his owne méere mercie and good will to stir vs vp thereby more and more to doo those things which otherwise is our dutie to doo 8 But some affirme In 1. Cor. 10 verse 2. that Paule taketh somthing from the old testament when in the second epistle to the Corinthians he calleth the same The ministerie of death And vnto the Galathians he wrote Ye haue begun in the spirit Gal. 3 3. take ye heed that ye doo not end in the flesh In which place he calleth the old lawe Flesh And in the same epistle he sheweth that those Gal. 4 29. which be vnder the lawe doo persecute them which belong to the Gospell But in such places as these be Paule speaketh of the old testament according as it was thrust vpon them by false apostles without Christ and without faith Then is it euen as if thou shouldest take awaie the verie life from it and leaue nothing remaining but death and offense of the flesh But when the apostle speaketh of the lawe by it selfe he writeth far otherwise Vnto the Romans it is written The lawe indeed is spirituall Rom. 7 12. a holie commandement iust and good but I am carnall c. And vnto Timothie For we knowe 1. Tim. 1 8. that the lawe is good if a man vse the same lawfullie Wherefore when as it séemeth that the lawe is by Paule either diminished or reprooued that is not in respect of it selfe but for our fault sake For it méeteth with such as be defiled and indeuour themselues to resist it and therefore it bréedeth those discommodities Or else as I haue said he spake thereof so far foorth as the false apostles seuered Christ from the same How the false apostles would take Christ from the lawe Perhaps thou wilt affirme that the false apostles did not take awaie Christ but rather preached the lawe togither with him But yet neuerthelesse séeing they taught that he was not sufficient vnto saluation no doubt but they tooke him awaie For he that hath néed of the lawe to saue men is not the true Christ that was promised In Rom. 11. verse 27. 9 But bicause Paule said out of the testimonie of Esaie that This is a testament and that we read the same in the 31. chapter of Ieremie that The new couenant herein consisteth verse 34. that the deliuerer should come and be mercifull vnto iniquities there ariseth a doubt whether the new testament and the old be diuers or no. Whether the new testament and the old be diuers Of the which matter I haue somewhat spoken before but now I intend more at large to intreat thereof At the first sight they séeme altogither diuers so that the one is altogither distinguished from the other For in Ieremie it is said that There should be a new couenant and not according to that which hee made with the fathers And the epistle to the Hebrues addeth When it is said Hebr. 8 13. A new then is that abolished which was old But who séeth not that one thing if it abolish and make void another thing differeth altogither from the same There is also another argument for that as they saie in the old testament was no forgiuenesse of sins For the epistle to the Hebrues in the tenth chapter saith verse 4. that The bloud of gotes and of oxen and of calues could not take away sinnes But in the new testament no man doubteth but that there is remission of sinnes so as no man will saie but that the things which in so great a matter differ are diuerse One maner of iustification and one mediator both in the one and the other Yet this on the other side is to be considered that that faith whereof iustification consisteth is in either testament all one Moreouer that the mediatour is one and the same namelie Christ Iesus and the promise of remission of sinnes and of eternall life through him all one The commandements those at leastwise which be morall all one the signification of sacraments all one the roote and plant out of which some of the Iewes were cut off and we in their place graffed in is all one All which things plainlie declare that either testament as touching the substance or essence if I may so call it is all one thing Although there must be granted some differences by reason of the accidents which are that Iesus Christ was there knowne as hée that was to come but with vs hée is knowne as he which is alreadie come Also their signes were diuerse from vs in forme but of like strength in signification as Augustine saith Moreouer they had a certeine and assured publike wealth for the preseruation whereof they had ciuill precepts deliuered vnto them which we haue not And finallie vnto the promise of the remission of sinnes by the Messias were in the old time added a great manie other promises as of the increase and preseruation of their posteritie and of the possession of the land of Chanaan which promises we haue not And besides all this our sacraments are more easie and fewer in number and also more manifest and extend much further séeing they are not shut vp in a corner as theirs were in Iewrie but are spred abroad throughout the whole world Wherefore we may affirme that the new testament and the old are in verie déed all one as touching the substance and differ onelie in certeine accidentall things which we haue now mentioned 10 But now resteth to answer In the old testament was iustification that is remission of sinnes vnto the two arguments which were before brought touching remission of sinnes We denie not but that the same was in the old testament séeing if we consider the promise which there also was of force the old fathers were iustified by the same For it was said of Abraham Gen. 15 6. He beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him to righteousnesse as the apostle hath declared And Dauid saith Blessed are they Psal 32 1. whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Yet if we looke vpon the sacraments or ceremonies they did not pardon sinnes as touching the woorke neither yet haue our sacraments strength so to doo But whereas Paule saith vnto the Hebrues that The bloud of gotes Hebr. 10 4. oxen and calues could not take awaie sinnes we denie not this to be true but yet in the meane time neither dooth Paule denie but that the faith of the old fathers whereby they had a respect vnto Christ and imbraced him in the signification of those sacrifices did iustifie and obteine remission of sinnes Doubtlesse the bloud of those sacrifices washed not away the sinnes of the world but onelie the bloud of Christ as he himselfe said Luk. 22 20. This cup is the new testament in my bloud which shal be shead for you and for manie for the remission of sinnes But whereas we are said to be baptised
Eusebius Caesariensis As touching these things so the part of the Sacrament remaine whole it sufficeth Howbeit I iudge that must be doone which commeth most néere to the institution of Christ 12 And wheras they added To the 7. A change in the forme of baptisme Acts. 8. 16. 10. 48. that the words which are vsed at Baptisme were inuerted because we finde in the Actes of the Apostles that some were Baptised in the name of Iesus Christ there be many which graunt vnto it Because say they in the name of Iesus Christ the names of the thrée diuine persons are comprehended Of the Father I say of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And that Irenaeus very plainelie testifieth in the 4. booke against the Valentinians Irenaeus Vnder the name saith he of Christ are the thrée persons vnderstood Because that word signifieth annointed wherein is shewed both the annointer and he that is annointed and also the oyntment He that is annointed is the Sonne the annointer is the Father the annointment is the holy Ghost whereby appeareth that in the same alteration nothing was taken away whereas these men tooke away almost the whole halfe of the Sacrament Howbeit I stand not to this aunswere because our aduersaries cauill that euen in the Communion of either kinde the whole is signified Wherefore I say that by that place of the Actes of the Apostles In the name of Iesus Christ is meant by the guiding A place in the Acts of baptizing in the name of Christ expounded commaundement will and institution of Christ Wherefore by these wordes rather it is knowen that the Apostles did altogether kéepe the forme prescribed by Christ Otherwise they would not haue baptised in the name of Christ dooing otherwise than he had commaunded Neither are we to thinke that the Apostles who spread abroad religion with so great godlynesse and indeuour reiected the forme of Baptising deliuered by Christ Neither must we passe it ouer that the Schoolemen as we reade in Thomas when they agrée that the forme of baptising was in a manner changed by the Apostles write that this was doone for a time by the dispensation of the holy Ghost to the intenâ— the name of Christ might be made the more famous and that therefore a perpetual lawe should not be drawen from thence The which these men that haue taken away the cup of the Communion from the layitie haue not obserued séeing they will haue their decrée to be perpetual and not for a time Besides this the Apostles condemned not for heretickes those which baptised after the vsuall and appointed forme But they haue not onely condemned for heretickes the layemen when they haue receaued both partes of the sacrament but they also deliuer them to the fire Neither is this doctrine to be suffered that it is put in mens authority to inuert either the matter or the wordes of the Sacraments as these men haue most impudentlie doone who not onelie haue taken away the cup from the common people but also the wordes spoken thereat the which be very comfortable and doe more largelie and significantlie expresse the mysteries of our saluation than doe the wordes which be vttered as touching the bread where it is onelie said This is my bodie Mat. 26. 26 which shall be giuen for you But at the cuppe it is said Ibid. 27. This cuppe is the newe Testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you and for many vnto the remission of sinnes Weigh how manie expositors thou hast here of the promise which was set down in the other part To the 8. Baptisme of Infants Mat. 28. 19 13 They affirme moreouer that we haue inuerted the order in Baptisme because we baptise infants before we teach theÌ„ Whereas Christ deliuered them first to be taught and afterward to be baptised I maruell that these men descend hither as though they would hold with the Anabaptistes to the intent they may be against vs and doe not consider that the saying of Christ is generallie to be vnderstood as touching the Gentils and not particularlie Verilie it is true that in the propagation of Christianity they were first to beginne with doctrine For when as a Citie a Prouince or a kingdome should be woonne vnto Christ it behooueth to vse preaching before we come to Baptisme which when they haue beléeued those of ripe age not onelie are baptised themselues but they also offer their young children to be baptised Wherefore that which was so commaunded by Christ in general they will drawe vnto the particular Baptisme of young children In Gréeke it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to make disciples and to gather them vnto Christ which in them of ripe yeares is doone both by doctrine and baptisme but in young children by Baptisme séeing they are not yet capable of doctrine The very which order is séene in Circumcision As touching AbrahaÌ„ being of perfect age Doctrine went for most afterward followed the sacrament in his sonne Isaac it came otherwise to passe And absolutelie it is true that in the Church Doctrine dooth goe before the Sacramentes as euerie man may perceiue Neither as we taught before doe they rightlie gather when as by an order of the wordes they wil gather an order of the thinges For we haue it in Marke as concerning Iohn Marke 1. 4 That he baptised and preached the baptisme of repentance when as yet there is no doubt but that he preached before he baptised 14 And as touching the time of the Lords Supper To the â— we confesse that the Church might order the same as it thought good séeing there is no commaundement had thereof There be commaundements as touching this Sacrament Take and eate ye Mat 26. 26 Ibid. 27. 1. Cor. 11. 24. Ib. ver 28. Take and drinke ye all of it Doe this in remembrance of mee Let a man examine himselfe and other such sayings No mentioÌ„ is there of time of place of garment or other such like circumstances Christ first ate the Passouer because hee would institute the newe things after the olde Neither is it commaunded vs either to kill or eate the Passouer before the Communion Why the Supper is celebrated in the morning Cyprian And the causes why the Eucharist is distributed in the morning are gathered out of Cyprian The first is because it is more easie at that houre to haue the holy assembly For in the day time there happen many affaires whereby mâ—n be ledde away from the seruice of God Further at that time men be well aduised and wee haue a minde more fit and attentiue to receiue excellent things Thirdly he addeth that the same morning tyde is a monument of the resurrection of Christ which doeth not a little further the institution of this Sacrament Neuerthelesse wee must note that the ancient fathers in the time of fasting because they did not eate meate till night had the Communion at euening
sacraments signified grace to be giuen and ours signifie the same alredie giuen the signification is alike in the one and in the other and our sacraments shall haue no more than those of the fathers And against that which you bring that the sacraments of the old fathers were more obscure I will prooue that they had a more euident signification for the bloud of the lambe offered did more plainelie represent the bodie of Christ than the bread and wine if bread and wine be there D. Martyr I will answer to euerie thing in order I affirme that which you obiect against me to wit that the sacraments of the old lawe signified grace that should be giuen and ours the same alredie giuen and exhibited that is to wit Christ alreadie incarnate and which hath suffred death And while I was in my reading among manie other things which I discoursed as touching this matter I remember that I also said this bicause I would not admit that the sacraments of anie of both either ours or theirs of old time of themselues doo giue grace For whatsoeuer grace we haue that doo we obteine by faith and not as you feigne and saie for the works sake that is wrought Neither doo we for this cause make sacraments to be the more contemptible forsomuch as we determine that they while they be rightlie receiued doo helpe confirme increase faith whereby alone we be iustified For the holie Ghost as it vseth the words of God and the scriptures as it were instruments to change to saue vs so like wise dooth it vse the sacraments Now you sée how I haue vnderstood that the sacraments of the lawe signified grace to be giuen how ours signifie the same alreadie giuen Wherevnto you may adde that faith is more holpen by our sacraments than by those of the old fathers partlie bicause the words are plainlier expressed and that our excellent matter which is the redemption by Christ is more euidentlie set foorth in these And séeing faith is gotten by the word the more manifest that the word is the more ernestlie is faith stirred vp the more doth it apprehend the thing signified partlie bicause I easilie agrée that a more plentifull spirit is granted by our sacraments than was giuen by the sacraments of the old fathers And that remaineth as a sure ground which before I spake of that the thing to be doone being compared to that which is alreadie doone may be called both a shadowe and a figure Againe whereas you vrge that the lambe staieng of beasts for sacrifice more manifestlie represented Christ and his death I answer that the perspicuitie and plainnesse of the sacraments must chéeflie be regarded in the words Bicause if you compare the words with the elements the words be the life of them and to the old fathers were not giuen so expresse and plaine spéeches of Christ and his death as at this daie is vsed in our sacraments It is said This is my bodie Matt. 26 26 which shall be giuen for you And againe This is my bloud which shall be shed for you vnto the remission of sinnes And what can there be more plainlie and euidentlie spoken D. Chadse Where the faith is of more abundance there is the sacrament more excellent But the faith of Abraham was greater than ours is Therefore he held a more excellent sacrament and so should it follow that the sacraments of the old fathers were better than ours D. Martyr The first proposition which you take vpon you to prooue is not altogither true neither is it of necessitie that where faith is more abundant there the sacrament should be more excellent séeing Abraham both beléeued and was iustified before he had the sacrament of circumcision For there may be faith yea and it ought to be had before the receiuing of the sacraments We indéed haue granted that the same is holpen and confirmed by those sacraments but not that it should be giuen onelie by them If you had said that those sacraments whereby the faith is more confirmed and increased in the beléeuers ought to be estéemed the more excellent you should haue said true but yet that which you adde as touching Abraham would not be to the purpose vnlesse you had shewed that he obteined his faith by the sacrament which is not true And againe whereas you said that Abraham had a greater faith than ours is that should not be well affirmed bicause to conclude that which you went about you shuld haue prooued that Abraham had a greater faith than is had in the new testament and then should you take for a proofe a thing that were doubtfull For how doo you knowe but that Paule Peter manie of the apostles and martyrs had as much faith as Abraham Wherefore both the Maior and Minor proposition of your argument dooth admit exceptions and you imbrace more in the conclusion than can be found in the whole antecedent Here the Kings Maiesties Commissioners made an end of the disputations when they had heard eleuen of the clocke strike And M. D. Richard Cox Commissioner and Chancellour of the Vniuersitie of Oxford made this oration as followeth YE Students of the Vniuersitie of Oxford we haue bestowed foure halfe daies in examining of two questions namelie of transubstantiation and of reall presence of the bodie of Christ in the sacrament Greatlie did this disputation delight vs. And I would to God that the time would haue giuen vs leaue to heare all those things which might haue beene said in this matter That which wee wished came to passe to wit that the disputation was quiet The hearers I hope as they be now quiet so they will be desirous to learne the truth They which were the disputers on eitherside haue most diligentlie performed their part and must not be defrauded of their due commendation Men of our nation and of Oxford besides that they haue performed that which their conscience persuaded them they haue brought no small honour vnto this Vniuersitie for that in so great a cause they haue not shrunke but that they would openlie testifie according to the measure of their learning and gift imparted to them by the benefit of God both of what mind they werein these controuersies and by what reasons and authorities they were driuen herevnto Verie learnedlie doubtlesse did they performe the charge committed vnto them Howbeit the other learned men which in so great matters haue held their peace haue I know not how by their silence procured to themselues the blemish of deniall But Peter who is worthilie called Peter for his assured stedfastnes Martyr and worthilie called Martyr for the innumerable testimonies which he manie times vttereth of the truth ought to haue great thanks at this time both of vs and of all the godlie first bicause hee hath taken exceeding great paines in susteining the burthen of the disputations For if Hercules was not to deale against twaine what say we of Peter alone
