GOD and that ye be of one mind with me louing and friendlie Why then should I be afraid in this learned companie of yours but friendlie graue but yet welwilling seuere but yet courteous holy but yet bounteous to exercise that office which I haue not taken vppon me but you haue called me vnto Wherefore I am not driuen from this function for happening of it vnto me vppon the sudden or vnlooked for and thinking of other matters and intending other occasions not because manie abroad take it vppon them and therefore may séeme superfluous finallie not because it is ioyned with a burden which my strength is not able to sustaine nay rather for all these causes I am much the rather incouraged the more pricked foreward and the more rauished to bend my selfe wholie vnto this labour And to doe the same besides the Argumentes nowe alleaged both the woorthinesse and profite of the thinges to be handled dooth mightilie drawe me hereunto ought earnestly also to prouoke you to be manie times present Which two thinges should be commended of me more at large if ye had not oftentimes heard them more plainlie and eloquentlie declared by good godlie men than can be set foorth and pronounced by my barren and base kinde of vtterance Yet that I faile not in my duetie in running through the chiefe pointes I will rather take a taste than séeme to haue spoken thereof And that I speake not confusedlie but in order I think it méete to beginne at the definition A definition of diuinitie Wherefore I iudge that Diuinitie is a doctrine in déede not agréeable to our mindes not by the light of nature but by the brightnesse of faith whereby is both learned and taught in the Church out of the holie scriptures a certaine assured knowledge aswell of the wisedome as of the will of God And it is found to be of that nature and propertie that like vnto gold and pretious stones the oftener they be vsed handled with the handes the more they shine by handling and considering it yéeldeth foorth more shining beames of his brightnesse and euen as a liuelie water which not onelie quencheth the thirst but also springeth vp euen vnto eternall life and as that which the more it is mooued and drawen the clearer and swéeter it is made and euen as the fire A similitude which the more it is blowen stirred the greater and more cleare flames it giueth foorth Neither are we to thinke that these similitudes are rashlie applyed to this purpose since in the holy scriptures the wordes of God and sound doctrine are woont to be compared vnto pretious stones gold and siluer and also vnto liuelie water and to burning fire and that for iust cause For euen as these among men are preferred before other thinges euen by the testimonie of Pindarus who saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 water is the best thing So the scriptures of GOD excell all mens learning and sciences Other writinges in déede doe also describe the workes of God yet such as are perceiued to indure by the continuall course of nature but those doe set foorth his maruelous actes because they excéede all the power of nature they are commonlie called miracles And they are declared least perhappes we should suspect that God in the producing and preseruing of naturall thinges had so spent all his power and might as he can doe nothing more nor make anie thing more excellent which in trueth is not so for God hath infinite power so that there is nothing in nature so firme stedfast and strong which cannot by him be turned vpside downe be directed to a contrarie purpose than it was instituted at the beginning Which bringeth no small consolation to godlie men For they being admonished by the holie scriptures vnderstand that all thinges are in the hand of their good father and that there can be no griefe or trouble brought vppon them but so much as GOD the gouernour of all thinges hath decréed to doe vnto them for their saluation Hereby are we made of a constant minde in aduersities of good courage in perils and in the crosse it selfe ioyfull of an inuincible minde and altogether vnfearefull when we must enter into conflictes for the name of Christ Hereof arose that noble spéech of Daniels fellowes Dan 3. 17. Behold the God whome we woorship is able to deliuer vs out out of the furnace of burning fire and out of thy hand O king Hereof Dauid with an inuincible minde sang Psal 27. 1. The Lord is my light and my saluation whome shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whome shall I be afraid Though an host of men laid siege against me yet shall not my heart be afraid and though there rose vp warre against me yet will I put my trust in him And in an other place Psal â—3 3. If I shall walke through the vallie of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill And finallie hereuppon Paul the notable Apostle of Christ and most famous defendor and publisher of the Gospell Who saith he shall separate vs from the loue of God shall affliction penurie persecution Rom. 8. 30. hunger nakednesse perill the sword As it is written For thy sake haue we bin slaine all the day long we haue bin counted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter but in all those thinges we ouercome for his sake that loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor thinges present nor to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature can separate vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christ Iesu our Lord. Verilie such thinges doe the children of GOD with true boasting pronounce being taught by the holy scriptures as they that know which haue heard and beléeue the holy scriptures that God their good father dooth gouerne direct moderate and order all thinges euerie moment at his owne pleasure and when he shall thinke good dooth manie thinges besides the course of nature taking from wild beastes their sauagenesse and crueltie naturallie bread in them from fiers the power of burning from the sunne and starres their natural light from hostes of men their strength from the windes their violence and from the sea the vehemencie of waues stormes And contrariwise by punishing the wise men with madnesse by striking a feare into the mightie by inspiring the ignorant with learning the infantes with eloquence and the weake ones with most puissant strength They which know and stedfastlie beléeue those thinges in the holy scriptures doe dwel in a house founded vppon a most strong rock which by no inundation of raine flouds stormes or tempestes of weather can be ouerthrowen TO THE MOST RENOWMED Princes Elizabeth by the grace of God Queene of England France and Ireland Grace and euerlasting happinesse from God the Father through Iesus Christ our Sauiour THat the whole worlde most
1 182 a The Soule was made euen when the bodie was wrought of the earth 1 122 b Origen saith that our Soule lamentes and sorrowes heauilie and why 2 251 a Diuers Philosophers and learned men iudged it to bee mortal 3 334 a Some thought wee receiue or our parents both it the body 2 244 ab By it are vnderstoode the part sensitiue vegetatiue 2 244 b Whether it bee sufficient that the Soule suffer punishment or reward and the bodie free 3 334 b Not created sinfull but streightway draweth sinne vnto it so soone as it is ioyned with the bodie 2 246 a Whether we receiue it from our parentes as we doe our bodie Seminaliratione 2 244 b The Soule weakened two mannrr of wayes whereby it becommeth sinful 2 246a Why the Soule being created cleane is put into an vncleane body 2 232 ab 231 b The best part of the Soule doeth alwayes exhort to the best thinges 1 15 b The Soule is the moouer of the bodie 1 121 b Whether the Soule being seuered from the bodie is an vnperfect thing 3 333 b Whether the Soule haue naturally of it selfe the power to foreknowe thinges to come and what Augustine concludeth 1 38 b Of the coniunction with the bodie 3 328 b 1 158 a A double error touching the substance of the Soule excluded 1 122a Whether the separation of the Soule from the bodie is against nature 334 a Platoes diuision of the Soule into the minde and the sense 1 134a By what thing it is best knowen 3 342 b The ioyning of the Soule with the corrupt bodie maketh nothing to the destruction of the elect 2 232 b Whether that coniunction of it with the bodie bee a troublesome thing 3 316a b 317 b It is called fleshe before it bee regenerate 2 226 a The Soule howe so euer it bee is better than anie bodie 1 188 b The death thereof and when it happeneth 3 42 b A speciall place testifying that Aristotle thought it to be mortall 1 159 a God createth it pure whence then hath it sinne 2 231 b A sympathie or mutual agréement betweene Soule the body 2 238 a Both repaired by faith 2 232 b Not corrupted by the body through a naturall action 2 238 a Howe it is meant that the Soule vncircumcised should be cut off 4 110 a When the Soule must be giuen for the brethren 3 290 b Soule of Christ The Soule of Christ was a creature and not immensible 2 572 a That the sonne procéeded not from the virgin by propagation 2 244 b Augustine sayeth that Christes Soule was in hell when his body was in the sepulchre 1 73 a It could not bee in hell and in Paradise all at one time 2 308a What it did in hell 2 621 a The state thereof separated from his bodie 2 622 a What manner of lot coulde haue place therein 2 24â— a Thou shalt not leaue my Soule in the graue expounded 3 343 a Soules The Soules of men are not bred in them 3 350 a Where they rest when the bodie is dead 3 323 b 324 a 325 b They remaine after the death of the bodies prooued against the error of some holding the contrarie 1 72 b 73 a From whence they come to bodies at the resurrection 3 350 a Whether they do satisfie for sinnes in Purgatorie 3 237 b Whether they are deliuered out of Purgatorie by fasting 3 255 b Soules of bodies departed be ignorant what is done in this life 1 75 a Whether being loosed from their bodies they do wander vp and downe 3 326 b 327 a How the Soules of dead folk may appeare to the liuing 1 75 ab A great distance of place betwéene the blessed and reprobate 1 74 b Why they shall not rise againe 3 331 b Whether beeing loosed from our bodies they do sléepe 3 323 b Why they are called spirites 1 103 a Of saluting the Soules of the dead 2 561 a Their immortalitie proued 3 331 b The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or remouing of them from one to another held of the Rabbins 2 â—…8b Tertullians iudgement that they are bodies and howe hee prooueth it 1 28 b Augustine vtterly denyeth the vbiquitie of them 1 75 b 74 b Iustinus Martyrs opinion in what state they were before Christ 1 73 b Whether being departed they may by magicall charmes be called againe 1 72. 73. 74. 75. The state of the blessed curssed set foorth in scriptures 1 73 a How they may extraordinarily returne into men 1 75 b They be in a certaine place wayting for the iudgement sayth Chrysostome 1 76 a The opinion of some which thinke that they become Demons 1 77 a The Rabbins errors and Origens also that all were made at once at the beginning confuted 1 122 ab In what sense as well the life of brute beasts as the soules of men are called bloud 1 123 a The errors of diuerse noted about their creation whether they were al made at once at the beginning c. 1 122 a Of the blessed indued with felicitie are not voide of affections 2 249 a Origens assertion false that they first sinned before they came into bodies 1 113 a Against his opinion that they are thrust into bodies as vnto punishments 1 112 b The schoolemen oppâ—gne the doctrine of deriuation of Soules from parents by naturall reasons 2 245 b The places of Soules departed â— 374. 375. 376. 377. 378 The receiued opinion of the church is that they in creating are infused and in infusing are created 2 245 b How they are sayd to be in places 3 378b Augustine leaueth the question touching the deriuation of them froÌ„ parents as indifferent 2 245 a The error of the Stoiks touching the Soules of the departed 3 372 a The diuels feine themselues to be the Soules of men 4 131 a Of the Soules of the iust and the wicked after their bodily death 2 621 a The Soules of the dead slaine for Christes sake cried vnder the altar expounded 3 324 ab Sp. Speake When we Speake to God God to vs 3 300 b Speech To what purpose Speech is giuen 3 393 a Of two faults committed therein 2 â—42 b Of pleasantnes therein and what circumstances are to bee obserued thereabout â— 528 a Figures vsed of Christ in his Speech 4 289 a Spheres The Spheres of heauen moued and gouerned by spirites 1 77 a ¶ Looke Intelligencies Spies What manner of men Spies must be 4 297 a Their office worke 4 296 b How they and traytors do differ 4 298 b The punishment of them if they be taken 4 296 b 197 a Spirite in diuerse senses The manifold signification of the worde Spirite 2 627 a 1 103 a When it is taken for the Trinitie 1 103 a To whome the same title was giuen 1 100 a The flesh and it sometime taken for one thing 3 366 ab Of the Spirite of adoption the spirite of bondage 2 594 b Why
