thincking diligētly of the mater to trauel straight downe to my frends both I thought it no way to be any greate ease their dwelling being so far of and also as I wel considered my cōming in that hote time of the plague mighte seme neither void of danger nor suspition Therfore for want of a better chifte I concluded to retourne to Oxforde nothing doubting by Goddes helpe amongst other which remained there as well as I to prouide wel inoughe for meselfe But sodainly not long after my comming backe see I praye you what matter I had of discoragement my neighboure hard by me fell sicke of the Pestilence Here I remēbred one of Virgils verses who saythe in one of his Ecloges these wordes VVhen fired is thy neighboures wall Surely thy daunger is not small Therefore my minde gaue me that it was nowe highe time for mee to stirre and by and by as the phrase is I remoued away spedily with bag baggage not only content in this case but also verye well apaide of a lodging somwhat simpler than mine other was Thether therfore I fled and there as I mighte I tooke my rest Anone after woorde came vnto me that my laundresse also whiche washed my clothes had her house visited in like manner Wherewithall if I shoulde say I was neuer a whitte moued I dare say I shoulde hardly be beleeued of a greate meinie Howe muche more might I haue bene troubled hearing the belles knolling both day and night for such as but the day before hadde bene mery lustie and in good liking yea and seing also daily and hourely whole housholdes going with corpses by my windowe side But God alwayes be thanked and praised for it althoughe my bodye in deede was in some daunger yet my minde nathelesse was not much brought out of quiete Who as I soughte not deathe wilfully which I studied by all honest meanes to auoide so yet notwithstanding my delighte in the worlde was not so greate but that hartily I could haue yeelded to Gods calling In the meane time seeing it pleased God to deliuer me as it wer out of the Dragons mouthe I thought it my duty to embrace as it wer that light whiche seemed more than halfe in darkenesse to be offered presented to me and amōgst those euils and great perils wherewith I was then assailed to see whether I coulde pike out any good Whereuppon hauing aduised meselfe I sawe forthwith redy at mine elboe pen inke and paper and sufficient furniture of bokes thereto suche leasure oportunitie was ministred vnto me on all sides that I could not possibly wishe greater Breefely my minde being at peace and rest there was nothing that mighte hinder me from well doing Therefore that I mighte not vtterly be vnthanckefull to almightye God and at leaste wise testifie my good meaning towardes his deare espouse the congregation I was fullye purposed with my selfe to bequeathe as who saythe to the broade worlde some poore token and monumente of my good will. And in this case deare brother in our Sauioure Christe I referre it verily to thine owne conscience whether with any thing more frutefully my thought might haue ben holdē occupied than euen with this passing worthy most high and excellent consideration of that whiche can neuer be praised inoughe I say of Goddes endlesse Prouidence Whereof long before in a great meinie and now presently in meselfe suche great proofe and experience was shewed vnto me that I supposed I shuld do very euil not to make other partakers of suche wholesome lessons as thereby I meself had then learned From mine earnest trauelling wherin althoughe I knewe I mighte be discouraged by reason of myne owne insufficiencie yet was I greatly comforted by the saying of a certaine wise man affirming that in magnis voluisse sat est that is to say in the enterprising of great things it is enoughe to put forwarde a well willing purpose What paines I haue taken and what I haue broughte to passe that mighte make for the furtheraunce of the christian reader that will I gladly referre to their iudgemente that haue perused other wryters of the same matter Who by suche diligente conference as shall be voide of affecaffection and parcialitie shall quickly perceyue without muche adoe bothe what I haue added of mine own doing agreably to the doctrine of sound religion and with what choyse and circumspection I haue now and then borowed the authoritie of many other Once this wil I boldly say which I trust vpon farther trial shal be openly manifestly proued true Ther is nothing auouched in this whole work of a singular and priuate iudgement which kinde of teaching although I know it be plausible in ytching eares that take pleasure in nouelties and straunge things yet of my part I delight not in it Yea I wil say farther Ther is not one thing taught in this discourse not verie well concording with the receyued fayth of Chrystes Churche and verie consonant to the rule of holy scrypture There is nothing therfore I am wel assured that any godly learned man will mislyke The godly learned man say I and I pray thee reader marke wel my wordes for the superstitious I deny not wil in deede find great fault whō bicause they are the enimies of gods truth I would be lothe to satisfie in any wise And this hitherto speak I frely with good cōsciēce of the lerning mater of this boke Touching the fourm methode whych I haue vsed I do the christian Reader to vnderstād that in this my processe I haue folowed that kind of order which the Rethoricians Melancthon namely termeth by the name of Doctrinall Therefore wryting of Gods Prouidence bycause I would not haue men thynke that I speake as Plato dyd of hys common weale or Tullie of his perfit Orator describing that which neither is nor shal be I declare first and formoste that Gods Prouidence is not an idle and bare name of a thyng that is no wher to be had but that which is hath bene and shal be euer And hereof make I open proofe in my two former bookes alleaging in my firste booke certaine groundes and foundations whereuppon I builde this my doctrine and replying in my seconde booke againste their fonde and vaine reasons which by all meanes possible woulde impugne it In my thirde booke I procede to disclose the nature of Gods Prouidēce giuing thee reader to vnderstād that it is not all one as some ignorant think either with Destinie or else Predestination much lesse with the naked prescience and for knowledge which some only wold ascribe to Gods power Which Prouidence after I haue defined what it is at large I bothe proue and handle in the same booke euery membre and clause of the definition After this in my fourthe boke so farre as I am led by holy scripture I vtter the power of Gods gouernement opening after what sorte God ruleth the inferioure bodyes by the superioure the earthly
woulde haue thoughte he had bene out of daunger when sodeynely come after hym wyth huon crye suche as were charged to pursue hym makyng very diligent enquirie whether any bodye had passed thereaway To whom they answered agayn that sauing one certayne man whome the rauens and the Iayes had muche troubled in his goyng they sawe vtterly no body yet that they myghte soone coniecture that he was a naughtie packe and vngracious body and that they themselues gathered no lesse by the straunge dealing of the iayes and the rauens adding further that if they woulde hie them a good pase it was an easie matter to ouertake him They did so as they were aduised by meanes whereof the wretch being by and by apprehended was soone after executed vpon the whéele Fabritius saithe that he himselfe was present at his deathe and not a little maruailed at his pacience whiles he suffered those horrible and grifly paines which commonly all they endure that abide suche a cruel shamefull deathe for he neither roared nor lamented as in that case a great many do but at euery wounde which was giuen him by the tormentor he cried heartely vnto God with déepe sighes acknoweledging therewith the maruellous Prouidence of almightie God wherof he had séene so great proofe The .xiiij. Chapter Examples out of the Scripture to proue Gods Prouidence WOulde ye haue me bring foorth vnto you an other kinde of examples as thoughforsoth our whole lyfe were not full But be it so hardly Whence then shall we fetche them whence better than from the Scriptures For O maruellous God surely when I reade of the straunge méeting betwixte Abrahams seruaunt and Rebecca I am euen amased to consider it Whereof that ye may the better vnderstand the whole story I will set it out and declare it the more at large When the good olde man father Abraham béeing now at the laste caste perceaued he drue towardes his graue for age is a preamble to deathe he charged his seruaunt to procure a mariage for his son Isaac that not out of the number of the Cananites amongst whom at that time he led his life but rather oute of the race of his auncestors Which also he shoulde do vpon an assured confidence in Gods promises which he helde for certayne and out of doubte And to the intent he should not faile him in so waightie a case he caused him for his better assuraunce to take an othe Vpon this the seruaunt most worthy of credite and estimation for his faythful and good behauiour well waying and considering his maisters words vpon a conscience that he had to perfourme hys faythed and sworne loyaltie and in respecte of that eye which séeth what euery body dothe and with what carefulnesse and true feare of God he is faythfull in the accomplishing of his affayres first he moueth this question whether he mighte bring Isaac his masters sonne sonne backe againe into his natiue countrey the mayde affiaunced refusing to take any long iourney But when Abraham could not abide to heare of this still charging commaunding him in playne wordes not in any wise to conuey hys sonne homewarde where he was borne but to followe that which he was called to not doubting of Gods assistaunce in so godly an enterprise as that was he tooke leaue of his master and all his housholde and after he had trauayled a long voyage at the laste he came into Chartas a citie of Mesopotamia where he setteth his Camels to resse in the shade to the intent he might ease them of their labour In the meane time wel remembring his masters lesson and knowing that his good successe depended wholly on Gods Prouidence what did he O worthy example and méete of all Christians to be followed Hée wente not as some woulde haue done to consulte with wysardes neither did he séeke helpe of sorcerers or fledde for his refuge to the enchaunters no nor yet asked he any counsayle at what houre he mighte come to haue his purpose All these things verily and such like he either estemed as méere vanities or else detested also as vngodly meanes But what did he falling downe vppon his knées before God O Lorde sayth he the God of my master Abraham prosper I beséeche thée mine attempt that this day I haue vndertaken and extende thy goodnesse