forme of praier they onelie foretold the things which they sawe should come to passe And wheras they vse the Optatiue mood in stéed of the Indicatiue that he saith is not to be woondered at among the Hebrues séeing they often times vse such figures in their spéeches For manie times they vse one Tense for an other putting the time past for the time to come as Wherefore haue the Gentils raged Psalm 2 1. and the people imagined vaine things Psal 22 29. Againe They diuided my garments among them These things were for to come and were forespoken concerning Christ when as neuerthelesse they were written as things alreadie past Howbeit he confesseth that otherwhile we praie that some may be punished and chastised for their amendement which is not saith he to praie against them A place out of the Apocalypse Apoc. 6 10. but for them And he citeth a place out of the Apocalypse the sixt chapter where the martyrs crie vnder the altar Take vengeance vpon the earth for our bloud which is shed And it séemeth vnto him that thereby is ment that these martyrs praied against the kingdome of sinne And sinne may be destroied two maner of waies Sinne two maner of waies destroied First if a contrarie disposition be induced so that sinne being excluded there succéedeth mortification of lusts righteousnesse honestie and all kind of vertues Againe sinne is subdued vnto God when punishment is applied vnto the same for while it is vnpunished it hath nothing in it that is good but so soone as it is punished forsomuch as that punishment is a part of iustice sinne is at the least wise somewhat restreined and bridled thereby from ranging anie further abroad And this also is profitable vnto wretched sinners Wherefore if we will iudge vprightlie The martyrs praie for the end of the world the martyrs in so praieng praied rather for them than against them Neither also were it absurd if they should praie for the end of the world wherein they haue suffered so gréeuous things that vngodlinesse may once haue an end Although I thinke not that all the elder fathers are of this mind that we should praie for the end of the world séeing rather on the contrarie part Tertullian in his apollogie saith that the christians in their congregations praie for prolonging of the end of the world And in the same place he writeth that our men by the determinate rule of the holie scriptures praied not onelie for emperours but also for the long preseruation of the world For after this monarchie of the Romans as Paule writeth to the Thessalonians shall come Antichrist and the end 2. Thes 2 8. Wherefore some of the godlie sort praied that the time might be prolonged partlie that the tribulation which should come through Antichrist might be deferred partlie that the children of the election might be gathered togither The Gréeke Scholies write that those holie martyrs praied against the diuell that his power might be bridled and brought to an end And thus much of Augustines opinion who was also of the same mind against Faustus who saith These words of execration which we read in the prophets séeme to be the words of those which fore-speake not desires of them that accursse But as touching this matter I would thinke it should thus be determined to wit that when there is an enimie which both wisheth euill vnto vs and also to the vttermost of his power worketh euill against vs we first of all should make a distinction of the cause for the which he hateth vs. For either it is our owne proper cause humane and ciuill or else it is bicause he hateth God and his truth Next that A distinction of the men that cursse we make a distinction as touching men for some are led by an accustomed affection of their owne and other some are mooued by God who reuealeth to them both what he will doo or what is the state of the wicked stirreth them vp to speake the things A distinction of the euils which we praie for which they doo speake Neither is this in the meane time to be passed ouer that the euils which we praie for are either temporall or eternall After these distinctions I thinke we ought thus to saie That if our owne cause onelie be in hand therein we ought to be patient In our owne cause we must be patient Rom. 12 14 long suffering and gentle Blesse and cursse not thus the scripture commandeth We must also praie for them that persecute vs. We are by God created men let vs not spit out the venom of serpents and forsomuch as we are men let vs not suffer ourselues to be changed into brute beasts They which hurt vs are mad and are forced by furie and therefore are rather woorthie of compassion than of reuenge or curssings A mouth is giuen vnto vs by it to helpe and remedie and not that we should cursse and ban with the same Otherwise God saith of such execrations I commanded thée that thou shouldest praie for thine enimies why dooest thou prouoke me now against them Wilt thou haue me to be a helper of thée to transgresse my lawes and to be thine executioner A certeine priest of Athens could not be induced to cursse Alcibiades for he said An example of a priest of Athens that he was made a priest to praie for men and not to cursse them And among the Romans it was not lawfull for the high priest of Iupiter to sweare for that oftentimes the end and conclusion of an oth is execration For they saie Let these or those things fall vpon me vnlesse I performe this or that And séeing it was not lawfull for the priest to cursse himselfe much lesse was it lawfull for him to cursse others Wherefore if our owne cause be in hand we ought not to vse cursings but rather praiers compassions and blessings But when Gods cause is in hand and that this indignation commeth on vs by reason of sinnes and wicked acts In Gods cause imprecations are sometime lawfull there is nothing to let but that we may somtime vse imprecations in such maner as we shall expresse And it oftentimes happeneth that our owne cause is ioined with the glorie of God and is so ioined as it cannot be distinctlie iudged of but onelie by a diligent and attentiue consideration As if a minister of the church sée himselfe contemned and derided although he often times regard not his owne dignitie yet notwithstanding neither can he nor ought he quietlie suffer the word of God which he ministreth to be cōtemned For this cause the prophets séemed manie times to be verie angrie for that their messages and prophesies were derided Wherefore I grant that in this case both imprecations and curssings were iustlie admitted In imprecations we must beware that the flesh be not stirred vp 22 Howbeit this I thinke necessarie to admonish you of that we
into the remission of sinnes the meaning thereof is that by that sacrament is sealed and signified vnto vs the remission of sinnes which by the bloud of Christ wée haue alreadie obteined Which selfe thing is also doone in the Eucharist And faith ought alwaies to go before the receiuing of the sacraments Faith ought to go before the receiuing of the sacraments if wée receiue them rightlie and the order be not inuerted For as without faith men eate and drinke vnwoorthilie so without faith baptisme is vnwoorthilie receiued which yet must bée vnderstood as touching them that are of full age For touching infants how it is with them we will else-where declare Then if faith go before it is manifest that sinnes be forgiuen bicause the sacraments that followe doo seale and also confirme vs as concerning the will of God and when they bée set foorth vnto vs they oftentimes stir vp faith no otherwise than dooth the word of God when it is heard So that it is not possible but that faith being newlie stirred vp iustification is apprehended more and more and new strength of restoring is laid hold vpon Looke for the place in Chrysostom And therefore whereas Chrysostome interpreting these words When I shall take awaie their sinnes saith vpon the same When they were yet vncircumcised when they did not yet offer and when they did not yet other things perteining to the lawe their sinnes were taken awaie Certeinelie he must not so be vnderstood as though the fathers in the old time when they did these things and by them exercised their faith bicause they sawe Christ to be signified in them had not thereby fruit as we haue but he ment that these things now after Christ hath suffered are vnprofitable and that in the old time they did not by the worke it selfe giue grace as the Iewes dreamed Wherein also in our daies the sophisticall Diuines are deceiued as touching our sacraments 11 But as touching the other argument that in the epistle to the Hebrues it is said that The old testament is abolished Heb. 8 13. and made void the new taking place A place of Ieremie expounded Iere. 31 33. And whereas Ieremie saith that God would make a new league not according to the league which he made with the fathers when he brought them out of the land of Aegypt We answer that there the league is taken for the lawe and is distinguished from the Gospell Which is manifest in that he saith he will write his lawes in their harts and graue them in their inward parts But that thing is not agréeable with the lawe which onelie sheweth sinnes condemneth and accuseth neither dooth it giue strength yea rather it after a sort commandeth infinit things and laieth such a burthen vpon vs as we are not able to beare And therefore the prophet there saith that They did not abide in his couenant So as this word league or testament is not there so taken as we here now take it for as we here intreat of it it comprehendeth both the lawe and the Gospell And in this respect there is no difference betwéene the old testament and the new but onelie as we haue declared And if thou wilt saie that the prophet there also vnderstandeth this word testament in such sort as we now speake of it we may then grant that by the comming of Christ is made some abrogation séeing those accidents conditions qualities which we haue shewed in the old testament are now abrogated Wherefore therein is vsed the figure Synecdoche whereby a thing is perfectlie or absolutelie said to be abolished or made void when it is onlie taken awaie as touching some part thereof The Iewes are woonderfullie troubled with this sentence of the prophet and can scarselie tell what to saie For while they séeke to defend the old lawe so to defend it as they saie nothing therof is to be changed and reprooue vs bicause we haue changed circumcision into baptisme and the daie of the sabboth into the lords daie and haue reiected manie other things how can they affirme that a new league shall be made and not according to that which was made when they were brought out of Aegypt Héere they can scarse tell which way to turne themselues Howbeit A starting hole of the Iewes least they should séeme to giue place they saie that onelie the maner shall be diuers and thinke that the league as touching the thing shall be all one but that vnder Messias it shall more firmelie and more surelie be established But we may more trulie saie that this was doone at the beginning of the church when so great abundance of the holie Ghost was powred into the beléeuers that not onlie they spred abroad the Gospell throughout the whole world but also no torments no persecutions were they neuer so horrible no nor death though it were most sharpe could cause them to depart from the league which they had now through Christ made with God And as manie as are faithfull indéed doo willinglie and of their owne accord cleaue vnto the truth and vnto holinesse And forsomuch as héere is mention made of the league let this be vnderstood By what names the league hath beene called that it is for the most part of the Latines called Testamentum of the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Hebrues Berith all which words doo fitlie expresse it 12 But héere againe riseth a doubt In 1. Sam. ◠verse 4. bicause if the thing be all one as well on the one part as the other in the sacraments of both testaments how may ours be said to be greater in power and vertue Further how could it be that they did eate the flesh of the Lord séeing the sonne of God had not yet taken the same vpon him Apoc. 13 8. Looke in 1. Cor. 10. verse 4. and part 4. place 7. art 7. and In 1. Cor. 10. 4. To the latter question I saie in the Apocalypse it is written that the lambe was slaine from the beginning of the world For to the foreknowledge of God all things are present though they be neuer so farre off Wherefore Christ séeing he was to come and was to be offered for vs vpon the crosse in this respect was comprehended of the fathers by faith and was food for their soules vnto eternall life For those things which be furthest off from vs the same doth faith make present so that they tooke hold of the same Christ which we at this time doo inioie But the difference standeth in the time for they beléeued that he should be borne and we that he is alreadie borne they affirmed that he should die and we affirme that he hath died Wherfore Augustine in his 16. booke against Faustus saith that He vehementlie erreth that dooth thinke the sacraments of the Iewes ought to be reteined in Christian religion séeing God hath now finished what he would haue to be doone And
Epistle to the Romanes taught that Abraham after he was iustified did receiue Circumcision Rom. 4. 11. being a seale of the righteousnesse alreadie obtained And what thing Baptisme sealeth is sufficientlie expressed seeing it is called the signe of regeneration For Christ manifestlie enough taught Nicodemus in the thirde Chapter of Iohn Iohn 3. 3. that they which will be saued must bee borne againe That Baptisme is a signe of this regeneration Paul teacheth vnto Titus saying Tit. 3. 5. According to his mercie he hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration An explication of Regeneration And séeing that regeneration is a certaine changing that we maie the better vnderstande what it is first must bee declared the ende wherevnto it tendeth And therefore we added Into Christ because the faith the indeuors and life of those that be regenerate haue respect vnto no thing else but wholie to passe into Christ And séeing that all things which Christ did for our saluation are comprehended in his death and resurrection therefore in this definition we put That we must be baptised into his death and resurrection Which also Paul teacheth For thus he writeth Rom. 6. 3. Knowe ye that all wee that are baptised into Christ are baptised into his death Verse 4. And straightwaie hee maketh mention of the resurrection But that baptisme succéeded in the place of Circumcision the Epistle vnto the Colossians teacheth Col. 2. 11. Since then Circumcision was onelie once giuen vnto each one and that euerie one hath but one onelie natiuitie thereof it commeth that baptisme must not bee renewed Which is also doone to that end Why Baptisme ought not to be renued that the holie Ghost will haue vs fullie perswaded that after baptisme we ought no more to returne to our olde life as though an other regeneraon might bee graunted vnto vs. For if anie should so thinke as we read in the Epistle to the Hebrewes he shoulde tread vnder foote the bloud of the sonne of GOD. Heb. 10. 29 Paul therefore vnto the Ephesians saith One spirite one faith one Baptisme And that it consisteth of the fountaine of water and of the worde we are taught out of the Epistle to the Ephesians in these words Ephe. 4. 5. Euen as Christ also loued the Church and gaue him selfe for it that he might sanctifie it beeing made cleane by the fountaine of water through the word This is the nature of sacraments that they consist of a signe an outward element and of the worde of God Manie ecclesiasticall writers treating of Baptisme set foorth the praises and commendations of Water The signes of the Euangelicall sacraments are most easie to be obtained But here I rather praise the simplicitie of Christian religion which hath Sacraments annexed as in number fewe so most easie to be celebrated And as touching the signes we haue nothing but bread Wine and Water which are euerie where vsuall and easie to be had The mysteries of the Ethnicks were sumptuous Doubtles the mysteries of Idols were celebrated with great cost and were verie sumptuous but Christ in outward things alwaies followed great simplicitie Albeit the Deuill also as he imitateth God would sometimes also haue water to be ioyned with his seruices As in the mysteries of Mitra and Isis The deuill sometime imitateth the simplicitie of God And the Romans in the playes of Apollo and Pelusius besprinkled the Citie with water For by that meanes they thought it to be perfectlie cleansed from periuries murthers iniustice and publike crimes And such as had committed murther did with great diligence séeke after purging waters But omitting these thinges this we ought to consider that the signe in Sacramentes should haue an affinitie and similitude with the thing that is signified What Analogie the water hath in baptisme Wherefore séeing that water washeth awaie the filthinesse of the body maketh the earth fruitefull and quencheth thirst it aptlie signifieth remission of sinnes the holie Ghost whereby good workes are made plentifull and also grace which refresheth the anguishes of the minde Neither did the Prophetes in the old Testament otherwise prophesie of the giuing of the holie Ghost in regeneration Ioel. 2. 28. Ioel saith that God would powre cleane water vppon the sonnes and daughters of the Iewes And Esaie saith All ye that thirst come vnto the waters And the olde Hebrewes are saide by Paul to haue béene baptized in the red sea Esa 55. 1. 1. Cor. 10. 2 and in the cloude 2 But what manner of worde it is that ought to be ioyned to the element of water we haue noted namelie wherein In the name of the Father of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost remission of sinnes c. Into this promise our faith is sealed and as Tertullian saith Tertullian the Sacrament of Baptisme is the garment of this faith These verie expresse words are deliuered by Christ in the last Chapter of Matthew Verse 19. The forme prescribed by Christ in Baptisme Neither can I perswade my selfe that the Apostles changed this forme of words although Ambrose of that thing thought otherwise It sufficeth vs at this present that by the element and by the word of GOD wee haue a manifest testimonie of our regeneration saluation For euen as there be three things as saith Iohn which beare witnes of Christ The place of Iohn of the thrée testimonies the spirite bloud and water For the father which is signified by the spirite the Sonne which is declared by bloude and the holie Ghost which is noted by water doe beare witnesse of his diuinitie and of his true humane nature the spirite is a witnesse which vpon the crosse he commended to his father and also the bloud and water which flowed out of his side so haue we a testimonie of the holie Ghost that we be the children of God And we haue the remission of sinnes by the bloude of Christ set foorth in the worde of promise and the water outwardlie powred vppon the bodie For by these witnesses our faith is both raised vp and also confirmed because we are regenerate and nowe made the children of GOD. There is offered vnto vs remission of sinnes in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holie Ghost And yet ought wee not to thinke that it is giuen by reason of the work wrought as they vse to speake as though a holinesse or the spirite laie hidden in the water and that it can regenerate vs by the outwarde touching For it is not so but by the worde of GOD and outwarde signe is signified vnto vs our reconciliation with God made by Christ vppon which reconciliation if we laie holde by faith wee are both iustified and also sanctified Wherefore Augustine vpon Iohn saith Frō whence cōmeth this so great a vertue vnto the water that it shoulde touch the bodie and wash the heart vnlesse the word wrought it
the sacrifice of his onely begotten sonne by which sacrifice God hath made an euerlasting couenant with his people hath forgiuen our sinnes hath adopted those that beleeue to be his children hath committed them to his first begotten sonne to be saued and hath incorporated them and made them heires of his heauenly kingdome And in receiuing the sacrament of the Eucharist wee are put in minde of the Lordes death and of the whole mysterie of our redemption by reason of the word of God which became flesh thereby is renued the memorie of Gods testament and therein is offered the participation of Christ and remission of sinnes through the sacrifice of Christ offered vpon the altar of the Crosse Wherefore in this sacrament if it be receaued rightlie and with faith not by the power of the worke but by the free benefite of Christ which in beleeuing we apprehend we confesse our sinnes to be forgiuen the testament or couenant betweene God and vs to be confirmed and the very sonne of God hauing lyfe in him selfe for the father to be so receaued that whosoeuer with a true faith are partakers of his flesh and bloud doe liue for him and that the heauenly inheritance is possessed of the faithfull so farre as the state of this lyfe will permit We therefore doe challenge vnto vs not onely lyfe but also a safe and quiet lyfe from the wrath of God and we which haue God mercifull and fauourable vnto vs and the sonne of God dwelling in vs of what ioye of what delightes of what honest pleasures are we destitute Without doubt of none if wee seeke after those that be true and sound things and not after phansies and shadowes And of this commoditie did Christ make mention in the institution of this sacrament when he gaue his body and bloud to be eaten and drunken by faith namely to the maintenance and nourishing of lyfe by faith For in the Gospell of Luke he saith Luk. 22. 19. Doe this in the remembrance of me Which Paule expressed more plainly saying For so often as ye shall eate this bread 1. Co. 11. 26 and drinke of this cup ye shall declare the Lordes death till hee come Luk. 22. 20. 1. Co. 11. 25 Finally in the end it is said of them both by Luke and Paule This cup is the new Testament through my bloud which shall be shed for you So then as touching the reconciliation with God the forgiuenesse of sinnes and the confirmation of the Testament I haue fained nothing I haue deuised nothing I haue inuented nothing which I haue not doone out of the holy scriptures Lastly because a man is not made to solitarinesse but that he is desirous of fellowship and of a ciuill lyfe therefore when he hath now assured himselfe that he hath God mercifull vnto him for Christ his sake and that by the same his sinnes are forgiuen him there is nothing else required towardes his perfect and absolute life so long as he liueth in this world but that with other men which in the holy scriptures be called his neighbours he liue together ioyntlie and with singular iustice and charitie But this sacrament dooth most effectually and earnestlie admonish vs hereof For while we in these mysteries become partakers of one Table what else should we meditate in our minde than this that we be one body that we be members one of another vnder Christ our head that we be one bread that is to be so ioyned one with another euen as welneare an infinite number of wheate cornes are made vp together in that bread which we receaue Those without doubt which through these admonitions are not perswaded to maintaine mutuall concord and charitie betweene brethren haue their heartes hardned like stone and Iron and shall be accounted more sauage and beastlie than Tygers and most cruell beastes insomuch as they knowing that the sonne of God gaue his life for his enemies are not mooued themselues to doe good asmuch as in them lyeth to their brethren and neighbours for whom Christ dyed If a temporall Table doe reconcile men one to an other when they meete together why should not rather the Table of Christ bring this to passe Since the beastes which be most sauage are made tame by meate why doe not men waxe meeke by this heauenly foode If leagues and couenants were woont to be confirmed by meate and drinke why doe not the children of God by communicating together establish peace and friendship among themselues Of these things vndoubtedlie are they admonished by this diuine Rite and by the wordes of the holy scripture recited therein But and if the admonition we being obstinate as wee are and very vntoward vnto iust honest and holy thinges be thought but slender or not to be effectuall enough yet vppon condition that faith be not wanting the power of the holy Ghost is by the sacramentes and wordes of God ioyned vnto our heartes the which dooth alwayes stirre vp vnto concord peace and mutuall charitie so as not onely an outward admonition is vsed but the mindes also while we communicate together doe feele the inward incouragement of diuine inspiration Wherefore ye see what notable excellent good things I teach to be given vnto vs by the Eucharist Let now mine aduersaries goe and cry out asmuch as they will that I doe violate the sacrament of the Lordes supper Let them selues come foorth and shew by their monsterous and prodigious transubstantiations what more sound fruite and iust commoditie they haue brought by this sacrament either vnto communicants or vnto Churches than I haue verified Will they speake of the benefit of our dwelling in Christ and Christes dwelling in vs That doe I also affirme Will they speake of obtaining a diuine life and a heauenly blessednesse Euen that doe I also testifie Will they boast of a receauing of the body and bloud of Christ That doe I also prooue no lesse than they but yet such a receauing as is by faith and from the heart But will they obiect the remission of sinnes the confirmation of the testament and the memoriall of the crosse and death of Christ I thinke they will not For all these thinges haue I oftentimes taught in great assemblies Will they alledge against vs the incorporation as I may say which we in communicating by faith obtaine with Christ and betweene our selues which be his members They cannot for this also hath bin perpetually rehearsed of me What doe they then say since besides these there is nothing else taught vs in the holy scriptures touching the Eucharist I know now what they will say Ye take away say they Transubstantiation bodilie fleshlie reall and substantiall presence this doe we take in ill part this doe we confesse ouer and aboue that which you affirme herein doe we disagree from you I heare them well enough and as touching Transubstantiation aswell for that it is a vaine thing as because I haue dealt therein sufficientlie both
