what nature and force lawes are according vnto their seuerall kinds the lawe which God with himselfe hath eternally set downe to follow in his owne workes the law which he hath made for his creatures to keepe the law of naturall and necessarie agents the law which Angels in heauen obey the lawe whereunto by the light of reason men find themselues bound in that they are men the lawe which they make by composition for multitudes and politique societies of men to be guided by the law which belongeth vnto each nation the lawe that concerneth the fellowship of all and lastly the lawe which God himselfe hath supernaturally reuealed It might peraduenture haue beene more popular and more plausible to vulgar eares if this first discourse had beene spent in extolling the force of lawes in shewing the great necessity of them when they are good and in aggrauating their offence by whom publique lawes are iniuriously traduced But for as much as with such kind of matter the passions of men are rather stirred one way or other then their knowledge any way set forward vnto the triall of that whereof there is doubt made I haue therefore turned aside from that beaten path and chosen though a lesse easie yet a more profitable way in regard of the end we propose Least therefore any man should maruailâ— whereunto all these things tend the drift and purpose of all is this euen to shew in what manner as euery good and perfect gift so this very gift of good and perfect lawes is deriued from the father of lights to teach men a reason why iust and reasonable lawes are of so great force of so great vse in the world and to enforme their minds with some methode of reducing the lawes whereof there is present controuersie vnto their first originall causes that so it may be in euery particular ordinance thereby the better discerned whether the same be reasonable iust and righteous or no. Is there any thing which can either be throughly vnderstood or soundly iudged of till the very first causes and principles from which originally it springeth bee made manifest If all parts of knowledge haue beene thought by wise men to bee then most orderly deliuered and proceeded in when they are drawne to their first originall seeing that our whole question concerneth the qualitie of Ecclesiasticall lawes let it not seeme a labour superfluous that in the entrance thereunto all these seuerall kinds of lawes haue beene considered in as much as they all concurre as principles they all haue their forcible operations therein although not all in like apparent and manifest maner By meanes whereof it commeth to passe that the force which they haue is not obserued of many Easier a great deale it is for men by law to be taught what they ought to do then instructed how to iudge as they should do of law the one being a thing which belongeth generally vnto all the other such as none but the wiser and more iudicious sorte can performe Yea the wisest are alwayes touching this point the readiest to acknowledge that soundly to iudge of a law is the waightiest thing which any man can take vpon him But if we wil giue iudgement of the laws vnder which we liue first let that law eternall be alwayes before our eyes as being of principall force and moment to breed in religious minds a dutifull estimation of all lawes the vse and benefite whereof we see because there can be no doubt but that lawes apparently good are as it were things copied out of the very tables of that high euerlasting law euen as the booke of that law hath said concerning it selfe By me Kings raigne and by me Princes decree iustice Not as if men did behold that booke and accordingly frame their lawes but because it worketh in them because it discouereth and as it were readeth it selfe to the world by them when the lawes which they make are righteous Furthermore although we perceiue not the goodnesse of lawes made neuerthelesse sith things in themselues may haue that which we peraduenture discerne not should not this breed a feare in our harts how we speake or iudge in the worse part concerning that the vnaduised disgrace whereof may be no meane dishonour to him towards whom we professe all submission and awe Surely there must be very manifest iniquitie in lawes against which we shall be able to iustifie our contumelious inuectiues The chiefest roote whereof when we vse them without cause is ignorance how lawes inferiour are deriued from that supreme or highest lawe The first that receiue impression from thence are naturall agents The lawe of whose operations might be happily thought lesse pertinent when the question is about lawes for humane actions but that in those very actions which most spiritually and supernaturally concerne men the rules and axiomes of naturall operations haue their force What can be more immediate to our saluation then our perswasion concerning the lawe of Christ towardes his Church What greater assurance of loue towards his Church then the knowledge of that mysticall vnion whereby the Church is become as neare vnto Christ as any one part of his flesh is vnto other That the Church being in such sort his he must needes protect it what proofe more strong then if a manifest lawe so require which law it is not possible for Christ to violate And what other lawe doth the Apostle for this alleage but such as is both common vnto Christ with vs and vnto vs with other things naturall No man hateth his owne flesh but doth loue and cherish it The axiomes of that lawe therefore whereby naturall agentes are guided haue their vse in the morall yea euen in the spirituall actions of men and consequently in all lawes belonging vnto men howsoeuer Neither are the Angels themselues so farre seuered from vs in their kind and manner of working but that betweene the lawe of their heauenly operations and the actions of men in this our state of mortalitie such correspondence there is as maketh it expedient to know in some sort the one for the others more perfect direction Would Angels acknowledge themselues fellow seruants with the sonnes of men but that both hauing one Lord there must be some kinde of lawe which is one and the same to both whereunto their obedience being perfecter is to our weaker both a paterne and a spurre Or would the Apostle speaking of that which belongeth vnto Saintes as they are linked together in the bond of spirituall societie so often make mention how Angels are therewith delighted if in thinges publiquely done by the Church we are not somewhat to respect what the Angels of heauen doe Yea so farre hath the Apostle S. Paule proceeded as to signifie that euen about the outward orders of the Church which serue but for comelinesse some regard is to be had of Angels who best like vs when we are most like vnto them
in all partes of decent demeanor So that the law of Angels wee cannot iudge altogether impertinent vnto the affaires of the Church of God Our largenesse of speech how men do finde out what thinges reason bindeth them of necessitie to obserue and what is guideth them to choose in things which are left as arbitrary the care we haue had to declare the different nature of lawes which seuerally concerne all men from such as belong vnto men eyther ciuilly or spiritually associated such as pertaine to the fellowship which nations or which Christian nations haue amongst themselues and in the last place such as concerning euery or any of these God himselfe hath reuealed by his holy worâ— all serueth but to make manifest that as the actions of men are of sundry distinct kindes so the lawes thereof must accordingly be distinguished There are in men operations some naturall some rationall some supernaturall some politique some finally Ecclesiasticall Which if we measure not each by his owne proper law whereas the things themselues are so different there will be in our vnderstanding and iudgement of them confusion As that first error sheweth whereon our opposites in this cause haue grounded themselues For as they rightly maintaine that God must be glorified in all thinges and that the actions of men cannot tend vnto his glory vnlesse they be framed after his law So it is their error to thinke that the only law which God hath appointed vnto men in that behalfe is the sacred Scripture By that which we worke naturally as when we breath sleepe mooue we set forth the glory of God as naturall agents doe albeit we haue no expresse purpose to make that our end nor any aduised determination therein to follow a law but doe that we doe for the most part not as much as thinking thereon In reasonable and morall actions another law taketh place a law by the obseruation whereof we glorifie God in such sort as no creature else vnder man is able to doe because other creatures haue not iudgement to examine the qualitie of that which is done by them and therfore in that they doe they neither can accuse nor approue themselues Men doe bothe as the Apostle teacheth yea those men which haue no written lawe of God to shewe what is good or euill carrie written in their hearts the vniuersall lawe of mankind the law of reason whereby they iudge as by a rule which God hath giuen vnto all men for that purpose The lawe of reason doth somewhat direct men how to honour God as their Creator but how to glorifie God in such sort as is required to the end he may be an euerlasting Sauiour this we are taught by diuine law which law both ascertaineth the truth and supplieth vnto vs the want of that other lawe So that in morall actions diuine law helpeth exceedingly the lawe of reason to guide mans life but in supernaturall it alone guideth Proceed wee further let vs place man in some publique societie with others whether Ciuill or Spirituall and in this case there is no remedie but we must adde yet a further lawe For although euen here likewise the lawes of nature and reason be of necessary vse yet somewhat ouer and besides them is necessary namely humane and positiue lawe together with that lawe which is of commerce betweene grand societies the law of nations and of nations Christian For which cause the lawe of God hath likewise said Let euery soule be subiect to the higher powers The publique power of all societies is aboue euery soule contained in the same societies And the principall vse of that power is to giue lawes vnto all that are vnder it which lawes in such case we must obey vnlesse there be reason shewed which may necessarily enforce that the lawe or reason or of God doth enioyne the contrarie Because except our owne priuate and but probable resolutions be by the lawe of publique determinations ouerruled we take away all possibilitie of sociable life in the worlde A plainer example whereof then our selues we cannot haue How commeth it to passe that wee are at this present day so rent with mutuall contentions and that the Church is so much troubled about the politie of the Church No doubt if men had bene willing to learne how many lawes their actions in this life are subiect vnto and what the true force of each lawe is all these controuersies might haue dyed the very day they were first brought forth It is both commonly said and truly that the best men otherwise are not alwayes the best in regard of societie The reason wherof is for that the law of mens actions is one if they be respected only as men and another wheÌ„ they are considered as parts of a politique body Many men there are then whom nothing is more commendable when they are singled And yet in societie with others none lesse fit to answere the duties which are looked for at their handes Yea I am perswaded that of them with whom in this cause we striue there are whose betters among men would bee hardly found if they did not liue amongst men but in some wildernesse by themselues The cause of which their disposition so vnframable vnto societies wherein they liue is for that they discerne not aright what place and force these seuerall kindes of lawes ought to haue in all their actions Is there question eyther concerning the regiment of the Church in generall or about conformitie betweene one Church and another or of ceremonies offices powers iurisdictions in our owne Church Of all these things they iudge by that râ—le which they frame to themselues with some shew of probabilitie and what seemeth in that sort conuenient the same they thinke themselues bound to practise the same by all meanes they labour mightily to vpholde whatsoeuer any law of man to the contrarie hath determined they weigh it not Thus by following the law of priuate reason where the law of publique should take place they breede disturbance For the better inuâ—ing therefore of mens mindes with the true distinction of lawes and of their seuerall force according to the diâ—ferent kind and qualitie of our actions it shal noâ— peraduenture be amisse to shew in some one example how they all take place To seeke no further let but that be considered then which there is not any thing more familiar vnto vs our foode What thinges are foode and what are not we iudge naturally by sense neither neede we any other law to be our director in that behalfe then the selfe-same which is common vnto vs with beastes But when we come to consider of foode as of a benefite which God of his bounteous goodnes hath prouided for all thinges liuing the law of reason doth here require the dutie of thankefulnesse at our handes towards him at whose hands we haue iâ— And least appetite in the vse of foode should leade vs beyond that
simple men who knowing the time of their owne Presidentship to bee but short would alwayes stand in feare of their ministers perpetuall authoritie and among the ministers themselues one being so farre in estimation aboue the rest the voyces of the rest were likely to be giuen for the most part respectiuely with a kinde of secret dependencie and awe so that in shewe a maruellous indifferently composed Senate Ecclesiasticall was to gouerne but in effect one onely man should as the Spirite and soule of the residue doe all in all But what did these vaine surmises boote Brought they were now to so straight an issue that of two thinges they must choose one namely whether they would to their endlesse disgrace with ridiculous lightnes dismisse him whose restitution they had in so impotent maner desired or else condescende vnto that demaund wherein hee was resolute eyther to haue it or to leaue them They thought it better to be somewhat hardly yoked at home then for euer abroad discredited Wherefore in the ende those orders were on all sides assented vnto with no lesse alacritie of minde then Cities vnable to holde out longer are wont to shewe when they take conditions such as it liketh him to offer them which hath them in the narrow streightes of aduantage Not many yeares were ouerpassed before these twice sworne men aduentured to giue their last and hotest assault to the fortresse of the same discipline childishly graunting by comon consent of their whole Senate that vnder their towne seale a relaxation to one Bertelier whom the Eldership had excommunicated further also decreeing with strange absurditie that to the same Senate it should belong to giue finall iudgemēt in matter of excōmunication and to absolue whom it pleased them cleane contrary to their owne former deedes and oaths The report of which decree being forth with brought vnto Caluin Before sayth he this decree take place either my bloud or banishment shall signe it Againe two dayes before the Cōmunion should be celebrated his speech was publiquely to like effect Kill me if euer this hand do reach forth the things that are holy to thē whom THE CHVRCH hath iudged despisers Whereupon for feare of tumult the forenamed Bertelier was by his friends aduised for that time not to vse the liberty granted him by the Senate nor to present himselfe in the Church till they saw somewhat further what would ensue After the Communion quietly ministred and some likelihood of peaceable ending these troubles without any more ado that very day in the afternoone besides all mens expectation concluding his ordinary sermon he telleth them that because he neither had learned nor taught to striue with such as are in authority therefore sayth he the case so standing as now it doth let me vse these words of the Apostle vnto you I commend you vnto God the word of his grace and so bad them hartily all A dew It sometimes commeth to passe that the readiest way which a wise man hath to conquer is to flie This voluntarie and vnexpected mention of sudden departure caused presently the Senate for according to their woonted maner they still continued onely constant in vnconstancy to gather themselues together and for a time to suspend their own decree leauing things to proceed as before till they had heard the iudgement of foure Heluetian Cities concerning the matter which was in strife This to haue done at the first before they gaue assēt vnto any order had shewed some wit discretion in thē but now to do it was as much as to say in effect that they would play their parts on stage Caluin therfore dispatcheth with all expedition his letters vnto some principall pastor in euery of those cities crauing earnestly at their hands to respect this cause as a thing whereupō the whole state of religion piety in that church did so much depend that God all good men were now ineuitably certaine to be trampled vnder foot vnlesse those foure Cities by their good means might be brought to giue sentence with the ministers of Geneua when the cause should be brought before them yea so to giue it that two things it might effectually containe the one an absolute approbation of the discipline of Geneua as consonant vnto the word of God without any cautions qualifications ifs or ands the other an earnest admonition not to innouate or change the same His vehemēt request herein as touching both points was satisfied For albeit the sayd Heluetian Churches did neuer as yet obserue that discipline neuerthelesse the Senate of Geneua hauing required their iudgement concerning these three questions First after what manner by Gods commaundement according to the Scripture and vnspotted religion excommunication is to be exercised Secondly whether it may not be exercised some other way then by the Consistorie Thirdly what the vse of their Churches was to do in this case answer was returned from the sayd Churches That they had heard already of those consistoriall lawes and did acknowledge them to be godly ordinances drawing towards the prescript of the word of God for which cause that they did not thinke it good for the Church of Geneua by innouation to change the same but rather to keepe them as they were Which aunswer although not aunswering vnto the former demaunds but respecting what Maister Caluin had iudged requisite for them to aunswere was notwithstanding accepted without any further reply in as much as they plainely saw that when stomacke doth striue with wit the match is not equall And so the heat of their former contentions began to flake The present inhabitants of Geneua J hope will not take it in euill part that the faltinesse of their people heretofore is by vs so farre forth layd open as their owne learned guides and Pastors haue thought necessarie to discouer it vnto the world For out of their bookes and writings it is that I haue collected this whole narration to the end it might thereby appeare in what sort amongst them that discipline was planted for which so much contention is raised amongst our selues The reasons which mooued Caluin herein to be so earnest was as Beza himselfe testifieth for that he saw how needfull these bridles were to be put in the iawes of that Citie That which by wisedome he saw to be requisite for that people was by as great wisedome compassed But wise men are men and the truth is truth That which Caluin did for establishment of his discipline seemeth more commendable then that which he taught for the countenancing of it established Nature worketh in vs all a loue to our owne counsels The contradiction of others is a fanne to inflame that loue Our loue set on fire to maintaine that which once we haue done sharpeneth the wit to dispute to argue and by all meanes to reason for it Wherefore a maruaile it were if a man of so great capacitie hauing such incitements to make him desirous of
for vs so small is the ioy we take in these strifes to labour vnder the same yoke as men that looke for the same eternall reward of their labours to be ioyned with you in bands of indissoluble loue and amity to liue as if our persons being many our soules were but one rather then in such dismembred sort to spend our few and wretched daies in a tedious prosecuting of wearisome contentions the end whereof if they haue not some speedy ende will be heauie euen on both sides Brought alreadie we are euen to that estate which Gregorie Nazianzene mournefully describeth saying My minde leadeth mee sith there is no other remedie to flye and to conuey my selfe into some corner out of sight where I may scape from this cloudie tempest of malitiousnesse whereby all parts are entred into a deadly warre amongst themselues and that little remnant of loue which was is now consumed to nothing The onely godlines we glory in is to finde out somewhat whereby we may iudge others to be vngodly Each others faults we obserue as matter of exprobration and not of griefe By these meanes wee are growne hateful in the eyes of the Heathens themselues and which woundeth vs the moâ—e deeply able we are not to denie but that we haue deserued their hatred With the better sort of our owne our fame and credit is cleane lost The lesse wee are to maruell if they iudge vilely of vs who although we did well would hardly allow therof On our backs they also build that are lewd and what we obiect one against an other the same they vse to the vtter scorne and disgrace of vs all This we haue gained by our mutuall home-dissentions This we are worthily rewarded with which are more forward to striue then becommeth men of vertuous and mild disposition But our trust in the almightie is that with vs contentions are now at their highest floate and that the day will come for what cause of despaire is there when the passioÌ„s of former enmitie being allaied we shal with ten times redoubled tokens of our vnfainedly reconciled loue shewe our selues each towards other the same which Ioseph and the brethren of Ioseph were at the time of their enteruiew in Aegypt Our comfortable expectation and most thirstie desire whereof what man soeuer amongst you shall any way helpe to satisfie as we truly hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will the blessings of the God of peace both in this world and in the world to come be vppon him moe then the starres of the firmament in number VVhat things are handled in the Bookes following THe first Booke concerning lawes in generall The second of the vse of diuine lawe conteined in scripture whether that be the onely lawe which ought to serue for our direction in all things without exception The third of lawes concerning Ecclesiasticall Politie whether the forme thereof be in scripture so set downe that no addition or change is lawfull The fourth of generall exceptions taken against the lawes of our politie as being popish and banished out of certaine reformed Churches The fift of our lawes that concerne the publike religious duties of the Church and the maner of bestowing that power of order which inableth men in sundrie degrees and callings to execute the same The sixt of the power of iurisdiction which the reformed platforme claymeth vnto lay-elders with others The seauenth of the power of iurisdiction and the honor which is annexed thereunto in Bishops The eighth of the power of ecclesiasticall dominion or supreme authoritie which with vs the highest gouernour or Prince hath as well in regard of domesticall iurisdictions as of that other forreinly claimed by the Bishop of Rome The first Booke Concerning Lawes and their seuerall kindes in generall The matter conteined in this first Booke 1 THe cause of writing this generall discourse concerning lawes 2 Of that lawe which God from before the beginning hath set for himselfe to doe all the things by 3 The law which natural agents obserue their necessary maner of keeping it 4 The lawe which the Angels of God obey 5 The lawe whereby man is in his actions directed to the imitation of God 6 Mens first beginning to vnderstand that lawe 7 Of mans will which is the first thing that lawes of action are made to guide 8 Of the naturall finding out of lawes by the light of reason to guide the will vnto that which is good 9 Of the benefit of keeping that lawe which reason teacheth 10 How reason doth lead men vnto the making of humane lawes whereby politique societies are gouerned and to agreement about lawes whereby the fellowship or communion of independent societies standeth 11 Wherefore God hath by scripture further made knowne such supernaturall lawes as do serue for mens direction 12 The cause why so many naturall or rationall lawes are set downe in holy scripture 13 The benefit of hauing diuine lawes written 14 The sufficiencie of scripture vnto the end for which it was instituted 15 Of lawes positiue conteined in scripture the mutabilitie of certaine of them and the generall vse of scripture 16 A conclusion shewing how all this belongeth to the cause in question HE that goeth about to perswade a multitude that they are not so well gouerned as they ought to be shal neuer waÌ„t attentiue fauourable hearers because they know the manifold defects whereunto euery kind of regiment is subiect but the secret lets and difficulties which in publike proceedings are innumerable ineuitable they haue not ordinarily the iudgement to consider And becâ—â—se such as openly reproue supposed disorders of state are taken for principall friendes to the common benefite of all and for men that carry singular freedome of mind vnder this faire and plausible colour whatsoeuer they vtter passeth for good and currant That which wanteth in the waight of their speech is supplyed by the aptnes of mens minds to accept and beleeue it Whereas on the other side if we maintaine thinges that are established wee haue not onely to striue with a number of heauie preiudices deepely rooted in the hearts of men who thinke that herein we serue the time and speake in fauour of the present state because thereby we eyther hold or seeke preferment but also to beare such exceptions as minds so auerted before hand vsually take against that which they are loath should be powred into them Albeit therefore much of that we are to speake in this present cause may seeme to a number perhaps tedious perhaps obscure darke and intricate for many talke of the truth which neuer sounded the depth from whence it springeth and therfore when they are led thereunto they are soone weary as men drawne from those beaten pathes wherewith they haue bene inured yet this may not so farre preuaile as to cut off that which the matter it selfe requireth howsoeuer the nice humour of some be therewith pleased or no.
