer vnto the godlie Come ye blessed of my father possesse yee the kingdome which was prepared for you from the beginning of the world And Matt. 11 25. He giueth thanks vnto the father for that he had hidden those things from the wise men reueled them vnto babes bicause it was his pleasure so to doo In another place also Iohn 13 18. I knowe saith he whom I haue chosen Againe Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you And if Christ and the apostles haue in their sermons oftentimes made mention hereof This doctrine is not against the fruit of preaching no man saith he ought to doubt that this doctrine is against the fruit and commoditie of preaching He affirmeth also that It followeth not that although our will saluation and good works Saluation and good works depend of God and yet we must not cast awaie all care of liuing well Phil. 2 13. Philip. 1 6. depend of the will and appointment of God therefore we should cast awaie all our diligence endeuour and care For Paule when he had said that God worketh in vs both to will and to performe yet ceased not to giue good counsell And when he had written vnto the Philippians that God who had begun in them would accomplish the worke which he had begun that they might be blamelesse in the daie of the Lord in which words he attributeth vnto God both the beginning and successe of good works yet in the selfe-same epistle he woonderfullie exhorteth them vnto holines Christ also commanded his apostles to beléeue and yet on the
into the sonne of God To be regenerate To be indued with grace To liue well and last of all To come vnto glorie Wherefore we doo not saie that brute beasts are predestinate Brute beasts are not predestinate for they are not capable of this supernaturall end neither are angels now predestinate for they haue alredie atteined vnto their end But predestination hath a respect vnto things to come Whereas we said that prouidence perteines to all things that may thus be prooued Why the prouidence of God is said to be common to all things bicause nothing is hidden from God otherwise he should not be most wise And if he knowe all things either he gouerneth all those things or else he abiecteth the care of manie of them If he abiect the care of anie thing he therfore dooth it either bicause he cannot or bicause he will not take vpon him the care of those things If he cannot then is not he most mightie if he will not then is he not most good But to denie that God is most wise most mightie and most good were plainelie to denie him to be God So then it remaineth that Gods prouidence is ouer all things which the scriptures in infinite places most manifestlie testifie For they teach that the care of God extendeth euen vnto the leaues of trées euen vnto the heares of the head Matt. 6 28. Mat. 10 29. and 30. euen vnto sparowes Prouidence may thus by the waie be defined Prouidence is Gods appointed A definition of prouidence vnmooueable and perpetuall administration of all things When I speake of God I meane that he is indued with great authoritie and that he is mightie Administration signifieth The gouernment of God is not tyrannous that his gouernment is not tyrannous but quiet gentle fatherlie For tyrants violentlie oppresse their subiects and refer all things to their owne commoditie and lust But God violentlie presseth no man neither by this gouernment getteth anie commoditie vnto himselfe but onlie communicateth his goodnes vnto creatures And this administration extendeth vnto all things Administration extendeth to all things for there is nothing frée from it neither can indure without it It is called appointed bicause it is ioined with most excellent wisedome so that it admitteth no confusion It is vnmooueable bicause the knowledge of this gouernor is not deceiued neither can his power be made frustrate Prouidence is vnmoueable and why It is also perpetuall bicause God him selfe is present with the things for neither did he when he had created things leaue them vnto themselues naie rather he himselfe is in them and perpetuallie moueth them For in him we liue Acts. 17 28. we mooue and haue our being And thus much of prouidence Vnto these things fate is also like which word if as we haue before said it be taken for a certeine ineuitable necessitie which depends of the power of stars the fathers haue not without iust cause absteined But if it signifie nothing else but a certeine connexion of second causes which is not carried rashlie or by chance but is gouerned by the prouidence of God and may at his will be changed I sée no cause why the thing it selfe should be of anie man reiected Howbeit bicause there is danger that error might sometimes créepe in Augustine thinketh best that we vtterlie refraine from that word We ought also to remember that the loue Loue election and predestination how they are ioined togither election and predestination of God are so ordered in themselues that they followe one another in a certeine course First to the knowledge of God are offered all men not being in happie estate yea rather being néedie and miserable whome God of his pure and singular mercie loueth those he careth for and putteth apart from other whome he ouerpasseth and embraceth not with his beneuolence and they by this separation are said to be elected and those so elected are appointed to an end 11 Augustine in his booke De praedestinatione sanctorum How Augustine defineth predestination the twelfe chapter thus defineth predestination that It is a preparation of grace And in the twelfe chapter he saith that The same is a foreknowledge and a preparation of the gifts of God whereby they are certeinlie deliuered which are deliuered but the rest are left in the masse or lumpe of perdition In another place he called it The purpose of mercie The maister of the sentences in the first booke distinction 40 defineth it to be a preparation of grace in this world and of glorie in the world to come These definitions I reiect not howbeit bicause they comprehend not the whole matter I will as nigh as I can bring another definition more full I saie therefore A more full definition of predestination that predestination is the most wise purpose of God whereby he hath from the beginning constantlie decréed to call all those whome he hath loued in Christ to the adoption of his children to iustification by faith and at the length to glorie through good works that they may be made like vnto the image of the son of God and that in them may be declared the glorie and mercie of the creator This definition as I thinke comprehendeth all things that perteine to the nature of predestination and all the parts thereof may be prooued by the holie scriptures Purpose is common to reprobation and predestination First we take purpose for the generall word for that word is common both to predestination and reprobation Ephes 1 5. Rom. 9 11. Paule vnto the Ephesians saith that We are predestinate according to the purpose of God And in the epistle to the Romanes he saith that The purpose might abide according to election But what this purpose is we vnderstand by the first chapter vnto the Ephesians For there it is thus written that God hath predestinate vs according to his good pleasure By these words it is manifest The purpose of God is his good pleasure Purpose perteineth to the will that that is called his good pleasure which Paule afterward called purpose And that this purpose perteineth vnto the will those things which afterward followe doo declare By whose power saith he God worketh all things according to the counsell of his will The mightie will of God But by this will wée ought to vnderstand that will which is effectuall which they call consequent whereby is brought to passe that the predestination of God is not frustrate This purpose we call most wise bicause God doth nothing rashlie or by chance but all things with most great wisdome Therefore the Apostle ioined predestination togither with fore-knowledge saieng Rom. 8 28. Whome he hath foreknowne those hath he predestinate The purpose of God from the beginning This is therefore added Predestination is no new thing bicause predestination is no new thing neither such as manie faine that goeth not before things
or euer they be done Paule saith in his later epistle to Timothie 2. Tim. 1 9. Which hath called vs with his holie calling not according to our works but according to his purpose grace which was giuē to vs in Christ Iesus before the world was Héere we manifestlie sée that with the predestination of God is ioined the eternitie of times And vnto the Ephesians Ephes 1 4. We are said to be elect before the foundations of the world were laid whereby he hath constantlie decréed The predestination of God is immutable 2. Tim. 2 19. Rom. 5 5. Rom. 8. verse 24. By these words we are taught that the predestination of God is immutable for Paule saith in the latter epistle vnto Timothie The foundation standeth firme the Lord knoweth who are his And in the eight chapter when the apostle would teach that hope maketh not ashamed that they which had an assured hope should be saued he bringeth a proofe thereof by predestination verse 29. Ibidem 35. saieng Whom he hath foreknowne those also hath he predestinate And he addeth Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Iames 1 17. Shall tribulation Shall anguish c. And Iames saith that With God is no changing nor variablenes Esaie 46 9. verse 29. And in Esaie God crieth I am God and am not changed And in the epistle to the Romans the 11. chapter where is intreated of predestination Paule saith The gifts and calling of God are without repentance verse 8. But wheras God in Ieremie the 18. chapter saith Sometimes the promises thretnings of God are changed that Hée would change his sentence which he had threatened vnto manie nations so that they would repent that is not to be vnderstood of predestination but of those things which are fore-told shall come to passe by that will of God which they call the will of the signe namelie when by his prophets he declareth vnto men either what their sinnes haue deserued or what hangeth ouer their heads by reason of naturall causes The gifts of God come vnto vs by Christ 12 Whom he hath loued in Christ This we adde bicause whatsoeuer God giueth or decréeth to giue that giueth he and will giue through Christ And as we haue oftentimes alledged Paule to the Ephesians saith Ephes 1 4. Christ is the hed of all the predestinate that We are elected and predestinated in Christ for he is the prince and head of all the predestinate yea none is predestinate but onlie to this end to be made a member of Christ To call into the adoption of children So Paule in a manner euerie where speaketh specially in the first chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 1 5. for there he saith that We are predestinate to the adoption of children And that calling followeth straight waie after predestination Rom. 8 29. those words which we haue alreadie alledged doo declare Whom he hath predestinate those also hath he called To iustification by faith That vnto calling is adioined iustification Paule by these selfe-same words teacheth Ibidem Whom he hath called those also hath he iustified Vnto glorie by good works This also Paule teacheth in the selfe-same place Whom he hath iustified saith he those also hath he glorified And that this glorie shall followe by good works Ephes 1 4. and that we are predestinate vnto those good works that place vnto the Ephesians which we haue alreadie often cited manifestlie prooueth Ephes 2 10. For first he saith that We are predestinate that we should be holie blameles before God Afterward he saith that God hath prepared good works wherin we should walke That they may be made like vnto the image of th◠sonne of God This image indéed is begun in vs by regeneration when we are iustified and in them that are of full age it groweth dailie to perfection by good works and is fullie finished in the eternall glorie But in infants this likenes hath place while that it is begun by regeneration and is finished in that last glorie Howbeit in them for want of age are not required good works That in them might be declared the mercie and goodnes of the Creator This is the last end of predestination shadowed vnto vs by Paule in the similitude of the potter which hath power to make one vessell to honour and another to dishonour so God hath prepared his vessels to glorie that in them he might declare his glorie By this definition we gather that God hath predestinate vnto the elect not onlie glorie but also good works that is means whereby he will haue his elect come vnto glorie By this we may sée how fowlie they are deceiued which liue wickedlie and yet in the meane time boast that they are predestinate For the scriptures teach that men according vnto the predestination of God are not brought vnto glorie by wicked facts and naughtie déeds but by vertuous life and manners Neither are they to be harkened vnto which crie out They which liue ill cannot brag of their predestination Howsoeuer I liue the predestination of God shall haue his effect For this is vtterlie to be ignorant what predestination is and impudentlie to go about to abuse it 13 Now that we haue seuerallie after this manner examined this definition by his parts let vs gather thereout certeine things not vnprofitable First this that predestination is a worke of God and is to be placed in the purpose of God Predestination is not in the things but in the mind of God for although men are said to be predestinate yet must we not appoint predestination in them So likewise things are said to be perceiued knowne when as yet in them is neither knowledge nor perceiuing but onlie in the man that knoweth them Wherefore euen as we can fore-sée either raine or cold or fruit before they come so God predestinateth men which as yet haue no being For of relatiues some are such that of necessitie the one cannot be but togither with the other as a father and a sonne and some there are whereof the one may be although the other be not at the same time with it as the former and the latter knowledge and the thing to be knowne Predestination is before the predestinate Predestination therefore is referred vnto this latter kind of relatiues which predestination yet forsomuch as it is as we haue said in the mind of him that predestinateth those things wherto the predestinate are directed namelie grace iustification good works and glorification are in them which be predestinate for these haue no place but in the saints But in that we haue put the effects of predestination Why the effects are put in the definition in the definition thereof it is not to bée maruelled at for this definition can not be giuen vnlesse the correlatiues as they call them be also expressed The ends of
followe in that chapter you shall sée that the apostle draweth those things Vnto what principall points the predestination of God is reduced Rom. 9 21. Ephes 1 9. Rom. 9 18. Ibidem 16. which he teacheth of predestination to these principall points namelie vnto power for he saith Hath not the potter power Vnto purpose or good pleasure for vnto the Ephesians he vseth both words Vnto will for he saith He hath mercie on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth Vnto mercie or loue for he saith It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercie Ibidem 13. Also Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated Séeing Paule what cause soeuer either here or in anie other place he giueth of predestination reduceth the same to these foure principall points can we doubt of his meaning Or shall we take vpon vs to giue sentence otherwise But as touching works hée speaketh not so much as one word wheresoeuer he intreateth of this matter but onelie to exclude them Further consider this If election should depend of works foreseene then iustification should come by works that there is nothing more against the scope and meaning of Paule than to put works foreséene to be the causes of predestination for by that meanes works should be the causes of iustification but that doctrine the apostle dooth by all maner of meanes oppugne And hereby I prooue this reason to be firme Predestination the cause of vocation and vocation the cause of iustification bicause the apostle maketh predestination the cause of calling and calling the cause of iustification Wherfore if works be the causes of predestination they shall also be causes of iustification For this is a firme rule among the Logicians Whatsoeuer is the cause of anie cause is also cause of the effect Further no man can denie but that good works procéed of predestination for We are said to be predestinate Ephes 1 4. that we should be holie blameles And God by predestination hath prepared good works Ephes 2 10. in which we should walke And Paule himselfe confesseth that He obteined mercie 1. Cor. 7 25. to the end hee should be faithfull Wherefore if works be the effects of predestination how can we then saie Works be the effects of predestination not the causes thereof that they are the causes thereof and chéeflie those kind of causes which are called efficient causes For that vse of frée will is nothing woorth which they so often brag of as though we haue it of our selues and not of the mercie of God For Paule saith that It is God which worketh in vs both to will and to performe Phil. 2 13. And God in Ezechiel saith Eze. 11 19. I will take awaie from them their stonie hart and will giue them a hart of flesh We cannot saith Paule thinke anie good thing of our selues as of our selues 2. Cor. 3 5. And if we had in our selues that good vse which they speake of what should let but that we might glorie thereof Vndoubtedlie the Lord saith No man commeth vnto me Iohn 6 44 vnlesse my father drawe him And Ierom against the Pelagians verie well writeth that they which are said to be drawne are by that word signified They which be drawne were before vnwilling to haue béen before froward resisting and vnwilling but afterward GOD so worketh that he changeth them This selfe-same thing also dooth the nature of grace prooue for Paule saith that The remnants might be saued Rom. 11 5. according to the free election of grace which is to saie according to frée election for so is the genetiue case after the Hebrue phrase to be resolued 19 Further in the definition of predestination in the first place we haue put this word purpose which séeing it signifieth nothing else as we haue taught out of the epistle vnto the Ephesians but the good pleasure of God Ephes 1 9. thereby it euidentlie appéereth that we may not elsewhere séeke the cause of predestination Moreouer Good works are not the cause of our calling works cannot be the causes of our calling and much lesse of our predestination for predestination goeth before calling And that works are not the causes of calling it is declared by the epistle vnto Timothie God hath called vs saith Paule with his holie calling 2. Tim. 1 9. not by our works but according to his purpose the grace which we haue in Christ before the world was Hereby it most manifestlie appeareth that works are not the causes of our calling Yea neither also are works the causes of our saluation which yet were far more likelie for by good works God bringeth vs to felicitie Titus 3 4. If we should be predestinated by good works the exclamation of Paule were to no purpose Rom. 11 33. But Paule to Titus saith that God hath saued vs not by the works of righteousnes but according to his mercie Further what néeded Paule after this disputation to crie out O the depth of the riches of the wisedome and knowledge of God! How vnsercheable are his iudgements and his waies past finding out For if he would haue followed these mens opinion he might with one poore word haue dispatched the whole matter haue said that some are predestinate and othersome reiected bicause of the works which God foresawe should be in both of them Those men Augustine in mockage called sharpe witted men which so trimlie and so easilie sawe those things that Paule could not sée But saie they The Apostle in this place assoileth this question But it is absurd so to saie especiallie séeing that he brought it in of purpose and the solution thereof serued very much vnto that which he had in hand The questi is assoiled when it is brought to the highest cause Exo. 19 13. And how in Gods name can he séeme not to haue assoiled the question when he reduced that euen vnto the highest cause namelie vnto the will of God and therewithall sheweth that we ought not to go anie further When God had appointed limits at the foote of the mount Sina if anie man had gone beyond those limits he was by the lawe punished Wherefore let these men beware with what boldnes they presume to go further than Paule would they should But they say that the apostle here rebuketh the impudent Be it so but yet this rebuking is a most true solution of the question for Paule by this reprehension prohibiteth vs not to inquire anie thing beyond the mercie and will of God How the question may be said to be assoiled and not assoiled If these men vnderstand such a solution as mans reason may resolue vpon I will easilie grant that the question is not so assoiled but if they séeke that solution which faith ought to imbrace and to rest vpon they are blind if they sée not the solution 20 But let
he straightwaie declareth Which are called saith he according to purpose These will Paule make secure that they should not thinke that they are hindered when they are exercised with aduersities bicause they are foreknowne predestinated called and iustified And that he had a respect vnto this securitie those things declare which follow If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who shall accuse against the elect of God First by this method is gathered In which words of Paule the aduersaries are deceiued that the aduersaries erre much supposing that by this place they may infer that predestination commeth of works foreséene for Paule before that gradation wrote these words To them that loue God all things worke to good as though foreknowledge and predestination whereof he afterward maketh mention should depend of that sentence And to this sense they cite that of the Prouerbs of Salomon I loue them that loue me A place of Salomon cited by the aduersaries Prou. 8 17. The loue of God springeth not of our loue but contrariwise Neither consider they as we haue said that Paule in this place intendeth to declare who they are vnto whom it is giuen to loue God and to whom all things worke to good And those he saith are they which by predestination are chosen of God And as touching Salomon we also confesse that those which loue God are againe loued of him But this is now in question whether the loue of God whereby he imbraceth vs doo spring or growe from our loue This dooth Iohn by expresse words declare in his epistle 1. Ioh. 4 10. He hath not saith he first loued vs bicause we haue loued him The second thing that we gather of these words of Paule is that the predestination of God if it be of this force to confirme vs touching the good-will and loue of God towards vs cannot depend of our works for our works are both weake and of verie small righteousnes Againe this is to be considered that Paule concealed not those causes which might haue béene assigned for he expresselie sets downe that the mercie and iustice of God may appéere But when he commeth to the efficient cause he will haue vs so fullie to staie our selues on the will of God that he compareth God to a potter God compared to a potter and vs to claie in which comparison he sheweth that there is nothing which we ought further to inquire I knowe that the aduersaries saie that that comparison is brought onlie to represse the malepertnes of the demander not that the matter on both parts is so indéed for that God electeth men by works foreséene But if it so be how then by this similitude shall the mouth of murmurers be stopped For they will saie If the iustice of God require this that election be of works foreséene what néeded Paule to say Before they had doone good or euill Rom. 9 11. it was said The elder shall serue the yoonger Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated Againe Not of works but of him that calleth that election might abide firme according to the purpose And whie is this similitude of the potter brought séeing the thing it selfe is far otherwise and neither dooth God as a potter all things after his owne lust neither are we as claie vtterly without difference Doubtles by this their reason the malepert questioner is not repressed naie rather there is offered an occasion of reproch for that the similitude which is brought serueth not to the purpose Ephes 1 11. 24 There is also another sentence of Paule vnto the Ephesians whereby this our saieng is greatlie confirmed for when he had said that We are predestinated according to the purpose of God he addeth By the power whereof he worketh all things according to the counsell of his will God worketh according to his owne will not according to ours 1. Cor. 1 26. But if it were so as these men imagine God should not worke all things according to his will but according to the will of another For as we should order our works so should he moderate his election and that is to be led by another mans will and not by his owne This selfe thing testifieth Paule to the Corinthians saieng God hath chosen the foolish weake and vile things of this world to confound the wise mightie and noble Looke brethren saith he vpon your calling Not manie wise not manie mightie not manie noble And in the selfe-same epistle when he had described the former estate of the elect and had reckoned vp a great manie and gréeuous sinnes at the length added And these things were yee 1. Cor. 6 11. but yee are washed but yee are sanctified And vnto the Ephesians Ephes 2 12. Yee were saith he once without God without hope in the world These things prooue that the calling and predestination of God depend not of our merits But as Augustine writeth vnto Simplicianus God ouerhippeth manie philosophers men of sharpe wit and of notable learning He hath also ouerhipped manie which if a man haue a respect vnto ciuill manners were innocents and of life good inough Neither is this to be maruelled at for if God to this end predestinateth to make manifest the riches of his mercie that is sooner accomplished The mercie of God is more declared if we be predestinated freelie than if of works Matt. 9 9. Luk. 23 43. Luke 7 37 1. Cor. 1 23. if he bring to saluation those who both resist more by reason of their desarts of life are further from him than if he should elect those whom mans reason may iudge more fit Hereof it came that Christ gathered the flocke of his disciples out of sinners Publicans and base men neither disdained he to call vnto him théeues and harlots In all which men what consideration I beséech you was there to be had vnto merits Paule also writeth vnto the Corinthians We preach Christ crucified vnto the Iewes indeed an offense and vnto the Greeks foolishnes but vnto them that are called both Iewes and Gentils Christ the power of God and wisedome of God The difference of the beleeuers and of the vnbeleeuers dependeth of vocation We sée also in this place wherehence the apostle fetcheth the difference when he affirmeth that some thinke well of Christ preached and some ill for all this he saith commeth wholie of calling for he saith But vnto the called As if he should haue said They which are not called haue Christ for an offense and for foolishnes but they which are called doo both folowe him and also imbrace him for the power and wisedome of God In the prophets also when God promiseth that he will deliuer his people God said not that he would deliuer his people for their works but for his names sake The Iewes were not for their works sake preferred before the gentils Acts. 7 15. he saith not that he will doo it for
that Christ is to those which are regenerated the beginning of life and of blessednes as Adam is vnto them that are deriued of him the cause of death and of sinne Now whatsoeuer is afterward beside this scope gathered touching the equalitie of multitude or of the maner the same is Per accidens that is By chance and pertaineth not vnto the scope and substance of the similitude 45 They obiect also the sentence vnto Timothie God will haue all men to bee saued 1. Tim. 2 4. For this sentence Pighius continuallie repeateth How God will haue all men to be saued as though it were inuincible when yet Augustine oftentimes hath taught that it maie in such sort be expounded that it bringeth no weight at all to prooue those mens fond inuention First we take it to be spoken of all estates and kinds of men namelie that God will haue some of all kindes of men to be saued which interpretation agréeth excellentlie well with the purpose of the Apostle He had commanded that praiers and supplications should be made for all men and especiallie for kings and those which haue publike authoritie that vnder them we maie liue a quiet life in all godlinesse chastitie And therefore to declare that no estate or kind of men is excluded he added God will haue all men saued As if he should haue said No man is letted by that vocation and degrée wherein he is placed so that it be not repugnant vnto the word of God but that he maie come vnto saluation and therefore we ought to pray for all kind of men But héereof we cannot inferre that God endueth euerie man particularlie with grace or predestinateth euerie man to saluation Euen in like manner as in the time of the floud all liuing creatures are said to haue bene saued in the arke with Noe Gen. 8 9. whereas there were but onlie some of euerie kind gathered together in it or we maie vnderstand it thus that God will haue all men to be saued for that as manie as are saued are saued by his will As if a man should saie of one that teacheth Rhetorike in a citie that he teacheth all men by which kind of speach is not signified that all the citizens are hearers of Rhetorike but that as manie as learne are taught of him And this also is like if a man pointing to the gate of a house should saie that All men enter in this waie we must not thereby vnderstand that all men enter into that house but that as manie as doo enter doo enter in by that gate onelie Further there are some which interpret these words of the apostle of the will of the signe or of the antecedent that all men are inuited for that preaching is indifferentlie set foorth to all men Neither is there anie in a manner which inwardlie féeleth not some pricke wherby he is oftimes stirred vp to liue well So that if we respect this will of God we easilie grant that he will haue all men to be saued But they will not haue it to be vnderstood of the hidden effectuall will which they call consequent and after this manner maie those kindes of spéech be vnderstood Iohn 1 9. God lightneth euerie man which commeth into this world Matt. 11 21. Come vnto me all ye which labour are laden For all men are prouoked by the oracles of God and all men are inwardlie mooued by some prouoking All these interpretations are doubtles verie likelie and also apt and yet is there another besides these readie and plaine Two societies of men whereof either of them haue their vniuersalitie The holie scriptures set foorth two societies of men the one of the godlie and the other of the vngodlie and of both societies haue patched together vniuersall propositions which ought of the warie reader to be drawne to their kind The prophets saie Christ citeth the same Iohn 6 45. Ier. 31 33. All men shall be taught of God And All men shall know me frō the least to the greatest Iohn 12 32. Againe When I shall be lifted vp from the earth I will drawe althings vnto my selfe These vniuersall propositions vnlesse they be vnderstood of the godlie which are elected are not true Ioel. 2 28. Esai 66 23. as are these also I will powre of my spirit vpon all flesh And All flesh shall come in my sight and shall worship in Ierusalem Againe Luke 3 6. Psal 145 14 All flesh shall see the saluation of God Againe also God lifteth vp all them that fall Now who séeth not that these things are to bée vnderstood onelie of the saints Contrariwise to the fellowship of the vngodlie perteine these sentences Iohn 3 32. Matt. 10 32. No man receiueth his testimonie and yet manie beléeued Ye shall bee hated of all men Phil. 2 21. Againe All men seeke the things that are their own And againe All men haue declined Psal 14 3. and are altogether made vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one When as yet holie men and they that are now regenerate are acceptable vnto God and doo indeuour themselues to exhibit vnto him some obedience of the lawe But these vniuersall saiengs ought not to be extended beyond their owne societie This distinction had Augustine a regard vnto in his booke De ciuitate Dei where he declareth and prooueth Two cities the one of God the other of the diuell that there haue euer bene two cities namelie one that citie of God and another the citie of the diuell Wherefore in these generall propositions wée must alwaies haue a consideration vnto what order or fellowship of men they perteine Which if we in this present place doo then shall we applie vnto the saints and vnto the elect this sentence which we haue now in hand namelie that God will haue all men to be saued and by that meanes all maner of doubt is taken awaie Otherwise that God effectuallie willeth not the saluation of all men Sundrie instances against the aduersaries verie manie infants declare which perish without Christ and manie also which are borne fooles and deafe had neuer in their life time the right iust vse of reason And if oftentimes happeneth that some haue liued long time honestlie and faithfullie enough and yet suddenlie at the last doo fall and being taken out of the world doo perish eternallie And contrariwise others which haue perpetuallie led their life in wickednes being at the end of their life indued with sudden faith and repentance are saued when yet notwithstanding those first might haue bin taken awaie that maliciousnes might not haue changed their minds Who will in these examples saie that God alike effectuallie willeth the saluation of all men 46 They obiect also a sentence of Christ How often would I haue gatherd together thy children Matt. 13 37. as a hen gathereth together hir chickens and thou