of Iesus Christ than was the Iewes temple vno Moses vpon the mount Therefore is ours the true church and shall continue for euer whereas yours shall consume perish and come to a fearefull end Furthermore ye boast that the church of God hath long continued quiet without anie generall resistance till now of late that the learned men in Germanie and else-where began to disdaine that the truth of God should so shamefullie be abused by couetous and carelesse men Ye consider not that your forgeries crept in by little and little now one thing and than another whole ages betweene that they sproong vp of deuotion of a pretense of holines of a wrong conceit of Gods omnipotencie of a zeale towards religion but yet without knowledge that manie times your opinions either were not resisted bicause learned men were otherwise better occupied in confuting of more grosse palpable heresies or if they were resisted those monuments haue perished by the enuie of your side or else through manie barbarous nations which inuaded Christendome that manie of your opinions grew by mistaking of councels and misconstruing of the fathers and of their darke and hyperbolicall speeches and not of anie authoritie receiued from the primitiue church that your church of Rome might more liberallie and without resistance and therefore more dangerouslie raise vp errors hir citie being the mistresse that commanded all nations that those errors of yours were pretended vnto the common people to be taught out of the woord of God and that it behooued to keepe them vpon paine of damnation that the godlie were humble and charitable and besides the opinion they had of the authoritie and learning of bishops and councels either for charitie they would not or for feare they durst not find fault with anie ordinance made by them further that God had not as yet put into the harts of kings and great estates to defend those that should find fault with the corruptions of the church that the professours of the Gospell had not prepared so smooth stones nor had so apt slings for the purpose as now they haue for God had not yet prepared the art of Printing whereby the word runneth verie swiftlie into all parts of the world that the kings of the earth had not as yet droonke the full draught of the whoore of Babylons cup nor thorough the infection thereof had shead the vniust measure of innocent bloud bicause the mysterie of iniquitie had not yet wrought all his force neither was that man of sinne so notoriouslie reuealed whome now the Lord dooth euerie daie more and more destroie with the spirit of his mouth Further that the time was not yet come wherein God by his eternall prouidence had decreed to build vp the walles of decaied Ierusalem neither yet was the iudgement of God so neare at hand Lastlie that all things were not yet fulfilled which Christ and his spirit prophesied should come to passe before the latter daie Giue ouer therefore these insolent and vaine boastings for the Lord dooth all things in time in measure and in weight his purposes are far from mens cogitations he oftentimes maketh the vilest and basest beginnings to grow vp to the greatest advancements of his glorie and he knew before all eternitie whome he had chosen to himselfe The sinnes of your forefathers shall not excuse your wilfull obstinacie for I saie vnto you that not onelie they but the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha would haue conuerted before this time if either they had seene the wonders that haue beene doone in your daies or else had heard the hundred part of preaching instructing and confuting of those errors that ye haue heard and learned and throughlie tried And sith our preachers haue preached vnto you not themselues but Iesus Christ not anie deuise of their owne but what they haue found in the holie word and haue taken this labour vpon them not for ostentation of their owne learning or for enuie they beare to your persons but in defense of the truth but with a zeale of the Lords house but for reformation of Christs church but for the manifesting of your false opinions for the earnest desire of your saluation ye should haue imbrased them as the Angels of God much lesse haue persecuted them to the death Ye should haue taken this faithfull trauell of theirs as an infallible token from heauen that as GOD before the first comming of his sonne sent manie prophets betimes in the morning to rebuke the sinnes of the people and to shew wherein the priests had violated the lawe of the Lord and how greeuouslie the false worshippers had defaced his holie sanctuarie so now before his second comming he hath sent heapes of these godlie and zealous preachers to laie open the errors of the church and to gather into the sheepefold the wandering flocke those whom he had predestinated to his kingdom before the foundations of the world were laid If none of all these things will serue if nothing will make ye relent if not yet at the length ye will returne to the true church for all the spirituall and supernaturall signes and wonders of your daies for all the admonitions that haue beene giuen you for all the arguments that haue confuted you for all the word that preuaileth against you for all you see the latter daie creeping towards you and the sonne of man as a theefe in the nightstealing vpon you if still ye will be selfe willing and obstinate if still ye will giue more credite to your selues than to the liuelie word of God if no not yet ye will leaue persecuting of your brethren by fire sword by malicious lies and reproches and by all maner of wicked waies ye can deuise and that contrarie to godlines contrarie to iustice contrarie to all humanitie contrarie to the law of nature and contrarie to your owne consciences ye will haue the iudgement of religion in your owne hands and will haue no other interpretation but such as your selues deuise behold I pronounce vnto you that the mightie God Iehouah commeth he commeth and that speedilie in his owne person riding vpon the wings of the wind He will not now seeke anie more reuenge vpon Pharao and Nabuchad-nezar for his people of Israell nor yet vpon Dioclesian Iulian and other heathen tyrants for oppressing the Christians but hee will require the bloud of righteous Abell at the hands of his owne brother Cain of Lot at his owne citie Sodome of Iacob at his owne brother Esau of Zacharie at the prince of his owne people of Christ at the hands of his owne Ierusalem and of his saints and martyrs of England at the hands of their owne countrimen kinsmen and brethren He will not reprooue you for intermitting your vnbloudie sacrifice of the masse and for not offering vp his sonne euerie daie to his father which himselfe once for all offered vpon the crosse seeing he neuer commanded you thus to doo No but he will
though some deserts were ment to be in the ancestors for God is led to make this promise onelie of his mercie and not through mans merits But that he maie declare what libertie he him selfe hath he sometimes suffereth it to happen otherwise and by that meanes he teacheth that holy parents are not so holy but that they haue as yet much naughtinesse and corruption in them which they may perceiue to be ingendred in their children Through this we may acknowledge the corruption of our nature séeing it waiteth vppon the godlie sort euen to their graue Yet for the further establishing of this opinion some doo alledge out of the Psalme A praier against the children of the wicked Psal 109 9. the praier of the church against the children of the wicked That they maie be fatherlesse that none maie haue compassion of them that they may beg their bread If the children of the wicked be innocents this praier is not iust whereby it séemeth necessarilie to be gathered by these words that they be partakers of their parents wickednesse but forsomuch as they be infants this can come to passe by no other meanes than by propagation I knowe there be diuers which would haue these words of Dauid to be prophesies of things to come wherby the holie Ghost did foreshew that these euils should fall vpon them But let vs grant that they be prophesies yet it cannot be denied but in them is both the forme and inclination of praier but it is méet that praier be iust for otherwise it were no praier 44 But whereas they saie Whether latter men are more miserable than former that that is most absurd which maie arise of this doctrine namelie that the last men also should be more miserable than all other in so much as they should beare the sinnes as well of Adam as of all their forefathers that is two waies to be answered Those things which seem absurd vnto vs are not absurd with God Matt. 23 35 For first not all things which séeme absurd vnto vs are absurd also with God For let vs go no further than this verie matter Christ threatneth the Iewes that all the bloud of the godlie euen from Abel vnto Zacharie the sonne of Barachie should be laid vnto their charge And who séeth not that the state of those children of Israel was more miserable which were led into captiuitie than manie generations of their forefathers which had defiled themselues with the same sinnes Againe we answer Indéed that would be absurd if the forefathers sinnes should continuallie passe from them to their children But séeing we haue declared that the same commeth not alwaies to passe but that Gods prouidence hath limited and measured this euill and that he hath expresselie pronounced thereof touching onelie the third and fourth generation there is nothing which should séeme absurd vnto anie man Against the reasons of the School-men But the reasons of the Schoole-men wherewith they wrestle against this propagation are verie féeble First they presume that the properties of the mind are not communicated by the parents vnto their children The affects of the mind are communicated of the parents to the children which experience teacheth to be false For we oftentimes sée that of tesâ—ie or angrie persons there be angrie children borne and sad of sullen parents Neither dooth this similitude serue them to anie purpose in that they saie that one Grammarian is not borne of another or one Musician of another for these be arts which be atteined by precepts exercise and not affections which be bred in men And yet sometimes we sée by experience that in what art the father dooth chéeflie excell he hath children of apt inclination to the same be it husbandrie be it warfare or be it liberall science Moreouer we chéeflie intreate in this place of those affections which be the springs and beginnings of actions Sinne corrupteth both the mind and the bodie In another argument they saie that sinne in parents dooth onelie corrupt the mind which is not true for as we haue taught before their bodie is also polluted so as it is no maruell if fathers doo communicate such bodies vnto their children As touching this therfore I do willinglie agrée with Augustine that it is a thing probable agréeable to the scriptures And this doctrine is allowed of Martin Bucer Martin Bucer a verie godlie and no lesse learned man the priuate sinnes are deriued from the parents vnto the children But it must be considered that this is contingent and not of necessitie for God sometime suspendeth the sinne of the parents and for his goodnes sake dooth not suffer mans nature to be vtterlie destroied But when he will either represse this deriuation of sinne or else suffer it to take place he himselfe onelie knoweth Howbeit vnto vs it is enough to consider of these two things first that sinne is powred out from the fathers into the children secondlie that the same is sometimes prohibited by the benefit of God which neuertheles cannot anie waies be said of originall sinne for we be all borne infected therewith And thus farre out of the epistle vnto the Romans the fift chapter vpon these words Euen as by the disobedience of one c. ¶ Looke the like place vpon Genesis 8 verse 21 These things I thought good to adde out of the fift to the Romans vpon these words Euen as by one man c. 45 To the end that these words of the apostle may be plainlie vnderstood let vs examine thrée things which are set foorth by him first what the apostle meaneth by sinne secondlie what that one man is by whom sinne entered into the world thirdlie by what meanes sinne is spred abroad As concerning the first How amplie the word sinne is vsed the apostle dooth vse this word sinne generallie and largelie that he may signifie all that is against the lawe of God and against his will For by this sinne man depareth from the creation of nature and from the image wherevnto he was created for God so made him at the beginning that in him should shine foorth his image but that happeneth not when we contend against the lawe of God And this is the onelie and true cause why man is not permitted to delight himselfe with euerie kind of pleasure for if he should doo so Why men are forbidden verie manie delights he should drawe néere vnto the nature of brute beasts and not vnto the similitude of God his creator and God would haue him to be his deputie in this world and therfore to be most like vnto him Surelie if sinne be vnderstood thus at large it dooth not comprehend onelie originall sinne that is our depraued nature and the corrupt powers both of our bodie soule Vnder the name of sinne the apostle comprehendeth both the root the fruit but also all those euils which doo insue vpon the same namelie the first
first motions are sinnes bicause they are against the lawe of God and they be condemned by Christ when he saith in the Gospell He that looketh vpon a woman Matt. 5 28. to lust after hir he hath alreadie committed fornication with hir in his hart And Ibidem 22. He that is angrie with his brother is worthie of iudgement God dooth not so looke vpon dooings but that he hath much more respect vnto the mind Numb 20. 9 Moses sinned gréeuouslie at the waters of strife and yet if we examine that historie we shall find no euill act that he outwardlie committed but God sawe the incredulitie of his mind and gréeuouslie punished him Wherefore these motions and deliberations of the mind not onelie be sinnes but they be also gréeuouslie punished by GOD. Let vs then passe ouer this interpretation which also Ierom brought as none of his owne Men deserue euen the temporall punishmēts which they suffer 46 But now to make the matter it selfe plaine none can be said to suffer that which he hath not deserued as touching the punishments of this life bicause there is none perfect no not the child which is but one daie old There is none but hath deserued euen death it selfe Why then doo men saie Our fathers haue eaten sower grapes and the childrens teeth are set on edge séeing euerie one beareth his owne burden whether it be touching this life God dooth not alwaies bring temporall euils as punishments or the life to come But God dooth not alwaies bring these temporall euils as paines and punishments but oftentimes they haue relation to other ends as Christ in the Gospell of Iohn answered concerning the blind man Neither did this man sinne nor yet his parents Iohn 9 3. that he should be borne blind but that the glorie of God might be made manifest Also Peter and Paule when they were put to death What respect God hath in the martyrdom of saints could not complaine that they had not deserued it although God when they were slaine did not respect this to haue them punished but that by their bloud a testimonie might be left of his sonnes Gospell Wherefore séeing the case so standeth and that we be all guiltie of sinne we must not complaine that God dealeth too sharpelie with vs if for the sinnes of our parents we be punished For God can so direct those troubles as they may belong not onelie to his owne glorie but also to the saluation of the parents Oftentimes he dooth punish the fathers in the children and the prince in the people The sorrowes of children are the sorrowes of the parents For the punishment of children no lesse gréeueth their parents than if they themselues were afflicted But if so be that the children die for their fathers sake they haue no iniurie doone vnto them for death is due vnto them also and otherwise it is certeine that they must die Now then if God will vse their death in that sort he may doo it lawfullie Which also may be affirmed as touching other calamities for if that a child be vexed with sicknesse he deserued sicknesse if he haue lost his monie he hath lost but fraile and vnstable things and those he had vpon condition that he might easilie forgo them So then if with these kind of calamities God will punish the parents in the children he can not be accused of vniustice 47 Wherevpon Augustine in his questions vpon Iosua the eight question In the regenerate God conuerteth punishments into medicines We are saith he by reason of originall sinne debtors of manie punishments the which neuerthelesse God conuerteth into certeine medicines and findeth meanes that they doo verie much profit although they séeme euill vnto vs. For if so be the son had liued peraduenture he would haue troden in his fathers euill steps or else haue committed woorse things Wherefore if God take him awaie out of this life he cannot complaine that he is ill dealt with since death by Gods blessing dooth redound to his commoditie For he is suddenlie taken awaie least wickednes should change his hart And certeinlie we ought to suffer and indure the lesse euils for to obteine greater good things For so dooth the physician with a bitter medicine trouble the mouth that the sicke man may be restored to his former health In like maner when we haue deserued punishments yet GOD dooth turne them vnto good By what meanes discipline is preserued in the world And by this meanes saith Augustine a certeine discipline is established in the world for vnlesse it were so men would perpetuallie become woorse Also there is declared a certeine coniunction and societie of mankind when as on this sort one is punished for the fault of another For they which belong all to one kingdome or citie or prouince be as it were one bodie among themselues and in the bodie one member dooth suffer for another member Séeing therefore this is doone in the bodie it is no absurd thing that the same doo happen in the societie of men Plutarch Plutarch in his little booke De sera Numinis vindicta did verie well teach the same The eie saith he is gréeued and the veine of the arme is lanced euen so the father did offend and the sonne is punished The prince behaued himselfe amisse and the people are afflicted And such a naturall consent or agréement there is of humane things Iustlie dooth this author accuse the rashnesse of men which so often as these things doo happen complaine that God dealeth cruellie For the father saith he is either good or euill And if perhaps the sonne of a good father be punished by and by they exclame that God dealeth vniustlie and that it is not méet that the sonne should be so miserablie handled who had so good a father But if so be the father be euill and the sonne fall into calamitie there againe they crie out that herein also God is vnequall and that the sonne ought not to be punished when the father hath sinned Wherefore the vulgar sort thinke that the sonne should not in anie wise be afflicted But what if the father be euill and yet all things chance happilie to the sonne Here also as he saith they complaine of the vniust dealing of God for they denie it to be méet that the sonne should liue happilie which had so euill a father These things he spake godlie enough although he were an Ethnike Children be certeine parts of their parents 48 Moreouer it must be considered that the children be as it were certeine parts of their parents and haue somewhat of theirs in them wherefore it is not absurd if God punish that part of the parents in the children But I come againe to Augustine who saith that God by this meanes appointeth a discipline in the world in a Common-weale in a church and in a familie Whose saieng in my iudgement cannot be disallowed for if so be