They vnto whom we shall seeme tedious are in no wise iniuried by vs because it is in their owne hands to spare that labour which they are not willing to endure And if any complaine of obscuritie they must consider that in these matters it commeth no otherwise to passe then in sundry the workes both of art and also of nature where that which hath greatest force in the very things we see is notwithstanding it selfe oftentimes not seene The statelinesse of houses the goodlines of trees when we behold them delighteth the eye but that foundation which beareth vp the one that roote which ministreth vnto the other nourishment and life is in the bosome of the earth concealed if there be at any time occasion to search into it such labour is then more necessary then pleasant both to them which vndertake it and for the lookers on In like manner the vse and benefite of good lawes all that liue vnder them may enioy with delight and comfort albeit the groundes and first originall causes from whence they haue sprung be vnknowne as to the greatest part of men they are But when they who withdraw their obedience pretend that the lawes which they should obey are corrupt and vitious for better examination of their qualitie it behoueth the very foundation and roote the highest welspring and fountaine of them to be discouered Which because wee are not oftentimes accustomed to doe when wee doe it the paines wee take are more needefull a great deale then acceptable and the matters which wee handle seeme by reason of newnesse till the minde grow better acquainted with them darke intricate and vnfamiliar For as much helpe whereof as may be in this case I haue endeuoured throughout the body of this whole discourse that euery former part might giue strength vnto all that followe and euery later bring some light vnto all before So that if the iudgements of men doe but holde themselues in suspence as touching these first more generall meditations till in order they haue perused the rest that ensue what may seeme darke at the first will afterwardes be founde more plaine euen as the later particular decisions will appeare I doubt not more strong when the other haue beene read before The lawes of the Church whereby for so many ages together wee haue bene guided in the exercise of Christian religion and the seruice of the true God our rites customes and orders of Ecclesiasticall gouernment are called in question wee are accused as men that will not haue Christ Iesus to rule ouer them but haue wilfully cast his statutes behinde their backes hating to bee reformed and made subiect vnto the scepter of his discipline Behold therefore wee offer the lawes whereby wee liue vnto the generall triall and iudgement of the whole world hartily beseeching almightie God whome wee desire to serue according to his owne will that both wee and others all kinde of partiall affection being cleane laide aside may haue eyes to see and hearts to embrace the things that in his sight are most acceptable And because the point about which wee striue is the qualitie of our lawes our first entrance hereinto cannot better be made then with consideration of the nature of lawe in generall and of that lawe which giueth life vnto all the rest which are commendable iust and good nâ—mely the lawe whereby the Eternall himselfe doth worke Proceeding from hence to the lawe first of nature then of scripture we shall haue the easier accesse vnto those things which come after to be debated concerning the particular cause and question which wee haue in hand 2 All thinges that are haue some operation not violent or casuall Neither doth any thing euer begin to exercise the same without some foreconceiued ende for which it worketh And the ende which it worketh for is not obteined vnlesse the worke bee also fit to obteine it by For vnto euery ende euery operation will not serue That which doth assigne vnto each thing the kinde that which doth moderate the force and power that which doth appoint the forme and measure of working the same we tearme a Lawe So that no certaine ende could euer bee attained vnlesse the actions whereby it is attained were regular that is to say made suteable fit and correspondent vnto their ende by some Canon rule or lawe Which thing doth first take placâ— in the workes euen of God himselfe All thinges therefore doe worke after a sort according to lawe all other thinges according to a lawe whereof some superiours vnto whome they are subiect is author onely the workes and operations of God haue him both for their worker and for the lawe whereby they are wrought The being of God is a kinde of lawe to his working for that perfection which God is giueth perfection to that hee doth Those naturall necessary and internall operations of God the generation of the Sonne the proceeding of the Spirit are without the compasse of my present intent which is to touch onely such operations as haue their beginning and being by a voluntary purpose wherewith God hath eternally decreed when and how they should bee Which eternall decree is that wee tearme an eternall lawe Dangerous it were for the feeble braine of man to wade farre into the doings of the most High whome although to knowe bee life and ioy to make mention of his name yet our soundest knowledge is to know that wee know him not as indeede hee is neither can know him and our safest eloquence concerning him is our silence when we confesse without confession that his glory is inexplicable his greatnesse aboue our capacitie and reach Hee is aboue and wee vpon earth therefore it behoueth our wordes to bee warie and fewe Our God is one or rather very onenesse and meere vnitie hauing nothing but it selfe in it selfe and not consisting as all things doe besides God of many things In which essentiall vnitie of God a Trinitie personall neuerthelesse subsisteth after a maner far exceeding the possibilitie of mans conceipt The works which outwardly are of God they are in such sort of him being one that each person hath in them somewhat peculiar and proper For being three and they all subsisting in the essence of one deitie from the Father by the Sonne through the Spirit all things are That which the Sonne doth heare of the Father and which the Spirit doth receiue of the Father the Sonne the same we haue at the haÌ„ds of the Spirit as being the last and therfore the nearest vnto vs in order although in power the same with the second and the first The wise and learned among the very Heathens themselues haue all acknowledged some first cause whereupon originally the being of all things dependeth Neither haue they otherwise spoken of that cause then as an Agent which knowing what and why it worketh obserueth in working a most exact order or lawe Thus much is signified by that which Homer mentioneth
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much acknowledged by Mercurius Trismegist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much cōfest by Anaxagoras Plato terming the maker of the world an Intellectual worker Finally the Stoikes although imagining the first cause of all things to be fire held neuerthelesse that the same fire hauing arte did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They all confesse therfore in the working of that first cause that counsell is vsed reason followed a way obserued that is to say constant order and law is kept wherof it selfe must needs be author vnto it selfe Otherwise it should haue some worthier and higher to direct it and so could not it selfe be the first Being the first it can haue no other then it selfe to be the author of that law which it willingly worketh by God therefore is a law both to himselfe and to all other things besides To himselfe he is a law in all those things whereof our Sauiour speaketh saying My Father worketh as yet so I. God worketh nothing without cause All those things which are done by him haue some ende for which they are done and the ende for which they are done is a reason of his will to do them His will had not inclined to create woman but that he saw it could not be wel if she were not created Non est bonum It is not good man should be alone Therfore let vs make an helper for him That and nothing else is done by God which to leaue vndone were not so good If therfore it bee demanded why God hauing power hability infinit th' effects notwithstāding of that power are all so limited as wee see they are the reason hereof is the end which he hath proposed and the lawe whereby his wisedome hath stinted th' effects of his power in such sort that it doth not worke infinitely but correspōdently vnto that end for which it worketh euen al things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in most decent and comely sort all things in measure number waight The generall ende of Gods external working is the exercise of his most glorious and most abundant vertue Which abundance doth shew it selfe in varietie and for that cause this varietie is oftentimes in scripture exprest by the name of riches The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake Not that any thing is made to be beneficial vnto him but all things for him to shew beneficence and grace in them The particular drift of euery acte proceeding externally from God we are not able to discerne and therefore cannot alwaies giue the proper and certaine reason of his works Howbeit vndoubtedly a proper and certaine reason there is of euery finite worke of God in as much as there is a law imposed vpon it which if there were not it should be infinite euen as the worker himselfe is They erre therfore who think that of the will of God to doe this or that there is no reason besides his will Many times no reason knowne to vs but that there is no reason thereof I iudge it most vnreasonable to imagine in as much as hee worketh all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely according to his owne will but the counsell of his owne will And whatsoeuer is done with counsell or wise resolution hath of necessitie some reason why it should be done albeit that reason bee to vs in somethings so secret that it forceth the wit of man to stand as the blessed Apostle himself doth amazed therat O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God How vnsearchable are his iudgements c That law eternall which God himself hath made to himselfe and therby worketh all things wherof he is the cause and author that law in the admirable frame wherof shineth with most perfect beautie the countenance of that wisdome which hath testified concerning her self The lord possessed me in the beginning of his way euē before his works of old I was set vp that lawe which hath bene the patterne to make and is the Carde to guide the world by that law which hath bene of God and with God euerlastingly that law the author and obseruer whereof is one only God to be blessed for euer how should either men or Angels be able perfectly to behold The booke of this law we are neither able nor worthy to open and looke into That little thereof which we darkly apprehend we admire the rest with religious ignorance we humbly meekly adore Seeing therfore that according to this law he worketh of whom through whom for whom are all things althogh there seeme vnto vs cōfusion disorder in th' affaires of this present world Tamen quon am bonus mund◠rector temperat rectè fieri cuncta ne dubites Let no man doubt but that euery thing is wel done because the world is ruled by so good a guide as transgresseth not his owne law then which nothing can be more absolute perfect iust The law wherby he worketh is eternall and therfore can haue no shew or colour of mutability for which cause a part of that law being opened in the promises which God hath made because his promises are nothing else but declarations what God will do for the good of men touching those promises the Apostle hath witnessed that God may as possibly denie himselfe and not be God as faile to performe them And cōcerning the counsel of God he termeth it likewise a thing vnchangeable the counsel of God and that law of God wherof now we speake being one Nor is the freedome of the wil of God any whit abated let or hindered by meanes of this because the impositiō of this law vpō himselfe is his own free volūtary act This law therfore we may name eternal being that order which God before al ages hath set down with himself for himself to do all things by 3 I am not ignorant that by law eternall the learned for the most part do vnderstand the order not which God hath eternally purposed himselfe in all his workes to obserue but rather that which with himselfe he hath set downe as expedient to be kept by all his creatures according to the seuerall conditiō wherwith he hath indued them They who thus are accustomed to speake apply the name of Lawe vnto that onely rule of working which superiour authority in poseth whereas we somewhat more enlarging the sense thereof terme any kind of rule or Canon whereby actions are framed a lawe Now that lawe which as it is laid vp in the bosome of God they call eternall receiueth according vnto the different kinds of things which are subiect vnto it different and sundry kinds of names That part of it which ordereth naturall agēts we call vsually natures law that which Angels doe clearely behold and without any swaruing obserue is a law coelestiall and heauenly the law of reason that which
bindeth creatures reasonable in this world and with which by reason they may most plainely perceiue themselues bound that which bindeth them and is not knowne but by speciall reuelation from God Diuine law humane law that which out of the law either of reason or of God men probably gathering to be expedient they make it a lawe All things therfore which are as they ought to be are conformed vnto this second law eternall and euen those things which to this eternal law are not conformable are notwithstanding in some sort ordered by the first eternall lawe For what good or euill is there vnder the sunne what action correspondent or repugnant vnto the law which God hath imposed vpō his creatures but in or vpon it God doth worke according to the law which himselfe hath eternally purposed to keep that is to say the first law eternall So that a twofold law eternall being thus made it is not hard to conceiue how they both take place in all things Wherfore to come to the law of nature albeit therby we sometimes meane that manner of working which God hath set for each created thing to keepe yet for as much as those things are tearmed most properly naturall agents which keepe the lawe of their kind vnwittingly as the heauens and elements of the world which can do no otherwise then they doe and for as much as we giue vnto intellectuall natures the name of voluntary agents that so we may distinguish them from the other expedient it will be that we seuer the law of nature obserued by the one from that which the other is tied vnto Touching the former their strict keeping of one tenure statute and law is spoken of by all but hath in it more then men haue as yet attained to know or perhaps euer shall attaine seeing the trauell of wading herein is giuen of God to the sonnes of men that perceiuing how much the least thing in the world hath in it more then the wisest are able to reach vnto they may by this meanes learne humilitie Moses in describing the worke of creation attributeth speech vnto God God said Let there be light Let there bee afirmamēt Let the waters vnder the heauē be gathered together into one place Let the earth bring forth Let there be lights in the firmament of heauen Was this only the intent of Moses to signifie the infinite greatnes of Gods power by the easines of his accomplishing such effects without trauell paine or labour Surely it seemeth that Moses had herein besides this a further purpose namely first to teach that God did not worke as a necessary but a voluntary agent intending before hand and decreeing with himselfe that which did outwardly proceed from him secondly to shew that God did then institute a law natural to be obserued by creatures and therefore according to the manner of lawes the institution thereof is described as being established by solemne iniunction His commaunding those things to be which are and to be in such sort as they are to keep that tenure and course which they do importeth the establishment of natures law This worlds first creation the preseruation since of things created what is it but only so far forth a manifestation by execution what the eternall lawe of God is concerning things natural And as it cōmeth to passe in a kingdom rightly ordered that after a law is once published it presently takes effect far wide al states framing thēselues therunto euen so let vs thinke it fareth in the naturall course of the world since the time that God did first proclaime the edicts of his lawe vpon it heauen earth haue harkned vnto his voice and their labour hath bene to do his will He made a law for the raine He gaue his decree vnto the sea that the waters should not passe his commandement Now if nature should intermit her course and leaue altogether though it were but for a while the obseruation of her own lawes if those principall mother elemēts of the world wherof all things in this lower world are made should loose the qualities which now they haue if the frame of that heauenly arch erected ouer our heads should loosen dissolue it selfe if celestiall spheres should forget their wonted motions and by irregular volubilitie turne themselues any way as it might happen if the prince of the lightes of heauen which now as a Giant doth runne his vnwearied course should as it were through a languishing faintnes begin to stand to rest himselfe if the Moone should wander from her beaten way the times and seasons of the yeare blend themselues by disordered and confused mixture the winds breath out their last gaspe the cloudes yeeld no rayne the earth be defeated of heauenly influence the fruites of the earth pine away as children at the withered breastes of their mother no longer able to yeeld them reliefe what would become of man himselfe whom these things now do all serue See we not plainly that obedience of creatures vnto the lawe of nature is the stay of the whole world Notwithstanding with nature it cōmeth somtimes to passe as with arte Let Phidias haue rude obstinate stuffe to carue though his arte do that it should his worke will lacke that beautie which otherwise in fitter matter it might haue had He that striketh an instrument with skill may cause notwithstanding a very vnpleasant sound if the string whereon hee striketh chaunce to bee vncapable of harmonie In the matter whereof things naturall consist that of Theophrastus taketh place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 much of it is oftentimes such as will by no meanes yeeld to receiue that impression which were best and most perfect Which defect in the matter of thinges naturall they who gaue themselues vnto the contemplation of nature amongst the heathen obserued often but the true originall cause therof diuine malediction laid for the sinne of man vpon these creatures which God had made for the vse of niā this being an article of that sauing truth which God hath reuealed vnto his Church was aboue the reach of their meerely naturall capacitie and vnderstanding But howsoeuer these swaruings are now and then incident into the course of nature neuerthelesse so constantly the lawes of nature are by naturall agents obserued that no man denieth but those thinges which nature worketh are wrought either alwaies or for the most part after one and the same manner If here it be demaunded what that is which keepeth nature in obedience to her owne lawe wee must haue recourse to that higher lawe wherof we haue already spoken and because all other lawes do thereon depend from thence we must borrow so much as shall neede for briefe resolution in this point Although we are not of opinion therfore as some are that nature in working hath before her certaine exemplary draughts or patternes which subsisting in the bosome of the Highest and being thence