onelie the true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent All these things which we haue recited séeing they be had by saith and without charitie they take no place doo shew that of necessitie true faith is ioined with charitie 25 In the first epistle of Iohn the fift chapter verse 1. Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ The truth reason is borne of God Some there be which sâ—…e that those which haue faith are not presentlie the children of God but that they may easilie become the children of God bicause they haue alredie atteined to some preparation vnto the same And Pighius who amongst other defends this opinion bringeth in the Gospell of Iohn Iohn 1 12. And how manie soeuer haue receiued him to them hath he giuen power to be made the children of God Behold saith he the euangelist hath giuen to them which alonelie beléeue the power to obteine the adoption of the children Howbeit this man should prudentlie haue weied those words which followe The place of Iohn is assoiled for the euangelist addeth that this power is giuen vnto them which beléeued in his name Which are borne not of bloud nor of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Wherefore they which haue receiued him and beléeued in his name are said to be borne of God and therefore are regenerated and iustified the which things without charitie cannot be had And whereas they are said to haue receiued power it is all one as if it should be said that they receiued the gift and grace to be the children of God How the beleeuers may haue power to be made the sonnes of God Power here in this place is not vnderstood to be that which is disseuered from the thing it selfe and from the effect Wherefore Hilarie in his first booke De trinitate saith They which haue receiued are augmented to be the sonnes of God not by growing of the flesh but by the springing of faith Further if we would grant that power in that place doth make shew of some thing as yet to be looked for which had no effect they haue not yet gotten that which they would namelie that they should interpret charitie or iustification to be looked for after faith as though these things for a certeine space of time were differed from faith begun but it should rather be referred to perfect adoption Adoption of two sorts Rom. 8. 15. For adoption as Paule speaketh is of two sorts one we haue now presentlie which is spoken of vnto the Romans Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare anie more but the spirit of adoption of the children wherein we crie Abba Father And this adoption haue they alreadie obteined who haue receiued Christ by faith and as the euangelist saith They be borne of God and the selfe-same men be indued with charitie But there is another adoption which is perfect this shall be giuen in the resurrection when we shall be frée from all gréefe corruption Of this there is plaine mention made in the said chapter to the Romans when it is said Ibidem 19. Euerie creature groneth and waiteth for the reuelation of the children of God yea we our selues hauing the first fruits of the spirit doo grone amongst our selues waiting for the adoption and redemption of our bodies Wherefore we will saie that the beléeuers and those that be iustified and borne of God haue a power I meane a right vnto that perfect adoption the which we expect to obteine at the time appointed Wherefore howsoeuer they haue vnderstood that word Power they prooue nothing against vs. What is to be siad of them which liue vnpurelie and yet confesse that the articles of the faith be true 26 But they be woont to cast vs in the téeth with them which liue an vncleane life which acquaint themselues with hainous crimes who neuerthelesse agrée to all the articles of saith that we doo and yet for all that it is certeine that they behauing themselues so dishonestly be destitute of charitie wherefore saie they it cannot be denied but that in them at the least wise faith is separated from charitie I answere that the faith of these men may indéed be called a true faith as touching those things which they confesse but concerning the faith it selfe if we throughlie consider the nature thereof it is no verie true and lawfull faith To make this thing manifest I will vse examples A similitude If a man conclude that an eclipse shall be which is to com but prooueth it by a false kind of argument sheweth not the same by anie iust demonstration his knowledge as touching the conclusion which he brought in may be called true yet bicause he vseth a naughtie reason the sense thereof shall neuer be called a true knowledge but a false sophisticall Also verie many Turks do confesse manie things that we beléeue as the creation of the world What the Turks beleeue togither with vs. the resurrection of the dead and that Christ was borne of the virgin Marie whom neuerthelesse we will neuer account to be indued with the true faith Againe they obiect that which is in Iohn that There were certeine princes Ioh. 12 42. which beleeued in Christ which notwithstanding durst not confesse his name And againe Iohn 2 24. That there were some which beleeued vnto whom neuerthelesse Christ committed not himselfe Now these things saie they declare that these men had faith without charitie Howbeit we yéeld not as they would haue vs that these princes were indued with the true faith and Christ taught that they did not beléeue trulie How saith he can you beleeue which seeke glorie of your selues And certeine indéed it is Iohn 5 44. Note a testimonie of Christ that the princes which iudged not euill of Christ would not therefore confesse him bicause they feared to be cast out of the synagog and while they desired too much the preseruation of their honor dignitie they were turned awaie from the confession of Christ wherefore Christ pronounced them not to beléeue These men saie moreouer They which beléeue trulie when they fall into gréeuous sinnes and yet neuerthelesse doo beléeue the same things which they did before cannot be counted without faith when as yet they be despoiled of charitie But we admit not that while they be conuersant in their sins they haue faith Titus 1 16. The deâ—…eng of God standeth not with the faith of Christ They haue an image of faith but not faith Against them the apostle beareth record that They confesse themselues to knowe God but in their deeds they deny him But with a sound true faith the denieng of God cannot stand wherefore these men shall be rather said to retaine an image and shew of faith than the true faith of which we now intreat And these things shall suffice at this time for the first question
from the counterfeit The holie Ghost is not knowne by anie other thing than by it selfe Rom. 8 16. For the triall of our faith hope there is also required an examination of our selues 2. Cor. 13 5. demand how these faculties or powers are discerned from the counterfeit We answere that they are declared by the force and power of the holie Ghost which spirit hath in all spirituall things no other light more cléere than it selfe whereby it should be illustrated Which thing also we sée to be true in the sunne for the sunne is not declared to be the sunne but by his owne light Wherefore Paule vnto the Romans verie aptlie said It is the spirit that beareth record with our spirit that we be the children of God But besides this light of the holie Ghost is required also an examination of our selues wherefore Paule thus speaketh in the latter epistle to the Corinthians Trie your selues whether ye be in faith In which triall hope must be distinguished for there is one hope that hath alwaies repentance and a desire of amendement of life ioined with it of which kind of hope the apostle speaketh when he saith that It confoundeth not Our certeintie openeth not a waie vnto sinnes for it hath alwaies these companions ioined with it namelie faith and charitie Wherefore when we teach a certeintie thereof we open not a windowe vnto vices as our aduersaries slander vs neither doo we stir vp men to loose life for this true hope moueth vs not to these things but rather driueth vs to liue according to that hope There is another hope which we may rather call a securitie of the flesh Our certeintie is no securitie of the flesh whereof Augustine thus rightlie speaketh Such as cleaue vnto it by hoping perish And these be they which saie God is good and loueth vs Christ died for our saluation Howsoeuer we lead our life we shall obteine saluation Of this hope we must diligentlie beware for it is far distant from repentance and from a desire to liue well and being of that nature it vtterlie driueth awaie from it both faith and charitie this hope miserablie deceiueth men wherefore of this Paule dooth not here speake 52 Now remaineth to sée whether the blessed spirits or soules may in heauen haue this true hope wherewith the godlie are now adorned For on the one side we knowe that they wait for the resurrection of bodies Whether Christ and the saints may haue hope as yet 1. Cor. 13 vers 8 13. and the last iudgement which shall vnto them be verie welcome wherefore in that behalfe they séeme not to be vtterlie void of hope But on the other side the apostle vnto the Corinthians dooth describe faith hope and charitie but of these thrée he saith that onelie charitie falleth not awaie By which words he manifestlie teacheth that true hope can haue no place when we be in heauen And that which we haue spoken of the godlie may also bée called into question touching Christ for he also séemeth to haue hoped that he should rise againe and that he should carrie vp his humane nature into heauen Vnto these things we answer that it ought not to be doubted but that both Christ hoped and also the soules of the blessed doo yet after a sort hope But we denie that it is such a hope as ours is which we haue in this life bicause as we haue before declared out of the words of the apostle our hope hath as companions sighing and sorrowing ioined therewith which things doubtles in the eternall felicitie which the blessed doo enioie in heauen can haue no place Further our hope cleaueth fast vnto faith the which bréedeth an vnperfect and an obscure knowledge for as Paule saith vnto the Corinthians Ibidem 12. We see now by a glasse in a riddle and we knowe but in part but the saints in heauen knowe most perfectlie and most clérelie Moreouer forsomuch as faith hath chéeflie a respect vnto the last and chéefe good thing there ought no such hope as ours is to be ascribed to the blessed which now hold and possesse that good thing Hope is giuen vs as an anchor in this life For true and proper hope can haue no place in the eternall felicitie it is onelie giuen vs as an anchor so long as we abide here for so the epistle which is written vnto the Hebrues calleth it Heb. 6 19. For while we be tossed with the waues and tempests of this world vnles our mind be confirmed and established by the anchor of hope our ship will soone dash against the sands and rocks 53 Chrysostome calleth it a golden chaine let downe from heauen Hope is as a chaine which chaine if we take hold of we shall be drawne vp into heauen Wherefore we must diligentlie prouide that this hope be dailie more and more confirmed in vs which thing will then chéeflie come to passe Hope is made strōg by the consideration of Gods benefits if we weigh the singular benefits of God which benefits forsomuch as they are manfestlie conteined in the holie scriptures our hope by the reading of them shall greatlie be confirmed And this hath Paule in the epistle to the Romans most plainlie taught when he said Whatsoeuer things are written Rom. 15 4. are written for our learning that through patience and consolation of the scriptures we should haue hope The verie which thing Dauid also saith Psal 9 11. They which knowe thy name put their trust in thee Wherefore séeing the nature and name of God is no where better knowne than in the holie scriptures it followeth that by them we ought to confirme our hope And this if we will diligentlie obserue our mind shall not be discouraged God seemeth somtime to forsake his elect when God as oftentimes his maner is suffereth our doings to come euen to shame And the same we sée happened euen to Christ our sauiour for he was so vtterlie forsaken of God that he was nailed vnto the crosse Mat. 27 38. and died a most ignominious death betwéene two théeues Dauid also was brought to that point 1. Sam. 22 24. chapters that he not onelie being expelled from the kingdome of Israel was faine to wander in desolate places but also was now in a maner shut vp in the power of Saule The selfe-same thing we sée hath oftentimes happened vnto other of the godlie sort so as they were in a maner iudged to be quite wrong and to be fallen from their hope But the spirit of Christ giueth strength that men are able in the midst of their calamities to reioise and saie Matt. 19 11 These things should haue no power of vs if they were not appointed from aboue Which sentence Christ laid against Pilat when he boasted of his power The 42. psalme also hath excellentlie well taught vs how we ought to comfort our selues and with a good hope to erect
Iames Haimo vpon the Gospell of crcumcision Sedulius vpon the first and second chapters vnto the Romans Thomas vpon the third to the Galathians Bruno vpon the fourth vnto the Romans Arnobius vpon the 106. Psalme Now I thinke I haue spoken inough as touching this question ¶ Osianders feigned deuise as touching essentiall righteousnes is confuted in the epistle to the Lords of Polonia The fift Chapter Of peace and Christian libertie where also is intreated of offense of the conscience and especiallie of the choise of meates In Rom. 18 verse 15. The summe of the preaching of the Gospell is peace 1. Cor. 5 19. THe summe of the preaching of the Gospell is peace especiallie with God for they which doo preach as the apostle teacheth in the latter epistle to the Corinthians bring with them the words of reconciliation Neither exhort they anie thing else but that we should be reconciled vnto God through Christ God in times past was angrie with mankind he punished and condemned them he reiected their praiers and their works and although they were notable yet did he abhorre them bicause they were the works of his enimies And on the other side men were not onelie miserable but also they hated euen God himselfe they wished that there might be no GOD they detested his iudgements and fled from him as from a tyrant and cruell executioner for that their owne conscience on euerie side accused them What is the peace of Christians Luke 2 14. But the Gospell preacheth peace and reconciliation through Christ This is it which the angels did sing at the birth of Christ Glorie on high peace on earth and good will towards men The angels aprooued this worke of God which had decréed by his sonne to redéeme mankind And this their praise and commendation is the glorie of God Moreouer forsomuch as we now through Christ be reconciled vnto God we obteine peace inwardlie as touching our mind for being renewed by grace and the spirit we lead an vpright life neither doo our wicked affections turmoile vs anie more our conscience reprooueth vs not neither are our harts by furious rages stirred vp to perturbations Further we wish well and doo good vnto our neighbours as vnto our selues and liue in peace with them and that most firmelie Neither is this anie let which Christ said I came not to send peace vpon the earth Matt. 10 34. What peace Christ came not to send for that peace is to be vnderstood as touching the peace of the flesh and of the world For with the peace of the Gospell whereof we now intreat are ioined great perils and discommodities of the flesh persecutions and losse of goods doo straitwaie assaile vs. What good is Goodnesse as the philosophers saie is that which althings desire And to declare the nature thereof more at large and plainlie all things are good so farre foorth as in them there is a certeine respect deriued towards vs that they are either profitable commodious or plesant to our vses But through the power of the Gospell we obteine this benefit that all things are made to serue vs 1. Cor. 3 22. All things saith Paule are yours whether it be life or death or Paule or Cephas and we are Christs and Christ is Gods Againe To them that loue God Rom. 8 27. all things worke to good And that which Esaie taught is to be noted to wit Esai 61 1. How we are by Christ deliuered from euils That by these messengers deliuerance must be preached For although that death misfortunes pouertie diseases and such other kind of euils doo still vexe vs yet are we said to be deliuered from them by Christ bicause they haue not anie longer the nature of punishments For all these discōmodities of the flesh God hath by his death and crosse sanctified so that they haue no more in them the respect of punishment but vnto vs are made instructions fatherlie chastisements victories triumphes and notable acts 2 But to omit nothing What peace in the Hebrue signifieth we ought not to be ignorant that in the Hebrue toong Schalom that is Peace signifieth Happines of things so that whereas the Gréeks saie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the superscription of their letters the Hebrues vse to write Schalom that is Peace And so séeing the Euangelists doo pronounce peace they preach perfect and true happinesse And if thou demand wherein consisteth such a peace goodnesse and deliuerance we answer This peace consisteth in the kingdome of God Matt. 10 7. Esai 52 7. that to speake bréeflie it consisteth in the kingdome of God Therefore Christ when he sent his disciples to preach willed them to preach that The kingdome of heauen is at hand The selfe-same dooth Esaie saie when he writeth And they shall saie vnto Sion Thy God reigneth Hitherto hath sinne reigned wherefore Paule said Rom. 6 12. Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodie Rom. 5 14. Death also hath reigned for the same apostle saith Death hath reigned from Adam euen vnto Moses The diuell also hath reigned whom the Lord calleth The prince of this world and Paule Iohn 12 31. Ephe. 6 12. The gouernour of this world and the god of this world All these things haue hitherto miserablie exercised their tyrannie ouer vs but now the Lord reigneth For as touching outward kingdoms What maner of princes the Hebrues had the Iewes vndoubtedlie had manie iudges and manie kings few good some tollerable but a great manie most wicked tyrants And they which were good as Dauid Ezechias Iosias and such like were notwithstanding weake neither could they either defend the people from calamities or make them good Wherfore the Iewes were oftentimes oppressed of their enimies led awaie into captiuitie and from thence being deliuered were at rest for a while But after Alexander Magnus came the Macedonians gréeuouslie vexed Iurie After them came Pompeius Crassus Herod and at the last Vespasianus and Titus who vtterlie ouerthrew all Also the church of Christ had hir externall princes partlie wicked and partlie good in respect of ciuill iustice Then it goeth wel with vs when Christ reigneth in vs. Dan. 2 44. but yet verie weake Wherfore our estate can neuer be in good case vnlesse Christ reigne in vs. The kingdome of heauen as Daniel in his 2. chap. saith is that which is neuer destroied Therein is peace not for a moment of time but for euer for in the psalme it is said In his daies shall righteousnesse spring Psal 72 7. and abundance of peace so long as the moone endureth And in Esaie Esai 9 7. And of his peace there shall be no end Wherein the kingdome of God consisteth And herein consisteth this kingdome that we be directed by the word and by the spirit of God by these two waies Christ reigneth in vs. The word sheweth what is to be beléeued and what
purgatorie doo not well if they obtrude the same vnto the church to be beléeued in which church as things to be beléeued nothing must be taught but that which certeinlie and vndoubtedlie may be proued by the scriptures 23 Now there remaineth A confutation of the arguments which make for purgatorie To the first 1. Mac. 12. 6. that we confute the arguments which were set foorth at the begining First was obiected a place out of the 2. booke of Machabeis which can be no hindrance to the truth bicause those bookes be none of the canonicall scriptures But these men saie that although the Hebrues haue not those bookes yet that our church hath receiued them How the bookes of the Machabeis haue beene receiued of the church Cyprian I grant that the church hath receiued them but as Cyprian testified in the exposition of the Créed to the intent they should be read in the church but not that our faith should thereby be confirmed In the which place the blessed martyr reckoned vp the canonicall bookes and added These be the bookes out of which the fathers would haue the grounds of our faith to consist And Ierom Ierom. when he citeth the bookes of the Machabeis is woont to adde If anie man will beléeue them or receiue them Augustine also Augustine against the second epistle of Gaudentius saith that They were receiued but not equallie with the bookes of the lawe the prophets and the psalmes yet he saith that they be not vnprofitable so they be read and heard discréetelie Discréetelie I saie They must be read discreetlie that we maie iudge wherein they either consent or disagrée with the scriptures Also Melito bishop of Sardine Melito Sardinensis in the recitall which he maketh of the canonicall bookes vnto Eusebius reckoneth not these bookes among them Epiphanius also ouerskipped them Epiphanius Razias 2. Ma. 14. 41. Vnto these things adde that in those bookes is the historie of one Razias who killed himselfe bicause he would not come into the hands of his enimies there both the man his acts are cōmended whose example in the time of Augustine the Circumcellions did abuse when as they did violentlie murther themselues Augustine wherefore Augustine against the Donatists laboured much to defend the booke but how much he profited let other men iudge To conclude at the end of these bookes it is read If I haue written well 2. Ma. 15 39 The writer of these bookes in the end of the booke excuseth himselfe verse 11. To the second that was my desire but if I haue spoken slenderlie and barelie I haue doone that I could Which words are not beséeming where the holie Ghost is author 24 Secondlie there was brought Zacharie the ninth chapter But by the lake wherein no water was Ierom expressedlie vnderstandeth hell where there is no mercie the which being prepared for vs worthilie are we redéemed from thence by Christ Also the place is expounded by some to be that receptacle or roome wherein the soules of the fathers were before Christ ascended into heauen from whence by the benefit of him they were deliuered and caried into heauen yea Ierom. and Ierom affirmeth that in the same lake the riotous rich man was in torments Whereby it appéereth that their exposition of purgatorie faileth Also the sentence of Ecclesiastes wherein it is said Eccl. 4 14. To the third Out of bonds and prisonments some are otherwhile aduanced vnto kingdomes serueth nothing vnto this purpose séeing in that place there is onelie a discourse of the dailie alteration of things And Gregorie the bishop of Pontus Gregorie of Laodicea who was of Laodicea saith as Ierom citeth Euen as a king who is both a foole and an old man may be easilie cast out of his kingdome so on the other side a yong man although he be poore so he be wise may be aduanced from a lowe state vnto a kingdome Origin Victorinus But Origin and Victorinus turne it to an allegorie and saie that An old king and To be cast out betokeneth vnto vs the diuell who otherwise is called the prince of this world and they vnderstand the yong man to be Christ who so soone as he came vnto his father receiued full power whereas before he was greatlie vexed in the world as in a prison That which is in the Psalmes Psal 66 12. To the fourth We haue passed through fire and water c. Augustine expounded concerning the temptations of this world so as aduersities are described by the fire and prosperities by the waters at which temptations while the godlie doo not shrinke they are led vnto the heauenlie refreshings 25 But now let vs sée what they haue obiected out of the new testament Matt. 12 31 To the fift That which is written in the gospell of not forgiuing of sinne against the holie Ghost neither in this world nor yet in the world to come prooueth not that there be anie sinnes which be forgiuen in an other life Among the Logicians two negatiue propositions are not woont to conclude an affirmatiue wherfore Not to be forgiuen in this world and Not to be forgiuen in an other world doo not affirme a forgiuenesse of sinnes to be after this life And it plainelie appéereth that those things were spoken of Christ by exaggeration or amplifieng that thereby the greatnes of that sinne might be the more euident Mark 3 29. And when as Marke writeth the same thing he saith It shall neuer be forgiuen making no mention either of this world or of the world to come Matt. 5 25. To the sixt As touching him that would not agrée with his aduersarie while he is in the way and therefore is commanded to be deliuered vnto the officer by whom he may be cast into prison so as he shall not come foorth from thence vntill he haue paid the vttermost farthing Augustine dooth plainlie vnderstand the same Augustine touching hell fire and he will haue the particle vntill to be vnderstood in the same signification wherein it is said Matt. 1 25. And he knew not hir vntill she had brought foorth hir first begotten sonne Ierom. And Ierom interpreted this place to concerne the kéeping of concord among the faithfull while they shall liue héere which he prooueth both by that which went before and which followeth It was said before Matt 5 23. If thou offer thy gift at the altar and there remembrest that thy brother hath anie thing against thee leaue there thy gift c. Further after these things it is written Loue your enimies Ibidem verse 44. He also maketh mention of an allegoricall interpretation wherein by an Aduersarie some haue vnderstood the spirit it selfe which exposition notwithstanding séemeth absurd vnto him that the spirit should deliuer vs vnto the iudge Neither did he let to speake that there are some which by an Aduersarie vnderstood the