alledged De frigidis maleficiatis Howbeit there be some which saie If he can find anie that will haue him to hir husband so he make knowne this imperfection hée may contract matrimonie with hir But what maner of marriage will that be when it is doone neither for procreation of children neither for auoiding of whooredome Vnto this they answer according to the saieng of Augustine which we read in the 27. cause question the first in the chapter Nuptâ—arum and it is written in the eight chapter De bono conâ—ugali In the old time marriage was an obedience of the lawe now it is for the redresse of our infirmitie and for the comfort of mankind But the place is ambiguous for the comfort of mankind may haue a respect vnto procreation of children sith thereby the parents conceiue no small pleasure wherin they delite themselues Howbeit at this daie they admit this kind of marriage and there be manie found which doo peaceablie liue togither They which intreat of these things haue considered that there is a great difference betwéene coldnesse and old age And they define that old age must neuer be driuen from marriage A lawe that forbad old age to marrie In ancient time was made the lawe called Papia or Papaea vnder Tiberius Caesar whereof Tranquillus in Claudio maketh mention and so dooth Lactantius whereby it was prouided that they which were past thrée score yéeres of age should not marrie wiues and that the women should not be married which did excéed the age of fiftie yéeres But these lawes were abolished by Iustinian as is to be found in the Code De nuptijs in the lawe Sancimus For this coldnesse is not in all persons alike Howbeit neither the lawes of emperours nor of bishops gaue libertie to them which were gelded men indéed to marrie Yet it behooueth that that coldnesse or diuelish practises which may dissolue matrimonie shuld be perpetuall For skilfull men doo sometime make a remedie for things which hurt but for a time Besides this it is necessarie Which be the verie impediments of matrimonie that the impediment be before the contracting of matrimonie for if they once become one flesh marriage is not vndoone Of this matter also wrote the Maister of the sentences in the fourth booke the 34. distinction 74 Now remaineth that we intreat particularlie of the matrimonie of Dauid And this will we first note that he was not mooued vnto that marriage of his owne accord neither of lust or of naughtie desire but by the aduise of his noble men and by the prudent counsell of physicians Neuerthelesse thou wilt saie that a naughtie aduise and a wicked must not be admitted This in verie déed is true but in this matter so far as may appéere neither lewdnes of mind nor naughtie desire can be prooued First old age nothing hindered but that the king might contract matrimonie who perhaps also was thought that as touching coldnesse he might be restored although not to the strength which he was woont to haue yet so as should be fit for his old bodie Certeinlie Abraham was restored when he was an hundred yéeres of age so that after the death of Sara he married another and by hir he did beget children Neither was there wanting naturall helps to Dauid wherewith the physicians thought they might restore him Moreouer if they declared vnto the damsell the old mans impediment and the same being knowen she gaue hir consent she susteined no iniurie It might be added that hir mind was persuaded by God that she should consent for the benefit of the whole kingdome Notwithstanding if she were mooued thereto by ambition the counsell had not béene good But to iudge rashlie of these points it standeth neither with our godlinesse nor yet with our authoritie Séeing these things might be doone of a sincere mind and by the will of GOD I thinke they ought rather to be taken in good part This dooth the historie teach that this damsell was not long with the king bicause within a while after he died howbeit his life which was verie necessarie for the Common-weale was prolonged for a while Yet thus much I will admonish that we néed not labour so much to excuse the fathers of blame who also ought not to be charged vnlesse the historie compell therevnto Neither will we passe it ouer that GOD vsed the occasion of this damsell to oppresse Adonias 1. King 2 17 and to establish the kingdome of Salomon The eleuenth Chapter Of Whoredome fornication adulterie and other noisome things which are contrarie to the seuenth commandement NOw I thinke it good to speake somwhat of whordome or fornication In Iud. 16 verse 4. For as there were manie in old time so now there are not a few which affirme that it is no sinne But I will prooue by the scriptures and by most certeine reasons that it is a gréeuous sinne They which extenuate this wicked crime doo ground vpon diuers arguments verse 20. First in the Acts of the apostls the 15. chapter when in those first times there arose a dissention among the Iewes and the Graecians it was by common assent decréed that the Ethniks should absteine from bloud from strangled from things offered vnto idols and from fornication Héere saie they whoredome is reckoned among those things which in their owne nature are not sinnes wherefore it appéereth that of it selfe it is not sinne For these things were then for a time decréed by the apostles that Christians might liue peaceablie together For No creature of God is euill as Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 4 4. Furthermore they saie God would not command that which of it selfe is sinne but he bad Oseas the prophet to take vnto him an harlot Ose 2 1. and to beget children of fornication so that of it owne nature it séemeth not to be euill Moreouer euerie sinne is against charitie either against that charitie which we owe vnto God or else that which we owe vnto our neighbour But in whoredome or fornication there séemeth to be nothing committed against God for his honour and religion is not hurt neither also against our neighbour for there is no violence vsed against his wife neither is there anie wrongfull oppression committed Augustine Moreouer Augustine in his booke De bono coniugali writeth that as meate is vnto the bodie so is the bed for procreation But if a man eate and drinke a litle more than he ought he is not accused of sinne so likewise if a man doo straie a litle in the companie of women he is not to be iudged guiltie of sinne Lastlie those things which God hath forbidden as sinnes are so plaine and manifest that euen by the light of nature euerie one may vnderstand them to be sinnes but fornication in mans iudgement is not so accounted and manie thinke that it is no sinne Mitio in the Comedie in Terence saith Beléeue me it is no wicked
Iew saith Philo Iudaeus that In the publike weale of the Iewes harlots might not be suffered for of necessitie it behooued all when they came to ripe yeares to be either husbands or wiues Some widowes indéed there were but those were ancient in yeares and of a tried chastitie This example should we follow namelie of such an holie publike weale and not the example of the Popes court At a certeine time I being in Rome A wittie saieng of Crates remembred a wittie saieng of Crates He when he came to Delphos and sawe in the temple of Apollo a golden image of Phryne a verie notable harlot cried out Behold a triumphant token of the wantonnesse of the Graecians So I considering there the sumptuousnesse and magnificence of harlots said Behold a token of the wantonnes of the bishops of Romes prelates But let vs leaue them and procéed with the words of God and the reasons brought from thence Basil Basil in his first booke vpon the Psalmes expounding these words And hath not sit in the chaire of pestilence writeth verie well Whooredome saith he staieth not it selfe in one man but inuadeth a whole citie For some one yoong man comming vnto an harlot taketh vnto himselfe a fellow and the same fellow also taketh an other fellow Wherefore euen as fire being kindled in a citie A similitude if the wind blowe vehementlie staieth not in the burning of one house or two but spreadeth farre and wide and draweth a great destruction with it euen so this mischéefe being once kindled rangeth ouer all the citie Ambrose verse 7. Ambrose also prudentlie writeth vpon the 119. psalme alledging the words of the 16. chapter of the prouerbes Who can noourish burning coles in his bosome and not be burnt with them Who saith he can thinke that harlots may be nourished in a citie and yoong men not be corrupted with whooredome And so may we aptlie inuert that sentence of Augustine If thou take awaie harlots Augustines sentence inuerted Matt. 19 8. all places shall be filled with filthie lust We rather saie the contrarie Nourish harlots and all places shall be filled with filthie lusts They obiect againe a recompense of sinnes and will haue brothell houses to be suffered lest violence should be offred vnto honest matrons I haue answered before that Euill things must not be doone that good may come thereof Yea Rom. 3 8. but God himselfe saie they hath ordeined a recompense to be made for sinnes séeing he for the hardnesse of the Hebrues harts to the intent they might not fall into greater inconuenience Matt. 19 8. appointed them a bill of diuorsement But these men ought to remember that we must not call God vnto answer neither is it lawfull to require of him a reason of his lawes Wherefore it is no sound conclusion God did so Therefore it is lawfull for vs to doo the like We must not looke what God hath doon but what he hath commanded vs to doo But God sawe that hatred happeneth oftentimes betwéene man and wife and danger of committing of murther rather than the same should happen he appointed that a bill of diuorsement should be made But it is a false argument GOD appointed a bill of diuorsement Therfore it is lawfull for vs to kéepe brothell houses A confutation of the aduersaries obiections To the first reason Act. 15. 20. 12 Now remaineth to confute the obiections of the aduersaries First they said Whooredome in the Acts of the apostles is numbered among those things which of their owne nature are not euill as bloud things strangled and things dedicated vnto idols For No creature of God is euill that is receiued with thanks-giuing Wherfore séeing fornication is reckned among these it is no sinne Howbeit this is a weake reason for these things are not reckoned vp of the apostles bicause the nature of the fault should be alike euerie one of them but bicause all these if they should haue béene vsed would at that time haue disturbed the church The Iewes by the custome of the lawe absteined from bloud and from that which was strangled and the Ethniks made no account of whooredome So to the intent that peace might growe betwéene them all they decréed that they should all absteine from those things Whereby it followeth not that all these things be alike faultie but this rather we may infer that all these things were an occasion of disturbing the church Further they obiected that God commandeth not sins but he commanded Hosea the prophet to haue fellowship with an harlot Hose 2 1. To the second I answer Euerie sinne in that respect is sin bicause it is against the word of God What is the proper nature of sinne but if God particularlie command anie thing to be doone which otherwise dissenteth from the word written that verelie is no sinne Sinne it is to take other mens goods awaie Gen. 22 1. yet God commanded the Hebrues when they should go out of Aegypt that they should borrowe stuffe and siluer vessels of the Aegyptians and take them awaie with them which they did without sinne Also no man doubteth but that murther is sinne Gen. 22. and yet Abraham if he had sacrificed his sonne at the commandemt of GOD which he was readie to doo he had not sinned So may we saie of Hosea the prophet if he committed whooredome at the commandement of God his whooredome was no sinne I knowe there be some which thinke that Hosea was not bidden to commit whooredome but to take a harlot to his wife but that agréeth not For it followeth And thou shalt beget of hir children of fornication Children gotten after that maner namelie of a lawfull wife should not haue béene children of fornication Ierom. Ierom dooth better interpret these things hyperbolicallie and saith that By this image was expressed the wickednesse of the Iewes which had forsaken God a husband to them all and had committed fornication with the idols of the Gentils and had begotten vnlawfull and bastard children as touching the seruice and religion of God Moreouer To the third that is false which they alledged namelie that whooredome is neither against charitie nor religion For we haue before declared that it is otherwise neither is it here néedfull to repeate that which we haue said Augustine was brought To the fourth which saith What meate is vnto the bodie that is the bed for procreation But to eate or drinke a little more than néedeth is not a gréeuous sinne No more therefore is whooredome The similitude agréeth not in euerie point but serueth onelie for that part for which it is taken And vndoubtedlie he which eateth or drinketh more than he ought dooth not straitwaie forgo the health of his bodie but he which straieth in carnall fellowship and plaieth the harlot may easilie foorthwith procreate a child vnto whom he dooth iniurie bicause through his fault he is borne a bastard
a reproch but being doone merilie it is called iesting The contrarie vnto contumelie To perceiue it the better thou must vnderstand that betwéene reproching and honoring there is a contrarietie They are vnder one kind and yet as contraries are furthest off one from another They apperteine to the signification of honour If we honour anie man we declare that we thinke well of him if we reproch him we shew by some signe words or déeds that we thinke euill of him And therefore it behooueth that if a man either vse contumelie or haue it vsed vnto him this manner of signification is alwaies therein For if we should doo anie thing against the estimation of anie man and yet not signifie the ill opinion we haue of him it would not be properlie called contumelie I will shew it by examples A man breaking open another mans doore to steale to commit adulterie or to kill some man that breaking in of the gate is heinous but being not purposelie doone to dishonest him it is iniurie if he breake it open to reproch him he dealeth contumeliouslie against him Absalom abused the wiues of his father 2 Sam. 16 20. If he had doone it of lust it had béene incest onelie and not contumelie but séeing he did these things without hauing delight in their loue and beautie onelie through the hatred he bare to his father meaning to dishonour him it is now called contumelie When in these contumelies tawnts are vsed against anie man those sometimes are sins and some times no sinnes When tawnts are sinnes and no sinnes 2. Sam. 16 17. No sinnes as if one vpbraid another that he hath the pox that he is lame or blind sinne as when Semei calleth Dauid A man of bloud 2 There is vsed another distinction These mischéefes are sometimes true and sometimes false Another distinction In Dauid they were false he did not couet the kingdome ambitiouslie he did not commit wicked murders Those sinnes are sometimes manifest and sometimes hidden Hereof commeth the gréeuousnesse of contumelies Sometimes they be weighed according to the state of the person as if he to whom the contumelie is doone be no priuate but a publike person as a magistrate or a preacher And there is alwaies required therin an intent and purpose of discrediting the fame and estimation of another man Which I speake When tawnts are no contumelies bicause if tawnts be not vsed to this end but to the intent men may be amended they be not properlie contumelies Wherefore if anie gouernours of a schoole or ministers of the church vse sharp words to reuoke men from their sinnes they cannot be called contumelious Sometimes it is lawfull to handle men so for discipline sake This is gathered by an argument from the greater If it be lawfull to vse stripes it is also lawfull to vse sharp spéeches So Paule called the Galathians Fooles And Christ O ye fooles and flowe to beleeue Gal. 3 1. Luke 24 25 There was a respect vnto amendement and it was no contumelie Also the prophets doo so deale Esai 1. Eze. 16 and else where sometimes they speake verie bitterlie against Israel calling hir harlot and Sodom not to the intent they would defame the people of God but to reuoke them from idolatrie and wickednesse Paule also verse 12. in the first chapter vnto Titus séemeth to inueigh sharplie against the Cretians when he bringeth a verse of Epimenides The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts and slowe bellies It might séeme to be hardlie doone to note the whole nation of the Cretians with so great an infamie Howbeit the apostles speach was not to this end but he gaue admonition vnto Titus whereby he might vnderstand how earnestlie he ought to vrge that people Neuertheles pastors schoolemaisters must take héed that they vse not contumelies without iudgement for if they often vse the sharper speaches they which be reprehended begin to hate them whom they ought to loue and by this meanes admonitions doo but smallie preuaile Or else another thing followeth to wit that they are not mooued therewith but are hardened if they often heare bitter words Wherefore Augustine vpon the sermon of the Lord in the mount saith that This must be doone sildome and with iudgement Like vnto this is that which is woont to be doone with biting speaches wherein is more bitternesse than fauour They which vse them be of the number of those which had rather foâ—go their fréend than a fine saieng There must be héed taken that men be not hurt rashlie Thus much of the nature definition propertie vse of contumelie 3 Now in the second place let vs speake a few words of the causes Of the causes of contumelies Anger they procéed for the most part of anger and are a certeine kind of reuenge which is euer at hand For so men easilie reuenge themselues especiallie they of the common sort and also women and generallie those which are not able to make their part good with strength and weapons doo vse contumelies In a certeine anger Semei curâ—…ed Dauid he would reuenge the iniuries 1. Sam. 16 7 which he supposed that he had brought vpon the familie of Saule They also procéed of a certeine anger Some there be which in comparison of themselues make no reckoning of other men Pride and therefore they be readie bent to contumelies therefore rightlie said Salomon Prou. 11 2. Where pride is there is reproch The blasphemous speaches 2 kin 18 30. which Rabsaches cast out against God sproong from no other fountaine Foolishnes Also they doo growe of a certeine foolishnesse So Nabal the Carmelite curssed Dauid Salomon saith 1 Sam. 25 14. Pro. 20 30. It is a mans honour to keepe himselfe from strife but a foole medleth with reprodies Thirdlie we are to consider whether it be sinne Whether contumelie be sâ—aine Herein there must be a distinction vsed If it haue respect vnto correction it is no sinne But if we doo it onelie to defame the honour and dignitie of our neighbour we must confesse it to be sinne for it is against the rule of charitie Salomon saith Hatred stirreth vp contentions Pro. 10 12. but charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes It taketh all things in good part it studieth to amend by iust meanes it hath not recourse vnto contumelies Charitie is a vertue therefore contumelie must néeds be a sinne Contumelies or reproches bring sorrowe vnto our neighbour and take awaie his good name these be euill So Christ said in the fift chapter of Matthew Matth. 5 22. Whosoeuer shall saie vnto his brother Racha shall be guiltie of a councell and whosoeuer shall saie Foole shall be guiltie of hell fire Reproch is an euill The weightinesse of vices is considered by their obiects woorse than theft it selfe for the weightinesse of sinnes is considered in respect of their obiects Theft is about the goods of fortune
of the lawe might be fulfilled in vs. Herevnto also had Ambrose a respect who thus interpreteth this place that Christ is called the end of the lawe bicause GOD by him bringeth things to passe which he had promised and commanded These words of the apostle teach that the principall office of the lawe is to direct vs vnto Christ and therefore vnto the Galathians it is called a schoole-maister Gal. 3 24. So then they are worthilie to be reprooued which of a schoole-maister make it a father séeking for righteousnesse at the lawe which ought onelie to be looked for at the hands of Christ Let vs therefore learne héereby to consider two things in euerie precept of the lawe namelie our sins and Christ our redéemer whom all the commandements doo set foorth for otherwise we shall vnprofitablie consider of the lawe And the Iewes for that they excluded Christ boasted of the law in vaine as they which had not the law but a shadowe of the same 29 But now let vs sée what testimonies there be out of the lawe and the prophets In Rom. 3. verse 21. of this righteousnes which Paule affirmeth was made manifest in Christ Iohn 5 39. And although Christ hath spoken generallie that Moses had written of him Luke 24 27 and that it is shewed by Luke that in the habit of a stranger while he was by the waie he talked with two disciples beginning to teach them at Moses and after by the prophets and psalmes yet is there no certeine place brought foorth in the which is expresse mention of Messias Neuerthelesse if we shall speake particularlie of Christ we read in Genesis that The seed of the woman should bruse in sunder the serpents head Gen. 3 15. And to Abraham it is said In thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gen. 22 18. Gen. 15 6. And of the same man it is written Abraham beleeued and that was imputed vnto him vnto righteousnes Héerevnto is added that which Paule saith Deu 30 12 Saie not in thy hart Who ascendeth into heauen or who shall descend into the depth The word is neere euen in thy mouth and in thy heart Rom. 10 6. Paule addeth And this is the word of faith which we preach if thou wilt beleeue with thy heart and confesse with thy mouth Againe Gen. 49 10. The scepter shall not be taken awaie from the tribe of Iuda neither a captaine out of his loins till he be come which shal be sent and he shall be the expectation of the Gentils Ier. 23 6. Ieremie writeth of Christ He shal be called God our righteousnes And in the same prophet we read Iere. 31 33. that God appointed to giue a new testament not according to that which he made with the fathers but by writing his lawe in their hearts and in their bowels Abacuk saith The iust man shall liue by faith Abac. 2 4. Esaie saith I am found of them that sought me not Also God hath laid vpon him all our iniquities Esai 65 5. and 53 6. Dauid also saith Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Psal 32 1. and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne Another kind of testimonies are the acts of the fathers Also an other kind of testimonies is had out of the acts of the old fathers which were certeine foreshewings that Christ should come to redéeme mankind For as he is said to liue in vs for we be members of him so also he both liued and was in the old fathers wherefore they were no lesse his members than we are But how the head suffereth and is recreated in his members it is most manifestlie declared in Paule Acts. 9 4. when it was said Saule Saule whie persecute thou me And in the last iudgement Christ will pronounce Matt. 23 35 that whatsoeuer hath béene giuen vnto the least of his is giuen vnto him Wherefore so often as we read that the ancient fathers were ouercome brought into captiuitie and oppressed with calamities we must vnderstand that Christ in them suffred the selfe-same things And againe when we héere that they gat the victorie and were restored and deliuered let vs thinke that Christ also was in like sort affected in them And in the one we haue a shew of his death begoonne and in the other a shadowe and beginning of his resurrection And that this is so we are taught by that which Christ said Matt. 12 14 that He should be in the heart of the earth three daies and three nights like as Ionas the prophet He also likened himselfe vnto the brasen serpent which Moses set vp Iohn 3 14. wherevpon whosoeuer looked obteined health being otherwise in danger to die of the venemous stinging And in the prophet Ose we read Osâ— 11 1. Out of Aegypt haue I called my sonne Which Oracle the Hebrues labour to wrest vnto Pharao which was destroied and vnto the people of Israel deliuered from his tyrannie Which if we should in the meane time grant then yet would I aske of them of whence that nation had the preeminence to be called by the name of the children of God That vndoubtedlie could not be proued to come by anie other meanes than by Christ which is the sonne of God being the first begotten among manie brethren By whom others also as manie as are numbred to be the children of God haue aspired to such a diuine adoption So as the apostle saith that Christ was the first fruits and pronounced 1. Co. 15 â—0 and 23 Col. 1 18. that he hath the principalitie ouer all things Wherefore not without cause hath our Euangelist cited this place of the prophet touching the Lord forsomuch as he also was by the admonishment of the angell called backe out of Aegypt Lastlie the sacrifices oblations and ceremonies of the fathers beare witnesse of this kind of righteousnesse séeing in those beasts which were slaine the death of Christ was manifest to the faith of the old fathers For euen as the thing sacrificed which otherwise had not offended at all was slaine for the sinne of another which escaped frée so was thereby shewed that Christ should be slaine for vs which were guiltie of death that by pacifieng of the heauenlie father we might escape the punishments which we had deserued 30 But some man will demand In .1 Sam. 3. verse 14. by what reason it may appéere vnto vs that the death of Christ was shadowed in the sacrifices of the forefathers I answer that first God saith that he granted bloud vnto the Iewes to the intent they should vse the same at the altar for purgings by sacrifice but not to eate the same and he added a reason namelie bicause bloud is the life So he would signifie by the rite Gen. 9 4 that sinne might not be purged by sacrifice vnlesse it were by death Séeing therefore
