liue by begging praying And vvell he maye so obteine those thinges vvhich he vvanteth For if any Prince vvould promise his subiect that vvhat soeuer he asketh he should obtein might not that subiect thinke that Prince very bountifull and him selfe a moste happie subiecte Thus God dealeth vvith vs Mat. 7. he biddes vs aske and vve shall haue and seing that God is soe faithfull that he can as soone deny him selfe as goe from his vvorde bicause his vvorde is him selfe he can not not perfourme vvhat soeuer he promiseth and seing that prayer is the thinge by vvhich man obteineth at God his hande vvhat soeuer he iustly desirethe vvhat an inestimable gemme and preciouse pearle is prayer vvhich procureth our hartes desires in all thinges bicause it is the price of all And if vve some tymes praye and obteine not ether it is bicause our prayer is not such as it ought to be or that the thing vvhich vve praye for is not conuenient for vs. For if he that prayeth beleeueth that God can helpe him and hopethe also that he vvill helpe him if hee him selfe vvho prayethe or he for vvhome he prayeth be not odiouse to god by reason of sinne If he praye vvith humilitie and vvithout a doubting mynde if he adioine to his prayer attention to his attention deuotion and to bothe perseueraunce and if the thing for vvhich hee prayeth be necessarie or expediente for other vvise God is a greater benefactour in denying then graunting our petition theÌ„ certainly such is the vertue of prayer that vvhat vve aske vve haue and vvhat vve praye for vve obteine Prayer certs is better then the Philosophers stone althoughe that vvere of that vertue vvhich it is fayned to bee of for that as fooles haue fained vvas able to turne all into gold but prayer turneth all to our good be it gold orsiluer ritches or pouertie healthe or sicknes grace or glorie Yea it is better then Fortunatus hatte is fained to haue beene bicause that procured all vvishes good or badde indifferently but prayer then only obteineth vvhat vve vvishe for vvhen our vvishes are expedient or conuenient for vs. Besides this vnspeakable vertue vvhich prayer hath to obteine vvhat vve aske for it satisfieth for sinne also especially vvhen it is ioined vvith almes deedes and fasting Toâ— 1â— vvhich are the vvinges of prayer by vvhich it soreth speedily euen to the throne of God it meriteth glorie as other good vvorkes doe and that more especially also in that it is a prayer it giueth vs great confidence also if it be frequent and vsuall bicause as before I haue sayed prayer causethe familiaritie and familiaritie imboldenethe boldnesse breedeth coÌ„fidence It is a great motiue also vnto humilitie and peraduenture you shall not fynde a greater bicause it puts vs allvvayes in mynde that vvee are but beggars And lastly if I may saye so of prayers coÌ„modities vvhich are vvithout ende it makes vs to fall out of loue vvith this deceitefull vvorld bicause it makes vs to conuerse in heauen and admitteth vs to familiaritie vvith God and his Angells In the Church triumphaunt prayer is vsed bicause the Sainctes and Angells pray to God for vs In the Church militaunte prayer also is practised as shal be proued only in hell and hellish Synagogues prayer is abandoned Vvherfore in the lavv of nature as they vsed sacrifice so did they also practise prayer and although Enos be called the first of them vvho by prayer moste especially and frequently called vppon God yet no doubte Adame and Eue amongest other actes of penaunce omitted not prayer as one of the best dispositions vnto reconciliation vvith allmighnie God Abel their sonne also as he vvas religious in his Sacrifices so vvas he not sloth-full in prayer Noê also taught his posteritie prayer Gen. 2â— Abrahame vvas much giuen to prayer Isaac his sonne in his diligence in prayer and meditation also declared him selfe vvhorthilie to haue been the sonne of such a father Psal 11â— Dauid prayed seuen tymes a day and rose at mid night ofteÌ„ tymes shortning his sleepe to lengthen his prayer Dan. â— and Daniel three tymes a day called vppon his God By prayer Moyses made the Sea to deuide it selfe and procured victorie to the Israelits so long as in prayer he held vp his handes Exod. 1â— yea by prayer he obteined pardon often tymes for the people and bound as it vvere the hands of the omnipotent 1. Reg. 1. By prayer Anne the vvife of Helcane obteined Samuel 4. Reg. 2â— Tâ—b 12. 1. Reg. 1â— Ezechias by prayer prolonged his life fifteen yeares Tobias by the same exercise vvas restored to his sight Elias after a great drought by prayer obteined raine Mat. 1â— Luc. â— In the nevv lavve Christe our highe Preest prayed oftentymes all the night longe Mat. 2â— and a litle before his departure out of this vvorld he prayed three tymes in the garden yea he him selfe taught vs the prayer vvhich in Inglish vve call our lords prayer Mat. 6. And no soener vvas Christe departed but his Apostles and disciples assembled them selues together in prayer atteÌ„ded the holy ghostes descension Act. â—â— Sainct Peter and sainct Ihon ascended into the temple to praye Act 1. Clem. Rom. Sainct Peter furrovved his face vvith the â—â—reames of teares vvhich trickled yea streamed from his eyes in prayer Sainct Bartholomevv is sayed to haue prayed on his knees an hundred tymes in the day and as often in the night Sainct Iames his knees by prayer became as hard as camels knees Vvhose examples the first Christians after the Apostles Bar to 2. an 100. l. 10 ep 97â— Tert Apol. c. 2. follovving met together dayly at prayer euen before they had Churches in so much that Traiane the Emperour vvas faine to forbid such flocking together And Plinie Prefect of this Emperour informed him of the assemblies of Christianes to prayer before daye To be breefe the Ecclesiasticall histories are full of the Churches and monasteries vvhich haue been builded for prayer and speake almost of nothing else but of Christianes prayer Hiero. ep ad Eustoch Athan. l. de virg Basi 37 Clâ—m l. â— Const c. 4. Masses liturgies canonicall hovvers as nocturnes lauds the prime hovver of prayer third sixte ninthe hovver Euensong and complete yea so is prayer diuided in diuers Churches and monasteries Tho. Vvald to â— desacraâ—â—ntal c. 24. that in euery vigill of the night in one place or other pravers and prayses aresonge vnto God yea seing that our Church is dispersed through out the vvorld that the hovver vvhich is to one couÌ„trie one to another is tvvoe to another is three a clocke and so forthe ther is noe hovver in the daye or night in vvhich prayer is not exercised publickely in the Church So that vvell may the Catholike Church be called the hovvse of God Isa 16. Luc 1â— bicause it is the hovvse prayer Novv let vs see
hovv like vnto this hovvse of God vvhich is the hovvse of prayer our Reformers Sinagogue is In moste places they haue no prayer at all on vvorking dayes and on holy dayes vvhich novv they haue brought to a lesse number bicause they celebrate fevve Saintes dayes they speÌ„d all the tyme that they are in the Church in yelling out a Geneua Psalme to vvhich they adde a Sermon and generally in Ingland novv adayes you shall finde fevve that vse any priuate prayer in their Chambers but as dogges go to their Kennell so theye goe to bedd and so they rise in the morning shaking or stretching them selues but neuer bovving knee noe nor opening mouthe nor harte in prayer In so much that vvheÌ„ one of our Catholike Preests in his Inne in London vvas found by the chamberlaine Kneeling by his bed side to say his deuotions proclamation vvas by and by made that hee vvas a Preeste and a traitour for then in Ingland they vvere all one as if theyr ovvne consciences had accused them that prayer is noe signe of a man of their religion And truly this conteÌ„pte of prayer amongest them is not to be blamed by their preachers bicause it is moste conformable to their doctrine For first they saye that prayer meriteth no revvard at Gods hands Cal. l. â— Inst c. â—0 Melanct. tit de procat Secondly they auouch that it can not make the least satisfactioÌ„ for the least sinne in the vvorld Vvhy then should vve vveare our hose out in the knees vvith praying if prayer nether satisfieth nor meriteth any thing at Gods hands Truly if vvee vveare our hose out in the Knees vve lose more then vve gette See the seueÌ„th booke if this doctrine be true Thirdly Caluine auoucheth that the iustifying faithe is a firme full assuraunce that vve are electe and iuste by Christes iustice seing that faith is a necessarie disposition to prayer for as sainct Paule sayeth hovv shall they pray and call vppon him Râ—m 1â— in vvhom they beleeue not it follovveth that before vve settle our selues to prayer vve must firmely beleeue that vve are iuste that our sinnes are forgiuen Vvhence I gather these conclusions The first is that in vaine the faithfull man prayethe for iustification or remission of sinnes bicause before he prayeth his sinnes are forgiuen and he is iustified or else his full assured faithe is a lying and deceiptfull faithe The second is that noe faithfull man can pray for iustification or remission of sinnes vnlesse he vvill be an infidel and forsake his faithe by praying For he is bouÌ„d by Caluin to beleeue assuredly that his sinnes are forgiuen bicause this is his iustifying faith and if he stagger or doubt he is an infidell bicause he hathe not the right faithe vvhence it follovvethe that in praying for remission of sinnes he loseth faithe bicause in that hee prayeth hee shevvethe that hee hathe not that assuraunce for vvho vvill pray for that vvhich he is assured of allready Or if hee praye it is an argument that ether hee thinkes that hee hathe not the thing for vvhich he prayethe or that he doubteth thereof or that hee fearethe of vv ch euery one is sufficieÌ„t to make a man an infidel in Caluins opinion bicause they despoile him of that assured faithe The third coÌ„clusion is that he caÌ„not pray at all for remissioÌ„ of sinnes vvould he neuer so faine euen vvith losse of his faithe For as if I be in good health assure my selfe of the same I caÌ„ not pray for healthe thoughe I may pray for coÌ„tinuauÌ„ce of it so if before I pray I be assured that my sinnes be forgiuen though I may vvith lippes yet vvith harte I caÌ„ not praye that God vvould forgiue me if I could in vaine should I pray for that vv ch I haue allready The fourth is that no faithfull maÌ„ can praye for eternall blisse in heauen for if before I pray I must haue faithe as saint Paule sayeth that I must and if faithe be a full assuraunce that I ame not only iuste Rom. 1â— but also elected and chosen to be one of the Citizens of heauen I can not vvith harte pray that I may be receiued into heauen Vvell I may praye that speedilie God vvill take me to him and his glorie bicause I ame not sure vvhen shall be the tyme at vvhich he vvill calle me but to praye absolutelie to bee admitted vnto God his glorie and Kingdome I can not possibly bicause by Caluins faithe I ame allready assured of this kingdome glorie Iâ—â— â— But Caluin vvill obiecte against vs that sainct Iames biddes vs to praye in faithe and confidence nothing doubting or staggering I graunt him therfore that vvee must beleeue that God can helpe hope also that hee vvill helpe and so vvee muste not praye doubting but yet vve may and muste praye betvvixte feare and hope For if I hope not but dispayre of obteyning I haue no cause to pray and if I doubte of Gods mercie I doe him iniurie yet if I be cock sure I can not praye and therfore I must feare the vvorste and yer pray for the best â—ee the soueÌ„th booke Moreouer Caluin telleth vs that the iustifying faithe assurethe vs not only of presente but also of future iustice that is acertainethe vs not only that vvee are novve at this present iuste but also that vve shall perseuer vnto the ende vvhence it follovveth that vve can not pray to God for perseueraunce in grace or that hee vvill so assiste vs that noe tentation of the deuill insurrection of the flesh or allurement of the vvorld giue vs the foyle or falle See the same booke bicause by faithe vvee are assured of our staÌ„ding He auoucheth also that sinne hath so vveakened mans nature that he can not vvith all the grace that Christe hathe giuen resiste any tentation Vvhence ensevveth also that he can not pray not to be ledde into tentatioÌ„ that is not to be permitted to yeeld to any tentation bicause he is assured by Caluins doctrine that he caÌ„not but yeeld if he once be teÌ„pted And although these tvvo laste pointes seeme contradictorie bicause the one sayethe that a faithfull maÌ„ can not fall from iustice the other sayeth that he can not but yeeld to sinne and tentation vvhich is the falle of the soule yet Caluin hathe avvay to auoide this contradiction bicause saieth he thoughe a faithfull man yeeld to tentation yet God imputes not it as sinne bicause hee is faithfull and so sayeth hee a faithfull man is assured that he can not fall and then saye I that I ame assured that hee can not praye that hee may stand and not fall by tentation He is also of opinion that the beste vvorkes of a iust maÌ„ are so vncleane that they are mortall sinnes vv ch if it bee true then can vve not pray that Gods name be hallovved and sanctified in vs that is in our vvorkes bicause