towardes my maister Beholde I stande héere before this well and the damosels of this citie come foorth to drawe water Graunte therfore that it so fall out that the maide to whome I shall say I pray thée set downe thy tankarde that I may drinke and she say drinke thy selfe and I will giue thy camels drinke also that I say it may be she whom thou hast moste certaynly prouided for thy seruaunt Isaac and that I may be certified by this token that thou haste delte graciously with my maister Thus loe he behaued himselfe I say this godly seruaunt of the Patriarke Abraham and in this maner he procéeded in his sute Wherfore who could not iustly maruell at the singular good zeale of this worthy man Or who could prayse as it deserueth euery clause particle of his prayer wherein fayth and wysedome as it were goodly dyamonds be so apparaunt for that he not passing vppon other things dependeth onely vpon god and in him reposeth his whole hope that surely is to be ascribed to his great wisedome conioyned with a lyke godly purpose And wheras he is persuaded of his masters God that he is a generall sanctuarie for all men that will flée vnto him for succour and asketh and wayteth at his hande for an happie conclusion of his voyage that eteraynely is a signe and token of an excellent passing good fayth What was therefore his rewarde with what successe went he forwarde or in his matter that he wente about For it is a worthy thing doubtlesse to consider howe graciously they are thought vppon that feare god Hée hadde all his will at the first asking for before his prayer was fully ended sée the straunge case foorthe of the citie commeth Rebecca not glystering I warraunte youe with any brayded haire nor trymly garnyshed wyth Golde but as it became a vertuous and godly mayde very soberly decent and comely with hir earthen vessell that shée carried about hir vpon hir shoulder a very beautifull damosel to looke to and therto also a pure mayde downe goeth shée to drawe water she filleth hir stone potte and vp she commeth agayne The seruaunt we speake of séeing this thoughte by and by with him selfe this geare goeth as I would haue it nowe it is highe tyme for mée to stirre What will yée more he renneth mée to hir straighte wayes praying hir that he might drinke oute of hir vessell Wherevnto very curteously she consented Yea moreouer whyles the seruaunte béeing thirstie dranke a good draught I will draw water quod the Damsell for the camels too that they also may be satisfied Could any thing chance more luckely or more according to his
a great chafe proclaymed warre agaynst God commaunding all his subiects that were skilled either in the crossebowe or the long bowe or were cunning in flinging of the darte or any other instruments of warfare vppon payne of death to bring foorthe their artillarie and to bende all their ordinaunce agaynst the skie What will yée more the fonde Emperour founde as foolishe subiectes that fayled not in all poyntes to doo hys will. But what followed All their dartes and arrowes falling downe agayne vppon their owne heades slewe a great number of the common people assembled by all likelyhoode to sée this so wise a spectacle Haue we not nowe trowe ye a like case in hande yes surely haue we For these curious carpers that can neuer be satisfied nor content bicause they stande iolily in their owne conceyts and thinke nothing well ordered wherein they them selues haue not to do beginne to murmure and picke quarels in great haste to shoote out their foolishe boltes agaynst God and his maruellous Prouidence farre passing the reach of all mens wittes But in the meane time what get they by it When they woulde wreake their téene and spitte oute their poysoned malyce agaynst God they may be well assured they mysse fowlly of their purpose For in steade of preuayling agaynst God their blasphemous slaunders like mightie dartes and sharpe arrowes lighting heauily and violently on their owne heades turne vtterly to their owne destruction The .ij. Chapter Our vvilles bee not forced by Gods Prouidence whereof they be instruments BVT nowe lette vs beginne to ioyne battayle and to approche somewhat nygher to their armies First what maner of menne bée they and howe come they furnished and appoynted Certaynely there is no cause why we shoulde feare them what face soeuer they sette on the matter For eyther they bée suche kinde of menne as the famous aunciente father Clemens Alexandrinus speaketh of in hys seuenth booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 VVho not perceyuing the libertie of mans soule which touching voluntarie actions can not bee compelled to any thraldome and taking to hearte thinges done by vnskilfull iniustice thinke there is no God or else suche as falling to sensualitie or else besides their expectation lighting on some lamentable misfortunes and pitifully bewayling their owne state through impaeiencie runne into the lyke follies either grossely professing playne Atheisme or else if they confesse there is a God yet saying at leastwise that he seeth not all thinges which be done all tending in effecte to one poynte For what engines of artillarie bring they foorthe or wyth what rammes woulde they batter downe the mightie walles of Gods Prouidence Firste and foremoste séeming to bée very carefull for mannes state and presuming they shoulde be better ruled by their owne wils than by Gods. Oh say they if this doctrine shoulde take place what shoulde then become of oure frée wyll Loe yée here theÌ„ buylders of the greate towre of Babylon crying out Let vs goe make vs a citie and a towre so high that the toppe may reach to heauen and saying as it is in S. Iames his Epistle To daye and to morrowe we wyll goe into suche a citie and there we will spend our time a whole yere and we will make oure bargaynes and we wil be gayners A proude vaunte I ensure you of an arrogant sort of men But no force God willing you shall sée them scattered by and by Onely I will demaunde of them this question Of what libertie doo they speake is it of that which we receyued in our first creation No man can chalenge that which wil acknowledge him selfe raunsomed by Iesus Chryst For if we be redéemed it is necessarily presupposed that we were once captiues if we were captiues we surely loste the libertie which so fréely was giuen vs in oure creation Ille enim captiuus dicitur sayth Chrysostomus expounding these wordes of the .xxv. Psalme Redime me miserere nâ—â—i qui efficitur noÌ„ potestatis suae sed ditionis alienae qui suggestionibus â—ius subditus est That is he is rightely sayde to be a captiue that is become not at his owne frée choyce any more to doo what he liste him selfe but at an other mans ordering and disposition vtterly bounde to do that whiche it shall please his kéeper to put into his head Were we captiues then Yea we were so in déede withoute question and we were captiues not to the Turke or any forrayne Prince but euen to the Prince which ruleth in the ayre and worketh in suche stubborne and wilfull children as woulde néedes be gouerned by their owne will. Therefore touching the lybertie of oure firste creation wée may as soone pype in an yuie leafe as any more haue authoritie to make clayme to that Nam libero arbitrio male vtens homo se perdidit ipsum For when man in Paradise had abused his fréewil he bothe loste him selfe and his fréewill too sayth Sainct Austine What libertie then speake they of in Gods name is it of that which Chryste hathe procured vs by the benefite of oure newe byrthe in Baptisme Neither is that truely so perfecte in thys lyfe but that wée also whiche haue receyued the firste fruites of the spirite sighyng and groning in oure selues may still giue attendaunce for oure adoption that is to say the redemption of oure bodies from many frayle imperfections that they carry with them iustly crying out with Sainct Paule Ah wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of thys death Whiche béeing spoken of sainct Paule in saincte Paules owne person as by the coherencie of the text appeareth and S. Austine in many places coÌ„fesseth reknowledging the same also in his retractations induced as he sayth by the graue authoritie of other godly fathers his predecessours whom he also mentioneth by name writing agaynst the Pelagians whiche I say then béeing spoken of sainct Paule in his owne person whome no manne doubteth to haue bene the very childe of God what shall then any of vs that are regenerate estéeme or déeme of his owne selfe but that at the least he is as muche intangled as he was and wrapte in the wretchednesse of bondage Neither yet doe I therefore derogate from the benefite of oure Sauioure Chryste GOD forbidde Whome the sonne of God hath made frée those I knowe are frée in very déede But from what From all kynde of myserable thraldome that oure greate graundsires guyle hathe brought vppon vs from sicknesse from perill from anguishe of mynde from aduersitie from nakednesse and famine from all kinde of sinnes and infirmities from death it selfe Yea truely But when in this life Yea sir by hope euen in this lyfe So S. Paule also speaketh saying VVe are saued by hope For else should I not only striue against reason but also fight openly with our coÌ„mon sense For who séeth not that deathe sicknesse and afflictioÌ„ with al other kind of calamities be
