Cor. the .13 chap. Wherfore we must not thinke that if we acknowledge not the Pope for head that for that cause the Churche is troubled yea rather hereof springeth the contention and confusion in the Churche bycause many for that they will haue the Pope to be head do most manifestly stand agaynst the truth Neither is it true that they say how that the Church can not consiste The Churche was long tyme and that happy without a earthly head except all men obey the Pope onely For the Church was long tyme and that in much better state before the Pope obteyned his tyrannycall power Then say they ye will haue no Magistrate in the Churche We will haue gouerners in it but not one onely we wil haue Aristocratia kept in it as Christ hath instituted They on the cōtrary syde obiect that there ought to be but one onely bycause in this place it is written that all thynges were troubled in Israel bycause they had not a kyng But we must consider that the Scripture nowe speaketh so by anticipation for as much as yet there was no kyngdome instituted in Israel Wherfore a kyng is in this place to be vnderstand for a lawfull Magistrate An obiection of the Papistes Thou art Peter c. But leauyng this place they say that Christ sayde vnto Peter Thou art Peter and vpō this rocke will I builde my Church I will geue vnto thee the kayes of the kyngdome of heauen c. These thinges as they will haue them haue a respect vnto one onely and ought to be vnderstand of one whiche should be the head But was not this selfe same thyng sayd vnto others also Vndoubtedly in Iohn Christ sayd vnto them all Receaue the holy Ghost whose sinnes ye forgeue shal be forgeuen Wherfore Peter dyd not alone receaue the kayes of the kyngdome of heauen But they say that it was sayd vnto Peter onely Fede my Lambes Yea but this he spake vnto them all when he sayd Go into the whole worlde Christe is the foundation of the Churche and preache the Gospell to all creatures But where as they boast that this saying belōgeth vnto Peter alone Vpon this rocke I will build my Church it shall not be so sone graūted them For Christ is the foundation of the Church as the Apostle hath taught And there are some of the fathers whiche do interprete that Christ referred these wordes not to Peter hymselfe but to the confession whiche he had made of Christ But graunt that Peter was in some sorte after Christ the foundation of the Churche the same thyng also may we say of the other Apostles forasmuch as in the Apocalipse are rede .12 foūdations of the celestial Ierusalem How there are 12. foundations of the Church But of this matter we haue spoken more aboundantly before and shall haue better occasion hereafter to speake therof onely these thynges I thought good to bryng that it should not be thought that the Papistes had gotten the victory when they obtrude this place to the vnlearned They sent spyes The cause was bycause they had not landes ynough to dwell in and to tyll But howe could this be when as all the land of Chanaan was destributed by Iosua I aunswere that it was in deede geuen vnto euery tribe accordyng to sundry porcions but yet were not the Danites come to theyr full and whole possession Yea we gather by the History of Samson that the Danites dwelled yet in tentes where the spirite of the Lord began to come vpon Samson Farther we must remember that they at the begynnyng were content with tributes which they exacted of those whose landes they should haue possessed But they were made vnto them as thornes and briers For when as they had not driuen them out but dwelled together with them they quickely learned Idolatry of them Wherfore we rede in this boke that the Danites were compelpelled to dwell in the hilly places when they could not discend and possesse the playne But now those hilly places seemed very narrowe for they increased in number and therfore they neded more roome to dwell in The promise of GOD was not weaker thē the enemyes of the Hebrues If thou shalt say was the power of the enemyes of greater force then the promise of God No vndoubtedly For it was not the enemyes that excluded them out but they hyndred themselues for that they followed Idolatry Wherfore GOD punished them and longe tyme draue them backe from the possession of their portion That thyng therfore whiche happened is to be ascribed vnto their impiety and not to the strengthes of their enemyes And to the promise of God was ioyned a condition namely if they should abyde in the lawe of God Their wickednes was the cause that God did not straightway performe his promises They sende spyes to spye out for them some commodious place in the playne They send out fyue spyes Mikstsothim which is frō theyr coastes they ar signified to be in extremies which may taken two wayes namely that these spyes were either of the basest sort or of the highest For either of these in their order ar extreme They wer in deede valiant and warlike men but peraduēture obscure wherby they might be the more vnknowē of their enemyes For they the ar noble ar more easely knowen Cōtraryly other thinke that it is declared that they were most honest most noble bycause spyes ought to be wise men such as haue good skil in warlike affaires Homere writeth that Vlisses was commaūded to be a spye Homer◠and that he in the apparel of a beggar went thorough Troy Moses also sent Iosua Chaleb which were very excellēt men to searche out the land of Chanaan But whether they were of the basest sorte or of the hyghest it helpeth not much vnto the matter And paraduenture this opinion is more simple namely that they were sent from the vtter partes of the places wherin the Danites dwelled They came to the house of Micha By a by way as it is thought not the right way as their iorney lay For it is very likely that there was in the place an Inne wherunto men out of euery quarter resorted vnto the idole So we see it happeneth in the Papacy for in places where superstitious Pilgrimages are had there are many Innes builded as at Humbert and at Maria Lauretana The spyes laboured with the yong mā the Leuite after they knew his ministery to aske an oracle for thē And he answereth thē in the name of Iehouah whē they asked him by this word Elohim Those men were wise witty Howe they knew the Leuite by hys speeche For when they heard the yong mā speake they perceaued he was a Leuite And althoughe all the Israelites spake Hebrew yet were there sundry formes of speech amōg those tribes Wherfore we haue before heard that the Ephraites wer knowen by the pronūciatiō of this word Siboleth They
written bicause he is ordained a keeper not onely of the first table but also of the latter It longeth not to the Minister of the Churche to put downe Princes Wherfore he which offendeth in any of them both falleth into his power But althoughe a king may remoue an vnprofitable and hurtful bishop yet can not a bishop on the other syde put downe a king if he offend Iohn in dede reproued Herode but he displaced him not of his kingdome Ambrose and Innocent excommunicated Emperours but they went no farther Yea and Christ called Herode a woolfe but he tooke not away from hym his kingdom and he payed tribute vnto Tiberius a most wicked Tiranne neither was he at any time author to any man to shake of his yoke Wherefore let Popes take heede by what right as they lust them selues they put Kinges and Emperors out of their place This thing did neither anye of the Prophetes nor the Apostles nor Christ The Popes boast that they haue great power but if it be any that they haue it consisteth wholy in the woord of God Let them teache preach and admonish if they wil exercise their power otherwise the ciuil and temporal power whom they so much crake of is farre from the ecclesiastical Ministers In summe euen as there is found no king nor Emperour so great which is not subiect vnto the power of the woord of God which is preached by the Ministers so on the other syde is there no bishop which when he hath offended ought not to be reproued by the ciuil Magistrate What difference so euer there bee the same as I haue sayde is wholye as touching the manner of reprouing The Ministers of the Churche doo that by the woorde and Princes by outward punishmentes But our false ecclesiastical men wil be princes and raigne But Christ woulde be no king And when he was sought for to that ende to be made