discouered shee sixeth her eye vpon them as trauellers by sea vpon the pole starre of the world and that according there vnto she guideth her hand to worke by imitation although wee rather embrace the Oracle of Hippocrates that Each thing both in small and in great fulfilleth the taske which destenie hath set downe and concerning the manner of executing and fulfilling the same What they doe they knowe not yet is it in shewe and appearance as though they did know what they doe and the truth is they do not discerne the things which they looke on neuerthelesse for as much as the works of nature are no lesse exact then if she did both behold and studie how to expresse some absolute shape or mirror alwayes present before her yea such her dexteritie and skill appeareth that no intellectuall creature in the world were able by capacitie to do that which nature doth without capacitie and knowledge it cannot bee but nature hath some director of infinite knowledge to guide her in all her wayes Who the guide of nature but onely the God of nature In him wee liue moue and are Those thinges which nature is said to do are by diuine art performed vsing nature as an instrument nor is there any such art or knowledge diuine in nature her selfe working but in the guide of natures worke Whereas therefore things naturall which are not in the number of voluntary agents for of such onely we now speake and of no other do so necessarily obserue their certaine lawes that as long as they keepe those formes which giue them their being they cannot possibly be apt or inclinable to do otherwise then they doe seeing the kindes of their operations are both constantly and exactly framed according to the seuerall ends for which they serue they themselues in the meane while though doing that which is fit yet knowing neither what they doe nor why it followeth that all which they do in this sort proceedeth originally from some such agent as knoweth appointeth holdeth vp and euen actually frameth the same The manner of this diuine efficiencie being farre aboue vs we are no more able to conceiue by our reason then creatures vnreasonable by their sense are able to apprehend after what manner we dispose and order the course of our affaires Only thus much is discerned that the naturall generation and processe of all thinges receiueth order of proceeding from the setled stabilitie of diuine vnderstanding This appointeth vnto them their kinds of working the disposition whereof in the puritie of Gods owne knowledge and will is rightly tearmed by the name of Prouidence The same being referred vnto the things themselues here disposed by it was woont by the auncient to bee called naturall destinie That lawe the performance whereof we behold in things naturall is as it were an authenticall or an originall draught written in the bosome of God himselfe whose spirite being to execute the same vseth euery particular nature euery meere naturall agent onely as an instrument created at the beginning and euer since the beginning vsed to worke his owne will and pleasure withall Nature therefore is nothing else but Gods instrument in the course whereof Dionysius perceiuing some suddaine disturbance is said to haue cried out Aut Deus naturae patitur aut mundi machina dissoluâ—tur Either God doth suffer impediment and is by a greater then himselfe hindered or if that be impossible then hath he determined to make a present dissolution of the world the execution of that law beginning now to stand stil without which the world cannot stand This workman whose seruitor nature is being in truth but onely one the Heathens imagining to be moe gaue him in the skie the name of Iupiter in the aire the name of Iuno in the water the name of Neptune in the earth the name of Vesta and sometimes of Ceres the name of Apollo in the Sunne in the Moone the name of Diana the name of Aeolus and diuers other in the windes and to conclude euen so many guides of nature they dreamed of as they sawe there were kindes of thinges naturall in the world These they honored as hauing power to worke or cease accordingly as men deserued of them But vnto vs there is one onely guide of all agents naturall and hee both the creator and the worker of all in all alone to be blessed adored and honoured by all for euer That which hitherto hath beene spoken concerneth naturall agents considered in themselues But we must further remember also which thing to touch in a word shall suffice that as in this respect they haue their law which lawe directeth them in the meanes whereby they tende to their owne perfection So likewise an other lawe there is which toucheth them as they are sociable partes vnited into one body a lawe which bindeth them each to serue vnto others good and all to preferre the good of the whole before whatsoeuer their owne particular as we plainely see they doe when things naturall in that regard forget their ordinary naturall woont that which is heauie mounting sometime vpwardes of it owne accord and forsaking the center of the earth which to it selfe is most naturall euen as if it did heare it selfe commaunded to let goe the good it priuately wisheth and to relieue the present distresse of nature in common * But now that wee may lift vp our eyes as it were from the footstoole to the throne of God and leauing these naturall consider a little the state of heauenly and diuine creatures touching Angels which are spirits immateriall and intellectuall the glorious inhabitants of those sacred pallaces where nothing but light and blessed immortalitie no shadow of matter for teares discontentments griefes and vncomfortable passions to worke vpon but all ioy tranquilitie and peace euen for euer and euer doth dwell as in number and order they are huge mightie and royall armies so likewise in perfection of obedience vnto that lawe which the Highest whom they adore loue and imitate hath imposed vpon them such obseruantes they are thereof that our Sauiour himselfe being to set downe the perfect idea of that which wee are to pray and wish for on earth did not teach to pray or wish for more then onely that heere it might be with vs as with them it is in heauen God which mooueth meere naturall agents as an efficient onely doth otherwise mooue intellectuall creatures and especially his holy Angels For beholding the face of God in admiration of so great excellencie they all adore him and being rapt with the loue of his beautie they cleaue inseparably for euer vnto him Desire to resemble him in goodnesse maketh them vnweariable and euen vnsatiable in their longing to doe by all meanes all maner good vnto all the creatures of God but especially vnto the children of men in the countenance of whose nature looking downeward they behold themselues beneath themselues
wherof is by this rule sufficiently manifested although we had no other warrant besides to approue them The Apostle S. Paul hauing speech coÌ„cerning the Heathen saith of theÌ„ They are a law vnto theÌ„selues His meaning is that by force of the light of reasoÌ„ wherewith God illuminateth euery one which cometh into the world meÌ„ being inabled to know truth from falshood and good from euill do thereby learne in many things what the will of God is which will himselfe not reuealing by any extraordinary meanes vnto them but they by naturall discourse attaining the knowledge thereof seeme the makers of those lawes which indeed are his and they but onely the finders of them out A law therefore generally taken is a directiue rule vnto goodnesse of operation The rule of diuine operations outward is the definitiue appointmeÌ„t of Gods owne wisedome set downe within himselfe The rule of naturall agents that worke by simple necessity is the determination of the wisedome of God known to God himselfe the principall director of them but not vnto them that are directed to execute the same The rule of naturall agents which worke after a sort of their owne accord as the beasts do is the iudgement of common sense or phancy concerning the sensible goodnes of those obiects wherwith they are moued The rule of ghostly or immateriall natures as spirits Angels is their intuitiue intellectual iudgement concerning the amiable beauty high goodnes of that obiect which with vnspeakeable ioy and delight doth set them on worke The rule of voluntary agents on earth is the sentence that reason giueth coÌ„cerning the goodnes of those things which they are to do And the sentences which reason giueth are some more some lesse general before it come to define in particular actioÌ„s what is good The maine principles of reason are in theÌ„selues apparent For to make nothing euideÌ„t of it selfe vnto maÌ„s vnderstaÌ„ding were to take away al possibility of knowing any thing And herein that of Theophrasâ—us is true They that seeke a reason of all things do vtterly ouerthrow reason In euery kind of knowledge some such grounds there are as that being proposed the mind doth presently embrace them as free from all possibilitie of error cleare and manifest without proofe In which kind axiomes or principles more generall are such as this That the greater good is to be chosen before the lesse If therefore it should be demanded what reason there is why the will of man which doth necessarily shun harme and couet whatsoeuer is pleasant and sweete should be commanded to count the pleasures of sinne gall notwithstanding the bitter accidents wherwith vertuous actions are compast yet stil to reioyce and delight in them surely this could neuer stand with reason but that wisedome thus prescribing groundeth her lawes vpon an infallible rule of comparison which is that small difficulties when exceeding great good is sure to ensue and on the other side momentanie benefites when the hurt which they drawe after them is vnspeakeable are not at all to be respected This rule is the ground whereupon the wisedom of the Apostle buildeth a law inioyning patience vnto himselfe The present lightnes of our affliction worketh vnto vs euen with aboundance vpon aboundance an eternall waight of glory while we looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seene For the things which are seene are temporal but the things which are not seene eternall Therefore Christianity to be embraced whatsoeuer calamities in those times it was accompanied withall Vpon the same ground our Sauiour proueth the law most reasonable that doth forbid those crimes which meÌ„ for gaines sake fall into For a man to win the world if it be with the losse of his soule what benefit or good is it Axiomes lesse generall yet so manifest that they need no further proofe are such as these God to be worshipped Parents to be honored Others to be vsed by vs as we our selues would by them Such things as soone as they are alleaged all men acknowledge to be good they require no proofe or further discourse to be assured of their goodnes Notwithstanding whatsoeuer such principle there is it was at the first found out by discourse drawne from out of the very bowels of heauen and earth For we are to note that things in the world are to vs discernable not onely so farre forth as serueth for our vitall preseruation but further also in a twofold higher respect For first if all other vses were vtterly taken away yet the mind of man being by nature speculatiue and delighted with coÌ„templation in it selfe they were to be known euen for meere knowledge and vnderstandings sake Yea further besides this the knowledge of euery the least thing in the whole world hath in it a secoÌ„d peculiar benefit vnto vs in as much as it serueth to minister rules Canons and lawes for men to direct those actions by which we properly terme humane This did the very Heathens themselues obscurely insinuate by making Themis which we call Ius or Right to be the daughter of heauen and earth Wee knowe things either as they are in themselues or as they are in mutuall relation one to another The knowledge of that which man is in reference vnto himselfe and other things in relation vnto man I may iustly terme the mother of al those principles which are as it were edicts statutes and decrees in that law of nature wherby humaine actions are framed First therefore hauing obserued that the best things where they are not hindered do still produce the best operations for which cause where many things are to concurre vnto one effect the best is in all congruity of reason to guide the residue that it preuailing most the worke principally done by it may haue greatest perfection when hereupon we come to obserue in our selues of what excellencie our soules are in comparison of our bodies and the diuiner part in relation vnto the baser of our soules seeing that all these concurre in producing humaine actions it cannot be well vnlesse the chiefest do commaund and direct the rest The soule then ought to conduct the bodie and the spirit of our mindes the soule This is therefore the first lawe whereby the highest power of the minde requireth generall obedience at the hands of all the rest concurring with it vnto action Touching the seuerall graund mandates which being imposed by the vnderstanding facultie of the minde must be obeyed by the will of man they are by the same method found out whether they import our dutie towardes God or towards man Touching the one I may not here stand to open by what degrees of discourse the mindes euen of meere naturall men haue attained to knowe not onely that there is a God but also what power force wisedome and other properties that God hath and how all thinges depend on him This being therefore presupposed from that
knowne relation which God hath vnto vs as vnto children and vnto all good thinges as vnto effectes whereof himselfe is the principall cause these axiomes and lawes naturall concerning our dutie haue arisen That in all things we go about his ayde is by prayer to be craued That he cannot haue sufficient honor done vnto him but the vttermost of that we can do to honour him we must which is in effect the same that we read Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy mind Which law our Sauiour doth terme the First and the great Commaundement Touching the next which as our Sauiour addeth is like vnto this he meaneth in amplitude and largenesse in as much as it is the roote out of which all laws of dutie to men-ward haue growne as out of the former all offices of religion towards God the like naturall inducement hath brought men to know that it is their duty no lesse to loue others then themselues For seeing those things which are equall must needes all haue one measure if I cannot but wish to receiue al good euen as much at euery mans hand as any man can wish vnto his owne soule how should I looke to haue any part of my desire herein satisfied vnlesse my self be careful to satisfie the like desire which is vndoubtedly in other men we all being of one and the same nature To haue any thing offered them repugnant to this desire must needs in all respects grieue them as much as me so that if I do harme I must looke to suffer there being no reason that others should shew greater measure of loue to me then they haue by me shewed vnto them My desire therefore to be loued of my equals in nature as much as possible may be imposeth vpon me a naturall dutie of bearing to them-ward fully the like affection From which relation of equalitie betweene our selues and them that are as our selues what seuerall rules and Canons naturall reason hath drawne for direction of life no man is ignorant as namely That because we would take no harme we must therefore do none That sith we would not be in any thing extreamely dealt with we must our selues auoide all extremitie in our dealings That from all violence and wrong wee are vtterly to abstaine with such like which further to wade in would bee tedious and to our present purpose not altogether so necessary seeing that on these two generall heads alreadie mentioned all other specialties are dependent Wherefore the naturall measure wherby to iudge our doings is the sentence of reason determining and setting downe what is good to be done Which sentence is either mandatory shewing what must be done or else permissiue declaring onely what may be done or thirdly admonitorie opening what is the most conuenient for vs to doe The first taketh place where the comparison doth stand altogether betweene doing and not doing of one thing which in it selfe is absolutely good or euill as it had bene for Ioseph to yeeld or not to yeeld to the impotent desire of his lewd mistresse the one euill the other good simply The second is when of diuerse things euill all being not euitable we are permitted to take one which one sauing only in case of so great vrgency were not otherwise to be taken as in the matter of diuorce amongst the Iewes The last when of diuers things good one is principall and most eminent as in their act who sould their possessions and layd the price at the Apostles feete which possessions they might haue retained vnto themselues without sinne againe in the Apostle S. Paules owne choyce to maintaine himselfe by his owne labour whereas in liuing by the Churches maintenance as others did there had bene no offence committed In goodnes therefore there is a latitude or extent whereby it commeth to passe that euen of good actions some are better then other some whereas otherwise one man could not excell another but all should be either absolutely good as hitting iumpe that indiuisible point or Center wherein goodnesse consisteth or else missing it they should be excluded out of the number of wel-doers Degrees of wel doing there could be none except perhaps in the seldomnes oftennes of doing well But the nature of goodnesse being thus ample a lawe is properly that which reason in such sort defineth to be good that it must be done And the law of reason or humaine nature is that which men by discourse of naturall reason haue rightly found out themselues to be all for euer bound vnto in their actions Lawes of reason haue these markes to be knowne by Such as keepe them resemble most liuely in their voluntarie actions that very manner of working which nature her selfe doth necessarily obserue in the course of the whole world The workes of nature are all behoouefull beautifull without superfluitie or defect euen so theirs if they be framed according to that which the law of reason teacheth Secondly those lawes are inuestigable by reason without the helpe of reuelation supernaturall and diuine Finally in such sort they are inuestigable that the knowledge of them is generall the world hath alwayes bene acquainted with them according to that which one in Sophocles obserueth corcerning a branch of this law It is no child of two dayes or yeasterdayes birth but hath bene no man knoweth how long sithence It is not agreed vpon by one or two or few but by all which we may not so vnderstand as if euery particular man in the whole world did know and confesse whatsoeuer the law of reason doth conteine but this lawe is such that being proposed no man can reiect it as vnreasonable and vniust Againe there is nothing in it but any man hauing naturall perfection of wit and ripenesse of iudgement may by labour and trauaile find out And to conclude the generall principles thereof are such as it is not easie to find men ignorant of them Law rationall therefore which men commonly vse to call the law of nature meaning thereby the law which humaine nature knoweth it selfe in reason vniuersally bound vnto which also for that cause may be termed most fitly the lawe of reason this law I say comprehendeth all those things which men by the light of their naturall vnderstanding euidently know or at least wife may know to be beseeming or vnbeseeming vertuous or vitious good or euill for them to do Now although it be true which some haue said that whatsoeuer is done amisse the law of nature and reason therby is transgrest because euen those offences which are by their speciall qualities breaches of supernaturall lawes do also for that they are generally euill violate in generall that principle of reason which willeth vniuersally to flie from euill yet do we not therfore so far extend the law of reason as to conteine in it all maner lawes
whereunto reasonable creatures are bound but as hath bene shewed we restraine it to those onely duties which all men by force of naturall wit either do or might vnderstand to be such duties as concerne all men Certaine half waking men there are as Saint Augustine noteth who neither altogether asleepe in folly nor yet throughly awake in the light of true vnderstanding haue thought that there is not at all any thing iust and righteous in it selfe but looke wherwith nations are inured the same they take to be right and iust Wherupon their conclusion is that seeing each sort of people hath a different kind of right from other and that which is right of it owne nature must be euery where one and the same therefore in it selfe there is nothing right These good folke saith he that I may not trouble their wits with rehearsal of too many things haue not looked so far into the world as to perceiue that Do as thou wouldest be done vnto is a sentence which all nations vnder heauen are agreed vpon Refer this sentence to the loue of God it extinguisheth all heinous crimes referre it to the loue of thy neighbor and all grieuous wrongs it banisheth out of the world Wherefore as touching the law of reason this was it seemeth Saint Augustines iudgement namely that there are in it some things which stand as principles vniuersally agreed vpon and that out of those principles which are in themselues euident the greatest morall duties we owe towards God or man may without any great difficultie be concluded If then it be here demaunded by what meanes it should come to passe the greatest part of the law morall being so easie for all men to know that so many thousands of men notwithstanding haue bene ignorant euen of principall morall duties not imagining the breach of them to be sinne I deny not but lewd and wicked custome beginning perhaps at the first amongst few afterwards spreading into greater multitudes and so continuing from time to time may be of force euen in plaine things to smother the light of naturall vnderstanding because men will not bend their wits to examine whether things wherewith they haue bene accustomed be good or euill For examples sake that grosser kind of heathenish idolatrie wherby they worshipped the very workes of their owne hands was an absurdity to reason so palpable that the Prophet Dauid comparing idols and idolaters together maketh almost no ods betweene them but the one in a maner as much without wit and sense as the other They that make them are like vnto them and so are all that trust in them That wherein an idolater doth seeme so absurb and foolish is by the Wiseman thus exprest He is not ashamed to speake vnto that which hath no life he calleth on him that is weake for health he prayeth for life vnto him which is dead of him which hath no experience he requireth helpe for his iourney be sâ—â—th to him which is not able to go for gaine and worke and successe in his affaires he seeketh furtherance of him that hath no maner of power The cause of which senselesse stupidity is afterwards imputed to custome When a father mourned grieuosly for his son that was taken away suddenly he made an image for him that was once dead whom now he worshipped as a God ordeining to his seruants ceremonies sacrifices Thus by processe of time this wicked custome preuailed was kept as a law the authority of Rulers the ambition of craftsmen and such like meanes thrusting forward the ignorant and increasing their superstition Vnto this which the Wiseman hath spoken somwhat besides may be added For whatsoeuer we haue hitherto taught or shal hereafter coÌ„cerning the force of mans naturall vnderstanding this we alwayes desire withall to be vnderstood that there is no kind of faculty or power in man or any other creature which can rightly performe the functions alotted to it without perpetuall aide concurrence of that supreme cause of all things The benefit whereof as oft as we cause God in his iustice to withdraw there can no other thing follow then that which the Apostle noteth euen men indued with the light of reason to walke notwithstanding in the vanity of their mind hauing their cogitations darkned being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them because of the hardnes of their harts And this cause is meÌ„tioned by the Prophet Esay speaking of the ignorance idolaters who see not how the manifest reason condemneth their grosse iniquity and sinne They haue not in them saith he so much wit as to thinke shall I bow to the stocke of a tree All knowledge and vnderstanding is taken from them For God hath shut their eyes that they cannot see That which we say in this case of idolatry serueth for all other things wherein the like kind of generall blindnes hath preuailed against the manifest lawes of reason Within the compasse of which lawes we do not onely comprehend whatsoeuer may be easily knowne to belong to the duty of all men but euen whatsoeuer may possibly be known to be of that quality so that the same be by necessary consequence deduced out of cleere and manifest principles For if once we descend vnto probable collections what is conuenient for men we are then in the territory where free and arbitrarie determinations the territory where humane lawes take place which lawes are after to be considered 9 Now the due obseruation of this law which reason teacheth vs cannot but be effectuall vnto their great good that obserue the same For we see the whole world and each part thereof so compacted that as long as each thing performeth onely that worke which is naturall vnto it it thereby preserueth both other things and also it selfe Contrariwise let any principall thing as the Sun the Moone any one of the heaueÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts but once cease or faile or swarue and who doth not easily conceiue that the sequele thereof would be ruine both to it selfe whatsoeuer dependeth on it And is it possible that man being not only the noblest creature in the world but euen a very world in himselfe his transgressing the law of his nature should draw no maner of harme after it Yes tribulation and anguish vnto euerie soule that doth euill Good doth followe vnto all things by obseruing the course of their nature and on the contrarie side euill by not obseruing it but not vnto naturall agents that good which wee call Reward not that euill which wee properly tearme Punishment The reason whereof is because amongst creatures in this world onely mans obseruation of the lawe of his nature is Righteousnesse onely mans transgression Sinne. And the reason of this is the difference in his maner of obseruing or transgressing the lawe of his nature Hee doth not otherwise then voluntarily the one or the other What we do against our