I am led by the Hebrue phrase wherein one signifieth the first as in the booke of Genesis And the euening morning were one daie that is The first daie Also in another place when it is written Looke In the booke De votis pag. 76. set foorth at Basil In one of the moneth it is ment The first daie of the moneth And when it is written One moneth it must be vnderstood The first moneth Also we read in the Gospell of Marke the 16. chapter verse 2. And earlie in the morning in one of the sabboths they came vnto the sepulchre the sun being now risen where manifestlie by one of the sabboths is vnderstood the Lords daie Matt. the 28 In the euening of the sabboth when the first daie of the weeke began to dawne verse 1. So it is also written in the 24. chapter of Luke verse 1. verse 1. and in the 20. of Iohn And to inflame our minds to giue almes vnto the poore Paule did verie fitlie choose the daie of the holie congregation Why Paule chooseth for almes the daie of the holie congregation bicause of the word of God publike praiers and godlie lessons which be vsed vpon that daie through all which things we be put in remembrance of the benefits which God for his mercie sake hath bestowed vpon vs. Also we receiue the sacraments wherby is renewed the memorie of that most excellent benefit I meane the death of our Lord Iesus Christ And what christian mind is not persuaded to benefite his neighbour by the godlie remembrance of so great a good turne Who is it that will not when he reuolueth in himselfe with a godlie mind that the sonne of God gaue himselfe vnto death euen to the death of the crosse for his sake that will not I saie alonelie impart some of that earthlie riches which is bestowed vpon him but rather giue himselfe for his brethren We confesse also the communion of saints which will be either verie slender or none at all vnlesse it be confirmed by liberalitie towards the poore But there is no token of godlinesse or communion of Christians more excellent than is charitie Neither are we for this cause to be accused as obseruers of daies and of times Gal. 4 10. as were the Galathians as though we attribute more holinesse to one daie than to an other We onelie for order sake and a certeine ciuill custome of the church doo méet togither vpon that daie rather than vpon an other But in the epistle to the Galathians either they are reprehended by Paule which renewed the Iewish feast daies or else the Ethniks which superstitiouslie obserued the daies of the Aegyptians or of those that professed the Mathematicall sciences In 1. Sam. 1. verse 3. 5 Moreouer there may be manie causes reckoned whie GOD would haue the people yéerelie besides the sabboth daie to ascend to the place which he had chosen for religion sake Exo. 23 15. First he appointed the same bicause the remembrance of his benefits should not be forgotten but should be reuiued by yéerelie peregrinations For in the feast of Passeouer was celebrated the memorie of their deliuerance out of Aegypt and in the Pentecost the remembrance of the lawe giuen by Moses Further in both the solemnities there was thanks giuen for the new fruits receiued Three principall feast daies of the Iewes For in the feast of Easter they offered the first fruits of barlie and at Pentecost they offered bread made of new wheat Lastlie in the feast of Tabernacles was remembred the benefit whereby God sustained the fathers by the space of fortie yéeres in the wildernesse and thanks were giuen bicause they had now gathered in all the sorts of fruits And rightlie were these thrée principall parts of the gifts of God called to remembrance in these thrée peregrinations for they be speciall good things wherein consisteth the societie of man For the first felicitie of anie nation is that there be a common-weale and that it be frée and this the Iewes obteined when they were deliuered out of the hard bondage of Aegypt The second felicitie is to haue lawes and religion proper to themselues for no common-weale consisteth without lawes and religion The third is that there be no want of things necessarie for life Wherefore the remembrance of these benefits was yéerelie renewed by the commandement of God Further an other cause of this ascending to the feasts at Ierusalem was that the mutuall concord of the people in diuine seruice and religion might be preserued For when the Iewes were once gathered togither and did their sacrifices all after one and the selfe-same order it was most prudentlie prouided that sundrie religions should not arise The first cause was that the priests and Leuits might openlie teach them concerning the lawe and holie seruice whereby the people returned home much better instructed than when they came thither There is also a sixt cause alledged that in such an assemblie and mutuall beholding of one another charitie might the more growe and increase among the tribes For they sawe and talked one with another they kept their feasts togither and that which was most of all they ioined in publike and solemne praiers togither Furthermore by these peregrinations there insued a necessarie sustentation of the holie ministerie For the oblations and sacrifices were multiplied the greatest part whereof came to the priests and Leuits Besides this the minds of them that praied was confirmed that God would heare their praiers for he promised that in that place he would fulfill the praiers of the people Which cause vndoubtedlie should mooue vs to celebrate holie congregations for notwithstanding that we may praie at home yet séeing he promised that he will allow of our praiers Matt. 18 19 where two or thrée shall be gathered togither in his name therefore the appointed celebrations of the méeting togither in the church must not be neglected Moreouer God would that by such godlie peregrinations they shuld testifie their obedience especiallie in that they did not choose the place wherevnto they had accesse but it was appointed by the will of God And it must not be omitted that that place did represent Messias vnto the fathers without whom no works of men though they be trim and goodlie in shew can please God Lastlie that worke was a notable exercise of faith for so often as they were to go vp vnto the place which was assigned for diuine seruice the Hebrues were compelled to leaue all vacant and without gard at home For the enimies were at libertie in the meane time to breake foorth to waste and destroie althings Howbeit they obeied the word of God and little regarded whatsoeuer should happen committing all that euer they had to the safegard of God And so great a confidence had they towards God as they doubted not but he would defend their borders although they were desolate Thrée times euerie yéere it behooued
Christ himselfe although by his death he was to deliuer mankind yet did he neuer offer to kill himselfe but tarried to be slaine by others 2. Sam. 1 16 And when the Amalechit had said that he stood vpon the bodie of Saule while he was dieng and did presse him downe that he might die the more easilie Dauid answered Thou art the sonne of death But if it had béene lawfull for Saule to haue killed himselfe how could the yoong man which hastened his death be worthie of death For it is lawfull for one to helpe an other in an honest matter and especiallie his prince And if the lawe forbid thée to kill an other man it much rather forbiddeth thée to kill thy selfe sith that which is not lawfull for thée to doo to an other is vnlawfull for thée to doo to thy selfe Whence the rule of charitie must be taken For the rule of charitie must be taken from that charitie wherewith we loue our selues Furthermore thou killest either an offender or an innocent If innocent thou dooest iniurie to the lawe if an offender yet art thou iniurious against the lawe for thou bereauest thy selfe of time to repent And if so be God would suffer thée that thou mightest repent surelie thou that art not a magistrate oughtest to suffer thy selfe Thus much out of the holie scriptures Augustine Arguments out of the fathers 12 Augustine in his first booke De ciuitate Dei from the sixt chapter vnto the 20. disputeth hereof at large And the cause whie he wrote these things in so manie words was for that when the barbarous nations after the sacking of Rome did iniurie vnto yoong maidens and matrons manie rather killed themselues than they would abide such things But Augustine counselled that they should not so doo And in the 17. chapter he saith that It is not lawfull for anie to kill themselues either for obteining of good things or for auoiding of euill for it is murther which is forbidden by the lawe of God And Iudas Matt. 27 5. when he killed himselfe vndoubtedlie did slaie a wicked man yet is he guiltie saith he not onelie of the death of Christ but of his owne also The same father in the second booke and 19. chapter against Petilianus Thou saist saith he that a traitor hath perished by an halter and for such hath left the halter As if Petilianus would saie that it is lawfull for a christian man to reuenge his owne sinne vpon himselfe and they which would so doo should be accounted for martyrs But we saith Augustine account not such to be martyrs The same father in his 60. epistle and in the 204. dooth much more plentifullie dispute of this matter Ierom in his epistle to Marcella Ierom. concerning the death of Blesilla vnder the person of God saith I receiue not such soules which against my will went foorth of their bodies And those philosophers which so did he calleth the martyrs of foolish philosophie The same father vpon Ionas saith that It is not our part to plucke death to vs violentlie but when the same is offered to take it patientlie except saith he it be where chastitie is in danger Chrysost Chrysostome vpon these words of the first chapter to the Galathians He hath deliuered vs out of this wicked world Gal. 1 4. If so it were saith he that this life were euill they should not doo euill which kill themselues but we saie that they be wicked and woorse than murtherers The canons condemne those also which geld themselues And those canons which be called The canons of the apostles Canons of the apostles doo call such men murtherers of themselues But and if it be not lawfull for one to geld himselfe much lesse is it lawfull to kill himselfe But yet it must be noted that it is not there ment of them which for disease are cut by the Physician 13 Herevnto also agrée the better sort of