and vvishing for saint Austines her sonnes conuersion vvho then vvas a Manichee Filius tantarum lachrimarum perire non potest I may say of your Highnes to vvit that the sonne of suche a Mother and Prince of such a Princess and Inheritour of suche vertues such examples such teares such vvis hes can neuer perish that is can not but bee a Catholique This her zeale tovvardes religion these her desires vvishes these her prayers and teares and aboue all her Glorious Martyrdome vvill euer bee before your Graces eyes to moue your harte if not to admitte vvholy the Catholike religion at least to permitte it at least not to persequute it vvhich she loued her selfe so vvell and vvished to your Highnes so hartilie And truly moste Gracious Liege such is our repose in your goodnes that if ther vvere noe other motiues then your Glorious mothers example your Catholike subiectes miserie and your ovvne innate clemencie vve vvould not at all despaire of a graunt of our petition but seing that the thing vve request concerneth not only our good but your graces honour also and the true felicitie of your Kingdome vvee hope confidently not to suffer a repulse in that in vvhich your Highnes also hath a parte and for vvhich not only vvee are humble suppliauntes but your selfe also to your selfe and for your selfe are an Intercessour And first he graunt of our petition shal be most honourable for your moste ExcelleÌ„t Maiestie King Lucius vvas the first king Christian of our Countrie and the first king that laboured in the coÌ„uersion of it vvith Pope Eleutherius by vvhose Counsail and preachers vvhich he sent he extirpated idolatrie and planted Christian Religion and for this glorious facte his name and fame is and euer shal be moste renovvmed both in heauen and earth King Ethelbert vvas the secoÌ„d king vvho by the meanes of Pope Gregorie by Popes alvvayes countries haue been conuerted and tvvelue Monkes of sainct Benedictes Order the second tyme restored this Countrie again vnto the same Christiane and Catholike Religion the vvhich by the inuasioÌ„ of the Saxons vvas againe become Idolatricall and Pagane and he is noe lesse glorious before God and men for so honourable an enterprise But if your Highnes shal be the third King vvho shalle againe reduce this couÌ„trie to the same ancient Religion you shal be as much more glorious and your name as much more renovvmed Th 2.2.4.10.4.6 as heresie is vvorse then Paganisme and more hardly extinguished Vvilliam the Conquerour from vvhome your Maiestie is vvorthilie descended is reckened amongest the Vvorthies of the vvorlde and vvritten in the liste and catalogue of the moste Vvarlike Kinges for that famouse conquest vvhich he made of your litle vvorlde But if your Highnes shall get the conqueste of heresie your honour shal be as farre more greater then his as the conquest of mens soules and myndes is more glorious then subdevving of bodyes In such a CoÌ„quest the vvarre is Christes the victorie is his and yours the crovvne yours only not in earth only but in heauen also You haue the occasion offered ô mightie Prince by vvhich you may make your name and fame immortall let not such an opportunitie passe if you can atchieue so glorious a Conquest as you can if you vvill bicause the body of your Realme vvill follovv the vvill of their head you shall be more Glorious then all the Kinges of England before you If it please your Maiestie to set before your eyes those Glorious ChampioÌ„s of the Churche Constantine Theodosius Pepine Charles all surnamed Great more glorious for their victories ouer heresie and idolatrie then for conquestes of Countries more renovvmed for propagating the ancient Catholique Religion for it vvas not Lutheranisme nor Caluinisme vvhich they promoted then for enlarging their dominions you vvill easilie perceâ—e that it is muche greater honour for your Highnes to consorte vvith them rather then vvith Constantius and ValeÌ„s those Ariane Emperours enemies to that Church vvhich they defended enriched and Leo Isauricus Constantinus Copronymus those infamous Image breakers And if you please to call to mynde the Catalogue of the noble Kinges of EnglaÌ„d Lucius Ethelbert Egbert osvvald osvvine Alfred and many others before the Conquest vvith Vvilliam the Conquerour and so many Henries Edvvardes and Richardes after the Conquest all your Noble predecessours so mightie in force so ritch in treasure so noble of byrth so fortunate in vvarres so couragious in fyght so glorious in victories so vvise in Gouernment so iuste in punishing so mercitall in pardoning so vpright in life so zealous in Religion vvho builte so many goodly Monasteries erected so stately Churches founded so learned Colleges enacted so holsome lavves and vvise statutes and got so many and so straunge victories in Fraunce and other Countries euen vnto Palestine your Princelie vvisdome vvill easilie see that greater vvilbee your honour to ioyney our selfe to these vvorthies then to stande so nakedly accompanyed vvith three only of your Predecessours vvho haue protected the nevv Religion and ruined vvhat they haue builded vvherof the first vvas not vvholly for the nevv Religion bicause by Parlament he enacted six Catholike Articles and at his death founded a Masse for his soule the second vvas so younge that he vvas rather ouerruled theÌ„ ruled the laste vvas but a vvoeman and though they vvanted not Guiftes of nature vvhich might beseem princely authoritie yet for persequuting the Catholike faythe and follovving other pathes then their predecessours had troden theyr names are not eternized vvith that immortall fame vvhich their predecessours haue purchased by their Religious Actes SecoÌ„dly Redoubted Prince the Catholike Religion vvilbe greater securitie for you temporall State Forâ— your Highnes dare relye vppon them vvho by Religion Cal. l. 3. Inst c. 19 §. 14. l 4. â— to § 5.23 27. may disobey youâ— Lavves and Ordinaunces as I haue in my sixte booke demonstrated much morâ— may you put your truste and confidence in your Catholike subiectes vvhom conscience and religion byndeth to obedience For they are taught by Religion that Authoritie is of God 1. Pet. 2. Rons 13. and that in conscience they are subiect vnto it and bouÌ„d to obey kinges though othervvise difficile and harde to please not only for feare but for conscience also And this obedience they giue not only to Christian but also to Pagane Kinges such as all vvere vvhen sainct Peter and sainct Paule commaunded vs to obey them Eâ— Eus Vvee are taught sayed sainct Policarpe to the Proconsul to giue to higher povvers that honour vvhich is devve to them and not hurtfull to vs. Apol. c. 3. 〈◊〉 S. apulaÌ„ Vvee sayed Tertulian to the Ethnikes pray for the Emperour and reuerence him nexte to God and more then vve doe your Goddes To be breefe as I should bee vvith a King if the matter did not enforce me to be longer then I should be giue vs sayeth sainct Austine such Iudges such magistrates
doe set the gate open vnto all heretikes and heresies THE deuil hathe alvvaies played the ape euen from the beginning for after that he perceiued that he could not be God in deed to vvhich dignitie by climing thoughts he had ambitiously aspired he endeuoured by al meanes possible so to bringe his intentes to passe that he might at least go for a God and be taken for a God and therfore like an ape he hathe euer imitated God so neerly that he vvould be honoured and serued in the same fashion and manner as he savve the true God vvas vvorshipped Tert l. pras c. 40. God is serued vvith sacrifice as vvith a seruice devv vnto diuine Maiestie the deuil vvas euer honoured amoÌ„gest the paganes vvith his Hecatombs and Sacrifices euen by the Emperours of the vvorld God hathe his preests the deuil his flamins God hath his sacraments the deuil his expiations and ceremonies God hathe his baptisme his Euchariste his Nonnes and the deuil hath his vvashings his oblation of bread and his vestal virgins and as God promiseth a heauen to his seruanntes and vvorshippers so dothe the deuil promise his Elisian feelds and threatneth his stigiane lake Tert. ibid. And euen as the deuil by idolatours hathe imitated Gods sacrifice Sacramentes and manner of vvorship so by heretikes he hathe alvvaies affected to be as like as may be to Christe and his Apostles in citation and allegation of scripture Vvherfore Vincentius Lyrinensis noteth it to haue been the practise of heretikes the members of the deuil l. cont proph â— â—7 to alleage scriptures against the true Christians and meÌ„bers of Christe as once the deuil their head against Christ Iesus our head vvrested a place of scripture to proue that he must needs caste him selfe headlong from the pinnacle of the temple to proue him selfe the sonne of God Mat. 4. Marcion as Vvitnesseth Tertullian to prone that the vvorlde vvich he imagined to be of an cuil nature vvas created of an euil God l prase c 51. vsed that place of Saint Matthevv Mat. 7. Non potest arbor bona malos fructus facere a good tree can not bring forthe euil frutes l. de carne Christie 20. Valentinus as the same autour relateth to persvvade the vvorld that Christs body vvas framed of the substance of the heauens and consequeÌ„tly vvas noe true flesh nor truly conceued borne of the Virgin Marie but ra ther passed through her vvoÌ„be as through a Pipe taking noe substaunce of her alleaged saint Paules vvords vvho comparing the first Adame from vvhome vve fetch our carnal pedegree vvithe the second Adame Christ Iesus from vvhom vve are descended spiritually vseth these vvords The first man of earth earthly 1. Cor. â—â— the second man from heauen heauenly Not knovving or not vvilling to knovv that Christe is called heauenly ether in respect of his diuinitie and diuine person or bicause he vvas not earthly that is subiect to sinne vvhich proceedeth from earthly and terrene desires or bicause his body by right vvas from the first moment of his conception celestial that is glorious as are the bodies of the blessed vvich therfore saint Paule calleth also spiritual and aftervvarde vvas the first body that rose to that glorie to vvich it euer had good right Ibidam bicause a gloriouse soule such as Christs vvas from the first infusion of it into the body Io. 4. required as devve a glorious body but Christe vvould haue his