a king he vtterly refused it yea he openlye professed that his kingdome was not of this worlde He said also vnto the Apostles Princes of the nacions do beare rule ouer them but ye shal not do so Peter also whose successors they affirme them selues to be admonisheth Ministers not to exercise dominion ouer the Clergy But these men wyll haue prysons soldiours and swoordes and styrre vp warres as they lust them selues Perduenture they wil obiect vnto vs the Assamonites Of the Assamonites or Machabites out of the olde Testament whom it is certayne that they were both Kynges and Priestes and confounded both the powers That historye in deede is wrytten in the bookes of the Machabites but we must see whyther they dyd it rightly or wyckedly and ambiciously Vndoubtedly I thinke they did it not orderly for God by his word had many tymes adiudged the kyngdome vnto the Tribe of Iudah euen to the tyme of Messias And contrarily he commaunded the Leuites that they shoulde possesse no landes and muche lesse to occupye a kyngdome among theyr brethren But if a man had rather saye that they did thys thyng by a certayne secrete reuelacion and hydden iudgement of GOD hee shall not amende theyr cause For that whithe is so done ought not to bee drawen into an example But I thynke rather that they offended in so doyng They dyd well vndoubtedlye when they delyuered theyr Countrey from tyrranny but that thing being finished they ought not to haue taken vpon them the kyngdome Neyther dyd GOD obscurely declare that that theyr act displeased hym For as wee gather out of Iosephus that house afterward neuer wanted Tragedies How the Apostles somtimes vsed outwarde punishmentes They farther obiecte vnto vs that Peter slewe Ananias and Saphira and that Paule strake Elimas the Sorcerer wyth blindnes That is true in deede but they dyd these thinges by the woorde of God not by violence not by the swoord neither by the labour of a hangman Let these men doo the same thynges by the woord and wee wyll regarde them Why doo they not harken vnto Paule to Timothe Let no man going on warfare for God wrap hymselfe in cares of this lyfe If they wil go on warfare for God why doo they in such sorte hynder themselues with worldly busines Haue they so much leasure from their own affaires that they can haue a care ouer other mens thinges Let them answer plainly would they at this day abide that any king should attempt to teache the Gospel or administer the Sacramentes They would not suffer it Neyther did God hymselfe also suffer it The offices of both the powers must not be confounded but he strake Ozeas with Leprosy when he would haue burnt insence vnto God Why therfore doo they inuade other mens borders These functions ought to be seperated bicause either of them requireth a whole man a part by hym selfe yea rather scarce hath beene founde anye one man at anye tyme which coulde ryghtlye execute eyther of them so hard a thyng is the execution of them both Howbeit both of them doo helpe one an other for the politike Prince geueth iudgement and the Ecclesiasticall doth not in deede geue iudgement but he teacheth how iudgement ought to bee geuen Haue no respect sayth he of persons in iudgement afflict not the poore and straunger receaue no bribes c. So on the other syde the political Magistrate preacheth not neither administreth the Sacramentes But vnlesse these thinges bee ryghtlye ordered he ought to punish the Ministers Wherin either power differeth and agreeth And to be briefe there are two thinges to be considered of vs in thys collacion In the Ciuyll Magistrate is to be considered both the power and also the man which beareth and exerciseth the power He in respect that he is a Christian man is vndoubtedly subiect vnto the woorde of God and in respect that hee beareth power and gouerneth he ought also to be subiect vnto the same woord of God For out of it ought he to seeke rules to gouerne and to administer In the Minister of the Churche also is to be considered both the ministerye it selfe and also the person which executeth it As touching the person the minister is subiect vnto the Ciuill power for he is both a Citizen and payeth tribute as other men doo and is vnder the correction of manners But as concernyng the ministerye he is also somewaye subiect vnto the Magistrate For if he eyther teache or administer the Sacramentes agaynst the woorde of God he must bee reprehended by the Ciuil Magistrate And yet must hee not seeke for rules and reasons of hys function at the same Magistrates hand but out of the woorde of God By thys distinction we may easelye vnderstande the differences and agrement of eyther power To the argumentes of Boniface Now resteth to come to that Thraso Bonifacius to confute hys argumentes Fyrst he gathered out of that whych the Apostles answered Beholde here are two swoordes and Christ added It is sufficient that the Churche hath
sacrifice but bycause the memorye of hym beyng once offred is called to remembraunce Moreouer we must take heede that we persuade not our selues that God is pacified either by teares or by Sacrifices or by the receauyng of the Sacramentes whiche are but outwarde thynges God is not pacified by outward thynges of them selues For by one onely Sacrifice by the death I saye of Christ God is made mercifull vnto vs the fruite of whose death euery man applyeth vnto hym selfe by fayth And of that fayth we haue those outward thynges as witnesses and sygnes Wherfore if at any tyme we shall heare either the Fathers or the Scriptures them selues to saye that by teares synnes are wyped awaye or that by Sacrifices or Sacramentes GOD is made mercyfull vnto men so ought we to vnderstande their speaches that we referre the Sacrifices and Sacramentes both to Christ hym selfe The properties of thinges are oftentimes attributed to the signes of the same thīgs and also to faith in him for so much as all those are signes of him Neyther let vs thinke that this is a newe or an vnaccustomed thing that the properties operations and efficacy of thynges shoulde be transferred to the signes whiche by the institution of God do note and signife vnto vs the same thinges But these thinges left a syde let vs speake somewhat particularlye both of teares and syghing and also of Sacrifice ¶ Of Teares TEares are counted as certayne thynges added and ioyned to repentaunce Teares are adioyned both to repentaunce also to prayers and also to prayers For not onely the repentaunte when they with a grieuous sorowe deteste their synnes do vse to weepe but also as many as do earnestly and vehemently contend to obteyne any thyng Howbeit the tokens of true repentaunce are not alwayes measured by teares Weepyng is not alwayes a tokē of true repentaunce Teares do not alwayes declare that the praiers are of efficacy 2. Sam. 12. For we reade both in the booke of Genesis and also in the Epistle to the Hebrues that Esau also wepte Teares also do not alwayes declare that the prayers are of efficacye to obteyne that whiche is desired For Dauid after hys aduoutry fasted and wepte whilest he earnestly prayed that lyfe might be spared vnto hys sonne whiche was borne vnto hym by Bethsabe whiche thyng neuerthelesse he could not obteyne but that teares in those examples had no good successe there were diuerse causes thereof For Esau as we shall strayght waye declare mourned not of fayth And Dauid obtayned not that whiche he desired bycause GOD had ordayned to geue him that whiche was much better and more noble than that whiche he required In dede the sonne whiche was conceaued by aduoutry remayned not a lyue But of the same mother he afterwarde had Salomon who succeded the Father in a peaceable and moste ample kyngdome after his death yea and he beyng yet lyuyng But contrarywyse let vs marke howe in Peter teares were tokens of very true repentaunce And also in that woman whiche as the Euangelistes declare with her teares washed the feete of the Lorde And as touchyng prayers Ezechias was hearde when with weepyng he prayed and the death which was threatned hym was differred to an other tyme. Iosias also was hearde who prayed vnto GOD with many teares The 126. Psalme speaketh thus of the fruite of prayer whiche hath sighyng and teares adioyned with it They wente and wepte castyng their sedes but doubtelesse they shall come with ioye shall bryng with