for these causes it happeneth that they cast awaie the word of God defend the most shamefull violation of all holie things and with prisonments and fiers pursue and destroie all those which indeuour to reforme anie thing in religion 5 Paule in the first epistle to the Corinthians Distribution and vocation verse 17. the 7. chapter saith As God hath distributed to euerie man as the Lord hath called euerie one so let euerie man walke In which place we haue mention made of distribution and vocation that we may be taught that there is nothing rashlie doone neither that there is anie man in the world which at his owne will or indeuour taketh vpon him his owne proper state or condition Who at his owne pleasure is borne a prince or a seruant a rich man or a poore man And so in like maner of other states These things are diuided vnto euerie man by God according to his will and prouidence What vocation is Vocation is said to be the declaration of the will of God by the which he leadeth vs vnto faith and saluation and placeth vs in some certeine state and kind of life Euerie one of vs ought so to be towards God as a souldier is vnto his capteine for the souldier in the campe taketh not vpon him an office or place A similitude according as he himselfe will but he dealeth and bideth in place according as his capteine shall command Wherfore in the christian state of life and vocation there must no alteration be rashlie made by a christian man But let vs consider An exception from a rule set downe that these things may not be vnderstood of the states kinds of life which be most plainelie repugnant to the word of God for those that be of that sort must forthwith be reiected For no harlot vsurer or vnpure vower of chastitie ought to pretend that he will not change his state vocation to be turned to a better séeing these detestable states must be imputed to our owne fault and not to the will of God Finallie Euerie man must be content with his owne state The difference betweene the Ethniks and christians concerning this vertue Paule persuadeth no other thing but that euerie man should liue content with that state which is allotted vnto him so it be honest which thing is so méet and agréeable to the vprightnesse of nature as the Poets and Ethnike writers as well Gréeks as Latines haue allowed the same Howbeit betwéene them and our apostle this difference there is that they referre the distribution of sundrie states vnto fortune and chaunce but our apostle doth ascribe it vnto the diuine prouidence Wherein he iudgeth and speaketh godlie séeing all things which happen vnto vs are referred to the most high cause of the will of God 6 But this sentence of Paule séemeth to bring the christians into most strait bondage if it be not lawfull for them by anie meanes to change their vocations If a man be called from the plough as Cincinnatus and other ancient Romans were vnto the state of consulship and gouernement of the common weale shall it not be lawfull for him to receiue the same Againe a man being poore if a conuenient occasion of a more cōmodious estate be offered whie may he not change his poore estate into a better kind of life But héerevnto we answere that Paules speaking is of those changes Of what changing of vocation Paule speaketh which cannot be doone without the offending of our neighbour and without the note of inconstancie which things must wholie be auoided by christian men as it appeareth of vnfit matches in matrimonie of circumcision gentilitie seruitude and fréedome the which things be not changed without offense without note of newfanglenesse But it is not forbidden by these woords but that thou maist sometime change a dangerous state into that state which shal be of more safetie when as thou doost the same prudentlie without offense vnto anie man and which is most of all to be required that thou doost it not against the word of God Moreouer if thou be called by iust meanes vnto an office or vnto the rule of the church now is it not thine owne selfe that translateth thée from one vocation vnto an other but thou are promoted by God The verie same must be determined when thou shalt be compelled by anie great necessitie to enter into anie new state and condition this also is to be ascribed vnto God being the author of that necessitie In like maner if there be an occasion offered of dooing well the businesse of Christ 1. Cor. 9 22. if thou be otherwise affected Paule must be followed who was made all things to all men Onelie beware that thou séeke not thine owne nor yet deale rashlie And séeing thou oughtest to be as the labouring beast towards God suffer him to go before thée to lead thée by his will cōduction vnto that state which thou must take in hand The diuell is woont by deceiptfull temptations to bring gréeuous euils vpon the simple sort Sometimes by faire meanes he persuadeth them that doo serue and deceiueth them by this meanes Séeing Christ hath alreadie deliuered you séeing all things be yours it is an vnséemelie thing that you should serue in this sort Whie doo ye not shake off the yoke Whie doo ye not take vpon you to vse that gift which is granted you by Christ By these or such like reasons it is to be thought that he mooued the Iewes who asked Christ Matt. 22 17. Whether it were lawfull to giue tribute vnto Caesar In like maner when we be oppressed by anie wicked prince sathan thus reasoneth God in Deuteronomie ordeined Deut. 17 15 that a king should not be chosen but among the brethren but he is not of the number of the brethren which professeth not the same religion and godlinesse whie therefore doo you not mind to reuolt from this tyrant Whie doo ye not depose him which is so great an enimie to religion Howbeit we must harken vnto the word of GOD whereby it is commanded that we should not onelie obeie princes that be good but them also that be shrewd And let this place also come to remembrance that vocations are distributed by God and that we must not rashlie séeke to ouerthrowe them 7 But this must we chéeflie hold for a Maxime that It is sinne Rom. 14 23. whatsoeuer is doone without faith But thou wilt saie The Iewes In 1. Sam. 14 verse 32. Whether we are more vnhappie than the Iewes which haue no answers of our affaires if they were to take anie great thing in hand might require an answere of God we at this daie cannot do so are we therefore lesse beloued of God than were they I knowe that manie are woont to complaine of this matter as though our state were woorse than was the state of the Iewes But here we must vse a
came in verie déed namelie when Christ was transformed vpon the mount Thabor He was present togither with Moses euen as it should séeme in his owne proper bodie He shall come againe at the last time howbeit to iudgement with other saints which shall be raised from the dead but not to fight or to be slaine of Antichrist Some man perhaps will saie it is a wonder that these raptings did happen in the old testament are not written of in the new Yes verelie Diuers raptings of men in the new testament Luke 24 51 Acts. 24 51. Acts. 8 39. they are had also in the new For Christ of whom the old raptings were shadowes was taken vp into heauen in the sight of his apostles And Paule said that he was rapted into the third heauen whether it were in the bodie or out of the bodie c. And Philip the Deacon as we read in the Acts when he had baptised the Eunuch of Quéene Candaces he was caught awaie by the angell out of his sight and found himselfe to be at Azotus Wherefore there be notable examples extant as well in the old testament as in the new whereby we are warned that we should at the least wise ascend into heauen with our mind and there be conuersant before God and Christ Iesus Phil. 3. 10 1. Cor. 5 6. Our conuersation as Paule hath taught ought to be in heauen Neither let vs be forgetfull that wée so long as we liue héere doo wander and straie from the Lord happie no doubt are such raptings Damnable on the other side are the raptings of Dathan and Abiram Num. 16 31 who were caught quicke into hell And fowle and shamefull were those which the Poets extoll namelie of Ganimedes Proserpina and of others whose examples must euen as much be auoided of all men as the former examples must be expressed with as much imitation as we can And thus haue we spoken sufficientlie of the question proposed whereof I ment to haue said but a little But in trauelling therein I met with a number of by-turnings and points which I might not passe ouer that I was constrained to speake or write more at large than I was determined And as touching those things which I haue defined my mind was not to teach them as things firme and certeine or as perfectlie tried out by the holie scriptures but as likelihoods of truth the which we may gesse of without breach of faith And if anie man can alledge better proofes I am readie to heare him Neither haue I minded to contend earnestlie about those things which I haue affirmed and this doo I also persuade and counsell others to doo The xvij Chapter Of the end of the world of the last iudgement of eternall life of the equalitie of rewards and of the restoring of the whole world AS for the time of continuance of the world In 1. Cor. 10. ver 1◠we haue no certeintie in the holie scriptures Augustine reckoned six ages of the world Augustine in his first booke vpon Genesis against the Manicheis reckoned six ages of the world The first from Adam vnto Noah the second from Noah vnto Abraham the third from thence vnto Dauid the fourth from that time to the transmigration into Babylon the fift from that time vnto Christ the sixt from Christ vntill the last iudgement Wherefore that age wherein we now liue being the last Iohn 2 18. may be called the decréeped or verie old age and of Iohn it is called the last houre but how long it shall continue Augustine we knowe not Augustine vnto Hesychius who had somewhat curiouslie questioned of the end of the world answered that He durst not either measure or reckon the spaces of times vnto the end of the world bicause it is written Matt. 24 3◠that Of that daie knoweth no man neither the angels nor yet the sonne of God himself Epiphanius Which place Epiphanius interpreteth in the booke which he calleth Anchoratus affirming a double knowledge one of the execution or worke another of the inward science And then saith he God the father hath both waies the knowledge of the last iudgement of the inward science doubtlesse in that he hath knowen the time thereof secondlie of the worke bicause he hath alreadie executed iudgement How the sonne hath knowledge of the iudgment daie and how he hath not Iohn 5 22. He hath giuen all iudgement to the sonne and as touching himselfe he hath sufficientlie iudged And the sonne hath knowledge of that daie as touching knowledge but as touching execution he hath not bicause he is not yet come to iudge But the angels in neither sort knowe of that daie First in verie déed the houre time of iudgement is hidden to them further the worke or execution God hath not yet committed to them that they should go foorth and take awaie all offenses Howbeit this exposition séemeth to be verie subtill and wrested Augustine Augustine hath more plainlie interpreted it that The sonne knoweth not of that daie not as touching himselfe but concerning others whom he causeth not to knowe that daie neither hath he reuealed the same by his doctrine But if thou wilt saie that afrer this maner the father also dooth not knowe it bicause he hath not shewed the same daie or instructed anie man as touching it he answereth Yes verelie he hath reuealed it to the sonne Howbeit I would yet more simplie vnderstand that sentence as touching the humane nature of Christ which by the ordinarie and naturall condition knew nothing more than was declared vnto him by the diuine nature 2 Some haue had a mind to cauill that albeit the daie and the houre is not knowne yet that by coniectures we may atteine to the knowledge of the time bicause that Christ did speciallie speake of that daie but not of the time But this subtill point nothing helpeth them bicause it is written in the first chapter of the acts verse 7. It is not for you to knowe the times and moments which in Gréek is written 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And that Matt. 24 14. which we read in Matthew When the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world then shall the end be Augustine Augustine expoundeth The Lord shall not come before the Gospell shall be preached ouer all the world But by this it is not knowne how soone after such preaching he will come In the epistle to the Colossians verse 6. the first chapter the apostle writeth that Euen at that time the Gospell was alreadie preached ouer all the world and yet we sée that iudgement is still deferred The Lord in the Gospell of Matthew Matt. 24. shewed of manie signes of the last times but when we sée them we vnderstand not whether as yet they be thoroughlie come to the iust measure so as they should be reckoned euen for the verie same things which the Lord
Genesis anie let vnto this renewing where God said vnto Noah that All the daies of the earth shall be sowing and haruest cold and heate summer and winter daie and night for these things he saith shall come to passe in the daies of the earth but those daies shall be the daies of heauen Esaie 66 23 and as Esaie saith A sabboth of sabboths Also Ieremie in the 33. verse 20. chapter saith Can the couenant be made void which I haue made with day night As though he would saie It cannot be made void So saith he shall the couenant be established which I haue made with the house of Iuda and with the house of Dauid The couenant whereof the prophet now speaketh as touching the sending of Messias in his time appointed must not be drawne beyond the time of the present state But Christ when he saith in the Gospell that Heauen and earth shall passe awaie Matt. 24 35. but my word shall not passe awaie How the heauen and earth shall passe away meaneth not Passing awaie for destruction but foretelleth that a certeine change shall one daie come Which yet shall neuer happen vnto his words for they shall alwaies abide vnmooueable and the truth of them shall neuer be peruerted Of this interpretation Dauid is author in the 102. psalme verse 26. The heauens saith he are the works of thy hands they shall perish but thou shalt endure as a garment shalt thou change them and they shall be changed Herevnto also agréeth Peter for when he had said that The heauens shall perish 2. Pet. 3 12. and the elements shall melt awaie with heate he added that We according to the promise shall haue a new heauen and a new earth Esaie 65 17 And Ierom expounding the 65. chapter of Esaie vnto this sense alledgeth a sentence of Paule out of the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 7 31. the seuenth chapter For he saith that The figure of this world passeth awaie as though he would not saie that the nature of things or the world it selfe shall perish but onelie the figure that is the state and forme of this time And that the same renewing which we affirme signifieth not a destroieng of nature he prooueth it by a similitude taken of the degrées of our age A similitude For when of children we are made yoong men and of yoong men men and of men old men we are not as touching the nature of man destroied but by those changes we are transferred from a lower estate vnto that which is more excellent Wherefore when that last burning shall come which the scriptures plainlie teach shall come the whole world shall be set on fire A similitude And as gold and siluer when they are melted in the fire perish not but are made more pure so the world shall not by that fire be destroied but be renewed Of this mind also were some of the Ethnike writers as Heraclitus Ephesius and Empedocles Siculus and others who peraduenture had receiued these things of their elders but had corrupted them with wicked opinions An opinion of the heretiks called Millenarij 21 There haue béene also manie of the christians in ancient time which thought that the creatures shall remaine after the comming of the Lord and that they shall serue vnto some vse for the elect For they thought that when Christ shall returne there shal be then onlie the resurrection of the godlie which also they called the first resurrection betwéene which the latter wherein the wicked shall be raised vp there shall be the space of a thousand yéeres and during this time shall Christ wholie reigne in this world togither with the saints and all this space the diuell shall be bound as it is described in the booke of the Apocalypse Apoc. 20 3. And they séeme to haue taken an occasion of their opinion not onelie out of the Reuelation of Iohn but also out of the prophets For they when they prophesie of the kingdome of Christ make mention of manie things which séeme to perteine to the kingdoms of this world and vnto pleasures and delights And they which were in this error were of the Graecians called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latins Millenarij Neither doubtlesse were there onelie of the common sort patrones of this opinion but euen the principall and most ancient men in the church Certeine principall men of the church were of this opinion as Papias Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Victorinus Lactantius Tertullian and manie other famous Ecclesiasticall writers Whom I ioine not with Cerynthus for he sowed manie other errors as touching our Sauiour for vnto that which we said that these fathers held he added a double impietie First that the saints shall so reigne in this life with Christ as they shall abundantlie enioie all the pleasures of the bodie which is nothing else but againe with lusts droonkennes gluttonie and such other filthines to contaminate nature being renewed by the resurrection Another error of his was that in that kingdome of Christ the ceremonies of the lawe and sacrifices of Moses should be reuoked which errors none of those fathers whom we spake of did followe 22 Neither should it be anie hard matter to confute that madnes by the scriptures but bicause we haue doon this else-where at large we will now cease to speake thereof Onelie this I will adde that Augustine in the twentieth booke De ciuitate Dei the seuenth chapter writeth If these men had said that Christ in that space of a thousand yéeres will bestowe vpon his saints some celestiall graces their saieng should haue béene the more tollerable In which place he signifieth that he also was sometime of the same mind Howbeit afterward weihing things better he iudged that place of the Apocalypse A place of the Apocalypse diuerslie expounded from whence all that suspicion séemed to flowe must be otherwise expounded namelie by these thousand yéeres to vnderstand all the time which passeth from the ascension of Christ vnto his last iudgment Neither ought the number of a thousand yéers anie thing to offend vs for it is common to the holie scriptures by a number certeine and definite to signifie another number vncerteine and not definite Which thing although it may by manie other places be prooued yet here it shall be sufficient to note onelie two Christ said vnto his apostles Matt. 19 29. He that forsaketh his house or father or mother or children or wife or brethren c. shall receiue a hundred fold where by An hundred fold we vnderstand a certeine great and in a maner infinite recompense So God promiseth in the lawe that He would doo good to them that serue him Exod. 20 6. vnto a thousand generations which signifieth nothing else but to their posteritie for a verie long time Wherefore Christ as thinketh Augustine reigneth with his saints all this time which is signified
Hierom Augustine The corne that is to be purged in the Lords flower is borne by the stalke A similitude The stalkes and husks are profitable although the huskes bée vnprofitable yet they doe the Wheat good euen so the vices of the ministers doe not so hurt the beleeuers in Christ that the Sacraments distributed by them the word ministred by them shoulde become of no force The mightie simplenesse of the Ministerie 41 And whereas Paul teacheth that our faith is not of the wisedome of men In 1. Cor. 2. verse 5. but of the power of God this doeth chiefelie commend our faith The roote of our faith is not vpon the earth but in heauen whose roote is not in the earth but in heauen Whereby thou maist gather for perswading vnto faith that there is no néede of those things which agrée with humane iudgement our sense and reason whereas rather the things which men iudge likelie to be true are not without suspicion The faith of Christ is not to bée taught by mans wisedome This is verie greatlie against them which will therefore confirme humane traditions and rites inuented by men because our wisedome liketh well of them Which the Apostle hath manifestlie reprooued in his Epistle to the Colossians Col. 2. 23. when he saith According to the doctrines traditions of mē which verilie in words haue a shew of wisedome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A place to the Colossians expounded in a will worshipping that is inuented of men the nature whereof he expoundeth a little after as touching the mind vnder the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Often times they speak of their inuentions that they make the mind humble and lowlie and for this cause they commend their clothing and apparell Hée also addeth The not sparing of the bodie not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh Hitherto belongeth the choise of meats the sléeping vppon the ground and vnprofitable consuming of a mans selfe vnder a shew of the worshipping of God in such sort as neither is honour doone vnto the bodie neither yet is the flesh nourished as it ought to be That our faith must not rest vpon humane wisedome and why The Apostle confesseth in these words that there is a shewe of wisedome wherein neuertheles our faith must not rest although they séeme things goodlie and godlie It cleaueth fast to the onelie foundation of the word of God For as it is vnto the Romanes Faith commeth of hearing Rom. 10. 19 and hearing by the word of God But and if so be that our faith should cleaue vnto mans wisedome it might easilie be dissolued séeing that godlie things profitable things and true things are not euermore accounted all one And it maie oftentimes come to passe that the things which did please be cast awaie Wherefore not without a cause did Christ say vnto Peter Mat. 16. 17 Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona because fleshe and bloud hath not reueiled vnto thee but the spirite of the father which is in heauen And this constancie and stedfastnesse of faith as Chrysostome saith in his seconde Homelie vppon Matthewe is that rocke vppon the which Christ builded his Church But if that mans wisedome cannot be the cause of our faith Faith is not of workes the verie same is not to bée expected of our workes séeing that wisedome doth a great deale excell all other workes Why the wisedome of God pleaseth the perfect and not others In 1. Cor. 2. 6. Which is the wisedome of the world 42 And this is a cause why the wisedome of God pleaseth perfect men but vnto others it is not acceptable because it is not of this worlde It is called the wisedome of the world which is attained vnto by natural power and light which is able to gouerne defende and administer the things of the world as thinges pertaining to medicine things ciuill Logike Rhetoricke and such like The wisedom of this world shall end with the world These faculties we haue néede of in this world the which also shall haue an ende therewith For in the world to come there shall be no place for those thinges Nowe doe wee teach that the wisedome of this world must not bee shunned so it kéepe it selfe within her owne boundes for so hath it commodities belonging thereto Onelie this is not permitted thereunto that by the guiding thereof it should presume to bring man vnto Saluation Also it must bee terrified from aduenturing to measure diuine thinges with the reasons which it hath Yea that must bée reiected which manie doe falselie thinke namelie The wisedome of the Gospel doth not take away the wisedome of this world that the wisedome of Paul and of the Gospell doth either take awaie or weaken the wisedome of this world Manie haue saide that through the receiuing of the Gospel the Romane Empyre was after a sort destroyed and that Christian discipline greatlie hindered publike affaires Augustine against thē that say that common weales are destroyed by the Gospel And Augustine in an Epistle vnto Marcellinus doth excellentlie wel resist these errours and slaunders and sheweth that these euils of which these men complaine happened not through fault of the Euangelicall wisedome and he saith that the Calamities must bée ascribed to the faulte either of the Emperours or of them without whom the Emperours can doe nothing Salust declareth frō whence came the ruine of Empires Salust ascribeth the ruine of the Romane Empyre vnto Ryot and lust for that the Romane host beganne to be amorous to fall to drunkennesse to maruell at miracles to pill and poule prouinces And the same man writeth O Citie set foorth to sale and shortlie to perish if it finde a chapman Iuuenal And Iuuenall complained that nowe riote reuenged the conquered world The Gospel is against those euils which destroy commō weales Wherefore the wisedome of the Gospell bringeth not in these euils but doeth rather redresse them What doeth more serue to confirme the state of Cities Prouinces and kingdomes than peace and concord The same doeth the Euangelicall doctrine both commaund and preach A mercifull prince is wanting which forgetteth iniuries such a one as Cicero commendeth Caesar to be But this clemencie is no where more perswaded than in the Gospell Also for the preseruation of a common weale nothing is more worth than godlinesse obedience chastitie temperance iustice fortitude and vertues of this sort which the Gospell doth not driue out of the world but doeth rather conueie them into the worlde with the Chariotes of the spirite The Gospel bringeth in vertues driueth thē not away So that it is manifest that the wisedome of the Apostle whereof we now speake doeth not take awaie the wisedome of this world séeing it rather furthereth the same maketh it better For there be no ciuill vertues which hauing godlinesse added vnto them
the Councell of Chalcedon tooke awaie the consent of the second councell of Ephesus In the Synode of Constantinople vnder Leo the Emperour there was a consent to take awaie Images But that consent in the Synode of Nice vnder Irene was taken awaie by an other consent And that selfe same consent was afterward also taken awaie by the Councell of Germanie vnder Charles the great But I will adde a proofe by induction that we must not alwayes iudge of the scriptures by the Fathers We must iudge of the fathers by the scriptures but we must rather iudge the Fathers by the Scriptures Other Fathers saie that iustification is of Faith and not of workes Others doe affirme that workes doe much auaile vnto iustification Who shall decide this controuersie The word of God Paul vnto the Romanes saith We iudge that a man is iustified without the workes of the law Neither can it be saide Rom. 3. 26. that Paul in that place doeth onelie treate of Ceremonies for he treateth in that place as touching that lawe which sheweth sinne and worketh wrath and he addeth that we be iustified fréelie and he mentioneth the decaloge Rom. 7. 7. I had not knowen lust saith he vnlesse the lawe had saide Thou shalt not lust Peter was reprooued by Paul Gal. 1. 14. because he dissembled and withdrew him from the Table Here doeth Ierom contend with Augustine Ierom saith that Peter so dealt with Paul as though that matter had béen doone of set purpose that by the reproouing of Peter the Iewes which were present might the better vnderstande the whole matter Augustine cannot abide anie dissembling or lie in the scriptures Who shal here be the Iudge The word of God Ibid. ver 11 Paul to the Galathians He was saith he to be reprehended or blamed because he did not walke vprightly according to the truth of the Gospell Mat. 16. 18 Vpon these words Thou art Peter vpon this rocke will I build my Church others vnderstand vppon the rocke that is vppon Christ and vppon the faith and confession of Peter but others vpon Peter himselfe Who shall iudge this controuersie The word of God Paul saith An other foundation can no man laie than that which is laide 1. Cor. 3. 11 euen Iesus Christ In the Scriptures the dead are oftentimes said to sléepe Ioh. 11. 11. That doe some referre vnto the bodie others vnto the soule 1. Thess 4. 13. Luk. 23. 43. Who shall iudge this case The word of God Christ saith vnto the théefe This day shalt thou be with mee in Paradise Phil. 1. 23. Dan. 9. 5. And Paul saith I desire to be dissolued and to be with Christ Daniel confesseth his sinnes In which place Origen saith that he doeth not susteine his owne person but the person of others Augustine citeth this verie place against the Pelagians and teacheth that none is innocent Who shall iudge these things The word of God Paul saith Rom. 3. 23. 1. Iohn 1. 8 All haue sinned and need the glorie of God And Iohn If we shall saie that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Rom. 7. 24. Paul saith Who shall deliuer me from this bodie subiect vnto death This doe Ambrose and Augustine interprete of Paul regenerate Others thinke it was spoken of others not regenerate and that it cannot be applied vnto Paul Who shall iudge of these sayings but the word of God In the same place it is written Ibid. ve 22. I serue the Law of God in my minde But those that be not regenerate serue not the lawe of God in mind And he addeth Verse 19. The good which I would that I doe not But those that be not regenerate those cannot will that which is good Verse 25. And he addeth through Iesus Christ our Lord. It is not the part of a man not regenerate to giue thankes vnto God the Heretikes called Millenarii thought that Christ would returne vnto the earth and raigne among men for the space of a thousande yeares And of this minde was Papias Lactantius Apollinarius Irenaeus Iustinus and others those doeth Ierom flout and calleth it a Iewish fable This controuersie doeth the worde of God easilie decide Paul saith The word of God is not meat and drink Rom. 14. 17 And Christ saith My kingdome is not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. And in the kingdome of my Father they are neither maried nor doe marie Mat. 22. 30 In the times of Cyprian and Augustine the Eucharist was deliuered vnto Infantes This is not doone in these dayes but which is the better the worde of God shall iudge Paul saith 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man trie himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that cup. But Infantes can not trie them selues I might besides recite manie things in which the fathers disagrée among themselues where it should be necessarie to referre the iudgement to the word of God Wherefore let Smith consider howe wiselie he might write thus According to the rule and leuell of these fathers let vs examine the sense of the holie Scriptures let vs follow the iudgement of these men in reasoning of things pertaining to the holy scriptures 18 But our aduersaries while they thus obtrude the Fathers séeke no other thing but to beare rule ouer our faith But this would not Paul 1. Cor. 1. 24 We will not saith he beare rule ouer your faith That is vnder that pretence that we teach you faith we would not beare rule ouer you in taking awaie your substance Wherefore it is not méete that the Fathers in respect that they taught faith in the Church should so farre ouerrule as whatsoeuer they haue saide or written it should not be lawfull to iudge the contrarie for that would not be to beare rule but to exercise tyrannie Augustine in his second booke to Cresconius Grammaticus Augustine We saith he do iniurie vnto Cyprian when we seuer any of his writings from the authoritie of the Canonical Scriptures For it is not without cause that the Ecclesiastical Canon was made with so wholesome care wherunto certaine bookes of the Prophets and Apostles doe belong the which wee ought not in any wise to iudge and according vnto which we may freelie iudge of other mens writings whether they be faithfull or vnfaithfull Constantine And Constantine in the Synode of Nice exhorted the Byshops that they should decide all controuersies by the Canonical Scriptures by the scriptures Propheticall and Apostolicall and inspired by God As Theodoretus testifieth in his historie Augustine And Augustine against Faustus the Maniche in the xv booke and v. Chapter The scripture saith he is set as it were in a certaine seate aloft to the which euerie faithfull and godlie vnderstanding should humble it selfe Therein if anie thing as absurde shall mooue vs it is not lawfull to say the