wils or constrainedly we are not properly said to do it because the moâ—iue cause of doing it is not in our selues but carrieth vs as if the winde should driue a feather in the aire wee no whit furthering that whereby we are driuen In such cases therefore the euill which is done moueth compassion men are piâ—â—ied for it as being rather miserable in such respect theiâ— culpable Some things are likewise done by man though not through outward force and impulsion though not against yet without their wils as in alienation of minde or any the like ineuitable vtter absence of wit and iudgement For which cause no man did euer thinke the hurtfull actions of furious men and innocents to be punishable Againe some things wee doe neither against nor without and yet not simply and meerely with our wils but with our wils in such sorâ— moued that albeit there bâ— no impossibilitie but that wee might neuerthelesse we are not so easily able to doe otherwise In this consideration one euill deede is made more pardonable then an other Finally that which we do being euill is notwithstanding by so much more paâ—donable by how much the exigence of so doing or the difficultie of doing otherwise is greater vnlesse this necessitie or difficultie haue originally risen from our selues It is no excuse therefore vnto him who being drunke committeth incest and alleageth that his wits were not his owne in as much as himselfe might haue chosen whether his wits should by that meane haue been taken from him Now rewards and punishments do alwaies presuppose some thing willingly done well or ill without which respect though we may sometimes receiue good or harme yet then the one is only a benefite and not a reward the other simply an hurt not a punishment From the sundry dispositions of mans will which is the roote of all his actions there groweth varietie in the sequeie of rewards and punishments which are by these and the like rules measured Take away the will and all actes are equall That which we doe not and would doe is commonly accepted as done By these and the like rules mens actions are determined of and iudged whether they bee in their owne nature rewardable or punishable Rewards and punishments are not receiued but at the handes of such as being aboue vs haue power to examine and iudge our deedes How men come to haue this authoritie one ouer an other in externall actions wee shall more diligently examine in that which followeth But for this present so much all do acknowledge that sith euery mans hart and conscience doth in good or euill euen secretly committed and knowne to none but it selfe either like or disallow it selfe and accordingly eyther reioyce very nature exulting as it were in certain hope of reward or else grieue as it were in a sense of future punishment neither of which can in this case bee looked for from any other sauing only from him who discerneth and iudgeth the very secrets of all hearts therefore he is the onely rewarder and reuenger of all such actions although not of such actions onely but of all whereby the lawe of nature is broken whereof himselfe is author For which causeâ— the Romane lawes called the lawes of the twelue tables requiring offices of inward affection which the eye of man cannot reach vnto threaten the neglecters of them with none but diuine punishment 10 That which hitherto wee haue set downe is I hope sufficient to shew their brutishnes which imagine that religion and vertue are only as men wil accompt of them that we might make as much accompt if we would of the contrarie without any harme vnto our selues and that in nature they are as indifferent one as the other Wee see then how nature it selfe teacheth lawes and statutes to liue by The lawes which haue bene hitherto mentioned doe bind men absolutely euen as they are meÌ„ although they haue neuer any setled fellowship neuer any solemne agreemeÌ„t amongst themselues what to doe or not to do But for as much as we are not by our selues sufficient to furnish our selues with competent store of thinges needfull for such a life as our nature doth desire a life fit for the dignitie of man therefore to supply those defectes and imperfections which are in vs liuing single and solely by our selues wee are naturally induced to seeke communion and fellowship with others This was the cause of mens vniting themselues at the first in politique societies which societies could not bee without gouernment nor gouernment without a distinct kind of law from that which hath bene alreadie declared Two foundations there are which beare vp publique societies the one a naturall inclination wherby al men desire sociable life fellowship the other an order expresly or secretly agreed vpon touching the manner of their vnion in liuing together The later is that which wee call the law of a common weale the very soule of a politique body the parts whereof are by law animated held together and set on worke in such actions as the common good requireth Lawes politique ordained for externall order and regiment amongst men are neuer framed as they should be vnlesse presuming the will of man to be inwardly obstinate rebellious and auerse from all obedieÌ„ce vnto the sacred lawes of his natureâ— in a word vnlesse presuming man to be in regard of his depraued minde little better then a wild beast they do accordingly prouide notwithstanding so to frame his outward actions that they bee no hinderance vnto the common good for which societies are instituted vnlesse they doe this they are not perfect It resteth therefore that we consider how nature findeth out such lawes of gouernmeÌ„t as serue to direct euen nature depraued to a right end All men desire to lead in this world an happie life That life is led most happily wherein all vertue is exercised without impedimeÌ„t or let The Apostle in exhorting men to contentment although they haue in this world no more then very bare food and raiment giueth vs thereby to vnderstand that those are euen the lowest of thinges necessary that if we should be stripped of al those things without which we might possibly be yet these must be left that destitution in these is such an impedimeÌ„t as till it be remoued suffereth not the mind of man to admit any other care For this cause first God assigned Adam maintenance of life and then appointed him a law to obserue For this cause after meÌ„ began to grow to a number the first thing we reade they gaue theÌ„selues vnto was the tilling of the earth and the feeding of cattle Hauing by this meane whereon to liue the principall actions of their life afterward are noted by the exercise of their religion True it is that the kingdome of God must be the first thing in our purposes desires But in as much as righteous life presupposeth life in as much
cured They saw that to liue by one mans will became the cause of all mens misery This constrained them to come vnto lawes wherein all men might see their duties before hand and know the penalties of transgressing them b If things be simply good or euill and withall vniuersally so acknowledged there needs no new law to be made for such things The first kind therefore of things appointed by lawes humane containeth whatsoeuer being in it selfe naturally good or euill is notwithstanding more secret then that it can be discerned by euery mans present conceipt without some deeper discourse and iudgement In which discourse because there is difficultie and possibilitie many waies to erre vnlesse such things were set downe by lawes many would be ignorant of their duties which now are not many that know what they should do would neuerthelesse dissemble it and to excuse themselues pretend ignorance and simplicitie which now they cannot And because the greatest part of men are such as prefer their owne priuate good before all things euen that good which is sensuall before whatsoeuer is most diuine for that the labor of doing good together with the pleasure arising from the coÌ„trary doth make men for the most part slower to the one proner to the other then that dutie prescribed them by law can preuaile sufficiently with them therefore vnto lawes that men do make for the benefit of meÌ„ it hath seemed alwaies needful to ad rewards which may more allure vnto good then any hardnes deterreth from it punishments which may more deterre from euil then any sweetnes therto allureth Wherin as the generalitie is naturall Vertue rewardable and vice punishable so the particular determination of the rewarde or punishment belongeth vnto them by whom lawes are made Theft is naturally punishable but the kinde of punishment is positiue and such lawfull as men shall thinke with discretion conuenient by lawe to appoint In lawes that which is naturall bindeth vniuersally that which is positiue not so To let goe those kind of positiue lawes which men impose vpon theÌ„selues as by vow vnto God contract with men or such like somewhat it will make vnto our purpose a little more fully to coÌ„sider what things are incident into the making of the positiue lawes for the gouernment of theÌ„ that liue vnited in publique societie Lawes do not onely teach what is good but they inioyne it they haue in theÌ„ a certain coÌ„straining force And to coÌ„straine meÌ„ vnto any thing inconuenient doth seeme vnreasonable Most requisite therefore it is that to deuise lawes which all men shal be forced to obey none but wise meÌ„ be admitted Lawes are matters of principall consequence men of coÌ„mon capacitie but ordinary iudgemeÌ„t are not able for how should they to discerne what things are fittest for each kind and state of regiment Wee cannot be ignorant how much our obedience vnto lawes dependeth vpon this point Let a man though neuer so iustly oppose himselfe vnto theÌ„ that are disordered in their waies what one amongst them commonly doth not stomacke at such contradiction storme at reproofe and hate such as would reforme them Notwithstanding euen they which brooke it worst that men should tell them of their duties when they are told the same by a lawe thinke very wel reasonably of it For why They presume that the lawe doth speake with all indifferencie that the lawe hath no side respect to their persons that the law is as it were an oracle proceeded from wisedome and vnderstanding Howbeit laws do not take their constraining force froÌ„ the qualitie of such as deuise them but from that power which doth giue them the strength of lawes That which we spake before concerning the power of gouernment must here be applyed vnto the power of making lawes wherby to gouerne which power God hath ouer all and by the naturall lawe whereunto hee hath made all subiect the lawfull power of making lawes to commaund whole politique societies of men belongeth so properly vnto the same intire societies that for any Prince or potentate of what kinde soeuer vpon earth to exercise the same of himselfe and not either by expresse commission immediatly and personally receiued from God or else by authoritie deriued at the first froÌ„ their consent vpon whose persons they impose lawes it is no better then meere tyrannie Lawes they are not therefore which publique approbation hath not made so But approbation not only they giue who personally declare their assent by voice sign or act but also wheÌ„ others do it in their names by right originally at the least deriued from them As in parliaments councels the like assemblies although we be not personally our selues present notwithstanding our assent is by reasoÌ„ of others agents there in our behalfe And what we do by others no reason but that it should stand as our deede no lesse effectually to binde vs then if our selues had done it in person In many things assent is giuen they that giue it not imagining they do so because the manner of their assenting is not apparent As for example when an absolute Monark commandeth his subiects that which seemeth good in his owne discretion hath not his edict the force of a law whether they approue or dislike it Againe that which hath bene receiued long sithence and is by custome now established we keep as a law which we may not transgresse yet what consent was euer thereunto sought or required at our hands Of this point therefore we are to note that sith men naturally haue no ful perfect power to commaund whole politique mulâ—itudes of men therefore vtterly without our consent we could in such sort be at no mans commandement liuing And to be commanded we do consent when that societie wherof we are part hath at any time before consented without reuoking the same after by the like vniuersall agreement Wherfore as any mans deed past is good as long as himself continueth so the act of a publique societie of men done fiue hundred yeares sithence standeth as theirs who presently are of the same societies because corporations are immortall we were then aliue in our predecessors and they in their successors do liue stil. Lawes therefore humaine of what kinde soeuer are auaileable by consent If here it be demaunded how it commeth to passe that this being common vnto all lawes which are made there should be found euen in good lawes so great varietie as there is wee must note the reason hereof to bee the sundry particular endes whereunto the different disposition of that subiect or matter for which lawes are prouided causeth them to haue especiall respect in making lawes A lawe there is mentioned amongst the Graecians whereof Pittacus is reported to haue bene author And by that lawe it was agreed that hee which being ouercome with drinke did then strike any man should suffer punishment double as much as if hee had done the same being sober
make thy selfe the inheritance of his rest and the substance of his felicitie Now if men had not naturally this desire to be happie how were it possible that all men should haue it All men haue Therefore this desire in man is naturall It is not in our power not to do the same how should it then be in our power to doe it coldly or remissely so that our desire being naturall is also in that degree of earnestnes whereunto nothing can be added And is it probable that God should frame the hearts of all mē so desirous of that which no man may obtaine It is an axiome of nature that naturall desire cannot vtterly be frustrate This desire of ours being natural should be frustrate if that which may satisfie the same were a thing impossible for man to aspire vnto Man doth seeke a triple perfection first a sensual consisting in those things which very life it selfe requireth either as necessary supplements or as beauties ornaments therof then an intellectuall consisting in those things which none vnderneth man is either capable of or acquainted with lastly a spirituall diuine consisting in those things wherunto we tend by supernatural means here but cānot here attaine vnto them They that make the first of these three the scope of their whole life are said by the Apostle to haue no God but onely their bellie to be earthly minded men Vnto the second they bend themselues who seeke especially to excell in all such knowledge vertue as doth most cōmend men To this branch belongeth the lawe of morall ciuil perfection That there is somewhat higher then either of these two no other proofe doth neede then the very processe of mans desire which being naturall should be frustrate if there were not some farther thing wherin it might rest at the length contented which in the former it cannot do For man doth not seeme to rest satisfied either with fruition of that wherewith his life is preserued or with performance of such actions as aduance him most deseruedly in estimation but doth further couet yea oftentimes manifestly pursue with great sedulitie earnestnes that which cannot stand him in any stead for vitall vse that which exceedeth the reach of sense yea somwhat aboue capacitie of reason somewhat diuine and heauenly which with hidden exultation it rather surmiseth then conceiueth somwhat it seeketh and what that is directly it knoweth not yet very intentiue desire thereof doth so incite it that all other knowne delightes and pleasures are laide aside they giue place to the search of this but onely suspected desire If the soule of man did serue onely to giue him beeing in this life then thinges appertaining vnto this life would content him as wee see they doe other creatures which creatures inioying what they liue by seeke no further but in this contentation do shew a kind of acknowledgemēt that there is no higher good which doth any way belōg vnto thē With vs it is otherwise For although the beauties riches honors sciences virtues and perfections of all men liuing were in the present possession of one yet somewhat beyond and aboue all this there would still be sought and earnestly thirsted for So that nature euen in this life doth plainly claime call for a more diuine prefectiō then either of these two that haue bene mentioned This last and highest estate of perfection whereof we speake is receiued of men in the nature of a reward Rewards do alwayes presuppose such duties performed as are rewardable Our naturall meanes therefore vnto blessednesse are our workes nor is it possible that nature should euer find any other way to saluation then onely this But examine the workes which we do and since the first foundation of the world what one can say My wayes are pure Seeing then all flesh is guilty of that for which God hath threatned eternally to punish what possibility is there this way to be saued There resteth therefore either no way vnto saluation or if any then surely a way which is supernaturall a way which could neuer haue entred into the heart of man as much as once to conceiue or imagine if God himself had not reuealed it extraordinarily For which cause we terme it the mystery or secret way of saluation And therfore S. Ambrose in this matter appealeth iustly from man to God Caeli mysterium doceat me Deus qui condidit non homo qui seipsum ignorauit Let God himselfe that made me let not man that knows not himselfe be my instructor concerning the mysticall way to heauen When men of excellent wit saith Lactantius had wholly betaken thēselues vnto study after farewell bidden vnto all kind as well of priuate as publique action they spared no labour that might be spent in the search of truth holding it a thing of much more price to seeke and to find out the reason of all affaires as well diuine as humaine thē to stick fast in the toile of piling vp riches and gathering together heapes of honors Howbeit they bothe did faile of their purpose and got not as much as to quite their charges because truth which is the secret of the most high God whose proper handiworke all things are cannot be compassed with that wit and those senses which are our owne For God and man should be very neere neighbors if mans cogitations were able to take a suracy of the counsels and appointments of that maiestie euerlasting Which being vtterly impossible that the eye of man by it selfe should looke into the bosome of diuine reason God did not suffer him being desirous of the light of wisedome to stray any longer vp downe and with bootlesse expense of trauaile to wander in darknesse that had no passage to get out by His eyes at the length God did open and bestow vpon him the knowledge of the truth by way of Donatiue to the end that man might both be clearly conuicted of folly and being through error out of the way haue the path that leadeth vnto immortality layd plaine before him Thus far Lactantius Firmianus to shew that God himselfe is the teacher of the truth wherby is made knowne the supernaturall way of saluation law for thē to liue in that shall be saued In the natural path of euerlasting life the first beginning is that hability of doing good which God in the day of mans creation indued him with frō hence obedience vnto the will of his creator absolute righteousnes and integrity in all his actions and last of al the iustice of God rewarding the worthinesse of his deserts with the crowne of eternall glory Had Adam continued in his first estate this had bene the way of life vnto him all his posterite Wherin I confesse notwithstanding with the wittiest of the Schoole diuines that if we speake of strict iustice God could no way haue bene bound to require mans labours in so large and ample maner