the philosophers The better I saie Arguments out of the philosophers and poets Plato bicause I knowe that there were manie as Cleanthes Empedocles Zeno and others which slue them selues Plato in Phaedone saith that This thing for two causes is not lawfull First bicause it is not lawfull to slaie the seruant of an other and that all we be the seruants of God Secondlie for that soldiers be condemned if they forsake their station without their emperors commandement He saith that God hath set vs as it were in a station wherefore he that without his commandement shall leaue his place is a traitor Aristotle in the fift of his Ethiks saith Aristotle that It is not lawfull to kill a citizen without commandement of the lawe and magistrate and therefore they which kill themselues ought to be gréeuouslie punished for they are noted with infamie These things he said although it be reported that afterward for the auoiding of danger he did wilfullie kill himselfe Virgil. Virgil placeth these kinds of men in great torments in hell saieng Then lowring next in place beene they that fell with wilfull death And guiltlesse slue themselues with hastie hands abhorring breath And shooke from them their soules How gladlie now in skies againe Would they full poore estate and hardnesse of their life sustaine The destnies them resist and lake vnlouelie them detaines And bellie fenne that nine times flowes among them fast restraines Out of the Epigrams And one that wrote Epigrams saith Death to contemne in poore estate an easie thing it is In thrall to liue who can abide doth valiantlie ywis 14 In the Digests De bonis illorum Arguments out of the lawes qui ante sententiam sibi manus attulerunt aut corruperunt accusatores L. Qui rei it is decréed that they who shall kill themselues their goods shall be confiscate the reason is that they must be taken for such as haue confessed themselues guiltie Yet is the sharpnes of that lawe mitigated by Antonius the emperor for he decréed that that lawe shuld be of force if the crime be woorthie either of death or of banishment Wherefore they which for theft kill themselues are excepted They also be excepted which being wearie of life or impatient of sorowe doo slea themselues Also Adrian excepteth the father who being suspected of killing his sonne killeth himselfe for it shuld séeme saith he that he did it rather for the loue of his sonne than for guiltinesse of the crime And if so be that one going about to kill himselfe and others comming in the meane time doo let him of his enterprise so he doo this through an vnpatiencie of sorowe or wearinesse of life him also Adrian dooth except but if he shall doo it for anie other cause he appointeth him to be punished For he that will not spare himselfe saith he how will he spare others In the Digests De iure fisci in the lawe In fraude in the Paraph Si quis If anie through shame
owne nature ought to be kept sacred and inuiolated This did Lot vnderstand when he would haue put foorth his daughters to the naughtie lusts of the wanton Sodomits to the end they should doo no iniurie vnto them which were lodged with him And this same example did the old man followe which receiued the Leuite with his wife as strangers as it is more at large expounded in the historie of the Iudges Whose counsell Iud. 19 25. in betraieng his daughters although I allow not yet I doo verie much commend the defending of strangers Yea and the Gentiles worshipped Iupiter and gaue vnto him the name of kéeping hospitalitie knowing by the light of nature that God had a singular care ouer strangers and ghests Pythagoras Pythagoras also for this cause discommendeth the swalowes for that they lodge vnder the couering of mens houses and yet will neuer be made familiar or tame vnto their hosts Also there were sometimes certeine mischéeuous houses Certeine mischeeuous houses in the which none might anie longer inhabit as probable writers haue declared and that bicause the customes of hospitalitie had béene broken in them And contrariewise where hospitalitie hath béene well and faithfullie kept not onelie angels Gen. 18. but God himselfe also hath somtimes béene a most profitable ghest Matt. 25 35. Christ also in the end of the world will saie I was a stranger and ye lodged me commending his chosen in the sight of all the world for the vertue of hospitalitie And it is manifest that men in the old time wished that there should be great amitie betwéene the housekéeper and his ghest Lastlie GOD commanded that the Hebrues should not despise the Aegyptians Deut. 23 7. or wholie driue them awaie from them and that for this cause that at the beginning they gaue intertainement vnto their ancestors Wherefore we must conclude by a generall and ordinarie lawe that the customes of hospitalitie ought to be kept inuiolated And this also ought to be firme No lawes of freendship so necessarie but must be brokē when God commandeth that no lawes nor fréendships be they neuer so honest and iust but if God command otherwise they ought to be broken For so long must all these things be of force as they shall be allowed by the will of God Then séeing God had now cast out Sisara and the Chanaanits and would haue them to be destroied no couenants might iustlie be kept with them for we must rather obeie God than giue place to the reasons of men And of this will of God Deborah was both a prophesier and an interpretor She had declared that Sisara was now cast out by God and foretold that he should be sold into the hand of a woman Exo. 32 29. 12 After this manner the Leuits obeied Moses in the killing of their fréends and kinsefolks To whom Moses in the name of God said Ye haue consecrated your hands so farre was it off that they were reprooued for breaking the bonds of fréendship Ieremie also when by the commandement of God Iere. 48 20. he had declared that the Moabits should be slaine curssed those which had withdrawne themselues from that mind He is accurssed saith he that dooth the worke of the Lord deceitfullie In the lawe it is also commanded that none should be spared Deut. 13 6. which did intise anie to idolatrie no not the father nor the mother neither yet he which sléepeth in thy bosome Who séeth not here that the most néerest bonds of fréendships must be contemned if the will word of God be therevnto ioined Abraham was commanded to kill his sonne and that his onlie sonne Gen. 22 2. as touching whom he had receiued a most large promise The promise of God and the naturall loue of the father séemed to be against this commandement notwithstanding against both these being vrged by the word of God he ought to haue killed his sonne So must we thinke that all men although they be of nigh kin vnto vs are sacrifices to God so manie as he commandeth to be slaine Wherefore it is written in the 34. chapter of Esaie verse 6. The Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozra But they which with a preposterous clemencie What happeneth to them that haue a preposterous clemencie 1. kin 20 39. contrarie vnto the word of God will be mercifull let them remember what happened vnto the king of Samaria He when he had spared Benhadad the king of Syria contrarie to the commandement of God was in this manner reproued by the prophet in the name of God Thy soule shall go for his Of benefiting and vnthankfulnesse 13 Forsomuch as iustice and honestie require this In Iud. 12 ◠that we should giue thanks vnto them which haue bestowed benefits vpon vs nature followeth this order that we should conuert the effects into their causes forsomuch as they haue their conseruation and increase from thence from whence they spring This was due vnto Ieptha since he should haue had either the highest place or the next vnto the highest among those that had well deserued of the publike-weale The degrees of benefits For first thou séest some that when they bestowe benefits they haue onelie a respect to themselues So doo shéepheards neatheards and swineheards when they prouide pasture for their cattell whereof they haue charge since therein they séeke onlie for their owne gaine and commoditie Otherwise they haue no loue to oxen shéepe and swine There be others which in dooing of good haue regard both vnto themselues and also vnto them whom they doo helpe For the poore doo serue rich men princes partlie bicause they loue them and partlie to get some commoditie at their hands In the third degrée are those placed which doo in such sort bestowe a benefite vpon anie man as they looke for no recompense of him It oftentimes happeneth that when we sée one in miserie we are touched with mercie and we helpe him which without doubt procéedeth of humanitie Forsomuch as we are men we thinke that nothing belonging to a man but it apperteineth vnto vs. They are counted in the last and chéefest place which benefit others euen with their owne gréefe hurt and losse After this maner Christ dealt towards vs Wherein Ieptha is resembled vnto Christ he redéemed mankind with the losse of his owne life Whom Ieptha after a sort resembleth who deliuered the Israelites vnto libertie and that to his great danger Which he declared by this forme of speaking Iudg. 12 3. I haue put my life in my hands that is I haue not refused to indanger my life Wherefore the Ephramites were most vngratefull for so great a benefite The degrees of vngratefull men The first sort of vnthankfull men is when they requite not good to those that deserue it at their hands The second when they praise not nor allow well of those things which good men bestowe vpon them The
to our minds that in a maner it can neuer vtterlie be shaken off And forsomuch as of these naturall affections there are sundrie sorts or kinds for either they are betwéene the parents and the children or betwéen the husband and wife or else betwéene brethren the apostle expresseth that kind which most agréed with his exhortation which he had begun namelie to giue vs to vnderstand that our loue towards others ought to be a brotherlie loue Which therefore is more vehement than common fréendships for that these fréendships are dissolued euen betwéene honest men when they perceiue that their fréends are fallen awaie from iustice and are become wicked and corrupt But as touching our parents brethren and children it is vndoubtedlie a gréefe vnto vs to sée them behaue themselues otherwise than we would they should yet is not therefore the affection of our mind towards them extinguished Besides in these néere fréendships we expect not that in louing one shuld recompense another with mutuall benefits For we loue our children and brethren of our owne accord although they haue not bound vs vnto them by anie benefit of theirs towards vs. And forsomuch as these things ought to be obserued in christian loue therefore Paule calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although it come not of nature but of the spirit of God and of grace And how much the consideration of brotherhood is of force to stir vp loue betwéene christian men we are taught by the example of Moses For the next daie after he had slaine the Aegyptian Exo. 2 13. when he went to visit the Hebrues sawe a certeine Hebrue dooing iniurie to another Hebrue as saint Steeuen reciteth the historie said vnto them Acts. 7 26. Ye are brethren why doo ye on this sort iniurie one to another The strength also of this affect Gen. 45 4. Ioseph declareth For he when he ment vpon the sudden to reconcile himselfe vnto his brethren of whom he had béene sold to be a bond-man said vnto them I am your brother Ioseph And so soone as he had spoken that he could not refraine himselfe from teares So great is the force of this fréendship with the godlie Brotherlie freendship is of most force Neither is the mutuall