Gregories farre auncient yet haue I reserued him to vtter vnto vs his profound iudgemeÌ„t in this place is woorthy to stande out for a moderatoure and chéefe decider of this controuersie Giue then O reuerend father thy definitiue sentence Let youre charitie sayeth he listen to me and take good hede vvho disposed in such comely order the preatie members of the fleas gnattes so that they haue their conuenient place they haue their life they haue their mouing Consider but some one litle shorte beast as thou vvilt thy selfe of as small a quantitie as can be thought of Thou vvouldest vvoonder if thou marke but his little limmes hovve euery one of them standeth in order and the quicke nimblenesse of his life that maketh him to bestirre himselfe that in his ovvne defense he may flie from deathe he loueth life he desireth pleasure he shuÌ„neth grefe he hathe the vse of diuers senses he is liuely in that mouing that is onuenyent for him VVho gaue the gnatte such a byting sting to sucke bloude vvith hovve slender a pipe is it that he supperh vvith vvho ordred this geare vvho made them Arte thou stricken vvith horroure vvhen thou thinckest of to little and small matters Prayse then that greate God vvhich vvas the authoure Therfore my brethren keepe this vvell in minde Lot no manne make you to fall from the saithe and from a catholicke and sounde doctrine He made a sille vvorme in the earth that made an Angell in heauen but an Angell in heauen for a celestiall habitation a sily vvoorme in the earthe for a terrestriall dvvelling Did he make an Angell to crepe in the mire or a poore vvoorme to be lodged in heauen Nay he appoynted the enhabitantes to their seuerall mansions he limited incorruption to vncorrupte places and corruptible things to roumes fitte for corruption Marcke it vvell euery vvhit and praise God for all Thus sayeth the good father Austine determining of Gods Prouidence yée sée after what manuer Howe skilfully doth he espie oute the very steppes and tracâ—s as ye woulde say where Gods Prouident care hathe sette foote And woondering thereat very muche not only whiles he considereth it in Goddes Angelles but no lesse also whiles it sheweth it selfe so notoriously in the fashioning of the silie gnatte with what woordes doeth he lay it before our eyes And a righte godly consideration is it oute of doubte and well woorthy to be déepely thoughte of For if God had such a curious eye in his firste framing of the poore gnattes proportion What shoulde we thincke that he will do afterwards who is alwayes moste constante in all his doings Surely as he beganne his greate Prouidence in the creation and woorckemanshippe of the poore beaste so will he holde on with the like fauoure in preseruing a creature of his owne making But yet héere stayeth not S. Austine Who truely is so farre of from depriuing any thing of Goddes gouernement that the very hayle frost and the snowe by his iudgement is not priuileged from Goddes subiection For very sone after examining and scanning these woordes Ignis grande nix and so forthe These things considering sayeth he the spirite of prophecie vvhen he had sayde fire haile snovve frost and the spirite of tempest all vvhiche things some fooles thincke to be oute of order and to be tosted as it vvere by happes aduenturous he added thereunto the clause VVHICH DOE HIS COMMAVNDEMENT Let not those things then seeme to thee to be moued at a venture vvhich neuer fall nor moue any vvay but to doe suche homage and seruice as God appoynteth The .ix. Chapiter That Gods especiall Prouidence pertaineth also to the meanest creatures he shevveth out of Plotine and Plato himself WIth what face then can it be saide of Tullie that the harme and damage which is done by tempests falleth not out by the woorcke of Gods Prouidence Howe can he say that God careth not for small things Iwis if he had hard but his owne secte the Platonickes I meane and Plato himselfe the authority of whose very name he woulde séeme so highly to aduaunce coulde he euer haue fallen into suche a foule erroure Plotine without question who estemed as much of Plato as euer Tullie did whiles he clarkly reasoneth of Gods Prouidence proueth by the beautie that is in floures and leaues that procéeding froÌ„ the highe God whose amiable and louely grace might be sooner conceaued than vttered it goeth forward reaching to these earthly and base things in the worlde All which things being in manner as cast away and tootoo soone fading and falling downe he maketh it plaine to vs by a strong argument that they coulde neuer haue suche a passing feature of their proportion ne were it not that from thence they had fetched their shape where the intelligible fourme that is vnalterable hauing all graces together in himselfe hathe his abyding Plato himself in his tenth booke which he wryteth of Lawes maketh a certain Dialoge betwixte one Clinia and hys hoste of Athens The very scope wherof directly tendeth againste Tullies Doctrine Which to this ende and purpose that it may be the better knowne I wil bring in the speakers talking with the very same woordes that they do in Plato The hoste The Physicion if he loke not to small matters appertaining to his pacients health shall it goe vvell vvith hys vvhole cure Clinia Noe it shall not The hoste No more shall gouernoures nor graunde capitaines nor suche as haue care of housholdes nor any officers or magistrates in commoÌ„ vveales nor none other suche vvithoute a fevve and small things set in order deale vvel in many and great affairs For neither say the masons can the greate stones be vvell laide in the building of an house vvithoute the small stones be vvell tempered and layed vvith morter Clinia That is true The hoste Let vs not therefore suppose that God is inferioure to these common mortall artificers but that he is bothe vvilling and able also to haue care of small matters asvvell as greate The .x. Chapiter He ansvvereth an obiection made against him out of S. Paul vvherby it vvould seme that god hath no care of oxen PLato goeth forwarde for he debateth the cause more at large But what is Tullie or any other euer able to reply against that which Plato hath already spoken Yes for soothe there coÌ„meth now somewhat to remembraunce that commonly oute of the scriptures is obiected For S. Paule wryting to the Corinthians when he had applied these woordes of the law to his purpose Thou shalt not mustell the mouthe or the oxe that treadeth out the corne he addeth Doth God take care for oxen But tooto manifest it is to them that well weighe the place that S. Paules meaning was nothing lesse than to debarre anye Oxen from the tuition of Goddes care Which if he had done how shoulde he haue agréed with that saying of the Prophet Dauid who wondering at the depth of Gods Prouidence when he
hath bene done often times both before and since And let vs neuer be so fonde to thinke that his hande is nowe shorter than it was before especially agaynste our owne experience But if somtimes the contrary fal out that we séeme in a maner to be neglected whyles God suffereth our enimies to treade vs downe yet let vs neuer be our owne iudges in condemning Gods fatherly Prouidence and too muche iustifying of our selues let vs rather be of this beliefe that God suffereth vs to be foyled for oure owne deserts Wherof if there be no apparaunt cause yet neuerthelesse thinking alwayes the beste of Gods doings let vs still learne pacience and humilitie Whervnto if we apply our selues as surely that we ought to do I am most certayne then euen in the middest of our aduersitie be we neuer so left naked of worldly ayde we shal recreate our selues with this sentēce the lord gaue the lord toke away blessed be the name of the lord then with Mauricius the emperor séeing his wife led to execution we shall be ready to breke out into this cōfession thou art iust lord thy iudgmēt is right Finally whatsoeuer shal become of vs we shall always be thus persuaded that God hath al the bones of the righteous in his custodie not so much as one of thē shal be broken that not one haire of our head shall perishe yea and that more is that he will not suffer our teares to fall on the grounde but kéeping a due reckning of them that he will put them vp diligently into his bottell Oh the wonderfull kyndnesse of almightie God O deare loue O vnspeakable tendernesse We were wonte to maruel at the great humanitie that was in Theseus who disdayned not with hys owne hands to wash the carkasses of his souldiers dead bodies that were slayne at the siege of Thebes But let vs now no more talke of him whose great curtesie in comparison we may estéeme as nothing For first let vs consider I beseeche you what he is that ouer vs séely wormes of the earth sheweth him selfe to be so deare tender Is he like Theseus a mortall creature No it is euen he that fourmed vs of the slyme of the earth by whom kings holde their dominions him selfe béeing Lorde of all Lordes and altogither perelesse of his estate And whose teares be they that he gathereth vp not the teares of Angels I warrande you for no suche humor can light on them but the teares of vs sinnefull creatures whose infirmities and imperfections be oute of number whose vnclennesse is far more lothsome than the ordure and filth of any carreyn Go too then ye cruell tyraunts poure out your furious rage whyles ye liste drinke ye vp the bloude of Gods innocente lambes freyte away your selues till your hearts ake the venime of your cursed dealing shall worke in the ende but your owne woe Well in déede may ye shoote out your empoysoned boltes well may ye storme and stirre vp strife but at the last when ye haue scarse touched their outwarde garment I say the weake vesture of their fleshe ye your selues shall horribly bée plagued for it in the flaming fornace of hell fyre In the meane tyme be yée neuer so insolent in youre proude attemptes yet knowe it for a certaynetie ye haue your race appoynted which ye muste runne and a cōpasse limitted which ye may not passe Out of the which if ye would wander go at large there is a hooke prepared for you and neuer doubt of it that very spéedily shall make you to retire And thou welbeloued of God that now sighest and gronest for thy deliueraunce doubt not but thy Lorde Iesus wil come with spéede Thinke him not to long I pray thée nor do not faynt especially hauing this persuasion that thou shalte sée the Lordes goodnesse in the lande of the liuing Therfore to go forward with the wordes of the Psalme O tarry thou deare brother the Lordes leasure be strong and he shall comfort thine heart and put thou thy trust in the Lorde Call now then to thy remembraunce what comfortable and louing promisses God himselfe hath made thée in holy Scripture when thou arte bidden to caste thy burthen vppon none but him he promising him selfe that he will nourish thée and that he will not suffer the righteous to fall for euer And who woulde not take vnto him a good heart yea though he were in maner at deathes doore when he shoulde heare his soueraigne and liege Lorde so amiably speaking vnto him in this maner Can a woman forget hir child not haue cōpassion on the son of hir womb Though they should forget yet wil I not forget thee Beholde I haue grauen thee vpon the palme of mine hands Heare ye me O ye house of Iacob and all that remayne of the house of Israell which are borne of me from the wombe and brought vp of me from the birthe Therefore vnto olde age I the same euen I wil beare you vntill the hore haires I haue made you I wil also beare you I wil cary you I wil deliuer you If we féele the yoke of our affliction so heauily pressing vpō our shoulders that we are nowe almost redy to fall vnder it The Lorde vpholdeth sayth the Psalmist all that fall and lifteth vp al that are ready to fall Let nothing then make you carefull séeing the Lorde so ready at your elbowe These many other such swéete promises God maketh vs by his Prophetes in his worde And should we doubt whether we shoulde beléeue hym yea or no What cause haue wée to discredite him hath he not preserued vs hitherto from oure mothers wombe when we were hardly and daungerously beset Did he euer fayle vs at our néede when we called faythfully and vnfaynedly vppon his name Hath he not deliuered vs from the power of darknesse and translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne Hath he not iustified vs and sanctified vs and made vs an holy people vnto him selfe Yea what will we more He hath giuen vs his owne sonne oure Lord and sauiour Chryst to be our raunsome and will he denie vs that which is much lesse in value He hath hitherto bene our gracious good Lorde and will he nowe shake vs of and giue vs ouer Nay he hath sayde the worde and without doubt he will neuer reuoke it He that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye So long then as we walke with a good conscience why should we feare For it is better sayth the Apostle Peter if the will of God be so that well dooing we should suffer smarte than to endure punishment for euill dooing But it gréeueth vs to runne into slander when we haue well deserued and to lose the credite of a good name that is painfully purchased by a vertuous life that is more bitter to vs than death it selfe A