thē their sheaues And they which sowe in teares shall reape in ioye It is also written in the 7. Psalme The Lorde hath hearde the voyce of my weepyng And in the 56. Psalme The teares of the Sainctes are in a manner put before GOD in a bottle or potte and faythfully sealed in hys booke Dauid also in hys 95 Psalme stirreth vs vp by these wordes Let vs weepe before the Lorde whiche made vs c. But muche more are we instigated vnto it by the example of Christe who as it is written in the Epistle to the Hebrues with a loude crye and with teares prayed for vs. Paul also in the 20. of the Actes sayeth that he had longe serued the Lorde with an humble hearte and with teares What teares ar not allowed of God Neuerthelesse God alloweth not those teares whiche are by a certayne naturall nation powred out without any affection of the mynde as it commonly happeneth vnto those whose eyes are striken with any stroke or to those whiche runne either on foote or on horsebacke and whiche with ouer muche drinke become dronke for these are naturall accidences neither pertayne they any thyng to godlynesse But affections after which teares do followe are these heauynesse of the mynde After what affections teares do followe whiche other call sorrowe also gladnesse and that by contrary reasons For of sorowe spryngeth cold whereby as the whole bodye is constrayned together so also are the humors of the hed whereby it commeth to passe that weapyng by violence bursteth forth But contrarywyse in gladnesse the pypes pores wayes about the eyes are loosed wherby there is made a waye open vnto teares And vndoubtedly of those two affections we haue a testimony in the booke of Esdras For there it is written that when the temple was built the people wept but not all for one cause Parte of thē very sory that the new buylding differed muche in dignitie and ornamentes from the fyrst But contrarywise other reioysed that the house of GOD whiche had layen so longe prostrate was raysed vp agayne And it is manifest in the holy hystorye that Ioseph when he sawe hys brother Beniamin whome he loued wepte for ouer muche ioye Anger hath sorrowe and pleasure mingled together Furthermore there are other affections mixed of sorrowe and ioye whiche make vs to weepe as is a vehement anger whiche hath by reason of contempt sorowe myngled with it and also some ioye and pleasure whilest it goeth aboute reuengement as thoughe it were present Mercy also shaketh out teares for that we are troubled and are sory for other mens euils and are desirous to profite the afflicted For a vehement desire also casteth out teares Wherfore the men of God when in prayeng they earnestly desire to obtayne any thing easely burst forth into teares But what the matter of suche an humour is The Phisicall matter of teares we leaue to the consideration of naturall Philosophers for they do not well agree among them selues as touching it Some thincke that they do come by reason of the gaule beyng troubled vnto which opinion agreeth the first booke de mirabilibus sacrae Scripturae Augustine the x. chap whiche booke is entituled to be Augustines wryting Other suppose them to be a certayne kynde of sweate whiche Plutarche affirmeth Plutarche but some do thinke that euen as from mylke is seperated whay so also a watrish humour is separated
Sechemites went not vnto Abimelech and vnto the sonnes of Gideon but rather Abimelech wente vnto them The other is wee do not here reade that the sonnes of Gideon refused the kingdome offred vnto them or aunswered those thinges which the trees sayd when they were called to raygne The latter question I thinke may be dissolued two wayes sayinge that the sonnes of Gideon in dede answered not so but they would haue answered so if they had beene demaunded Wherefore Iotham knowyng so rightwell al their mindes and wyll seemeth not to speake so muche from the purpose Or els we may say that Gideon hymself aunswered for his sonnes when he said I wil not reygne ouer you God himself shall raygne ouer you And that we maye vnderstand what the three noble trees ment by theyr aunsweres this is to be called agayne to remembrance that the kingdome was offred vnto Gideon not onelye for himselfe but also for his sonne and sonnes sonne Wherefore he refused the kingdome for three And hereof it commeth as the Rabbines suppose that ther are three kindes of trees brought in But as touchinge the first question the Sechemites and Israelites came not vnto Abimelech to make him theyr kinge but yet the holy ghoste so speaketh by Iotham bicause he is he that knoweth the harts knew that that people laboured with this desire to haue at the length a king For they had manifestly declared it before wheÌ„ they offred the kingdome vnto Gideon afterwarde more manifestlye they shewed it in the time of Samuel when they altogether desired to haue a king geuen them as other nacions had What manner of argument is gathered out of this Apologye Argumentum a comparatis A maiore ad minus Maior Out of this Apology is drawen an argument of thinges compared together For the sonnes of Ierubbaal are compared with Abimelech as farre nobler then he euen as the olyue tree vine tree and fyg tree do farre excell the bramble and brier And the reason is from the greater vnto the lesser by negation as though it should haue bene sayd If euen they would not raigne and iudged that it was not lawful for them which were most excellent endewed with vertues faculties apte and mete for to raygne much lesse is it lawful for him to reigne which wanteth vertues and is vnapte for a kingdome But they which were noble might haue raygned Minor would not neyther did they thinke that it was lawfull for them Wherfore Abimelech neyther could neyther oughte to haue bene by you appoynted kinge The first proposition is manifest ynough by the rule of things compared and the second most manifestly appeareth by the Apology We maye by the like argument reason of the Ecclesiasticall state For if the fathers which were endued with a great spirite The argument is apâ—â—ed vnâ— the Pastors of the Church notable in wonderfull vertues and excellent doctrine woulde not execute the office of a Pope or Monarchy in the Church or take vpon them principality ouer all Bishops and Churches that is much les to be graunted vnto their posterity which are much inferiour vnto them yea not to be compared with them But they woulde not wherfore neither is it meete that those shoulde The first proposition appeareth as we haue already said by the rule of thinges compared but the minor is proued both by Ciprian and also by the Counsell of Carthage lykewyse by Augustine Leo and Gregory Farthermore by this act we gather what euyll commeth by chaunging the state of a publike wealth especially when it was allowed by the woord of God as was the Aristocratia of the Hebrues Neither was there any cause why they should chaunge that forme of the publike wealth The Churche oughte not to haue altred the forme of the gouernmeÌ„t therof for God hym selfe gouerned them gaue them .70 Elders and raised them vp Iudges in perillous tymes In like maner ther was no cause why the Church should chaunge the forme of her gouernment Neither can they which brought in the Papacy alledge any thing which the Hebrues could not haue said to defeÌ„d their peticion for hauing a king For as these men faine for themselues that the Church shoulde be rightlier gouerned by one namely the Bishop of Rome then by many Bishops of whyche euery one fully should haue care as touching his owne portion So myght the Iewes haue alledged that their kingdome shoulde be farre better gouerned by one then by many And they might haue spoken that with muche more likelyhood when as the land of Chanaan extendeth not so farre as the Church very many thinges as touching ciuil matters maye be better executed by a Kyng that is absent then the Church which extendeth most largely can be gouerned of a Pastor that dwelleth in Regions most farre Fire commeth out of Abimilech Tirannes oppresse and gouerne not bicause oppression taketh his beginning of Tirannes So sayd Samuel vnto the Hebrues that the king would make theyr children Carters their daughters handmaidens and compel them both to eare and tyll their ground and take awaye from them their best Oliue gardens and vyneyardes Neither was that which Samuel rehearsed