loue betwéene christians without iust cause called a brotherlie loue séeing Christ called his disciples Brethren and that at that time chieflie Iohn 20 17. when after his resurrection he was now indued with immortalitie Aristotle in his ninth booke of Ethiks when he treateth of fréendship Among brethren saith he one and the selfe-same thing is distributed vnto diuerse And therefore forsomuch as they communicate among themselues in one and the selfe-same thing in good right the one loueth the other By that one and the selfe-same thing From whence brotherlie loue ariseth wherein brethren doo communicate he meaneth the substance of the father and of the mother whereof each haue their part The like consideration also is there betwéene the faithfull 2. Peter 1 4. for as Peter saith they be made partakers of the nature of God So as they ought to loue one another as brethren which if they doo not they are woorthilie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without naturall affections Which vice as a sinne most gréeuous Paule in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans verse 13. attributed vnto those which fell awaie from the true worshipping of God and were therefore deliuered by him into a reprobate mind In 1 Cor. 12 verse 31. What charitie is 10 But as touching charitie we haue decréed that the same is a bountifull gift of the goodnesse of God and is euermore ioined vnto true faith whereby we are iustified Wherefore none that is a christian indéed is vtterlie destitute thereof But to increase and giue it augmentation in vs if perhaps it become weake and faint and out of courage these helpes we may vse By what means charitie is woont to be increased First let vs diligentlie consider with our selues and weigh the benefits that we haue receiued of God by Christ He gaue his onelie begotten sonne for vs he deliuered vs from sinne from death from hell and from the diuell he adopted vs for his children and appointed vs heires of euerlasting life and he now féedeth vs nourisheth vs and as a most mercifull father bestoweth all care and good will vpon vs. These things if we oftentimes repeate in our memorie they may effectually kindle our mind to loue Christ and God our creator We must regard the dignitie of our neighbours Also let vs regard the dignitie of our neighbour who how weake soeuer he be and subiect to vices yet is he borne withall and susteined by God and indued with manie benefits He denieth him not the benefit of the sunne he sendeth his gratious raine vpon him he giueth him health and the riches of this world neither taketh he his image from him as he deserueth What cause therefore may there be why thou canst not abide him Peraduenture thou wilt saie that he is a wicked man I will aske of thée whether thou doo more detest and abhorre sinne than God dooth Where vndoubtedlie thou canst not answer otherwise than it is to wit that GOD dooth farre go beyond thée in detesting of sinne and wickednes And yet neuerthelesse séeing thou séest that he dooth not immediatlie reuenge but dooth prolong the time of repentance and defer the punishment whie doost not thou imitate him and amend thy neighbour with patience as much as in thée lieth But if peraduenture he shall séeme to be incurable thou must take héed as much as in thée lieth that by the often restraining of his naughtinesse A similitude there come not much harme We sée that the most wild lions being otherwise fierce and cruell beasts are kept in iron chaines and close places least they should doo hurt and that at the pleasure of their maisters who desire to behold in them both the workemanship of nature and the strength of this kind of beasts But wilt thou also to doo God seruice kéepe thy neighbour in gard and custodie though he be euill least he should hurt others that the patience of God toward them maie be séene and perceiued But if thou wilt saie that he is become so wicked as he cannot be staid from dooing much harme and that he must in anie wise be cut off then let publike authoritie I meane the magistrates execute their office For if we being stirred vp of our owne lust desire to reuenge we of our good cause shall make it euill But if thou take in euill part the iniuries and wrongs doone vnto thée The change of person profiteth much and therefore thinke that thou art moued vpon iust cause put the person of another man vpon thy selfe and imagine that those things which be committed against thée be doone against other men then thou shalt sée that the disquietnesse of thy
wedded thee vnto me with mercie and with loue And by this nation his will was to instruct the whole world at the time appointed Which was doon by the apostles when Christ was departed from the earth But that people was weake and féeble and aboue measure giuen to adulterie and idolatrie Wherefore God separated them from other nations and would haue them to dwell in the land of Chanaan apart by themselues and to bée kept in on euerie side with ceremonies rites as it were by schoole-maisters vntill this spouse was so strengthened and confirmed that hir faith was no more had in suspicion Which when husbands perceiue to be in their wiues they suffer them to go at their pleasure whither they will and to be conuersant with men neither doo they anie longer set kéepers to watch them so God when he had now by Christ giuen the holie Ghost vnto the church he remoued from it the custodie of ceremonies and sent foorth his faithfull to preach ouer all the world The selfe-same father prooueth in another place that the ceremonies and rites of the Iewes were not instituted by God of set purpose and counsell For God would haue a people that should worship him in spirit and in truth But the Israelites which had béene conuersant in Aegypt and had defiled themselues with idolatrie would néeds in anie wise haue sacrifices and ceremonies so as if these things had not béene permitted them they were readie to turne to idolatrie Wherefore God so dealt with them A similitude as the maner is of a wise Physician to doo who happening to come vnto one sicke of a burning feuer which for extreame heate requireth in anie wise to haue some cold water giuen him and except it be giuen him he is readie to run and hang himselfe or by some other meanes to destroie himselfe In this ill case the Physician compelled by necessitie commandeth a viall of water to be brought which he himselfe hath prepared and giueth the sicke man to drinke but yet with such a charge that he drinke no drinke else but out of that viall So God granted vnto the Hebrues sacrifices and ceremonies but yet so as they should not exercise them otherwise than he himselfe had commanded them And that this is true he prooueth insomuch as God prescribed not ceremonies nies vntill such time as the Israelits made the golden calfe vntill such time as he made manifest his wrath against the Israelites when they hurling in their braselets earings and rings caused a golden calfe to be made for themselues which they worshipped And séeing it is so we must grant this with Paule when he saith that the lawe is not by faith abolished although those ceremonies be taken awaie Vnto which doctrine Christ also agréeth Matth. 5 17 when he saith that He came not to take a waie the lawe but to fulfill it The sense of which words may easilie be gathered out of those things which we haue before spoken In 1. Cor. verse 8. 27 Moreouer let vs consider that in euerie ceremonie of the old lawe there were thrée things the first a commendation of anie benefit receiued secondlie a token and shadowe of Christ and lastlie a lesson of honestie and of framing a godlie life As touching the pascall solemnitie these things are most manifest First therin was a memorie of the deliuerance out of Aegypt a shadowe of Christ his death whereby we through grace be deliuered from eternall damnation Finallie by the swéete bread a purenesse of life was laid before our eies And euen the verie like may be perceiued in the rite of the first fruits therein was a giuing of thanks for receiuing new fruits and Christ was there signified to be the first fruits of the dead and the first begotten among many brethren And they were admonished that the first fruits of their actions were so due vnto God as for his sake they should order all their affaires And in euerie solemnitie through the death of the beast offered in sacrifice by faith was apprehended the sacrifice of Christ whereby they beléeuing in him were iustified There was also in them a celebration of diuine praises an holie congregation the administration of the word of God the communion of the faithfull and the confession of sinnes Such exercises as these are required to be in the whole life of christians In Rom. 10 verse 4. 28 Therefore Christ is the end of the lawe vnto righteousnes vnto euerie one that beleeueth And Christ is said to be the end of the lawe bicause he bringeth the perfection and absolution thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath two significations But we must note the propertie of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it signifieth two things namelie the extreame or vttermost part or limit of things And by this meanes death is said to be the end of liuing creatures not bicause we liue to the end we should die for that which is the woorsse cannot be the cause of the better Moreouer it signifieth the perfection and absolution of anie thing which is brought to the vttermost of his motion and bringing foorth Now although as touching the first signification Christ by his comming made an end of the lawe for he tooke awaie the ceremonies and the cursse thereof yet in that place Paule meaneth not that Christ is in such maner the end of the lawe But he hath a respect vnto the other signification of this word namelie vnto perfection and absolution forsomuch as Christ finished and perfected that which the lawe could not performe Which the better to vnderstand the scope and end of lawes must be considered Lawes are made to make men good and iust The scope and end of lawes for they set foorth things that be right and honest for no other cause but that they should be put in practise But among other lawes this that God made chéeflie requireth of men righteousnesse and holinesse But this it cannot bring to passe certeinlie not by default of it selfe but by reason of our corruption Howbeit that which it can doo it dooth namelie it vrgeth vs it accuseth vs and it condemneth vs that at the least we being ouercharged with so great a burthen may thinke vpon our deliuerer and by that meanes be conuerted vnto Christ by whom as well we may be absolued from sinnes as also by his spirit and grace be throughlie able as much as the condition of this life will giue leaue to obeie his lawe giuen vnto vs. Which two things Christ most liberallie giueth vnto them that beléeue in him And so is he called the end that is the consummation and perfection of the lawe This did Paule in plaine words expresse when he said That which was vnpossible vnto the lawe Rom. 8 3. in as much as it was made weake through the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the similitude of the flesh of sinne by sinne condemned sinne that the righteousnes