enimies grounde in the harde and roughe season of the winter a rebellion was stirred vp agaynst him wherein the same Phocas into whose handes he hearde before in hys dreame howe he was deliuered was in the fielde appoynted and proclaymed Emperour of a great meynie of souldiers that swarmed about him Who afterwards departing to Constantinople and there taking the citie into his subiection which was then brought into a great vprore through the negligence of them that shoulde haue looked vnto it he was established in the throne of hys Empire by the consent of the Patriarch and all the people O harde case whyther nowe flieth Mauricius for his refuge Into a Monasterie But welaway it woulde stande hym but in a lyttle stéede For soone after when some woulde haue refused to submitte them selues vnto Phocas saying that their former Emperoure was yet alyue thys sayde Phocas was so gréeued at it that he soughte nothing more earnestly than the vtter destruction of hys Predecessoure And therefore sendyng his warrioures in postehaste to fetche him foorthwith out of his cloyster where he and hys noble familye woulde nowe full gladly haue hydde them selues he caused them béeing broughte to Calcedon one after an other to be miserably mangled and dismembred In the meane time with what a wofull heart was this poore Emperoure trowe ye the beholder of this terrible execution But yet suche was his christian constancie when he saw his deare wife and children so vnmercifully handled of this bloudy Tyraunte he neuer murmured nor repyned agaynst God but considering how muche more he had deserued by the iuste rigour of Gods dome with hands and heart lifte vp to heauen he eftesones repeated this clause of the Psalme Iustus es domine rectum indicium tuum That is to say thou arte iuste Lorde and thy iudgement is right And what else taught him this great pacience but his setled persuasion of Gods Prouidence Wherewith this godly and christian Emperour if he had not stayed and borne vp him selfe ah how woulde his heart haue bled as it were with extreme sorrow and heauinesse what desperate sighes and vnquiet words would he haue vsed But nowe that this peace of God hath possessed his charitable and milde breste not onely he beareth with a good will the mercylesse butchering of his dearest friends but he is ready also and willing his owne selfe to giue ouer his life in the same torments Knowing therfore that in Gods sighte the death of his saincts is precious to make an ende of this pitifull and heauy tragedie like a méeke lambe he yeldeth vp himselfe into the furious Tyrants bloudy hands I beséech you now that which moued you let it also take place with vs whatsoeuer miserie we sustayne whatsoeuer sorrowe or calamitie light vpon vs let vs alwayes arme our selues with thys thought that it is Gods only hande that is layd vpon vs And therwithal so often as we call to minde that broade eye that séeth and vicweth al things that dredsul presence that nowhere can be excluded that eare that heareth euery man speake he neuer with so softe a voyce that vnderstanding that pierceth to the very thoughts of our heart Let vs obserue in any wise that diuine precepte that is giuen vs by the good father Chrysostomus in our counsels circumspecte in our sayings thrise well aduised in our enterprises procéeding not without great deliberation in our doings fearefull to offende in oure thoughts vnspotted and trée from blemishe in all oure life carefull howe we guyde oure steppes hauing our accounte in readynesse whensoeuer it shall be called for at that high iudgement seat our lampes burning with inflamed charitie our eyes still attending vpon oure Lorde euen as the handmayde awayteth vpon hir mystresse vntill suche time as he haue mercy vpon vs. O that we were neuer so stryken blinde but that in the middest of all ill temptations we might be stil loking vpō this rule looking vpon it I say that we might well remember it well remēbring it that we might rightly way it rightly weying it that we might accordingly do after it We should not then as it is sayd of the foolish oystridge and the wodcock thinke all things were safe with vs and cocksure when we had blindly hid oure heades in a darke hole we woulde not then be so much delited with such ceūter◠feite and cloked holynesse as in effecte is nought else but starke hypocrisie but we would be in déede as we would séeme But O Lady vertue thou that shouldest be the guydresse of mannes lyfe on earth into what vnknowen coastes arte thou exiled long agoe Thou wast wont with thine owne amiablenesse to allure and drawe vnto thée thy louers yea though all other considerations were set aparte Insomuche that if we had Gyges his ring vpon our finger wherewithall we might walke inuisible and neither man or God sée what we went about yet nothing would we attempt at any tyme either in déede or worde or imagination not seemely for the worthynesse of mans nature And is nowe the worlde commen at laste to this poynte that neither reason can rule vs nor méede prouoke vs nor daunger fray vs nor conscience pricke vs nor shame reclayme vs nor the terrour of Gods wrath pul vs backe nor his presence agast vs nor the eye of his Prouidence make vs to looke aboute our selues Iesu god into what a carelesse securitie are we brought The conclusion of this fourth booke BVt there is better hope I truste to be conceyued whereof I doubte not but very shortly we shall sée the fruite especially if we will listen diligently and giue eare to this wholsome doctrine Our foundation we haue layde already vpon a rocke which will neuer fayle vs if we builde not beside it there is no doubt but all will be well inough We haue begon very commendably God alwayes be praysed for it and why we should not agreably go forward if the fault be not in our selues I sée no cause Onely let vs shake off sluggishnesse as the chéefe roote and occasion of all euill that our profession be not stayned or disgraced wilfully by our negligence and with handes and hearts lifte vp to the throne of grace let vs ioyntly with one consent call to God without ceassing for the heauenly ayde of his protection O Lorde the buckler of our defence our strong hold and sanctuarie of refuge couer vs we beséeche thée vnder the shadow of thy wings least Sathan our ancient enimie like a wilie kite snatche vs vp séeing thou hast translated vs out of the power of darkenesse into the kingdome of thy deare sonne expell from vs from hencefoorth all myste of errour and clense vs from al pollution of the spirite and the flesh that béeing made méete for the inheritaunce of thy sainctes in light we may sing for euer with clere brestes glory honoure and prayse to thy holy name confirme we beséeche thée that good worke which thou haste begonne
dominion ouer the vvoorkes of thine handes and thou haste putte all things in subiection vnder his feete all shepe and oxen yea and the beasts of the field the foules of the aire and the fishes of the sea and vvhat so euer vvalketh through the pathes of the sea And yet will fonde Epicure open his polluted mouth and say God hathe not wel prouided for mankinde and yet wil he coÌ„plaine of disorder he himselfe most disordered of al other telling vs that the world is out of frame O vaine man if I might call thée a man nay rather godlesse monster patched vp of blasphemies and loude lies The .ix. Chapter Gods Prouidence is proued out of scripture WHiles I am héere aboute to make a pause mée thinketh I am pulled at on bothe elboes Sir saith one sorte you tell vs a tale out of Philosophie you shoulde rather teache vs out of the word of God which with your vocation is more sitting And by and by sayth an other companie Where is all this while the consent of the Church that we may knowe you speake not your owne phantasie I will make a bréefe answer to them bothe Pacience a while I pray you that I may satisfie your reasonable expectation But to you my frendes in the meane time a worde or two In this greate corruption of our nature which our grauÌ„dsire Adam hathe broughte vpon vs we are not yet God be thanked left so bare but that euen in these our ashes there be raked some sparkes of fire and although it be in déede throughe a small clifte that it appeareth yet the dawning of Christe our day starre is not vtterly shutte oute of our heartes And I speake this of vs as we are not regenerate newe borne by Gods especiall sanctifying spirite By meanes whereof no doubte the very heathen Philosophers a great meiny of them as partely anone after you shall more perceaue sawe so muche in Gods matters that as S Paul sayth writing to the Romanes they are iustly driuen from all excuse And would you then put our slender sparkes by debarring their due vse and stoppe the course of that little ordinarie light that is lefte vnto vs Nay rather as it is our bounden duetie let vs thinke it oure part to giue God thanks for it and euen take that for an argumente of Gods prouident care that he hath ouer vs. But Scripture in déede muste be preferred neither haue I truly forborne it Which in this case verily dothe offer it selfe in such abundance that no Christian heart can say agaynst it For to speake first of the Psalmes howe often is this doctrine there vrged howe often dothe that kingly Prophete agaynst all aduersities agaynst all enimies that oppressed him set it as a brasen wall yea howe dothe he solace him selfe with the very thought of it what soueraigne comfort doth he conceiue by it The Lorde is my light sayth he and my saluation vvhoÌ„ then shal I feare the Lord is the strength of my life of vvhoÌ„ then shal I be afraide VVhen the vvicked euen mine enimies came vpon me they stumbled and fell Though an hoste of men vvere layde agaynst me yet shall not mine heart be afrayde And in the same Psalme In the time of trouble he shall hide me in his tabernacle yea in the secrete place of hys dvvelling shal he hide me set me vpon a rocke of stone And novve shall he lifte vp mine head aboue mine enimies round about me Therefore