the right of a king and appointed of God but that which as the Prophet saw kings would afterward vsurpe Otherwise the law of a king is contained in Deut. the .xvii. chap. From the Pope as it is here said there is come foorth a fyre whiche hath wasted and corrupted all Churches But it is meete to consider what the profitable and fruitful trees answered when they were required to take vpon them a kingdome Holy men wyl not be promoted aboue other men They saide they were content with their own good thinges and therefore they would neither receaue a kingdome or suffer anye alteration of their state After the same maner euen holy and godly men doo Ambrosius very much and long time resisted bycause he would not be created bishop of Millane Augustine also many wayes laboured to be no Elder or Bishop And among the Ethnikes Numa Pompilius long time much deferred before he would take vpon him the kingdom of Rome Diocletianus although before he gouerned very tiraÌ„nically very cruelly yet after that he resigned it being desired to take vpon him the Empire again he vtterly refused it Saul also to turne to the holy history hid him self among the stuffe burthens when he should be publikely consecrated But now a daies bicause we haue thornes and brambles euery where al men with a wonderful ambicion desire to be created Bishops or Popes and by their tumult and importunity all Christendome is in a maner shaken Wherfore it is the part of good men to be content with their vocation and not rashly to demit themselues vnto that vocation which is against the word of God especially when in that vocatioÌ„ wher in they are placed of God they may be both beloued of him also profitable vnto meÌ„
fayth do in vayne poure out theyr prayers What manner of one the publicane was when he prayed But if a man will obiecte the Publicane who being a sinner prayed vnto god and departed iustified I aunswere that that publicane was in suche sorte a sinner that yet when he prayed he was not without fayth yea rather he prayed with fayth otherwise god would not haue heard his prayers And vndoubtedly Iames doth right wel admonishe vs when he sayth Pray hauing faith In sum that sentence is firme and perfecte wherin it is sayde whatsoeuer is offred vnto God for a sacrifice the same is acceptable vnto him if faythe and iustification of him that offreth go before A verye subtile cauilacion Some do cauile of the fyrst acte of fayth whereby we begynne fyrst to assente vnto god and they doubt whither it be acceptable vnto god or no. Vndoubtedly before it he is an enemy which now beginneth to beleue Then say they if that fyrst consente be acceptable vnto God then accepteth he the gifte of an enemye But if it be not acceptable then it iustifieth not To this I aunswer two wayes Fyrst that men are not iustified of the worthinesse of the acte of fayth but of the firme promise of god which faith embraceth Farther when any man first assenteth and beleueth then is he first made of an enemy a friende and although before he was an enemy yet so sone as he beleueth he is made a friend and ceaseth to be an enemy Plato But that which we haue before concluded that he which offreth is more acceptable vnto God then the gift the Ethnikes also sawe For Plato in Alcibiade maketh mencion that the Athenienses vpon a time made war againste the Lacedemonians and when they were ouercome they sente messengers vnto Iupiter Ammon by whom they sayd that they marueiled for what cause where as they hadde offred so greate giftes vnto the Godes and theyr enemies on the contrary side sacrificed sparingly and sclenderly and yet had they the victorye ouer them Ammon aunswered that the gods more estemed the prayers of the Lacedemonians then the moste fatte sacrifices of the Athenienses For when they burnt Oxen vnto theyr Gods in the meane time they thought nothinge of theyr soules So in Homere Iupiter speaketh that the Gods are not moued with the smoke and smel of sacrifices when as they hated Priamus and the Troyanes Wherfore the Ethnikes vnderstoode that which the Papists at this day see not which thynke that theyr blinde sacrificer though he be neuer so vnpure and vngodly doth yet with his hands offer vp Christ vnto god the father Now let vs see the other argument of this woman God would neuer haue shewed vs these thinges if he woulde haue killed vs Forasmuche as hee is not wont to make hys enemies of his coūcel Thus the wife of Manoah comforteth her fearefull husband But this argument seemeth somewhat obscure when as Balaam althoughe he were vngodlye was not ignorante of the Councelles of GOD. Chryste also sayth Manye shall saye vnto mee in that daye haue wee not Prophesyed in thy name To these thynges I aunsweare that GOD didde not onelye foretell vnto them thynges that should come to passe for the deliuerye of the people but also of the childe whiche they should receaue and of his education Wherefore seying he vsed them as fellowe workemen it was a certayne argument that god had not appointed strayghteway to kyll them Neyther speaketh she here of eternall life but of this earthlye and corruptible life And the childe grew and his name was called Samson Hereby we know that Zorah was the name of the place where Samsons fathers was borne Samson This Hebrew word Shemesch signifieth the sunne being therefore so called as though he wer of the sunne but for what cause he was so called it is not known I meruaile that Iosephus interpreteth Sampson for stronge or mightye Iosephus vndoubtedly such an Etimology agreeth not with the Hebrew word But he oftentims goeth from the historye And in this place also he sayth that the woman prayed when as that is not founde in the text God blessed Samson That is bestowed and heaped benefites vpon hym The sprite of God That is the sprite of strength and mighte began to strengthen him In the host of Dan. The history speketh thus by reason of those times The tribe of Dan had not yet obteined possession in the land of promes but they wer in tents and fought against theyr enemyes R.D. Kimhi R.D. Kimhi sayth that they did thē besiege the city of Lais. Wherefore he being a younge man was together with thē in the hoste The Hebrew worde is Paam and it signifieth to be moued to be striken at certayne tymes not perpetually but by courses He being a yonge man was moued and waxed hote to fyght the more vehemently against his enemies And his impulsions bycause they were of God therefore are they ascribed vnto the spyrite But bicause wee are alreadye come vnto the ende of thys chapter before we enter into the next there are certayne thinges whych are to be marked Fyrst hereby we gather a most sure argumēt with how singuler a care god gouerneth his church For although the Iewes had greuously sinned yet had god a regard to theyr health sendeth thē a captain which should deliuer them foretelleth what things should come to pas least they should seme to haue happened by chaunce Farther he woulde haue the childe to be a Nazarite Outward thynges are not to be neglected and to haue his heare to grow and to abstaine from wine and stronge drinke Wherefore we are taught that these outward thinges are not vtterly vaine but may be applied vnto the glory of god Men are wont sometimes to say when they are admonished of outward thinges What doth god regard these thinges In dede we know also that in those thinges is no holinesse to be put Howebeit we muste take heede that both in liuinge and in apparell and in going also in all gesture and in habite we behaue our selues comely both before God and also before the churche not superstitiously but holily that our modesty may aduaunce the kingdome of Christ and his holy Gospel Farthermore let vs here consider that the wife helpeth the husband with her councell For although by the ordinarye lawe it is not lawfull for women to preach and teache in an assembly yet are they not so destitute of the gratious gifts of God but that they may instruct theyr husbands with good counsels ¶ Of the visions of Aungels THe nexte thinge is that I somewhat intreate of the visions of Aungels For as we haue now heard an Aungel appeared vnto Manoah and oftentimes in other places as the scriptures declare aungels haue bene sene of men But it may be demaunded howe they appeared whither with any bodye or els onely in phantasye And if it were with a bodye whither it were with theyr