body to vvant this devve vvhilest he liued vvith vs that he might suffer for vs vvich hee could not haue doone in a glorified body The Arrians to proue God the sonne inferiour to his father and not consubstantial nor coaequal vnto him brought his ovvn vvords against him the father is greater then I omitting many pregnaunt places vvich auouch the sonne to bee consubstantial and aequal vnto him to vvich places this also is not contrarie August l. 1. Trin. 6.7 bicause it proueth only that Christ as man is inferiour to his father The Nestorians by those places by vvich vve proue tvvo naturs in Christ the one humaine the other diuine proued tvvo persons in Christ The Eutichianes by the same places of scripture by vvich Catholikes do proue that in Christ vvas but one person endeuoured to proue that in Christ vvas but one nature And it hath been the propertie of all heretikes to make no bones of scriptures but prodigally to spende them and to lauis he them out to proue therby their heresies vvere they neuer so phantastical Supra Hic fortasse sayeth Vincentius Lyrinensis aliquis interroget an haeretici diuinae scripturae testimonijs vtantur Vtuntur planè vehementer quidem nam videas eos volare per singula quaeque diuinae legis volumina Here perchaunce some vvill demaund vvhether that heretikes do vse the testimonies of holy scripture they vse them assuredly and that vehemeutly for you shall see them flye through euery volume of the heauenly lavve Read sayeth he the vvorkes of Paulus Samosatenus of Priscilianus Iouinianus or Eunomius and thou shalt fynd an infinite heap of examples allmost noe page omitted vvich is not dyed and coloured vvith sentences of the olde and nevv Testament Remember sayeth Hilarius that there is no her tike vvhich doth not fayne that his blasphemies vvhich he preacheth are according vnto Scriptures Orat. â— conâ— Const. And faint Austine is of opinion that heresies proceede from no other fountaine then scriptures vvroÌ„gly expounded and crookedly vvrested Non aliunde natae sunt haereses Tract 1â— in 10. nisi dum scripturae bonae non intelliguntur benè From no other place heresies doe proceed but vvhilest good scripturs are euilly vnderstood But yet herin these heretikes are liberal of that vvhich is none of their ovvn and like Aesops crovve they proudly decke them selues vvith other byrds fethers For vvhat right or title haue they to scriptures of vvhich they are so prodigal or hovv came they to get the possession of scripturs truly as theeues take possession of other mens goods For Catholikes haue had the scripturs in their keeping tyme out of mynde as all histories all vvritings of the fathers all councells and ancient tradition vvill vvitnesse for vs and so at least by prescription Catholikes are the true and lavvful possessours of scripturs Yea histories and the ancient bookes of the fathers vvho from the first age alleaged scriptures are arguments that vve are the lavvfull heires to the Apostles concerning the inheritaunce of scripture Second booke chap. 1. bicause as herafter shal be proued vve only are the successours to the ancient fathers and Apostles them selues And seing that such arguments vvould cast them in lavve if the coÌ„trouersie vvere but about apeece of ground I see noe reason but that if the reformers of this tyme and the Catholike should put this case to any indifferent iudge to vvit vvhether they or Catholikes are the lavvfull possessours
scripture Vvhy retayne they a diuinitie lesson in Oxford and other Vniuersities especially novv that they haue turned the Bible into the vulgare tongue vvhich being done by the priuate spirit of the minister at the first sight it is easilie vnderstood If this be true then certainly had the ancient fathers very dull pates vvho vvith all their studie industrie prayer fasting solitude tōgues philosophie and sanctitie of life could not attain to that knovvledge of scripture in a longe lifes tyme vvhich a minister by and by getteth at the first opening of the Bible But tell me in good sadnes are you in iest or earnest vvhen you say that scripture is easie Vvhen you read the first chap. of Gen. the prophecies especially of Daniel the Psalmes of Dauid Iobes vvitty sayinges Salomons Prouerbes and Canticles sainct Paules epistles S. Ihons Apocalipse do you fynde no difficultie I can not thinke it bicause euen experience teacheth that nothing is more euident then that scripture is not euident For first the very letter and phrase of scripture is obscure and ambiguous Secondly many speeches in scripture are prophetical many parabolical many metaphorical vvhich commonly are full of obscuritie Thirdly it is proper to scripture to haue many senses vnder one letter as the literal sence vvhich the holy vvriter first intended and this sense some tymes is signified by proper vvords some tymes metaphorical yea sometymes also this literal sense vnder one letter is diuers Sometymes the sence is spiritual vvhich is that vvhich the thinges vnder the letter do signifie as for example those vvords of sainct Paule Abrahame had tvvoe sounes one of the handmayd another of the free vvoman Gal. ◠literally do signifie Abrahames tvvo sonnes bicause that the letter importeth and that first is intended but these tvvoe sonnes vvere figures of the old and nevv Testament or the tvvoe peoples vvhich liued vnder those Testaments and so this is the spiritual signification of those vvords vvhich they not immediatly but by meanes of those tvvoe sonnes do signifie And this sence is ether moral or tropological vvhen it tendeth to manners or allegorical vvhich tendeth to fayth or the Churche or anagogical vvhich tendeth to heauen or life euerlasting Vvherfore this vvorde Hierusalem literally signifieth the citie so called morally the soule of man vvhich God inhabiteth by good life or the deuil by badde allegorically the Church militant and anagogically heauen and the Churche triumphant Novv vvho is he that dareth promise to tell vs infaillibly vvhen a place of scripture is to be vnderstood literally or spiritually and in vvhat literal or spiritual meaning in c 16. Ezec. Sainct Hierome affirmeth that Apollinaris Tertulian and Lactantius and other millenarians imagined after the resurrection a reedification of the Temple and terrestrial Hierusalem and that Christ in it should raigne for a thousand yeares and vve that tyme should liue in all corporal pleasurs bicause they vndetstood certain places of scripture literally and properly vvhich should haue been vnderstood spiritually metaphorically And contrarivvise the same father ascribeth Origens errours in the exposition of the beginning of Genesis to no other cause ep ad Paul then that he imagined that the sayed chapter ought to bee vnderstood metaphorically and spiritually vvhich should haue been interpreted historically properlie and literallie And vvhat man in his vvitte can thinke it so easie to hit allvvayes of the right sense vvhere the senses are so diuerse and in vvhich so many learned men haue banguered Truly vvhen I consider vvith my selfe hovv euident a thinge it is that scriptures are hard and obscure I meruaile hovv our Reformers can persvvade thē selues that scriptures are easie and some tymes I ame induced to think that vvhen they say so they speake not as they thinke but yet vvhē I call to mynde another opiniō of theirs vvhich is that the true meaninge of scripture is that vvhich euerie ones priuate spirit imagineth I see it to be as easie to interpret scripture as to imagin vvhich is most easie bicause the imagination is free and can as vvell imagin Chimeraes as true obiectes As for example if that vvere the true meaning of Aristotle vvhich euery one vvould imagin then vvere it an easie matter for euery cobler to vnderstand Aristotle vvere he in Greek or Latin bicause he can imagin vvhat it pleaseth him vvith great facilitie And this if I be not deceued is the cause vvhy novv euery sister of the lord vvhom sainct Paule commaundeth to be silent in the Church vvill needs bee a bibliste and an interpretour of Scripture For if that bee the true sense of scripture vvhich the priuate spirit imagineth if she haue the spirit as vvhy should she not as vvel as the minister especially it being a receued doctrine amongest them that euery one by his priuate spirit can iudge of scripture vvhy may not she comment vppon the scripture and mount also into the pulpit there to preach the doctrine of her spirit But o fancies o Luciferiā pride to vvhich heresie leadeth euen the frayle and imperfect Sexe vvhich nature seemeth to haue debarred from pulpits Lib. praesc This pride Tertulian espyed in the heretical vvomen of his tyme. Ipsae mulieres hereticae quam sunt procaces quae docere audent contendere exorcismis agere curationes repromittere forsitan tingere Euen the heretical vvomen hovve malapert are they vvhich dare be so bold as to preach and to take vppon them to exorcise and to promise miraculous cures yea perhaps to baptize And vvheras Apprehētices are bound seauen yeares to an occupation to learne only a mechanical trade the arte and science of expounding scripture vvhich is the highest science that is seemeth to these subtile vvittes so easie Ep. ad Paul that as saint Hierome obserued in some of his tyme euery cobler euery olde trotte and doting foole can vvith out a Doctour fynde out the secret meaning of scripture and teach before they be taught But let them saye and beleeue if they can or vvill that scripture is easie the experience reason vvhich I haue alleaged vvill proue the contrarie And truly if hony bee hidden in the combe marovv in the bone and pretiouse stones in the sea if gold be gotten vvith labour out of the bovvels secret vaines of the earth and roses be hedged in vvith pricking thornes if nature hath hidden all perfection and naturall sciences vealed them vvith such obscuritie that vvithout great industrie they can not be discouered good reason vvas there that the mystical meanings and sacred senses of scripture should be vealed vvith an obscure letter and couered vvith many aenigmatical speeches For first by reason of this difficultie the study of scripture asketh a mās vvholle life and so keeping him occupied distracteth him from prophane idle and euil occupatiōs Secōdly the difficultie of scripture makes a man to haue a better esteem and higher conceipt of the same bicause things easily learned are easilie