the Churchyardes the waxe candles the fraÌ„kincense the pascall Lambe egges and also holy water the boughes of their palme trées yong springes grasse and pothearbes and finally all kinde of fruites and it is come to that passe as they consecrate the very belles and they take it in ill part that we say they baptise them For Hosius cauileth that this is vainelie spoken by vs The baptizing of bels and affirmeth that they be consecrated by their Ministers but not baptised But truely the common people are wholy to be excused for saying they doe baptise them for séeing all thinges in a manner are there doone wâ—…h pertain vnto baptisme it is not without a cause that they say they baptise theÌ„ For they be washed they be annointed they be coniured they are named handled with far greater pompe and ambition than men are while they are baptised with the holy baptisme How much the Papists attribute vnto Bels. much more is attributed vnto them than to the prayers of godly men For they say that by the ringing of them the wicked spirits the hoste of aduersaries the laying awaite of enemies tempestes hayle stormes whiriewindes violent blastes and hurtfull thunderclaps are driuen away flames and fires extinguished and finally what else soeuer But we much more soundlie and rightlie iudge that it is lawfull as we haue saide yea to bée required by godlie right A lawfull kinde of dedication that in the first vse of euerie thing wee should giue thankes vnto God and celebrate his goodnesse and that with méete and conuenient praises and desire that we may vse religiouslie and holilie such a benefite bestowed vpon vs. These things doubtlesse cannot be reprooued séeing they haue iust foundations out of the holie Scriptures Why the consecrations of the Papists must be reiected But the trifles of our aduersaries séeing they bee not deriued of the word of God but haue béene brought in by idle and superstitious men ought worthilie to be reiected by the Church of Christ For such is not the condition of men to institute sacraments at their owne pleasure because that is proper to God alone and to none besides him For sacramentes be instruments of the holy ghost the which he vseth to stirre vp our faith And séeing he is altogether the wisest he hath no néed that we should by our owne imagination or indeuour prepare instrumentes for him Which thing also no artificer in his facultie would abide but would him selfe make choyce of his owne instrumentes Wherefore great is the bouldnesse of these men which will prescribe his instrumentes whereby he should worke our saluation They are also reprooued for an other cause because they deale against the diuell by commaundement as though they could constraine him to depart when they will whereas they haue receaued no such grace of the holy Ghost and séeing that all Christians inioy not that gift 1. Co. 12. 11 For the spirit as Paul testifieth distributeth his gifts euen as he will Further they be ignorant whether an euill spirit be in that place which they say they consecrate which séeing they knowe not neither are warranted by the worde of God whatsoeuer they doe they worke without faith and therefore they sin séeing it is written by the Apostle Ro. 14. 24. Whatsoeuer is not of fâ—… is sinne In déede there hath sometime â—in certaine wicked houses where ill spirites exercised horrible thinges so as they might not be inhabited by men but there it was knowen by the déed it selfe that the ill spirite was present but in other houses we cannot perceiue either by the effectes or yet by the word of God that there be ill spirites Why then doe they so imperiously coniure them They might aswell coniure the whole world séeing Paul in the 6. to the Ephesians calleth the diuels Verse 12. The rulers of the world or at the leastwise the whole ayre whereby we chiefly vse to take breath séeing the euill spirites are called the powers of the ayre Neither can that be because they make more account of the ceremonies inueÌ„ted by themselues than of the Sacraments instituted by God For they vse greater pompe and preparation in the administring of them than when they celebrate the supper of the Lord or baptisme which Christ instituted Againe they preferre their inuentions aboue the tenne commaundementes and would more grieuously punish the breakers of them than those which transgresse the commaundementes of God Wherefore godlinesse is maruelouslie impayred for men are ledde away from the word of God and doe turne their mindes vnto vanities and to mens traditions And it is vnspeakeable how greatlie the ordinance of new worshippinges doe displease God for he hath euerie where in his lawes forbidden that it should not be doone 5 But now that we haue spoken ynough of the consecrating of outward thinges Onelie thanks and prayers must be vsed in outward consecrations What maner of consecration of men the papists vse With what superstitioÌ„s they haue infected Baptisme wherein this brieflie must be helde that besides prayer and thankesgiuing no other thing ought to be vsed now will we sée whether they deale anie thing more sincerely and godly in the baptising of men Vndoubtedly with their superstitions and inuentions they haue horriblie infected baptisme For that sacrament doeth consist of two things of the outward element of water and the word of God â—hereupon Augustine verie well said The worde is added vnto the element and it is made a Sacrament Other things which afterward were put thereunto procéeded from Bishops who were more giuen vnto Ceremonies than was méete and were maruellouslie affected to things inuented by themselues For this is a grieuous and in a manner a continuall fault of the nature of man that we haue in estimation those things especiallie which wee our selues haue inuented Therefore were the institutions of Christ and of his Apostles contemned as things worne out of vse Whereof it came to passe that the Papists do more detest them being barelie and simplie receiued than good Orators doe the wordes that be altogether out of vse So that in tract of time the Bishops haue foisted into Baptisme Oyle salt spittle Consecration of fonts twise in the yéere waxe light breathings exorcismes consecration of Fontes twise a yéere that is at Easter and at Pentecost thrée times dipping and such other like And as they bée most pregnant in coyning of wordes they haue called manie of them not sacramentes The Papists Sacramentals but sacramentals because they be tokens signes of those things which they themselues not God would haue to be signified and as they were mooued and did dreame in their imagination so they brought in things which séemed good vnto themselues As concerning Oyle Oyle added to baptisme we confesse that the auncient Kings Prophets and Priests and among the Ethnicks the wrestlers were annointed withall But these men by applying their annointings in Baptisme doe
tyde for all the whole fasting day they spent their time in Sermons Hymnes and other godly exercises Towards night the Supper of the Lord was ministred the Sacrament was receyued Afterward they returned home to the refreshing of their bodies Albeit in the time of Augustine in many Churches The Eucharist celebrated vpon Mandie Thursday at night in Augustines time as he himselfe reporteth that vpon the Thursday before Easter to the intent the Act of Christ might be represented the better the Eucharist was giuen to the faithfull at night and after Supper But I finde this custome to bee abolished by the 6. Synode which at Constantinople was held in Trullo Whose Canons are extant in Gréeke wherein there is plaine mention made of this custome to be among the Churches of Aphrica But to returne whence we haue digressed So the integritie of Sacramentes be retained as touching the time other such like circumstances we shoulde not be verie carefull séeing of those things there is nothing cōmanded Christ when he was baptized was thirtie yéeres of age Would it not be a great follie at this day if we would baptize only such as be 30. yéeres olde To the 10. The washing of féet 15 Of the washing of féete which is now omitted we say that therein is a double signification to be considered One as touching remission of sinnes and cleansing the filth of the minde the which is giuen vnto vs by Christ Thereof the Lorde said vnto Peter If I shall not washe thee Ioh. 13. 8. thou shalt haue no part with mee And he that is washed hath no neede but that his feete be washed And about this signification S. Bernard dealeth verie much Furthermore that washing was a signe of charitie and submission of the minde which we ought to vse though we bée noble of great honour Wherefore Christ said thereof Ib. ver 13. Ye call mee Maister and Lord and yee say well for so I am but if that I a Lord and Maister haue washed your feete ye also must one wash an others feete By which commaundement he meant that no mā for any honors sake of this world should cease from doing his duetie vnto his neighbour euen as touching those things which séeme to be but vile because Christ himselfe would doe them The washing of féete was common and vsuall among the Iewes For in the hotte regions as Iewrie is when men iourney by foote their bodies are verie much wearied with heate Wherefore vnto men wearied and full of dust the washing of féete bringeth no small refreshing especially séeing in those Regions men goe not so well shod as they doe with vs. Otherwise howe could Christ haue bin washed of the woman that was a sinner Iohn 12. 3. and be wyped with her haire and be annointed when he should sitte downe at the Table vnlesse he had his féete eyther bare or else so as they might easily be vncouered And that the washing of féete in the Scriptures doeth represent the meanest seruices towardes our neighbours Abigail testified who when Dauid meant to take her for his wife answered 1. Sa. 25. 41 Thy hādmaiden wil be readie who shall wash the feete of my Lord as if she had said I doe not thinke my selfe worthy of so great an honour I will rather be ready to do the meanest seruices vnto thy seruants And Paul in the first Epistle vnto Timothy 1. Tim. 5. 10. whē he speaketh of a widowe to be chosen of the Church requireth such a one as shal aboūd in good works hath washed the féete of the Saints Where there is no doubt but by the washing of féete Paule requireth that she haue exercised her selfe in doing of seruices and commodities to the men of God And Christ while he saieth in the Gospell When ye fast Matt. 6. 16. I would not haue you to be sad as the Hypocrites but commaundeth the contrarie Thou when thou dost fast annoint thy head c. By which place it is not to be gathered that in fastings we shoulde anoynt heads but because in Siria or Arabia surnamed the happie the vse of Oyntments was common when men would shew themselues to be mery yea they were in a maner daily annointed except they had bin in some sadnes therfore Christ meant that when we are in hand with priuate fastings we must not intermit the custome of outward worshipping as though by fastings we woulde winne the fauour of the people But we among whom is not that vse of oyntmentes are not bound in fastings to doe that which Christ saide The verie which thing thou maiest vnderstand about the washing of féet which our aduersaries obiected That can not be called a Sacrament although by the element it may signifie no common thing and it hath a commandement ioyned therewith because there be giuen no particular words which should come to the element to make it a sacrament and by which the promise of some singular gift or grace to be obtained is declared vnto vs. Furthermore neither Christ nor yet the Apostles decréed that they which were to Cōmunicate should washe one anothers féete Augustine And Augustine in the 119. Epistle vnto Ianuarius writeth that some Churches remooued this Ceremonie least it shoulde be estéemed for a part of the Sacrament or else for Baptisme the verie which notwithstanding some Churches retained Act. 15. 29. To the 11. 16 There was also opposed vnto vs a decrée of the Apostles wherein they ordained that the Gentils which were conuerted vnto Christ should abstaine from bloud and from that which is Strangled Which séeing it is abolished they say it is lawfull sometimes to decline somewhat from the Scriptures Howbeit we must marke in this place what is the end and meaning of that decrée It was pronounced because of the dissension risen in the Church For they which were conuerted from Iudaisme thought that the Gentiles for obtayning of saluation should be compelled to retaine Moses lawes and should kéepe the old Ceremonies But Paule and Barnabas taught otherwise according to whose minde the Apostles decréede Yet did they not by their constitution prohibite but that men conuerted from the Gentiles vnto Christ might kéepe somewhat of the Ceremonies of Moses so that they should not thinke those to be necessarie vnto saluation Howbeit to the intent they might not be gréeuous or troublesome vnto them which were conuerted out of Iudaisme who liued then very friendly with them they gaue that commaundement and it séemed to helpe somewhat to the quietnesse of the beléeuers So that the Apostles for no other cause did decrée that the Gentiles should abstaine from these things séeing they would not that the Iewes which were conuerted shoulde bée straight way offended of whom the Church in that first time did chéefelie consist Wherefore they commaunded not these things in that they belonged vnto the lawe or vnto Moses but according as they perceiued them to further the
banishments but such as were ordained by Iudges Furthermore there was some kinde of banishment dishonest A dishonest banishment but another onely miserable Whereupon Cicero in the Oration for his house A dishonest banishment saieth he it is if it shal be the punishment for sinne but if it happened through condemnation it was onelie dishonest in the opinion of men but not in verie déede because men are sometime iustly otherwhile vniustly condemned Then he added that Exile is a name not of dishonestie but of calamitie Exile a name not of dishonestie but of calamitie And to omit nothing there be founde other two not properly but Metaphorically called Exiles or banishments Two Exiles metaphoricallie so called One which the auncient Fathers in their writings oftentimes bewaile namely the state of this our life wherein we are expelled from the kingdome of heauen or perfect regeneration But the other is praise worthie whereby we are banished from our own selues the flesh and the world Howbeit if it be asked vnto what kinde of punishment their flight belongeth which leaue their natiue Countrie Exile of them that flie for Religion least they should contaminate thēselues with superstition idolatrie We answer that it is voluntarie for they fly from those mischiefs which at home would hang ouer their heades by Tyrants For if they should tarie at their owne house they must néeds enter either into the one or the other sith either it should behooue them to goe to the Masse or else to suffer grieuous torments 6 The third point of the question propounded Whether Christian magistrates may vse Exile for a punishment is whether at this day it be lawfull for Christian Magistrates to vse Exiles Which if it be graunted it is demaunded whether kinde must be chosen But that this kinde of punishment is lawful That it is lawfull manie Argumentes perswade First of all God commaunded Adam to be banished when he cast him out of paradise The same punishment he laid vppon Caine. Wherefore he saith This day doest thou cast me out from thy face Gen. 4. 14. But God therefore did not slay him because of the scarcitie of men or else for some other causes vnknowen vnto vs yet neuerthelesse cōmaunded him into Exile So that as I sayd before there were certaine Cities of refuge appointed by the lawe of God vnto which they retyred thēselues which vnwittinglie cōmitted murther Also it is manifest out of the booke of Iudges that Giphtha Iud. 11. 2. being cast out from his brethren liued in Exile in the land of Tob. And king Dauid when Absalon was returned out of Gessair banished him from the Court to his owne house Salomon also vsed banishmentes against Abiathar and Semei 2. Sa. 14. 24 And as we haue it in Amos the 7. Chapter 3. kings 2. 36. Ibid. 26. Amasias commaunded the Prophet in the kinges name that he should depart out of the boundes of Samaria Likewise in the lawe of God Amos. 7. ver 13. the leapers were banished out of the Cities frō the congregation of men vnto solitarie places Leui. 13. 40 Numb 5. 2 Yea and excommunication it selfe séemeth to be a certaine kinde of Exile Insomuch as Christians are commaunded to shunne wicked men neither is it lawfull to admit those into societie Also naturall reason admonisheth vs hereof For Cities are said to be certaine bodies and for the health of bodies Phisitiās haue bin accustomed to remooue naughtie humors and corrupt members thinking it a great deale more safe that they should be cast away than that they being kept should disturbe the whole bodie The same thing is obserued in vines which euerie yeare are pruned least the vnprofitable twigges should hurt the fruite Also the vnprofitable braunches of trées are woont at certaine times of the yeare to be shred and cut away Herewithall concurreth that all sinnes are not alike and that therefore all are not to be punished with death Wherefore it appeareth that there is place left for banishment neither is this kinde of punishment vnprofitable to them that are punished For if they should dwell among their owne Citizens aswell the fault committed as also other kinde of punishmentes would dailie be cast in their téeth 7 On the contrarie part the Arguments are as manie which diswade verie much frō this kinde of punishment That it is not lawfull for Christian Magistrates First that the law of God hath not prescribed a iust Exile séeing that which it commaundeth as touching Cities of refuge belonged not vnto a iust Exile Further it behooueth that punishmēts be such as either they should make him better that is punished or at the leastwise should terrifie others from sinnes but Exile séemeth to performe neither of both For they which are driuen out of a Citie are not therefore made anie thing the better but rather become the woorse Put the case that some man be cast foorth of a Citie which professeth the Gospell he perhaps goeth vnto a papisticall Citie and there is made an Idolater Adde that Euripedes writeth that among other discommodities of banishment there is taken away the libertie of speaking for a strāger dare not in an other countrie speake fréelie that which he thinketh Although that he will retaine the lawfull woorshipping of God yet shall he heare many things against the same and hardlie will he be bould to defend it fréelie Oftentimes did Dauid while he was in Exile lament that he lacked the holy congregation and communion of the Sacrifices Moreouer in this respect are banished men made the woorse because they become enemies to their natiue countrie and conceiue hatred against it and in such sort cōceiue it as they dare oftentimes ioyne themselues with enemies and as much as in them lyeth betray their countrie vnto thē And thus we reade that Coriolanus did when he went to the Volsi The like Plutarch noting in a booke intituled The vertue and fortune of Alexander taught that banishmentes are oftentimes certaine séedes of warres Certainlie Dauid himselfe when he liued in Exile was constrained euen against his will to come into battaile with the Philistians against the Israelites But if a man will say that Camillus a banished man deliuered his countrie and that the banished Athenians saued the Citie of Athens from 30 Tyrantes we aunswere that so notable exploytes happen not oftentimes but verie seldome but we must haue regard vnto those thinges which happen for the most part Furthermore wicked men are not made the better by banishment because they count y◠kinde of punishment most easie For they say with themselues Although I shall depart hence yet the Sunne and Moone are also séene in other Regions and that which some haue doone of a vertue they doe with dishonestie For whē it was obiected against a Philosopher that he should be banished he answered that he was a Citizen of the world Diogenes when he heard that the
Augustine answereth And yet those whom I would gather togither I gathered euen against thy will Yet the same father séemeth to haue spoken hardlie Obiections out of Augustine in his treatise against Adimantus the Manichei the 26. chapter where he wrote that It is in the power of man to change the will vnto better Herevnto notwithstanding he himselfe answereth in his first booke of refractations the 22. chapter where he saith But that power is nothing vnlesse it be giuen of God by whom it is said Iohn 1 12. He gaue them power to be made the sonnes of God For séeing this is in the power that when we will we doo nothing is so much in the power as is the will it selfe but the will is prepared of the Lord and by that meanes he giueth power So must that also be vnderstood that I said afterward it is in our power either that we be ingraffed by the goodnesse of God or by his seueritie be cut off bicause it is not in our power sauing for that he followeth our will which being prepared by the Lord to be mightie and strong that which before was hard and vnpossible is soone become a worke of godlines c. Wherefore let this rule and exposition be of force to answer all the places of Augustine in which he séemeth to attribute more than is méet vnto frée will as touching heauenlie and supernaturall things We must answer that this selfe power hath onlie place in willes alreadie prepared and healed This rule did this father neuer withdrawe but put it as firme and certeine in his retractations Yea and in the tenth chapter of the same booke he sheweth that those things which he wrote as touching frée will against the Manicheis were spoken to the intent he might declare that there is not a certeine first euill beginning contrarie vnto the good God from which euill beginning forsooth sinnes should flowe but that the beginning of sinnes was from the will Wherefore it was not agréeable to that drawing that he shuld speake much of the grace of God that prepareth and healeth which neuerthelesse he after some sort left not vntouched And of frée will he spake rather as it was in nature first instituted than as it is now found in nature defiled and corrupted How far foorth free will is granted It is also obiected vnto vs that we doo euill in denieng frée will and that we giue an occasion of bringing the same in question and that we offer an offense vnto the Papists Howbeit I take not awaie frée will in generall but I grant the same in outward things and in those things which are not aboue the capacitie of man Moreouer I grant the same in part vnto them that be prepared healed and conuerted by the grace of God as a little after shall be said Further we are not to passe much of the slander of the Pharisies They be blind and leaders of the blind and therefore they are not to be regarded Euerie plant Matt. 15 13. which the heauenlie father hath not planted shall be rooted vp Besides they aske whether God doo towards all men as much as sufficeth to their saluation Some saie he dooth But it séemeth not so vnto me for I knowe out of the holie scriptures Matt. 11 21. that they of Tyre and Sidon would haue beléeued if they had séene those things that were doone of Christ in Chorazim Bethsaida Capernaum And this also did Prosper ad caput Gallorum note when he answereth vnto the tenth chapter wherin they obiected against the doctrine of Augustine bicause he affirmed that the grace of the Gospell was by God withdrawne from some He writeth there after this maner Also he that saith that the preching of the Gospell is by the Lord withdrawne from some least by receiuing the preaching of the Gospell they might be saued may discharge himselfe of ill report by defense of our Sauiour himselfe who would not shew foorth his works among some which he saith would haue beléeued if they had séene his signes and miracles And he forbad his apostles to preach the Gospell vnto certeine people And yet still he suffereth some nations to liue without his grace when as neuerthelesse we beléeue it most certeinlie that the church shall be spred abroad into all the parts of the world c. Of the verie same matter also the same father Ad excerpta Genuensium the eight dout thus writeth As touching the men of Tyre and Sidon what thing else can we saie but that it was not vouchsafed vnto them to beléeue And yet neuerthelesse the truth it selfe reporteth that they would haue beléeued if they had séene such signes of powers as were doone among vs that beléeue But why this was denied vnto them let them that falselie accuse tell it if they can and let them shew why the Lord did maruellous things among them whom they should not profit Also we if we be not able to atteine vnto the cause of his dooing and to the déepenesse of his iudgement yet doo we most manifestlie knowe that both it is true which he said and iust which he did and that not onelie the men of Tyre and Sidon but also they of Chorazim and Bethsaida might haue béene conuerted and of infidels might haue become faithfull if the Lord would haue wrought this in them Neither can it séeme false to anie which the truth saith Iohn 6 44. None can come vnto me except it shall be giuen him of my father And Matt. 13 1. To you it is giuen to knowe the mysterie of the kingdome of heauen Againe No man knoweth the sonne Matt. 11 27. but the father nor the father but the sonne and he to whom the sonne will reueale him Againe Iohn 5 21. As the father quickeneth the dead so the sonne quickeneth whom he will Againe 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie that IESVS is the Lord but by the holie Ghost The same Prosper also sheweth That all men haue not beene called by preaching that the preaching of the Gospell hath not alwaies béene giuen to all nations nor yet in all times and yet the same neuerthelesse is necessarie vnto saluation Ad capita Gallorum the fourth chapter wherein it was obiected against Augustine that according to his iudgement all men are not called vnto grace thus answereth Although it should appeare that the whole world had now in euerie nation and in all the ends of the earth receiued the Gospell Mat. 16 15. which in verie déed is most truelie pronounced that it shall come to passe yet were there no doubt but that since the time of the resurrection of the Lord vnto this present age there haue béene men which haue departed out of this life without knowledge of the Gospell of whome it may be said that they were not called bicause they not so much as heard of the hope of calling But if anie man affirme that
this full generalitie of calling hath béene alwaies so celebrated as after the time of the ascension of the Lord into heauen not so much as one yeare passed ouer within the which there came not vnto all men the preaching which was sent let him sée how he will prooue that the people of Asia were called Act. 16 6. 7. when as the apostles as it is written were forbidden by the holie Ghost to preach the word in Asia or to the Bithynians vnto whom the same apostles assaied to go and the spirit of Iesu suffered them not Let him sée also how he can defend the foreshewing of the truth it selfe Mat. 14 14. which said This Gospell shall bee preached ouer all the world for a witnesse vnto all nations and then shall the end come For the truth of that prophesie which were wickednesse to be spoken staggereth if the world were replenished with the Gospell within the space of foure hundreth yeares after Christ and as yet the comming of the Lord is deferred c. The same father in an epistle to Ruffinus as touching that which is written 1. Tim. 2 4. Who would all men to be saued And againe at the verie same time wherein preaching was sent to all men certeine places were forbidden the apostles to go vnto euen by him that would all men to be saued to come to the knowledge of the truth manie doubtlesse in that delaie of the Gospell being withheld and turned awaie died without knowledge of the truth and were not consecrated with regeneration Wherefore let the scripture tell what was doone Act. 16 6. It saith When they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia they were forbidden by the holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia But when they were come into Misia they sought to go into Bithynia but the spirit of Iesu suffered them not But what maruell is it if at the verie first preaching of the Gospell the apostles could not go except whither the spirit of God would haue them to go since we sée that manie nations foorthwith at the first began to be partakers of Christian grace and that others haue not as yet had anie maner of smell of this goodnesse But shall we saie that mens wils and that so beastlie and rude maners of these men doo stop the will of God that they doo not therefore heare the Gospell bicause wicked harts are not open to preaching Psal 33 15. But who hath changed the hearts of these men but he that seuerallie framed their hearts Who hath mollified this rigorous hardnesse to the affect of obedience Mat. 3 9. but Hee that is able of stones to raise vp children vnto Abraham And who shall giue vnto preachers a bold and inuiolable constancie but he which said vnto the apostle Paule Feare not but speake Act. 18 9. and hold not thy peace for bicause I am with thee no man shall withstand thee to hurt thee for I haue much people in this citie And I thinke that no man dare saie that anie nation of the world or anie region of the earth should be passed ouer wherein ought not to be spred the tabernacles of the church c. By these things it appeareth by how manie reasons this father hath prooued that the preaching of the Gospell which is necessarie vnto saluation hath béene wanting to manie nations in manie ages Whereby cannot be affirmed that God did that which sufficed to the saluation of men But that his meaning may the more appeare let vs adde those things which he wrote throughlie vpō the 4. chap. to the Gauls Also he that saith that all men are not called to grace if he speake of them vnto whome Christ is not shewed he must not be blamed bicause wée knowe indéed that the Gospell hath béene sent into all the parts of the world but we thinke not now that it hath béene preached in all the ends of the earth neither can we saie that there is the calling of grace where there is as yet no regeneration of the mother of the church c. The same Authour in his answers vnto the collections of the Genuenses to the sixt doubt And as we cannot complaine of him that in the ages which be past permitted all nations to walke in their owne waies so should we not haue anie iust complaint if grace yet ceasing we should perish among them whose cause and ours was all one who neuerthelesse as then of all the world he made choise of a few so now of all mankind vniuersallie he saueth innumerable not according to our works 2. Tim. 1 9. but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vnto vs in Christ Iesus before the beginning of the world c. Now dooth it plainlie appeare by the saieng of this man that the grace of GOD sometime ceased and that all men had not alwaies a iust calling vnto saluation wherefore it is not so vniuersall as some will but is rather particular But bicause some vse a certeine shift to saie that they to whom the Gospell was not preached had calling enough of God sith by the elements by the spheres of heauen and by other creatures they were instructed concerning the onelie true God whom it behoued them to worship Rom. 1 18. so that in the epistle to the Romans they are blamed as inexcusable But how true this is the same Prosper sheweth in an epistle vnto Ruffinus as touching frée will where he thus writeth For neither is it remooued from the common consideration of men in how manie ages what innumerable thousands of men being left to their owne errors and impieties fell away without any knowledge of the true God euen as in the Acts of the apostles the words of Barnabas and Paule did declare Acts. 14 15. saieng to the men of Iconium O men whie doo ye these things We also are mortall men like vnto you and preach vnto you that ye should turne from these vaine things vnto the liuing GOD which made heauen and earth the sea and all things that in them are and who in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their owne waies And verelie he left not himself without witnes in that he did good vnto them and gaue raine from heauen and fruitfull seasons filling their hearts with food and gladnesse Verelie if either naturall vnderstanding or the vse of Gods benefits might haue sufficed to atteine eternall life then the reasonable contemplation and the temperature of the aire and the abundance of fruits and meates in our time might saue vs bicause vndoubtedlie we hauing a better vse of nature should worship our Creator bicause of his dailie benefits But farre be it from the minds of the godlie and them that be redéemed by the bloud of Christ to haue an ouer-foolish and pernicious persuasion hereof He dooth not deliuer mankind without the man Christ Iesu the onelie mediatour betwéene God