vvill I offer in his dvvelling an oblatioÌ„ vvith great gladnes I vvil sing speake prayse vnto the lord Againe in the .xj. Psalme bringing in his friendes by a dialogisme that counsayled him to flée from persecution In the Lorde put I my truste sayth he hovve saye yee then my friendes to my soule that she should flee as a byrde vnto the hyll Héerevnto hée imagineth his friends thus to answer Loe the vngodly bend their bovv and make redy their arovves vvithin the quiuer that they may priuily shote at theÌ„ vvhich are true of hert For the fouÌ„datioÌ„s of the common vveale vvill be cast dovvne At these wordes this Propheticall godly Prince hauing his heart wholely fixed vppon God flteth to Gods Prouidence for his onely refuge Ah sayeth he vvhat hath the iuste done that he shoulde so be entreated But no force the Lorde is in his holy temple the Lordes seate of iudgement is in heauen His eyes consider the poore and his eye liddes trieâ—h the children of men Hovve so euer I stande tovvardes the vvorld The Lorde I knovve vvhose iudgement is incorrupted alovveth the righteous but the vngodly him that deliteth in vvickednesse doth his soule abhorre Therfore as he is a iust iudge no doubt vvheÌ„ he seeth his time vpon the vngodly he shall raine snares fire and brimstone storme tempest this shal be their portion to drink Neither is it to be merueiled at saith the Prophete that he is so zelous in the behalfe of the godly For vvhy the Lord being righteous himselfe necessarily loueth righteousnesse as a qualitie most agreable to his ovvne nature therefore vvith a fauourable aspecte vvill his countenance behoulde the thing that is iuste Thus we sée this heauenly Prophet notwithstanding that he is so dreadfully beset his greatest foes being armed as it were to his destruction the lawes neglected iustice despised and all coÌ„science being vtterly banished and exiled How little yet he shrincketh for all this or geueth place at all to their furie yea howe strongly rather he fortifieth and protecteth himselfe with the inuincible bulworcke of Gods Prouidence So in the ninthe and fourth Psalme after he had greuously poured out his coÌ„plainte againste the triumphing of wicked and bloudthirstie men saying Lord hovve long shall the vngodly hovve long shall the vngodly triumphe Hovve long shal all vvicked doers speake so disdainefully and make suche proude boasting They smite dovvne thy people O Lorde and trouble thine heritage They murder the vviddovve and the straunger and put the fatherlesse to deathe And yet they lay tushe the Lorde shall not see neither shall the God of Iacob regard it Forthwith he beginneth to take hart of grace and very bitterly he inueyeth againste their follie Take heede sayth he ye vnvvise among the people O yee fooles vvhen vvil ye vnderstande He that planted the eare shall he not heare or he that made the eye shall he not see He that is vvont to chastice vvhole nations for their transgressions and to schole men ignoraÌ„t of their duetie vvith his sharpe rodde of correction doe yee not thinke hee vvould be reuenged of you As if he shuld say Nay be you right well assured ye are not priuiledged but according to the wickednesse of your malicious dealings so shall Gods heauie wrathe and indignation lyghte on your neckes And in the nynetie nyne Psalme hée séemeth to vse thys anchor of Gods holsome and comfortable direction to sâ—ays all the raging tempestes of thys troublesome and vnquiet worlde
in the corruption which they sucked of Adam And like as a good horsemā gouerneth in déede all his horses but yet such of thē as haue sounde lims be lusty geldings he maketh to goe liuely and with an easie pace other that be lame ill liking goe vnder him halting and ill fauoredly when he spurreth them forwarde not through the faulte of the horseman but through the lamenesse of the iade which lamenesse notwithstanding could not be perceiued without this spurring forwarde of the horseman euen so God who hath the guiding of vs and can bridle vs and order vs as it pleaseth him vseth to deals with all men that can moue themselues forward whē they are spurned no dout as euery man is so he maketh him to go either soundly if he be regenerate or lamely if he remaine in his corruption Héereof it commeth that God is saide in the seriptures to strike wicked men blinde to harden their heartes to seduce the prophets and send men the spirite of error that they may beléeue lies and so forthe Vpon this occasion it is likewise that tyrantes and notorious euill men be called the Lordes scourges axes hammers and swordes Gods goodnesse therefore his iudgements in all places we acknowledge haue in reuerence yea althoughe we be not able to giue a reason of them Contrarywise the instruments themselues which be euil and their péeuish vngracious doings we condemne I meane the treacherie and wilynesse of Sathan the mercilesnesse of Manlius the enuie and malice of Iosephs brethren the wickednesse and hardnesse of Pharaos hart the rebellious minde and the detestable inceit of Absolon king Dauids adulterie and vaine glorious numbring of his people the rayling and scolding of Semeis the rancor and treason of Dauids ennimies the wicked Apostasie of Ieroboam and the .x. tribes the rauening of y Chaldeans the vnsatiable auarice of the Babilonians their impotent rage and their vntollerable vaūting of themselues the woode fury of the Iewes and Pharisies against Christe Finally we altogither misselike the diuellishe conspiracies and beastly crueltie of all the ennimies of Gods church Whereof we confesse vndoubtedly with S Austine and Eulgentius that God in déede was the very orderer and disposer in as much as he vsed their corruptions as he thoughte best for his glory but in no wise the proper woorker that infused or poured into them suche noughtinesse For that they did euill as the same Austine telleth vs very well it came of themselues But that in sinning against God their noughtinesse shoulde doe this or that it was not in their power but in the power of god Who diuided their darckenesse and dispearsed it in suche order that of this also that they did expressely againste hys will there was nothing brought to passe but his will. That then whiche nowe we haue already spoken touching the cause of sinne we sée it so manifest and plaine a matter that it néedeth not to bée discoursed vppon with any longer processe For I woulde gladly demaunde of the aduersarie what of all thys can bée disproued Will he say that gracelesse men be so priuileaged that there is no God to master them and to kéepe them vnder Let him tell me then why they should haue y prerogatiue Or if he graūt vnto me that GOD maistreth them will he say they are not Gods instruments that serue in the execution of his wil Let him say then how God can be a master towards them which serue him not to any purpose Or if this poysoned infection this venime of cursed malice that lieth lurcking loytering in the bosome of euery lorell be stirred vp by the hand of God as it were the fulsome humor of a carion that is drawne vp by the sunne beames shall we say then that God is defiled with it It were more than abhominable to thincke it to say it open and flatte blasphemie to stande to it damnable apostasie For contrarywise it is so farre off that whereas thrée things concurre in euery euill action asi utia suadentis as S. Augustine sayeth nequitia volentis iustitia punientis the subtilitie of the deuill persuading the péeuishnesse of the man that is willing and the iust vengeance of God punishing and forsaking God only doubtlesse is frée from blame as doing nothing that swarueth from iustice the rest are stained shamefully with all iniquitie They of kinde malice minde nothing but to followe their corrupte desires God of his natiue goodnesse the creator of all things that haue natural existence so measureth al things with iust reckening and euen waightes that those things also whiche were no sinnes no were they not directly against nature may be so iudged and ordered that they trouble not natures vniuersall course Therefore the very doings of naughtie men as they be instrumentes directed by the hand of God to that ende which they little thincke of in nature and substance be Gods good workes on the other side as they be set forwarde by sathans egging and depraued by the corruption of mannes ill will there loe by their deformitie they are espyed to be hatched in the deuils nest Nowe howe this mighte agrée and hang togither that the ▪ same worke should be bothe euill good of the diuers fountaines that it springeth off the diuers endes and markes wherevnto it tendeth and shooteth forwarde if it can not be so well perceiued Anselmus in his booke de casu diaboli so farre foorthe as it toucheth God séemeth by an apte similitude very pretily to open it and set it out saying that like as we are not afrayde to confesse that that is a creature of Gods making which is begotten notwithstanding by mans leudely disposed will for we say God is the creature of that infante which is borne in whordome and adulterie so in some maner of respectes he seeth no cause why we shoulde make daunger to say God had to doo with that worke which neuerthelesse hathe his beginning of an euyll affected disposition To make the matter more playne I pray you was not Gods deliuering of his sonne Chryst to the Iewes by the hand of Iudas as his instrument a good déede it was so questionlesse for it was doone for the saluation of the faythfull Yet it was not good as it came of Iudas who partely carryed away with hatred partely blinded with auarice betrayed his maister After the same maner it may be sayd of the hangman that executeth a fellon at the commaundemente of the Magistrate The dooing whereof may haue two originalles eyther the magistrate whose instrument the hangman is and so this execution of the fellon is good or else the hangman that doeth that which he is about with an inwarde mouing of his owne wherby he also is the cause of the felons death whom he executeth If the hangman therfore put this felone to death for the better maintenance of iustice the execution is good and deserueth commendation but if he