that there was a little of the day remaining So also men when they come to age ar weakned in the body The Leuit would tary no longer which turned to his greate hurt Let vs by the way note in this place that for him which shal make a iorney it is vnprofitable to tary long at banquetings For commonly they ar oppressed with night before they can come to theyr lodginges Now it semeth that I should entreate of adulteries wherby I might declare the nature and greiuousnes of that sinne and setforth the punishmentes of that crime which ar appointed both by the ciuil laws by the ecclesiastical but these shal be spoken of when wee are come vnto the history of Dauid who committed most filthy adultery with Bethsaba Now I haue determined to entreate onelye of the reconsiliation of the husband and the wife after the committing of adultery and I will touch the whole matter briefly ¶ Of the reconciliation of the husband the wife after that adultery hath ben committed THe ciuil lawes are vtterly against the reconciliation of the husband and the wife after the one hath committed adultery The ciuill lawes abhorre from reconciliation after adultery For in the Code ad l. Iuliam de adulteriis in the law Castitati nostrorum temporum it is ordeined that if a man maried againe a wife condemned of adultery he incurreth the crime of being a bawd And in the same title in the law Crimē it is had that he which retaineth still in matrimonye a wife that hath played the adulteresse can not accuse her of adultry Although afterward by a new law it was otherwise prouided for Neither was it a light thinge to be condemned is a bawde but it was euen as greiuous as if a man had ben condēned of adultry Yea and if a man retayn her that is condēned of adultry he may him self without an accuser be condēned of adultry And if a man marie agayn her whom that he hath once repudiated he cannot accuse her of the adultry before committed But if she again commit adultry he may Bycause in marieng her againe he seemeth to haue allowed her acte And if any woman be condemned of adultry no man can take her to wife Wherefore the ciuil lawes do abhor from reconciliacion after adultry so that it be conuict and condemned For if it be onely his suspicion it is lawful for the husband to retayne and accuse her whome hee suspecteth Who if hee afterwarde see that he was ledde by a vayne supicion to accuse her hee maye cease from that which he hath begonne so that he first obteine a release of the Iudge Ierome vpon the .19 chapter of Mathew may appeare to agree with the ciuil lawes For he writeth she which hath deuided one flesh into one or two ought not to be retained least her husbande be made subiect vnto the curse For as it is written in the .18 chapter of the Prouerbes He which retaineth an adultresse is vngodly and a foole In dede so haue the .70 interpreters turned it but the verity of the Hebrewe hath it not The same Ierome saith If there happpen any sin it breaketh not matrimony But if ther happen adoultery then the wife is not lawfull And in the .32 question the first ar rehearsed the words of Chrisostome If a manne haue to doe with an adulterous wife let him do penaunce And the same Chrisostome vpon the .26 chap. of Mathew Euen as he is vniuste whiche accuseth an innocent so is he a foole which retayneth an adulteresse The same thing is had in the decretals de Adult in the chap. Si vir sciens And it was decreed at the counsell of Orleaunce The husband which retaineth an adulteresse is partaker of the crime And if a woman repudiated marye an other her laste husband being dead she can not return vnto the first For now she is vncleane vnto him as it is written in the .24 of Deut. But now omitting these thinges let vs see the reasons which serue for reconciliation God himselfe which is onely good would be the husbande of the church and that not onely in our time but also in the times of the fathers But the church especially the old church oftentimes turned aside to idolatry and cōmitted whoredome with the Gods of the Gentiles as euerye where appeareth in this booke and also in the history of the kinges and in the prophetes Neuertheles yet Ieremy called it back againe in the name of God to return to her husband Which selfe thinge Hoseah the prophet also did that with many words And if god be redy to receaue his wife beynge an adulteresse man ought also to returne into fauor agayne with his wife especially if she repent and beginne a new life For as many as are christian men professe the imitation of God Ther is also an example of Dauid who toke agayne his wife Michol although her father had placed her to an other man Iustinian Iustinian also in his Authentikes when he commaundeth that an adulteresse should be beaten be shut vp in a monastery yet hee geueth libertye to the husbande to take her againe if he will within the space of two yeares so he most manifestly alloweth reconciliation Augustine Augustine in his 2 boke to Pollencius is very much in this that they should be reconciled For many in his time would not receaue their wiues which had cōmitted adultery as such as which were now polluted contaminated Where fore he wrote doest thou thinke her polluted whom baptisme and repentaunce hath purged Whom God hath clensed She ought not to seme to thee polluted And if she be now recōciled vnto the kayes of the church admitted into the kingdome of heauen by what right canst thou put her from thee These thinges are had also in 32. question .1 If she haue fallen thou must know it came of humayne nature mercy muste be shewed her if she arise For we woulde the same to be done vnto vs. And extreme right is extreme wronge In the decretals de adulteriis stupris in the chap. Si vir sciens it is had out of the counsel of Orleaunce An adultresse if she repent ought to be receaued The glose in that place demaūdeth by what right or dewty she ought to be receiued It answereth Not by the lawe of necessitye for if the man wil not he cannot be compelled to receaue her wherfore he ought by the law of honesty to take her agayne But I woulde demaund whither it ought not also to be done by the dewty of piety by the strēgth of the commaundement of God forasmuch as Paule to the Philip. saith do these things whatsoeuer ar honest and iust Therfore it is also don by necessity of the commaundement But the gloser in that place intreated of the outward iudgemente wherein no man can be compelled to receaue an adulteresse But in the Cannon now cited it is added Not
accusation well and lawfully neyther by accusing doth he violate the law By accusinge the law is not violated but holpen yea rather he is an help vnto it as on the coÌ„trary side they which hold their peace and vtter not wicked acts ar against the lawes For eueÌ„ as of our selues we ought not to wish any mans death so must we not suffer the lawes to be openly and vilanously violated with out punishmeÌ„t This ciuil war is not to be imputed vnto the Leuite Wherefore let the bishops in the old time looke howe godly they did when they made intercession vnto magistrates for wicked men and for such as wer appointed to dy If thou wilt say ther straight way followed most ciuil warre whiche thing seemeth may be imputed vnto the Leuite But it is not so it ought rather to be ascribed vnto the Beniamits which would not punyshe so greate a wicked cryme In this history Iosephus somewhat varieth from the holy scriptures Iosephus Firste he denieth that this woman was an adultresse and that she therefore departed from her husband She was sayth he very beawtifull and when her husbande loued her excedingly and complained that she loued not him agayn she as one not able to abide his brawlinges fled vnto her parents But the holy scriptures do manifestly teache that she had played the harlot In which sentence al the interpreters agree together Farther he denieth that the Gabaonites thoughte this namely to abuse the Leuit he sayth that they being allured by the beawty of the wife desired onely to haue to do with her But that also is plainly against the holy scriptures wherin it is by expresse words written Bring forth the man that we may know him Farther he denieth that the Leuit deliuered his wife vnto them but the Gabaonites saith he toke her by violence At the last also he addeth this which I thinke also