as humaine felicitie doth import in as much as the dignity of this exceedeth so far the others value But be it that God of his great liberality had determined in lieu of mans endeuors to bestow the same by the rule of that iustice which best beseemeth him namely the iustice of one that requiteth nothing mincingly but all with pressed and heaped and euen ouer-inlarged measure yet could it neuer hereupon necessarily bee gathered that such iustice should adde to the nature of that reward the property of euerlasting continuance sith possession of blisse though it should be but for a moment were an aboundant retribution But we are not now to enter into this consideration how gratious and bountifull our good God might still appeare in so rewarding the sonnes of men albeit they should exactly performe whatsoeuer duty their nature bindeth theÌ„ vnto Howsoeuer God did propose this reward we that were to be rewarded must haue done that which is required at our hands we failing in the one it were in nature an impossibility that the other should be looked for The light of nature is neuer able to find out any way of obtaining the reward of blisse but by performing exactly the duties and works of righteousnes From saluation therefore and life all flesh being excluded this way behold how the wisedome of God hath reuealed a way mysticall and supernaturall a way directing vnto the same end of life by a course which groundeth it selfe vpon the guiltinesse of sinne and through sinne desert of condemnation and death For in this way the first thing is the tender compassion of God respecting vs drowned and swallowed vp in miserie the next is redemption out of the same by the pretious death and merite of a mighty Sauiour which hath witnessed of himselfe saying I am the way the way that leadeth vs from miserie into blisse This supernaturall way had God in himselfe prepared before all worlds The way of supernaturall dutie which to vs he hath prescribed our Sauiour in the Gospell of Saint Iohn doth note terming it by an excellency the worke of God This is the worke of God that ye beleeue in him whom he hath sent Not that God doth require nothing vnto happinesse at the hands of men sauing onely a naked beliefe for hope and Charity we may not exclude but that without beliefe all other things are as nothing it the ground of those other diuine vertues Concerning faith the principall obiect whereof is that eternall veritie which hath discouered the treasures of hidden wisedome in Christ concerning hope the highest obiect wherof is that euerlasting goodnesse which in Christ doth quicken the dead concerning charity the finall obiect whereof is that incomprehensible beauty which shineth in the countenance of Christ the sonne of the liuing God concerning these vertues the first of which beginning here with a weake apprehensioÌ„ of things not seene endeth with the intuitiue vision of God in the world to come the second beginning here with a trembling expectation of things far remoued and as yet but onely heard of endeth with reall and actuall fruition of that which no tongue can expresse the third beginning here with a weake inclination of heart towards him vnto whom we are not able to approch endeth with endlesse vnion the mistery wherof is higher then the reach of the thoughts of men concerning that faith hope charity without which there can be no saluation was there euer any mention made sauing only in that law which God himselfe hath from heauen reuealed There is not in the world a syllable muttered with certaine truth coÌ„cerning any of these three more then hath bene supernaturally receiued from the mouth of the eternall God Lawes therefore concerning these things are supernaturall both in respect of the maner of deliuering them which is diuine and also in regard of the things deliuered which are such as haue not in nature any cause from which they flow but were by the voluntary appointment of God ordeined besides the course of nature to rectifie natures obliquity withall 12 When supernaturall duties are necessarily exacted naturall are not reiected as needlesse The law of God therefore is though principally deliuered for instruction in the one yet fraught with precepts of the other also The scripture is fraught euen with lawes of nature In so much that Gratian defining naturall right whereby is meant the right which exacteth those generall duties that concerne men naturally euen as they are men termeth naturall right that which the bookes of the Lawe and the Gospell do containe Neither is it vaine that the Scripture aboundeth with so great store of lawes in this kind For they are either such as we of our selues could not easily haue found out and then the benefit is not small to haue them readily set downe to our hands or if they be so cleere manifest that no man indued with reason can lightly be ignorant of them yet the spirite as it were borrowing them from the schoole of nature as seruing to proue things lesse manifest and to induce a perswasion of somewhat which were in it selfe more hard and darke vnlesse it should in such sort be cleared the very applying of them vnto cases particular is not without most singular vse and profite many wayes for mens instruction Besides be they plaine of themselues or obscure the euidence of Gods owne testimonie added vnto the naturall assent of reason concerning the certaintie of them doth not a little comfort and confirme the same Wherefore in as much as our actions are conuersant about things beset with many circumstances which cause men of sundry wits to be also of sundry iudgements concerning that which ought to be done requisite it caÌ„not but seeme the rule of diuine law should herein helpe our imbecillity that we might the more infallibly vnderstand what is good what euill The first principles of the law of nature are easie hard it were to find men ignorant of them but concerning the duty which natures law doth require at the hands of men in a number of things particular so farre hath the naturall vnderstanding euen of sundry whole nations bene darkned that they haue not discerned no not grosse iniquity to bee sinne Againe being so prone as we are to fawne vpon our selues and to be ignorant as much as may be of our owne deformities without the feeling sense whereof we are most wretched euen so much the more because not knowing theÌ„ we cannot as much as desire to haue them taken away how should our festâ—ed sores be cured but that God hath deliuered a law as sharpe as the two edged sword pearcing the very closest and most vnsearchable corners of the heart which the law of nature can hardly humaine lawes by no meanes possible reach vnto Hereby we know euen secret concupiscence to be sinne and are made fearefull to offend though it be but in a wandering cogitation Finally of
those things which are for direction of all the parts of our life needfull and not impossible to be discerned by the light of nature it selfe are there not many which few mens naturall capacitie and some which no mans hath bene able to find out They are sayth Saint Augustine but a few and they indued with great ripenes of wit and iudgement free from all such affaires as might trouble their meditations instructed in the sharpest and the subtlest points of learning who haue and that very hardly bene able to find out but onely the immortality of the soule The resurrection of the flesh what man did euer at any time dreame of hauing not heard it otherwise then from the schoole of nature Whereby it appeareth how much we are bound to yeeld vnto our creator the father of all mercy eternall thankes for that he hath deliuered his law vnto the world a law wherein so many things are laid open cleere and manifest as a light which otherwise would haue bene buried in darknesse not without the hazard or rather not with the hazard but with the certaine losse of infinite thousands of soules most vndoubtedly now saued We see therefore that our soueraigne good is desired naturally that God the author of that naturall desire had appointed naturall meanes whereby to fulfill it that man hauing vtterly disabled his nature vnto those meanes hath had other reuealed from God and hath receaued from heauen a law to teach him how that which is desired naturally must now supernaturally be attained finally we see that because those later exclude not the former quite and cleane as vnnecessary therefore together with such supernaturall duties as could not possibly haue beene otherwise knowne to the world the same lawe that teacheth them teacheth also with them such naturall duties as could not by light of nature easily haue bene knowne 13. In the first age of the world God gaue lawes vnto our fathers and by reason of the number of their daies their memories serued in steed of books wherof the manifold imperfections and defects being knowne to God he mercifully relieued the same by often putting them in mind of that whereof it behoued them to be specially mindfull In which respect we see how many times one thing hath bene iterated vnto sundry euen of the best and wisest amongst them After that the liues of men were shortned meanes more durable to preserue the lawes of God from obliuion and corruption grew in vse not without precise direction from God himselfe First therefore of Moyses it is sayd that he wrote all the words of God not by his owne priuate motion and deuise for God taketh this act to himselfe I haue written Furthermore were not the Prophets following commanded also to do the like Vnto the holy Euangelist Saint Iohn how often expresse charge is giuen Scribe write these things Concerning the rest of our Lords Disciples the words of Saint Augustine are Quic quid ille de suis factis dictis nos legere voluit hoc scribenduÌ„ illis tanquaÌ„ suis manibus imperauit Now although we do not deny it to be a matter meerely accidentall vnto the law of God to be written although writing be not that which addeth authority and strength thereunto finally though his lawes do require at our hands the same obedience howsoeuer they be deliuered his prouideÌ„ce notwithstanding which hath made principall choice of this way to deliuer them who seeth not what cause we haue to admire and magnifie The singular benefit that hath growne vnto the world by receiuing the lawes of God euen by his owne appointment committed vnto writing we are not able to esteeme as the value thereof deserueth When the question therefore is whether we be now to seeke for any reuealed law of God other where then onely in the sacred Scripture whether we do now stand bound in the sight of God to yeeld to traditions-vrged by the Church of Rome the same obedience and reuerence we do to his written lawe honouring equally and adoring both as Diuine our answer is no. They that so earnestly pleade for the authority of Tradition as if nothing were more safely conueyed then that which spreadeth it selfe by report and descendeth by relation of former generations vnto the ages that succeed are not all of the them surely a miracle it were if they should be so simple as thus to perswade themselues howsoeuer if the simple were so perswaded they could be content perhaps very well to enioy the benefit as they accompt it of that common error What hazard the truth is in when it passeth through the hands of report how maymed and deformed it becommeth they are not they cannot possibly be ignorant Let them that are indeed of this mind consider but onely that litle of things Diuine which the Heathen haue in such sort receiued How miserable had the state of the Church of God beene long ere this if wanting the sacred Scripture we had no record of his lawes but onely the memory of man receiuing the same by report and relation from his predecessors By Scripture it hath in the wisedome of God seemed meete to deliuer vnto the world much but personally expedient to be practised of certaine men many deepe and profound points of doctrine as being the maine originall ground whereupon the precepts of duty depend many prophecies the cleere performance whereof might confirme the world in beliefe of things vnseene many histories to serue as looking glasses to behold the mercy the truth the righteousnesse of God towards all that faithfully serue obey and honor him yea many intire meditations of pietie to be as patternes and presidents in cases of like nature many things needfull for â—â—plication many for applicatioÌ„ vnto particular occasions such as the prouidence of God from time to time hath taken to haue the seuerall bookes of his holy ordinance written Be it them that together with the principall necessary lawes of God there are sundry other things written whereof we might happily be ignorant and yet be saued VVhat shall we hereupon thinke them needlesse shall we esteeme them as riotous branches wherewith we sometimes behold most pleasant vines ouergrown Surely no more then we iudge our hands on our eies â—â—perfluouâ— or what part soeuer which if our bodies did want we might notwithstaÌ„ding any such defect reteine still the complete being of men As therfore a complete man is neither destitute of any part necessary and hath some partes wherof though the want could not depriue him of his essence yet to haue â—hem standeth him in singular stead in respect of the special vses for which they serues in 〈…〉 all those writings which conteine in them the law of God all those â—â—nâ—râ—ble bookes of Scripture all those sacred tomes and volumes of holy wriâ— â—â—ey are with such absolute perfection framed that in them there neither 〈◊〉 any thing the lacke whereof might depriue vs of life
which is meere we owe in this case obedience to that law of reason which teacheth mediocritie in meates and drinkes The same things diuine lawe teacheth also as at large we haue shewed it doth all partes of morall dutie whereunto we all of necessitie stand bound in regard of the life to come But of certaine kindes of foode the Iewes sometime had and we our selues likewise haue a mysticall reliâ—ious and supernaturall vse they of their Pasâ— all lambe and oblations wee of our bread and wine in the Eucharist which vse none but diuine law could institute Now as we liue in ciuill societie the state of the common wealth wherein we liue both may and doth require certaine lawes concerning foode which lawes sauing onely that we are members of the common wealth where they are of force we should not neede to respect aâ— rules of action whereas now in their place and kinde they must be respected and obeyed Yea the selfe same matter is also a subiect wherein sometime Ecclesiasticall lawes haue place so that vnlesse wee will bee authors of confusion in the Church our priuate discretion which otherwise might guide vs a contrary way must here submit it selfe to bee that way guided which the publike iudgement of the Church hath thought better In which case that of Zonaras concerning fâ—stes may be remembred Fastinges are good but let good things be done in good and conueniâ—nt maner He that transgresseth in his fasting the orders of the holy fathers the positiue lawes of the Church of Christ must be plainely tolde that good thinges doe loose the grace of their goodnesse when in good sort they are not performed And as here mens priuate phansies must giue place to the higher iudgement of that Church which is in authoritie a mother ouer them so the very actions of whole Churches haue in regard of commerce and fellowship with other Churches bene subiect to lawes concerning foode the contrarie vnto which lawes had else bene thought more conuenient for them to obserue as by that order of abstinence from strangled and bloud may appeare an order grounded vpon that fellowship which the Churches of the Gentiles had with the Iewes Thus we see how euen one and the selfe same thing is vnder diuers considerations conueyed through many lawes and that to measure by any one kind of law all the action of men were to confound the admirable order wherein God hath disposed all lawes each as in nature so in degree distinct from other Wherefore that here we may briefly ende of lawe there can be no lesse acknowledged then that her seate is the bosome of God her voyce the harmony of the world all things in heauen and earth doe her homage the very least as feeling her care and the greatest as not exempted from her power both Angels and men and creatures of what condition so euer though each in different sort and manner yet all with vniforme consent admiring her as the mother of their peace and ioy The second Booke Concerning their first position who vrge reformation in the Church of England Namely That Scripture is the onely rule of all things which in this life may be done by men The matter contained in this second Boooke 1 AN answere to their first proofe brought out of scripture Prou. 2.9 2 To their second 1 Cor. 10.31 3 To their third 1. Tim. 4.5 4 To their fourth Rom. 14.23 5 To their proofes out of Fathers who dispute negatiuely from the authoritie of holy scripture 6 To their proofe by the scriptures custome of disputing from diuine authoritie negatiuely 7 An examination of their opinion concerning the force of arguments taken from humane authoritie for the ordering of mens actions and perswasions 8 A declaration what the truth is in this matter AS that which in the title hath bene proposed for the matter whereof we treat is onely the Ecclesiasticall lawe whereby we are gouerned So neither is it my purpose to maintaine any other thing then that which therein truth and reason shall approue For concerning the dealings of men who administer gouernment and vnto whom the execution of that law belongeth they haue their iudge who sitteth in heauen and before whose tribunall seate they are accomptable for whatsoeuer abuse or corruption which being worthily misliked in this Church the want eyther of care or of conscience in them hath bred We are no Patrones of those things therfore the best defence whereof is speedie redresse amendment That which is of God we defend to the vttermost of that habilitie which he hath giuen that which is otherwise let it wither euen in the roote from whence it hath sprung Wherefore all these abuses being seuered and set apart which rise from the corruption of men and not from the lawes themselues come we to those things which in the very whole intier forme of our Church-politie haue bene as wee perswade our selues iniuriously blamed by them who endeuour to ouerthrow the same and in stead therof to establish a much worse onely through a strong misconceipt they haue that the same is grounded on diuine authoritie Now whether it be that through an earnest longing desire to see things brought to a peaceable end I do but imagine the matters whereof we contend to be fewer then indeed they are or else for that in truth they are fewer when they come to be discust by reason then otherwise they seeme when by heate of contention they are deuided into many slippes and of euery branch an heape is made surely as now wee haue drawne them together choosing out those things which are requisite to bee seuerally all discust and omitting such meane specialties as are likely without any great labour to fall afterwardes of themselues I knowe no cause why either the number or the length of these controuersies should diminish our hope of seeing them end with concord and loue on all sides which of his infinite loue and goodnes the father of all peace and vnitie graunt Vnto which scope that our endeuour may the more directly tend it seemeth fittest that first those thinges be examined which are as seedes from whence the rest that ensue haue growne And of such the most generall is that wherewith we are here to make our entrance a question not mooued I thinke any where in other Churches and therefore in ours the more likely to be soone I trust determined The rather for that it hath grown from no other roote then only a desire to enlarge the necessarie vse of the word of God which desire hath begotten an error enlarging it further then as we are perswaded soundnesse of truth will beare For whereas God hath left sundry kindes of lawes vnto men and by all those lawes the actions of men are in some sort directed they hold that one onely lawe the scripture must be the rule to direct in all thinges euen so farre as to the taking vp of a rush or strawe About which
in that one to proue not onely that we may do but that we ought to do sundry things which the Scripture commaundeth not out of that verie booke these sentences are brought to make vs belieue that Tertullian was of a cleane contrary minde We cannot therefore hereupon yeeld we cannot graunt that hereby is made manifest the argument of Scripture negatiuely to be of force not only in doctrine and ecclesiasticall discipline but euen in matters arbitrary For Tertullian doth plainely hold euen in that booke that neither the matter which he intreateth of was arbitrary but necessarie in as much as the receaued custome of the Church did tye and bind them not to weare garlands as the Heathens did yea and further also he reckoneth vp particularly a number of things whereof he expresly concludeth Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturarum nullam inuenies which is as much as if he had sayd in expresse words Many things there are which concerne the discipline of the Church and the duties of men which to abrogate and take away the scriptures negatiuely vrged may not in any case perswade vs but they must be obserued yea although no scripture be found which requireth any such thing Tertullian therefore vndoubtedly doth not in this booke shew himselfe to be of the same mind with them by whom his name is pretended 6 But sith the sacred scriptures themselues affoord oftentimes such arguments as are taken from diuine authoritie both one way and other The Lord hath commaunded therefore it must be And againe in like sort He hath not therefore it must not be some certainty concerning this point seemeth requisite to be set downe God himselfe can neither possibly erre nor leade into error For this cause his testimonies whatsoeuer he affirmeth are alwaies truth and most infallible certainty Yea further because the things that proceed frō him are perfect without any manner of defect or maime it cannot be but that the words of his mouth are absolute lacke nothing which they should haue for performance of that thing whereunto they tend Wherupon it followeth that the end being knowne wherunto he directeth his speech the argumēt euen negatiuely is euermore strōg forcible cōcerning those things that are apparātly requisit vnto the same ende As for example God intending to set downe sundry times that which in Angels is most excellent hath not any where spoken so highly of them as he hath of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ therefore they are not in dignitie equall vnto him It is the Apostle Saint Paules argument The purpose of God was to teach his people both vnto whom they should offer sacrifice and what sacrifice was to be offered To burne their sonnes in fire vnto Baal hee did not commaund them he spake no such thing neither came it into his mind therefore this they ought not to haue done VVhich argument the Prophet Ieremie vseth more then once as being so effectuall and strong that although the thing hee reproueth were not onely not commaunded but forbidden them and that expresly yet the Prophet chooseth rather to charge them with the fault of making a lawe vnto themselues then with the crime of transgressing a lawe which God had made For when the Lord hath once himselfe precisely set downe a forme of executing that wherein we are to serue him the fault appeareth greater to do that which we are not then not to do that which we are commaunded In this we seeme to charge the Lawe of God with hardnesse onely in that with foolishnesse in this we shew our selues weake and vnapt to be doers of his will in that we take vpon vs to be controllers of his wisedome in this we faile to performe the thing which God seeth meete conuenient and good in that we presume to see what is meete and conuenient better then God himselfe In those actions therefore the whole forme whereof God hath of purpose set downe to be obserued we may not otherwise do then exactly as he hath prescribed in such things negatiue arguments are strong Againe with a negatiue argument Dauid is pressed concerning the purpose he had to build a Temple vnto the Lord Thus sayth the Lord thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in Wheresoeuer I haue walked with all Israell spake I one word to any of the Iudges of Israel whom I commaunded to feed my people saying Why haue ye not built me an house The Iewes vrged with a negatiue argument touching the ayde which they sought at the hands of the King of AEgypt Woe to those rebellious children sayth the Lord which walke forth to go downe into AEgypt and haue not asked counsell at my mouth to strengthen themselues with the strength of Pharao Finally the league of Ioshua with the Gabeonites is likewise with a negatiue argument touched It was not as it should be And why The Lord gaue them not that aduise They sought not counsell at the mouth of the Lord. By the vertue of which examples if any man should suppose the force of negatiue arguments approued when they are taken from Scripture in such sort as we in this question are pressed therewith they greatly deceiue themselues For vnto which of all these was it said that they had done amisse in purposing to do or in doing any thing at all which the Scripture commanded them not Our question is whether all be sinne which is done without direction by scripture and not whether the Israelites did at any time amisse by following their owne minds without asking counsell of God No it was that peoples singular priuiledge a fauour which God vouchfafed them aboue the rest of the world that in the affaires of their estate which were not determinable one way or other by the scripture himselfe gaue them extraordinarily direction and counsell as oft as they sought it at his hands Thus God did first by speech vnto Moses after by Vrim and Thummim vnto Priests lastly by dreames and visions vnto Prophets from whom in such cases they were to receiue the aunswere of God Concerning Iosua therefore thus spake the Lord vnto Moses saying He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord whereof had Iosua bene mindfull the fraud of the Gabeonites could not so smoothly haue past vnespied till there was no helpe The Iewes had Prophets to haue resolued them from the mouth of God himselfe whether Egyptian aides should profite them yea or no but they thought themselues wise enough and him vnworthy to be of their Counsell In this respect therfore was their reproofe though sharpe yet iust albeit there had bene no charge precisely geuen them that they should alwayes take heed of Egypt But as for Dauid to thinke that he did euill in determining to build God a Temple because there was in scripture no commandement that he should build it