Lord is verie méet and fit for him 8 For first as touching his diuine nature it cannot be doubted but that in the old testament God manie times is called Lord as he that is far aboue all things séeing he is the maker of them Christ is Lord also euen according to his humane nature And this title also perteineth vnto man who in the person of him of whom we intreat was vnited with God bicause he being cléere from all sinne was replenished with all good If anie such therefore were in this world as there neuer was besides him anie would he not séeme to be adorned with those gifts for the which the name of Lord might dulie agrée vnto him Euen so indéed it séemeth to me that when as a man is frée from sinne he is by no meanes a seruant The first seruitude entered into the world by sinne and he that is indued with diuine properties out of doubt is able to helpe others Hereof it commeth that lords and they that are rulers ouer others if they be lawfullie called are not preferred to be aboue others for anie other end but bicause they should not be hurtfull vnto their subiects and that they being void of all vice may be so armed with strength and fortitude as they should be able to succour all those which be vnder their subiection Christ was free from sinne Matt. 1 18. That Christ was vndoubtedlie without sinne I suppose it néedlesse to prooue vnto anie séeing as Matthew beareth record He was conceiued by the holie Ghost that by this means he might be frée from originall sinne The which also is manifest in that he liuing among vs neuer sinned And Peter writeth 1. Pet. 2 22. Esai 58 9. that He did no sinne To whom agréeth Paule when he saith He that knew no sinne 2. Cor. 5 21. for our sakes became sinne Iohn Baptist also shewed him to his disciples as the most pure lambe of GOD Iohn 1 29. which should take awaie the sinnes of the world For it was méet for him to be pure and without all blemish as a sacrifice that should be offered vp vnto God Further the heauenlie father not without miracle testified with his owne voice that he was well pleased in him that is to saie that he was innocent and pure from all fault sith this is an acceptable thing vnto God And who doubteth but that he was adorned with diuine properties Col. 1 15. Séeing Paule vnto the Colossians calleth him The image of the inuisible God bicause he truelie expresseth him and all things that be in him in such sort as there neuer hath béene nor now is nor hereafter shall be anie sonne more perfectlie resembling his father than Christ Iesus did Wherefore of all vs he is called as well God as man Christ the onelie sonne of God And we confesse him to be the onelie sonne of God as he that in diuine nature hath no other brethren insomuch as he is the onelie word of God He is the onelie word of God of which we now speake And among men though he haue manie brethren by adoption he may iustlie be called Onlie for the heape that he hath of the well pleasing graces of God and bicause of the image and similitude of the eternall father Méet therefore it is that he be called Lord as well for that he is without sinne as for the heape that he hath of diuine gifts 9 I let passe this that he which paieth ransome to redéeme a captiue is his Lord. Which thing that Christ did for vs wretches and bondslaues of sinne and satan none that be faithfull ought to doubt séeing Paule both to the Romans and Ephesians affirmeth Rom. 3 25. Epes 1 7. that We haue obteined remission of sinnes namelie by his bloud which he hath plentifullie and liberallie shed for vs vpon the crosse So therfore he must of good right be called our Lord. Furthermore there is a custome receiued by long vse among lawfull sonnes of kings and princes Christ is the first begotten sonne that the first begotten sonne obteineth the Lordship among his yoonger brethren Which thing is not doubtfull vnto them which haue read either the holie or prophane histories or else which haue in verie déed vnderstood what is the maner of gouerning in kingdomes and segniories of the world Rom. 8 14. Gal. 4 7. And vnto the Romans and Galathians it is plainlie shewed that All the faithfull be the children of God Vnto the Romans it is written that His spirit testifieth with our spirit Rom. 8 16. that we be the children of God And vnto the Galathians it is said Gal. 4 6. Bicause ye be the sonnes of God he hath sent into your harts the spirit of his sonne For this cause all we that beléeue be now brethren bicause of that diuine adoption but among all Christ is the first begotten we as we read vnto the Romans being made like vnto the image of his sonne Rom. 8 29. that he might be the first begotten among manie brethren 1. Cor. 1 3 and well neere in all epistles Let vs not maruell therefore if Paule in his epistles for the most part calleth God Father and further comming vnto Christ calleth him Lord. Which maner also the church hath reteined when as in our praiers we ascribe all vnto GOD for Christ our Lords sake as well that which we doo desire as that which we haue obteined But séeing now that after the declaration of those things which were proposed the principalitie of Iesus Christ is so manifest which of vs can abide himselfe to be brought into the power of anie tyrant from such a Lord who also is our brother Which I saie of vs refusing this so notable a capteine will betake himselfe to his enimies alreadie conquered and put to flight by him when as they be mortall enimies to our selues Shall there be found anie that will shake off the yoke of so bountifull a Lord to submit himselfe vnto him that wisheth nothing more than to destroie both bodie and soule For my part I thinke there can be none found among them which haue tasted the swéetnesse of so acceptable a Lordship whereof Christ made mention Matt. 11 30 when he said My yoke is easie and my burthen is light This subiection is voluntarie as the prophet if we haue a consideration vnto the Hebrue truth declareth in the 110. psalme wherein it is said vnto Messias Psal 110 3. Thy people dooth worship thee of their owne accord Rom. 6 14. And the apostle also saith Ye be no more vnder the lawe but vnder grace Wherefore all the charge and burthen of this principalitie was laid vpon the shoulders not of vs but of Iesus Christ as it was foretold of him by Esaie the prophet Esaie 9. Vpon his shoulders shall he beare the souereigntie or rule Note that the prophet saith not that his souereigntie shall
by faith taketh nothing awaie from the truth of things dooth not take awaie anie whit from the truth of the thing Wherefore verie manie are far deceiued about the matter of the Eucharist for when we affirme that by faith we doo eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud they straitwaies conclude that therfore we haue not these things indéed as though that by faith we apprehend a false flesh of Christ or a feigned bloud of him Neither yet is that true which was taken as granted that we in anie wise haue sinne bicause it is not imputed vnto vs for séeing they which be iustified doo striue against sinne and suffer not the same to haue dominion ouer them therefore after a sort they are iudged to haue no sinne On the behalfe of charitie that it dooth iustifie that is woont to be obiected which we read in Iohn God is charitie 1. Iohn 4 8. and he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in him Howbeit this place is not verie proper for charitie for else-where it is written also He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Iohn 6 54. dwelleth in me and I in him And againe He that dwelleth in me and I in him Iohn 15 5. this man bringeth foorth much fruit And of them also which kéepe his commandements he saith that He and the father will come and dwell with them Iohn 14 23 Wherefore thou séest that this abiding which they obiect against vs dooth happen vnto vs through manie instruments or meanes and yet is there not anie man that will affirme vs to be iustified by all these things Not all these things by which God and Christ dwelleth in vs doo iustifie vs. Wherefore we néed not labour to knowe by what meanes it commeth to passe that Christ and the father dwell in vs and we in them but we must rather consider what is that by the which he first and principallie dwelleth in vs. And certeine it is that such a coniunction springeth not of anie other cause than of election Rom. 8 28. predestination and calling according to his determinate purpose as the apostle hath contriued togither these things in the epistle to the Romans And there is no doubt By faith we first answer vnto the calling of God but that we first of all by faith answer vnto the calling of God Neither dooth experience teach vs otherwise When anie thing is promised vnto vs by some man we then first of all cleaue vnto him when we giue credit vnto his saiengs Wherefore Paule in another place wrote Ephe. 3 17. that Christ dwelleth in our harts by faith VVhat is the vnion of the godlie with Christ In Rom. 8 at the beginning 35 Now must we sée what it is to be in Christ First commeth in place that which is common vnto all mortall men for the sonne of God bicause he tooke vpon him the nature of man is ioined with all men For séeing they haue fellowship with flesh and bloud as testifieth the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 2 14. What maner of coniunction we haue with Christ he also was made partaker of flesh and bloud But this coniunction is generall and weake and onlie as I may terme it according to the matter for the nature of man far differeth from that nature which Christ tooke vpon him For the humane nature in Christ is both immortall and exempted from sinne and adorned with all purenes but our nature is vnpure corruptible and miserablie polluted with sinne but if the same be indued with the spirit of Christ it is so repaired as it differeth not much from the nature of Christ Yea so great is that affinitie as Paule in his epistle to the Ephesians saith Ephe. 5 30. that We are flesh of his flesh and bones of his bones Which forme of speaking séems to be drawne out of the writings of the old testament for trulie thus doo brethren and kinsfolke there speake one of an other He is my bone Our bone and our flesh is the Hebrew phrase and my flesh For they being come of one and the selfe-same séede of the father and wombe of the mother séeme to acknowledge vnto themselues one matter common to them all wherevnto this furthereth also that children drawe of their parents not onlie a carnall and corpulent substance but also wit affection and disposition The verie which thing commeth to passe in vs when we are indued with the spirit of Christ for besides our nature which we haue common with him we haue as Paule doth aduertise vs in the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2 16. Phil. 2 5. his mind and according as Paule requireth the Philippians the self-same sense Let the selfe-same sense saith he be in you which was also in Christ Iesu This knitting of vs togither with Christ Paule expressed by the similitude of ingraffing A similitude wherein are very well perceiued those two things which we haue now rehearsed for the yong slip that is graffed and the stocke whereinto it is graffed are made one thing Neither onelie are the matters which were diuers ioined togither but they are also nourished togither with one and the selfe-same iuice spirit and life The selfe-same thing the apostle testifieth to be done in vs when he saith that we are graffed into Christ Rom. 6 15. The same also doth our Sauiour teach in the Gospell of Iohn when he calleth Himselfe the vine Iohn 15 5. and vs the branches for the branches haue the selfe-same life common with the vine trée for they all spring out by one spirit and bring forth one and the selfe-same fruit Paule also in his epistle to the Ephesians Eph. 5. 23. compareth with matrimonie that coniunction which we haue with Christ for he saith that the same is a great signe betwéene Christ and his church For euen as in matrimonie Our coniunction with Christ is compared with matrimonie not onelie the bodies be made common betwéene man and wife but also their affections willes are ioined togither so commeth it to passe by a sure and firme ground betwéene Christ and his church Wherefore the Apostle pronounceth them frée from sinne which doo abide in Christ and are in him after such a sort as I haue now declared to the end they may liue his life be of the same mind that he is and bring foorth such fruit of works as differ not from his fruits And they which are such cannot feare condemnation or iudgement for the Lord Iesus is saluation it selfe as his owne name declareth wherefore they which are in him stand in no perill to be condemned Herevnto we adde that they also are in Christ Who are in Christ which in all their affaires depend vpon him and who are mooued by his spirit whatsoeuer they take in hand or doo for to depend vpon him is nothing els than in all things that we go about
affirme not that that faith whereby we are iustified is in our minds without good works though we saie that the same onelie is it which taketh hold of iustification and remission of sinnes A similitude So the eie cannot be without a head braines hart liuer and other parts of the bodie and yet the eie onelie apprehendeth colour and the light Wherefore they which after this maner reason against vs Faith as ye say iustifieth But faith is not alone Ergo faith alone iustifieth not they commit the fault of a false argument As if a man should thus conclude A false argument A similitude Onelie the will willeth But the will is not alone in the mind Ergo not the will alone willeth Here euen little children may sée the fallace or deceit which they call Of composition and of diuision And is it not a foule thing that so great Diuines should not sée it Smith But here Smith the light forsooth of diuinitie setteth himselfe against vs. He of late cried out euen till he was hoarse that we falselie affirme that those places of the scripture which testifie that we are iustified Gratis that is fréelie should signifie all one with this to be iustified by faith Onelie for this word Gratis is not all one with Solùm Of the adâ—erbe Gratis that is freelie that is Onelie O dull Grammatians that we are which without this good maister could not vnderstand this aduerbe so much vsed Howbeit this Grammaticall Aristarchus least that he should séeme without some reason to plaie the foole It is written saith he in Genesis that Laban said vnto Iacob Gen. 29 15. Bicause thou art my kinseman shalt thou therfore serue me Gratis Here saith he put this word Onelie and thou shalt sée what an absurd kind of speach it will be And in the booke of Numbers Num. 11 5. The people said that in Aegypt they did eate fishes Gratis and in the Psalme They haue hated me Gratis Psal 69 4. Here saith he cannot be put this aduerbe Onelie Wherefore we rashlie and verie weakelie conclude that bicause in the scriptures a man is said to be iustified Gratis he is therefore straitwaie iustified by faith Onelie But this sharpe witted man and one so well exercised in the concordance of the Bible should haue remembred that this word Gratis signifieth without a cause or without a reward and price and therefore we rightlie saie that iustification consisteth of faith Onelie bicause it is said to be giuen Gratis For if works were required there should be a cause or a reward or a price to the obteinement of righteousnes But forsomuch as Gratis excludeth all these things of that word is rightlie and trulie inferred Onelie faith And those places which this man hath alleadged are not hard to confute for Laban saith Shalt thou serue me Gratis that is without this couenant that I should giue thée some thing which is onelie to take and nothing to repaie And the Israelits when they said that they did eate fishes Gratis meant that they did eate them without anie price paid And that saieng They haue hated me Gratis is nothing else than without a cause or without anie my desart So that if this word Gratis take awaie price and merit forsomuch as Paule saith that we are iustified Gratis we must néeds vnderstand that it is doone without anie our price or merits which doubtlesse might not be true if works should be required as causes and merits And bicause we once brought a place out of the epistle to the Galathians Gala. 2 16. But seeing we knowe that man is not iustified by the works of the lawe except it be by the faith of Iesus Christ and of this particle Except concluded Of the aduerbe Except that iustification consisteth of faith Onelie this man therefore according to his wisedome rageth and saith that this word Except is not all one with Onelie For he saith Gene. 43 5. that Ioseph in Genesis said vnto his brethren Ye shall not see my face except ye bring your yoongest brother and Christ saith he saith Iohn 6 53. Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man ye shall not haue life in you Who saith he will saie that life is had onlie by eating of the sacraments Wherefore saith he these things cannot be expounded by this word Onelie Yes doubtles but they maie for in Genesis what other thing meant Ioseph than to admonish his brethren that they should vpon this condition onelie come againe into his sight to wit if they brought their yoongest brother with them And Christ in the sixt of Iohn intreated not of the eating of the sacrament for he had not as yet instituted it wherefore by this word To eate he signifieth To beléeue And he saith that they which are of full age herein onelie haue life if they eate his flesh and drinke his blood that is if they beléeue that the sonne of God was deliuered for them for the remission of their sinnes and that this is the onelie waie whereby they maie be saued 84 But Smith addeth that from iustification is not to be excluded hope charitie and other good works I grant indéed that those are not to be excluded from a man that is iustified howbeit I doo not attribute vnto them the power of iustifieng For that which Paule saith Rom. 3 20. that A man is not iustified by works should not be true if we should be iustified by anie kind of works for if a man should saie A similitude that an artificer worketh not with his fingers and afterward should grant that he to that worke which he dooth vseth his fingers he were woorthie to be laughed at although being conuict he would saie that he excepted onelie the little finger and not the thumbe forefinger or middlefinger for he which vseth thrée fingers vndoubtedlie vseth fingers But why dooth this man saie that hope and charitie are not excluded Bicause saith he euen ye your selues will haue vs to be iustified by a liuelie faith which certeinlie is not without these We grant that these vertues are alwaies ioined with true faith but yet in them we put no part of our iustification before God A fallace of the accident In this argument is a fallace or deceit of the accident for vnto those things which are adioined is attributed that which is proper to the same wherevnto they are ioined As if a man should saie The sunne is round and high Ergo the roundnes and hight of the sunne doo make vs warme What works then dooth Smith exclude from iustification when as he includeth hope and charitie I suppose surelie that he excludeth outward works fastings almes and such like But with what face can he so saie or teach séeing he appointeth and defendeth works preparatorie But this sharpe witted man thinketh that he hath trimlie escaped for that he saith that these things are not of necessitie required
Augustine against Faustus in his 12. booke and 19 Chapter expressely saith that the sea and the clowd was baptisme consecrated in the bloud of Christ and by them the sinnes of the Iewes were forgiuen All which thinges are common with our sacramentes The schoole-Diuines Further all the schoole diuines hold that circumcisioÌ„ was a remedie against original sinne whereby we may perceiue they holde not that circumcision was a bare and naked signe That Circumcision was no bare signe There may also for proofe hereof be brought places of scripture which teach the selfe same thing For in the 10. Chapter of the first Epistle vnto the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. 2 the old fathers are sayd to haue bin baptised and to haue eaten the selfe same spirituall meate and to haue drunke the selfe same drinke which we at this day eate and drinke And againe in the 2. Verse 11. Chapter to the Colossians hee saieth that wee are circumcised with circumcision not made with hands And he addeth by the washing away of the sinnes of the flesh Where he declareth that in the signe of circumcision was through Christ giuen the washing away of sinnes And in the booke of Genesis the 17. Chapter is most manifestly declared that circumcision was the signe of the couenant wherein God promised that he would be the God both of Abraham and of his séede 9 But against those thinges which haue bin spoken is obiected vnto vs out of the 10. The 1. obiection Chapter of the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10. 1 that Paul there affirmeth not Whether the sacraments of the old Fathers and ours are all one that the sacrameÌ„ts of the old fathers were one the same with ours but onely writeth this that the elders and fathers had one and the selfe same sacramentes amongest themselues and yet many of them shamefully perished and were destroyed in the desert although in the sacramentes they had communicated with other godly men Wherefore they say that Paul of the lesser or of the lyke would conclude that we also if we liue wickedlie shall perish although we be initiated in Christ and vse the selfe same sacramentes that the elect of God doe But against this exposition the words of the Apostle himselfe are most plainly repugnant for he saith The forefathers 〈◊〉 eat drinke Christ therfore they had the fâ—…th on of the same meate that we haue that the old fathers had in their sacraments the selfe same meate that we haue that is Christ For thus he writeth And they dranke of the spirituall rocke following them and the rocke was Christ Now if they had Christ doubtlesse they wanted not the meate of our sacramentes which cannot be said to be any other thing than Christ Further we sée that the Apostle hath expresly appointed names vnto our sacramentes for he nameth baptisme and spirituall meat and drinke Further if we followe the expositions of our aduersaries we shall make Paules argument of small force For he meant to reprooue the securitie of the Corinthians which séemed to promise vnto themselues saluation For this cause only because they were Christians and partakers of the holy mysteries although in the meane time they liued loosely and dissolutely Wherefore he declareth that God would seuerally punish them except they repented as we reade that he punished the fathers of the old testament when he sundry wayes afflicted them in the desert And if their sacramentes and ours were not one and the selfe same Paule concludeth nothing For the Corinthians mought haue sayd yea but our testament is a farre other thing than was the testament of the olde fathers our sacraments are far more excellent than were their sacrameÌ„ts Wherefore God wil not afflict vs neither oughtest thou to compare vs with theÌ„ By this meanes is Paules argumeÌ„t made of no force if we take away the similitude and proportion which the things of our sacramentes haue with the things of the sacraments of the olde fathers Besides also Augustine in his 26. treatise vppon Iohn most plainely teacheth that the olde fathers as touching the spirituall matter had in their sacraments the selfsame that we haue Augustine saith that the Sacraments of the forefathers and ours are all one as touching the spirituall thing In outward forme he saith one thing was giuen vnto them and an other vnto vs but as touching the thing signified he acknowledgeth no difference at al. So that the place of the Apostle which our aduersaries haue by their expositions gone about to wrest from vs is by these reasons to be defended The 2. obiection 10 They obiect moreouer that the fathers in many places say that the sacramentes of the olde fathers were shadowes and Images of that truth which is exhibited in our sacraments Images taken two manner of wayes Vnto them we aunswere that Images may two manner of wayes be taken For some are outwardly vaine and voyd and containe nothing other Images haue in déede the thing it selfe but yet intricatly and obscurely if they be compared with other Images more euident In the second sort we will easily graunt that the sacramentes of the old fathers were Images and shadowes of ours not that the olde fathers had not in their sacramentes the selfe same things that we receiue in ours but because their sacramentes more intricately and obscurely shadowed the same For the better explication hereof Chrysostome séemeth to bring a very apt similitude in his Homilie which he made vppon these words of Paul A similitude Our fathers were baptised into Moses And in his 17. Homilie vppon the Epistle to the Hebrewes Painters saith he when they intend to paint a king first they drawe out the proportion vppon a table with shadowes and darke colors but yet in such sorte that a man may by these lynes although it be somewhat obscure easilie perceiue that the image of the king is there painted and horsemen and chariots and such other like which things yet are not straightway knowen of all men But afterward when the Painter hath layd on fresh colors and hath finished the worke those thinges which before by those first lines appeared scarce begunne and rude are now manifestly and expresly perceiued Such saith he were the Sacramentes of the olde fathers if they be compared with ours By these wordes it is manifest that Chrysostom was of the opinion that one and the selfe same thing is represented in our sacraments and in the sacramentes of the olde fathers although in theirs more obscurely in ours more manifestly The names of the sacraments old and new are put one for another But how great a néerenesse there is betwéene both these kindes of Sacramentes Paul séemeth hereby to teach in that he putteth the names of the one for the names of the other and maketh them common to both For in the 10. Chap. of the first Epistle to the Corinth he affirmeth that the olde