risen and we shall followe him at the time appointed The church is a bodie quickened by the spirit of GOD A similitude the which increaseth by degrées no otherwise than a liuing bodie is naturallie formed by little and little For of the power of forming which is in the séed first some one member is formed and brought foorth in the lumpe whether the same be the heart or anie other member it forceth not it sufficeth that sense and moouing be giuen to anie one of them The same spirit after that goeth forward by little and little to frame other members And euen this happeneth in the holie bodie of beléeuers wherein the spirit of GOD hath raised vp Christ the verie head of them all Afterward the same spirit by the same power whereby it raised vp Christ in all vs who be the déere members of his bodie will bring foorth the same effects of resurrection as we read in the first chapter to the Ephesians Ephes 1 19. and as we haue declared in that article wherein we intreated of the resurrection of Christ 48 But how great consolation that blessed hope bringeth to the godlie The hope of the resurrection bringeth great comfort to the godlie let euen they themselues iudge which in great ioie celebrate with such pompe and ambition the daie of their natiuitie or else that daie wherein they were preferred to some degrée of honour And thus they celebrate with ioifull memorie the beginnings of so great miseries and calamities as this life is subiect vnto and as are incident vnto principalities and worldlie honours This is the true natiuitie of the saints of Christ this is the true triumph this is that heauenlie interteining of them Then shall be opened vnto vs the wounds or rather the gates of glorie Here ought all our hope to reuiue if at anie time as oftentimes it dooth happen we appeare to be negligent and to go slowlie forward in the way of the Lord by reason of the burden of our flesh which oppresseth vs. On this wise ought our minds to be strengthened to endure the troubles which séeme to be hard and difficult vnto the bodie vnto nature and vnto the sense On this wise ought we to be confirmed to the mortifieng of our senses concupiscences séeing we know out of Paule that We Rom. 6 5. which haue beene partakers of the death of Christ shall also be partakers of his resurrection For then we shall be deliuered from the labours miseries sorrowes and torments of this life and we shall haue a bodie so much more excellent as a heauenlie and spirituall bodie dooth excell an earthlie and fleshie bodie And certeinlie I speake not this as though we should not recouer so much flesh bloud and bones as shall be sufficient vnto the constitution of a bodie but we beléeue it will be a much more excellent bodie bicause Heauenlie and Spirituall betoken names of nature The which titles and prerogatiues Paule 1. Co. 15 4◠in the first epistle to the Corinthians gaue vnto bodies renewed by the resurrection And Christ in Matthew Matt. 22 30. when he was tempted of the Saduceis promised that we should be like vnto the angels that in heauen there shall be no vse of matrimonie For séeing that death shall haue no dominion there shall be no néed also of generation which is granted vnto vs for supplieng the number of such as death taketh dailie awaie The same is affirmed touching hunger thirst and all that euill band of troubles Whosoeuer therefore goeth forward vnto so noble and glorious a state ought to regard but a little all the troubles and labours which he endureth for the name of Christ Yet this dooth not the wicked sort consider but it séemeth to be a matter of no weight vnto them that they submit their soule vnto the bondage of innumerable miseries and suffer the same to be mastred with the flames of naughtie lusts They doo not make anie account of hauing their bodie once frée and discharged from naturall necessities as men that iudge it a thing impossible bicause they measure the power of God by the course of those things which continuallie be brought foorth and be here among vs. But contrariwise the godlie which by vertue of the resurrection doo hope for that most excellent gift to wit that neither death nor yet other naturall infirmities may be able to doo anie more displeasure to the bodie must bend their whole indeuour to rid their minds from the tyrannie of vices and affections whereby they may be more and more confirmed in the hope of recouering of a frée bodie wherewith the mind may be cloathed that now through Christ hath gotten the victorie ouer lusts and sinnes which by meanes of the bodie and the flesh doo oppresse the spirit And this let vs desire of the eternall God and most mercifull father that he will vouchsafe to bestowe vpon vs at his owne appointed time and that through the merit of our Lord Iesus Christ for that immortall desires sake wherewith we wish after his kingdome And this we would desire with all spéed to be doone so that his glorie honour might be made more famous and knowne The life euerlasting 49 We which here liuing in the church by the spirit of Christ haue obteined remission of sins and when we haue atteined vnto regeneration in felicitie and glorie what either can we or ought we afterward wish but that it be granted vs to liue euermore ioifullie contentedlie and happilie in GOD through Christ And although such a state is for manie causes verie greatlie to be desired yet all the parts of that happie life must be referred to two good things the first hath respect vnto the soule Happinesse of eternall life in two respects and the other vnto the bodie Touching the which this I will saie brieflie that it will come to passe that all labours gréefes miseries and sorrowes which we are compelled to suffer in this vnhappie vale shall cease from the same And this is it which is said in the Apocalypse Apoc. 21 4. that God will wipe awaie all teares from the eies of his saints neither shall there remaine to them anie more sorrows lamentations sighs or wailings Wherefore our bodie shall méerelie be renued according as we treated in the article of the resurrection Vnto which sentences declared this we adde that there is a liuelie effectuall example in the resurrection of Christ what maner of heauenlie properties our bodies shall haue It is euident also euen in sundrie of his actions when he was cōuersant in this passible state of life Iohn 20 19. Iohn 6 19. what time as he shewed miracles euen in his owne bodie Acts. 1 9. He entred into the place where the apostles were the doores being shut He walked vpon the waters of the sea Luk. 14 39. and soonke not He was lifted vp into the aire or rather ascended into heauen as we
that God hath purposed that he will not haue mercie howbeit they are the cause of damnation which followeth in the last time but not of reprobation which was from the beginning The last end of reprobation is the declaration of the mightie iustice of God as Paule hath taught Rom. 9 17. namelie that These vessels are prepared vnto wrath bicause GOD would shew in them his power And God answereth of Pharao Exod. 9 16. Euen vnto this end haue I raised thee vp that I might shew in thee my power A néerer end is damnation which as it is iust so also is it allowed of God And yet the néerest end are sinnes Esaie 6 10. for God commanded that the people should be made blind that they should not vnderstand that they should not heare Least peraduenture saith he they may be conuerted and I should heale them For sinnes although as they are sinnes they are by God in his lawes condemned yet as they are iust punishments they are by him laid vpon the vngodlie for their ill deserts But we must not staie in these néerer ends we must go further that we may at the length come to that end which Paule hath set foorth namelie that The iustice of God should be declared And thus much hitherto as touching the first article 16 Now let vs come to the second wherein must be sought the cause of predestination The cause of predestination Forsomuch as predestination is the purpose or will of God and the same will is the first cause of all things which is one and the selfe-same with the substance of God it is not possible that there should be anie cause thereof Of the will of God may somtime be giuen a reason but neuer anie cause Howbeit we doo not therefore denie but that sometimes may be shewed some reason of the will of God which although they may be called reasons yet ought they not to be called causes especiallie efficient causes But that in the scriptures are somtimes assigned reasons of the will of God may by manie places be gathered The Lord saith that He therefore did leade about the children of Israel through the desert Exo. 13 17. rather than through shorter passages through which he could haue lead them bicause they should not suddenlie méet with their enimies Gen. 2 8. Adam also was placed in paradise to husband it kéepe it And God testified Gen. 15 16. that He would not then expell the Cananites out of the land of Canaan bicause they had not as yet filled the measure of their sins Howbeit although as we haue said the scriptures vse sometimes to bring reasons of the will of God yet no man ought to take vpon him No reasons to be giuen of gods will but out of the scriptures to render a certeine reason of that certeine will of God but that which he hath gathered out of the scriptures For as we are dull of vnderstanding so we might easilie vsurpe our owne dreames in stead of true reasons But that there are finall causes of the predestination of God we denie not There is a finall cause of predestination for they are expreslie set downe by Paule and especiallie when he citeth that of Pharao Euen to this end haue I stirred thee vp Rom. 9 17. that I might shew vpon thee my power but of the elect he saith that God would in them shew foorth his glorie Ibidem 23. The materiall cause also may after a sort be assigned The materiall cause of predestination may after a sort be shewed For men which are predestinate and those things which God hath decréed to giue vnto the elect by predestination as are these calling iustification and glorification may be called the matter about which predestination is occupied This moreouer is to be noted The end thereof is taken two maner of waies that the end may sometimes be taken as it is of vs in mind and desire conceiued and then it hath the consideration of an efficient cause for being so conceiued in the mind it forceth men to worke Somtimes also it is taken as it is in the things and as we atteine vnto it after our labours and then properlie it is called the end bicause the worke is then finished and we are at quiet as now hauing obteined the end of our purpose But we therefore put this distinction that if at anie time we should be asked Whether God doo predestinate men for works or no We should not rashlie either by affirming or by denieng giue hastie sentence for the ambiguitie is in this word For how it is to be vnderstood It may be both true and false that we be predestinated by woorks Ephes 1 4. and 2 10. For if good works be taken as they are in verie déed and are wrought bicause God predestinateth vs to this end that we should liue vprightlie as we reade in the epistle vnto the Ephesians to wit that We are elected to be holie and immaculate and that God hath prepared good works that we should walke in them As touching this sentence or meaning the proposition is to be affirmed But if that word For be referred vnto the efficient cause as though the good works which God foresawe we should doo are as certeine merits and causes which should mooue God to predestinate vs this sense is by no meanes to be admitted It is possible in déed that the effects of predestination may so be compared togither that one may be the cause of the other but they can not be causes of the purpose of God One effect of predestination may be the cause of another but they can not be causes of the purpose of God For calling which is the effect of predestination is the cause that we are iustified iustification also is the cause of good works and good works although they be not causes yet are they means whereby GOD bringeth vs vnto eternall life Howbeit none of all these is the cause or the meane why we are chosen of God As contrariwise sinnes are indéed the causes why we are damned but yet not why we are reprobate of God If sins were the cause of reprobation no man might be elected For if they were the cause of reprobation no man might be chosen For the condition and estate of all men is alike since we are all borne in sin And when at anie time Augustine saith that Men are iustlie reprobate for their sins he vnderstandeth togither with reprobation the last effect thereof namelie damnation But we may not so speake if by reprobation The purpose of God not to haue mercie is as free as the purpose to haue mercie Why the good works foreseene are not the cause of predestination A place out of the second epistle to Timoth. 2. Tim. 2 20. we vnderstand the purpose of God not to haue mercie for that purpose is no lesse frée than the other purpose of