his foreknowledge doo erre excéedinglie For the scriptures doo put his will betwéene Matt. 10 29 A sparowe falleth not without the will of the father the will I saie not new but eternall Iere. 25. 11. Esaie 3â— 5. To the captiuitie of Babylon were seuentie yéeres prescribed And vnto Ezechias life were added 15. yéeres Christ saith Mine houre is not yet come Iohn 7 6. Exo. 33 19. Acts 13 â—8 I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie They beleeued so manie as were ordeined Christ was crucified according to Gods determinate counsell Predestination Diuers iudgments touching predestination some saie is a preparation of grace or a foreknowledge or a preparation of the gifts of God whereby they which are deliuered are certeinlie deliuered but others are left in the lumpe of perdition Some saie that it is a purpose of taking mercie others a preparation of grace in the time present and of glorie in the time to come But I saie that it is the most wise purpose of God whereby he constantlie decréed before all ages to call those whom he loued in Christ vnto the adoption of children vnto iustification by faith and at length vnto glorie by good works that they may be conformable vnto the image of the sonne of God and that in them may be declared the glorie and mercie of the Creator Predestination is vnchangeable 2. Tim. 2 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his Hereof commeth the certeintie of saluation Wherefore Paule when he had spoken of predestination said Rom. 8 32. Who shall accuse vs Who shall condemne vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of God I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. and am not changed Reprobation what it is Reprobation is the most wise purpose of God whereby GOD constantlie decréed before all worlds without anie iniustice not to take mercie on them whome he loued not but passed them ouer to the intent that by their iust condemnation hée might declare his wrath towards sinnes and to shew foorth his power and glorie Sinnes are not the cause of reprobation forsomuch as some are excepted from the loue of God and are forsaken albeit they are the causes of damnation Wherefore if the fathers doo sometime saie that sinnes are the cause of reprobation that they vnderstand as touching the last condemnation the which is altogither laid vpon men for sinnes God predestinateth vs to this end that while we liue we should worke well for it is said vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 2 10. that He hath ordeined good works that we should walke in them But yet good works or else faith cannot be the causes of predestination bicause they be the effects thereof For whome he hath decréed to blesse vnto them he hath predestinated to giue faith and good works In the epistle to the Romans as touching the two twins when they had as yet doone neither good nor euill Rom. 9 11. it is said The elder shall serue the yoonger Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated Not of works but by him that calleth Ibid. ver 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth Exo. 33 19. but in God that sheweth mercie I will shew mercie on whome I will shew mercie He hath mercie on whome hee will and whome he will he hardeneth The arguments of Paule should be of none effect if the predestination of God depended of faith and of works that were foreséene 1. Cor. 7 25 I obteined mercie of the Lord to bee faithfull I did not therefore obteine mercie bicause I was faithfull Act. 13 48. They beleeued so manie as were ordeined to eternall life They beléeued bicause they were ordeined not that they were ordeined or predestinated of God bicause they beléeued Our iustification dependeth of the election or predestination of God Rom. 8 29. Whome he predestinated them he called whome he called them he iustified But if predestination should depend of frée will then should we be iustified by frée will The election of God and men are diuers Men doo loue and choose them in whome they find vertues or anie good thing But God cannot find in men anie good thing that he himselfe hath not put in them Wherefore if he choose whome he will in Christ they haue it not of themselues that they be in Christ they are to haue that of God himselfe wherefore to be in Christ is not the meanes or cause of predestination but the effect Christ is the chéefe and principall effect of predestination GOD gaue him That Christ is the cheefe effect of predestination that by him he might saue them that were predestinate By him as by a conduit other effects of predestination are deriued vnto vs by the mercie of God If election should depend of works foreséene it had not béene so hard with Paule that he shuld crie O the deepenesse of the riches c. Rom. 11 33 By the doctrine of predestination there is not opened a window vnto idlenesse but rather vnto carefulnesse and indeuour of right liuing For when we beléeue that we are predestinate we know that we are predestinate to liue well and therefore let vs studie to make our calling certeine and to liue according to the disposition of men predestinate At the first vew it séemeth an absurd thing that some should be created of God to perish Yet dooth the scripture saie this Rom. 9 21 that The potter dooth make some vessels vnto honour and some vnto dishonour Ibid. ver 17 vers 22. and that God ordeined Pharao that he might show his power in him It is also said that Hee to shew his wrath suffered with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared vnto destruction Also Pro. 16 4. He maketh the vngodlie for the euill daie Not all men which be called are predestinated For Christ said Manie be called Mat. 20 16. but few are chosen But they affirme that the calling is vniuersall 1. Tim. 2 4. And that God would haue all men to be saued If it be vnderstood an vniuersall calling bicause it is propounded to all and no man by name excluded it is true If also it be called vniuersall bicause the death of Christ and his redemption is sufficient for the whole world that also is most true But if this vniuersalitie be ment that it is in all mens power to receiue the promises I denie it bicause vnto some it is giuen to others it is not giuen As though also we sée not that the verie preaching of the Gospell for a long time was not giuen to manie places ages and nations God would all men to bee saued * He meaneth onelie all those that doo beleeue Mat. 20 15. yet beléeuers But faith he giueth to whome it séemeth good to him for he may iustlie doo with his owne what he will Hereof dependeth the certeintie of our saluation For
mooued therevnto by the spirit of GOD sinne hath there no place proposition 9 By prosperitie and aduersitie as touching outward things cannot certeinelie be iudged what men are most beloued of God proposition 10 Albeit that the minister of the word and sacraments is the instrument of God yet dooth he not at his owne plesure cause that those things may profit whom he would sith that dependeth of the will of God Probable proposition 1 WHereas the holy scriptures doo diligentlie set foorth vnto vs certeine actions of the fathers while they were children they declare vnto vs that God hath béene often accustomed by such maner of signes to shew to men those things which should afterwards happen to them of ripe yeares proposition 2 The sinnes of the fathers by an allegoricall signification doo oftentimes shew vnto vs figures of things belonging to edification proposition 3 It is read of the fathers in the old testament that sometimes about the end of their life they solemnelie blessed their children to the intent that those excellent prophesies and sentences which they then vttered in their blessings might the more attentiuelie be perceiued preserued Propositions out of the xxvij and xxviij chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 WHereas euerlasting felicitie to be obteined by Christ is not perceiued by mans sense or reason it is fitlie described vnto vs in the holie scriptures by the names of earthlie good things proposition 2 Vnto the faithfull although they liue now vnder the crosse and in persecutions is attributed by the holie scripture great abundance of temporall good wherein is expressed the true felicitie which they presentlie possesse alreadie begoone though not perfect and absolute proposition 3 Wéeping and sorrowe after sinne committed is vnprofitable if it procéed not from true repentance proposition 4 God directeth mens works though vnwares to them vnto the ends which he hath appointed and sometime sheweth them his counsell and purpose proposition 5 He that according to his vocation prouideth that an vnwoorthie man be not promoted or preferred before others must be supposed to deale toward him not of hatred but of loue forsomuch as among other things he indeuoureth least he being so preferred should while he behaueth himselfe amisse incur a more gréeuous damnation proposition 6 It is more expedient for them which be vncircumspect and no good men rather to serue than to beare rule therfore we ought so long as they so behaue themselues to wish that condition proposition 7 Albeit it be forbidden women to speake in the church yet for that they be sometime wise and lightened with the grace of God their counsels must priuatelie be heard and must not by and by be contemned bicause they procéed from women proposition 8 To auoid and flie from persecutions if it be doone in place and time is commendable proposition 9 Albeit for giuing sentence of anie mans honestie iust life we haue no token more certeine than by his works yet herby is not gathered a necessarie argument to induce the same proposition 10 It is first of all attributed vnto Christ to be the house of God and thereby to the church and to euerie of the faithfull proposition 11 To set vp anie shewes publikelie in remembrance of God benefits is neither superstitious nor against the lawe of God proposition 12 Those praiers be most effectuall whereby we desire those things which we knowe to be promised vs of God Probable proposition 1 BOth might well be as well that Isaac knew the will of God concerning his children before he blessed them as also that he was ignorant of the same proposition 2 Since there is but one Christ the same blessing could not be giuen to Esau that was giuen to Iacob proposition 3 Rebecca may be excused in preferring of the yoonger son before the elder as well bicause of the oracle which she had heard of them as for that she had a care that the better man might be set ouer the people of God and the lesse woorthie be remooued proposition 4 The custome as in the time of the apostles to praie and prophesie at the making of ministers of the church séemeth to be taken from the old fathers who in blessing of their children both desired of God good things for them and foreshewed of things that were to come Propositions out of the xxviij and xxix chapters of Genesis Necessarie proposition 1 THe prouidence of GOD which the holie scriptures call the wisedome of God dooth not onlie foresée things to come but also appointeth proper ends vnto things created and directeth them therevnto proposition 2 There is nothing so base among the creatures that escapeth the prouidence of God proposition 3 If there be anie thing in the world that is said to be doone by chance or fortune this must be referred not to the knowledge of God but to our vnderstanding proposition 4 A vow standeth in those kind of things which belong to the worshipping of God proposition 5 It is ingraffed in men by nature to make vowes vnto GOD if at anie time they labour earnestlie to obteine anie thing of him proposition 6 A vow is a holie promise whereby we doo bind our selues to offer something vnto the liuing God proposition 7 For to vow well is necessarie the knowledge of those things which ought to be offered vnto God or to be desired of him that in vowing we offer not except that which we knowe is acceptable vnto God neither to desire that which may be repugnant to his will proposition 8 What those things be that please God we must verie diligentlie examine by the rule of holie scripture but before the lawe was giuen the fathers might examine those things by the rule of natures light proposition 9 Vowes of sole life and those whereby men bind themselues to go on pilgrimage as it is in Poperie are to be accounted vngodlie proposition 10 When Iacob vowed the tenth and that he would appoint a certeine place for the worshipping of God he offered those things vnto God which of himselfe he knew to be acceptable vnto him proposition 11 Albeit that euen without a vow we are bound to doo all those things which we know are acceptable vnto God yet to vow something is not superfluous proposition 12 The bond of a vow is not against true libertie proposition 13 Where we be vncerteine of anie thing whether it please God or that we sée thereby that danger hangeth ouer vs we must forbeare from vowing wherby we should bind our selues to offer it vnto God proposition 14 They that decrée to vow some thing must aboue all other things take héed that themselues may please God proposition 15 As in matrimonie God forbad manie degrées of kindred so would he haue it betwéene them which were not verie far off in kindred to the intent their loue might be the more and their agréement the greater proposition 16 Since in matrimonie the consents of the persons is required if one
the scriptures For this proposition which we haue in hand is doubtfull wherein it is said This is my bodie For hereof some do gather transubstantiation others a bodilie presence with the bread others impanation whereby the bodie of Christ and the bread doo ioind into one person others appoint a bare signe and others an effectuall signe And there want not those which care no more for the presence of Christ but that they may hereby driue awaie all worshipping as I knowe a yoong man of England did Forsomuch therfore as we sée diuers men diuerslie affirme teach me what sense of this place of scripture must be reteined D. Martyr The sense of this proposition is gathered out of the scriptures The proper meaning of these words may easilie be gathered out of the scriptures if they be well examined In the sixt of Iohn Christ most plainlie sheweth that the eating of his bodie must be vnderstood spirituallie for he said that his words are spirit and life And againe that the spirit quickeneth but the flesh profiteth nothing and straitwaie he made mention of his ascension And of this matter he delt so plentifullie in that chapter that afterward in his last supper he spake nothing thereof as Augustine testifieth in his booke De consensu Euangelistarum Consider afterward in the same chapter that Christ denied the carnall eating which the Capernaites surmised whereby you may gather that the eating of Christs bodie is not carnall but spirituall And so as touching this saieng you haue an easie and cléere sense Besides this the scripture dooth euidentlie call it bread Matt. 26. verse 26. 1. Cor. 10 16. 1. Cor. 11 25. The Lord tooke bread blessed it brake it and gaue it The bread which we breake saith Paule is it not the communion of the bodie of Christ Againe So often as yee shall eate this bread Wherefore in like maner appeareth by these saiengs that bread remaineth neither is there anie cause whie you should complaine of the obscurenesse of the place as touching this matter And that there is a figuratiue kind of spéech in these words manie things declare For it is not properlie agréeable to the bodie of Christ to be eaten séeing those things which we eate we crash grind with our téeth and being passed downe into the bellie we digest them and conuert them into our owne substance which to speake properlie of the bodie of Christ is great wickednesse And at the cup there is vsed a most manifest figure 1. Cor. 11 25. when it is said This cup is the new testament c. Herewithall in the scriptures there be most manifest and euident spéeches of the sacraments from the which may be had the interpretation of this place For circumcision is called the couenant the lambe or sacrifice is called the Passeouer Paule said of baptisme that therein we be buried with Christ neither dooth he saie there that a sepulchre is signified Againe we know that Christ had a true humane bodie and that he was taken vp into heauen and from thence shall come to iudge the world All these places if a man doo well compare togither will iudge no otherwise of the meaning of this scripture than we doo M. Morgan Luther had the scriptures and disagréed from Zuinglius The Catholikes sée them and read them and disagrée from them both And the scriptures séeme to be so ambiguous that vnlesse they be cléered by an other light that is to wit by the fathers they are not sufficient for our instruction D. Martyr Yes indéed they plentifullie suffice as you heard me euen now declare M. Morgan Since I sée that you stand to the scriptures which neuerthelesse are wrested of diuers men diuerslie now will I deale with you by a bréefe reason drawne from that place wherein the sacrament was instituted Christ tooke bread What bread tooke he D. Martyr Since you saie that the scriptures are diuerslie wrested by diuers men according as they be affected I answer that this is doone by the fault either of euill or ignorant men yet must not the scriptures be accused as darke in those things which be necessarie to saluation When they be brought foorth read with a sincere mind they doo their part excellentlie well And the holie Ghost testifieth that they be profitable to teach to reprooue and to instruct a man that he may be perfect and well ordered to euerie good worke But if that anie haue doubted it was their owne fault not the scriptures fault and the scripture must not be accused bicause of their contentions as though it cannot teach vs. We sée that there were oftentimes demonstrations made against the Arrians and that out of the scriptures That Christ is GOD. Yet would they contend neither changed they their opinion neither was this anie derogation to the light and worthinesse of the scriptures There is no cause therefore that you should obiect vnto me men either yet liuing or but latelie dead which disagréed one from an other and yet had the scriptures sith there may be other causes assigned of their disagréement besides the ambiguitie of the scriptures And how I should iudge now of those men the place serueth not to declare it sufficeth for me that I haue defended the right of the scriptures But as to that which you demanded namelie what bread Christ tooke I answer that it was common and vsuall bread to wit swéetbread bicause the feast of Easter was celebrated M. Morgan When did he consecrate the same Whether when he tooke it into his hands Or when he blessed it Or else when he gaue it How shall I know when the bread was consecrated D. Martyr When and how consecration was made By giuing of thanks by saieng as he said and dooing as he did Wherefore we also must saie and doo euen the verie same that he said and did And bicause we haue not else-where by demonstration of the scriptures anie certeine place that is foure or fiue words whereby the bread wine is consecrated therefore must we recite all that which is written in the historie of the supper M. Morgan The ministers doo consecrate after the selfe-same maner that Christ did dooth therefore the minister consecrate by receiuing bread into his hands D. Martyr What is consecration No but by performing the institution of the Lord it is consecrated that is to saie it is appointed to a holie vse and through the words and commandement of the Lord it is made an instrument to signifie effectuallie the bodie of Christ So as I saie that it is then consecrated when all the words be spoken and distribution made to the faithfull M. Morgan If the words of consecration be not written certeinelie then is not the scripture sufficient of it selfe as touching consecration Againe I demand of you whether the bread was a sacrament or signe before the finishing of the words that is when it is said that he tooke bread Was
his bodie so as you speake of that which was in act I saie that of necessitie when the bodie of Christ was indued with passible qualities and conditions it could not be vnder impassible qualities it might be changed from the one sort to the other but to reteine both at once it was vnpossible Of the second question VVhether the bodie of Christ be reallie present in the Eucharist D. Tresham THe ancient authour Irenaeus in his fourth booke and 24. chapter against the Valentinians who said there was no resurrection of the flesh and denied Christ to bée the sonne of God who created all things How saith he shall it appeare vnto them that the bread wherein thanks are giuen is the bodie of his Lord if they denie the verie sonne of that creator And a little after But how againe doo they saie that the flesh turneth into corruption and receiueth not life the same being nourished with the bodie and bloud of the Lord Whereby it may be perceiued what maner of faith and doctrine of the church there was at that time touching the sacrament of the Eucharist Thus I dispute Euerie thing whereby another thing is prooued ought to be more certeine than that which is prooued but the resurrection of our flesh is prooued by the true presence of the bodie of Christ in the Eucharist and Christ is prooued to be the verie true sonne of the creator of this world therfore the bodie of Christ is there reallie present that ought to be more certeine to vs than those things which are prooued by these D. Martyr Irenaeus argument is true neither doo I denie the same but it maketh nothing against me For that bread is a bread of the Lords supper it is also the bodie of Christ but how Sacramentallie And that Iraeneus may conclude against the heretikes which denied Christ to haue béene the sonne of God the maker of this world he argueth that Christ tooke bread the which sith it is from God the creator of this world Christ would haue vsed an other creature Wherefore for Irenaeus purpose it is sufficient to prooue that this kind of bread being a creature hath place in verie déed in the sacrament least Christ might séeme to be an vsurper of a strange creature if he should be called the sonne of an other God than of him that made the world Two sorts of nourishment in the Eucharist But that we may knowe what Irenaeus iudged as touching the Eucharist let vs consider that he wrote that our bodies are fed nourished consist and increase by the Eucharist And this saieng is so true as we may vnderstand that by this sacrament there commeth vnto vs two kinds of nourishment One is naturall to wit by the signes bread and wine by the which commonlie an humane bodie is susteined Vnto which kind of nurtriment although it be not to be contemned yet Irenaeus and other of the fathers doo not attribute much therevnto The other nourishment is that while we receiue the sacrament we imbrase the bodie and bloud of Christ by the mind and faith and there first of all is our mind filled with the spirit and with grace secondlie our bodie is renewed that it may from daie to daie become a fit instrument for the spirit and so made more capable of the blessed resurrection And this did Irenaeus plainlie expresse when he saith Bread receiuing from the earth the calling of God is no more common bread but is made the Eucharist which consisteth of two things earthlie and heauenlie euen as our bodies receiuing the Eucharist be no longer corruptible bodies And after this maner he bringeth out of the Eucharist a reason of our true resurrection to come D. Tresham Whereas you saie that Irenaeus dooth name bread in this place and that therefore his meaning is that in the Eucharist there are both to wit as well bread as the bodie of Christ that these things are of great force to confirme his argument against the Valentinians you haue not satisfied me For looke in what sense the holie scriptures doo name bread in this sacrament euen in the same sense dooth Irenaeus speake in this place And he most euidentlie saith that the verie bodie of Christ is in the Eucharist and he calleth it bread either for that it was bread or else for that it reteineth the shewes of bread D. Martyr Indéed I grant that Irenaeus speaketh of bread in the verie same sense that the scriptures doo and therefore is it in such wise granted by him as it is by them that bread doth here remaine But that he saith that the bodie of Christ is in the bread after such a maner as you will haue it you shall neuer be able to shew out of his woords And that by the scripture it is named bread in such a sense as you appoint I haue often times disprooued it D. Tresham Chrysostome in his 61. homilie vnto the people of Antioch and vpon Iohn the 45. homilie writeth Your brother was I minded to be and I haue partaked flesh and bloud for you and those things whereby I am ioined vnto you I haue againe giuen to you Wherevpon it appeareth againe that the flesh and bloud whereby he was made of our consanguinitie are giuen in the Eucharist D. Martyr That the flesh of Christ is giuen to the communicants in the Eucharist I grant it wée dispute as touching the maner how which I prooue to be spirituall And yet doo I not therefore vnderstand that we receiue a feined flesh or a feined bodie but in a sacrament by faith we truelie receiue those things and are vnited vnto them D. Tresham Whereas you saie spirituallie that is not in the words of Chrysostome and by faith we may receiue euen without this sacrament D. Martyr Albeit that Chrysostome in this place dooth not write expreslie this word Spirituallie yet dooth he sufficientlie expresse it else-where when he saith Those things which be giuen vnto vs be such as are to be vnderstood And whereas you obiect that the receiuing of the bodie of Christ by faith may be also had without the sacrament I grant it For we may both with the figures and without the figures be partakers of the bodie of Christ for both with the signes without the signs while we consider in our minds Christ crucified for vs his bloud shed for vs and doo so beléeue we are truelie made partakers of him but yet the signes being ioined therewithall which the holie Ghost vseth as instruments for the better printing of faith in our minds we are verie much holpen For we be verie slacke vnto diuine things and therefore we haue néed of outward sacraments The disputation of the fourth daie made betweene D. VVilliam Chadse wherein he opposed D. Peter Martyr the first daie of Iune The Preface of D. VVilliam Chadse I Find and I am most assuredlie taught by experience that that is true which that same Gregorie Nazianzen