greatly deceiued this is the gift of Christ alone and therefore Iohn in pointing vnto Christ said Behold the lambe of God which taketh away the sinnes of the world And in Exodus the 33. Verse 39. it is expressed as a thing proper vnto God that he taketh awaie iniquitie vngodlines and sinnes And Esaie in the 43. Chapter Verse 25. It is I that take awaie sinnes In the first of Iohn we reade 1. Ioh. 2. 10. He it is that is the Propitiation for our sinnes Which also Paule affirmed vnto the Romans when he saieth Rom. 3. 25. Whom he hath set foorth a Propitiation through his bloud 1. Iohn 1. 9 Also Iohn in his first Epistle and first Chapter wrote The bloud of Iesus Christ his sonne clenseth vs from all sinne Verilie the outward things doe not cleanse the conscience otherwise Christ had died in vaine Againe the soule which is a spirit and without bodie is not purged by grosse corporall things Which the Epistle to the Hebrewes the 9. Verse 9. Chapter doeth plainely teach when it saith That the giftes and sacrifices doe not purge nor make cleane but that Christ was the verie high Priest who hauing wrought eternall redemption passed into the heauens And if at anie time the holie scriptures maie séeme to attribute forgiuenesse of sinnes or saluation to outward signes that must be vnderstoode by the figure Metonymia wherby those things are giuen vnto signes which are proper vnto the things signified the things signified are expressed by the name of the signes So Peter in his first Epistle saith 1. Pet. 3. 20 that in the time of Noah viij soules were saued by the water alluding vnto baptisme Howbeit by water he vnderstandeth not the outward element but that washing which is done by the bloud of Christ And so in the outwarde signe hée comprehendeth the thing signified Which he himselfe manifestly declareth afterward when he saieth 1. Pet. 3. 21. Not in that wherein the filthes of the flesh is put awaie but in that a good conscience answereth euen to God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ So that by the water he noted the bloud death which is expressed vnder the name of Resurrection After the same manner must that be vnderstoode Ephe. 5. 25 which wee haue to the Ephesians namely That Christ gaue himselfe for the Church that the same might be sanctified by the washing of water through the word c. The cause of sanctification is Christ himselfe who gaue himselfe for vs and for that cause gaue the washing of water that the cleansing by him might be testified by the word and by the signe Brieflie this must be held that the outward signes ioyne vs not vnto Christ but that they be giuen when we bée alreadie ioined vnto him A similitude Euen as the watch word of souldiers doth not leuie a souldier but hath bin accustomed to be giuen when he is alreadie leuied And there is none that marketh his shéepe horse and oxe vnlesse he first possesse those beastes Yea and the letters of Donation are first finished and written before the seales of the giuers be set vnto them And assuredly thus God delt with Abraham Gen. 15. 6. First he beleeued and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Then he receiued circumcision as a seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he was indued with whē he was vncircumcised Neither did God begin to deale with Abraham in circumcision but the same circumcision followed iustification Which is also doone in baptisme The thing it self that is the couenant made with mankinde by Christ goeth before afterward followeth the outward token And that it is not otherwise with vs than with Abraham Paul declareth when he saieth Rom. 4. 23. that he was set forth vnto vs as an example of iustification Which if it were not all the Arguments of Paule concerning that matter should be weake yea rather they would be vtterly ouerthrowen 19 Yet doe I not denie Certaine signified things that follow baptisme but that there be certaine signified things of baptisme which doe not goe before but followe the eternall washing as is mortification and repentance and according to this Analogie I vnderstand that which we haue in the Epistle vnto the Romans to wit that we die with Christ Rom. 6. 4. and are buried together with him because the olde man that is the affections and lustes of the flesh must perpetuallie bee mortified which is not yet brought to passe so soone as we be baptized but it is requisite that it should afterward be doone And whereas we reade vnto the Galathians Gal. 3. 27. So manie of you as are baptized haue put on Christ I iudge it must be so expounded as if thou vnderstand To put on Christ for to be made the member of him that goeth before baptisme but if you meane it by manners and life to expresse the childe of God Two places in the Epistle to the Galathians expounded that followeth after baptisme receiued So as we must decrée as concerning the children of faithfull men that they be reckoned among the faithfull and that the children of the Saints are numbred among the Saints 1. Cor. 7. 14 as Paul testifieth in the first Epistle to the Corinthians And if that one will obiect Ib. 12. ve 13 that in the same Epistle the 12. Chapter it is written that wee bee baptized into one bodie that must not be so expounded as though we first passe by outward baptisme into the bodie of Christ An obiection touching original sin confuted séeing we were of the bodie of Christ before Then to the intent that this maie be testified and sealed we are outwardly baptized Ibidem And therfore before those words it is written By the spirit we are baptized into one bodie So that it is first wrought by the worke of the holie Ghost that we become the mēbers of Christ then baptisme is added Wherefore séeing the Infants of Christians be such there is no cause why they should be adiured or breathed vppon But we must weigh that it is not brought to passe by those things that originall sinne is vtterly taken awaie because we confesse that all men are borne the children of wrath and be depraued with originall sinne séeing that kinde of sinne commeth not by imitation as the Pelagians taught but it is the corrupting of the whole nature of man both as touching the soule as touching the bodie Againe we adde that God by Iesus Christ doeth make cleane his elect and predestinate so as the vice which in his owne nature should be mortall sinne shall not bee imputed to them vnto death Further by his spirit he renueth and adorneth them Afterward is added the sealing of outward baptisme First therfore they haue election or predestination they haue the promise and they are borne of faithfull Parents and séeing they be now in the
God that these bondslaues of Antichrist may become new vessels and receaue the sault of wholsome doctrine séeing they haue of long time forsaken God the fountaine of liuely water Ier. 2. 13. and haue digged to themselues pittes which cannot containe wholsome waters And this place they haue abused for confirming of their holy water which euery Sabbaoth day they inchaunt and coniure ascribing the inuention thereof to Alexander the first Romane Byshop of that name The inuentor of holie water whom they will to be the fift or sixt after Peter And in déede there is caryed about a decretall Epistle of his wherein are contained manie thinges as touching this inuention which were afterward set forth in the decrées De Consecr distinct 4 in the Chapter Aquam Sale But in my iudgement and the iudgment of the more learned that Epistle is no right but a supposed Epistle For Alexander liued in the time of Traianus So then most auncient had the institution of this water bin Whereof neuerthelesse the Ecclesiasticall writers which florished before the time of Gregory made no mention in any place But how fond and absurd things they be which are there written we will somewhat more diligentlie examine First he decréed that that water should be sanctified of the Priests Whereupon the Canonists gather that the same is not lawfull neither for a Deacon nor a Subdeacon whenas notwithstanding they admit the administration of Baptisme both vnto laiemen and vnto women But this is an old purpose of the diuel to prouide that mans inuentions may he had in more price than the lawes of God Which also may be perceiued in confecting of the vnsauourie oyntment called of them Chrisme or the holy oyle where so great a solemnitie is vsed as it behooueth that a Byshop with all the Clergie men be present when in the meane time Baptisme and the Eucharist which be the verie sacraments of Christ himselfe are ministred after a vulgar and common maner But howsoeuer this Alexander or whosoeuer he were doe approoue his holie water he vseth a verie wicked argument in vsurping those words which are in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Hebr. 9. 13 If the bloud of Goates and of Buls and the ashes of an Heifer being sprinkled did sanctifie them that are vncleane as touching the sanctification of the flesh howe much more doth the bloud of Christ which by the eternall spirit offered himselfe for vs c Wherein Paul the Apostle argueth from the lesse to the greater These words Alexander taking inferreth that much more the water consecrated by diuine wordes shall sanctifie them that be vncleane And so that which Paul concluded as touching the bloud of Christ this man with intollerable blasphemie transferreth to holie water Note For the worthinesse and worke of Christ his bloud must not bee attributed to the elementes of this world especiallie when they lacke the word of God 24 Againe he commendeth his water through the fact of Elizeus 1. king 2. 21 For if Elizeus saith he by casting in of salt put away barrennesse from the waters much more shall this water driue away all barrennesse And yet further amplifying the matter It will bring all good things saith he to them which vse it Moreouer he attributeth so great a strength thereunto as hee affirmeth that the craftie indeuours and temptations of the diuell are thereby put away and that it also remooueth from the minds of men hurtfull visions and naughtie cogitations And he yet procéedeth further and vseth a verie wicked argument Luke 8. 44 If the skirts saith he of our Lordes garment when hee was touched by the sick woman did make her whole howe much rather shall this water bring health both of bodie and soule vnto the faithfull The holie water made equall to the bloud of Christ By these thinges it plainelie appeareth that this holy water is made equal vnto the bloud of Christ and is preferred aboue the skirts of his garments as though our sinnes were so light and tooke so féeble roote in our mindes as they can be wiped out by the sprinkling of a superstitious water Besides this among the false Ecclesiasticall men there is in vse an other kinde of consecrated water which they vse in the consecration or reconciliation of Churches or Temples That onely the Byshop dooth coniure or as they speake dooth sanctifie and he applyeth thereunto wine and ashes There is also among them an other kinde of most solemne water namely of the fountaine of baptisme which they with great pompe consecrate the day before Easter and Pentecost The water of baptisme consecrated the day before Easter and Pentecost And thereof is mention made by many of the fathers And the custome of consecrating such waters of baptisme séemeth to haue béene of some antiquitie And so whereas I said before that the Elder fathers made no mention of holy water I had onely respect vnto that which is said to haue bin instituted by that same Alexander namely which they kéepe in temples to the intent that men may sprinkle themselues therewith They themselues also doe sprinkle houses dead bodies churchyardes egges flesh pothearbes and garmentes with the same Thomas Aquinas Of this dooth Aquinas in the 4. booke of sentences inquire whether it be a Sacrament And in aunswering denyeth it alledging this reason that it is not instituted to abolish any defect of ours But he affirmed it to be a certain sacramentall thing whereby we are affected and as he speaketh disposed to obtaine the forgiuenesse of some certaine sinnes And from this opinion Petrus de Palude and Alexander de Ales doe nothing disagrée For they say Petrus de Palude Alexander de Ales. that by the vse of the consecrated water sinnes be forgiuen not in very deede as by the Sacraments which performe this euen without the motion of the heart if onelie there be put no let but in respect of merit because they sprinkling themselues with that water doe deuoutlie as they speake lift vp their minde vnto God desiring the forgiuenesse of sinnes which by prayers they obtaine Among those sayings of the schoolemen there are many wicked blasphemous thinges séâ—…ng they attribute to the elementes of this world that which belongeth onely vnto Christ Besides this they triâ—…e many wayes disputing whether prophane water being added vnto consecrated water becommeth holy And finally they conclude that it dooth so after this manner to wit that those thinges which be the more worthie doe conuert into themselues the thinges which be lesse worthie Which is most contrarie vnto the trueth An example For if a man mingle water with wine and doe that often at length the water changeth into his owne nature the wine it selfe which is better than it 25 But passe we ouer these thinges and let vs consider that this ordinance had his originall of two sortes of peruerse zeale and fond imitation Holie water deuised by an
the comming of Christ was promised vnder oblations of lykenesses In the passion of Christ it was giuen according to the trueth it selfe after the ascension of Christ it is celebrated by a sacrament of remembraunce The same father in the 26. Treatise vppon Iohn Those Sacramentes were in signes differing from ours but in the matter which is signifyed they be equall Straightway he saith therefore there was the selfe same meate and the selfe same drinke howbeit to them that vnderstoode and beléeued but to them which vnderstood it not it was but onely Manna and the other but onely water but to him that beléeued it was the selfe same thing that it is now For then Christ was to come now he is come was to come and is come be diuers words but one and the same Christ And Bertramus among the later men thus writeth But that our fathers did eate the selfe same spirituall meate 1. Cor. 15. 3 and drinke the selfe same spirituall drinke Saint Paul affirmeth Perhaps thou demaundest which selfe same Euen the very same which at this day the faithfull people doe eate and drinke in the Church For we must not thinke that there is a difference séeing that he is one the very same Christ which with his flesh fedde the people and with his bloud gaue them drinke when they were in the desert in the clowd and were baptised in the sea and which now in the Church féedeth and giueth drinke vnto the beléeuing people with the bread of his body and water of his bloud And straightway againe the same father A maruell doubtlesse incomprehensible and inestimable he had not as yet taken the manhood vppon him he had not as yet tasted of death for the saluation of the world he had not as yet redéemed vs with his bloud and yet euen now our fathers in the desert did eate his body drinke his bloud by a spirituall foode and an inuisible drinke as the Apostle beareth witnesse saying The selfe same spirituall meate And againe For euen he also which by his omnipotent power in the Church spiritually conuerteth the bread and wine into the flesh of his owne body and into the water of his owne bloud euen he then inuisibly wrought the Manna which was giuen from heauen to be his owne body and the water which was powred from heauen to be his owne bloud 10 We sée moreouer in the sacrament of Baptisme that the holy Ghost and remission of sinnes is giuen yet doe we not saie that these things lie hidden in the waters yea and we put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. yet doeth not any man say that water is transubstantiated Christ they say is after one sort in the Eucharist An obiection and after another sort in Baptisme As touching the manner An answere I confesse that in Baptisme Christ is giuen as a mediatour Howe Christ is giuen in Baptisme and in the Eucharist as a reconciler and to speake more properly as a regeneratour but in this he is distributed vnto vs as a meate and nourishment Furthermore with this their Transubstantiation they come néere vnto a figure of the Marcionits for they say It séemes to bée bread and is not The error of the Marcionites The verie which thing Marcion affirmed of the flesh and bodie of Christ that it was not true flesh Christ is no iugler but that it onelie appeareth to be flesh Christ is no iugler neither doeth he delude our senses but by the senses he prooued the Resurrection Feele saieth he and see Luk. 24. 39. for a spirit hath no flesh and bones The Apostles might haue said we feele we sée it appeareth to be flesh and bodie but it is not and in vaine had that proofe bin whereby Christ prooued that he was not a phantasticall bodie but that he had a true bodie And that he had receiued his owne proper bodie and not an other he shewed by the wounds of the nailes Ib. ver 40. and by the gap that was in his side Which Argument of his if place should be giuen to these iugling knacks it would be of no force Yea and the Fathers argue from the properties and accidentes of mans nature to wit that Christ was verie man because he hungred slept woondred and sorrowed and wept and suffered which Arguments are of none effect if by these accidentes the substance be not truely shewed so as it shoulde not be lawfull to saie it is of the selfe same fashion it hath the same taste the same colour which bread is woont to haue therefore it is verie bread For Heretickes will confesse that Christ hungred slept woondred wept suffered but when thou shalt thereof inferre therefore he was verie man they wil denie the consequence For they will say that these properties might haue place in Christ although the substance of them namely the nature of man be not present They say as touching the Argument of Marcion An obiection that it may be he tooke the occasion of his errour out of the Gospell where it is written of Christ that he walked drie foote vpon the water that he was lifted vp into heauen Mat. 14. 25. Acts. 1. 9. Luk. 4. 30. and that hee escaped out of the handes of the Iewes so as they sawe him not and yet that these things ought not to bée taken out of the Gospell by reason of the daunger of the Marcionits An answere Whereunto we answere that in the Gospels it is described that Christ once or twise did these myracles but ye appoint that these things be perpetuall And that which is in the Scriptures wee our selues haue not feigned therefore wée ought not to be accused of giuing occasion Howbeit in those things which we haue deuised which we doe expound and teach as doctrine without the expresse word of God we must beware least we set open a windowe to Heretikes The nature of a sacrament 11 Furthermore the nature of a sacrament is corrupted of which Augustine vpon Iohn saieth The woorde commeth vnto the element and it is made a sacrament The nature thereof is that it should be made of these two things but as these men appoint the elements that is the bread and wine are taken awaie And then Augustine ought not to haue said The worde commeth vnto the element What analogie there is of the signes to the things in this sacrament but It taketh awaie the element And while they remooue the natures of the elements the proportion of the significatiō perisheth Wherefore the bread signifieth the bodie of Christ because it nourisheth strēgtheneth and sustaineth which we cannot attribute vnto accidents It is also a signification of many graines gathered in one which representeth the mysticall bodie and that cannot be attributed vnto accidents Wherfore Paul said 1. Co. 10. 17 We that are manie are one bread and one bodie because we are partakers of one bread Tit. 3.