is very likely that the Leuite when he sent the peces of the body did sende messengers also to declare what was done otherwise he shoulde not much haue profited if he had sent but the peeces onely These euils did therefore happen bicause there was no magistrate or prince to iudge the Israelites In the papistical church ther is no magistrat The same thinge also happeneth when there is a magistrat or prince which doth not his office And bicause the ecclesiastical men haue at this day shaken of the yoke of the politicall Magistrate there is therefore no magistrate amonge them Whereby the Christian publike welth suffreth great discommodities ¶ Of a Magistrate THis place admonisheth me to entreat of a magistrate whome I iudge may thus be described namely to be a person elected by the institution of God to kepe the lawes as touching outward discipline in punishing traÌ„sgressors with punishment of the body and to noorish and defend the good There are vndoubtedly many persons elected by the institution of God which are not Magistrates as the ministers of churches whiche yet are keepers of the worde of God of his law but not as touching outwarde discipline onely Bycause it is the office of ministers by the word of God to pearce eueÌ„ to the inward mocioÌ„s of minds for the holyghost adioyneth his power both to the right preachinges of his word also to the sacraments which are distributed in the church But the magistrat onely exerciseth outward discipline punishment vpon transgressors The minister bindeth the guilty vnpenitent in the name of god and in his name excludeth them from the kingdome of heauen as long as they so remain The magistrate punisheth withoutward punishmentes when nede requireth vseth the sword Ether of them nourisheth the godly but after a diuerse manner the magistrate encreaseth them with riches honors and dignities the minister comforteth them with the promises of god and with the Sacramentes Wherefore the magistrate is instituted The end of a magistrate to the end that the lawes should be most diligeÌ„tly kept the guilty punished the good holpen noorished And vndoubtedly the law is a dumme magistrate againe the magistrate is a liuing and speaking law and so also is the minister of god as Paule sayth to theyr prayse which do well and contrarily he beareth the sword against the wicked as gods reuenger iudge neyther tende these thinges to any other end then to the health of men But the forme of magistrates is not one onely but manye as Monarchia Aristocratia Many formes of magistrates Policia or Tirannis Oligarchia Democratia The discriptioÌ„s and natures of which forms Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers haue elegantly taught Of all those formes the best is to be desired and all men to whome it pertayneth ought to prouide that a good or tollerable estate degenerate not into an euill one But if it happen that Tirans or wicked princes obteine the gouernment of thinges An example of the Iewes that is to be suffred asmuch as is by the word of god lawfull The Iewes were by violence oppressed of the Babilonians whome yet god admonished that they should obey to pray for the king although he were a tiran possessed the kingdome of the Hebrewes most wrongfully Cesar also held Iewry by tiranny and yet Christ sayd Geue that whiche is Cesars vnto Cesars the thinges that are of god vnto god The Apostles also haue taught that we must obey princes pray for theÌ„ Nero was a most vnpure beast whoÌ„ yet the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romains declared that he ought to be obeyed not onely for fear but also for coÌ„science sake Phocas possessed the empire of Rome by euil arts most cruelly slew Mauricius his prince also his children whom yet the Romaines acknowledged as theyr Emperor Gregory the .i. red vnto the people his coÌ„maundements writings If thou wilt demauÌ„d what form of a publike wealth that Iewes had it may easly be known by those things which we haue in an other place spokeÌ„ They had at the beginning this forme Aristocratia for god allowed the counsell of Iethro which was that ther should be choseÌ„ out wise meÌ„ strong such as fered god which should gouerne the publike welth as it is writteÌ„ in Exodus Deut. Yea god himself did so with his sprite inspire these .70 men whoÌ„ he had coÌ„maunded to be choseÌ„ as helpers of Moses that they also prophesied So were the Israelite gouerned although afterward they were gouerned by the power of a king Princes ar called Pastoâ—â— But this is not to be omitted the princes in the holy scriptures ar not only called DeacoÌ„s or ministers of god but also pastors of whoÌ„ Ezechiel coÌ„plaineth for many causes for that they cruellye peruerslye fed the people of God Homere also calleth Agamemnon the feder of the people For they ought not to beare rule as thieues or hired meÌ„ to flese to oppresse but to kepe
sometimes to call vs hys fellowe workers Bonifacius goeth on the lay power ought to be iudged of the Ecclesiasticall but by what kind of iudgement Vndoubtedly by this that in the churche he set forth the anger of God against sinners that they be admonished and corrected by the holy scriptures But the bishops may expel kings and put them out of their kingdome wher is the permitted Frō whence haue they that what writings wil they bring for it The Pope ought to be iudged of the church But that is most intollerable that the Pope sayth that he can be iudged of no man And yet Iohn .23 was in the counsel of Constance put downe and not onely by god but also by men So these men plant and replant Canons and the same they allow and disalow as often as they think good Yea and Emperors haue sometimes thrust out and put down Popes as it is before said Paul to the Gal. sayth If an Aungell from heauen preach any other gospel let him be accursed If the Pope which may come to passe and hath alredy long since come to passe obtrude wicked opinions who shall pronounce him accursed It is the dewty of the magistrate to execut the sentence of the church agaynst the pope Shall he be vtterly iudged of no man The church vndoubtedly shal geue sentence vpon him and the magistrate for that he is the chiefest part of the church shal not onely iudge together with it but also shall execute the sentence Farther it longeth vnto the magistrate to prouide that the riches of the churche be not geuen vnto the enemies of godlines Wherefore if bishoppes become enemies of the churche a faythfull magistrate ought not to suffer the goods of the church to be consumed by them The Canonists haue this oftentimes in theyr mouth That for the office sake is geuen the benefice When therfore they do not their office ought the magistrate to suffer them to enioy their benefices But let vs heare howe Bonifacius proueth that he can be iudged of no man Bycause he that is spiritual sayth he iudgeth all thinges but he himselfe is iudged of no man A godly and wel applied argument I promise you But let vs se what kind of iudgement Paul writeth of in that place He speaketh not vndoubtedly of the common kind of iudgement whereby men are either put to death or put oute of theyr roome He entreateth there onelye of the vnderstandinge of thinges deuine and which auaile vnto saluation These thinges I say properlye belong vnto the iudgement of the spiritual man but concerning common iudgementes and knowledge of ciuill causes Paule neuer thoughte of them in that place Which is easely perceaued by his wordes we haue not receiued saith he the sprite of this world but a sprite which is of God If thou wilt demaund for what vse the sprite is geuen vs He answereth that we should know those things that are geuen vs of God And bycause the sprite of this worlde cannot geue iudgemente of thinges deuine it is added The carnall man vnderstandeth not those things which ar of the sprite of god The spiritual man iudgeth al things What Doth he iudge also ciuill and common causes No vndoubtedlye but he iudgeth those thinges whiche pertayne vnto the saluation of men he himselfe is iudged of no man Without doubt both Peter and Paul were iudged by the ciuil power wherunto Paul appealed to be iudged there and yet were they both spirituall Peter Paule were iudged by the ciuil power But that place is thus to be vnderstanded He that is spirituall in that he is such a one cannot in thinges