of the priuate spirit contempte of fathers vvant of a visible Iudge of vvhich vvee haue spoken in the first booke for these vvere the properties of all heretikes and are as proper to our nevve reformers as euer they vvere to any ancient heretike as by the same chapters doth appear most euidently THE THIRD BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRVEY of their doctrine concerning Christ in vvhich by many poinctes of their doctrine it is proued that they are Antichristians rather then Christians The first Chapter proueth that their doctrine despoileth Christe of his diuinitie and that they therfore are no sincere Christians EVERY man liketh and loueth that vvhich he professeth and vvill speake honourably of him vvhom he follovveth in that profession The Stoickes coÌ„mend Zeno the Platonistes prayse Plato the Peripatetickes Aristotle the Epicureans Epicure the Atheists Diagoras and euery one reuerenceth and respecteth him vvhose doctrine and professioÌ„ he embraceth If then the reformers be sincere and reall Christians as they vvill seem to bee they must thinke and speake of Christe very honourably and giue that homage to his parson vvhich his doctrine hath deserued And so in deed or rather in vvordes they seem to doe Luther vvhen he first began to preach against Indulgences merits satisfactioÌ„ good vvorkes Lut. in c 17. Gal. fol. 2â—â— and inherent iustice affirming that only to beleeue that Christs Iustice is ours is sufficient to saluation vsed this for a Cloke that forsooth hee gaue all to Christs iustice and nothing to our vvorkes Caluin also in his preface of his Institutions vv ch he vvrote to the King of Fraunce In prâ—f Inst ad Reg. Galâ— commendes his ovvn doctrine for this pointe especially that it giues all honour to Christe leaueth nothing to our ovvn force habilitie And vvhat doth better aggree vvith faith sayeth he then to acknovvledge our selues despoiled of all vertue that of God vve may be clothed deuoid of all good that of him vve may be filled bond-seruaunts of sinne that of him vve may be made free blinde that of him vve may be enlightened lame that of him vve may be made straight feeble that of him vve may be vpholden to take from our selues all matter of glorying that he alone may be gloriouse on hyghe and in him vve may glorie So that vvhilest they deny good vvorkes to bee necessarie affirme faythe only sufficient vvhilest they say that vve haue no inherent iustice but are the best of vs though apostles sinners before god that our best vvorkes are sinnes and that vvee haue noe other Iustice then the iustice of Christe apprehended by fayth and imputed only to vs vvhilest they deny that vvee caÌ„ obserue the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tes or haue the povver free vvill to do any good or resist any tentation they attribute forsooth all to Christe and leaue nothing to vs that hee only may be glorified But by this booke I hope to make knovvn vnto the vvorld their deep dissimulation vvho in vvordes seeme to giue all to Christ but by their doctrine doe robbe him and despoile him of all his honourable titles And first you shall see hovv sacrilegiously they plucke and pull at Christes diuinitie I vvill not here relate the blasphemies of Michael Seruet vvhoe yet vvas a brother of this religion bicause they vvill say that for such doctrine Caluine caused him to bee burned for he sayed plainly that God the sonne vvas not true God l. Trin. fo 7 34 35. l 2. fol 8 in dial not coaquall vvith his father yea he sayed that God the father only vvas God vvhich doctrine notvvithstaÌ„ding he gathered or might haue gathered out of Luthers and Caluins vvorkes Nether vvill I say any thing of the heretikes and nevv Arians of TraÌ„siluania vvho in this also aggree vvith Seruetus Luther the graund Patriarch and nevv Euangelist must not bee omitted vvho in his booke against Latomus sayeth that he can not abide that vvord Homousion These are his vvords anima mea odit vocabulum Homousion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 My soule hateth the vvord consubstantiall So did the Arians hate the same vvord and called it exoticuÌ„ straunge and vnusuall But Athanasius gathereth this vvord out of scriptures ancient fathers Ep. Decr. Conc. Nâ—iâ— vvho in that they affirm that the sonne is begotten of his father coequall vnto him one vvth him affirm also that he is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall of the same substaunce vvith his father bicause nothing is equall and coequall to god the father but God and nothing is God vv ch is not the same substauÌ„ce vvith him bicause there are not many Gods And vvhy should Luther hate this vvord but for the signification for the sound is no more vngratefull then the sound of other vvords If he hate the signification then is he an Arian vvho beleeueth not that the sonne is coÌ„substaÌ„tiall and of the same substaunce vvith his father and consequently he thinks him not to be God or else he thinkes that ther are many Gods different in substaunce The same Luther as diuerse affirm in an edition of his commentaries vppon Genesis vvhich I haue not seen calles the sonne of God the instrument of his father by vv ch he created the vvorld in â— ca. Gen. vvhich manner of speech Arius also vsed And seing that the instrument is neuer of so noble a nature as the principall agent vvhat is this but to make the sonne of God inferiour to his father and consequently a creature And this testimonie as I haue read Seruetus alleaged against Luthers Scholers in the Albane disputation Luther also blotted out of the Germain prayer books those ancient vvords Sancta Trinitas vnus Deus miserere nobis Holy Trinitie one God haue mercy vppon vs. And vvhy for some spite belike vvhich he conceiued against Christ Iesus the second person in Trinitie For vvhy else did he in his Germain Bibles vvhen he came to the translation of those vvords of the ninth chapter of Esaie Deus fortis stronge God Leaue out God as though Christ vvere strong but not God Vvhy did he leaue out quite those vvords of saint Ihons epistle â— â—o â— Tres funt qui testimonium dant in caelo Pater Verbum Spiritus sanctus hi tres vnum sunt Ther are three vvhich giue testimonie in heauen the father the vvord and the holy ghost and these three are one The same Luther in his booke of Councels excuseth Eutyches l. de concil ◠〈◊〉 and Nestorius and accuseth S. Leo and sainct Cyrill as men vvhich vvere to eagre against them for sayeth he as Eutyches sayed so may it vvell be sayed that Christs diuinitie suffred O blasphemie did the diuinitie of Christ suffer then vvas it not true diuinitie and consequeÌ„tly Christ vvas not God bicause God as God can not suffer I may vse here Alamundarus vvitty ansvvere against Luther Niceph l. 16 hist c. â—â— Baron in Annal anno Christi 509. vv ch he vsed
begonne to blaspheme neuer leaueth blaspheming but addeth blasphemie to blasphemie and still redoubleth his blasphemies For not content to haue despoiled Christ of many noble titles not thinking it a sufficient disgrace to make him an ignoraunte and desperate man he novv openeth his mouthe to vtter his greatest blasphemie and to spitte his greatest spite against him associating him in punishement vvith the deuilles making him a member of the damned crevve and an inhabitaunte of hell it selfe and from desperation bringeth him to hell and damnation l. 2. c. 16. §. 10. In his Institutions vvhich T. N. translated into English and Richard Harison imprinted in the yeare of our Lord 1562. hauing occasion to treate of the descension of Christe into Hell he sayeth that Christe is sayed to haue descended into hell not that his soule locally descended for Caluin acknovvledgeth noe locall hell but bicause in soule he felte the paines of hell for sayeth he not only the body of Christe vvas giuen to be the price of our redemption but ther vvas another greater and more excellente price payed in this that in his soule he suffered the terrible tormentes of a damned and forsaken man And a litle after he ansvvereth a question vvhich he supposeth may be moued in this manner Novve if a man should aske of me vvhether that Christe vvent dovvne to hell vvhen he prayed to escape that death â—ect 12. I ansvvere that then vvas the beginning of it And seing that Caluin acknovvledgeth no other hell then the paines of hell that is torments of mynde vvhere vvith the damned are vexed it follovveth that Christe in the garden vvhen he feared not only deathe as Caluin sayeth but his fathers tribunall also began his hell vvhen he dispaired as he sayeth on the crosse he entered into the depthe of hell and so those vvords my God Mat. 2â— my God vvhy hast thou forsaken me Vvere the vvords of a damned man O blasphemie and that of one vvho vvill needs be counted a zealous and a reformed and reforming Christian Thou a Christiane Caluin thou a Ievve and more blasphemouse then a devill Thinkest thou that Christe redeemed vs vvho could not saue him selfe If he suffred hell he vvas damned bicause none suffer hell but by sentence of damnation and seing that out of hell ther is noe redemption he his still damned and so noe redeemer But to redouble the iniurie vvith a flovvte Caluin vvill needs seeme Christes greatest freind in prefering him to hell for sayeth he it had beene but a small matter to haue suffered deathe of body Sect. 12. yea that death sayeth he vvould only haue redeemed our bodyes but not our soules and so to make Christe a complete redeemer of body and soule he bringeth him to hell SecoÌ„dly he sayeth that this highly commendeth Christes mercie and charitie And thirdly he sayeth that this also shevved the povver of Christe vvhoe not only by death overcame death but by suffring hell paines overcame hell also and by taking the paine vvhich vve deserued acquitted vs of the same Thus he shroudeth his impietie and blasphemie vnder the shevv of pietie and zeale of Christes honnour and vvhen he blasphemethe most of all hee vvill seeme to honour Christe vvith the title of a complete redeemer and to commend his charitie and povver But to the first I ansvvere that Christ by his death and passion payed a sufficient price and ransome bothe for soule and body Eph 5. and therfore sainct Paule sayeth that in Christe vve haue redemption in his blood Col 1. And again he sayeth that Christe hathe pacified all by the blood of the crosse bothe in heauen and earthe â— Pet. 1. To vvhome sainct Peter subscribing avoucheth that vve are redeemed not vvith gold nor Siluer but vvith the preciouse blood of the immaculate laÌ„be And neuer shall Ihon Caluin finde ether scripture or father that sayeth that Christe sufferd the paynes of hell for our redemptioÌ„ but rather he shall finde that they attribute our redemption to the passion and paÌ„ges of death of Christes body And therfore if Caluin vvill staÌ„de to it that Christes passion vvas only able to ransome our bodyes but not our soules he detracteth from the dignitie of Christs deathe and seing that the scriptures and fathers acknovvledge noe other price to haue beene offred for vs then Christes deathe and passion if that vvere deficient then according to Caluin Christe is noe complete Redeemer But he presseth vs vvith an argument vvhich he counteth insoluble Supra for sayeth he he that satisfieth for another must pay the debte vvhich he ovveth and susteine the payne vvhich he deserued and therfore bicause vvee deserued the paines of hell and vvere to suffer them both in soule body it vvas necessarie that Christ in soule should suffer the paynes of hell else had he beeÌ„ but halfe a redeemer But by this argument Christe should haue endured in hell perpetuall tormentes and so should neuer haue redeemed vs bicause he should him selfe haue been a perpetuall prisoner for if Christe must needs suffer the selfe same paine vvhich vvee deserued then must he according to Caluins rule haue endured a perpetuall hell bicause that vvas the punishement prepared for vs and seing that eternall punishement neuer comes to an ende Christe should neuer haue payed the ransome devv for sinne and so vve should neuer haue been redeemed Vvherfore I saye that Christes passion to the sufferaunce of vvhich bothe Christes body and soule concurred for the body by it selfe alone can not suffer paine vvas a sufficient ransome to redeeme bothe our soules and our bodyes from hell and damnation and therfore to that only and not to the paynes of hell the scriptures fathers do attribute our redemption See the third booke third chap. And this as I haue proued allready vvas a moste sufficient price and so sufficient that in that it vvas the passion and deathe of him that vvas God and man it vvas sufficient to haue redeemed a thousand vvorldes yea the deuilles damned also nether must Caluin bee so rigorous as to thinke that noe satisfaction can bee sufficient vnless it bee of the same kinde vvith the debte vvhich is to bee payed or the harme vvhich is to bee repaired for if one of Caluins brotherhood had cut of the arme of another brother vvould not a peece of mony haue made satisfaction for the mayme or vvould Caluin haue exacted arme for arme And if one had ovvght Caluin an hundred crovvnes vvould not he haue beene content to haue taken the vvorthe or more then the vvorthe in corne sheepe or suche like but needs must haue crovvne for crowne as thoughe there vvere noe other lavve but lex talionis or if satisfaction for these debtes and losses may be made by other paymentes vvhich are of aequall valevve then might Christe by sufferinge deathe vvhich vvas of infinite price and valevve make a full satisfaction for the paines