be stirred vp to the slaughter of him with hatred bicause peraduenture he was his enimie whom he is about to dispatche out of the way then can he not chose before God but he must nedes be gyltie of his death So we sée the the same worke as it may be considered in two seuerall respects is bothe a good worke and it is faultie also and one way to be done laudably an other way with blame and shame inoughe Euen so wée say of God who althoughe hée worke all thinges willingly whyche be done in the worlde yet dothe he not all thinges with the same mynde as peraduenture do some of his instrumēts by whom he worketh neither willeth them to be done with the same intente which maketh Gods works to be prayse worthy mans doinges oftentimes to be nothing so Thus farre I haue trauelled metely wel in loasing this same knot of Gordius I say in discussing such a doubtfull and harde poynt as being let alone might peraduēture rather haue woūded a weake conscience than haue any thing edified the reader Yet if this that is sayde be not sufficient I dare vndertake that S. Austine might supply the rest He in his Enchiridion furnishing vs very handsomly with a feate example Presuppose sayth he that an vntovvard child vvish the death of his father vvhom god also vvould haue to dye In this case vve see God and the vnthrifty childe vvil in dede both one thing namely the death of the man But is this naughtie sonne therefore to be allovved No. For God and he vvilled it not bothe after one sorte For the vnthriftie sonne vvilleth it to enioy his fathers goods God vvilleth it to ridde him out of miserie if he be of the elect or to giue him due punishment in case he be othervvise By this it appeareth howe vaine and foolishe their talke is that come in with suche fonde obiections If a théefe be the minister of Gods will why finde wée faulte with him if a murtherer execute Gods iudgements why is he not rewarded for truely the aunswere is soone made Their meaning was not say I as Gods was Whose will and pleasure if they had so greatly desired to satisfie why followed they rather that their frowarde and desperate inclination than Gods will reueled in his worde Hereby also we may learne what to aunswere them which will obiect Gods hatred agaynst sinne and suche as be delighted with a naughtie life saying If God stirre vp sinners to doo euill and make them vessels of reproche howe can he hate them or their sinnes and not rather loue them and make muche of them For he hateth nothing of those things which he made Sa. 12. To this Austine replieth writing ad Simplicianū after this maner as it foloweth VVheras God of the number of the wicked whom he doth not iustifie maketh vesselles seruing to reproche he hateth not in them that which he made for asfarfoorthe as they be wicked they be odible in hys sighte But as farfoorth as they be vessels they be made to some vse that by the punishement that is ordeyned for them the vesselles which be made to honoure may take profite Therefore God hateth not the vessels of reproch neither as they be men nor as they be vessels That is to say neither that which he made in them by creating nor that which he dothe in them by ordayning For he hateth nothing of those things that he made But yet that he maketh them vessels of perdition he dothe it for this vse that other may be corrected For he hateth wickednesse in them which was not of his making And as a Iudge hateth thefte in a man but he hateth not his punishment that he is condemned to a minepitte to digge for metall for the thefte was of the theeues dooing the punishement the Iudges appoynting So God whereas he maketh vessels of perdition of the dough of the wicked he hateth not that whiche he maketh that is to say the worke of his casting them away that perish in such paynes as are due vnto them whereby suche as he hath mercy vppon finde occasion ministred vnto them of saluation So it was sayde to Pharao For this purpose haue I styrred thee vp that I may shevve my povver vppon thee and that my name mighte be spoken of throughout all the earth This shewing foorth of Gods power this bruting of his name throughout al the earth helpeth to make them to stande in awe and to seeke the reformation of their owne wayes vnto vvhome suche an effectuall callyng appertayneth So sayth Austine whereby it is manefystly shewed that the worke and the deformitie of the worke be not all one So then that acte which in some respect is a sinne namely for that it erreth from Gods lawe tendeth not to that end which it ought to leuell at and moreouer fayleth of that due perfection y might iustly be required in it That act I say which is a sinne and is wroughte as Holcotte writeth vpon the booke of wisdome both by God and man after some sorte on Gods behalfe by whome mans hydden malice is only caused to come foorth like an adder that is pulled oute of his hole is done iustly and therefore it hath not in it the nature of sinne so farre foorthe as it is done of god But as it is done by man it is done vniustly and therfore as it is wrought by him it may properly bee called sinne And for this cause according to Austines minde God is not the author of sinne bicause although that thing whiche is a sinne is done of God yet for any thing that God dothe in it it is no sinne Hitherto Holcote some what obscurely in déede but yet not without a good reason For although the déede it selfe that is nought commeth of God yet this noughtinesse that is in it can not iustly be layde to Gods charge Who maketh bothe the worke and the man that dothe it to serue his moste holy and vnblamed purpose Vnnaturall therefore and vngodly was the dealing of Iosephs brethren that made sale of their brother Ioseph and woulde sende him into forrein countreys good and gracious was Gods doing that so well could vse these his wicked instrumenets séeking nothyng but their brothers hinderaunce not onely to his highpreferment but also to the relieuing both of them and their good olde father and generally for the sustenance of all the coastes rounde about him Wickedly doubtlesse did Pharao that so cruelly entreated Gods owne people the Israelites iustly and mercifully dealed God who not onely ouerwhelmed bothe him and all his horsemen and chariots in the redde sea but mightily deliuered them out of his handes whom he so maliciously pursued Moste traiterously and villanously did Iudas that deliuered vp his master to the Iewes his extreme foes moste louingly and bountifully did God who spared not his owne onely sonne but gaue him vp into their hands for oure benefite Finally to let other
few wordes aske one question or two of this Disputer Can will which is the power of reason not only dependeth of appetite which we haue cōmon with brute beastes be seuered or sequestred from election Or can there be an election where no choyce is offered or can there be a choyce offered where there is no consultation Surely no. For either good or bad counsell goeth before all our voluntarie actiōs And voluntarie actions I call those wherin reason dealeth and not onely the appetit◠hathe to doe Whereof it commeth that whatsoeuer is done of ignorance or only vpon a braide of minde by the Philophers iudgemente is not voluntarie Which in case it were otherwise to be determined then brute creatures also which are caryed away headlong wyth their sensuall mouings mighte be sayde to haue voluntarie actions than the which there is nothing that can sounde more oute of course To retourne then to the poynt wherupon I stand if mannes will doe not therefore sustaine hinderance or dāmage for that it is ruled by Gods neither is counsell and aduisement-taking without the which our frée wil can not hold by the same reason abolished and pulled away Still therefore it continueth who can say nay how so euer that at sometimes it take no place For true it is that is sayde of the wise Salomon The hearte of man aduiseth him selfe of his vvay notvvithstanding that God doth directe his steppes Yea what sayd I it continueth nay it serueth to the executing of Gods counsell also For to what other effecte tended the aduise that Iudas gaue his brethren as the Ismaelites came soiourning by them when he brake out sodenly into these woordes VVhat vvere vvee the better to kill oure brother and aftervvardes to hide his bloudshed Come let vs sell him to the Ismaelites and let vs not staine our hands vvith such a fovvle acte for he is our brother and of oure fleshe Whose woords when his brethren hard well liked they straighte wayes made their marchandise of their brother Ioseph which was the onely occasion that he came into Egypt The counsell which the yonger sorte gaue Roboam in the. 12. chapter of the thirde booke of kings was a meane that afterwardes Gods decrée was executed against him disdaining to giue eare to the people The counsell of Chusai was preferred of Absalon before the aduise of Achitophel and why The reason is giuen in the. 7. chap. of the 2. booke of the kings The Lord forsooth had ordained the Chusai his persuasions preuailing Achitophel with his instructions shuld not be heard to the intent the Lorde mighte bring euill vpon Absalon Great consultations hadde the Iewes Scribes and Pharisies deliberating to put Christe to deathe least the Romanes should come vppon them and take from them their Empire wherby vnwitting and vnknowing what else were they but instrumēts of gods decre I let other exāples passe séeing these are sufficiente to serue our tourne So then if God worke by our counselles howe be they against his Prouidence if they be not againste his prouidence why may not they stand with it But no counsel can serue if God haue appointed otherwise What then Neither is it thy part to desire that thy counsell should prosper against god Folowe thou thy docation doe thy duetie consulte and be aduised as God shall put it into thy minde In the meane time stand not so in thine owne conceite that thou shouldest prefer the counselles of thine heade before Gods. But to what purpose should we studie to preuent a mischéeue Or desire the Surgeons and Physitions helpe if our state depend wholy vpō Gods wil Suche an other idle reason was muche made of amongst certayne Sophistes that disputed of destinie in times paste which S. Origen rehearseth in his seconde booke contra Celsum One going about to persuade a sicke man not to seeke helpe of the Physitiō reasoneth the matter with him in this maner It is concluded by destinie long before that either you shall recouer your healthe or no. If it be your destinie to recouer you haue no nede of the Physition if it be not your destinie the Physition can helpe you nothing An other also dissuadeth his friend by a lyke argument from mariage But what answere nowe made they that defended destinie They faygned the sicke man thus to inuerte the argumente yes mary answering agayne if it be my destinie to escape my maladie I will send for the Physition bicause he professeth to heale them that be sicke that by his meanes I may haue that which destinie hath decréed The other that was dehorted frō entring into wedlocke they imagined thus to wreste his friendes argument out of his hande If it be my destinie to haue children bicause that can not otherwise be broughte to passe than by the copulation of the male and the female I will the rather marrie a wife that my destiny may agreably take his place Thus we sée how that they also which supported destinie and wrapt all things in the necessitie of the seconde causes yet dealed not with vs in suche sorte that they excluded the meanes whereby that which was