the Capernaits vnderstood that is to wit a visible bodie but an inuisible that is the sacramentall bread For they stroue for this kind of bread verse 51. And therefore Christ answereth The bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the life of the world Which is no other bread than that which was afterward giuen by Christ in his supper when he said This is my bodie nor yet anie other than hoong vpon the crosse But if it be flesh then is it no bread D. Martyr That bread The bread spoken of in the sixt of Iohn is metaphoricall which is spoken of in the sixt of Iohn and which you now make an argument of is truelie the flesh and bloud of Christ and is called bread by a metaphor the which is verie apt and plaine And the metaphor is this that Euen as bread dooth naturallie nourish and sustaine vs so the flesh of Christ being eaten spirituallie and by faith dooth sustaine vs both as touching the soule and bodie And when you argue In the supper Christ gaue this flesh which metaphoricallie is called bread Therfore must the naturall substance of bread be taken awaie I denie the conclusion For this sacrament besides that spirituall eating of the flesh of Christ which metaphoricallie in the sixt of Iohn he called bread addeth signes and an outward eating of the true bread that the same spirituall eating might be holpen and be the more effectuall For what letteth but that therein is promised the flesh of Christ to be giuen for the life of the world and yet that it was not simplie nakedlie giuen afterward but the signes of bread and wine ioined therewithall D. Chadse That which was giuen in the supper is the bread which Christ promised in the sixt chapter of Iohn but yet that bread was his flesh And least anie man should doubt what maner of bread it might be he addeth Which I will giue for the life of the world It was no bread substantiallie and no more was this substantiallie bread which was giuen in the supper D. Martyr That which was giuen in the supper was not onlie the bread which is spoken of in the sixt of Iohn as you in the antecedent vnderstand it but it had also as I haue said naturall bread ioined therewith for a signe and that sacramentall bread was the flesh of Christ to be giuen vnto death for our saluation And when you demand how the bread which was giuen was flesh I answer Not substantiallie but as they speake sacramentallie that is by signification And the sense of Iohn is that the flesh of Christ to be giuen vpon the crosse for our saluation is bread that is to saie spirituall meate whereby we are susteined through faith and that meate is offered vnto vs in the communion by the word of God and by the signes So as if he in the sixt of Iohn had ment a symbolicall or signifieng bread sith then he gaue it not he would haue said The bread which I will giue shall be my flesh but he saith in the present tense It is my flesh as if he should saie My flesh is bread metaphoricallie which flesh of mine I will giue euen vnto the crosse for the life of the world D. Chadse Christ in the sixt of Iohn said The bread Iohn 6 51. which I will giue is my flesh but in the supper he gaue that flesh which hoong vpon the crosse and therefore by testimonie of the scriptures he gaue his flesh reallie in the supper For that which then he promised he performed in the supper in giuing his bodie which he was to giue for the life of the world So then we grant that the signes were vsed in the supper but the substance of those signes we saie is the flesh of Christ by reason of the words alledged The bread which I will giue is my flesh Wherevpon it is euident that here is transubstantiation D. Martyr That in the supper he gaue his verie bodie I haue alwaies testified but yet he ioined thervnto the signes of bread and wine as I haue alreadie said and you now as I haue heard doo grant but in your argument you fall into equiuocation bicause you passe from metaphoricall bread vnto true and naturall bread For wheras Christ saith The bread By bread in the sixt of Iohn the Lord vnderstood not a signe of the sacrament but his owne flesh which I will giue c. by bread he meaneth not a signe that is to wit that he will giue naturall bread in the supper but he expresseth a metaphoricall name attributed to his flesh bicause he should be vnto vs in stéed of bread or like bread of whose propertie that we might be admonished and vnderstand that the flesh of Christ is bread allegoricallie he would in the supper giue vs naturall bread saieng This is my bodie Matt. 26 26. that is to saie My bodie which shall be giuen for you if it be eaten of you spirituallie and by faith it shall be in stéed of bread or like bread for the nourishing and susteining of you D. Chadse I speake of bread after the selfe-same maner that it is ment in the Gospell that the fift kind may be distinguished from the fourth which is I am the bread of life Wherefore the fift kind must be no allegoricall bread but that whereof the Lord said The bread which I will giue is my flesh Other bread then shall it not be but my flesh although vnder another forme least ye should be confounded And this he said to confirme them before hand least the apostles should contend among themselues about the eating of the Lords bodie Otherwise Christ should haue promised that which he did not performe and therfore saith he I will giue sith as yet the time was not come Neither is it for you to saie that the bodie or flesh of Christ should be as it were bread for the promise made by Christ is not after that maner but it conteineth flatlie that that bread which shuld be giuen is flesh And euen this dooth Cyrill confirme when he saith And doubt not whether this be true sith he manifestlie saith This is my bodie c but receiue the words of saluation in faith although thy sense doo not teach it thée D. Martyr Your argument is verie long which that I may satisfie I reduce it to two principall points namelie to the saieng of Christ in the sixt of Iohn and vnto the sentence of Cyrill As touching the sixt chapter of the euangelist I denie not but in that place is intreated of diuers kinds of bread but that they be well distinguished of you that I grant not neither doo I much care But yet that Christ spake of eating of himselfe and promised that he would giue himselfe to be eaten I allow of it For he said that he would giue bread which is his flesh that should be giuen for the life of
the godlie and famous stock of the Assamonites Also Christ Iesus our Lord inflamed with a godlie wrath made a whippe of cordes whereby he not onelie ouerthrewe the chaires of them that soulde Dooues and the tables of the monie changers but with an incredible authoritie cast out of his fathers Temple the shamefull Marchantes Wherefore since the Church of Christ which is the true house of God hath a long while lien broken downe and almost subuerted through the doctrine of externall thinges and idolatrous superstition and hath bin foulie abused by the filthie gaine of couetous Ministers it is without controuersie the part of godlie men together with Christ Iudas Machabaeus Nehemias Esdras Aggeus and Malachie the same house being famous and holie to build it vp againe Which that it may be doone of vs the more readilie and with greater diligence seeing I am appointed this day to preach I haue determined by the fauour of God to handle before you the first Chapter of the Prophet Hagge And that such fruite may succeed hereof as is to be desired I think it good that before we beginne with the doctrine which we haue in hand we repaire vnto the Lord with our prayers First we giue thée most heartie thankes O most gratious and almightie God that thou hast giuen vs leaue safelie and without danger to assemble together in thy name within this holy place We iointlie desire thée that thou wilt inspire our heartes with the holie ghost that aswell I may vtter thy holy mysteries as also that the brethren which be here present may faithfullie receaue those thinges which shall be spoken to the glorie of thy name and saluation of their owne soules through our Lord Iesus Christ thy most deare beloued sonne Amen I haue noted foure speciall things which we finde in the distinguishing of this Chapter First that the sinne of them which were returned out of Babylon whē they neglected to build vp the house of the Lord is for iust cause blamed Secondlie are reckoned vp the punishmentes which GOD laid vppon the people for such an haynous sinne Moreouer the holie ghost sheweth by his Prophet what was néedefull to be doone Fourthlie lastlie is shewed howe profitable and fruitfull was the Sermon of our Prophet As concerning the first art of building who so will call it to minde from the ofspring and first originall shall perceaue it to haue had this manner of beginning In the olde time men after a brutish and wilde manner dwelled here and there abroad in the fieldes And to auoid the heate of the sunne stormes and other distemperatures of the heauens they digged the ground and by woorkmanship made to themselues Caues and Dennes others made coueringes of leaues vnder which they saued themselues from the heate of the sunne and from stormes others were more ingenious who set vp forkes and wound in réedes daubed them with claie to the intent that the walles might be the stronger Finallie was applyed the aduise of wise men whereby the forme of those walles being drawen they ioyned their habitations together they compassed them about with a trench and thereof beganne Townes and Cities And when they dwelled together wisedome increased Counsels and imitations beganne to haue place and there increased a maruelous plentie of goods riches and other helpes Whereupon houses beganne to be builded partlie of stone and partlie of timber which although they had no glorious shewe and trimme decking yet had they frugalitie with great profit ioyned therewith And to conclude they to our great harme waxed puissant with inuasions ouer great power excesse arrogancie and intollerable pride and men being pricked foreward by these pestilent thinges beganne to waxe madde in building They raysed excéeding great Piramides Theaters woonderfull circuites arches triumphant of infinite woorke All which buildings since they brought verie small profit or none at all they onelie made the beholders to woonder be amazed and yet was it so farre from making the Cities of the longer continuance as we reade alwayes in the Histories that these monsterous buildinges were most manifest signes of the ruines néere at hand After this manner dooth it happen in the Church before the calling of God commeth by reason of the sinne which came by Adam Men liue together being instructed after a worldlie manner and by ciuill wisedome Then commeth the wisedome of Christ and doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets whereby they being called vnto Christ are gathered into one congregation of the Church wherein the first fathers at the verie beginning were contented with meane and moderate building for they were onelie ledde by the rule of the holy scriptures Which kinde of building though it wanted ornamentes and was farre from oftentation yet did it bring vnto the Christian Citizens a rich and plentifull fruite of the spirit After this manner did the forefathers liue a long while But in processe of time peace was giuen vnto the Churches in a great time of quietnesse mens deuises were added vnto them Whereuppon pride vanitie ambition such kinde of pestilent vices crept in by little little And then the building beganne no longer to be made of the diuine oracles but of mens traditions decrées of Councels and Decretals of Popes in processe of time these thinges were gathered together into so great a heap that they haue oppressed euen the word of GOD and the forme of the Church and due comlinesse in all things fell away and such a pompe of outward rites and ceremonies haue so farre foorth preuailed at the last as while they haue made oftentation of humane thinges diuine thinges haue béene vtterlie obscured Wherefore the iust and godlie buildinges being fallen downe all men by the Prophet are called to the Lord to the building againe of the Church of Christ with a sound and lawfull building But least we doe amisse in the worke I thinke it méete first of all that by a rude and plaine definitiō it should be laid before our eyes that we be not ignorant what is to be reedified Moreouer it shall be verie good to determine in what thinges the generall consideration of our building must be placed The newe repairing of the house is a spirituall building whereby the liuelie stones are ioyned together vppon Christ the foundation to receaue the testimonie of God and to confesse his name Since this building of ours is called spirituall it is distinguished aswell from the outward temple which is builded of stones and timber as also from euerie societie of this world That we be liuelie stones Peter testifieth in his first Epistle the 2. Chapter And that Christ is the foundation the Apostle taught in the first Epistle to the Corinthians And that we be the Temple of God he taught most aptlie in the selfesame Epistle The liuelie stones are drawen vnto this building by faith which springeth from the word of God and are compact together by the power of the holie ghost which holdeth more surelie
the first daie of the Sabboth that is vppon the Lordes daie at the euening tide appeared to his disciples being gathered together the doores being shut and shewed vnto them his handes and side saying Peace be with you When they had seene the Lord they reioyced Afterward he added As my father hath sent mee so sende I you And when he had thus saide hee breathed vppon them and saide vnto them Receaue yee the holie Ghost Whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes soeuer yee retaine they are retained CHrist in one action perfourmed thrée thinges First by his appearing he prooued his resurrection Secondlie he comforted them by the gift of peace Thirdlie he sent them away to comfort others giuing vnto them the power of the keyes As touching the first which is of the appearing of Christ thou shalt note that it was doone vppon the Lordes daie For it is saide In the first of the Sabbothes The Apostles were assembled together secretlie and were sadde and no maruell For sadnesse commeth either of the feare of some euill hanging ouer our heades or else of an euill that is present The present euill was that they wanted their beloued Master They had lost him being put to a shamefull death Further it séemed to thē that they were now become infamous as though they had béene the Disciples of one that was a seducer and an euil man They feared also least it would come to passe that such examples shoulde bee shewed vpon them For it séemed that the Iewes woulde rage against them also They were gathered together and were sadde because of these thinges Perhappes they consulted together what they shoulde doe howbeit the counsels of men were but weake Beholde Christ is present For hee neuer faileth thē that be his euen in the greatest perils The doores were close shut perhappes they gaue place perhappes Christ came in at the windowes or at the roofe of the house or if hée did pearce the doores it was a miacle which will be granted by the holie scriptures Howbeit the Transubstantiators must not here inferre that the bodie of Christ is in manie places at once for the scripture doeth not say that it was so neither doth it affirme that the substance of bread wine doth depart Such sadde persons are wee verie oftentimes aswell for our ill conscience sake as also for the darkenesse of the minde and infirmitie of the will Therewithall comes the feare of hell fire and manie other calamities assaile vs and vnlesse Christ be present it fareth verie euill with vs. But Christ commeth and if we by faith doe imbrace him then all thinges are quiet and wee be made ioyful as the Apostles were at the sight of the Lord. For the gospel is a glad tidings thereby Christ conmeth vnto vs and maketh vs glad Christ our Lord is not as be the Lords of this world for if they come they oppresse vs they exact Tributes they greeue vs and take awaie from vs. But Christ commeth not to doe hurt but he bringeth his giftes and hee neuer commeth emptie Let vs sée what he hath brought He hath brought peace and ioye and certeintie of the resurrection But nowe passing ouer the proofe of the resurrection let vs speake of peace Peace Order Peace is a quietnesse of order and order is a disposition of things like and vnlike giuing to euerie one that which belongeth thereunto But peace is of two sortes one remooueth those thinges which trouble and bréede disquietnesse The other suffereth those thinges which doe afflict to remaine still but it comforteth and strengtheneth the mindes to be strong and not to yéelde but to be glad and reioyce The first peace is of the worlde and the other is of God As for example A similitude if a citie be beséeged it maie haue peace if the seige be remooued or else if the seige continue the towne hauing victuals enough within and that the Captaines bée good and the fortifications very strong Moreouer it is called the peace of the worlde because the worlde maketh it For pouertie may easily be driuen away by riches sicknes by medicines base estate by the fauor of the prince Besides it is called the peace of the worlde because the worlde knoweth it only The other is that which is present when tribulations remaine But thou wilt demaund Haue not the Philosophers sometime not weighed the outwarde troubles I aunswere They came somewhat néere with their morall vertues but they attained not to the peace which we speake of Shadows similituds those were of vertues but no true perfect vertues therfore whē they come to most gréeuous euils they yéeld Cato The Ethnicke vertues Brutus Cassius killed themselues but the Martyrs of Christ indure it māfully Moreouer a valiant morall man when he for his countrie sake either dieth or entereth into gréeuous perils hath his felicitie obscured through the greatnesse of the paine and labors onelie he féeleth some light tast thereof when he hath respect to the ende but in martyrs the spirite doeth then most of all shine and is of force Nowe then the peace of Christ doth not remooue outward things but it appeaseth the minde and reconcileth it vnto God It lighteneth the vnderstanding strengtheneth the will and pacifieth the conscience and maketh sure the hope that these thinges shall once haue an ende and that they can neuer do vs hurt In the midst of tribulatiōs it maketh vs quiet and calme It changeth not the things but the men and that by faith For we perceaue that Christ our mediator is with vs and that by him we please God wherefore it doeth no hurt This is the peace of God because onelie God maketh it and they which be not spiritual do not know the same The peace of the world doeth remooue outward troubles but changeth not men for they remaine in their desperation darkenesse euill conscience and sinnes Wherefore the peace of God is more effectuall the which protecteth and chaungeth vs when the contrarie is yet present and displeaseth vs. For of faint hearts it maketh vs hardie of feareful it maketh vs valiaunt of weake ones it maketh vs strong For when we apprehende Christ by faith nothing can hurt vs that be ioyned to him but we saie The Lorde is my strength Psal 27. 3. Psal 118. I will not be afraide what man can do vnto me If there rise vp warre against me I will not despaire The world accounteth this peace and tranquillitie of the godlie to bée but foolishnesse because they sée not the inwarde originall thereof Euen as he which shoulde sée men in dauncing a farre off yet heareth not their sounde woulde thinke them to bée madde but if he approch and heare with his eares the musicall tunes nowe will he also be stirred vp vnto the same motions so the worlde when it féeleth not Christ in it selfe and hath no experience of his ioye and peace thinketh it
in themselues as sometime they haue which may further the preseruation of mens life and the true saluation of them Wherefore séeing other faculties and sciences haue taken manie thinges from the scripture and it nothing at all from others it is by all manner of right called most aunciēt Which also the plainnesse thereof and simplicitie without counterfeiting ioyned with a woonderfull grauitie dooth declare And so auntient are the Histories therein rehearsed that those thinges which be set foorth by other writers being cōpared with them may easilie be perceiued to be doone manie ages after But since all commendation is not to be sought for in antiquitie therefore wee will nowe haue a regarde to the vtilitie thereof and as I hope will shewe that the same is farre more plentifull in the holy scriptures than can euer bee founde any where else What more plentifull fruite I beséech you can men of sober and sound iudgement looke for by the knowledge of worldly thinges when they haue verie perfectlie attained to the same than that some knowledge of almightie God may at the length by the effects thereof lighten mans vnderstanding that by those thinges we may be holpen to sustaine the life of the bodie In these knowledges there cannot bee had or imagined a greater profite But the holy scriptures doe in many places set foorth the naturall works of God and do euerie where teach that God himselfe by his eternall power and singular prouidence is the cause of all those thinges neuer making any mention of nature chance fortune forme priuation elements imaginations * A thing so small as cannot be diuided Atomi concord or discord as the principles of all things No doubt but the knowledge of men is busied in considering the effects of God But how seldome herein is there recourse vnto God himselfe his goodnesse counsel and wisedome Indéed naturall knowledge may séeme to be somewhat curious in searching out the power of thinges and somewhat more subtill and diligent in finding out the secretes of nature But as touching the ende it selfe to wit that God may be truely knowen by the effects and that we may well and Godly vse his creatures if it bee compared with diuinitie it is farre more negligent yea and in a manner blinde and dumbe Finally the holy scriptures doe speake of a certaine notable and woonderfull kinde of the workes of God whereby the powers of nature be ouercome and the accustomed course of things is cut off wherein God both more properlie and more expresly shineth than in the daylie and common succession of thinges which by reason of a continuall vse thereof is become of small estimation And by a word now receiued these thinges are woont to be called myracles for no other cause indéede but that they haue commonly made mortall men to woonder altogether at them But the works of this kinde are kept secret in naturall knowledge For there shall yee neuer reade of that first creation of things of laying the foundations of the worlde of breathing the breath of life by God into the claie of our bodie of the Godheade speaking openly with men Of the sea giuing place vnto men passing through the déepe thereof so as it made walles of water both on the right side and the left for them that passed through Of the standing still of heauen and of staying the perpetuall turnings about thereof from the East to the West Of God to bee made a man of a virgin to be a mother of the raising from life them that were deade and of men gréeued with desperate and incurable diseases to be cured by a woonderfull efficacie of Christ our sauiour These maruelous things without doubt God woulde haue vs to knowe by the holie scriptures least perhappes wee might doubt that all his vertue and power is so spent and consumed in bringing foorth and preseruing of natural things that hée shoulde not be able yet to doe any thing greater and more excellent This kind of doctrine doth not Philosophie teach but onely beholdeth the accustomed course of nature Assuredly it is no small comfort vnto Godly men What fruite the doctrine of prouidence bringeth to vnderstande that God is the prince and authour of nature For since they be the children of God while they consider that all thinges which bee doone are in the hande of their good father they feare the power of no creatures since they know for a certaintie that they are not able to bring vpon them any trouble or sorrow but somuch as God the guide thereof hath decréed to bring vpon them for their saluation This is the singular fruite which is had of the saincts by the knowledge of naturall things But how much more ample is this if they be perswaded with a constant faith that the power of the heauenly father is infinite whereby hée is able still to doe and produce many yea infinite thinges otherwise than they be in the common course of nature Héereby Godly men being incoraged become of an excellent hope euen in aduersitie In perils valiant euen in the crosse it selfe ioyfull of an inuincible courage and altogether without feare when for the trueth of God or the name of Christ they must abide any conflict Héereof sprang that noble spéech of Daniels fellowes Beholde our God whom we worship is mightie to saue vs from the furnace of burning fire and shall plucke vs out of thy hand O king Psal 27. Héereupon did Dauid with an inuincible minde sing The Lorde is my right and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraide Though an hoast of men besieged me yet shall not my heart bee afraide though there rose vp warre against mee yet will I put my trust in him And againe Although I shall walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill Psa 23. 3. Finallie by this meanes did Paul saie Rom. 8. 34. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall afflictions shall penurie shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill shall the sworde As it is written For thy sake wee are deliuered to the death all the daie long wee are accounted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter but in al these things we ouercome through him that loueth vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is Christ Iesus our Lord. Such things doe the children of God taught by the holie Scriptures pronounce with true boasting that GOD suffereth not nature as the wise men of the worlde teach to goe forwarde according to those lawes which hee at the verie beginning appointed thereunto but that he directeth tempereth and ruleth al thinges at euerie instant according to his owne pleasure that he
so straitlie driuen as Hadrian thinketh as though the same ought onelie to be vnderstoode touching that rule wherein it is saide that Sinnes are freelie forgiuen vs through Christ Indéede the same is the most happiest message of all other but yet it is the Gospell also which the Apostles taught in like manner of other principall articles Whereupon Paul in the 2. Epistle to Timothie the 2. Verse 8. chapter saith Remember that Iesus Christ made of the seede of Dauid was raised againe from the deade according to my Gospel Beholde nowe in the same place vnder the name of the Gospell is comprehended the doctrine which teacheth that both Christ is risen from the deade and is borne of the séede of Dauid And to preach the Gospell otherwise is nothing else with the Apostle than that which he saide in the first Epistle to Timothie the 6. chapter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say otherwise to teach Wherefore it must not be suffered that that same saying of the Apostle shoulde be restrained to one Article onelie Neither can there be anie reason assigned whie that cannot iustlie be called a good message and gladsome preaching whereby it is testified and declared vnto the worlde that God stoode vnto the promises who sent his sonne to take flesh of the séede of Eue of Abraham and of Dauid euen as in old time he promised by his Prophets to doe Therefore since we haue these generall sayings it is not to be looked for that we should shewe this or that errour to be condemned and suppressed by name and in expresse words in the scriptures For where shall we finde there that they be condemned and are estraunged from God which doe not receiue the bookes of the olde testament which opinion neuerthelesse was common vnto the Marcionites Manichees and manie other heretikes Neither are they at anie time condemned by expresse words which denie that the soules after the death of the bodie do liue but thinke that they die together with the flesh and that as touching life euerlasting they about the end of the world shal be raised vp againe together with their bodies Also they which woulde not that pardon and reconciliation should be giuen vnto the brethren that be fallen are neuer saide in the holie Oracles to be either condemned or to be out of the way of saluation Wherefore when Hadrian requireth this at our hands concerning the errour of the Anabaptists both he dealeth fondlie and whilest he taketh away one or two errours he openeth a verie wide gappe vnto manie For of verie fewe doeth the scripture speake in that forme and phrase which he nowe requireth of vs. Lastlie remaineth that wee should examine the syllogismes which Hadrian brought in against vs as our men had doone against him that those as he thinketh he might cōfute the more euidentlie but these I haue thought good for two causes to passe ouer First because it séemeth not verie lawefull for godlie men to be childishlie subtile especially in defending of an opinion the which as at the beginning hath béene sayde edifieth no man and may hurt verie manie Secondlie because we iudge that in this question those thinges are to be written which are vnderstoode of the greatest part of the holie congregation and that there be verie fewe which haue exercised themselues in the quirkes and subtilties of Logicke and sophistrie The trueth it selfe especially that which is euangelicall is plaine is taught and made euident by the apostolicall light and simplicitie Furthermore those thinges be alreadie before alleadged whereby is plainelie and manifestly discouered whatsoeuer deceite is in these trifeling argumentes Nowe for the finishing of this that wee haue written let vs adde this namelie let vs celebrate with high prayses the most ample mercie of God that in all thinges he discouereth himselfe with maruelous brightnesse and as Dauid singeth in the burden of his Psalme florrisheth for euer that is eternallie Howe farre foorth the praises of God must be celebrated But yet ought we so to celebrate his praises as on the other side the iudgementes of God towardes vnbeléeuers and heretikes be not thereby cancelled This is therefore written because Hadrian saith that he was verie much driuen to defende these thinges which hee defendeth for that they greatlie auailed to the worthinesse greatnesse of Gods mercie Howebeit after this manner they also perhappes did excuse themselues which reckened Caine and Iudas among the number of the saintes and blessed men Also Origen and his fauorers hadde vnmeasurable respect vnto the clemencie of God when as they taught that the punishmentes of the godlie should one daie at the last be finished and in verie déede the fires of hell should not be euerlasting and since they wrote that euen to the diuelles themselues after a multitude of ages shal be geuen pardon and saluation No iust prayses of the mercie of God are those which ouermuch obscure the seueritie iustice of God Wherefore letting this newnesse of doctrine goe let vs thinke with ourselues that we must by al meanes séeke the peace and quietnesse of the church Of intricate and vaine questions vndoubtedlie there is store enough Wherefore it shall be your parte that kéeping the trueth safe and sounde ye spéedilie returne into amitie thinking this diligentlie with your selues that it is a singular benefite vnto you to haue there where you are both the french and flemish Church This cannot the diuell abide and for that cause stirreth vppe discordes and contentions among you to the intent that strangers may be more and more hatefull to English men Wherefore watch yee with singular care and diligence that the euill spirit haue not his owne desire and that the Church of the sonne of God receiue no losse He that is reprooued let him beare it with no lesse patient minde than Peter did when he was reprehended by Paule And contrariwise they that haue taken vpon them the defence of the trueth if their brother which hath turned from the right waie not of mallice as it should séeme but rather of a certaine errour giue eare vnto them that admonish him well let them account him no lesse than before in the place of the minister of God and of a most louing fellowe in office Fare you well my verie good brethren assist vs with your prayers vsing your indeuour to maintaine peace among you as much as yée can From Zurick the 15. of Februarie 1561. An Epistle to the English Church 46. MY déere beloued brethren in Christ albeit wee doe maruelouslie loue your Church and doe iustly and worthilie make great account thereof yet are wee verie loath to determine of such nice questions as doe bring none or in verie déede small edification For since there are among you two sorts of the which one affirmeth and the other denieth it might easilie bee that they which cannot abide the doctrine set foorth had rather rent in sunder the Church than change their