nether in vs nor in our actions All these opinions of Caluin see in the seuēth booke is any one iotte of true sanctitie He denyeth also free vvill all voluntarie cooperatiō vvith Gods vvill and grace And so vve can not pray that gods vvill bee doone in vs for such a prayer argueth some dependence of gods vvill on ours vvhich so vvould haue vs to do vvell as it vvill leaue it in our povver to resiste the vvill and grace of God And if Caluin obiecte those vvords of Scripture Rom. 9. vvho resisteth his vvill I vvill ansvvere that noe man can resiste gods vvill vvhen hee vvill absolutelie haue it fulfilled and independently of vs but yet vve may resiste gods vvill vvhen he vvilleth dependently of our vvilles Mat. 2◠else vvould hee not haue sayed hovv often vvould I haue gathered thee as a henne gatherethe her chickins together and thou vvouldest not Novve put all this together and you shall see that the Pater noster or our lords prayer must be cut out of the Catechisme and blotted out of the ghospell for althoughe that Christe taught his Apostles that prayer yet according to Caluins doctrine noe faithfull man that is noe Caluiniste can in conscience recite that prayer And so ether Christe is deceiued or Caluin teacheth false doctrine but Caluin vvill svveare that he teacheth the truthe and that hee is sure that a faithfull man is sure of his iustice remission of sinnes and election and therfore you knovve vvhat follovveth But least you thinke that I doe iniurie to Caluin in affirming that hee taketh a vvay the lords prayer as vnlavvfull and quite repugnaunte to Christian faithe I vvill proue it manifestly and by no other argument then by calling to mynd that vvhich is allready sayed In the first petition of our lordes prayer vve desire that his name be hallovved in vs vvhich is a prayer cleane opposit to Caluins opinion vvhich teacheth that ther is noe sanctitie in vs or our vvorkes and so holding his opinion vve must omit the first petition In the secōd vve pray that his Kingdome may come and that vve may be receued into it vvhich petition vve can not make frō our harte if before vvee praye vvee are assured by faithe that vvee are electe and predestinate to that kingdome The third is that Gods vvill bee doone in earthe as in heauen vvhich petition also according to Caluin is friuolous for if vvee cooperate not vvith God by our free vvill in vayne do vvee pray that his vvill bee doone in earthe bicause that argueth some dependence of Gods vvill one ours as is before demonstrated The fourthe is that God vvould giue vs our daylye bread that is all those benefites ether of Nature or Grace vv ch are belonging ether to soule or bodye vvhich petition also can not stād vvith Caluinsfaithe bicause if faithe assurethe me of present and future iustice yea and of glorie also then I can not praye ether for iustification or remission of sinnes or perseueraunce in grace or final glorie bicause noe man can praye for that vvhich hee is assured of as is before declared And so vvee can only praye for healthe ritches fayre vvether or suche like corporall benefites yea if it bee true that all these thinges come by fatall necessitie as Caluin must saye that they do bicause hee affirmeth that Gods foresight and decree imposeth a necessitie vppon all thinges l. 1. Inst c 2◠§. ◠and consequently on these thinges also bicause hee foreseethe and decreethe these thinges no lesse then he dothe mens actions then in vayne also do vvee pray for healthe or vvelthe or fayre vveather bicause these thinges of necessitie shalbe◠or not bee vvhether vve vvill or noe and as vaine it is to praye for healthe or vvelthe as for the sonne rising vvhich of necessitie riseth vvhether vvee pray or noe The fifte petition demaundeth that God vvould forgiue vs our trespasses offences vv ch as is before proued vve can not praye for vvithout losse of our faythe vvhich if it bee right assureth vs vvithout all doubte that thy are allready forgiuen The sixte seuenth are that God vvould not permit vs to fall into temptation and by tentation but rather vvill deliuer vs from all euil especially of sinne vvhich petitiō also is vaine yea impossible if Caluins faithe bee true For if by faith I bee assured of future iustice I can not pray vvith harte that God vvill assiste mee that I fall not from iustice bicause I ame as Caluin sayeth full vvell assured that I shall not falle and so I can no more pray that I may not fall by tentation then that the heauens may not fall vppō mee being as sure of the one as the other And so the Lordes prayer can not stande if Caluins doctrine do goe for currāt and seing that this prayer vvas made by Christe if vvee vvill follovve Caluin vvee must forsake Christe for as much as this prayer conteineth in a breefe somme and methode all thinges vvhich vvee are to prayer for if sinne and other euils befall vs of necessitie as Caluin sayeth they doe in vayne do vvee pray to bee deliuered frō all euil And if by Caluins doctrine vvee can not say this prayer vvhich is a Compendium of all prayers and petitions vvee can not praye at all and so noe prayer can be vsed in Caluins Church according to Caluins doctrine Vvherfore I meruaile not that so litle prayer is practised amongest them I vvonder not that thy build noe nevve churches but pull dovvne the old vvhich vvere builded for prayer rather I meruaile that they sometymes exhorte mē to prayer seing that their doctrine prayer can not stande together And I like better of Luther and of his plaine dealing in this matter for he hauing once pronounced sentēce that faith only iustifieth affirmeth cōsequently that prayer is not necessarie Ser de Dom. 4. Aduent edit an 1525. these a◠his vvordes Euery hart hovv much the more perfect knovvledge he meanethe the knovvledge of faithe it hathe of it selfe so much more ready is the vvay for God vnto it although in the meane tyme a man should drinke nothing but malmesey and vvalke vppon roses and neuer praye one vvorde And so if Caluine vvould deale as plainly as Luther dothe as he aggreeth vvith him in the premises to vvit that only faithe sufficeth so should hee also aggree vvith him in the conclusion vvhich is that prayer is not necessary But it is tyme novv that I also come to my conclusion to vvit that amongest our reformers is noe religion bicause by their doctrine they can haue no prayer vvhich conclusion if the premises be called to mynde dothe follovve easily and euidently Bicause prayer in all lavves vvas euer necessarie to the vpholding of religiō as I haue proued by inductiō and the reason also is bicause it is one of the moste principall actes of religion by vvhich vve acknovvledge Gods soueraintie
his vvife complaine that hee keepeth not promise vvith her he may ansvver her easilie that if he bee not bounde in conscience to keepe Gods lavve hee is not bounde to keepe the lavve of matrimonie vvhich is but a particuler lavve And if shee replve that god also commaundeth vs to keepe this particuler lavve and contracte hee may tell her that hee confesseth it to bee true but Caluin hathe assured him that Christe hathe freed him in conscience from all obligation of all lavves vvhether they bee humaine or diuine and soe hee is not bound to keepe the lavve of matrimonie and therfore chalenging his libertie he may leaue his vvife as lavvfully and as freely as if he had neuer made her promise bicause noe lavve much more noe promise is able to bynde in conscience In like manner let merchauntes vvho vse to lend mony or to sell of truste and credit looke better about them theÌ„ hether to they haue doone For if noe lavves binde in conscience then contractes also bynde not and so their debters may chalenge the libertie vvhich Caluin hathe giuen them vvhich is not to bee bound in conscience to pay them a penye Vvee must henceforthe also take heed not only of knovven theeues and murderers but of them also that go for honest men yea euen of our necrest and dearest freinds for vvhat should vvith-hold them from doing vs a mischeefe if noe lavv nether of God nor man nor nature bynd them in conscience And so the pareÌ„tes may distruste their children and the children their parentes bicause according to Caluins opinion the one is not bound to the other nether by the lavve of God nor nature The husband must liue allvvayes in iealousie of his vvife and shee of him bicause the lavve of matrimonie according to this opinion bynds not one partie in conscience to keepe touch vvith the other And so by this doctrine noe man in any thing can truste on rely or another but all must liue in feare iealousie and suspicion of others and so they must forsake societies and flye to mountaines and truste rather to beasts vvhome nature vvithholdeth from iniuries then vnto men vvhome according to Caluins doctrine noe lavve and consequently noe conscience stayeth or vvith holdeth from Mischeef By this let the reader take a scantling of this doctrine and tell me vvhether it be like to be of God vvhich is so opposit to all societie vvhich his of God THE SEVENTH BOOKE CONTEINETH A SVRuey of the nevv doctrine concerning manners in vvhich it is declared hovv by diuers of their opinions they open the gappe vnto all vice The first Chapter shevveth hovv the reformers take avvay hope of heauen and feare of hell and consequently open the gapp to all vice TVVOE thinges ther are vv ch as firme and constaunte pillers do vphold and susteine all coÌ„mon vvelthes from falling and praeserue vvell ordered societies froÌ„ dissoluing to vvit hope of revvard and feare of punishment Hope like a spurre pricketh forvvard feare like a bridle restraineth hope eggeth onvvard vnto vertue feare pulleth backe from vice hope incites vs to obserue the lavv feare makes vs feare to traÌ„sgresse the lavve Vvherfore Solon the graue lavv-giuer vvas vvont to saye that payne and revvard are the things vvhich keepe all Societies in avve And vvell in deed might he saye so for take avvay hope of revvard and men vvilbe slouthfull and sluggish in the excercise of vertue and laudable actions and take avvay feare of punishment the euil disposed vvilbe as for vvard in attempting of theftes murders treasons treacheries and vvhatsoeuer villanies These tvvoe things so necessarie in a coÌ„mon vvelth Christe vvould not haue to bee vvanting in his Church vvhich is the best ordered common vvealth that euer vvas on earth and therfore he proposeth vnto vs a heauen to hope for and an hell to feare the one to stirre vs vp to all vertuous actioÌ„s the other to deterre vs from all vvicked attempts For although vertue as the Philosopher sayeth be so amiable and so beseeming maÌ„s reasonable nature that if ther vvere noe heaueÌ„ nor noe other revvard of vertue but vertue yet vvee should imbrace it for it selfe and liue chastly for the loue of chastitie iustly for the loue of iustice and temperately for the loue of temperancie and although vice be a thing so detestable filthie Th. 1.2 ◠〈◊〉 art 2. abominable and repugnant to the reasonable parte of man that if ther vver noe hell nor punishment for it yet vve should detest it for it selfe and fly it for the dishonestie vvhich it implyeth yet on the one side bicause vertue is repugnaunte to sensualitie and placed amidde many difficulties like a rose amongest thornes man vvould neuer longe liue vertuously if there vvere no other revvard for vertuous actions then vertues