our chiefest direction is from scripture for nature is no sufficient teacher what we should do that we may attaine vnto life euerlasting The vnsufficiencie of the light of nature is by the light of scripture so fully and so perfectly herein supplied that further light then this hath added there doth not neede vnto that ende Finally some thinges although not so required of necessitie that to leaue them vndone excludeth from saluation are notwithstanding of so great dignitie and acceptation with God that most ample rewarde in heauen is laide vp for them Hereof we haue no commandement either in nature or scripture which doth exact them at our handes yet those motiues there are in bothe which drawe most effectually our mindes vnto them In this kind there is not the least action but it doth somewhat make to the accessory augmentation of our blisse For which cause our Sauiour doth plainely witnesse that there shall not bee as much as a cup of colde water bestowed for his sake without reward Herevpon dependeth whatsoeuer difference there is betweene the states of Saints in glory hither we referre whatsoeuer belongeth vnto the highest perfection of man by way of seruice towards God hereunto that feruor and first loue of Christians did bend it selfe causing them to sell their possessions and lay downe the price at the blessed Apostles feet hereat S. Paul vndoubtedly did aâ—me in so far abridging his owne libertie and exceeding that which the bond of necessarie and enioyned dutie tied him vnto Wherfore seeing that in all these seuerall kindes of actions there can be nothing possibly euill which God approueth and that he approueth much more then he doth commaund and that his very commandements in some kinde as namely his precepts comprehended in the law of nature may be otherwise known then onely by scripture and that to do them howsoeuer we know them must needs be acceptable in his sight let them with whom we haue hitherto disputed consider wel how it can stand with reasoÌ„ to make the bare maÌ„date of sacred scripture the only rule of all good and euill in the actions of mortall men The testimonies of God are true the testimonies of God are perfect the testimonies of God are all sufficient vnto that end for which they were giuen Therfore accordingly we do receiue them we do not think that in theÌ„ God hath omitted any thing needful vnto his purpose left his intent to be accomplished by our diuisings What the scripture purposeth the same in all points it doth performe Howbeit that here we swerue not in iudgement one thing especially we must obserue namely that the absolute perfection of scripture is seene by relatioÌ„ vnto that end wherto it tendeth And euen hereby it commeth to passe that first such as imagine the generall and maine drift of the body of sacred scripture not to be so large as it is nor that God did thereby intend to deliuer as in truth he doth a full instruction in al things vnto saluatioÌ„ necessary the knowledge wherof man by nature could not otherwise in this life attaine vnto they are by this very mean induced either still to looke for new reuelations from heauen or else daungerously to ad to the word of God vncertaine tradition that so the doctrine of mans saluation may be compleate which doctrine we constantly hold in all respectes without any such thing added to be so coÌ„pleat that we vtterly refuse as much as once to acquaint our selues with any thing further Whatsoeuer to make vp the doctrine of mans saluation is added as in supply of the scriptures vnsufficiencie we reiecâ— it Scripture purposing this hath perfectly and fully done it Againe the scope and purpose of God in deliuering the holy scripture such as do take more largely theÌ„ behoueth they on the contrary side racking stretching it further theÌ„ by him was meant are drawn into sundry as great incoÌ„ueniences These preteÌ„ding the scriptures perfection inferre therupon that in scripture all things lawfull to be done must needs be contained We count those things perfect which want nothing requisite for the end wherto they were instituted As therfore God created euery part and particle of man exactly perfect that is to say in all pointes sufficient vnto that vse for which he appointed it so the scripture yea euery sentence thereof is perfect wanteth nothing requisite vnto that purpose for which God deliuered the same So that if hereupon wee conclude that because the scripture is perfect therfore all things lawful to be done are comprehended in the scripture we may euen as wel conclude so of euery sentence as of the whole sum and body therof vnlesse we first of all proue that it was the drift scope and purpose of almightie God in holy scripture to comprise all things which man may practise But admit this and marke I beseech you what would follow God in deliuering scripture to his Church should cleane haue abrogated amongst them the law of nature which is an infallible knowledge imprinted in the mindes of all the children of men whereby both generall principles fâ—â— directing of humane actions are comprehended and conclusions deriued from them vpon which conclusions groweth in particularitie the choise of good and euill in the daily affaires of this life Admit this and what shall the scripture be but a snare and a torment to weake consciences filling theÌ„ with infinite perplexities scrupulosities doubts insoluble and extreame despaires Not that the scripture it selfe doth cause any such thing for it tendeth to the cleane contrarie and the fruite thereof is resolute assurance and certaintie in that it teacheth but the necessities of this life vrging men to doe that which the light of nature common discretion and iudgement of it selfe directeth them vnto on the other side this doctrine teaching them that so to doe were to sinne against their owne soules and that they put forth their hands to iniquitie whatsoeuer they go about and haue not first the sacred scripture of God for direction how can it choose but bring the simple a thousand times to their wits end how can it choose but vexe and amaze them For in euery action of commoÌ„ life to find out some sentence clearly and infallibly setting before our eyes what wee ought to doe seeme wee in scripture neuer so expert would trouble vs more then wee are aware In weake and tender mindes wee little knowe what miserie this strict opinion would breede besides the stoppes it would make in the whole course of all mens liues and actions Make all thinges sinne which we doe by direction of natures light by the rule of common discretioÌ„ without thinking at all vpoÌ„ scripture admit this position and parents shall cause their children to sinne as oft as they cause them to do any thing before they come to yeares of capacitie and be ripe for knowledge in the scripture Admit this and it shall not be with masters as it
vppon the word of God yet not commaunded in his word because without breach of any commaundement hee might do otherwise Secondly whereas no man in iustice and reason can be reproued for those actions which are framed according vnto that knowne will of God whereby they are to bee iudged and the will of God which wee are to iudge our actions by no sound Diuine in the world euer denied to bee in parte made manifest euen by light of nature and not by scripture alone if the Church being directed by the former of these two which God hath giuen who gaue the other that man might in different sort be guided by them both if the Church I say do approue and establish that which thereby it iudgeth meete and findeth not repugnant to any word or syllable of holy scripture who shall warrant our presumptuous boldnes controwling herein the Church of Christ But so it is the name of the light of nature is made hatefull with men the starre of Reason and learning and all other such like helps beginneth no otherwise to be thought of then if it were an vnluckie Comet or as if God had so accursed it that it should neuer shine or giue light in things concerning our dutie any way towardes him but be esteemed as that starre in the Reuelation called wormewood which beeing fallen from heauen maketh riuers and waters in which it falleth so bitter that men tasting them dye thereof A number there are who thinke they cannot admire as they ought the power and authoritie of the worde of God if in things diuine they should attribute any force to mans reason For which cause they neuer vse reason so willingly as to disgrace reason Their vsuall and common discourses are vnto this effect 1. The naturall man perceiueth not the thinges of the spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he knowe them because they are spiritually discerned 2. It is for nothing that Saint Paule giueth charge to beware of Philosopâ—ie that is to say such knowledge as men by naturall reason attaine vnto 3. Consider them that haue from time to time opposed themselues against the Gospell of Christ and most troubled the Church with Heresie Haue they not alwayes bene great admirers of humane reason Hath their deepe and profound skill in secular learning made them the more obedient to the truth and not armed them rather against it 4. They that feare God will remember how heauie his sentences are in this case I will destroy the wisdome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent Where is the wise Where is the Scribe Where is the disputer of this world Hath not God made the wisedome of this world foolishnesse Seeing the world by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to saue beleeuers 5. The word of God in it selfe is absolute exact and perfect The word of God is a two edged sword as for the weapons of naturall reason they are as the armour of Saule rather cumbersome about the souldier of Christ then needefull They are not of force to doe that which the Apostles of Christ did by the power of the holy Ghost My preaching therefore sayth Paule hath not bene in the intising speech of mans wisedome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power that your faith might not bee in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 6. If I beleeue the Gospell there needeth no reasoning about it to perswade mee If I doe not beleeue it must bee the spirit of God and not the reason of man that shall conuert my heart vnto him By these and the like disputes an opinion hath spread it selfe very farre in the world as if the way to bee ripe in faith were to bee rawe in wit and iudgement as if reason were an enemie vnto religion childish simplicitie the mother of ghostly and diuine wisedome The cause why such declamations preuaile so greatly is for that men suffer themselues in two respects to bee deluded one is that the wisedome of man being debased either in comparison with that of God or in regard of some speciall thing exceeding the reach and compasse thereof it seemeth to them not marking so much as if simply it were condemned an other that learning knowledge or wisdome falsely so tearmed vsurping a name wherof they are not worthy and being vnder that name controlled their reproofe is by so much the more easily misapplied and through equiuocation wrested against those things wherunto so pretious names do properly and of right belong This duly obserued doth to the former allegations it selfe make sufficient answere Howbeit for all mens plainer and fuller satisfaction first concerning the inhabilitie of reason to search out and to iudge of things diuine if they be such as those properties of God and those duties of men towards him which may be conceiued by attentiue consideration of heauen and earth we know that of meere natural men the Apostle testifieth how they knew both God and the lawe of God Other things of God there be which are neither so found nor though they be shewed can euer be approued without the speciall operation of Gods good grace spirit Of such things sometime spake the Apostle S. Paul declaring how Christ had called him to be a witnesse of his death and resurrection from the dead according to that which the Prophets and Moses had foreshewed Festus a meere naturall man an Infidell a Romane one whose eares were vnacquainted with such matter heard him but could not reach vnto that whereof he spake the suffering and the rising of Christ froÌ„ the dead he reiecteth as idle superstitious phancies not worth the hearing The Apostle that knew them by the spirit spake of them with power of the holy Ghost seemed in his eyes but learnedly mad Which example maketh manifest what elswhere the same Apostle teacheth namely that nature hath need of grace wherunto I hope we are not opposite by holding that grace hath vse of nature 2. Philosophie we are warned to take heed of Not that Philosophie which is true and sound knowledge attained by naturall discourse of reason but that Philosophie which to bolster heresie or error casteth a fraudulent shew of reason vpoÌ„ things which are indeed vnreasonable and by that meane as by a stratagem spoileth the simple which are not able to withstaÌ„d such cunning Take heed least any spoile you through philosophie and vain deceit He that exhorteth to beware of an enemies policie doth not giue counsell to be impolitique but rather to vse all prouident foresight and circumspection least our simplicitie be ouerreacht by cunning sleights The way not to be inueigled by them that are so guilefull through skill is thorowly to be instructed in that which maketh skilfull against guile and to be armed with that true and sincere philosophy
therunto may we cause our faith without reason to appeare reasonable in the eyes of men This being required euen of learners in the schoole of Christ the duty of their teachers in bringing them vnto such ripenes must needes be somewhat more then only to read the sentences of scripture and then paraphrastically to scholie them to vary theÌ„ with sundry formes of speech without arguing or disputing about anything which they contain This method of teaching may coÌ„mend it selfe vnto the world by that easines facilitie which is in it but a law or a patterne it is not as some do imagine for all men to follow that will do good in the Church of Christ. Our Lord and Sauiour himselfe did hope by disputation to do some good yea by disputatioÌ„ not onely of but against the truth albeit with purpose for the truth That Christ should be the sonne of Dauid was truth yet against this truth our Lorde in the Gospell obiecteth If Christ be the son of Dauid how doth Dauid call him Lord There is as yet no way knowne how to dispute or to determine of things disputed without the vse of naturall reason If we please to adde vnto Christ their example who followed him as neere in all thinges as they could the Sermon of Paule and Barnabas set downe in the Actes where the people would haue offered vnto them sacrifice in that Sermon what is there but onely naturall reason to disproue their acte O men why doe you these thinges We are men euen subiect to the selfe same passions with you wee preach vnto you to leaue these vanities and to turne to the liuing God the God that hath not left himselfe without witnesse in that he hath done good to the world giuing raine and fruitfull seasons filling our heart with ioy and gladnesse Neither did they onely vse reason in winning such vnto Christian beleefe as were yet thereto vnconuerted but with beleeuers themselues they followed the selfesame course In that great and solemne assembly of beleeuing Iewes how doth Peter proue that the Gentiles were partakers of the grace of God as well as they but by reason drawne from those effectes which were apparently knowne amongst them God which knoweth hearts hath borne them witnesse in giuing vnto them the holy Ghost as vnto vs. The light therefore which the starre of naturall reason and wisedome casteth is too bright to be obscured by the mist of a word or two vttered to diminish that opinion which iustly hath beene receiued concerning the force and vertue thereof euen in matters that touch most nearely the principall duties of men and the glory of the eternall God In all which hitherto hath beene spoken touching the force and vse of mans reason in thinges diuine I must craue that I be not so vnderstood or coÌ„strued as if any such thing by vertue thereof could be done without the aide and assistance of Gods most blessed spirit The thing wee haue handled according to the question mooued about it which question is whether the light of reason be so pernitious that in deuising lawes for the church men oughâ— not by it to search what may be fit coÌ„uenient For this cause therfore we haue endeuoured to make it appeare how in the nature of reason it selfe there is no impedimeÌ„t but that the self-same spirit which reuealeth the things that god hath set down in his law may also be thoughâ— to aid direct men in finding out by the light of reason what lawes are expedient to be made for the guiding of his Church ouer and besides them that are in scripture Herein therfore we agree with those men by whom humane lawes are defined to be ordinances which such as haue lawfull authorisiâ— giuen them foâ— that purpose do probably draw from the lawes of nature God by discourse of reason aided with the influence of diuine grace And for that cause it is not said amisse touching Ecclesiasticall canons that by instinct of the holy Ghost they haue bin made and consecrated by the reuerend acceptation of all the world 9 Lawes for the church are not made as they should be vnles the makers follow such directioÌ„ as they ought to be guided by Wherin that scripture standeth noâ— the church of God in any stead of serueth nothing at aâ—â—o direct but may be let passe as needles to be consulted with we iudge it prophane impious and irreligious to thinke For although it were in vaine to make laws which the scripture hath already made because what we are already there coÌ„manded to do on our parts there resteth nothing but only that it be executed yet because both in that which we are commanded in concerneth the duty of the church by law to prouide that the loosenes and slacknes of men may not cause the commandements of God to be vnexecuted and a number of things there are for which the scripture hath not prouided by any law but left them vnto the carefull discretion of the Church we are to search how the Church in these cases may be well directed to make that prouision by lawes which is most conuenient c fit And what is so in these cases partly scripture and partly reason must teach to discerne Scripture comprehending examples lawes lawes some naturall and some positiue examples neither are there for al cases which require lawes to be made and wheâ— they are they can but direct as precedents onely Naturall lawes direct In such sorte that in all things wee must for euer doe according vnto them positiue so that against them in no case we may doe any thing as long as the will of God is that they should remaine in force Howbeit when scripture doth yeelde vs precedents how far forth they are to be followed when it giueth naturall lawes what particular order is thereunto most agreeable when positiue which way to make lawes vnrepugnant vnto them yea though all these should wanâ— yeâ— what kinde of ordinances would be most for that good of the Church which is aimed at al this must be by reason found out And therefore Tib refuse the conduct of the light of nature saith S. Augustine is not folly alone but accompanied with impietie The greatest amongst the Schoole diuines studying how to set downe by exact definition the nature of an humane lawe'â— of which nature all the Churches constitutions are found not which way better to do it thâ—n in these words Out of the precepâ—s of the law of nature as out of certaine coÌ„mon vndemonstrable principles mans reason doth necessarily proceede vnto certaine more particular determinations which particular determinations beeing found out according vnto the reason of man they haue the names of humane lawes so that such other conditions be therein kept as the making of lawes doth require that is if they whose authoritie is thereunto required do establish and publish them as lawes And the truth is that all our