is more to be reprooued that hath ill friends than he which hath corrupt Children 1 148 b Not all a mans Children be his heires 3 81 b The lacke or losse of them an hinderance vnto felicitie and why 1 148 b 149 a Three sorts of Children legitimate and not naturall naturall and not legitimate legitimate and naturall 2 476 b Whether the Children of Esau were legitimate or no 2 436 b Of Godlie Parents the Children haue some holinesse 2 367 a Of their imitating 4 124 a Children of the prophets and why so called 4 6 b They that abounde in good Children are gratefull to the citie and honoured of others examples 1 148 a The Children of the elect reckoned among the beléeuers 2 234. Some belong not to predestination 2 233b 238 b 239 a They be holie as touching ciuill action and howe that is ment 2 238a They may belong to perdition 4 117 b 118 a ¶ Looke Holinesse and Infants Choise Whether there can bee a Choise made in euill 2 295b Two kinds the one common the other proper 2 294 a Nor frée in all things 3 201 a In what it may take place 3 166 b Reasons proouing that it is not opinion 2 296a The Sâ—oâ—ks assured it to be an opinion Sumooned 2 294 b Whether it be of that which is pleasant and vnpleasant 2 295 a The same consideration is not of Gods Choise that is of mans choise 3 17a Euerie Choise is not alwayes an aduersarie to euerie desire 2 â—95 a What Choise is offered to young-men as the Pythagorians fay and of the Choise of Paris 2 295 b The making of Choise is not subiect to fortune 2 294 a That no kind of opinion is all one therwith 2 297 a The place which it hath in the minde 2 295 a Of thrée things that want the making thereof 2 294 a It concerneth those thinges that are in our power 2 296a Whether children and brute beastes be without it 2 294 a It is exercised about that which is good and that which is euill 2 295 b An order where by the definition thereof is found out 2 294 b It is most proper to vertue prooued 2 293 b That it and desire be diuerse prooued 2 294 b Maners are more iudged thereby than by actions 2 293 b A sounde Choise is euer more against an euill desire 2 295 a It is of those things that belong vnto the end 2 296a Frée placed in the will but rooted in the reason 2 252 b It pertaineth not to things vnprofitable 2 296 a Our will hath an affinitie with Choise yet is it not choise 2 295 b 296 a ¶ Looke Election and VVill. Choler The abundance of Choler in the tonâ—…e is the cause that all things séeme bitter 1 39 a ¶ Looke Humors Christ An interpretation of the name Christ 2 605b 615 a Howe it is meant that his horne shal be â—ealâ—ed and when 2 597 a Of his superabundant loue towardes vs. 2 610 a What his burial doth teach vs. 2 610 b 621a 608 ab Al things concerning him were certeinly determined before hand 3 6 b 7 a He tooke humane nature vpon him fréely 3 19 a 1 117 b How the fathers coulde eate him he being not then borne 2 587 b Of the vnion of his two natures 4 189b 190 a 1 115ab 2 614 a 600 b 340. 3 358 ab The reuealing of him is not commoÌ„ to all 3 27 b The first effect of predestination 3 25 b A creature 2 616 b 335 b After what manner we shoulde worship his flesh 4 177 b Whether his body be more worthie thaÌ„ his word 4 214 a Painted out by the Euangelists Apostles 2 353 b The foundation of the church 4 83 b Painted with Asses eares in despite 2 341 b Maintained by holy women 4 29 a Remaineth with vs though he be ascended 4 39 b 40 a CoÌ„municateth his things with vs. 4 83 b In him only death without sin 2 244 a How all creatures did him seruice 2 244 a In what respect he is compared with Melchisedech 1 102 a That his soule procéeded not from the virgin by propagatioÌ„ 2 244 b How with his body he could beare his own bodie 4 157 b 177 a How he is saide to be annoynted sith he was not annoynted 606 b Why God woulde haue his death to be the only meanes of mans saluation 2 619 b Why he is called the end of the law how 2 580 ab Of his image in what respects it may and may not be made 2 340 b In what respect he is not the cause of predestination 3 19 a The old fathers in the lawe called vpon him 2 582 a Peculiar testimonies of him his righteousnesse 2 581 a Of his reall presence in the Eucharist 4 144. 145. 146. His crosse death 2 619 a How he suffereth in his members 2 608 b Why his flesh is called sin 2 609 a A paterne of a holy vpright life 2 617 a Whether his body be euerywhere 4 189b His humanity prooued 4 153 b 3 314 b 315a How he is present with vs till the ende of the world 4 186 b How it is ment that he maketh intercession for vs. 3 308 b 307 a What we must call to mind in thinking of his death 2 607 b 608 ab What body he had after his resurrection 4 186 ab 1 113 b 3 362 b 2 639 ab Two things to be noted in his death 2 617 b How he is euerie day crucified 4 222 a Whether he may be said to be sacrificed in the masse 4 221 b He had natural motions 2 571 b Mediation in the legue made betwéene God and man 2 583 a His death was effectual euen before it was performed 4 104 ab Prophesies touching his kingdome metaphoricall 3 397 a Of his descending into hell 3 374. 375. 344 a The place whither he ascended 3 370 b The error of the millenarii touching his latter comming 3 358 a In what respects he may be called a plague or destruction 3 355 a The true arke and propitiatorie 3 306 a Diuerse wayes testified in old time 2 581 ab What he did in a case of contumely 2 53â— b The Pelagians make his death of none effect howe 2 299 b His natiuitie and the fruites of the same 2 617a His diuinitie prooued against the Arrians 1 101 ab 102 ab 2 603a b The Nestorian heresie which separated his diuine humane nature asunder 2 340. Onely he is head of the Church 4 36 a 2 632a b Whether the old Iewes beheld him in their sacrifices 2 582 a After what manner he dissembleth 2 541 b He and Ieptha compared 2 523 b Howe Hylarie speaketh of his body 3 297 b How it is meant that hee grew in fauour with God 2 571 b Two sorts of ministeries in him as he is Priest 3 307 b He liued at the charges of the godly 4 29 b A
b In such thinges God doth not alwaies graunt that which wee thinke good for our selues 3 201 b Of exceptions in them 3 164 b Of offence by them in the Church 3 164 a.b 165 a In them an intent maie be of some force 2 388 b Of certaine to bee vsed at the communion 2 324 b The vse of them sometime to be obserued sometimes to be discontinued 2 320 b In them magistrates must bee obeyed 4 323 b 324 a Ecclesiasticall lawes touching thinges indifferent 4 42 b Incredulitie The nature of incredulitie 3 93 a An Antithesis betwéene it faith 3 127 b The rewarde thereof most miserable 2 621 a Platos opinion thereof and the inconuenience thereof 1 53 b Of Zacharie and Moses gréeuously punished 2 364 a 3 61 b ¶ Looke Infidelitie Incubi Of the Incubi and what Augustine saith of them 1 90 a ¶ Looke Spirites Indignation Of the affect called Nemesis of some Indignation and howe it is in the godlie 2 413 ab ¶ Looke Nemesis Infamie The infamie of Lot perpetuall so long as the worlde lasteth 2 500 a The infamie that adulterers susteyned by the ciuill lawes 2 486 b Infantes Whether the infantes of Christians dying vnbaptisid bee saued 4 â—20 b 121 ab 110 ab 136 ab 119 a 2 233 b How they belong to the Church 4 114 b 115 a 120 b Dying not regenerate adiudged to hell fire by Augustine 2 233 b Howe they may be called though infected with originall sinne 4 117 a Whether all belong to the couenaunt 4 136 ab Whether they maie receiue the Eucharist 4 51 ab 45 a Whether they may be indued with the holie ghost 4 120 a Of necessitie subiect vnto sin 4 115 b 111 b 2 244 a Not exempted froÌ„ damnation 3 96b They perish vnlesse they bee renewed by Christ 3 25 a What holinesse is in them of Christian parentes 4 115 ab Baptisme of them no newe thing in the Church 4 114 b 115 a It may bee saide that they bee innocent as touching sinnes aduisedly committed 2 228 b Whether they haue faith 4 119 b 120 a ¶ Looke Children Infidelitie Infidelitie comprehendeth all other sinnes 3 153 b The cause of the Iewes reiection and what wee are taught thereby 2 329 a Achaz to his infidelitie ioyned hypocrisie and how 1 70 b 71 a ¶ Looke Incredulitie and vnbeleefe Infidels Whether it be lawfull for Christians to dwell or haue conuersation with Infidels 2 309 b The argumentes brought to prooue it 2 327 b 328. Reasons out of holie scripture to disallowe it 2 312 ab 313 a Certaine cautions to be vsed of Princes for the suffering of the faithfull to haue conuersation with Infidels 2 32â— ab 325 a It is a let to the saluation of the godlie 2 313 b The weake and vnlearned must not dwell with such 2 311 a It is not lawfull to dwell with such if men bee forced to communicate with vngodly ceremonies 2 314 b The Israelites corrupted by conuersation with them 2 313 a Forbidden and taught by signes to haue no dealing with them but in case of necessitie 2 3â—4 a Examples of holy men that had dealing with such 2 309 b 310 b The complaint of Dauid when hee was forced to dwell among them 2 314 b CommandemeÌ„t of God forbidding vs to haue companie with them 4 86 b Whether it bee lawfull for Christians to haue peace with them 4 294b 195 a Whether Christians may desire helpe of them 4 295 b Who are in worse state than Infidels 3 105 b Whether their workes be sinnes 3 106 a 243 b 244a They and al Christians are both in one state of perdition 2 556 a Certeine illuminations giuen vnto them 3 â—07b Whether they haue faith or no. 3 106 ab Whether they can doe a woâ—ke pleasing God 3 118 a Whether their chastitie be true chastitie 3 119 a They that be learned and constant may dwell with them 2 310 a Why we pray to God for their conuersion 3 29a Foure cautions to be vsed in hauing conuersation with them 2 310 ab They shall not be examined at Christes iudgement 2 626b ¶ Looke Vnbeleeuers Ingratitude Of the crime of Ingratitude and a punishment for the same 1 435 b Inheritance temporall Howe the lawyers define Inheritance 3 82 b What the Romane lawes decréed touching the children of concubines in the case of Inheritance 2 419 ab Bastards secluded from Inheritance 2 476 b 477 a The children of concubines not vtterly excluded among the Iewes an instance of Ismael 2 476 ab Of alienating the same and in what cases it was lawfull and not lawfull among the Iewes 4 243 a Inheritance eternall The nature of the heauenly Inheritance 3 79 b 80 a By what meanes we come to the same 3 274. 81 b 82 a Who obteine it 2 612 b 613 a And who haue it shut vp against men 3 82 a Iniquitie Whether the children shal be punished for the parents iniquitie 2 362 a ¶ Looke Sinne Vnrighteousnesse Innouations Against innouations specially concerning religion 1 99 ab Iniuries Whether all iniuries are to bee suffered 2 530 ab Howe farre they must be forgiuen 4 285 b Christ teacheth vs how they are to be forborne 4 289 ab Iniustice A likely reason of iniustice in God 3 286 a Inspiration Heauenly inspiration was not communicated to all the Prophets alike 1 19 b Instrument One instrument for one worke 4 18 a Instruments A distinction of instruments 3 335 a How they be affected to the efficient cause 1 164 a Wherein they and the matter doe differ 1 164b Creatures be the instruments of God but not all after one sort 1 182 b Intelligences What the schoole diuines and others haue thought of the intelligences 1 112 b â—08 b 109 a They be things separated from matter 1 103 a 78 a Of the intelligences which driue about the spheres 1 77 a Howe their worke should be hindered 1 79 b ¶ Looke Angels Spirites Intent Of the word intent and what the same signifieth 1 92 b 93 a A good intent maketh not an euill worke to be good 2 388 b It maketh a worke good if faith guide that intent 2 259 a It is not sufficient to make a worke good 1 95 a 2 539b What is chiefely required thereto 1 93 a Condemned and in what cases 2 336 a Our workes thereby cannot bee meritorious 1 93 b It must bee ioyned with faith and action or else it is nought worth 1 93 b 94 a An intent is euill two manner of wayes how 1 93 a Of an habitual intent which maketh a worke good as the schoolemen say 1 93 b The act of Gedeon done of a good intent condemned and why 1 93a 94 a The reason of the Nicodemites drawen from Naaman the Syrian for the approuing of a good intent disabled 1 94b The mischeefes that insue the papisticall doctrine of a good intent 3 311 a The Intent
lawe against theft condemneth 166 b W. WArre why it must be made and not made 162 a Diuers necessarie documents touching it as wel for laâ—emen as churchmen 149 a b In what respect it is not forbidden to christians 162 a Waters aboue the firmament in the middle region of the aire 144 a Wherevnto we must attribute the kéeping back of them from drowning the world 144 b By what qualities the nature thereof is tried 1 b What they were which Dauid said did passe through euen to his soule 6 b 7 a Whoordome and decrées of lawe touching the punishments thereof 142 b Widowes true who and to be reléeued at the churches charge 76 b 77 a Consolation for them touching their husbands death 83 b 84 a Will whether it can be compelled 119 b How being not regenerate it is towards diuine and heauenlie things 108 a What necessitie striueth therewith 105 a A power passiue and obedientiall therein 118 b In the regenerate not frée in this life 125 a b How it concurreth actiuelie passiuelie in both coÌ„uersions therof 114 a b 108 a Whervnto the change therof froÌ„ euill to good must be attributed 110 a b 111 a b Resembled to an horsse and to prisonment 106 a Obiections touching the change thereof vnto better 119 b 120 a Somtimes it would things vnpossible 107 a Diuersitie of affections by turnes therein 105 b It commandeth mens actions 105 b Fréedome and captiuitie thereof 105 a b 106 a b 107 a b Gods will distinguished 119 b Wisedome of God how it abaseth it selfe in the holie scriptures 48 b 49 a Wisedome of man how homelie iudged of in the scriptures 33 a Witnesse false and what the lawe of forbidding it dooth teach vs 167 b Wiues and whie the fathers sought them in their owne kindred 152 b Why God required of the Israelites that they should absteine from theirs vntill the third daie 163 a ¶ Looke Polygamie Women religious that followed Christ and his apostles 76 b Why Christs resurrection was first shewed to them 9 b 10 a Their manlie courage 61 a b Why they are forbidden to speake in the church 153 b Honest must not tire and disguise themselues like harlots 156 b Wonders wrought on mount Sina when the lawe was published were done by angels 163 b The remedie against strange ones and whie God sendeth them 111 a b. Word of God called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 39 a Distinguished into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 152 b An inward and outward instrument of the holie Ghost whereto 114 b It goeth naturallie before faith 114 b A praise thereof 36 b and so forward The church is not to be preferred before it 152 b 153a It is the keies of the church 26 b 27 a An exhortation to the studie thereof 249. 250. Vnto whom the custodie of the same dooth belong 49a Vnto what excellent things it is compared 45 a Wherein the power therof did first shine 2 b We no lesse receiue Christ therin than in the Eucharist 231 a VVorkes are no necessarie proofes of a mans life good or bad 153 b A distinction of them and their subiects 131 b Three maner of perfections required in them by Gods lawe 166 a They are causes and not causes of our saluation 165 b 147 b 149 b What we are to determine of such as are done without faith 170 b All of the regenerate are sinnes 104 b 105 a How our resurrection standeth in them 11 b A case touching them to be done secretlie or openlie 71 b How they obteine the promises 157 a Of themselues absolutelie they make vs not acceptable 146 b 22 b 23 a VVorkes of God what are called miracles 57 a b Certeine wonderfull vnknowne to naturall reason 46 a VVorld vniuersall is Gods schoole or place of warre fare and why 58 a VVorship outward and inward due to Christ 8 b 9 a Religious towards God required 60 a b Against them that giue it to creatures 160 a b What is common to God and great men 162 a b 157 a VVrath of God described 17b 18 a VVrestling of Iacob with the angell and ours with God and when we ouercome 155 b Y. YEare of plentie and the magistrats charge therein 157 a FINIS propositi laus Christo nescia FINIS Imprinted at London in Pater noster Rovve at the costs and charges of Henrie Denham Thomas Chard VVilliam Broome and Andrew Maunsell 1583. Allowed according to hir Maiesties Iniunctions
Catholike which is a Gréeke word and signifieth no other thing than if thou shouldst saie vniuersall for that it is not bound more to one place than to an other But euen as God is a God of the whole vniuersall world euen so will he that the bodie of his sonne which is his church should be extended into euerie place With him there is no exception of persons neither had he respect whether those which he calleth into his church be either husbandmen or smithes men or women princes or seruants rich or poore barbarous citizens or Gentils as though he were moued for these outward things to choose them but of euerie nation he chooseth those whome he thinketh méet Wherefore the church is an vniuersall bodie compacted of men of euerie kind and condition But it excelleth also in a nobler societie which is of such sort as whosoeuer be truelie gathered togither into that bodie be indued with the same féeling of faith And vndoubtedlie in vaine shall euerie other consent be if minds disagrée in the doctrine of faith Neither is there euer anie thing that bringeth more detriment vnto this faith than the inuentions of men From hense haue flowed all the heresies that euer were which in verie déed are nothing else but the opinions of men conceiued besides the meaning of the scriptures and sowen abroad among diuers people as if they were certeine diuine mysteries which bring saluation or else works most acceptable vnto God And forsomuch as such doctrines are nothing else but deuises of men by which the authours of them haue sought their owne gaine and commoditie first they be méere lies deceipts and wicked iuglings secondlie when as they procéed from the inuentions of men they cannot satisfie all men For looke how manie men so manie sundrie opinions there be so that some dissent in one article of the faith and some in another So in verie déed it happened among the Gréekes and other Christians which inhabit towards the East part whome if thou examine thou shalt vndoubtedlie find that by a common consent they haue allowed the holie scriptures but in those sundrie superstitions the which they haue oftentimes deuised there will appeare great disagréement The Roman church aboundeth with superstitions 38 Howbeit in these deuises of superstitions the church of Rome carrieth awaie the price For while they prouide to stuffe into the pure and simple religion of Christ infinit abhominations drawne out of the sinkes of paganisme in restoring and as they saie or rather as they lie in reforming them to a better forme it hath troden vnder foote and destroied all things Also this it obstinatelie vrgeth that euerie mans faith dooth rest in such goodlie things And mens inuentions are more estéemed than the lawfull doctrine of the truth drawne out of the holie fountaines of the scriptures And this might not others which in like maner be infected with their owne superstitions abide that they anie lesse than the Romans should stoutlie kéepe still and defend their fained worshippings and humane inuentions But they which haue imbraced the principall and sincere doctrine of Christ be vtter enimies against those superstitions séeing they perceiue that thereby the glorie of Christ and his merits are altogither obscured the honour of God translated vnto his creatures his seruice vsed without his word set foorth onelie after the deuise of men so that the church which at this daie challengeth proudlie vnto it selfe alone the name of Catholike shée alone I saie more than others hath seuered and euen rent in sunder that common and vniuersall societie of the faithfull For if it had staid it selfe in that religion and seruice which the holie scriptures doo prescribe vnto vs there had not procéeded so manie schismes from thence But hitherto it hath vsed no measure of hir owne feined deuises and it hath endeuored by force armes to constraine euerie man to receiue the same From hence haue risen infinit dissentions amongst which there be some that remaine vnto this daie as experience it selfe plainlie testifieth And as touching those that haue béene in the former ages whosoeuer will diligentlie applie his mind in reading of histories shall easilie perceiue them Howbeit whatsoeuer sathan by his cunning The Catholike church standeth fast hath wrought the Catholike church remaineth still stedfast and immooueable and shall firmelie abide euen vntill the last daie of iudgement For the same betokeneth nothing else but an vniuersall bodie compact togither of men of euerie state and condition the which in what parts soeuer of the earth they dwell they reteine the same faith and grace righteousnesse holinesse and happinesse and finallie they imbrace euerie good thing offered them in Christ and so as they will neuer suffer themselues one iot to be led from that truth which the spirit of God hath reuealed to vs in the holie scriptures but they will assure themselues of that onelie worshipping to be lawfull and acceptable vnto GOD which hée hath prescribed in those holie scriptures 39 Neither are they for anie other end compacted togither in this societie A communion of the church but spirituall but that they should edifie one an other to their power euen as the ioining togither that is in the members of a mans bodie is chéeflie ordeined for the helpe and preseruation of euerie particular member The church striueth not to the intent it might challenge vnto it selfe some chéefe empire or temporall iurisdiction it promiseth no such end vnto it selfe as it would heape vp excéeding treasures and earthlie riches The scope thereof is not to rule nations to make warres to laie hold vpon cities What weapons the church hath and to vanquish them Indéed this bodie is not destitute of his weapons but these be spirituall and not carnall weapons namelie the word and the spirit with the which it ouercommeth the wisedome of man casteth it to the ground leadeth captiue the mind and cogitation to the obedience of Christ And the same vndoubtedlie oppresseth not the bodies with tyrannicall seruitude or draweth awaie mens goods by gréeuous tributes This selfe-same doctrine dooth Paule in verie manie words inculcate in his later epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 4. where he verie well describeth the wrestlings of this congregation and he in the same epistle intreating there of his owne and of other of the apostles authoritie saith that The same was granted vnto him to edifie and not to destroie Vnto the which notwithstanding they doo singularlie bend themselues which will alone be called heads and apostles of the church Howbeit in the meane time with all their power they resist the word of God Neither doo they suffer the perfect state of our iustification to be preached but rather by their humane decrées and constitutions laie infinite snares against the miserable soules of the people committed to them the which notwithstanding are redéemed by the pretious bloud of Christ And yet further they pollute with their
into him He followed the intisements of couetousnes he betraied not the Lord to obeie his prophesie Christ also was by the will of God sâ—aine for he said in the garden Ibidem 39. Let this cup passe away from me if it be possible but not my will be doone but thine And of himselfe he said before hand I will giue my life for my sheepe Ioh. 10 11. Yea Herod and Pilat are in the Acts of the apostles said to haue agréed togither Acts. 4 27. to doo those things which the counsell of God had decréed Are either the Iewes or those princes by reason of this to be acquited from sinne when as they condemned and slue an innocent man Who will saie so Shall anie man also acquite of villanie the brethren of Ioseph Gen 45 7. when they sold their brother although God would by that meanes that Ioseph should come into Aegypt Neither shall the crueltie of the king of Babylon be excused Esaie 10 7. although the iustice of God decréed to haue the Iewes in such sort punished He which is killed Exo. 23 31. is said to be deliuered by God into the hands of his enimie And God is also said to deliuer a citie Iosua 6 16. when it is woon by assalt Iob. 1 21. And Iob said that those things which were by violence and robberie taken awaie from him by the Chaldaeans and Sabeans were taken awaie by God The Lord saith he gaue and the Lord hath taken awaie Of predestination and the counsell of God cannot be inferred anie excuse of sins Wherefore of that counsell of God whereby he vseth sinnes to their appointed ends cannot be inferred anie iust excuses of sinnes for wicked works are iudged and condemned by reason of the lewd and corrupt hart from whence they are deriued Wherefore let no man be offended with the doctrine of predestination séeing rather by it we are led to acknowledge the benefits of God and to giue thanks vnto him onlie And let vs also learne not to attribute more vnto our owne strength than we ought let vs haue also an assured persuasion of the good will of God towards vs whereby he would elect his before the foundations of the world were laid Let vs moreouer be confirmed in aduersities knowing assuredlie that whatsoeuer calamitie happeneth it is doone by the counsell and will of God and that finallie by the moderation of predestination it shall turne to good and to eternall saluation VVhether God would kill or destroie anie man In 1. Sam. 2 verse 25. 59 But there ariseth a doubt whether God would kill or destroie anie man for it is written that The sonnes of Helie hard not their fathers words bicause the Lord would slaie them In the 18. and 33. chapters for both the chapters are of one argument Ezec. 18 33 11. although Ierom shewed some difference betwéene them yet so small as it maketh in a maner no matter Ezechiel That God would not the death of a sinner verse 21. vnder the person of God saith As trulie as I liue I will not the death of a sinner but that he conuert and liue And in Esaie 28. chapter it is read I saith the Lord will doo a strange worke namelie to punish you wherevpon it is gathered that it is farre from the nature of God to laie punishments vpon vs for sinnes Wherefore it is euerie-where pronounced of the church that the propertie of God is to forgiue and to be mercifull Ibidem 13. And in the first chapter of Wisedome if yet we shall allow of that booke it is written God made not death Wisd 1 13. nor delighteth in the destruction of the liuing Furthermore the name of the verie same GOD is called in the holie scriptures Iehouah which soundeth nothing else than Being or To be Wherefore Augustine in his booke De vera religione the twelfe chapter saith that The nature of God is To be forsomuch as all things haue from thence euen that being that they haue But death bringeth to passe that things cease to be so that it séemeth not to procéed from God And in Genesis it is written that God made man a liuing soule Genes 2 7. wherevpon it followeth Diuers testimonies that God will not the death of a sinner Iere. 29 11. that he did not so make him that he would destroie him but rather that he should liue And in the 29. chapter of Ieremie it is said My thoughts are the thoughts of peace and not of affliction saith the Lord. Neuertheles we vnderstand here that he would destroie the sonnes of Helie And Ieremie in the lamentations saith Lamen 2 8. that God minded to ouerthrowe the wall of Zion And in Zacharie it is said Euen as God thought to punish you Zach. 8 14. what time as your fathers prouoked him to wrath so now haue I determined to doo well vnto you And there is a place extant in the 14. chapter of Esaie Esai 14 24. wherein by manifest words it is declared that God consulted and decréed with himselfe vtterlie to destroie the Babylonians and Assyrians And verie manie testimonies for the confirmation of this matter might be gathered out of the holie scriptures but bicause wée méete with them euerie-where I will passe them ouer 60 As touching the discourse which we haue in hand first we must determine of some certeine thing secondlie we must incounter the testimonies and reasons which may séeme to be against the definition set downe First of all Death distinguished the nature of death is to be distinguished bicause there is one of the soule and another of the bodie As touching that of the bodie it would be superfluous to saie anie thing séeing by the sense we perceiue the same to be nothing else but a departure of the soule from the flesh Wherfore on the other side we affirme that the death of the soule dooth then happen when we for sinne sake are separated froÌ„ God Vnto these things That the death of the bodie dooth depend of the death of the soule Rom. 5 12. this also is to be added that the death of the bodie dooth depend of the death of the soule for vnles that had gone before this should not followe wherevpon Paule most trulie wrote that By sinne came death into the world Onelie Christ is here to be excepted who onelie died without sinne albeit that neither he in verie déed died altogither without sinne séeing that he bare our sins on his bodie vpon the crosse 1. Pet. 2 24. But the procurer of death as Augustine saith in his fourth booke De ciuitate Dei Augustine the 12. chapter was the diuell for he was therefore of Iohn called A murtherer euen from the beginning Iohn 1 44. bicause he persuaded the first men vnto sinne Euen as Christ therefore is the mediator of life so is the diuell of death And it