that good thing which we perceiue cannot be obteined by our owne déeds for they are not by anie meanes to be compared with it For as the apostle saith Rom. 8 18. The tribulations of this time are not woorthie of the glorie to come the which shall be reuealed in vs. For they verelie that be indued with hope assure themselues that whatsoeuer they doo want in the strength of nature and in works shall be supplied by the mercie of God and the obedience of Christ And if a man demand whether a pure life and holie works can auaile anie thing to the certeintie of hope Whether good works auaile to the certeintie of hope Wée will easilie grant that it may so that we seclude the buieng and selling of merits for our works of themselues haue nothing at all wherby they can bring foorth hope Howbeit the persuasion of faith may of them take an argument to confirme hope and to reason in this sort God hath now of his méere liberalitie giuen me grace to doo this or that good worke to put awaie this or that vice out of my mind wherfore he will yet giue greater things and will not denie me those things which are remaining to saluation If the Sophisters had said thus they might haue béene borne withall Neither in verie déed is it contrarie vnto the apostles meaning for as wée shall a little afterward sée he would haue vs by reason of those things which God hath alreadie granted vnto vs to be certeinlie persuaded of his perpetuall loue towards vs. But these men haue both written and taught that hope it selfe dependeth of merits and so dependeth as to hope without them they saie is presumption and rashnes 50 But it séems that somewhat may be obiected out of the holie scriptures to make against this sentence of Paule wherein he saith that Hope confoundeth not 2. Tim. 4 16. For to Timothie it is written In my first defense no man was on my side and I was deliuered out of the mouth of the lion Whether Paule were frustrate of his hope and the Lord shall deliuer me from euerie euill worke Here Paule hoped to escape the persecution of Nero but he was deceiued for vnder him he was slaine The same apostle vnto the Philippians when he had said that He was distressed on both sides bicause on the one part he desired to be loosed and to be with Christ and for that on the other part he sawe it was necessarie vnto him for their sakes to remaine in the flesh Phil. 1 23. he addeth this And this I am sure of that I shall abide and with you all continue for your furtherance and ioie of your faith Here also againe it appéereth that the apostle hoped that he should be deliuered from that captiuitie the which neuertheles he did not escape Wherefore it might séeme that the same hope confounded him To answere to these things we will repeate that which we said before namelie that hope receiueth his certeintie of faith and faith hath his certeintie of the word of God Wherefore it followeth that either of them is as certeine as are the promises which be offered And God hath absolutelie God promised remission of sinnes and eternall life absolutelie and without condition We haue no absolute promise touching the dangers of this life and without condition promised vnto vs remission of sinnes and eternall life and hath commanded that we should without all doubting both beléeue and hope for them wherefore in these things neither faith nor hope can deceiue vs. But touching the dangers and aduersities of this life we haue no plaine and absolute promise but as they terme it vnder disiunction for God hath promised that he will either deliuer vs or else comfort vs in the dangers so that we shall not fall away but constantlie confesse his name or if we chance to fall he hath promised to restore vs againe that we may atteine to euerlasting life Wherefore it is not méet that the certeintie of hope should be fixed in one of these parts onelie which thing if anie good men at anie time doo the same springeth of earthlie affection and not of christian hope and therefore it is no maruell if they be sometimes deceiued But to returne vnto Paule he of a certeine great loue hoped to abide longer among the Philippians and to edifie them of the which thing séeing he was not instructed by the word of God Why Paule was sometime deceiued of his hope it came easilie to passe that he was deceiued But the summe of that godlines which belongeth to the Gospell is to determine certeinlie that God dooth loue vs and that he will at the length make vs blessed And if sometime the minds of godlie men be disturbed Same doubts of saluation arise euen in the godlie as though they doubted of the promises of God or of their saluation this happeneth not through the default either of faith or of hope but by reason that while we liue here we be not indued with perfection wherfore this doubting procéedeth from the flesh and from our humane wisedome Indéed we agrée with our aduersaries in this point that sometimes certeine doubts of saluation doo arise euen among the godlie But herein we disagrée from them namelie that they attribute this vnto hope but we saie that it commeth onlie of mans infirmitie and that it must be dailie corrected Let a man therefore thinke that he hath so much profited in faith and hope as he féeleth himselfe more constant and firme And in what sort these euils spring not of faith or of hope but of our owne corruption we haue before declared by an apt similitude and will now repeate the same againe No man can denie but that the mathematicall sciences are most certeine wherefore he which hath learned them exactlie pronounceth boldlie nothing doubteth of their conclusions but he that is but meanlie instructed in this facultie oftentimes doubteth and standeth in a perplexitie bicause he hath not as yet atteined perfectlie vnto those sciences Euen so are we tost with doubts not through faith or hope but bicause we doo not hope nor beléeue so much as is néedfull 51 But some man will saie that we are perraduenture deceiued hereby for that in stead of the true faith or hope we haue onelie the shadowes of them for we cannot easilie discerne the true faith hope from the feigned and counterfeit faith and hope I answere that by this instance cannot be taken awaie the properties of faith or of hope for although one or two cannot discerne them yet they remaine still firme in their owne nature As we sée it is in liberalitie and prodigalitie for there be manie that cannot distinguish the one from the other and yet are not therefore their properties conditions taken awaie Paule intreateth of the nature propertie of hope But if thou wilt afterward How true faith and hope are discerned
not imputed sinne By the which words we doo not onelie gather that the righteousnes by which we are said to be iustified sticketh not in our minds but is imputed of God that it is such an imputation as consisteth not of works but of the méere clemencie of God Further the apostle dooth by another propertie of good works confirme his opinion namelie The tenth reason bicause works are signes or seales of the righteousnesse alreadie obteined where he saieth of Abraham And he receiued the signe of circumcision being a seale of the righteousnes of faith which was in vncircumcision c. vers 11. Séeing therefore that good workes are signes and also seales which beare witnes of the righteousnes alreadie receiued they cannot be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies onelie that propertie but also euen those works which are called morall Euen verie morall works are seales of righteousnes imputed when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes tokens of our righteousnes Wherfore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuour our selues to make our vocation sure namelie by liuing vprightlie by good works yea and the forme of the promise which God made with Abraham 2. Pet. 1 10. is dilligentlie to be weighed for therevnto is not added a condition of the lawe The eleuenth reason or of works And séeing God added none what boldnes were it in vs to presume to doo it and Paule saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Abraham or to his seede Rom. 4 13. that he should be the heire of the world but through the righteousnes of faith For if those which pertaine vnto the lawe be heires then is faith made frustrate and the promise is of no force namelie because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise shall take no place And to beléeue that promise which shall neuer be fulfilled would be a vaine thing which vndoutedlie must néeds vtterlie be so if it be giuen vpon this condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectlie accomplish the lawe Vers 16. The twelfth reason But the apostle procéedeth further and by the iudgement of the most mercifull counsell of God decréeth after this maner Therefore is the inheritance giuen by faith and according to grace to the end the promise should be firme As if he should saie If the promise should depend vpon works our mind would continuallie wauer none might appoint anie certeintie of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not perfourmed those works for the which the promise was made To the end therefore we should not wauer Why God would that our iustification shuld come by faith vers 18. The .13 reason God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered by that which is declared of Abraham howe that Contrarie to hope he beleeued in hope He is said to beléeue in hope contrarie to hope which either in him selfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might persuade him to hope Euen as Abraham was an hundred yéeres of age his bodie was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which things naturallie put him from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we had merites or good works whereby we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrarie to hope but in hope and according to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise than we read it was in Abraham for he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him euen so shall it be imputed vnto vs. The .14 reason 12 But now let vs come to the .5 chapter There againe Paule plainlie expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he saith For Christ when we were yet weake according as the time required Rom. 5 6. died for the vngodlie And straight waie But God setteth out his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And he addeth vers 8. For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne vers 10. much more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodlie and the enimies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to obtaine righteousnesse at their pleasure when they list to doo good works Others maie beléeue it but the godlie will neuer be so persuaded This moreouer is another proofe in that he setteth foorth the cause of so great an euill when he saith Therefore vers 12. euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death The .15 reason euen so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned As if he should haue said We haue béene euen from the beginning by the first man lost and condemned And least thou shouldest thinke that infants are to be excepted he saith vers 14. Yea death hath reigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The masse or lumpe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from which corruption the holie scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their works and to challenge iustification vnto themselues Afterward in the .6 chapter thus speaketh our apostle vers 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death The .16 reason but now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these words than that all things which men doo before they beléeue in Christ deserue nothing else but ignominie shame And there is no fruit there of sanctification but it followeth regeneration it selfe And who will saie that we are iustified by those things which are full of ignominie and shame The .17 reason But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the .7 cap. Knowe ye not brethren for I speake to them that knowe the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer man as long as he liueth Rom. 7 1. For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be dead she is losed from the lawe of the man Wherefore if whilest the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke-breaker but if the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlock-breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead vnto the