fatall came to passe No surely it neuer came into their mindes to be so fonde For euen Tullie in hys booke de Fato alleaging this very same argument which was made to the sickeman bringeth in Chrysippus the Philosopher finding faulte with it and refelling the vanitie of it with this distinction For sayth he in all fatall chaunces some thinges there be that are simply determined without any condition that is annexed and some things there be that be so linked to their causes that the one can not be without the other As for example this is destinie without concondition Such a day Socrates shall dye Therfore to this mā whether he do any thing to hasten his destinie or leaue it vndone in this sentence afore going his dying day is precisely without any addition foreappoynted But if the sentence of destinie be thus Oedipus shall beget Laius it can not be sayde whether he cōpany with a woman or no. For this company-kéeping is a thing the is necessarily annexed to it and as you would say alike fatally conioyned So in like maner sayth he if a body should tell before that it shuld be Milo his destinie to wrastle in the games of Olympia an other would conclude vppon it Ergo whether he haue an aduersarie or no aduersarie it will be his destinie to wrastle hée shoulde conclude but fondly For thys clause It shall bee his destinie to wrastle hath a relation to an other thing that is annexed For withoute an aduersarie no man can wrastle Therefore all suche captious as these bée are confuted after a lyke maner And by and by he bringeth in the reason made to the sickeman before rehersed out of Origene If it be thy destinie whether thou cal for the Phisition or no thou shalte recouer saying that it is a captious
therewithall it bringeth with it a contempte of the worlde and a diligent consideration of oure latter ende The meditation wherof cannot chuse but make vs to discend oftentimes into oure selues So far is it of that it shoulde bring vs into any obliuion of our owne state What then is it any impediment to humaine learning as the skill of Philosophie and the seuen sciences They can not say that neither For the very Philosophers themselues the most of whom as it is well knowne were not riche thincking it should be a fowle encomberance to them to be welthy that they mighte the more quietly applie theyr bokes either flung their substance into the sea or else otherwise dispersed it as they themselues thought it most conuenient As for these manuarie artes called handy craftes being so muche in the vse of our daily life what else could driue vs to inuent them but pure néede Let vs now goe to those vertues that are chéefely placed in y appetite Wherof if there be any that might be stayed or tangled throughe any wante there were none more like than liberalitie But that Christe himselfe denieth vtterly who measuring this liberall and large dealing not so muche by the value of that that is giuen as by the frée affection of mannes heart preferreth the poore widowes myte in the gospell before the riche giftes of many other For be it so that we haue a redy and proÌ„pt good will S. Paul telleth vs it is accepted according to euery mannes habilitie and not after the rate of that whiche he hathe not as who sayeth it is sufficient liberalitie to haue a bountifull and beneficiall minde yea though our pursse be nothing correspondent Which doctrine is so sound and sensible and by all meanes so agréeable to reason that they also which were but trained in natures schoole haue helde it for a most sure and most certaine truth What shall we say then that the poore may haue a good will there is no doubt Whereupon with good cause we may in like manner inserre that notwithstanding his pouertie he may be liberall And may he deserue so good a name say we hauing nothing to bestowe thereafter Yea surely may he and not only for the cause mencioned I meane hys good heart but also for this that he may shew himselfe bountifull in not rigorously exacting all his owne for liberalitie consisteth not in giuing only but in taking in helping with his seruice in surdering with his counsel in assisting and ayding with his paines How much more may he haue a godly and a Christian courage which could neuer surely be better tryed than by bearing himselfe vprighte in hys poore estate How much more might he be temperate in forbearing these vaine worldly pleasures and in restrayning hys vnbrydeled appetites wyth in the narrowe precincte of reason Happye is that necessitie that maketh them healthfull of their body the happier that it maketh them wise and keepeth them sober and discréete but without all comparison moste happy that it spurreth theÌ„ forward to be vertuous and what spurre more forcible and violent than the want of this worldly pelfe For looke where pouertie is resident and there riotte and baÌ„ketting dare not come in place where ryote and banketting be farre off there alwayes moderate and sober dyet moderate and sober dyette bringeth the state of a maÌ„nes body into good temper cutting of all superfluous humors that by any meanes might disturb the same the temperature of the body woorcketh a stayed moderation in the minde the minde when it is kepte in a good stay dothe not boysteously breake out into any outrage is not disordred with pangs and passions nor caryed away rashly w any heat Wherof there ariseth necessarily a great calmnesse yea I might say a goodly harmony in the body minde of man in coÌ„parison wherof all muficke worldly me lodie is doutlesse as nothing to be estéemed For whereas reason the maistresse ruleth according to a righte measured rule and the brute appetite standeth in awe there wisedome there temperance therr gentle modest and good comely behauior there peace of conscience and ioy in the holy ghost finally there all vertue and godlynesse yea and God himselfe surely is abiding O blessed state of pouertie that is any occasion of this Who would nowe maruell that Christ himself would be poore that he chose suche poore men to his Apostles that he is saide to be sent embassador from God his father not to the riche worldlings that receiued him not but to preache the gospell of moste gladde tidings to the poore And who I pray you of all other either tooke holde of it more assuredly or embraced it more comfortably or stoode in it more constantly to the deathe Therfore S. Paule speaking of suche men My brethren sayeth hée ye see your calling hovve that many of you be not vvise according to the fleshe not many of you mightie not manye of you noble but God hath chosen the foolishe things of the vvorlde to confounde the vvise and the vveake things of the vvorlde God hathe chosen to make the strong ashamed and the base and contemptible things of the vvorld God hath chosen those things vvhich vvere not that he might put avvay those things that are and all to this end that no flesh might boaste it selfe in his sighte Is that nowe any hinderance to vertue that is suche a greate furtherance to Gods kingdome where vnto we can not passe but by the way of vertue For what shoulde I goe for warde to speake of iustice to the whiche it is appropried to giue euery man his owne Surely pouertie is not the cause that any man is despoyled of his owne O but the poore sayest thou do robbâ— and pilfer by the high way Blame not his pouertie for that So doe the riche But why doeth any man rob or pilfer forsooth for the desire of riches Riches then is it that maketh robberies much rather thaÌ„ simple pouertie Wherewith if men could content themselues iust dealing oute of doubt would more flourishe and euery man might the better holde his owne But bicause mannes gréedy gutte is neuer stanched thence commeth the ordure of all iniquitie thence floweth the moste fulsome streame of all sinne and wickednesse into the world For questionlesse qui festinat ditescere non erâ—t innocens he that maketh haste to be riche can not be guiltlesse Therefore when Sylla ouer-gloriously displaying his pecockes fethers made great bragges in the Romaine Senate of the notable wealth that he was growen too there steppeth me vp a graue father amoÌ„gst the rest who very quickly and sharpely making answere Hovv it is possible sayeth he that thou shouldest be good vvho hauing nothing lefte thee by thy fathers testament haste yet aspired in so shorte time to suche a great abundance of vvorldly vvelth And bicause we are nowe fallen into some mencion of Romish matters what shall we say of Rome
himselfe but bothe he put in Christe and not himselfe and also he sayd we haue and not ye haue He chose rather put himself amongst the numbre of sinners that he mighte haue Christe his aduocate than put in selfe in the stede of Christe be found amongst the proude that shall be damned Brethren we haue Iesus Christe the righteous his owne selfe an aduocate with the father and he it is that is the meane to obtain pardon for our sinnes He that hath helde this hathe committed no heresie he that hathe helde this hathe made no schisme Thus farre Austine The .ix. Chapiter The profit that is to be taken by Gods Prouidence as also by all other things standeth in the due vse and application WE haue nowe almoste satisfied oure promise whiche we made in the beginniug of this discourse not only hauing proued Goddes Prouidence by diuers and sundry arguments but also hauing answered their obiectioÌ„s that barke and bite at the same doctrine not only hauing declared at large what Gods Prouidence is but so farreforthe as Gods word would beare hauing disclosed also the very maner of Gods gouernement Nowe onely this remayneth behind without the which all that euer we haue sayde hitherto is as nothing which is that we gather of the wholsome fruites that are sowen in this fruitefull garden that we reape the corne that groweth in these pleasant fieldes that we enioy the commoditie of this orcharde wherein we may safely without daunger onely the apple of curiositie set aparte taste of all the trées and graffes that we coulde desire I say that we apply this that is taught generally concerning the Prouidence of almighty God to our singulare and especiall comforte But howe then shall that be brought to passe Epictetus the Phildsopher sayd very wel that euery thing hath his handle or stouke to hold by which if we take in our hande the righte way then can it not otherwise be choseâ—â— but that rightely we may vse it to our commoditie Else surely the triall of our owne experience doth instructe and teache vs the flat contrarie to witte that nothing is more damageable or noysome Whereof euen in those thinges that be moste vsuall we sée dayly the examples before oure fate What more profitable than the water which we vse in bathing séething washing in nourishing of our bodies in carrying ouer both our selues and oure wares beyonde the seas with many other commodities which it bringeth besides