controuersie in this cause concerning the orders of the Church is what particulars the Church may appoint That which doth finde them out is the force of mans reason That which doth guide and direct his reason is first the generall law of nature which law of nature and the morall law of scripture are in the substance of law all one But because there are also in scripture a number of lawes particular and positiue which being in force may not by any law of man be violated we are in making lawes to haue thereunto an especiall eie As for example it might perhaps seeme reasonable vnto the Church of God following the generall laws concerning the nature of mariage to ordaine in particular that cosen germains shall not marry Which law notwithstanding ought not to be receiued in the Church if there should be in the scripture a law particular to the contrary forbidding vtterly the bonds of mariage to be so far forth abridged The same Thomas therfore whose definition of humane lawes we mentioned before doth adde thereunto his caution concerning the rule and canon whereby to make them Humane lawes are measures in respect of men whose actiōs they must direct howbeit such measures they are as haue also their higher rules to be measured by which rules are two the law of God and the law of nature So that laws humane must be made according to the generall lawes of nature without contradiction vnto any positiue lawe in scripture Otherwise they are ill made Vnto lawes thus made and receiued by a whole Church they which liue within the bosome of that Church must not think it a matter indifferēt either to yeeld or not to yeeld obedience Is it a small offence to despise the Church of God My sonne keepe thy fathers comaundement saith Salomon forget not thy mothers instruction bind thē bothe alwaies about thine hart It doth not stand with the duty which we owe to our heauenly fathers that to the ordinances of our mother the Church we should shew our selues disobedient Let vs not say we keepe the commandements of the one when we breake the law of the other For vnlesse we obserue bothe we obey neither And what doth let but that we may obserue both when they are not the one to the other in any sort repugnant For of such lawes only we speake as being made in forme and maner already declared can haue in them no contradiction vnto the lawes of almighty God Yea that which is more the lawes thus made God himselfe doth in such sort authorize that to despise them is to despise in them him It is a loose licentious opinion which the Anabaptists haue embraced holding that a Christian mans libertie is lost and the soule which Christ hath redeemed vnto himselfe iniuriously drawne into seruitude vnder the yoke of humane power if any law be now imposed besides the Gospell of Iesus Christ in obedience whereunto the spirite of God and not the constraint of men is to leade vs according to that of the blessed Apostle Such as are led by the spirits of God they are the sonnes of God and not such as liue in thraldome vnto men Their iudgement is therefore that the Church of Christ should admit no law makers but the Euangelists The author of that which causeth another thing to be is author of that thing also which thereby is caused The light of naturall vnderstanding wit and reason is from God he it is which thereby doth illuminate euery man entering into the world If there proceede from vs any thing afterwardes corrupt and naught the mother thereof is our owne darknes neither doth it proceed from any such cause whereof God is the author He is the author of all that we think or doe by vertue of that light which himselfe hath giuen And therefore the lawes which the very Heathens did gather direct their actiōs by so far forth as they proceeded from the light of nature God himselfe doth acknowledge to haue proceeded euen from himselfe and that he was the writer of them in the tables of their hearts How much more then he the author of those lawes which haue bene made by his Saints endued furder with the heauenly grace of his spirit and directed as much as might be with such instructiōs as his sacred word doth yeeld Surely if we haue vnto those lawes that dutifull regard which their dignitie doth require it will not greatly need that we should be exhorted to liue in obedience vnto them If they haue God himselfe for their author contempt which is offered vnto them cannot choose but redound vnto him The safest and vnto God the most acceptable way of framing our liues therfore is with all humilitie lowlines and singlenes of hart to studie which way our willing obedience both vnto God and man may be yeelded euen to the vtmost of that which is due 10 Touching the mutabilitie of lawes that concerne the regiment politie of the church changed they are when either altogether abrogated or in part repealed or augmented with farther additions Wherein wee are to note that this question about changing of lawes concerneth onely such lawes as are positiue and do make that now good or euill by being commanded or forbidden which otherwise of it selfe were not simply the one or the other Vnto such lawes it is expressely sometimes added how long they are to continue in force If this be no where exprest then haue we no light to direct our iudgemēts concerning the chaungeablenes or immutabilitie of them but by considering the nature and qualitie of such lawes The nature of euery lawe must be iudged of by the ende for which it was made and by the aptnes of thinges therein prescribed vnto the same end It may so fall out that the reason why some lawes of God were giuen is neither opened nor possible to be gathered by wit of man As why God should forbid Adam that one tree there was no way for Adam euer to haue certainely vnderstood And at Adams ignorance of this point Satan tooke aduantage vrging the more securely a false cause because the true was vnto Adam vnknowne Why the Iewes were forbidden to plow their ground with an oxe and an asse why to cloath themselues with mingled attire of wooll and linnen both it was vnto them vnto vs it remaineth obscure Such lawes perhaps cannot be abrogated sauing onely by whom they were made because the intent of them being knowne vnto none but the author he alone can iudge how long it is requisite they should endure But if the reason why things were instituted may be known and being knowne do appeare manifestly to be of perpetuall necessitie then are those things also perpetuall vnlesse they cease to be effectuall vnto that purpose for which they were at the first instituted Because when a thing doth cease to be auaileable vnto the end which gaue it being the
continuance of it must then of necessitie appeare superfluous And of this we cannot be ignorant how sometimes that hath done great good which afterwardes when time hath chaunged the auncient course of thinges doth growe to be either very hurtfull or not so greatly profitable and necessary If therefore the end for which a lawe prouideth be perpetually necessary the way whereby it prouideth perpetually also most apt no doubt but that euery such law ought for euer to remain vnchangeable Whether God be the author of lawes by authorizing that power of men wherby they are made or by deliuering them made immediately from himselfe by word only or in writing also or howsoeuer notwithstaÌ„ding the authority of their maker the mutabilitie of that end for which they are made doth also make them changeable The law of ceremonies came from God Moses had commandement to commit it vnto the sacred records of scripture where it continueth euen vnto this very day and houre in force still as the Iewe surmiseth because God himselfe was author of it and for vs to abolish what hee hath established were presumptioÌ„ most intollerable But that which they in the blindnes of their obdurate hearts are not able to discerne sith the end for which that lawe was ordained is now fulfilled past and gone how should it but cease any longer to bee which hath no longer any cause of being in force as before That which necessitie of some speciall time doth cause to be inioyned bindeth no longer theÌ„ during that time but doth afterwards become free Which thing is also plain euen by that law which the Apostles assembled at the counsell of Ierusalem did froÌ„ thence deliuer vnto the Church of Christ the preface whereof to authorize it was To the holy Ghost and to vs it hath seemed good which stile they did not vse as matching theÌ„selues in power with the holy Ghost but as testifying the holy Ghost to be the author and themselues but onely vtterers of that decree This lawe therefore to haue proceeded from God as the author therof no faithful man wil denie It was of God not only because God gaue theÌ„ the power wherby they might make lawes but for that it proceeded euen froÌ„ the holy motion suggestion of that secret diuine spirit whose sentence they did but only pronounce Notwithstanding as the law of ceremonies deliuered vnto the Iews so this very law which the Gentiles receiued from the mouth of the holy Ghost is in like respect abrogated by decease of the end for which it was giuen But such as do not sticke at this point such as graunt that what hath bene instituted vpon any special cause needeth not to be obserued that cause ceasing do notwithstanding herein faile they iudge the lawes of God onely by the author and maine end for which they were made so that for vs to change that which he hath established they hold it execrable pride presumption if so be the end and purpose for which God by that meane prouideth bee permanent And vpon this they ground those ample disputes coÌ„cerning orders and offices which being by him appointed for the gouernment of his Church if it be necessary alwaies that the Church of Christ be gouerned then doth the end for which God prouided remaine still and therefore in those means which he by law did establish as being fittest vnto that end for vs to alter any thing is to lift vp our selues against God and as it were to countermaund him Wherin they marke not that laws are instruments to rule by and that instruments are not only to be framed according vnto the generall ende for which they are prouided but eueÌ„ according vnto that very particular which riseth out of the matter wheron they haue to worke The end wherefore lawes were made may be permanent and those lawes neuerthelesse require some alteration if there be any vnfitnes in the meanes which they prescribe as tending vnto that end purpose As for exaÌ„ple a law that to bridle theâ—â— doth punish the ones with a quadruple â—estitution hath an end which wil coÌ„tinue as long as the world it self coÌ„tinueth Theft will be alwayes and will alwayes need to be bridled But that the meane which this law prouideth for that end namely the punishment of quadruple restitution that this will be alwaies sufficient to bridle and restraine that kind of enormity no man can warrant Insufficiency of lawes doth somtimes come by want of iudgement in the makers Which cause cannot fall into any law termed properly and immediatly diuine as it may and doth into humaine lawes often But that which hath bene once most sufficient may wax otherwise by alteratioÌ„ of time place that punishment which hath bene somtimes forcible to bridle sinne may grow afterwards too weake and feeble In a word we plainely perceiue by the difference of those three lawes which the Iewes receiued at the hands of God the morall ceremoniall iudiciall that if the end for which and the matter according whereunto God maketh his lawes continue alwaies one and the same his laws also do the like for which cause the morall law cannot be altered secondly that whether the matter wheron lawes are made continue or coÌ„tinue not if their end haue once ceased they cease also to be of force as in the law ceremonial it fareth finally that albeit the end coÌ„tinue as in that law of theft specified and in a great part of those ancient iudicials it doth yet for as mush as there is not in all respects the same subiect or matter remaining for which they were first instituted euen this is sufficient cause of change And therefore lawes though both ordeined of God himselfe and the end for which they were ordeined continuing may notwithstanding cease if by alteration of persons or times they be fouÌ„d vnsufficieÌ„t to attain vnto that end In which respect why may we not presume that God doth eueÌ„ call for such change or alteratioÌ„ as the very coÌ„dition of things theÌ„selues doth make necessary They which do therfore plead the authority of the law-maker as an argument wherefore it should not be lawfull to change that which he hath instituted and will haue this the cause why all the ordinances of our Sauiour are immutable they which vrge the wisdome of God as a proofe that whatsoeuer laws he hath made they ought to stand â—nlesse himselfe from heauen proclaime them disanuld because it is not in man to correct the ordinaÌ„ce of God may know if it please theÌ„ to take notice therof that we are far froÌ„ presuming to think that meÌ„ can better any thing which God hath done eueÌ„ as we are from thinking that meÌ„ should presume to vndo some things of men which God doth know they cannot better God neuer ordeined any thing that could be bettered Yet many things he hath that haue bene changed and that for the better That which succeedeth as better now wheÌ„
onely to say in the hearing of the publique magistrate I will that this man become free but after these solemne wordes vttered to strike him on the cheeke to turne him round the haire of his head to be shaued off the magistrate to touch him thrise with a rod in the end a cap and a white garment to be giuen him To what purpose all this circumstance Amongst the Hebrewes how strange in outward appearance almost against reason that he which was minded to make himselfe a perpetuall seruant should not only testifie so much in the presence of the iudge but for a visible token thereof haue also his eare bored through with a nawle It were an infinite labour to prosecute these things so far as they might be exempplified both in ciuill and religious actions For in bothe they haue their necessary vse and force The sensible things which Religion hath allowed are resemblances framed according to things spiritually vnderstood wherunto they serue as a hand to lead and a way to direct And whereas it may peraduenture be obiected that to adde to religious duties such rites and ceremonies as are significant is to institute new sacraments sure I am they will not say that Numa Pompilius did ordaine a sacrament a significant ceremonie he did ordaine in commanding the Priests to execute the work of their diuine seruice with their handes as farre as to the fingers couered thereby signifiing that fidelitie must be defended and that mens right handes are the sacred seate thereof Againe we are also to put them in mind that themselues do not holde all significant ceremonies for sacramentes in as much as imposition of handes they denie to be a sacrament and yet they giue thereunto a forcible signification For concerning it their words are these The party ordained by this ceremony was put in mind of his seperation to the worke of the Lord that remembring himselfe to be taken as it were with the hand of God from amongst others this might teach him not to account himselfe now his owne nor to doe what himselfe listeth but to consider that God hath set him about a worke which if he will discharge accomplish he may at the hands of God assure himselfe of reward and if otherwise of reuenge Touching significant ceremonies some of thē are sacramēts some as sacramēts only Sacraments are those which are signes tokēs of some general promised grace which alwaies really descendeth from God vnto the soule that duly receiueth thē other significant tokēs are onely as sacraments yet no sacraments Which is not our distinction but theirs For concerning the Apostles imposition of handes these are their owne words Manuum signum hoc quasi sacramentum vsurparunt They vsed this signe or as it were sacrament 2 Concerning rites and ceremonies there may be fault either in the kinde or in the number and multitude of them The first thing blamed about the kind of ours is that in many thinges we haue departed from the auncient simplicitie of Christ and his Apostles we haue embraced more outward statelinesse we haue those orders in the exercise of Religion which they who best pleased God and serued him most deuoutly neuer had For it is out of doubt that the first state of thinges was best that in the prime of Christian Religion faith was soundest the scriptures of God were then best vnderstood by all men all parts of godlines did then most abound and therefore it must needes follow that customes lawes and ordinances deuised since are not so good for the Church of Christ but the best way is to cut off later inuentions and to reduce thinges vnto the auntient state wherin at the first they were Which rule or canō we hold to be either vncertain or at leastwise vnsufficient if not bothe For in case it be certain hard it cannot be for them to shew vs where we shall finde it so exactly set downe that wee may say without all controuersie These were the orders of the Apostles times these wholly and onely neither fewer nor moe then these True it is that many things of this nature be alluded vnto yea many thinges declared and many thinges necessarily collected out of the Apostles writings But is it necessary that all the orders of the Church which were then in vse should be contained in their bookes Surely no. For if the tenor of their writinges be well obserued it shall vnto any man easily appeare that no more of them are there touched then were needfull to be spoken of somtimes by one occasion and sometimes by another Will they allow then of any other records besides Well assured I am they are farre enough from acknowledging that the church ought to keepe any thing as Apostolicall which is not found in the Apostles writings in what other recordes soeuer it be found And therefore whereas S. Augustine affirmeth that those thinges which the whole Church of Christ doth hold may well be thought to bee Apostolicall although they be not found written this his iudgement they vtterly condemne I will not here stand in defence of S. Augustines opinion which is that such thinges are indeede Apostolicall but yet with this exception vnlesse the decree of some generall councell haue happily caused them to be receiued for of positiue lawes and orders receiued throughout the whole Christian world S. Augustine could imagine no other fountaine saue these two But to let passe S. Augustine they who condemne him herein must needs confesse it a very vncertaine thing what the orders of the Church were in the Apostles times seeing the scriptures doe not mention them all and other records thereof besides they vtterly reiect So that in tying the Church to the orders of the Apostles times they tie it to a maruellous vncertain rule vnlesse they require the obseruatiō of no orders but only those which are knowne to be Apostolicall by the Apostles owne writings But then is not this their rule of such sufficiencie that we should vse it as a touchstone to trie the orders of the Church by for euer Our ende ought alwaies to bee the same our waies and meanes thereunto not so The glory of God and the good of his Church was the thing which the Apostles aymed at and therefore ought to bee the marke whereat we also leuell But seeing those rites and orders may be at one time more which at an other are lesse auaileable vnto that purpose what reason is there in these thinges to vrge the state of one onely age as a patterne for all to followe It is not I am right sure their meaning that we should now assemble our people to serue God in close secret meetings or that common brookes or riuers should be vsed for places of baptisme or that the Eucharist should be ministred after meate or that the custome of Church feasting should bee renued or that all kinde of standing prouision for the
other might haue But then must they shewe some commission wherby they are authorized to sit as iudges and we required to take their iudgement for good in this case Otherwise their sentences will not be greatly regarded when they oppose their Me thinketh vnto the orders of the Church of England as in the question about surplesses one of them doth If we looke to the colour blacke me thinketh is more decent if to the forme a garment downe to the foote hath a great deale more cōlinesse in it If they thinke that we ought to proue the ceremonies cōmodious which we haue reteined they do in this point very greatly deceiue themselues For in all right equity that which the Church hath receiued held so long for good that which publique approbation hath ratified must cary the benefit of presumption with it to be accompted meet and conuenient They which haue stood vp as yesterday to challenge it of defect must proue their challenge If we being defendants do answer that the ceremonies in question are godly comely decent profitable for the Church their reply is childish vnorderly to say that we demaund the thing in question shew the pouerty of our cause the goodnes wherof we are faine to begge that our aduersaries would graunt For on our part this must be the aunswere which orderly proceeding doth require The burthen of prouing doth rest on them In them it is friuolous to say we ought not to vse bad ceremonies of the Church of Rome and presume all such bad as it pleaseth themselues to dislike vnlesse we can perswade them the contrary Besides they are herin opposite also to themselues For what one thing is so common with thē as to vse the custome of the Church of Rome for an argument to proue that such such ceremonies cānot be good profitable for vs in as much as that church vseth them Which vsual kind of disputing sheweth that they do not disallow onely those Romish ceremonies which are vnprofitable but count all vnprofitable which are Romish that is to say which haue bene deuised by the Church of Rome or which are vsed in that Church and not prescribed in the word of God For this is the onely limitation which they can vse sutable vnto their other positions And therefore the cause which they yeeld why they hold it lawfull to reteine in Doctrine and in Discipline some things as good which yet are common to the Church of Rome is for that those good things are perpetual commandements in whose place no other can come but ceremonies are changeable So that their iudgement in truth is that whatsoeuer by the word of God is not changeable in the Church of Rome that Churches vsing is a cause why reformed Churches ought to change it and not to thinke it good or profitable And least we seeme to father any thing vpon them more thē is properly their owne let them reade euen their owne words where they complaine that we are thus constrained to be like vnto the Papists in Any their ceremonies yea they vrge that this cause although it were alone ought to moue them to whom that belongeth to do thē away for as much as they are their ceremonies and that the B. of Salisbury doth iustifie this their complaint The clause is vntrue which they adde concerning the B. of Salisbury but the sentence doth shew that we do them no wrōg in setting downe the state of the question betweene vs thus Whether we ought to abolish out of the Church of England all such orders rites and ceremonies as are established in the Church of Rome and are not prescribed in the word of God For the affirmatiue whereof we are now to answer such proofes of theirs as haue bene before alleaged 5 Let the Church of Rome be what it will let them that are of it be the people of God and our fathers in the Christian faith or let them be otherwise hold them for Catholiques or hold them for heretiques it is not a thing either one way or other in this present question greatly material Our conformity with thē in such things as haue bene proposed is not proued as yet vnlawfull by all this S. Augustine hath said yea and we haue allowed his saying That the custome of the people of God and the decrees of our forefathers are to be kept touching those things wherof the scripture hath neither one way nor other giuen vs any charge What then Doth it here therfore follow that they being neither the people of God nor our forefathers are for that cause in nothing to be followed This consequent were good if so be it were graunted that onely the custome of the people of God the decrees of our forefathers are in such case to be obserued But then should no other kind of later laws in the church be good which were a grosse absurdity to think S. Augustines speech therefore doth import that where we haue no diuine precept if yet we haue the custome of the people of God or a decree of our forefathers this is a law and must be kept Notwithstanding it is not denied but that we lawfully may obserue the positiue constitutions of our owne Churches although the same were but yesterday made by our selues alone Nor is there any thing in this to proue that the Church of England might not by law receiue orders rites or customes from the Church of Rome although they were neither the people of God nor yet our forefathers How much lesse when we haue receiued from them nothing but that which they did themselues receiue from such as we cannot deny to haue bene the people of God yea such as either we must acknowledge for our owne forefathers or else disdaine the race of Christ 6 The rites and orders wherein we follow the Church of Rome are of no other kind thē such as the Church of Geneua it selfe doth follow thē in We follow the church of Rome in moe things yet they in some things of the same nature about which our present controuersie is so that the difference is not in the kind but in the number of rites only wherein they and we do follow the Church of Rome The vse of wafer-cakes the custom of godfathers godmothers in baptisme are things not commanded nor forbidden in scripture things which haue bene of old are reteined in the Church of Rome euen at this very hower Is conformity with Rome in such things a blemish vnto the Church of England vnto Churches abroad an ornament Let thē if not for the reuerence they ow vnto this Church in the bowels wherof they haue receiued I trust that pretious and blessed vigor which shall quicken thē to eternall life yet at the leastwise for the singular affection which they do beare towards others take heed how they strike least they wound whom they would not For vndoubtedly it cutteth deeper thē they