nature or dignitie of persons since rather he putteth vpon vs all such persons as it hath pleased him Otherwise if respect be had vnto our originall we be all equall and deriued all from one clod of earth We cannot performe all things that be set foorth vnto vs by God 18 They saie also that whereas God laieth before vs two kinds of life namelie matrimonie or sole life vnlesse he should permit vs to haue a frée choise he might séeme to dallie and in vaine to set foorth those things vnto vs. If this kind of reasoning were effectuall a man might saie Séeing life and death are set before vs by God A similitude there is strength naturallie present whereby we challenge vnto our selues life refusing death And whereas in like maner there is set foorth vnto vs either the obseruing or transgressing of Gods commandements there is libertie granted and strength sufficient in vs to put in execution either of them at our owne pleasure When as neuerthelesse it appeareth most manifestlie that none without the singular grace of GOD can kéepe the commandements A similitude euen as a sicke man although that health be propounded vnto him can neuer of his owne bare and simple choise recouer health without the benefit of God by meanes of the physician and medicines A similitude Further whereas there be sundrie arts and functions of mans life which are set before vs yet are we not all fit for them neither haue we equall strength and power to compasse them There be some which are altogither vnapt to learne lawes or physicall sciences or languages or honest arts bicause perhaps they want memorie wit or industrie And to others which be of the weaker sort it would be impossible that they should take vpon them the feats of warre or the ship-mens cunning Wherfore touching virginitie or sole life there is no commandement extant which is not conuenient for all men Euerie one ought in himselfe to doo that which we sée the wiser sort of parents neglect not to doo towards their children when they are to put them to anie art or occupation verelie they search out what they can doo wherevnto they are apt and able which being knowne they determine of them as they shall sée them naturallie giuen and made therevnto Wherefore let vs not deale vnaduisedlie but let vs earnestlie desire God by praier that he will shew vs what kind of life may be most conuenient for our saluation that it may be conformable to the grace which is giuen and God will not faile them which inquire and aske counsell of him 19 They vniustlie accuse vs We despise not praiers fastings as though we despise praiers and fastings which thing they speake not trulie séeing we knowe that chastitie is conuenient both for matrimonie for sole life neither doo we thinke that it can be had vnlesse it be granted by God But this we saie and constantlie affirme that it is a rash part for vs to will and go about to prescribe vnto him in what state he should place and appoint vs when we burne and are tempted in such sort that we being ouercome doo yéeld our selues vnto lust leauing matrimonie which we may vse as a iust remedie appointed by God to giue our selues so long to praier and fasting vntill we win the will of God that he at our owne choise would haue vs not chast married folks but continent sole liuers In things indifferent God dooth not alwaies grant the suppliant that which he iudgeth good for himselfe In these indifferent things we obteine not alwaies that which we our selues thinke to be good for vs but rather that which GOD knoweth dooth make most for the sanctifieng of his owne name Paule praied to be deliuered from the sting of the flesh and from satan which buffeted him but he heard that grace should suffice him 20 They also which serue this or that saint An obiection argue after this maner God granted a sole life vnto Paule vnto Iohn therefore the same is granted vnto all I answer An answer that this is a verie cold cauillation séeing there is brought no full and perfect induction For as touching some The induction is not perfect it may be granted that God gaue particularlie vnto them the gift of sole life but that it is vnderstood to be of all men alike it is both false and against the holie scripture partlie in Matthew and partlie in Paule Also there is a place brought by them out of the epistle to the Philippians I may doo althings in Christ Phil. 13 4. who strengtheneth me But the sense of these words is not generallie to be taken for Paule was minded A place to the Philippians discussed Phil. 1 24 and 2 24. as it is there written to haue abidden longer with the Philippians who neuertheles could not escape the persecution of Nero the emperour Also he desired to haue the lawe of his members taken awaie Rom. 7 24. which resisted the lawe of the mind which might not be so long as he liued here Wherefore the apostle in that place spake of hunger thirst penurie pouertie and finallie of the crosse which Christ dailie laid vpon him to beare These things he said that he was able to endure through Christ but he spake not of those things which men by their owne rashnesse doo willinglie laie vpon themselues It is your owne lithernesse saie they for if you would no doubt but you might repell from you the burning and stings which ye alledge for an excuse Here we demand againe of them that when a man dooth that shaking off all slouthfulnesse which other men doo not whether he haue that which he hath of himselfe or of God Beware thou saist not Of himselfe for then shalt thou discouer thy selfe to be a Pelagian And if thou saie Of God then of necessitie thou confessest that there is something in him which is not granted vnto other men and that is euen the same which we speake of Certeinlie a miserable thing is the deriding which they make of vs when we vse to name the word Gift or Vocation and they saie that these be dreames and imaginations of our owne Howbeit these men should knowe that we are not ignorant that the Schoole-doctors haue not spoken on this wise howbeit the faithfull and such as be verie godlie and sincere haue not béene ashamed to vse these termes The names of gift and calling which the holie Ghost hath spoken in the holie scriptures The name of calling is vsed by Esaie in like maner by Ieremie and the other prophets Esai 49 1. Iere. 7 13. Ioel. 2 32. Rom. 8 29. Rom. 9 12. Rom. 11 29 1. Cor. 7 20. Gala. 1 15. in the new testament it is vsed in the 8. 9. and 11. chapters to the Romans also in the 7. chapter of the first epistle to the Corinthians in the first chapter to the
they prouided that those things which they taught The traditions of the apostles prooued by the scriptures maie be manifestlie inferred by those things which be written either by themselues or in other holie bookes For otherwise sundrie superstitions receiued in old time would euerie where be boasted of as things deliuered by the apostles which things can no other waies be knowen but bicause they be altogither strange from the scriptures And that which I haue affirmed we maie prooue out of the scriptures themselues 1. Cor. 11 5. 1. Co. 14. 34. 2. Thes 3 10 There is a tradition of Paule that A woman should haue hir head couered in the church and should be silent in that place and that the christians which be poore should labour with their hands least they should liue idlelie But these things séeing he confessed to be his traditions he indeuoured to prooue them by the holie scriptures Thus let our aduersaries doo if they will haue anie place to be left for their traditions The church hath beene many times in doubt of purgatorie It was long ere the Greekes would admit it 13 But to returne to our purpose Verie oftentimes there hath béene a doubt made of purgatorie and the Gréeke church in the councell of Florence long resisted And it is a wicked thing to expound the places of the scripture which are brought for the proofe of this opinion otherwise than the proper and lawfull interpretation doth require But those places being vnderstood on this wise they leaue no place for purgatorie as we shall perceiue when we come to the declaration of the same Augustine also spake diuerslie of purgatorie for in his Enchiridion vnto Laurence in the 66. chapter and againe about the end of the 68. chapter writeth that It is not vncredible but that there hapneth some such thing after this life yet he saith a question may be mooued whether it be so or no and that it may or may not be The verie which words he plainlie writeth vnto Dulcitius question the first Also in his treatise De fide operibus the 16. chapter he saith Whether therefore men suffer these things onelie in this life or else whether some such iudgements doo also followe after this life it is not far as I thinke from reason He vseth as thou maiest sée a disiunctiue spéech and that the same be true it sufficeth that either part be true Touching the articles of the faith we must not speake doutfullie But of an article of faith who would speake so doubtfullie as to saie whether Christ had true flesh or fantasticall whether in Christ were the diuine nature or onlie the humane nature and such other saiengs Those things which belong vnto faith must of necessitie be defined and ought to be certeine The verie same Father in the 12. booke De ciuitate Dei the 26. chapter speaking of the fire of purgatorie I doo not saith he reprooue this Augustine put a peraduenture touching purgatorie But in matters of saluatiō there must be put in doubt bicause peraduenture some such thing is But as touching those things which are necessarie to be beléeued vnto saluation it is not lawfull either to write or deale in that sort Thou wilt saie perhaps Although Augustine in these places séeme to be doubtfull yet that in other places he doth certeinlie affirme it I answer that those places wherein he séemeth to affirme it must be interpreted by these foure other places in which he hideth not the ambiguitie of the thing Whereby we must confesse that he was rather persuaded thereof by a certeine opinion than that he beléeued it so to be without all doubt The nature of an