Neuerthelesse if we vse it in our shoes or bootes or bathe our selues in it out of time or drinke of it immoderately without reason or fall into it desperatly ouer both the eares or washe with it when it is scalding hoate we shall truely finde by it so little ease that we shall not fayle to repente vs of our medling What more necessarie than the fire which in colde giueth heate in darknesse lighte of all cookes smithes and coliers c. a very néedefull and conuenient instrument Yet Satyrus as it is in Plutarche the first tyme that he sawe fire when he would haue taken it and kissed it Let be quod Prometheus thou roughe knaue if thou take not héede it will make thy lippes smarte For as it warmeth béeing well vsed so béeing disvsed it burneth and as it nourisheth and comforteth with his temperate heaie him that comming out of the cold slandeth not to nighe so him that will stande in the middest of it it consumeth That which I say of fire and water the same may I say eyther of Gods iustice or his mercy the same may I also wryte at this tyme of Gods Prouidence Wherein if we wyll raunge at libertie without bridle and not stay oure selues within that compasse that is limitted and assigned by God what doo we but to oure owne confusion buylde Babylon newe agayne But if moderating our sensuall appetites we be contente to heare no longer than God speaketh and renouncing our fleshly iudgements we can willingly giue place to fayth then lo that spirituall solace that no tongue or penne can well expresse streyght wayes ariseth in our hearts The .x. Chapter The comforte which we receiue by Gods Prouidence FOr if thou stande in daunger of thine enimies as it is harde for any man liuing to be without a foe caste not downe thy courage for al that nor be thou therewith dismayde For he that gaue the Israelites fauour in the sighte of the Egyptians either will stirre vp the godly in thy defense yea suche peraduenture as thou neuer yet knewest who of a Christian zele will disdayne at the malice of thy foes or else so alter their affections and turne their heartes that he thine aduersaries that forgetting all rancour of il will they will shake hands with thée againe and become thy frends At least wise if the heate of their hote passions will not be cooled yet is he able to deliuer thée diuerse wayes out of all of thy hunters snares either casting a myste as it were before their eyes that séeing thée they shall not be able to sée or else pulling away their myndes so sharpely whette to do vengeaunce by some other incident occasions or bringing them backe perforce from their cruell croked intentes with his hooke fastened in their nostrelles and his bridle in their lippes or finally working other straunge wayes that shoulde vtterly bée out of the compasse of mans wit. The example whereof both we sée in others a great meynie and very notably in the good byshop Athanasius Whose death when it was once conspired by Constantinus the Emperoure sonne to Constantine the great who was bewitched with the Heresie of Arrius he committed the execution of this hainous and bloudie fact to one Sebastian the marshal of his armie Who afterwards when he besieged the temple wherin Athanasius was at his prayers and was nowe presently in a readynesse to murther this man of God he escaped maruellously out of his handes For the Lorde guiding his passage he went foorth through the middest of this capitaynes bande and yet to no body was knowen Achab in his leude enterprise béeing sette on by false Prophets who beeing seduced them selues by lying spirites sent from God for their punishment seduced Achab him selfe was slayne in the fielde béeing striken betwéene the ioyntes of his brigandine Achitophels counsayle agaynst the annoynted king Dauid before it coulde vtterly take place came to nought The trayterous rebellion of Arbogastus Francus and Eugenius agaynst their worthy Emperour Theodosius Augustus was confounded by God him selfe that séemed to fighte agaynst them from heauen For whyles they were excéeding fierce in their outragious furie wéening to haue preuayled by mayne force suche a myghtie wynde and tempeste was sodaynely raysed in their faces that their eyes béeing almoste putte out with the smoke of the duste that was stirred vp and their weapons violently driuen backe they were fayne to recule backwardes and to flye Surely that which God did then the like
in vs and as in our weake childhoode thou hast bene our safegarde so in our further growen yeres be our supporte and gracious ayde that béeing holden vp continually by thy goodnesse we may neuer at any time fall from thée Graunt this O heauenly father for thy sonne our Lorde Iesus Christes sake To whome with thée and the holy Ghost be al power and magnificence and prayse and thankesgiuing ascribed from generation to generation Amen FINIS Iacob 1. Rom. 8. 2. Corinth 12. Actes 5. This I find noâ— in the Bible nâ—ether is it expressed plainly in that copy of Dionysius hys Epistle which I haue sene extant in Printe but onely in Holcotte vpon the Booke of Wisdome Lib. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In his seconde discourse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon the first Chapter of Genesis In Psal. 13. Lib. 20. ca. 10. Cap. 9. Lib. de prouidentia cap. 7. Lib. 6. cap. 11. Genesâ— 11. Iacob 4. Ephe. â— Aug Encherid ad Laur. ca. 30. Rom. 7. Lib. 1. contra duos Epistolas Pelag. ad Bonifacium Lib. 1 de Nuptijs concupiscentia ca 29. 30. 31. Lib. 1. Retract cap. 23. Iohn 8. Rom. 8. 1. Cor. 15. 2. Pet. 2. Retract lib. 1. cap. 1. This distinction is to bee founde lib. 3. Hypognosticon being asscâ—ibed to S. Augustine and not farre from the beginning Hieremie 10 Prouerb 16 Nume 22. 23 Cicero de natu DeoruÌ„ lib. 2 Esa 64. Bernde verbis Origenis serm 1. in festo omniuÌ„ sanctorum serm 5. de verbis Esaiae Aul. Gell. de noctib Attic. lib. 6. cap. 2. Staphylus in his second replie againste Smideline So sayth Austine contra Adimantum cap. 26. He sheweth by an apte similitude hovv God maketh his creatures to moue Contra Faustâ—Ì„ Manich. li. 22. cap. 78. Pulgentius ad Monymum Lib. 1. de Predestin sauct cap. 16. lib. de libero arbi grat cap. 20. 31. Contra FaustuÌ„ Manichaeu in lib. 21. cap. 9. Cap. 101. Lib. 1. que â— Lectione 143. iu. 11. cap. Sa. Rom. 8. Cap. 4. Epistola 48. Thom contra gentes lib. 3. c. 26 2. § adhuc peccatum 1. Reg. 2. Enchirid. cap. 100. An idle permission may not be ascribed to God. Prouerb 16. Gene 37. Obiection Ansvvere Ioel. 2. Rom. 10. Psal. 145. Gene. 25. Good counsell for new married folkes 2. Cor. 8. A poore man may vse liberalitie 1. Corinth 1. The desire of riches is cause of robberies not pouertie Prouerb 2â— All men be at deathes becke O that al men would consider it Riches and pâ—â—ertie compared Math. 19. Eccle 5. Maâ—h 13 Maâ— 4. Luke 8. Prouerb 14. Luke 16. Math. 19. Mark. 10. Luke 18. Marke 10. Math. 7. Luke 13. Ecclesi 31. Psal. 37. Expla 121. c. 1. Cap. 17. 1. Timo. 6. Prouerb 5. Prosa 6. lib. 4. The first beginning of magistrates The inconuenience vvhich should folovve the vvante of magistrates Prouerb 11. By a similitude he shevveth the decencie of order lib. 3. delegibê° Rom. 13. So seemeth Chrysostomus to vnderstande this place Math. 22. Mark. 12. Luke 20. He meaneth such subsidies as the necessity of the coÌ„mon weale requireth not suche as Roboam exicted 3. Reg. 12. Luke 2. Math. 17. Christe being soone of an eternall king but heyr of no vvorldly coheritaunce and therfore fâ—ce hauing nothing to pay would yet rather vvoorke a myracle than be any exaÌ„ple of disorder Luke 23. Antiq lib. 18. cap. 2 In Ctimeno in Paulus Emilius his life Prou. 20. Cap. 5. Lib. 6. cap. 1. Lib. 1. cap. 1. Iob. 34. Cap. 11. Contra FaustuÌ„ lib. 21 ca. 14. Rom. 13. Cap. 13. In Num. ca. 23 homil 14. Dc ciuitar lib. 11. cap. 22. De falsa sapientia lib. 3. cap. 17. Psal. 73. Cap. 3 In Psal. 114 Iob. 1. Rom. 8. epist. 12â— The afflictioe of the iust be an argument of the resurrection of oure bodyes 1. Peter 5 Rom. 8. Coloss 3. Luke 16 Psal. 125. Cap. 12. Iohn 15. De diuina Prouidentia cap. 4. Cap. 3. eiusdem libri Aul. Gellius de noct Atticis Lib. 6. cap. 2. Chrysippus confuted Cap. 10. Cap. 8. De con so phil Lib. 4. Pros 6. Gods Prouidence defined Gods Prouidence and destinie coÌ„pared De ciuit lib 5. Cap. 9. Lib. 1. ad Monymum de Prede saÌ„ct Cap. 10. What predestination is Wherin Gods prouidence Predestination agree vvherin they differ Cap. 23. Cap. 46. Ansvver Obiection Why the ceremonies of the â—â—vves vvere ordained 1. Reg. 15. Cap. 20. Lib. 3. de falsâ— sap cap. 29. 1. Retra cap. 1. Ibidem Lib. 3. de falsa sap cap. 29. He shevveth by examples hovve that vvhich semeth chaunce to maÌ„ before God is not so What necessity vve admitte in those things vvhich be don in the vvorld Aug. de Gene. ad lâ—teram lib. 6. cap. 15. Clemens Alexandrinus Epiphanius Augustinus Eusebius In fine 2. lib. de natura Deorum Lib. 1. de ciuit Cap. 8. Psal. 119. Epistola 156. Psal. 136. Ionae 1. Psal. 107. Esa. 3. Exod. 19. Genes 30. Psal. 136. Cap. 29. lib. 8 naturalis suae historicae Psal. 140. Psa 33. Psal. 113. Iohn 21. Lib. 16. ca. 16. in 34. cap. libri lob Rom 11. M. T. Cie de nat Deorum lib. 2. Prou. 10 Cap. 21. Mat. 10. Clemens Alexand lib. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In Psal. 36 In. 2. sua prefa in Psalmos Grego in 37. cap lobi li. 27 cap. 11. Math. 18 In Psal. 184 Cited by Austine in the. 14 chapter of his tenth booke de ciuitate Deut. 25. 1. Corinth 9. Psal. 36. Ionae 4. Exod. 23. 34. Deut. 14. 1. Timoth. 5. Prouerb 3. Mala. 3. Acts. 5. Obiection Tho. Aquinas 2. 2. qu. 87. Ro â—â—olcot lect 195. in cap 18. Sapientie * He meaneth quo ad formaÌ„ quo ad mateâ—am as the scholemen speake 1. Cor. 10. By this it may vvel appeare to the indifferent and vvell disposed reader that as I meane not that the Sabboth shuld bee levvishely kept being abrogated as it is a ceremonie of the lavve so neither vvould I that tythes shuld be paide in such maner and forme as they vvere in the olde testamente by any direct coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of gods vvord notvvith standyng that the lavve of tythes in all respectes is not disanulled no more than the lavve of the Sabboth The lavve of keeping the Sabboth and obseruing the tithes are compared Tythes therefore câ—ntinue in respecte of causes for the vvhiche they vver ordeyned not as they are levvâ—sh ceremonial We haue no expresse vvorde of God for the abrogation of tithes Math. 23. This doctrine then is no Paradoxe Aug de teÌ„pore serm 219. That is if tithes should haue bene abolished vtterly quo ad fâ—rmam quo ad materiam The lavve of tithes in the old TestameÌ„t is renued in the nevv but not simply and as they be ceremoniall These fat idle belhed svvyn she Prelates are touched Hereby is appeareth that so farre forthe astythes are ceremoniall and Ievvishe I