tokens to the meditation of diuine and heauenlie thinges And it is a woonder that these men who so diligentlie examine places of the Fathers bring not that foorth which is in the 61. Homilie vnto the people of Antioch That they are both impudent and obstinate Against those which stand by coÌ„municatâ—… not which stand by at the administration of the Sacraments and doe not communicate Wherein he affirmeth that they doe manyfest iniurie vnto Christ But least we should swarue from that which is propounded in the Argument namelie in the Homilie in Encaeniis as touching the waxe which in the fyre runneth all abroad we aunswere that Chrysostom eftsoones in that place hath this verbe Thinke thou that we may vnderstand that these thinges must not be vnderstood but as touching our faith and cogitation whereby in communicating we comprehend not bread and wine by themselues The similitude of waxe vsed by Chrysostome and Cyril but we seeke the thinges which by a signification and that effectuall are ioyned hereunto We moreouer bring foorth a lyke similitude out of Cyrill the 10. booke the 13. Chapter vppon Iohn where he saith that waxe being molten and mingled with other waxe so that of two is altogether made one dooth resemble that which is doone in the receauing of this Sacrament which is that we should in very déede be made one with Christ The selfesame he hath in the 4. booke and 17. chapter And if so be that this similitude of waxe betwéene Christ and vs haue place without transubstantiation of our bodie the very same may be affirmed of the similitude of Chrysostom which he putteth betwéene waxe and the signes or mysteries Further our aduersaries should be demaunded whether they will haue these similitudes to be made alike in all respects Which if they wil graunt they must also take away the accidents out of this Sacrament For the waxe which is applyed to the fyre is not onlie destroyed as touching the substance but as touching the accidentes But if they will not haue the similitude to take place in this behalfe then shal it also be frée vnto vs to vnderstand all this as touching our cogitations of the minde comprehension of faith and we will confesse that as touching the thing it selfe the nature of bread wine goeth away and that our minde onely cleaueth vnto the things signified to that which by the signes is offered vnto vs that is vnto the bodie bloud of Christ And of Chrysostom thus much hath bin said wherein we may sée how truelie those things haue place which we spake before of the fathers To Augustine 49 Augustine was afterward obiected who should say vppon the 33. Psalme that Christ bare himselfe in his owne hands and that verilie in the last supper when he distributed the Sacrament to his Apostles And this doe not we denie Howe Christ bare himselfe in his owne hands For what should let Christ to beare his bodie in his owne handes if by Bodie thou vnderstande the Sacrament of his bodie And this is it that Augustine addeth in the end of this place After a certaine manner as if he should say He did not absolutelie beare himselfe but after a sort he is vndoubtedlie the verie same whoÌ„ we nowe saide him to be They oppose vnto vs the same Augustine in the third booke De Trinitate where he saith the bread is brought vnto this visible forme by the hands of men but that it cannot be made so great a Sacrament without the inuisible working of the holie Ghost It is much to be maruelled at why these men acknowledge not in this sacrament anie other worke of the holy Ghost besides transubstantiation For the name of the working of the holie Ghost in this sacrament being heard they straightway inferre transubstantiation whenas notwithstanding these signes cannot be aduanced or translated to the state and condition of Sacramentes but by the helpe of God to wit by the institution of the Lord by holy wordes and by strength of the holy Ghost Because these holie thinges doe no longer possesse our minde after an ordinarie and common manner There is néede of the holie Ghost to make these Elements to be sacraments but by an effectuall and most vehement force of the spirite and by the strength and operation of the selfesame holie spirit our mindes and soules are furthered to imbrace the matter of the Sacramentes Nowe come we to Augustine who vppon the 99. Psalme vppon that saying Worshippe ye his footestoole Psal 99. 5. dooth inquire diligentlie what manner of footestoole that shoulde bee And at the length he findeth that it is saide in the Scriptures that the earth is his footstoole Esay 66. 1. But howe saith hée shall we worshippe the earth Is it not written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue And is it not commaunded that we should not worshippe those thinges which be in heauen or vpon the earth or in the waters or vnder the earth But he saith afterwarde that there is a certaine earth which iustlie maie and ought to be worshipped For the sonne of God saith he tooke the nature of man vppon him that is fleshe of the virgine and that in the holie Scriptures is called earth forsomuch as our bodie is taken out of the earth But that the flesh of Christ ought to be worshipped hereby it appeareth because when he gaue the same to be eaten none did eate it but he first worshipped These words of Augustine can make nothing against vs because we denie not but that the flesh of Christ must be worshipped by reason of the coniunction that it hath with the diuine nature Here the contention is whether the same fleshe lie close hidden vnder the Accidents not whether it shoulde be worshipped But they say if it were not there in the Sacrament and that breade should be there it would be Idolatrie Vnto which we aunswere that they fall into as great a perill for they ought to remooue the accidentes least those should be worshipped and to transubstantiate the verie cup it selfe But in a Sacrament wee distinguishe the signes from the things To the signes is some honor giuen but without adoration and vnto the signes we giue some honor to wit that they should be decentlie handled and shoulde not be despised For they be holy things once dedicated vnto GOD. And as concerning the things signified namelie the bodie bloud of Christ we graunt that those should bee readily and chéerefully worshipped For Augustine in this place saith We sinne not in worshipping the flesh of Christ but we sinne in not worshipping of the same After what maner we should worship the flesh of Christ But he aduiseth in the meane time that we should not cleaue vnto the fleshe of Christ but lift vp our minde vnto the diuine nature whereunto the fleshe is ioyned by a knot not possible to be vndoone
weigh with your selues déepelie and in due time from whence ye depart namelie from God from Christ from the brethren and from the swéet food of excellent charitie These things if ye will faithfullie consider perhaps ye will come againe to your selues and into the right waie Which that ye may obteine through the mercie of God we will here praie while we shall communicate togither To the excellent and worthie men the gouernors of the schoole of Straâ—brough my most reuerend maisters grace and peace from God through Iesus Christ our Lord. BIcause there is some doubt risen as touching the matter of the sacrament and that the ministers of this church be afraid left by me should arise some contention about that matter therfore haue I thought good that those things which a few daies past I mainteind in your presence now to repeate the same by writing First that I willinglie imbrace and confesse the confession made at Augusta and other confessions whatsoeuer not differing from the same so they he rightlie and profitablie vnderstood Secondlie that there shall be no contentions raised by me naie rather if there be anie place to be handled in the scriptures or that anie other necessitie shall require that I should declare my opinion about such a question I promise that I will doo it with all modestie and without anie bitter inuectiue But what my opinion is 〈◊〉 he séene by the bookes which I haue alreadie published from which I will haue nothing either taken out or altered by this my writing as promise vntill being taught by the scriptures and the spirit of God An agreement betweene Bucer and Luther I be persuaded to the contrarie And whereas I haue not subscribed as the agréement made betwéen D. Martin Bucer and D. Luther his fellowe ministers the 〈◊〉 is that I cannot in respect of the word of God nor for my conscience sake grant that they which are without faith doo in receiuing of the sacrament receiue the bodie of Christ And it is no meruell that I would not agrée to this article since Bucer himselfe in this our schoole I being present did openlie teach otherwise when he expounded the Acts of the apostles And euen he when he was in England wrote far otherwise as I can shew by diuerse of his articles And without doubt his opinion was true since faith is the onelie instrument whereby Christ his bodie and blood is receiued of vs which saith being remooued the mouth of the bodie receiueth nothing but the sacraments of the bodie and bloud of Christ Christ receiued by faith the bread I meane and the wine consecrated by the officer of the church or the minister Euen as if a man which is of full age should come without faith vnto baptisme we would saie he receiueth nothing besides the sacrament that is besides water for not beléeuing he could not receiue the grace of regeneration so without faith no man is admitted vnto the communion of the bodie and bloud of Christ Lastlie I am afraid least by subscribing vnto this agréement before rehearsed I might séeme to condemne the churches of Zuricke Basil Berne Geneua and England all the brethren dispersed through Italie and France which assuredlie I doo not thinke by the word of God to be lawfull Therefore as I both honour and reuerence the churches of Saxonie euen so doo I imbrace and loue heartilie in the Lord those other churches which I haue rehearsed God as he is the author of peace grant vs that we may once iudge and speake all one thing And to you my maisters whom I verie much honour for the courtesie and goodnesse which you shew vnto me I tender most heartie thanks since I haue no other thing to requite you withall And I beséech our good God for Iesus Christ his sake that he will alwaies be mercifull to you From my lodging in Strasbrough this 27 of Decem. The confession or opinion of D. Peter Martyr Vermillius as touching the Supper of the Lord exhibited vnto the most noble Senat of Strasbrough when he was called to Zuricke in the yeere of the Lord 155â— One person in Christ consisting of diuers natures OVr sauiour Iesus Christ consisteth of 〈◊〉 natures ioined togither into one and 〈◊〉 same person or substance and those 〈◊〉 not confounded of mingled togither but the properties and conditions of both being safe and entire Wherefore vnto the Godhead of Christ which is infinite and is limited by no measures or bounds That the humanitie of Christ is not euerie-where it is granted without controuersie to be euerie where but vnto the humanitie by reason of the nature and truth thereof circumscription limits and bounds doo so belong as neither it can be euerie-where neither can it be without some certeine place vndoubtedlie not for the weakenesse of the diuine power but for the perpetuall and vnchangeable condition of mans nature For as it cannot be that either the number of thrée can be the number of six or that the thing yesterdaie doone can be vndoone so is it not possible that that which is an humane bodie shuld not be a bodie humane whose definition of necessitie comprehendeth quantitie parts distinguished and members Therefore whatsoeuer they be that spred the same and will haue it to extend so largelie as the word of God and therefore to be either euerie-where or else in manie places at once they affirme that that which is a humane bodie is not a humane bodie and that that which is created is not a creature For it is not conuenient for anie creature being limited to be in manie places at one and the selfe-same time But that Christ as touching his humane nature is a creature the church neuer doubted to affirme out of the word of God Wherefore Christ in respect that he is a man left the world we haue him not present at bodie for with it he ascended into heauen which must conteine or receiue him vntill the times of the restitution of all things as Peter in the Acts of the apostles hath taught Acts. 3 21. The sacrament of the Eucharist I confesse is so instituted by Christ our sauiour What presence there is of Christ in the sacraments as his words being vsed which promise a true communion of the faithfull with him and therwithall adding the signes of bread and wine which be effectuall instruments of the holie Ghost as touching the faithfull while the holie supper is celebrated faith is wrought whereby we trulie and vnfeinedlie apprehend at our mind both his bodie and bloud euen as they were deliuered vnto death and to the crosse for vs vnto the remission of sinnes Which receiuing in verie déed although it be of things absent and doone in the mind yet dooth it not profit the mind it selfe onelie but it redoundeth also vnto the bodie of them that receiue so as by a certeine power of sanctification and spirituall coniunction it is made capable
according to his pleasure and that the wrath wherewith he was kindled against them that offered was there pacified proposition 3 There were therefore manie kinds of sacrifices bicause Christ could not be expressed in one kind proposition 4 The old fathers when they knew that they were reconciled vnto God by sacrifices and yet vnderstood that the beasts which were slaine were not excellenter in nature than they for whome they were offered concluded necessarilie that the worthinesse of the sacrifices depended vpon somewhat else wherevpon they flieng to the promises of Messias acknowledged him therein to be preferred before themselues proposition 5 In the kids and goats which were offered Christ might be expressed bicause of the forme of perfect man which he tooke vpon him Propositions out of the second third and fourth chapters of Leuiticus Necessarie proposition 1 THe sacrifices did stir vp the memorie of Gods promises in them that offered proposition 2 When God refuseth leuen that it should not be offered vnto him he condemneth wicked doctrine and corrupt maners proposition 3 Honie and leuen are not refused of God from being burned vnto him bicause they be euill things in their owne nature naie rather they may be sanctified by the word of GOD and by praier as the rest of the creatures and therefore they might be offered among the tenths and first fruits proposition 4 To father the signes of frankincense oile and salt vpon the ceremonies of the new testament as the Papists haue doone was superstitions proposition 5 In the sacrifice of peace-offerings the holie communion was exercised among the faithfull for therein not onelie was Christ set foorth to be beléeued but he was there receiued proposition 6 Albeit that the Lords supper by it selfe be no sacrifice yet is it not doone without a sacrifice proposition 7 The worthinesse of the sacrifices was not considered by the excellencie of the things offered but according to the acceptation of God and the faith of those that offered proposition 8 The vse of the fat and bloud was not forbidden as though in their owne nature they polluted the mind but by reason of certeine significations proposition 9 In those ceremonies whereof a reason is not knowne God oftentimes had this respect that the Hebrues might be separated from the rites of the idolaters proposition 10 Sinne is a defect not onelie in the actions but also in the nature of man whereby men are enimies to the lawe of God and incur his wrath and eternall damnation vnlesse they be holpen by faith in Christ proposition 11 Forsomuch as some sinnes be called sinnes of committing and some of omitting thereof it riseth that God made some precepts affirmatiue and some negatiue proposition 12 Ignorance which truelie excuseth sinne is not affectate and it chieflie standeth in the circumstances of actions proposition 13 Albeit in the oblations of sacrifices sinnes were forgiuen by the faith of Christ yet were not ciuill punishments or iudgements of lawe taken awaie therefore Probable proposition 1 THat in the sacrifice of incense no part of the frankincense remained to him that offered or to the priest but the whole was burned before the Lord it sheweth that inuocation is due vnto God onelie not vnto men proposition 2 Honie was forbidden of GOD that it should not be offered vnto him bicause the pleasures of the flesh doo not make to the seruice of GOD. proposition 3 Salt is perpetuallie required in sacrifices bicause without faith nothing can please GOD. proposition 4 The apostles in the primitiue church renewed the commandement that bloud should not be eaten and they said nothing as touching fat bicause that precept of bloud was published in the time of Noah and might be knowne vnto the Gentils but not so concerning fat Propositions out of the fourth fift chapters of Leuiticus Necessarie proposition 1 THe sinne of the priests is more gréeuous than the sinnes of the people bicause the authoritie of doctrine is diminished the example vnto sinning is more forceable and the ministerie made a mocking stocke proposition 2 Confession was thrée maner of waies in the sacrifices First it was manifest in the outward signe of the sacrifice which was offered Secondlie there was vsed a generall declaratiō of sins Moreouer they sometime shewed their sinnes particularlie proposition 3 The confession which they call auricular must not be taken out of the church but rather amended proposition 4 Vnto those things which were the signes of the sacraments some honour is due after the sacramentall vse of them but yet without superstition and offense of the weake proposition 5 There is no state so honourable among the people of God but ought to be subiect to brotherlie correction proposition 6 The fulnes of ecclesiasticall power is in Christ who hath communicated the same to the whole number of beléeuers he hath giuen the execution thereof to those ministers which he hath chosen proposition 7 The church may erre and in verie déed hath sometimes erred euen in those things which belong vnto faith proposition 8 When there is inquisition made by a magistrate of anie crime whosoeuer is examined ought to confesse that which they knowe thereof proposition 9 If the faithfull christians be demanded of their faith in place of iudgment they are bound to confesse the same proposition 10 When a iudge shall perhaps demand of vs to beewraie our brethren we must not declare them proposition 11 They which leaue off from lawfull accusations in the Common-weale cannot pretend iust mercie proposition 12 He which hath sworne to doo some euill sinneth not in not performing of the same but he sinneth by swearing rashlie proposition 13 The offerings of sacrifices had manie commodities First was confirmed the faith of them that offered Secondlie therin was a thanks-giuing Thirdlie ministers were susteined And finallie those which did sacrifice did confesse that the same death which was doone vnto the sacrificed beast was due vnto them for their sinnes proposition 14 He which trulie beléeueth God hath no doubt of the forgiuenesse of sinnes or of his owne saluation otherwise of faith it would become opinion proposition 15 The certeintie which we haue of our saluation is not of the sense neither of experience or knowledge but of faith Propositions out of the fift sixt seuenth chapters of Leuiticus Necessarie proposition 1 TRue faith which iustifieth is not without comfortable repentance proposition 2 He that restoreth not things taken awaie if he be able is not trulie penitent for his sinnes The restoring in due time of things taken awaie is preferred before sacrifice proposition 3 To haue lamps lighted or wax-candels burning before the reliks of martyrs or in such wise as it is doone in the papisticall Masse is superstitious proposition 4 It is no firme argument to saie It is lawfull now to desire the praiers of holie men while they liue therefore the same is also lawfull when they be departed out of this life proposition 5 He
bodie which Christ tooke vpon him So then a making mention of the Eucharist would be superfluous but according to my allegation it is manifestlie concluded The Eucharist as all men confesse is a figure of Christs bodie therefore the bodie of Christ is a true bodie otherwise it shuld not haue a figure D. Chadse I answer as before First that Christ as he is méere man can no more be said to be the image of his fathers substance than other creatures And as touching the participation of the natures the selfe-same Christ is both the figure and the thing which is figured And to Tertullian I saie againe it is a figure and yet not a figure onelie but the thing it selfe also the words of Christ necessarilie enforce the same D. Martyr I saie that héere is no constreint by the word of God but that both may be granted to wit as well the bread as the bodie of Christ But now will I shew bicause you saie that it is not onelie the figure The Eucharist is a signe of a thing which substantiallie corporallie and reallie is absent but the thing it selfe withall that this sacrament is a figure of a thing which in respect of substantiall and reall presence is absent Ambrose in his 4. booke De sacramentis the fourth chapter Euen as thou receiuest the similitude of death so doost thou drinke the similitude of the pretious bloud But there is no man doubteth that the death of Christ is not reallie present in this sacrament and yet neuertheles it is said that in such wise is droonke the similitude of the bloud as the similitude of the death D. Chadse I am glad you attribute so much to Ambrose he is altogither on my side as it appeareth by those bookes of the sacraments and euen by this verie chapter and by these words which you recite For he straitwaie addeth that this similitude was giuen bicause of the horrour of bloud And if so be that those things which go before which followe be weighed it shall be perceiued that he meaneth far otherwise than you alledge For the scope of Ambrose is to teach that in the Eucharist is represented the death of Christ that euen as you beléeue that Christ died for you so by his bloud your sinnes are cleansed but of a substance remaining of the signes there is no mention D. Martyr You vaunt that Ambrose is wholie yours that shall I afterward knowe in the obiections which you will make against me But as concerning this place he saith plainlie that euen as the one is a similitude of his death so the other is a similitude of his bloud And hereby you haue it sufficientlie prooued that the substance of bread remaineth when the thing which it signifieth is substantiallie and reallie absent euen as we knowe that the death of Christ is not present when we doo communicate except by shewing remembring of the same D. Chadse But he saith not that it is onlie a similitude for in other places he teacheth in plaine termes a naturall change of the bread and wine D. Martyr I weigh nothing the word onelie whether it be or be not expressed séeing it is plainelie enough conteined in the similitude alledged that the thing it selfe is shewed to be absent And the time shall serue to discusse this mutation which Ambrose maketh when I shall come to answer your obiections Augustine such that Christ gaue a signe of his bodie Howbeit that you may vnderstand how euidentlie the fathers acknowledge a figure in this place I haue thought good to cite Augustin against Adamantus the Manichei Christ doubted not to saie This is my bodie when he gaue a signe of his bodie D. Chadse I acknowledge these to be the words of Augustine and I will shew by what reason he was lead to write them All the Manicheis were enimies of the old testament And when we read in Deuteronomie The soule is the bloud Deut. 12 23 this saieng Adamantus refelled as though it had béene repugnant with the new testament And he obiected against him Feare ye not those which kill the bodie but cannot kill the soule Matt. 10 28 Adamantus said So often as the bloud is shed and troden vnder foot so often dooth the soule suffer these iniuries If it be the bloud whie should it not be rightlie said that men cannot hurt the soule Augustine answereth two maner of waies First that in Deuteronomie the bloud is called not the soule of a man but of a beast Secondlie he saith What if I should saie that this after a certeine maner of speaking is to be vnderstood euen of the soule of man as Christ doubted not to saie This is my bodie when he gaue a signe of his bodie And this ment he that euen as secretlie in this signe lieth hid the reall bodie of Christ so in the bloud is the soule and euen as the bloud is the signe of the soule hidden therein so is the forme a signe of the bodie and this signe bicause of the presence lieng hidden is called the bodie of Christ D. Martyr This hath not Augustine that the bodie of Christ forsooth lieth hid in the shewes of bread and wine this is your owne deuise You contended before that the signe and thing signified the figure and thing figured are all one But will you now saie that the bloud is all one with the soule Assuredlie will ye nill ye they be two substances neither is the one taken awaie by the other as you affirme here to be doone of the bread And besides when bloud is a signe of the soule abiding in the bodie it behooueth that it be séene and that it be foorth of the liuing creatures bodie and then dooth not the soule lie hidden therein And thereof must the saieng be touching that which the scripture forbad that it should not be eaten and that was separated from the bodie for otherwise it cannot be eaten and this is it that was then forbidden in the lawe when these things were spoken But let vs now passe ouer this howsoeeuer it be Onelie this I haue to conclude That the signe is not the thing signified that the signe in this sacrament is not the thing signified nor the figure the thing figured the which neuerthelesse you did so earnestlie affirme before For is the bloud which is put for the signe of the soule the soule it selfe Euen so is it in that which Christ gaue when as Augustine after this maner saith that it was a signe of the bodie of the Lord it is as much the bodie of the Lord as the bloud is the soule D. Chadse I answer that the similitude tendeth not to that end but rather to teach that euen as the soule lieth hidden in the bloud so is the bodie of Christ secretlie hidden in the shewes of bread and wine and that is the scope of the text it selfe For euen as in this visible thing is conteined the