in attire to the example of their elder sisters wherein there is iust as much strength of reason as in the liuery coates before mentioned S. Paul they say noteth it for a marke of speciall honor that Epaenetus was the first man in all Achaia which did embrace the Christian faith after the same sort he toucheth it also as a speciall preeminence of Iunias and Andronicus that in Christianity they were his auncients the Corinthians he pincheth with this demaund Hath the word of God gone out from you or hath it lighted on you alone But what of all this If any man should thinke that alacrity forwardnes in good things doth adde nothing vnto mens commendation the two former speeches of S. Paule might leade him to reforme his iudgement In like sort to take downe the stomacke of proud conceited men that glorie as though they were able to set all others to schoole there can be nothing more fit then some such words as the Apostles third sentence doth containe wherein he teacheth the Church of Corinth to know that there was no such great oddes betweene them and the rest of their brethren that they should thinke themselues to be gold and the rest to be but copper He therefore vseth speech vnto them to this effect Men instructed in the knowledge of Iesus Christ there both were before you and are besides you in the word ye neither are the fountaine from which first nor yet the riuer into which alone the word hath flowed But although as Epaenetus was the first man in all Achaia so Corinth had bene the first Church in the whole world that receiued Christ the Apostle doth not shew that in any kind of things in different whatsoeuer this should haue made their example a law vnto all others Indeed the example of sundry Churches for approbation of one thing doth sway much but yet still as hauing the force of an example onely and not of a lawe They are effectuall to moue any Church vnlesse some greater thing do hinder but they bind none no not though they be many sauing onely when they are the maior part of a generall assembly and then their voyces being moe in number must ouersway their iudgements who are fewer because in such cases the greater halfe is the whole But as they stand out single each of them by it selfe their number can purchase them no such authority that the rest of the Churches being fewer should be therefore bound to follow them and to relinquish as good ceremonies as theirs for theirs Whereas therefore it is concluded out of these so weake premisses that the reteining of diuerse things in the Church of England which other reformed Churches haue cast out must needs argue that we do not well vnlesse we can shewe that they haue done ill what needed this wrest to draw out from vs an accusation of forraine Churches It is not proued as yet that if they haue done well our duty is to followe them and to forsake our owne course because it different from theirs although indeed it be as well for vs euery way as theirs for them And if the proofes alleaged for conformation hereof had bene â—ound yet seeing they leade no further then onely to shew that where we can haue no better ceremonies theirs must be taken as they cannot with modesty thinke themselues to haue found out absolutely the best which the wit of men may deuise so liking their owne somewhat better then other mens euen because they are their owne they must in equitie allow vs to be like vnto them in this affection which if they do they case vs of that vncourteouâ— burden whereby we are charged either to condemne them or else to followe them They graunt we need not followe them if our owne wayes already be better And if our owne be but equall the law of common indulgence alloweth vs to thinke them at the least halfe a thought the better because they are our owne which we may very well do and neuer drawe any inditement at all against theirs but thinke commendably euen of them also 14 To leaue reformed Churches therefore their actions for him to iudge of in whose sight they are as they are and our desire is that they may euen in his sight be found such as we ought to endeuour by all meanes that our owne may likewise be somewhat we are inforced to speake by way of simple declaration concerning the proceedings of the Church of England in these affaires to the end that men whose minds are free from those partiall coÌ„structions wherby the only name of difference froÌ„ some other Churches is thought cause sufficient to condeÌ„ne ours may the better discerne whether that we haue done be reasonable yea or no. The Church of EnglaÌ„d being to alter her receiued laws coÌ„cerning such orders rites and ceremonies as had bene in former times an hinderance vnto pietie and Religious seruice of God was to enter into consideration first that the change of lawes especially concerning matter of Religion must be warily proceeded in Lawes as all other things humaine are many times full of imperfection and that which is supposed behoofefull vnto men proueth often-times most pernicious The wisedome which is learned by tract of time findeth the lawes that haue bene in former ages establisht needfull in later to be abrogated Besides that which sometime is expedient doth not alwaies so continue and the number of needlesse lawes vnabolisht doth weaken the force of them that are necessarie But true withall it is that alteration though it be from worse to better hath in it inconueniences and those waighty vnlesse it be in such laws as haue bene made vpon special occasions which occasions ceasing laws of that kind do abrogate themselues But when we abrogate a law as being ill made the whole cause for which it was made still remaining do we not herein reuoke our very owne deed and vpbraid our selues with folly yea all that were makers of it with ouer sight and with error Further if it be a law which the custome continuall practise of many ages or yeares hath confirmed in the minds of men to alter it must needs be troublesome and scandalous It amazeth them it causeth theÌ„ to stand in doubt whether any thing be in it selfe by nature either good or euil not al things rather such as men at this or that time agree to accoÌ„pt of them wheÌ„ they behold euen those things disproued disanulled reiected which vse had made in a maner naturall What haue we to induce meÌ„ vnto the willing obedience obseruation of lawes but the waight of so many meÌ„s iudgement as haue with deliberate aduise assented thereunto the waight of that long experience which the world hath had thereof with consent good liking So that to change any such law must needs with the common sort impaire and weaken the force of those grounds whereby all lawes are made effectual
Notwithstanding we do not deny alteration of laws to be sometimes a thing necessary as when they are vnnatural or impious or otherwise hurtfull vnto the publique community of mē and against that good for which humaine societies were instituted When the Apostles of our Lord Sauiour were ordained to alter the lawes of Heathnish Religion receiued throughout the whole world chosen I grant they were Paule excepted the rest ignorant poore simple vnschooled altogether and vnlettered men howbeit extraordinarilie indued with ghostly wisedome from aboue before they euer vndertooke this enterprise yea their authoritie confirmed by miracle to the end it might plainely appeare that they were the Lords Ambassadours vnto whose Soueraigne power for all flesh to stoope for all the kingdomes of the earth to yeeld themselues willingly conformable in whatsoeuer should be required it was their duty In this case therefore their oppositions in maintenance of publique superstition against Apostolique endeuours as that they might not condemne the wayes of their ancient predecessors that they must keepe Religiones traditas the rites which frō age to age had descended that the ceremonies of Religion had beene euer accompted by so much holier as elder these and the like allegations in this case were vaine friuolous Not to stay longer therefore in speech concerning this point we will conclude that as the change of such lawes as haue bene specified is necessary so the euidence that they are such must be great If we haue neither voice frō heauen that so pronounceth of them neither sentence of men grounded vpon such manifest and cleare proofe that they in whose hands it is to alter them may likewise infallibly euen in hart conscience iudge them so vpon necessitie to vrge alteration is to trouble and disturbe without necessitie As for arbitrary alterations when laws in themselues not simply bad or vnmeet are changed for better and more expedient if the benefit of that which is newly better deuised be but small sith the custome of easinesse to alter and change is so euill no doubt but to beare a tolerable soare is better then to venter on a dangerous remedy Which being generally thought vpon as a matter that touched neerly their whole enterprise whereas change was notwithstanding concluded necessary in regard of the great hurt which the Church did receiue by a number of things then in vse whereupon a great deale of that which had bene was now to be taken away and remoued out of the Church yeat sith there are diuerse waies of abrogating things established they saw it best to cut off presently such things as might in that sort be extinguished without danger leauing the rest to be abolished by disusage through tract of time And as this was done for the manner of abrogation so touching the stint or measure thereof rites ceremonies and other externall things of like nature being hurtfull vnto the Church either in respect of their quality or in regard of their nūber in the former there could be no doubt or difficulty what should be done their deliberation in the later was more hard And therefore in as much as they did resolue to remoue only such things of that kind as the Church might best spare reteining the residue their whole counsell is in this point vtterly cōdemned as hauing either proceeded from the blindnes of those times or from negligence or from desire of honour and glory or from an erroneous opinion that such things might be tollerated for a while or if it did proceed as they which would seeme most fauourable are content to thinke it possible from a purpose partly the easilier to draw Papists vnto the Gospell by keeping so many orders stil the same with theirs and partly to redeeme peace therby the breach wherof they might feare would insue vpon more thorow alteration or howsoeuer it came to passe the thing they did is iudged euill But such is the lot of all that deale in publique affaires whether of Church or cōmonwealth that which men list to surmise of their doings be it good or ill they must before hand patiently arme their minds to indure Wherefore to let go priuate surmises whereby the thing in it selfe is not made either better or worse if iust and allowable reasons might leade thē to do as they did then are these censures al frustrate Touching ceremonies harmelesse therfore in thēselues hurtful onely in respect of number was it amisse to decree that those things which were least needfull newliest come should be the first that were taken away as in the abrogating of a nūber of saints daies and of other the like customes it appeareth they did till afterwards the forme of common prayer being perfited articles of sound Religion and discipline agreed vpon Catechismes framed for the needfull instruction of youth Churches purged of things that indeed were burthensome to the people or to the simple offensiue and scandalous all was brought at the length vnto that wherein now we stand Or was it amisse that hauing this way eased the Church as they thought of superfluitie they went not on till they had pluckt vp euen those things also which had taken a great deale stronger and deeper roote those things which to abrogate without constraint of manifest harme thereby arising had bene to alter vnnecessarily in their iudgements the auncient receiued custome of the whole Church the vniuersall practise of the people of God and those very decrees of our fathers which were not only set downe by agreement of generall councels but had accordingly bin put in vre and so continued in vse till that very time present True it is that neither councels nor customes be they neuer so ancient and so generall can let the Church from taking away that thing which is hurtfull to be retained Where things haue bene instituted which being conuenient and good at the first do afterwards in processe of time waxe otherwise we make no doubt but they may be altered yea though councels or customes generall haue receiued them And therfore it is but a needles kind of opposition which they make who thus dispute If in those things which are not expressed in the Scripture that is to be obserued of the Church which is the custome of the people of God and decree of our forefathers then how can these things at any time be varied which heretofore haue bene once ordained in such sort Whereto we say that things so ordained are to be kept howbeit not necessarily any longer then till there grow some vrgent cause to ordaine the contrary For there is not any positiue law of men whether it be generall or particular receiued by formall expresse consent as in councels or by secret approbation as in customes it commeth to passe but the same may be taken away it occasion serue Euen as we all know that many things generally kept heretofore are now in like sort generally vnkept and abolished euery where Notwithstanding
writing this generall discourse Of that lawe which God from before the beginning hath set for himselfe to do all things by Ioh. 1â— 13.14.15 a Iupiterâ— Counsell was accomplished b The creator made the whole world not with hands but by Reason Stob in eclog. phys c Proceed by a certaine and a 〈◊〉 Waie in the making of the world Ioh. 5.17 Gen. 2.18 Sap. 8.1 Sap. 11.17 Eph. 1.7 Phil. 4.19 Col. â— 3 prou 16.6 Ephe. 1.13 Rom. 11.33 prou â— 23 Rom. 11.10 Borâ— lib. 4 des Consol. philoâ— 2. Tim. 2.13 Heb. 6.17 The lawe which natural agâ—nts haue giuen tâ—em to obserue and their necessary maner of keeping it a Id omne quod in rebus creatis fit est materia legis oeternae Th 1.2 q 93. art 4 â— 6 Nullo modo aliquid legibus summi creato ris ordinationique subtrahitur a quo pax vniuersitatis administratur August de ciu deâ— lib. 19. c. 22. Immo peceâ—tum quatenus â— Deo â—ustè permittituâ— cadit â—n legemaeterâ—am Eâ—â—aâ—legâ—aeternâ— subâ—icitur peccatum quatenus Voluntaria legis transgressio poenale quoddâ— incommodum animae â—â—serâ—t â—uxta illâ—d Augustini Iusâ—isti Dâ—mine sic est vt poeâ—ia su â—sibâ— sit omnis animus inordinâ—tus Coâ—feâ— lib 1. c. 1â— Nec male scâ—olaâ—tâ—ci Quemadmodum inquiunt videmus res naturales contingentes hoc ipso quod à fine particularâ— suo atque adeu à lege aeternâ exorâ—itant in candem legem ae ernam incidere quâ—tâ—nuconsâ—q iuâ—tur alium fine â— Ã lege â—riam aeternâ ipsis in casu particulari constiâ—utum sic verisimile eâ—t homines etiam cù n peccant desciscunt à lege aeternâ â—â—praecipiente re neidere in ordineÌ„ aeternae legisvt punientis psal 19.5 Pheophr in Metaph. Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 39. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Act. 17 2â— a Forme in other creatures is a thing proportionable vnto the soule in liuing creatures Sensible it is not nor otherwise discernable then only by effects According to the diuersitie of inward formes things of the world are distinguished into their kindes Vide Thom. in Compend theol cap. 3. Omne quod mouetur ab aliquo est quasi instrumentum quoddam primi mouentis Ridiculum est autem eâ—am apud indoctos ponere instrumentum moueri non ab aliquo principale agente The law which Angels doe worke by Psal. 104.4 Heb. 1.7 Eph. 3.10 Dan. 7.10 Matth. 26.53 Heb. 12.22 Luc. 2.13 Matth. 6.10 Matth. 18.10 Psal. 91.11.12 Luc. 15.7 Heb. 1.14 Act. 10.3 Dan. 9.23 Matth. 1â— â—0 Dan. 4.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Metaph. 12. cap. 7. Iob. 38.7 Math. 18.10 psal 148.2 Heb. 1.6 Esa. 6.3 This is intimated wheresoeuer we finde them termed the sonnes of God as Iob. 1.6 38.7 â— pet 2.4 Ep. Iud. ver 6. psal 148.2 Luk. 2.13 Matth 26.53 psal 148.2 Heb. 12.22 Apoc 22.9 Ioh. 8.44 1. pet 5.8 Apoc. 9.11 Gen. 3.15 1. Chr. 21 1 Iob. 1.7 2 5 Ioh. 13 27 Act. 5 3 Apoc. â—0 8. The law wherby man is in his actions directed to the imitation of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. de an lib. 2. cap. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ari. 2. de cael ca. 5. Matth. 5.48 Sap. 7.27 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mens first beginning to grow to the knowledge of that law which theâ— are to obserue vide Isa. 7.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Merc. Trism Aristotâ—liâ—all demonstration Aâ—misty Of mans will which is the thing that lawes of action are made to guide Eph. 4.23 Salust Matth. 6.2 Deut. 30.19 O mihi praeterâ—tos referat si Iupiter annos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paulo post 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A cin de doge maâ— Plaâ— a 2. Cor. 11.3 coâ—ruptible body is heauy vnto the soule and the earthly mansion keepeth down the minâ— that is ful of cares And hardly can we discern the things that are vpoÌ„ earth with great labor find we out the things which are before vs. VVho can then seeke out the things that are in heauen b Luc. 9. â—4 c Math. 23.37 d Sap 9.15 Eph. 5.14 Heb. 1â— 1.12 1. Cor. 16 13. Prou 2.4 Luc. 13. â—4 Of the natural way of finding out laws by reason â—o guide â—he will vnto that which is good 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—â—st de an L. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. 1. cap. 39. b Non potest error contingere vbi omnes idem opinantur Monticat in 1. Polit. Quicquid in omnibus indiuiduis vniuâ—â—peciei communiter inest id causeâ— coÌ„munem habeat opoâ—tet quaest eorum indiuiduorum species natura Idem Quod à tâ—ta aliqua specie fit vniuersaliâ— particularisque naturae fit instinctu Ficin de Christ relig Si proâ—icerâ— cupis primo firmé id veâ—um puta quod sanmenâ— omniuÌ„ hominum attestatur Cusa in compend cap. 1. Non liâ—er naturalé vniuersaléque hominum iudicium falsum van umque existimaâ—e Teles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—ist Eth. 10. cap. 2. c Rom. 2.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoph. iâ— Metaph. â— Cor. 4.17 Matth. 16.26 Arist. Polit. â— cap. 5. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Theaet b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Metop lib. 1. cap. 2. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plat. in Tim. d Arist. Ethi â— lib. 8. ca. vlt. e Deut. 6.5 f Math. 22 2â— g Quod quis in se approbat in alio reprobare noÌ„ posse â—an arenam C. de inoâ— test Quod quisque iuris in alium staâ—uâ—â—it ipsum quoque codem vti debere l. quod quisque Ab omni penituâ— iniuâ—â—â atque vi abstinenduÌ„ l. 1 § 1. quod vi autclam Matth. 22.40 On these two commandements hangeth the whole law Gen. 39.9 Mar. 10.4 Act. 4.37 Act. 5.4 â— Thes. 3.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Soph. Anti. Th. 1.2 q. 94. art 3. Omnia peccata sunt in vniuersum contra rationem naturae legem Aug. de ciu dei lib. 12. â—ap 1. Omne vitium naturae nocâ—t ac per hoc contra naturam est De doctr Christ. lib. 3. cap. 14. Psal. 35.18 Sapi. 13.17 Sâ—pi 1â— 12 Eph. 4.17 Esay 44.19.18 The benefit of keeping that law which reason teacheth Voluntate sublaâ—â omnem actum parem esse l. â—oedissimam C. de adult Bonam voluntatem plerunâ— que pro facto reputari l. si quis in testamen Diuoâ— castâ— adeunto piâ—tatent adhiâ—bento Qui secus faxir Deus ipsi â—inâ— dex crit How reason doth leade men vnto the making of humane lawes whereby politique societies are gouerned and to agreement about lawes whereby the fellowship or communion of independent societies staÌ„deth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. 1 1. Tim. 6.8 Gen. 1.29 Gen. 2.17 Gen. 4.2 Gen. 4.26 Mat. 6.33 Gen. 4.20.21 â—2 Esay 49.15 1. Tim. 5.8 Gen. 18.19 Gen. 4.8 Gen. 6.5 Gen. 5. 2. Pet. 2.5 Arist. Pol. l â— 4. Arist. polit lib. 1. cap. 3. Vide platonem in 3. de