honestie and on the other side vice is so pleasing to sensualitie and so sutable to our corrupt nature that if ther vvere no other punishment to deterre men from it then the dishonestie vvhich is ioyned vvith it fevv or none vvould flye and eschevve it Vvherfore God hathe proposed a heauen to allure vs to vertue and a helle to deterre and scarre vs from vice Mat. 2â— Come sayeth Christe to the good vvhose revvard is heauen yee blessed of my father enioye the Kingdome praepared for you from the beginning of the vvorld Ibidem And in terrible vvords he thundreth out the sentence against the reprobate vvhose punishement is the fier of hell departe from me yee accursed into euerlasting fier vvhich is praepared for the deuil and his angells And that this heauen and the hope of it may the more forcibly moue to good life and obseruation of the commaundementes the holy Scripture settes it forth vvith all the gloriouse titles in the vvorld and euen vvith the names of those things vvhich men moste desire If you desire life heauen is called aeternall life Io. 6 1â— Apoc 4. Sap â—â— Apoc. 22. If you couet reste heauen is a repose after labour If light be gratefull heauen is a perpetual light shining in the faces of the Saincts Luc. 12. If mariadge like you Psal 25. heauen is a perpetual mariadge If pleasure please you heauen is a riuer of pleasure If banquetting be thy desire heauen is a Supper and a great supper Liic 14. vvhere vvith Angells vvee shall by fruition and clear vision satiate our selues in feeding vppon the diuinitie If home be gratefull vnto the heauen is thy countrie Psal 13â— froÌ„ vvheÌ„ce accordiÌ„g to thy soule thou fetchest thy race origin and vvhether thou trauelest so longe as in this vvorld thou liuest vv ch is but a vvaye or Inne noe home nor maÌ„sioÌ„ place If a Paradise vhose name importeth a place of all honest pleasure felicitie delighteth heaueÌ„ is called so Luâ— 2â— vvas by christ him selfe promised to the good theef by no other name Breefly if thou desire a revvard of all thy paines and trauells
conclusions First that nether Princes nor Iudges haue authoritie to condemne vs to any paine as is before proued bicause vvhere noe lavve byndes noe prince can iustly punishe the transgression And so humaine feare is taken avvay Secondly this doctrine abolisheth all filial feare for vvher no lavve byndes in conscience noe sinne can be committed and so vvee need not to feare theftes and murders for feare of offending God bicause vvhere noe sinne is no offence is to be feared Reuerentiall feare also they abandone bicause as is before proued in denying lavves to bynde they take avvay all authoritie euen from God and vvhere noe authoritie is no reuerence is devve As for seruile feare they condemne it in expresse termes And Luthers vvordes vvee haue harde allready let vs heare also Caluin speake l. 3. Inct. c. 24 § 6.7.8 Hee affirmethe that a sinner can not bee iuste vnlesse hee beleeue assuredly that hee is elect praedestinate and vndoubtedly to be saued vvhence follovveth that noe man must feare hell yea that noe man can feare hell and retaine his faithe For if hee bee by faithe cocke-sure of Saluation hee can not feare hell and damnation bicause hee is as assured of escaping hell as of attaining heauen and noe man can feare that euil vvhich hee is assured to escape As for example noe man feareth least the heauens falle vppon him Or if Caluin feare hell hee looseth his faithe bicause hee is not assured to escape hell and to attaine to heauen And bicause Caluin savve vvell enoughe that feare of hell is taken avvay by this his doctrine § 2. hee checketh sainct Gregorie the great saying that he teacheth pestilently vvhen hee sayeth in a certain homelie that vve knovve only our calling but are vncertain of our election Hom. 38. in Mat. euang vvherby sayeth Caluin he moueth all men to feare and trembling bicause vve knovve vvhat vve bee to day but vvhat vve shal be vve knovve not Luther also as hee holdes the same opinion of assurednes of saluation so he biddes vs to take heed least vvee feare hell or iudgemeÌ„t bicause that vvere to loose our faithe These are his vvords Vvherfore if thou be a sinner as verily vve all are in to 2. Col. â—d Gal. do not propose vnto thy selfe Christe as a ludge in a rayn-bovve for then thou vvilte be a frayed and dispaire but apprehend the definition of Christe that hee is noe exactour of the lavve but a propitiaiour So that Luther thinkes that Christe vvill exacte noe lavve at the handes of a faithfull man and therfore he needeth not to feare hell in vvhich transgressours of the lavve are punished Vvherfore as they take avvay all hope of revvard so they take avvay all feare and especially the feare of hell vvhich is the greatest bridle that is to restraine men from sinne But first I vvill aske theÌ„ vvhy scripture setteth forthe heauen and hell vvith suches names and titles if it bee a sinne to hope for the one or to feare the other Truly if it bee sinne theÌ„ hathe God in setting forthe heauen and hell so liuely layed baytes to catche vs and to allure vs to sinne And vvhy then dothe scripture in so many places commaund vs to hope and to feare And hovve are those tvvoe thinges vnlavvfull vvhich are so necessarie in all common vvelthes Vvhy maye the plovvghman trauell all the daye in hope of his vvage the husbandman sovve his seed in hope of a haruest the souldiour follovve the vvarres in hope of a spoile and yet a Christian man maye not fullfill the commaundementes in hope of a revvard in heauen For if it bee lavvfull to hope for heauen vvhy it is not lavvfull also to giue almes in hope of heauen as Dauid inclined his harte to keepe the lavve for revvard and retributioÌ„ Psal 118. They ansvver that vve must serue God purely for his loue glorie but not for revvard True that must bee the principall ende but yet theÌ„ce it follovveth not but that vvee may also serue for revvard as for a secondarie ende and motiue But say they he that serueth for revvard vvould not serue god if revvard vvere not vvhich argueth an euil mynde I ansvvere that allmen are not so affectcted And if hope of heauen bee of that force as to moue theÌ„ to keepe the lavve vvhy may it not also bee sufficient to moue them to lay aside that euill affection vvhich is also against the lavve In like manner if I may lavvfully feare deathe and other euilles of the body vvhy may I not feare hell vvhich is the greatest punishement that is bothe of soule and body and if I may fearre hell vvhy maye I not absteine from sinne or fullfill the lavve for fearre of hell They saye the reason is bicause he that fullfilleth the lavve for feare of hell vvould sinne vvith all his harte if hell vvere not bee it so yet this arguethe feare to bee good rather then euil bicause it is a cause vvhy vvee absteine at least from the out vvard acte of sinne and if the mynde bee euill disposed that proceedeth not from the fear of hell but froÌ„ an euill disposition Yea if feare of hell bee sufficient to keep vs from the acte of sinne it is sufficient also to restraine vs from the euill desire of the mynde bicause against that also hell is prepared And in this is a plaine differeÌ„ce betvvixte feare of hell and temporall punishments bicause Princes by teÌ„porall paines punishe only the outvvarde acte of vvhich only they can iudge and therfore the theefe may absteine from thefte for feare of hanging and yet haue an invvarde desire to steale but God punisheth in hell not only the outvvard acte but also the invvard affection and desire of sinne and therfore if feare of hell keep a man from thefte it vvill restraine him also from the desire And consequently feare of hell can not bee ill but rather good vvhich is no cause of ill but rather a cause vvhy vvee absteine from euill and althoughe some peraduenture yea and vvithout peraduenture vvould sinne and neglegcte the commaundemeÌ„tes if hope of heauen and fear of hell vvere not yet that is noe argument that ther in they sinne if they haue noe presentil affectioÌ„ or consent to sinne For so many vvould sinne if they should liue longer or if they had this or that occasion or if God gaue them not this and that grace and yet that they vvould sinne is noe sinne if they haue noe present affection or desire to sinne Yea this is an argument that hope of heauen and feare of hell are verye laudable and good bicause they are bridles to restraine men from sinning Vvherfore to dravve neare a conclusion vvhich is that our Reformers in taking avvay hope of heauen and feare of hell open the gappe to all vice I reporte mee vnto the indifferente reader hovve the Churche is like to flourishe in vertue vvithout hope of heauen and feare of hell seing that as
is called the fullnes of tyme virgins vvere more frequent For after that the authour of this lavve Christe Iesus vvas borne a virgin of a virgin mother then all the vvorld seemed to bee inamoured vvith virginitie The Apostles vvhich vvere Christes first Preests and Bishops vvere ether virgins or liued chast like virgins after preesthood Sainct Philip had fovvre daughters vvhich liued and dyed virgins Act. 2â— S. Mathevve the Apostle in Aethiopia instituted an angelicall college of virgins Euseb l. 3. â—o 30. to vvhich hee appointed Iphegenia the Kings daÌ„ghter for the Abbesse In vita cius vv ch after vvards cost him his life but got him the crovvne of martydome I de vit contempt Philo the levve makes mention of diuers societies vvhich in the primatiue Churche liued chastly Apol 2. Iustinus martyr affirmeth that noe people vvas so giuen vnto chastitie as vvere the ChristiaÌ„s of his tyme vvhen as hee sayth bothe men and vvomen kept virginitie to the end and caryed it vvith them to their graue yea to heauen for a ievvell The like report giueth Tertullian of the Christians of his tyme S. Ignatius Apol. c. 9. Ep. adâ—hilad sainct Paules scholler in one of his epiâ—â—les Saluteth a College of virgins and a societie of vvidovves Ep ad Haronâ— and vvhen he vvas going to martvrdome the cogitation of his death and the lions vvhich vvere to deuour him could not put them out of his mynd but euen then hee commended them to his Deacon and successours as the precious Ievvels of Christe Ruff. l. 1 c. 8. Theod. l. 1. â— 1â— Ruffinus also and other Historiographers in commendation of Queen Helena Constantines mother and our countrie vvoman telleth hovve vvheÌ„ she came to Hierusalem she that vvas the Emperess of the vvorld vouchsaffed to serue the virgins at table as a vvayting maide l. 4. vitae CoÌ„st â— 28. And Eusebius puttes it amongest the prayses of Constintine her sonne that he caryed allvvayes a great respecte to virgins persuading him self that God him selfe dvvelled in such chaste myndes Nether caÌ„ our Reformers ansvvere vvith any probabilitie that this vvas the abuse and corruption of that tyme bicause it vvas the vse and custome of the prime Christians in vvhose memories the life vvorkes vvords and examples of Christe and his Apostles vvere freeshe and in vvhose harts the blood of Christe as yet vvas vvarme And if this vvere an abuse holy scripture is the cause of it vvhich in many places commendeth Chastitie and virginitie 〈…〉 The Prophere Isaie or rather God by his mouthe biddes Eunuches that is chaste virgins not to coÌ„plain that they haue noe posteritie in vvhich their name maye continevv for sayeth hee I vvill giue them a place in my hovvse and a better name then they could haue in sonnes and daughters for I vvill giue them an aeternall name vvhich shall neuer perishe Vvher hee can not meane Ennuches by nature bicause hee hathe no reasoÌ„ to promise more to them then to others bicause theyr chastitie is forced but hee must needes bee vnderstood of those Eunuches of vvhich Christe spoake Mat. â—â— vvhen hee sayed that there are some that