deuine and such as pertaine vnto saluation bee rightely iudged of any mā which is not endewed with the same sprite that he is The wicked and worldly ones count him oftentimes for a sedicious vnpure infamous fellow but only God and his sprite looketh vpon the hartes Note Lastly Bonifacius concludeth that there is one onely chiefe power which longeth vnto the pope least we should seme with the Maniches to make many beginninges We put this one onely beginninge and not many And he addeth That god in the beginning and not in the beginnings created the world We also abhorre from the Maniches and do put one onely beginning and pronounce one onely fountayne and ofspring of all powers namely god and his word without which can be no power either ciuil or Ecclesiasticall For the foundation of either of them dependeth of the word of god so we make but one beginning not two Farther if Bonifacius wil vrge these words of Genesis In the beginning god created c. there oughte to be in the world but one onely king For when Paul sayde One Lord one faith one baptisme he added not one Pope A Schisme of thre Popes At the length our Thraso commeth so farre that hee excludeth them from the hope of saluation which acknowledge not the Pope for the chief prince head of the church But when ther were two or three Popes al at one time which thing both happened and also endured the space of .60 yeares full it muste needes be that those were at that time Maniches and did put two beginnings which were of Bonifacius opinion Moreouer what thinke they of the Gretians of the Persiās and Christians which dwell in the East part for as much as they acknowledge not the Pope who yet neuerthelesse reade the scriptures beleue in our Lord Iesus Christ and both are also ar called christians Al them Bonifacius excludeth from the hope of saluation This is the ambicion and vnspeakeable tirannye of the Popes When we obiecte vnto the papistes these wordes of Paule let euery soule be subiect vnto the superior powers they aunswere that euery soul ought to be subiect vnto the superior power but yet to theyrs not to other mens power otherwise the frenchmen ought to be subiect vnto the Spaniardes the Spaniardes to the Germaines which thing for that it is absurd it is concluded that euery man ought to obey his own Magistrat But now the clergy acknowledge the bishops for theyr power and ought to be subiect vnto thē and the bishops acknowledge the Archbishoppes and Primates and they lastly acknowledge the Pope After this manner say they we obey the power and satisfye Paule What haue we to do with kings or ciuil magistrats But this is nothing els then most filthily to abuse the wordes of Paule The Papistes do rēt into two partes both the kingdomes and the people Doo they not see that they deuide the publike wealth into two bodies which oughte to be one body onely For when they deuide the kyngdome of the Clergye from the kingedome of the laitye they make in one kyngedome twoo peoples and doo sette ouer eyther people a Magystrate And thereby commeth to passe that the Clergy whiche are Frenchemen seeme not to be Frenchemen and the Germanes seeme not to be
publique wealth he doth in deede punishe sinnes greuously but after his fatherly correction he doth with an vnmeasurable goodnes restore the hurtes and losses wherin men oftentymes incurre by theyr owne error faulte In all these things we may see an Image of our tymes For we are infected with the same infirmityes that our fathers were neither doth the deuill and his meÌ„bers with lesse diligence at this day vexe the congregatioÌ„ of the godly then he did in the old time Wherfore let vs praye vnto God our most louyng father thoroughe his sonne Iesus Christ that euen as from the begynning he hath holpen and noorished hys Churche in most great daungers so also he would now keepe and defende it when it is almoste ouerwhelmed with euils and calamityes Let vs desyre him also that euen as he from tyme to tyme stirred vp Iudges and deliuerers vnto the Hebrues by whom he restored both liberty and health and as in our tyme he hath geuen Heroicall and most excellent men namely Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius Phillip Melanchton and suche like setters forth of the doctrine of the Gospel so he would vouchsafe to go forwarde and in conuenient tymes stirre vp certayn lyghtes by whiche he may illustrate the mindes of hys elect and kindle their heartes to keepe amplifie the Church of Christ that at the leÌ„gth he may haue it raygning with him in heauen without spot or wrinkle Amen ¶ The ende of the Commentary vpon the Booke of the Iudges ¶ A diligent Index or table of the most notable thinges matters and wordes contayned in thys whole woorke VVhich thinges ye shall fynde by the folio which is on the fyrst syde of the leafe and b signifieth the seconde syde of the same leafe A. AAroÌ„ reproued iustly 53 b Abimeleche Gedeons sonne 153. b Abimileches tiraÌ„ni 155 b Abimileches vices 157. b Abraham maried his brothers doughter 20. Abrahams leage with the Chananites 99. b Abrahams saying Sara was hys Sister 89. Abuses of church musicke 103. b Accidences do differ 286. b Accusations violate not but helpe the lawes 255 Action one and the same maye be good and bad 79 Actions should be both iust and iustly done 245 Actions voluntary naturall 63. b Adam and Eua whether they wer buried in Hebron 14. b Adonibezek 11 Aduersity giueth occasion of profitable sermons 113. b Aduersity oght to moue vs to praise thaÌ„k god aswel as prosperiti 104 Aduersities behauiour 6 Aduoutries counted lyghte crimes with Papistes 233 Aduoutries looseth her dowry 81 Adulterers and hooremongers god wyll iudge 249 Adultry punished with adultry 254. b Adultry salued by recoÌ„ciliatioÌ„ 249 Adultry and rapt ioyned 283. b Aesopes fables 160 Aestimation is not so much to be regarded as truth 90 Affections are qualities 141. b Affections of the bodye and mynde also signified by dreames 135 Affections ar attributed to God improperly 176 Affections which are to be counted godly 194 Affections whether they bee good or euyll 142 Affections may be ioyned with obedience 195. b Afflicted persons thinke god is not with them 114. b Affliction to the afflicted of God is not to be added 235. b Affliction springeth of synne 112 Affliction of the Israelites of forty yeares 200. b Afflictions of the goodlye are not properly punishments 181. b Afflictions of this life God sendes to diuers endes 180 Afflictions great or smal is no sure argument of the heynousnesse of synnes 171. b Afflictions final causes 8 Affricanes are Chananites 7 Affricanes wer Phenitians 68 Age good what 155. Ain turned by g. 226. b Allegories vse 8. b Allegory taken out of the holy scripture 141 Alexander vnto Darius 157 Altare erected 280. b Altare is not to bee erected but to God 69 Altars vsed why 122. b Alteracion is none in God 175 Ambition handled 157. b Ambition when it hath place 183. b Ambition of kings and bishops 12 Ambrose a Neophyt when he was made bishop 184 Ambrose opinion of Iiptah disalowed 194 Ambrose first vsed singyng in the west church 103 Anabaptistes fault 132. b Anabaptistes error 264. b Anabaptistes deny that the olde testament pertaineth to vs. 186. b Anadiplosis 109. b Anathemata 30. b Anarchia is destruction of a coÌ„mon wealth 139 Ancyrana Synodus 95 Angel signifieth diuersly 59 Angels howe they haue their names 205. b angels why they fell 15. q angels cannot burn in lustes 285 Angels whyther they dyd eate and drinke 212 angels bodyes wherin they appere are true and humaine 211. b Angels what maner of bodies they take vpon them 209. b angels apparitions 208 Angels apparitions may be imagigined .3 maner of waies 209. b. 211 Angels appearing and Gods do eeuidently differ 1â—2 b Angels whether they se God 121. b angels may worke miracles 126. b Anger of God described 70 Anger defined by the matter 73. b anger asswaged by gentle aunswer 141. b anger why Christ forbad 166. b Anger an vnfit affection to punysh in 280. b Answer with the Hebrues is to begyn to talke 244 Anthropomorphites error 118 Antichrist the pope of Rome 147. b Anticipation a common figure in scriptures 246. b Antiochus begyled 86 Apelles error 210. b Apis the oxe was loÌ„g fatting 122 b Apollonius Thyaneus 211 Apology defined 159. b Apoplexia 163. b Apostles how thei ar fouÌ„dacioÌ„s 