is written that Sinne entred into the world by one man bicause that same one that is the first man was corrupted by the diuell In what respect God made death Therefore saith Augustine God made not death absolutelie and by it selfe but for a iust recompense imposed the same vpō sinners For in verie déed it is one thing to produce a thing absolutelie and by it selfe and another thing iustlie to lay it vpon vs for all things that are doone of God by themselues are in verie déed good Gen. 1 31. for God sawe all things that he had made and they were verie good Those things also which are laid vpon vs for a reward of sinnes although in their owne nature they be euill that is to saie against our nature yet so far foorth as they haue the nature of iustice they ought to be counted for good things For the plaine declaration whereof Augustine vseth a verie apt similitiude Augustine When a iudge condemneth a man to execution A similitude he is not properlie said to haue doone the execution seeing the guiltie man procured the same to himselfe Wherefore there is a certeine will of God absolute and another as Augustine calleth it recompensing One will of God absolute and another recompensing To whether of those belongeth the present place wherein it is said that God would destroie the sons of Helie Whether shall we vnderstand it of the absolute will or of the recompensing will Doubtlesse of the recompensing bicause of the absolute will it must not be vnderstood Therefore saith Augustine it is most iust that when our soule shall of his owne will depart from God it should be separated from his bodie whether it will or no. In like maner there would be a difference put betwéene the conditions of sinners The conditions of sinners must be considered for there be some of them which sorrowe that they haue sinned and whom it repenteth of their sinnes committed these men as they belong to the election euen so doo they exercise the faith wherewith they are adorned 61 Of this kind of sinners speaketh God when he saith in Ezechiel Ezech. 18. and 33 11. I will not the death of a sinner And this will of God is so firme and stedfast as he confirmeth the same with an oth As trulie as I liue saith he I will not the death of a sinner But others doo so sticke in their wickednesse as they are neuer led with anie repentance forsomuch as they belong to the number of the reprobates these men assuredlie God would haue to die And for a truth after that they haue fulfilled the measure of their gréeuous sinnes it is requisite that they should die that one daie at the length they may make an end of their sinning Therefore whereas the prophet saith vnder the person of God that He will not the death of a sinner it must not be vnderstood vniuersallie as touching all but of some certeine We might also adde with manie diuines that there is a certeine will of God One will of God effectuall and another signified which they call effectuall and also another of the signe for there are giuen to all men one with another certeine signes of saluation such as are outward vocation which dooth chéefelie consist of the word of God of preaching and of the administration of the sacraments Another will there is of God secret which is called effectuall and belongeth not vnto all men togither for if it comprehended all men no doubt but all men should be saued For such is the strength and power of God as of him the scriptures pronounce Psal 135 6. He hath done all things whatsoeuer he would So that the prophet Ezechiel ment that our punishments must not be ascribed to God Ezec. 33 11. but rather to the sinnes of our owne selues And when he addeth that God would that men should conuert and liue that must not so be vnderstood as though we may obteine eternall life by the merit of repentance séeing we obteine that by faith which onlie procureth to vs the mercie of God through Christ And no lesse is repentance than our faith to be reckoned among the gifts of God And vndoubtedlie Faith and repentance gifts of God alike 2. Tim. 2 25. Phil. 1 29. as touching repentance Paule speaketh vnto Timothie If peraduenture God shall giue them repentance but of faith it is written to the Philippians God hath not onlie giuen it vnto you that you should beleeue but also to suffer for his sake And vnto the Ephesians Ephes 2 8. By faith ye are saued and that not of your selues it is the gift of God Verelie we haue these things by the liberalitie of God not of our owne strength bicause we are not sufficient of our selues as of our selues to further anie thing vnto our saluation 2. Cor 3 5. Phil. 2 13. For it is God that worketh in vs both to will and to perfourme wherfore not some part of our saluation but the whole dependeth of God But and if thou shalt demand whie God bestoweth these his gifts rather on this man than on that It is a thing vnsearchable This ought to satisfie vs to confesse that whatsoeuer he dooth he dooth it rightlie and isutlie 62 But whereas Esaie saith Esai 28 21. that God dooth a strange worke when he bringeth iust punishments vpon the wicked it is no hard matter to make it agrée with the sentence that we haue set downe séeing that God of his owne accord and without iust cause inferreth no euill for he is prouoked by our sinnes and he recompenseth our wickednes with a iust damnation Neuertheles in that place a strange worke séemes vnto me to signifie a worke vnaccustomed How it is a strange worke vnto God to punish euils not séene nor heard of before as if God should saie I will bring vpon you not an ordinarie and dailie punishment but a notable and woonderfull punishment He that shall after this maner vnderstand the words of the prophet in my iudgement he shall varie from the naturall sense thereof And whereas it is written in the first chapter of the booke of Wisedome How God made not death Wild. 1 13. that God made not death nor delighteth in the destruction of the liuing it is as I thinke plainlie enough to be vnderstood by those things which are alreadie spoken For we may vnderstand that God made not death bicause we by our sins haue drawne it vnto vs but yet we must not therefore affirme that the same is no maner of waie deriued from God Neither must Made or Ordeined be vrged vehementlie in that place otherwise it might be againe obiected against them out of the 11. chapter of Ecclesiasticus verse 14. that Death and life good and euill pouertie and riches are of God And whereas it is added that God reioiseth not at the destruction of the liuing that is true
argument from the place which we haue now in hand whereas they of the old time neuer vnderstood of the same before Such at this daie are the Seruetians The Seruetians who greatlie deceiue and be deceiued How dare they saie this if they embrace the new testament Doubtles Paule affirmeth vnto the Galathians Gala. 3 16. that The same seed promised vnto Abraham in whom all the nations of the earth should be blessed was Christ And séeing he beléeued and was iustified certeinelie he had not that by the faith which was of temporall things or of the multitude of posteritie but of Christ the sonne of God For as it is written vnto the Romans Rom. 4 23. We are iustified euen after the same sort that Abraham was namelie by faith in Christ who also saith of him Ioh. 8 56. He sawe my daie and reioised Besides this the prophets did so manifestlie foreshew the mysteries of Christ as they may séeme to be no prophets but euangelists But did they speake write those things which they vnderstood not Surelie that had not béene the part of prophets but of mad men Neither is it likelie that this meaning of Christ was vnknowen otherwise the Saduces would easilie haue answered that that place was not so vnderstood by the forefathers neither that it was so interpreted of the life of the fathers But the matter was so euident that some of the Scribes said openlie Luk. 20 39. Maister thou hast said well And as the euangelists teach The Phariseis perceiued that Christ had put the Saduces to silence which declareth the matter to be so manifest as there should be no place left to cauillation Further Acts. 23 8. the Phariseis affirmed the resurrection of the dead and séeing they were interpretors of the scriptures there can be no doubt but they prooued the same by the scriptures And that they were before the comming of Christ it is sufficientlie declared out of the historie of Iosephus who affirmeth that they were in the time of the Assamonaeans Wherefore Christ was not the first that auouched this opinion neither did he so peruert the waie of teaching as he prooued his owne saiengs by obscure and vncerteine things Whensoeuer he handled anie thing out of the scriptures he alwaies brought foorth those things which were plaine and manifest When he demanded of the Iewes what they beléeued concerning Messias and they had answered that he should be the sonne of Dauid Matt. 22 42. he answered And how commeth it to passe that Dauid in spirit calleth him Lord Psa 110 1. citing the psalme The Lord said vnto my Lord And if it had not appéered vnto all men that the same psalme was written of Messias he should haue preuailed nothing In like maner when he spake of diuorse he cited a place out of the booke of Genesis Male and female created he them Gen. 1 27. And that saieng also which Adam spake This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh Gen. 2 21. and they shall be two in one flesh Here also he compiled not his reason of obscure but of manifest things In like maner when he treated of the order and dignitie of the commandements he declared this to be the first and greatest commandement Matt. 22 37 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and the other is like vnto this Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Wherefore séeing he alwaies grounded vpon manifest and certeine things why then will we onlie in this place haue his reason to be vncerteine and obscure and neuer knowen before But I will passe ouer these things and will obserue this that these two vices namelie ignorance of the scriptures and of the power of God may also at this daie be obiected to all them which be mainteiners of wicked opinions for they are infected with the ignorance either of both or at the least wise of the one or of the other So as when we haue accesse to the reading of the scriptures we must indeuor to be deliuered from both those vices whereby we may well vnderstand the scriptures and iudge rightlie of the power of God Thus much shall suffice concerning the testimonie brought by Christ 26 Now hauing respect to the course of times I will handle the text of Iob Iob. 19 23. A place of Iob touching the resurrection expounded which is in the 19. chapter of his booke but before I set foorth the words themselues it séemeth good to touch that which he treated of before To the intent that those things which were to be spoken should the more diligentlie be considered he did mooue men after this sort to giue eare to him I would to God my words were written not in papers but in a booke yea and grauen with an iron pen in lead or in stone for an euerlasting continuance So the lawes in old time were grauen in tables of brasse least the writing should weare out And in Ieremie we read Iere. 17 1. that the sinne of Iuda was written with a pen of adamant so as it could not be wiped out The words therefore be woorthie of memorie which Iob desired to print after this maner The words are these And I knowe certeinlie not by naturall knowledge but by faith that my redeemer liueth He beginneth the saieng with the letter Vau which coupleth togither as if he should saie Séeing other faithfull men beléeue this I also knowe and confesse this with them that my redéemer liueth He calleth him A redeemer to wit from death from sinnes and from all euils He saith moreouer that He liueth bicause he is the fountaine of life and quickeneth all things that haue life This vndoubtedlie is Christ the sonne of God for there is no other redéemer giuen vnto men besides him And therefore a little after he calleth him The last bicause there were manie partlie and vnperfect redéemers But Christ is the last and perfect beside whom no other ought to be looked for Albeit the Hebrue word Acharon may be referred to the time as to saie That redéemer of mine liueth and at the last time he shall rise out of dust This doo some attribute to the resurrection of Christ for he was raised vp with his bodie which after the maner of the scripture is called dust And vndoubtedlie Christ in rising againe was the first fruits of them which sleepe 1. Co. 15 20. And he is said to haue risen in the last time bicause his resurrection happened in the beginning of the last age for there is no other age to be looked for than that which we now liue in 1. Ioh. 2 18. so that of Iohn it is called the last houre We may verie conuenientlie also refer that saieng to the resurrection of the dead so as of that liuing redéemer it may be said At the last time that is At the end of the
world He shall rise to wit He shall exercise his power vpon dust that is vpon dead bodies alreadie become dust in raising them vp againe Ouer this Iob making the matter more plaine addeth Afterward that is to saie At that time this my hide or skin or flesh which they haue gnawne pearsed and hacked for these things dooth the word Nacaph signifie that is to wit sorrowes diseases and woorms shall not be despised of my redeemer but in my flesh that is being in flesh I shal see God The Latin translation hath Rursus circundabor pelle mea I shall be againe compassed about with my skin They who so translated the same it should séeme they had a respect vnto the verbe Iacaph which signifieth To compasse about and in the coniugation Niphal it is said Nikkephu that is They shall be compassed about namelie my ioints sinewes and members in this skin and in this hide and with my flesh I shall sée God Both the one sense and the other doo affirme resurrection With mine eies I shall see him I my selfe and not a stranger or other for me He affirmeth that he shall rise in his owne proper bodie and not in another for euen as Christ tooke againe his owne bodie vnto him euen so likewise shall be giuen vnto vs our owne bodies and no other Wherevpon Tertullian De resurrectione carnis said I shall not be another man but another thing affirming that there shall be no diuersitie of substance but of conditions qualities and properties Howbeit they speake contrariewise at this daie in the schooles to wit that euerie man shall be another person but not another thing Neuerthelesse the diuers forms of speaking doo not alter the matter I shall see saith Iob Li which signifieth For my selfe for mine owne profit for albeit he deale seuerelie with me now and séemeth to be mine enimie he will then shew himselfe to be mercifull and gratious vnto me This is the consolation of the godlie while they abide affliction in this world euen to haue an eie vnto the resurrection and therein to quiet themselues And while he saith I shall see him with mine eies he hath made manifest the two natures of Christ namelie the diuine and the humane for God is not séene with bodilie eies These things be so manifest as they haue no néed of greater light Whereby it appéereth that the fathers in old time were not ignorant of Christ the redéemer nor yet of the resurrection from the dead 27 Some saie that Iob spake these things touching the recouerie both of his health and also of his goods in this life and they are not of that mind that he spake anie thing of the world to come But that interpretation is strange and vaine the which is two waies to be confuted by argument First of the recouerie of health as concerning this life he despaired and with the hope of resurrection he comforted himselfe as it hath béene said which is euident in the same 19. verse 10. chapter where he saith that God deiected all his hope so as he compareth himselfe with a plant that is cut off and springeth not againe and the verie same appéereth in manie chapters of his booke Further if he had spoken of this temporall restitution what néeded he to haue vsed such magnificall spéech before he began â—he matter wishing that his words were written in a booke and grauen in flint or in lead for a perpetuall remembrance thereof It is a common matter that calamities be remooued from them that repent and to haue their old state and manie times a better restored by God yea his friends promised that this should happen vnto him if he returned into the waie from whence they thought he was departed Wherefore Iob spake these things that they might all vnderstand that euen in the midst of death he godlilie comforted himselfe with the hope of resurrection which he would teach his friends and others to doo by his example The interpretation that is brought is so cléere as it may séeme to be written not with inke but with the beames of the sunne A similitude So as they are fond without all measure which séeke a doubt in this plaine matter The Hebrue interpretors vpon this place be so obscure as in reading of them thou mightest séeme to grope in the darke certeinlie they haue euen of set purpose folowed obscuritie It séemeth they would haue said that Iob knew that God whom he calleth his redéemer liueth through the effect of punishments and miseries which he perceiued to be gréeuouslie inflicted And to this purpose they force that which he saith as touching his flesh he séeth God that is to wit that he féeleth him and acknowledgeth him by the gréefes which he indured and which he him selfe and no other could haue considered These be trifles impertinent and cleane besides the purpose neither can they be applied vnto all the words of this text Héerevnto thou maist adde that in a maner all the fathers although they were most ancient vnderstood this place of the resurrection 28 But passing ouer Iob I will bring an other testimonie out of Dauid He in the 16. psalme pronounceth Psal 16 8. A place of the psalter touching the resurrection expounded I haue set GOD in my sight namelie in perpetuall recording of thy lawe least I should commit anie thing against the fame or else in considering him to be alwaies present in all my thoughts saiengs and dooings that I should doo nothing vnwoorthie of his presence or else in calling alwaies vpon him in aduersities least I shuld put my hope in anie other but in him He hath not failed me but standeth at my right hand to mainteine support and defend me Therefore was my hart glad namelie with a sound and perfect gladnes not with a vaine vnconstant and worldlie ioie And my glorie reioised Vnder the name of glorie manie of the Hebrues vnderstand the soule bicause that is the principall part and glorie of man But others expound it to be the toong bicause the woorthinesse and excellencie of man was sometime thought to come by spéech The Hebrue word is Cauod The Hebrue word Cauod Act. 2 25. which the Septuaginta in their translation called Toong which also the apostles obserued in the Acts when they handled this place Neither dooth there want examples in the which Cauod signifieth A toong In the 30 psalme verse 13. He shall sing vnto thee Cauod with his toong and shall not hold his peace Also in the 108. psalme verse 5. I will sing and giue praise vnto thee Cauod with my toong And in the booke of Genesis the 49. chapter Simeon and Leui are warrelie instruments of iniquitie my soule commeth not into their secrets nor my Toong is not vnited with their congregations that is to saie I haue allowed nothing of their wicked counsell neither haue I with my Toong that is by my commandement driuen them vnto
God which if we take hold of by faith we shall obtaine both saluation and also remission of sinnes This is the true sense according to which the fathers must be vnderstood when they say that grace is the power of the sacramentes Which is al one as if they had said vnderstanding and sense is the force of speach and of wordes Of the schoolemens stay or let 16 And how vnsafely the schoolemen speak of their stay or let hereby it is manifest for that they say that he putteth not a staye or let which although he haue not the act either of louing or belieuing yet obiecteth nothing that is contrarie or opposite vnto grace namely the act of infidelitie or of hatred Then in such case say they the sacraments of the Gospel giue grace But this is nothing else than to attribute vnto creatures the cause of our saluation and to bind our selues too much to signes and elementes of this world This ought to be certaine and most assured that no more is to be attributed vnto the sacramentes as touching saluation than vnto the word of God No more must be attributed to the Sacraments than to the word of God In what respect our sacraments are better than those of the old Fathers Wherefore if sometimes we heare as Augustine also saith that our sacramentes are better than the sacramentes of the olde fathers this ought to be vnderstanded that it be referred vnto perspicuitie For we graunt that our sacramentes both speake and preach more plainely of Christ than did the sacramentes of the olde fathers Now then séeing we are more clearely and plainly instructed faith is more fuller and bringeth vnto vs more grace and spirit And we gladly admit that which the fame Augustine saith Sometime the Sacrament is receiued without the thing sometime the thing without the sacrament That sometimes it commeth to passe that the sacrament is receiued without the matter it self For so the wicked and infidels vsing the sacraments receaue only the outward signes and are vtterly voide of saluation and of grace Sometimes also it contrariwise happeneth that the godly being excluded by any necessitie from the vse of the sacraments yet are in no wise defrauded of the matter it self and of the thing signified Neither let any man here lay to our charge that we affirme that sacramentes depend of our faith for neither teach we any such thing yea rather we affirme that the sacramentes are sacramentes although thy faith be either weake or none at all And Augustines iudgement is very good concerning him which onely carnally receaueth the sacrament when he saith It doth not therefore cease to be spirituall but vnto them it is not spirituall And now at length to make an end Grace is not bounb vpon sacraments as it were in smal bags Looke In Gen. 17 we must neuer come to this point to thinke that grace and our saluation is conteined in the sacramentes as in bagges which may be powred out vppon the communicantes and receauers for the sacramentes are as certain messengers of our saluation which whoso giueth credite vnto obtaineth saluation And thus much hitherto haue I sufficiently spoken of sacramentes in generall As touching the proposterous vse of the Sacramēts looke part 4. pl. 16. Art 27. 28. in 2. Kings 5. Of Circumcision 17. Now remaineth for vs to speake somewhat of Circumcision For the better vnderstanding whereof we haue spoken these thinges the more largely and with more wordes What circumcision is saide to haue had remission of sinnes But here we shall not néede so long a treatise for if we remēber all those things which haue generally bin spoken of sacramentes it shall be no hard matter to vnderstand all that which may be spokē of circumcision Rom. 4. 11. And circumcision not to goe from the wordes of the Apostle was the seale of the righteousnesse of faith because it preached and confirmed the promise concerning righteousnesse which the olde fathers receiued by faith And hereof it followeth that the old fathers had by it remission of sinnes For séeing that righteousnes consisteth chiefly in the remission of sinnes whosoeuer beléeues the promise set foorth and by circumcision sealed it followeth of necessitie that he was partaker of the remission of sinnes Some demaund whether circumcision and baptisme which succéeded circumcision Whether remission be had of sinnes to come bring remission onely of those sinnes which are alreadie past or also of those which are afterward committed Let these men consider that the vse of circumcision and of baptisme is not for a time but perpetuall For as the faithfull oftentimes faile so when they forthwith come againe vnto thēselues they thinke vppon the promise of the Gospel which is as touching the remission of sinnes Wherein also euen for this cause they are confirmed for that they remember themselues to be either baptised or circumcised and so by putting too of faith they are deliuered from sinnes and are reconciled vnto God The error of them which wold not be rebaptized but at the houre of death Hereby it is manifest how they were in the olde time deceaued which would not be baptised but euen when death approched and that they were in a manner giuing vp the ghost Neither let any man thinke that this is repugnant vnto the kayes of the Church whereby the penitent are receiued For that they may the better vnderstand the matter this they must néedes graunt that those kaies of the Church are nothing else What the keies of the Church be but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers doe perswade the beléeuers that their sinnes are forgiuen them But they which are to be perswaded are by the benefite of the holy ghost perswaded and their faith concerning the promise is also hereby confirmed for that they call to memorie the signe of baptisme or of circumcision which in times past they receiued And Paul when he sayd For the remission of sinnes going before meant that iustification when it is applied vnto vs alwayes putteth away those sinnes which we haue before cōmitted Yet that letteth nothing but that the promise of the remission of sinnes and sealing thereof may oftentimes with profit be called to our memorie But so oftentimes as sinne is so forgiuen it followeth of necessitie that the same sin went before Howbeit that which we speake of tendeth to this to declare that the vtilitie of sacramentes is not for a time but pertaineth to the whole course of our life Circumcision differed from our sacramentes for that it was the beginning first step and visible enterance to the couenant of God And what maner of men the vncircumcised were accounted to be the Apostle declareth in the Epistle to the Ephesians Ephe. 2. 11. Remember saith he that ye were sometimes Gentiles in the flesh which were called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with handes ye were
ye say sometimes without Christ aliantes from the common wealth of the Israelites straungers from the couenauntes of the promises without hope in the world and without God And in the Epistle to the Philippians he teacheth Phil. 3. 3. which is the true and spiritual circumcision For we saith he are circumcision Which is the true spiritual circumcision which serue the Lord in spirit and glory in Christ and haue no confidence in the flesh And to the Colos he writeth Col. 2. 11. In whom saith he ye are circumcised with circumcision not made with handes by putting off the sinfull body of the flesh By which place we sée as we haue before also noted that forgiuenesse of sinnes is to be put as well in circumcision as in baptisme Wherefore Augustine in his booke against Iulianus the Pelagian in that part wherein he heapeth vp a great many of authorities of the fathers reprooueth the Pelagians by these wordes of the Apostle for that notwithstanding they denyed originall sinne yet they baptised their infantes for séeing they affirmed that in them is no sinne how could that baptisme as Paule saith be circumcision not made with handes by the putting off of the sinfull flesh These places of the Apostle serue very much to expound the meaning and nature of circumcision In Deut. the x. Deut. 10. 16 Chapt. the Lord saith Thou shalt circumcise the vncircumcision of thine heart neither shalt thou harden thy neck In sted of vncircumcision the Chaldey interpretour hath Tephashot that is foolishnesse thereby signifying The first ground of sinne that the first ground of sinne herein consisteth that we are blind to all thinges pertayning to God and that we are in all heauenly things blind and want the knowledge of God The promise which circumcisiō sealed The 70. interpretours haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is hardnesse of heart The promises which are offered vnto thē that are circumcised are those that God is made our God the God of our séede in which onely thing we haue the horne of plentie that is the summe of all good things Hereof also springeth our felicitie and consolation in all affliction They were thereby also put in minde of the mortifying of the flesh that is of the cutting away of superfluous pleasures And moreouer by it they professed true religion And briefly thereby was signified the couenant made with God These were the thinges signified and the matter of this sacrament and doe pertaine truely vnto the nature and substance thereof Why circūcision was cōmaunded of the part of generation 18 Now are there two thinges remaining to be discussed The one is why circumcision was commaunded to be marked in the member of generation the second why it was commaunded to be doone the eight day Out of Augustine in diuers places we gather that therefore God would haue it so to be to put vs in minde that originall sinne is by generation drawen from the parentes vnto vs and that euen as the foreskinne being cut off in the parent dooth notwithstanding return againe in the childe which is begotten so originall sinne being remitted vnto the parentes buddeth vp again in the childrē which are brought foorth We are thereby also admonished which we haue now oftentimes said that the league of God pertaineth not onely vnto vs but also to our children which we beget Finally by that signe was chiefly signifyed that Christ should spring of the séede of Abraham Circumcision is no ridiculous thing Neither ought we here to follow our owne sense or humane reason to thinke that to be a thing ridiculous or of small force which God himselfe hath instituted For otherwise the crosse of Christ and the Gospel are an offence vnto the Iewes and foolishnesse vnto the Gentiles Neither ought we to iudge of thinges diuine according to that which is shewed outwardly Diuine things must not be iudged according to outward sight 1. Kings 5. 11. Otherwise Iulianus and Celsus made a laughing matter that the aple was forbidden our first parentes And Naaman the Syrian thought it a ridiculous thing that he should be seuen times washed in the riuer of Iordan Neither doubt I but that there were some which derided Moses when he cast the wood into the bitter waters Exo. 15. 25. to heale their bitternesse In our dayes also very many maruaile how it commeth to passe that the stealth of one halfpeny bringeth eternall destruction The word of God is of great weight But these men ought to remember that these thinges are not to be considered according to their owne force but vnto them must be added also the weight of the word of God which vndoutedly is of so great weight as it weyeth heauier than the whole world Neither is there any thing so vile and abiect but that whē the word of God is added thereunto it is made notable and excellent In déede kinges and princes of this world haue a care to haue goodly and honorable seales But as touching the promises and giftes which are by them sealed they oftentimes deceaue men But God when he vseth euen the most abiect signes neuer deceaueth any man The seales of God consist not of honourable things Now will I speake in a word or two of the consideration of the eight day The Hebrewes affirme that such is the dignitie of the seuenth day that of it all thinges obtaine I know not what force and strength Wherefore they thinke that after the seuenth day there commeth into the infant newly borne so much strength that he is able easily to abide the paine of circumcision But let vs leaue vnto them such fained toyes and let vs rather thus thinke That the eight day betokened the resurretiō of Chri Col. 2. 11. that in the eight day was betokened the resurrection of Christ and therewithall ours Which may easily be perceaued by Paul for he saith that in circumcision was signifyed the cutting off of the sinnes of the flesh But the sinnes of the flesh can neuer be perfectly cut off from vs vntill we are come to the holy resurrection All the whole time of this world and the time of this whole lyfe The whole time of this life represēteth a wéek representeth a wéeke of dayes But the eight day signifyeth the resurrection There is moreouer an other reason not to be contemned namely that a child being so newly borne is able to doe nothing of himselfe as touching the attainment of righteousnesse Wherefore hereby we be admonished that iustification commeth not of our workes And although it were so in the right of circumcision In Baptisme we are not inioyned to any certaine number of dayes yet are not we in baptisme bound to any certaine number of dayes For Christ hath made vs frée from this kinde of obseruation Howbeit there haue bin some which haue gone about in baptisme also to compel Christians vnto the eight day But those the