haue gelded them selues that is haue depriued them â—elues of corporall pleasures by free electioÌ„ Sainct Paule also auoucheth Cor. 7â— that it is good not to touch a vvoeman And againe hee counsayleth them that are free from a vvife not to seeke a vvrfe Ibidem Yea sayeth hee I vvould haue all like my selfe that is chast and continent as all the Interpretours expound And allthough sayeth he I haue noe lavve yet I counsail all to be virgins Ibidem Yea reason also giueth chastitie the preccdeÌ„ce of matrimonie For first as I haue sayed allready in that vve are ashamed of all carnall copulatioÌ„ euen of that vvhich by mariage is made lavvfull it is an argument that Chastitie is more beseeming the nature of man Secondly man is reasonable and sensual spirituall and carnall by reason of his compound nature and by the reasonable parte hee aggreeth vvith angells by the sensuall parte vvith beastes and seing that the reasonable parte is the best and noblest portion in him abstinence from corporall pleasures makes him most like to him selfe yea to Angells bicause by that hee liueth a reasonable life yea and Angelicall and more then Angelicall vvhoe in fleshe and blood liueth chastly like an Angell Thirdly oure goods are diuided into three partes to vvit the goods of fortune vv ch are ritches honours offices and such like the goodes of the body vvhich are healthe and pleasure the goodes of the mynde vvhich are vertues and our ovvne vvilles and desires if then it bee a thing highly pleasing God vvhen by voluntarie pouertie or almesdeedes vvee despoile our selues of our goods of fortune for his sake or his meÌ„bers the poore if it pleaseth him also vvhen by obedience vvee resigne our vvilles and desires vvhich are the goods of our mynde into the handes of our Superiours and consequently into the handes of God from vvhom they haue their authoritie vvhy shall it not bee laudable to vveane our selues eueÌ„ in the flovvre of our yeares from those goods of the bodye vvhich are called pleasures but yet so are goods and pleasures of the body that coÌ„monly they doe the soule the greatest domages and displeasures Lastly if to vse moderation in eating and drinking bee a vertue called temperaunce vvhy shall not a moderation in pleasurs of the fleshe and sensualitie vvhich vvee call chastitie bee esteemed also as a vertue But our Epicurs vvill say that a moderation in pleasurs is good but yet as it is vnlavvfull to absteyne altogether from meare so is it a sinne to renounce all pleasurs of the body To this vvee haue an easy ansvvere to vvit that the first abstinence is vnlavvfull bicause it killeth the bodye vvhich can not liue vvithout meate but the second is lavvfull and laudable bicause corporall pleasures are not necessary for the bodyes maintenaunce and commonly are preiudiciall to the soule and sometymes to the body also But yet they haue not doone it is against nature as they saye preiudiciall to mankinde to liue chastly I ansvvere that chastitie is against the nature of the fleshe and sensualitie by vvhich vve aggree vvith beastes but it is most beseeming our reasonable nature vvhich is the principall parte of man and so is absolutely aggreable vnto man bicause the reasonable portion is that vvhich maketh him a man And althoughe if all men should liue chaste it vvoulde bee preiudiciall to mankind yet for some to bee chast it is not any vvise derogating and vvee need not feare least all men be chast bicause it is not a thing so easie but is an harde and heroicall vertue vvhose difficultie deterreth the most parte of men Such an obiection Vigilantius once made Hier l. â— contra Vigil If all be virgins sayed he mariadges shall not bee children shall not cry
a thing vvhose center is euerie vvhere and his circle or circumference no vvhere signifying therby that the least thinge in God if a man may saye so of God in vvhem all thinges are so great that they are no lesse then God is so great that it farre surpasseth the spheare of our capacitie much more doth the circumference of his infinite perfection exceed the compasse and reach of humain vvit Simomdes being asked the same question required tyme to consider after vvhich tyme hee being demaūded to giue his cēsure he required longer tyme At the lengthe being vrged to make no moe delayes he ansvvered only this that God vvas such a thinge that the more vvee consider him the lesse vve conceue of him the more vve conceue of him the lesse vve can say of him Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers could only say of God that hee is Ensentium a thing of thinges that is a thing from vvhich all things proceed as from the fountaine and first cause of all thinges and a thinge vvhich is all thinges bicause eminently as Diuines say and compēdiously hee conteineth in him selfe all thinges Not that in God they be liuing and not liuing corruptible and incorruptible great and small differēt and diuers perfect and imperfect as they are in them selues bicause all in God is liuing all incorruptible all great increat and infinite all one all perfecte vvithout imperfection to bee breefe in God all is God For as the cause conteineth diuerse effectes vvithout division and imperfection of the cause and as the artificers peece of vvorke hathe a more noble being in the artificers Idea and mentall platforme then in it selfe so all thinges are in God in more eminent manner then in them selues bicause in him they are as in their cause and fountaine yea as in their idea therfore thou ghe in them selues these creatures some bee corporall some bee spirituall yet in God all are spiritual thoughe in them selues some bee liuinge creaturs some deuoid of life Io. ◠yet in God all are liuing and life it selfe thoughe in them selues they bee create yet in God they be increat though in them selues they be imperfecte yet in God they be perfect though in them selues they be diuerse yet in God they are all one though in them selues they be creatures yet in God they are God This the learned scholler of sainct Paule Dionisius Areopagita c. 5. de diuin◠nominib◠explicateth by a fitte similitude As the lines saieth hee vvhich are dravven from the Center are diuided from them selues and diuerse in them selues but in the Center they are vnited in one vvithout any distinction so all creaturs as they proceed from God vvhoe is the Center and resting place of all thinges are diuers and different but as they are in god they are all one And as the forsaied lines in the Center are nothing else but the Center soe all creatures vvhich are but so many lines dravvne from Gods indiuisible nature in God are God vvithout all diuision and imperfection But as vvhat God is vve knovv not so that ther is a God it is so manifest that thoughe the toungue maye denye him the harte can not if it bee not caryed a vvaye vvith passion and inconsideration True it is that Protagoras and Diagoras vvere so godlesse as to doubte yea to deny that ther vvas a God yet these men vvere long since Hissed out of the Schooles of all Philosophers and could not haue denied God in harte vvhere the light of reason discouereth him had not some blinding passion ouer ruled them And therfore if it vvere not that heresie had countenaunced Atheisme and giuen it authoritie to passe amongest Christians vvithout blushing yea vvith honour and credit I vvould haue contented my selfe to haue hissed also at these cōpanions and vvould neuer haue gone about to ouerthrovv that by reason vvhich standeth vvith no reason But least that the authoritie and svvaye vvhich atheisme novv a dayes beareth in the vvorld may ouer rule the vviser and seeme reason enough to the simple I vvill by certain pregnaunt reasons conuince these godlesse Atheistes that ther is a god a diuine povver And first of all this vvorld seemeth to me to bee a booke in vvhich vve may read this veritie For as the booke vvhich vvee read if vvee vnderstand the vvordes teacheth vs the veritie or science vvhich it cōteineth so if vvee read vvith diligēce the booke of this vvorlde in vvhich euery creature is a vvorde vvee shal by it learne that ther is a God Ro. 1. For as S. Paule sayeth the inuisible things of God that is his diuine attributes and perfections are knovvne by those things that are created Vvherfore that couragious mother in the Machabees ◠Ma◠7. vv ch vvas as forvvarde to prefer her sonnes to Martyrdome as others vvould be to detein them biddeth her sonne to read this booke of creaturs and to looke vppon heauen and earth and all vvhich is in thē conteined and therby to learne that God it vvas that made them all of nothing This booke sainct Antonie studied and profited therin so much that hee could confute Philosophers and convince a godhead and diuinitie Yea these creaturs are not only so many vvordes in vvhich vve may read this veritie but they are also so many preachers vvhich cry out vvith a voice most lovvd and shrill Psal 9◠and in a language intelligible of all men that God it vvas that made them and not they them selues And so a God-head is taught vs not only by the vniuersitie of Athens Paris or Louaine but also of all the creaturs in the vvorld For first I demaund of vvhome this vvorld vv ch Philosophers do call Alle bicause it cōteineth all receiued his beginning being and existence If thou say vvith Epicure or Democritus that it vvas made Fortuito causarum vel atomorum concursu by a chauncing cōcourse of causes motes or indiuisible bodies Taske vvho made these causes and indiuisible bodyes If thou ansvvere that a creatur made thē I aske again vvho made that creature so at lengtht I vvill bring thee to a thinge exempt from creation vvhich created all things and this I call God If thou sayest that the vvorld framed it selfe I must needs tell thee that that is impossible bicause nothing can operate or vvorke before it hathe a being bicause as the Philosopher sayeth prius est esse quam agere And so if the vvorld made it selfe it vvas before it selfe vvhich implyeth a contradiction If thou say that it vvas nether framed by it selfe nor by any other cause but vvas euer of it selfe vvithout any making then thou makest the vvorlde a God and so vvhilest thou seekest to deny a God thou grauntest a God For if it bee of it selfe it is indepēdent of any other and so hathe a necessarie being vvhich euer vvas and euer shal be bicause if it be of it selfe it can not by any cause bee brought