149 Apparel prescribed by lawes 111. b Apparitions of angels 208 appeale from the Pope 266. b Application of popishe sacrifice for quicke and dead 50 Aquarij heretikes 189. b Arba the builder of Hebron 15 Arguments false of Siricius 94 Arguments from the euents to the cause are not alwayes firm 271. b argument against the Pope 161 Aristocratia 1. b Aristocratia in the church 241 Aristocratia compared with a kingdome 156 Aristotle deceiued 138 Arke taken 244. b Armes of noble men 140. b Artes forbidden 283 Ascension daye whether it was on the wensday or thursday 276. b Asers situation 108 Asking at God how 272 Assamonites or Machabites 259 Assemblies exercises 65 asses vsed in Syria 106. b Asses much vsed in Syria 25. b Attilius Regulus 85. b Augustines saying I would not beleue the Gospel c. scanned 5. b Augustine vsed the latine toung to preach in 84 Augustine Ierome contend 60. b Augustine excuseth Tertullian 120 Augustine chaunged his opinioÌ„ for compelling of heretikes 55 Augustines mother 138. b Aunts why meÌ„ may not mary 19 b B. BAal-berith 155 Baal handled 123. b Baal and Baalim 68 Balaams praying was prophesying 207 Banished mens custome in buylding of Cities 40 Banishment the extremest punishmeÌ„t of the citizens of Rome 146 b Baptisme of Infanes 75. b Baren mothers haue brought forth many excellent men 200. b Baruch is Apocripha 51 Bastard defined 177 b Bastards haue no place in the congregacion of Israel 177 Bastardes proue wurs then other children 178 Bastards wer not commaunded to be banished by the law 183 Bawde who acording to the Ciuill law 249 Bawdes are the Popes 232 Bawdry 232 Beanes make
troublesome dreames 137. b Bearing with others weaknes 52 Beda liued in a corrupt time 42. b Bearfoote is Elleborus 164. b Bees of bullockes dead 218 Begging disalowed 203 Behauor in prosperiti aduersiti 6 Benefits degres worthines 198 Benefits whether they be to be wtdraweÌ„ froÌ„ vnthaÌ„ful persons 198 Benefits of god ar of .2 sorts 198 b Beniamin had .x. families 269 Beniamites worthy to be condemned 271 Beniamites how many of theÌ„ wer slayne by the Israelites 273. b Berdes of Priestes 201. b Bernhards error of angels 209 Bethabara 141 Bethel is not alwayes a propper name of a place but wher the ark of the couenant remained 269. b Bethlehem .2 of that name 239. b Betraying handled 36 b Betraying defined 37 Betraying wurs theÌ„ besieging 37 Betraying lawful 37. b Betraying examples 38. b Betrothing in woordes of the future tence 284. b Bezek situate 11 Bibles preserued by the Iewes 57 b Bishop of Rome hath nothing common with Peter 149 Bishops of Rome refused kingdom in the church at the first 147 Bishops ambicious 12 Bishops coÌ„secrating of kings whether they be therein greater then kinges 261. b Blabbing a vice moste peculiare to women 221. b Blasphemies horrible 235 Bloudshedding iustly and rightly restrayneth not from the holy ministery 146. b Boasting what 87. b Boasting against God 132. b Body what it signifieth with Tertulian 209 Body spiritual how 211 Body and bloud of Christe howe it is eaten 212. b Bodies of men after the floud whether lesse then before 17 Body humaine cannot consist with out flesh and bones 118. Body remoueth vs not from the beholding of God 117. b Bodye is ioyned to the soule for a helpe and not punishment 208. b Body is anoyed with druÌ„keÌ„nes 163. b Bodely diseases les grieuous then the mindes 247. b Bona goods 139. b Bondage first of the Israelits 77 Bondage more grieuous then losse of goods 70 Bondage is agaynste the nature of man 80 Bondage is a ciuill death 36 Bond saruants may not flye from their masters 227. b Bonifacius the right 257. Booke de Patientia none of Augustines 158. b Booke de Dogmate ecclesiastico is none of saint Augustines 121 borders of the Hebrues couÌ„tri 267 Bramble a vile plant 160. b Breade remayning in the Eucharist 205 brethreÌ„ for al maner of kinsfolks 23 Brothers children ar not forbidden to mary by Gods lawe .19 but by the law of nature 21 Brothers wyfe onelye lawfull for the Iewes to mary 21. b Bribery of Abimilech 158 Burials of the Hebrues in their own possessions 66 Burnt offringes 271 Burthens personall 263. b C. CAesar touched 153. b Caiphas the hie priest was no prophet 137 Calcedonia Synode 147. b Calfes made by Aaron IeroboaÌ„ were made of a good intent 48. b Calues of the lyps 192 Canons of the apostles allow mariage of Ministers 94. b Canons latter corrupt 215 Canons authority aboue the Ciuill lawes 217. b Cantones vilages of Heluetia â—67 Captains ouer ten Centurions c why God appointed 115. b Captaynes to haue Ministers in their campes 96. b Captaine needefull in great daungers 176. b captiues returning or escaping 85 b Carthage inhabited wyth Sidonians 243. b Cardinals hoorehunters 232 Carefulnes contrary to securitye yet not alwaies to be praised 247 case new requireth a new help 88 b Cases of lying to auoyd dauÌ„ger 90 Castels whether it bee lawfull to fence 113 Castels municions cannot defend from the anger of God 112. b Cathecumeni 42 b Cato burthened with droÌ„kennes 163 Caues described 112. b Cause of synne is not to be layd vnto God 167 Cause iust vniust differ much 271 Causes first more to be considered then the second 71 Centurions c. why God appointed 115. b Ceremonies complayned on 190. b Ceremonies neede not be all a lyke euery where 54. b Ceremonies of the law howe long they might be vsed 52 Ceremonies of the law howe farre Paule condemned them 51. b Ceremonies are not good bycause they had a good begynning but bicause they be good of theyr nature 48 Ceremonies in the Masse what they signify is vnknowen 50 Chaire of Peter 149 Chaldry paraphrast with the Hebrues is of great authority 285. b Chalebs petigree 18. b Chaleb a faythful spy 18 Chanaan nation discussed 7 ChanaaÌ„ deuided by Iosua before it was possessed by the Israelits 7. b Chananites why God woulde not by and by destroy them 8 Chananites expelled by the Israelites went into Affricke 7 Charges extraordinary 263. b Chariotes for warre described 32. they can not resist God 32 b Charity is neglected when we depart from the true God 155. b Charity not broken in destroying of Cities 31 Chaunce is not with God 172 ChauÌ„ce is not wtout gods wil 165 b Chaunge is not in God 175 Chemos god of the Amonites 185 Cherem vowes 192 Ches play 220 Children many is an excellent gyft of God 200 Children fayre of foule Parentes how 4. b Childe of a day old is not pure 180 Children are more of the father theÌ„ of the mother 156. b Children deuided for legitimacion c. 177. b Childrens obedience to their Parentes 203. b Childrens duties to their parents al one with subiects to their Magistrates 265 Children whether they may marye wtout coÌ„sent of their parents 214 Children when they maye disobeye their parentes 253 ChildreÌ„ ar not punished for theyr fathers as touching eternal life 182 Choyce of meates is not to bee followed 278 Christ is man 211. b Christ is the vniuersal head 147. b Christ the head of the church 241 Christ dissembled 89. b Christ as wee reade oft wept but neuer laught 63 Christ how he resembled Melchisedech 261 Christe is the mediator in makyng leagues 73. b Christ refused a kingdoÌ„ offred 147 Christ is our peace 122. b Christes appearing to the olde Fathers how it may be proued 119 b Christ how he is taught bi the boke of Iudges 2. b Christ had a true body after hys resurrection 209 Christes bodye howe it entred the doores shut 211. b Christ appeared to Gedion 115 Christes body bloud ar not included in the simbols or signes 212 b Chronicles howe they differ from histories 3 Chrysippus foolish answer 147 Church is gouerned of God wyth a singuler care 203 Church had not two swords in the apostles time 260. b Churche howe it maye haue twoo swordes 259. b Churche geueth not authoritye to the scriptures but contrary 5 Church hath three offices touching the word of God 5 Churches consent if it be to be waited for in reformacion of religion 265 Church ought to entreat for the reconciliation of the repentant 250 Church that payeth tythes is greater then the minister 261. b CipriaÌ„ resisted the church of Rome 148 Circumstances make much in euery matter 101 City of Palmes what 27. b Cities whether it bee lawfull to fence 113 Cities of refuge beloÌ„ged to the Leuites 18 Citizen good who 150 Ciuil lawes are to bee corrected by the woord