saie that his toong or parchment or inke or the signifieng sounds vttered with the toong or figures of letters written vpon little skins is the bodie and bloud of Christ but that onelie which we doo rightlie receiue being made of the fruits of the earth and consecrated by mysticall praiers Héere likewise you heare that that which we receiue of the fruits of the earth is called the Lords bodie Wherevpon it followeth that bread dooth there remaine vnlesse you will saie that the earth dooth bring foorth accidents And whereas you obiect that the worke of God and the holy Ghost are requisit for the making of this a sacrament I grant it but that the signification of the bodie of Christ is not so great a matter as it hath néed of those things that doo I denie You haue oftentimes alreadie heard that we doo not héere set downe a common or vulgar signification but a sacramentall mightie and effectuall signification whereby the beléeuers are incorporated into Christ D. Chadse But the bread by his substance nourisheth therefore it may signifie the bodie of Christ before consecration also it is gathered and consisteth of manie praiers before consecration therefore it may signifie the vnion of the church Howbeit it is none of Augustines mind that anie thing should be called the bodie and bloud of Christ bicause of the signification but only in this respect that being taken out of the fruits of the earth and consecrated by mysticall praier we receiue it vnto saluation Neither meaneth he that the bread taken from the fruits of the earth dooth so remaine but after such a sort as Ambrose saith that that which nature hath made is by blessing changed D. Martyr As touching the first you cannot in verie déed saie of water that wheresoeuer it is euen out of baptisme it signifieth the washing of the soule But dooth it therefore followe that that signification is sacramentall when the word of the Lord is absent nor yet the institution of Christ is exercised therein We speake here as we haue often said alreadie of the power and effectuall signification of sacraments the which we obteine by the word and institution of God As touching the other Augustine said most plainelie that by those thrée that is to wit by the toong parchements that is to saie writings and by the sacrament the bodie of Christ is signified and then followeth that which you saie to wit that it is receiued to saluation And of the change that is to saie the casting awaie of that substance that is gathered of the fruits of the earth there is no mention at all how Ambrose must be vnderstood I haue declared before D. Chadse Chrysostome in the 45. homilie vpon Iohn in the sixt chapter thus writeth This bloud being shed ouerflowed all the world whereof Paule vnto the Hebrues pronounced manie things This bloud purged the secret and holie places But and if the figure thereof was of so great force in the temple of the Hebrues and when it was sprinkled vpon the doore posts in the midst of Aegypt of much more force was the truth it selfe This bloud signified a golden altar without this the high priest durst not enter into the innermost places This bloud made the priests This bloud in a figure purged sinnes In the which figure if it were of so great force if death so feared the shadowe how greatlie I beséech you will it be afraid of the truth c. He compareth the sacraments of the old testament with the sacraments of the new testament as one may saie the shadowe and figure with the truth and he nameth our mysteries â—…nderfull and dreadfull If then as he saith the old fathers had the shadowes and we therâ—…l it followeth in the sacrament of the Eucharist that the verie bodie of Christ is presentâ— otherwise if we should haue himselfe thereby signification onelie there is no more to be attributed vnto our sacraments than to the sacraments of the old lawe D. Martyr Whereas Chrysostome saith that the sacraments of the old fathers being compared vnto ours be shadowes and figures I grant the same Howbeit it must be so vnderstood that shadowes and figures were there because the comming of Christ was as yet expected Againe the significations of those sacraments were more obscure both which is agréeable vnto figures and shadowes for figures did foreshew Christ to come and shadowes doo want plentie of light By these kind of meanes was Christ signified in the sacraments of the old fathers and by faith was giuen to be receiued of the beléeuers But now to vs in the new sacraments he is offered as he that is alredie come that hath performed his promises and that is crucified for vs in verie déed Besides the words which we haue in our sacraments be far more cleare and plaine than were the words of the old sacraments in the lawe But you vnderstand this word truth as though it should signifie reall presence and therefore you infer that the bodie of Christ is present with vs reallie corporallie and substantiallie But the fathers vnderstand truth to be in our sacraments if they be compared to the sacraments of the old fathers bicause they represent the thing that is now performed euen that the kingdome of heauen is opened and that the benefit of our redemption is with all euidence and assurednesse alreadie finished and made perfect and bestowed on vs as if were before the eies of faith D. Chadse Yea but the sacraments of the old fathers were euen as much true as ours be the selfe-same power was in them that is in ours Those fathers as well beléeued that Christ would come as we that he is come For by the testimonie of Paule all our fathers droonke of the selfe-same spirituall rocke and did eat the selfe-same spirituall meat 1 Co. 10 4. D. Martyr True it is that the old fathers as touching the thing it selfe had the selfe-same sacraments that we haue which were signes that Christ should come and offered him vnto the beléeuers but the difference as I said was that Christ hath now performed indéed the price of our saluation but then he was afterward to performe the same And a thing that is alreadie done if it be compared euen to it selfe which shall afterward be doone both it is more assured and may be called a truth but it is said to haue a shadowe and a figure when it is not yet performed Ouer this no man doubteth but that that Christ and his death is expressed vnto vs with more plaine and euident words By these things you may gather that as Paule testifieth we as touching the substance haue the selfe-same sacraments with the old fathers but that there be manie differences also betwéene them as touching the thing present which I haue rehearsed D. Chadse The sacraments of the fathers promised but grace ours giue the same which things you in your lectures did interpret They signifie grace giuen Wherefore if those
runnest to the Phisition that it may be ioyned to the rest of the bodie why doest thou not the selfe same to thy brother He is sicke wilt thou forsake him in his sickenesse His charitie wareth colde then doe thou kindle him againe with the charitie They that be whole néede not the phisition but they that be sicke Thou despisest him yet was he so beloued of Christ as when he was his enemie he would die for him Now hath he Christ for his head for his garment for his table for his spouse for his light for his life If thou hate him thou art as Caine. How shalt thou stand before the face of God Thou art harder than a stone and more darke than hell vnlesse this seruitude which Christ tooke vpon him for thée doe indure thée to be of the selfesame minde towardes thy neighbour and to be affected in the selfesame sort towardes him Plato in his second booke of Common-weale would haue children brought vnto the Campe that through beholding of the battaile they might be incouraged euen so ought we to come to the crosse of Christ He was made obedient to the death euen to the death of the Crosse Here are reckoned vp all the mysteries of our saluation We must obey in the selfesame sort that Christ obeyed He obeyed with all the heart withall the minde But how did he it with all the heart since in the garden he did striue against it and did sweate water and bloud and said Not my will be doone but thine Sinne in respect of vs is considered two waies First we are ledde by pleasure and doe transgresse the lawe we sinne but we delight our selues and perceiue not the destruction so is death blind and the crosse insensible yet are we in verie déede crucified and destroyed Secondlie the lawe is giuen there doe we now féele the crosse and our owne euill our conscience tormenteth vs the wrath of God hangeth ouer vs we sée our selues to be in death and in damnation Sinne after the first manner had no place in Christ but onelie in the second manner For he felt the wrath of God and he sorrowed and suffered as if he had committed all sinnes But yet is there still a difference betwéene him and vs because we through sinne suffer those euils with some ill affection of minde We iudge that God dealeth ouer rigorouslie with vs we would haue no such lawes to be made against vs we complaine of our fortune which thinges are not doone without sinne Christ sinned not after this manner he had all good affections Onelie he stroue against death in that respect that it is an enemie vnto nature and destroyeth the same So he might be delighted with swéete and delicate meates because they were agréeable to nature without anie selfe loue for the loue of pleasure séeking his owne and therefore there was not anie ill affection therein as Adam might haue doone the like in his first state but so cannot we doe séeing we be corrupted with ill affections So although we doe thinges like as Christ did yet doe we sinne 1. Pet. 2. 22. Verse 15. whereas he did no sinne Wherefore it is said vnto the Hebrewes the 4. Chapter He was tempted in all thinges like vnto vs and yet without sinne Now lawe of God forbiddeth to sorrowe for death if it be offered God would that he should sorrowe and he layd it vppon him as a punishment Now then that sadnesse was no hindrance but that he loued with all the heart and with all the strength To suffer such kinde of death being innocent is beyond mans power but our power is leuened with the corruption of originall sinne therefore whatsoeuer it toucheth it dooth defile A cleane hand if it touch fine linnen dooth not defile the same but an vncleane hand doth make it foule Tit. 1. 15. Ro. 14. 14. To the cleane all thinges are cleane because the vncleanesse is all onelie not imputed The verie same may we say as touching that which Christ said Psal 21. 9. Mat. 27. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me This did Christ crie out without sinne but we might not doe it without imperfection and fault So then he was truelie obedient with all the heart with all the soule c. He declared the chéerefulnesse of obedience Matt. 26. Marke 14. that euen as a shéepe he was led vnto death he cryed not out he resisted not insomuch as the president did maruell at his silence Yet did he not forsake his cause by holding his peace For so manifest was his innocencie as it had no néede of defence The president knewe it his wife knewe it Iudas knew it which said that he had betraied the innocent bloud Also the Iewes knew it Matt. 27. 6. which would not put vp the price into the Treasurie as an vncleane thing The same did the Théefe vppon the Crosse the Centurion testifie Wherefore there néeded not manie wordes for his defence Gen. 3. 12. 13. Eue and Adam would defend themselues in an euill cause and made the same woorse by their excuse But Christ presented himselfe to the Magistrate and was obedient vnto him in obedience sought to winne him euen to the death Ioh. 12. 18. Excéeding great therefore was his obedience and it came of his owne accord because no man could take away his life from him he himselfe layd it downe Yet in this obaying he became not lesse than his father as touching the Godhead he obeyed as a friend toward a friend not as an inferiour vnto the death The Lord of life submitted himselfe vnto death and being immortall he dyed For a king ought to die for his people a shepheard putteth his life for his shéepe and the sacrifice is slaine for sinne It was méete he should be a sacrifice Where a sacrifice is there God is reconciled and sinne is destroyed brieflie therein consisted our iustification But how is it applyed vnto vs Some thinke that Christ sitteth as a Iudge and that to thē which best runne and woorke he giueth this righteousnesse Howbeit Rom. 9. 16. It is neither in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that taketh mercie we are not iustified by woorkes and those things that be doone before regeneration are sinnes Others say that this iustification is applied vnto vs by Masses but the Masse is an inuention of man and so farre is it off that it offereth Christes benefites vnto vs as it suppresseth the same for it hideth the principall wordes by mumbling and it saith all in Latine and as it is vsed it is opus operatum that is to say a woorke wrought Others say that Christ fréelie dyed and freelie giueth grace faith hope and charitie and all good woorkes and for them giueth righteousnesse But these good woorkes hope and charitie doe follow iustification they goe not before it and are vnperfect with sinne Herein standeth the trueth
Ecclesiastical discipline is reiected But vnder what deuise or colour it is reiected at this day in many places is woorth the hearing They say that there is a daunger least vnder the colour of discipline the Ministers of the Church should take vppon them tyrannie should correct reprooue and excommunicate for no iust causes but at their owne pleasure Moreouer they say that our Magistrates at this day thankes be to God are Christians and therefore séeing they punish the more grieuous sort of crimes this Ecclesiasticall discipline might séeme to be superfluous Neither doe these good men perceiue that there néedeth not to bee any feare of the Ministers where the rule of the Gospell as touching brotherly correction is obserued For this charge is not to bee committed to the authoritie and wil of one man but in the shutting out from brotherly societie them which will not be amended a consent of the Church must be had by whose authoritie if it be doone no man can iustly complaine of the tyrannie of one or of a fewe And no lesse vaine is that which is brought as touching the Christian Magistrate For a great part of the Princes of our world doe obey the lawes of the Romane Antichrist and therefore are offended with the restored and reformed Churches so farre is it off that they wil doe any thing for their commoditie Further if in any place they bee departed from the Pope and haue Euangelicall Churches within their dominion vndoubtedly they vse in other but temporall and ciuill lawes wherefore they passe ouer manie vices and leaue them vnpunished which neuerthelesse as of the holy Scriptures they are sharpelie reprooued so doe they not a litle hurt vnto the Church of Christ An example thereof may bee fornications drunkennesse riotousnesse such like common mischiefes which in ciuill iudgement are dissembled and of the ill people are laughed at Further the politike Magistrate punisheth verie manie crimes either by temporall punishment or by a payment of monie Which when a man suffereth either in bodie or in purse he is set frée neither is there any further prouision made for the soule of him that sinned but the Church so correcteth and otherwhile excommunicateth as the soule may be saued in the day of the Lorde Nor is he while he is after this manner chastised or made ashamed for a time accounted as an enemie but as a brother is profitably admonished of his saluation The rule of discipline must bée sought for in the scriptures And for the bringing in and retaining of this discipline whereof wee nowe speake the continuall handling of the Scriptures in the Church doth greatly furder For places are there offered continually according to the precepts whereof the life of Christians must be directed Doubtlesse manie things profitable enough are otherwhile taken out of the fathers and Canons of councels as it cannot be denied but yet those things that haue bin drawen out of the verie Armorie of the holie Scriptures are farre more mightie and of more efficacie to mooue the mindes And to the intent that so it may be and to be the more profitably doone it behooueth to institute schooles of diuinitie Schooles of diuinitie which may be certaine storehouses and garners of your Churches whose corne of the Ministers vnlesse prouision be made that it may be renued it will easilie be consumed within one or two ages Wherefore let children of the Church vnto whom God hath giuen a strong health and a wit not vnapt for studies be exercised in Ecclesiastical schooles let them learne the tongues whereby they may the more néerely and familiarlie vnderstand the newe and olde Testament And howe we ought with a religious sobrietie and prudent dexteritie to handle the holie Scriptures in Christian Schooles I woulde declare in many wordes and more at large sauing that wee are alreadie admonished thereof to our great harme by the wicked examples of Papisticall schooles Those things that belong vnto edifying What things ought to be read in the schooles of Diuinitie let them be there oftentimes rehearsed and by reading and ouer reading the Bookes of the holy Bible let them that be taught from God not thinke it grieuous to note with all diligence all the places that belong héereunto those let them haue in readinesse distinguished I say into certaine common places and orders Which may be so often and in a maner continually repeted in the memorie that finallie when neede shall require they may offer themselues of their owne accorde Tit. 3. 9. That vnprofitable questions must be reiected But as for superfluous questions which alwayes haue contentions ioyned with them and as Paul saide vnto Titus are vnprofitable and vaine I iudge must be altogether shunned in a Christian schoole For whatsoeuer time we bestowe vpon them all that is cut off from the knowledge of the worde of God which without doubt is most profitable And whereas this miserable life is verie short oftentimes with sundrie occupations enféebled it is in my iudgement no sound counsell but a méere madnesse to fall from the serching out of necessarie thinges to séeke out superfluous and other while pernicious things What maner of Ecclesiasticall Pastors must bée chosen But as there ought to be preferred vnto Schooles expert teachers of this methode and studies so out of them afterward must be chosen and promoted to the ministerie Pastors which haue béene exercised in such holy schooles and haue verie much profited both in Godlinesse and learning whose part shal be so soone as they be called to that office to be wholly occupied in those thinges which belong to their heauenly father of which they must not yéelde any thing vnto flesh bloude parents kinfolkes friends princes or kings And because they are commaunded to preach vnto the people not onely forgiuenesse of sinnes but also repentance therefore vices as they deserue must be reprehended not lessened or diminished as is doone of them which serue not the Lorde Iesus Christ but their bellie Ro. 16. 18. But this wil not they doe which be not of a valiant and bolde spirite But if for that they be men they shal perceiue themselues to be striken with feare or to be mooued with any affection let them not forget the words of God vnto Ieremie Beholde I haue giuen my wordes into thy mouth Ier. 1. 10. Beholde I haue placed thee this day ouer nations and kingdomes that thou maist roote out and destroy scatter plant Doutlesse mightie and great are these workes but of the Pastors of the Church they cannot bée doone by armes sworde or other outwarde power Also they bring them not to passe by the small terrifying or menacing threats of humane words which are deuised of a boldnesse without abilitie to perswade For you shall sée many rash fellowes thunder vainelie out of a pulpit but after their thunder-clappes followeth lightenings of towe or straw yea rather bubbles which fasten no stroke
belong not to the nature thereof 1 147 a What things the Philosophers thought sufficient to themselues for the obteining of the same 1 2 a Of what thing it hath his name 1 2 b It is common vnto manie and howe that is prooued 1 155 ab Impotent men cannot attaine vnto it 1 155 b Why wee are past all hope of absolute Felicitie in this life 3 328 ab ¶ Looke Chiefest good Felicitie Christian or heauenlie Why heauenlie Felicitie is shadowed foorth by terrestriall â— 597 ab 398 ab Vppon what things it doeth depend 1 166 a The good things of this worlde are not necessarie thereto 1 131 b Of a threefold Felicitie necessarie for any action 2 376 b Inchoatiue in this life complet in the life to come 1 153 b 3 326 a The meanes whereby the godlie obtaine it 3 86 a Which they shall haue in the life to come 2 638. 639. 640. God is Felicitie and him wee ought to worship 2 574 b Felicitie of Angels and blessed soules 2 249 a Of Christ now in heauen 2 598 a Fi. Fictions What Fictions bee lawfull and what vnlawfull 2 5â—0 ab ¶ Looke Fables Fier The propertie of Fier 3 241 a It signifieth triall or examination 3 239. 240. 241. Of that which shall consume the worlde at the last daie 3 395 ab 39â— a God liaened to a purging Fire 3 241 a Figures Speeches vttered in Figures with their naturall sense 4 234 ab Whether in the doctrine and precepts of God there be Figures 4 189 b An argument drawen from Figures is not alwais firme 4 258 b Whether Figures doe hurt the coÌ„mandements of God 4 189 a Firstfruites What was meant by the Iewish rite of Firstfruites 2 580 a Who they be that are saide to haue the Firstfruites of the spirite 2 248 b Fish Whether Fish prouoke lust lesse than flesh 3 253 b ¶ Looke Fasting and Meates Fl. Flatterie A definition of Flatterie out of Chrysostome and the Etymologie thereof 2 383 b A subtile kinde thereof which Dauid vsed to Achis 2 384 a Euerie pleasing speech is not to be accounted for it 2 383 b A readie way to come to promotion in Rome 2 384 a How diuerslie diuerse men iudge it to be good or bad 2 407b Flatterer Plutarchs opinioÌ„ touching him that is the closest Flatterer 2 484 a The Pope a cunning and cogging Flatterer 4 87 b Of Flatterers and who are so to be reputed 2 383b Prooued to be guile fall 2 535 b Went about to persuade Alexander that he was not Philips son 3 81 b Flatterers of the Pope maintein his vsurped title 2 632 b 4 40 b Flesh Of eating or not eating of Flesh 3 170 ab Why God after the floud licenced the eating thereof 3 174 b It was eaten before the floud 3 174 a From whom the rite of abstinence from it sprang 3 174 a Flesh and bloud shal not inherite the kingdome of God expounded 3 357 b They which be in the Flesh cannot please God expounded 3 192 b Howe we are Flesh of Christes flesh c. 3 78 a 79a Difference betweene his and ours 3 345 b Why his is called sinne 2 609 a After what maner we should worship it 4 177 b Of three sorts of men that are in the Flesh 2 564 b The Flesh the spirite sometime taken for one thing 3 366 ab Of two made one Flesh in matrimonie and in adulterie and of their difference 2 422 b 423 a The soule in the scriptures is called Flesh before it be regenerated 2 226 a How the Flesh of man is terified at the presence of God 1 21 b A distinction of the Flesh from the bodie 3 361 b This word Flesh of a manifold significatioÌ„ 3 94 b 95 a 258 a 29a 2 â—25 b 226 a 614 ab 3 80 a Flight Whether Flight in persecution be lawfull for the godlie 3 287 ab Lawful vpon condition 3 287 b 288 a What discommodities we suffer thereby 3 289 a Why the Apostles gaue no precept thereof 3 290 b Whether it be lawfull for a minister or pastor hauing cure of soules 3 288 ab Reasons of Tertullian why it should not bee taken 3 288b 289a b 290 a Whether Dauid sinned in that through feare he tooke his Flight to Achis 3 291 b 292. 293 The aronmentes which make for it aunswered 3 294 ab 295 ab What kinde of sinne it to Achis was 3 295 b Fo. Foolishnesse Foolishnesse a cause of contumelie 2 529 b Foote The measure of a Foot according to the Greeks Latines 1 130 b Forbearance Gods Forbearance is no cleare discharge from vengeance 3 386b 387 ab ¶ Looke Long sufferance Patience Foreknowledge of God Gods Foreknowledge is not the nature the essence or being of our minde 2 278 a It doth nothing hinder our free will as Cicero saith 2 277 b 278 a 3 39a 36 b 40 a 38 b It letteth not the possibilitie of things 3 37 a Ciceroes maner of reasoning against it 2 277 b 3 38 a 39 a It inuerteth not the nature of things 3 37 ab Touching all things confessed 2 277 a It compelleth not things which shall come to passe to come to passe 3 40 b It changeth not the nature of causes 3 39 a What necessitie belongeth thereunto 3 41 a Howe it and his predestination doe agree and differ 3 8 b It must not be separated from his will 3 36 b The certaintie of Gods Foreknowledge 3 37 b 3a It ought not to call vs back from indeuour of praying â— 3 b To the same al things are present 2 587 b It is no let to good workes 3 3 a A necessitie by supposition therein 1 209 b Wee denie God to bee God if we denie it 3 38 a Diuerse pointes touching the same noted 3 35 b Howe Gods predestination is called his Foreknowledge 3 11 a ¶ Looke Predestination Forespeaking Of Forespeaking or foretelling called Omen 1 61 a The examples of diuerse holie men that followed Forespeaking and whether we may follow them or no 1 61 ab 62 a Foretelling Of a kinde of Foretelling which is not prophesie 1 82 a How spirites in Foretelling of things to come may be deceiued 1 82 b 83 a Whether the Foretelling of things to come be granted vnto spirites 1 81 b 82 a ¶ Looke Diuination Forgetfulnesse How Forgetfulnesse may be said to be in God 1 109 ab ¶ Looke Obliuion Forgiue Whether to punish and to Forgiue be contraries 4 288 b Forgiuenesse Whether the Forgiuenesse of iniuries be meritorious 3 114 ab Forgiuenesse or imputation apprehended by saith cannot bee powred into our children proued by two similitudes 2 243 b Euen the holiest of all stand in neede of Forgiuenesse 3 55 a ¶ Looke Remission Forme One qualitie cannot bee the Forme of another 3 74 a 75 a What shoulde bee the Forme of faith if there were any 3 75 b Not alwaies that whereby another thing is wrought