accustomed to figures vvhose vvholle lavve vvas figuratiue and they cā easilie conceue hovve thy maye eate thee spiritually by faithe bicause that is only to beleeue in Christe and the Messias vvhich thy disciples that stagger at these thy vvords do allready beleeue and all their forfathers haue longe since beleeued But Christe vvill giue them no suche easie ansvvere vvhich argevveth that hee spoake nether of figuratiue eating only nor of spirituall eating only but of reall eating of his flesh thoughe in a spirituall manner Vvhat then ansvverethe our blessed Sauiour vnto these afflicted people nothing at all more then vvhich allready hee hathe ansvvered but rather novve hee turneth to the tvvelue Apostles saying Vvhat vvill you therfore departe As if hee had sayed I haue told you a highe mysterie at vvhich many murmure many are scandalized and for vv ch many haue lefte mee also but I haue no other thīg to saye faithe is here required vvithout vvhich none can come to mee or my father none can beleeue this mysterie but they that vvill not captiuate their vnderstanding to the obedience of faithe let them goe but vvill you my tvvelue vvho are vsed to my parables and mysteries be gone also Sainct Peter ansvvereth for all tvvelue not knovvīg Iudas infidelitie vvhom not vvithstanding Christe calleth a deuil for the same Lord to vvhome shall vvee goe thou hast the vvordes of eternall life Out of this discourse I gather tvvoe thīges for my purpose first that the Ievves vnderstood Christe not of a figuratiue or spirituall eating by faithe bicause such eating could not haue scandalized them vvho vvere accustomed to spiritual eating nether vvould such meates haue gone against their stomake bicause figuratiue dishes vvere their ordinarie fare Secondly I gather that Christe meant not figuratiue or spiritual eating only but sacramentall and reall eating For if hee had meant so hee noe doubte vvould haue explicated him selfe to take avvay all occasion of offence and scandall vvhich they conceued bicause they vnderstood him of reall eating as is proued or if Caluin vvill needs haue it that Christe meant only figuratiue and spirituall eating hee must needes say vvith all that christe vvas most cruel and peremptorie and that hee endeuoured rather to deceue soules then to saue them to blinde them rather thē to illuminate them vvhoe thoughe he perceiued that they vnderstood him of his fleshe vvhich scandalized them yet vvould not vouchsafe to tell them that hee meant only a figuratiue and spirituall eating that so vvith a vvord hee might haue taken a vvaye the scandall taught them the truthe and giuen the deceued soules satisfaction My second argument Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu◠22. 1. Cor. 11. shal be deduced out of the vvords of our Sauiour vvhich hee vsed in the institution of this Sacrament This is my body this is my bloud or this is the Chalice of my bloud Vvhat could hee haue sayed more plainly Tel me Caluin if Christe vvould haue giuen vs to vnderstand that hee meant to giue vs no bare figure but his true body vvhat playner vvords could hee haue vsed hee might haue sayed sayeth Caluin This is my true bodye but might not yet Caluin haue vsed his ordinarie glosse and haue sayed that hee ment only to saye that it is the true figure of his body or the figure of his true body And I demaund of Caluin vvhether Christe vvas able to turne bread in to his body as before hee had turned vvater into vvine and multiplied the loaues and fishes If hee saye hee could not Io 2. Io. 6. I aske vvhy If hee ansvvere bicause it seemeth impossible I must needes tell him that he taketh much vppon him in confining God his povver vvithin the narrovv compasse of his shalovv head as thoughe God could do iuste as much as Caluin can conceue but no more All the ancient fathers thoughe they could not conceue this mysterie yet bicause Christe calleth that vvhich vvas in his handes his body do confesse that Christ vvas able to do it bicause they knevv hee could doe more then they could conceue And vvhy could hee not do this as vvell as hee hathe done the like speake Caluin and tell vs vvhere lyeth the difficultie vvhich maketh thee vvith Iudas and the Capharnaites to thinke that Christe can not giue vs his body reallye ether thy reason is bicause hee can not turne bread into a mans bodye and vvhy I pray the can he not as vvell turne one thing into another as create a thing of nothing Vvhy can he not turne bread into his body and vvine into his blood Io. 2. Exod. 2. Psal 77. Exod 7. vvho turned vvater into vvine a rodde into a serpent and a serpent into a rodde and a rocke into vvater Yea he that turned vvater into bloud can he not turne vvine into bloud Or else the reason is bicause a mans body can not bee in so litle a roome as is a litle hoste or a litle peece of the same And vvhy can hee not make a great bodye to bee in a litle roome as hee can make tvvoe bodyes by penetration Mat. 1.2 Mar. 16. Lu. 24. to bee in one roome vvithout enlarging the place vvhich hee did vvhen by penetration hee issued out of the virgins vvomb vvithout breaking her virginal closett and vvhen hee came out of his graue vvithout remouing the stone entered into his disciples the dore being shut and passed thoroughe all the heauens in his Ascension vvithout diuision of those incorruptible bodyes or else the reasō is bicause one body cā not bee in diuerse places And vvhy maye not one body bee in diuers places as vvel as diuerse bodyes by penetration vvere in one place in his natiuitie and resurrection in his entraunce into the hovvse vvhere his disciples vvere and in his ascension into heauen and aboue all the heauens Breefly it is noe more repugnaunt for a body to bee in a litle roome or in diuerse places at once then for a mans body to stand vpirght vppon the vvater and not to sinke Mat. 14.4 Reg. 6. as Christes and saint Peters bodyes did or for a heauy body to ascend in the vvater as the head of a hatcher did nether is it more impossible for a body to occupie more place then the ovvne quantitie is then for a body to liue a longer age then nature vvill afforde yet Exechias liued longer and Elias and Henoch are as yet liuing But Caluin vvill saye that it is noe more necessarie to vnderstād Christe really in these vvordes this is my body then in diuerse others in vvhich hee sayeth I ame the dore I ame the vine or in those Christe vvas the rocke or in those behold the lambe of God But by Caluins leaue ther is much more reason vvhy vve should vnderstand Christe really in those vvorde This is my body then in the other vvordes alleaged For vvhen Christe sayed This is my body hee made his laste vvill and testament at vvhich
them and those that speake most plainly and consequeÌ„tly do strike most forcibly and for the others I vvill referre the Reader to Cardinal Bellarmine Suarez Gregorius de Valentia and others vvho haue brought them all into the feeld and placed euery one of them in his ranke and station that is in the tyme and age in vvhich he liued And bicause all these fathers ether expressely do interpret the vvords afore sayed This is my body or at least do ground them selues vppon them or allude vnto them their sayings may vvel serue for interpretations of the texte alleaged Ignatius sainct Paules Scholler hath these vvords Ep. ad Rom. non gaudeo corruptibili nutrimento panem Dei volo panem caelestem qui est caro Christi Filij Dei viui potum volo sanguinem eius I reioice not in corruptible nutriment I vvill haue the bread of God he alludeth to Christes vvords in sainct Ihon Io. 6. vvhere hee calleth him selfe bread the heauenly bread vvhich is the flesh of Christe and the sonne of the liuiug God and I vvill haue the drinke vv ch is his bloud To vvhich vvords Caluin can not shape any reasonable ansvvere vnless hee vse much violeÌ„ce in vvresting the texte for he calles the Euchariste incorruptible nurriment Caluins Supper is as corruptible as bread he calles it the bread of God and bread celestial alluding to Christes vvordes Io. 61 vvho of his ovvn fleshe and not of common bread pronounced those vvordes I ame the liuing bread vvhich descended from heauen Caluins bread hathe no higher source origin from vvhich it is descended then the backhovvse or ouen This bread hee calleth the fleshe of Christ the Sonne of God and this drinke hee auoucheth to be the bloud of Christe vvheras Caluins bread and vvine is but bread and vvine or to make the moste that may bee of it is but a signe of the fleshe and blood of Christe but in deed it is noe signe nor sacrameÌ„t at all bicause Christ instituted that bread for a signe and sacrament vvhich is consecrated by a consecrated Preest vvhich consecration Caluins bread hathe not bicause his ministers are no Preestes as I haue demonstrated See ye fourth booke chap. â—â— But bicause Caluin might by a violeÌ„t glosse affirme that Ignatius calleth the Eucharist incorruptible meate celestial and the bread of God bicause it is a signe of Christes flesh vvhich is incorruptible and celestial the bread of God! I vvill bringe places that can admitte noe glossing And first of all I vvill bring some fathers vvho saye that this Sacrament is not a bare figure but is the true flesh of Christe Saint Chrysostome that golden Mouthe of the Churche of Christe stoppeth Caluins mouthe vvith these vvords Semetipsum nobis commiscet non fide tantum Ho. 61. ad pop verum reipsa nos suum corpus efficit he dothe mingle him selfe vvith vs and not only by faithe but also in very deed he maketh vs his body Caluin sayethe that vvee eate Christe only by faithe and consequently that his substaunce is not really vnited to our substance bicause according to his opinion they are distante as farre as heauen and earth but sainct Chrisostome sayeth that Christes substaunce in this Sacrament is mingled vvith ours not only by faithe but also in very deed ergo in very deed Christes body is in the sacrament and by meanes of the sacrament in the receuers also and communicantes Theophilactus vvriting vppon the sixte of sainct Ihon speaketh Theoph. in c. 6.10 if it bee possible more plainly Attende autem quod panis qui à nobis in mysterijs manducatur non est tantum figuratio quaedam carnis Domini sed est ipsa caro Domini Marke that the bread vvhich is eaten of vs in the mysteries is not a figuration that is an expression or figure of the flesh of our Lord but it is the very flesh of our Lord. hovv is it possible for the greatest Papist that is to speake more plainly Hilarius speaketh as plainly as if he stroue vvho should speake most plainly De veritate carnis l. â— Trin. sanguinis non est relictus ambigendi locus nunc enim ipsius Domini professione fide nostra verè caro est verè sanguis est Of the veritie of the flesh and bloud ther is no place lefte to doubte for novve both by our Lords profession and by our faithe it is truly fleshe and truly blood Vvhere the vvordes veritie and truly are clean opposite to Caluins figures and spiritual maÌ„ducation Secondly the fathers admire hovve Christes body remaining in heauen is not vvithstanding receued of vs in the blessed Sacrament Saint Chrysostome as a man astonished exclameth in this sorte O miraculum ô Dei benignitatem l. 3. de Saâ—erd qui cum Patre sursum sedet in illo ipso temporis momento omnium manibus contrectatur O Miracle ô Gods benignitie he that sitteth aboue vvith his father in that very moment that is in tyme of Consecration and Communion is handled in euery ones handes Novv if Christe be only in the Sacrament as in a signe or figure vvhat miracle is ther here vvorthy such an exclamation For so Christe is only really and in his ovvn person in heauen and in earthe hee is but as in his Image and consequently it is no greater a miracle then that the King at the same tyme should be really in his chamber of presence and yet figurately in as many other places as he hathe coynes or images Yea this miracle the vintner maketh dayly vvhose vvine is really in the caue or Celler and at the same tyme in the Iuiebushe vvhich is vvithout the Celler bicause in it the vvine is as in a signe Saint Austine vvondreth hovv Christe caryed him selfe in his ovvn haÌ„des vvheÌ„ he sayed this is my body Cano. 1. in Ps 33. vvhich is no vvonder if the Sacrament be but a figure and signe of him for so he caryeth him selfe vvhoe caryeth his ovvn image Thirdly the fathers coÌ„pare this sacrament vvith straunge and miraculous mutations Li 4. c. 34. Cat. 4.5 l. de â—js qui initiaÌ„ 〈…〉 9. su 〈◊〉 Iren l. 3. c. 12. Ab. l. 4. de see c. 4.9 Ireneus and Cirillus compare it vvith the Incarnation sainct Ambrose coÌ„pares it vvith the creation of the vvorld and the Natiuitie of Christe of the Virgin Mother The same Ireneus and sainct Ambrose liken it to the conuersioÌ„ of the rodd into a serpent of vvater into bloud and of the rocke into vvater vvhich straunge mutations vvere vvrought by Moyses in Aegipte in the desert Vvhich comparisons vvere very foolishe if the bread and vvine had no other mutatioÌ„ then that of bare bread and vvine they are made a signe and as vvell might they coÌ„pare an Iuie-bush vnto the same mutatioÌ„s bicause the Iuie-bushe vvheÌ„ it is haÌ„ged before the Inne of no signe is made a signe