opinion bicause the nature of an opinion is that we giue an assent not without some feare or doubt that the contrarie opinion is true 14 But me thinketh this maketh verie much against this fained deuise A great argument against purgatorie that the holie scriptures haue made no mention of it Gen. 23 3. that the holie scriptures haue passed ouer in silence and made no mention of this so great a worke of charitie whereby brethren parents and children might be released from the most gréeuous vexations of purgatorie Assuredlie this were verie much to be woondered at In the old testament it is verie diligentlie set foorth that funerals were extolled for Abraham bought a field for the buriall of his wife The caue is described the price is expressed and all such things are so diligentlie recited as thou canst not thinke anie thing to be ouerskipped where notwithstanding there is not anie mention made either of purgatorie Neither in the funerals nor in the sacrifices of the old lawe is anie speech of purgatorie or of the purging of soules or of ridding the soule of him that is departed from the paines thereof either by sacrifices or praiers And in Leuiticus and other bookes wherein the lawe is described séeing there be sacrifices and oblations described for all states of men and for euerie kind of fault who will not maruell that there was nothing appointed for the dead and that there was so déepe silence as concerning the purging of soules in purgatorie The prophets also being excellent interpretors of the lawe The prophets neuer spake of purgatorie when in euerie place they doo commend the duties of godlinesse and charitie neuer set foorth vnto vs in their sermons anie thing that might prouoke and drawe vs once to thinke hereof Paule hauing the like occasion offered vnto him 1. Thes 4 13 when he wrote vnto the Thessalonians for he taught how to vse moornings in funeralles and those whom he admonisheth he onelie incourageth with the hope of resurrection should at the least wise in that place haue admonished Paule hauing a fit occasion offered him spake nothing of it that setting aside teares for them which they loued déerelie they should praie that they might not long be vexed with the paines of purgatorie He bringeth no such thing but after the doctrine of resurrection at the end of his exhortation he saith Therefore comfort your selues one another with these words Yea and Dionysius Dionysius whom they call Areopagita in his treatise De Hierarchia ecclesiastica when he purposelie demandeth the question whie the minister of the church hath praiers for him that is alreadie dead he maketh no mention of purgatorie but laboureth earnestlie to shew other causes But if he had beléeued that there is a purgatorie he might verie easilie haue satisfied the question propounded but it séemeth that he would rather determine of anie thing than to teach that by those praiers the soules of them that were departed should be deliuered from the paines of purgatorie 15 But now let vs sée how the holie scriptures be against this opinion In the fift of Iohn it is written verse 24. The faithfull doo passe from death vnto life He that heareth my words beleeueth in
Semie when as Abisai would haue killed him Ibidem 10. for How knowest thou saith he whether the Lord hath commanded him to cursse me That one and the selfe-same man may haue contrarie affections Dauid declareth when he saith Psal 2 11. Serue the Lord with feare and reioise in him with trembling But thou wilt saie that afflictions are euill how then can we reioise in them That they be euill no man will denie for they be punishments of sinne ministers of death the last enimie that shall be driuen out of the world and at length from godlie men be vtterlie remooued Apoc. 21 4 For God shall wipe awaie all teares from the eies of the saints We grant that afflictions of their owne nature are euill howbeit we saie Afflictions of their owne nature art euill Rom. 8 28. that vnto the godlie and to the elect of God of whom we héere speake they are by the clemencie of God made good and profitable for Vnto them all things worke togither for the best For neither doo they suffer these things to their hurt but to their triumph And these things are like vnto the red sea wherein Pharao is drowned A similitude but Israel is saued for in the wicked they stirre vp desperation but in the godlie a most assured hope They are instruments whereby as we haue said is shewed foorth the goodnesse and might of God both in comforting vs and also in erecting vs. They are occasions euen of most excellent good things The power of God is made perfect in our infirmitie By these things as by a fatherlie chastisement our dailie falles are repaired hautinesse and pride kept vntder the flesh and wantonnesse restrained our old man corrupted but our inward man renewed sluggishnes and slouthfulnes is shaken off the confession of faith is expressed the weaknes of our strength is discouered and we are prouoked more earnestlie to praie and call for the fauour of God and dailie doo better vnderstand the peruersenesse of our owne nature Besides through afflictions we are made like vnto Christ for It behooued Christ to suffer Luke 22 26 and so to obteine his kingdome we also ought to followe the verie same steps Matt. 11 12. Matt. 7 13. Phil. 2 7. For the kingdome of God suffereth violence and strait is the waie that leadeth vnto life But Euen as he after the obedience of the crosse was exalted 2. Tim. 2 12. and had giuen him a name aboue all names so we also if we suffer with him we shall reigne togither with him And it is a swéet thing for a louer euen to suffer for the thing that he loueth By this meanes also we accustome our selues vnto patience that being become as it were the Diamond stone we shall rather wearie them that strike vs than we our selues be broken For these things be as exercises in a humane bodie whereby rather the health is confirmed and the strength recouered than taken awaie or weakned through them Rom. 5 3. 11 Wherefore the godlie vpon good cause reioise in afflictions knowing that Affliction worketh patience And héere is to be noted a phrase of spéech much vsed in the holie scripture whereby that which belongeth vnto the thing That which belongeth vnto the thing is attributed vnto the instrument is attributed vnto the instrument or signe And that this is oftentimes vsed in the sacraments we haue prooued by the saieng of Augustine albeit that our aduersaries are earnestlie against it Héere Paule attributeth vnto afflictions that which is the worke of God of the holie Ghost namelie Afflictions of their owne nature woorke not patience to worke patience by which afflictions forsomuch as they are of their owne nature euill and odious patience is not gotten but rather shaken off And this doo we perceiue to be manifest in the wicked who at such time as they be somewhat gréeuouslie afflicted doo burst foorth into blasphemies and also fall oftentimes into desperation A similitude But as the physician of things venemous and hurtfull maketh most healthfull medicines euen so almightie God by his wisdome out of afflictions although they be euill things bringeth foorth most excellent vertues among which patience is one This vertue belongeth to fortitude wherevnto are referred all those things Patience belongeth vnto fortitude which the saints doo suffer whether it be in couragious abiding of afflictions of the bodie or else in subduing of reason and mortifieng of the wisdome of the flesh Manie Ethniks also suffered manie things with a valiant mind but yet indured them not with a me sound consolation Onelie they said that by sorrowe they could neither change them nor let them for they ascribed those things vnto the necessitie of the matter Wherefore they said that this is our lot that euen as it were in a banket we must either drinke or depart And if we chance to die either we shall haue no féeling after death or if anie féeling be we shall be in a better state In this maner did they frame themselues after a sort to beare all aduersities But in godlie men the consideration of fortitude and patience is farre otherwise The consolations of the godlie they haue other causes and other meanes whereby they confirme themselues For they beare not those things with a good courage as though they should happen at all aduentures but bicause they knowe that by singular prouidence they come from the most louing and almightie God from God I saie their father who with a louing mind and by his right hand Psal 119 17 sendeth vpon them those afflictions to wit Iames. 1 2. vnto the saluation of the elect And for the same cause they also with their right hand that is to saie patientlie doo receiue them and take them in good part crieng with Dauid It is good for me that thou hast humbled me and with Iames They reckon that all ioie consisteth in those aduersities which the most good and the most wise God their father sendeth They alwaies lift vp the eies of their mind to those promises of Christ Matt. 5 4. Blessed are they which moorne for they shall receiue comfort Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you and persecute you and saie maner of euill against you for my sake falslie reioise and be glad for great is your reward in heauen They doo beare all things with a good courage not bicause in sorrowing they cannot be changed but bicause they knowe that in valiant suffering they offer themselues an acceptable sacrifice vnto God and persuade themselues that they shall one daie be deliuered from those euils in the stéed whereof are laid vp for them most ample ioies and quietnesse wherewith no fortune be it neuer so aduerse may be compared For The sufferings of this life Rom. 8 18. are not woorthie of
so gréeuous wickednesse And verie well doutles among the Hebrues is both glorie toong signified by the word Cauod for albeit that mans dignitie dependeth of a reasonable soule Whie the Hebrues call a toong and glorie both by one name yet the same being inuisible is not known by anie other thing more than by spéech Wherevpon some haue taught that the speciall distinction of mankind is that he is indued with the gift of speaking And Aristotle said that Woords are tokens of those passions or affections which be in the mind Also Democritus taught that Speach is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A certeine flowing of reason for the thoughts of our reason which be hidden flowe and breake foorth by words So as the meaning of Dauid is I haue conceiued so much ioie in my mind as my toong excéedinglie reioiseth in giuing of thanks and setting foorth of his benefits Neither dooth my gladnesse there cease but it also replenisheth the bodie For my flesh shall rest in hope The verbe Iaschab betokeneth not onelie To lie or rest but also To dwell wherevpon some haue interpreted It shall boldlie dwell And from whence this confidence ariseth he straitwaie addeth Bicause thou wilt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption My flesh dooth rest in hope or boldlie dwelleth bicause I hope that I shal be raised from death vnto life and that life not to be common but a true happie and euerlasting life Therefore he addeth Thou shalt shew me the path of life the fulnesse of ioies is in thy countenance at thy right hand are pleasures for euermore 29 These verses of Dauid were alleged in the Acts both by Peter and Paule Acts. 2 25. Acts. 13 35. before the people of Israel as being things which perteined to the resurrection of Christ But in the examination of them thrée things séeme to be alledged first that the sense of the words be vnderstood secondlie to knowe whether they doo belong vnto Christ or vnto Dauid last of all how they may be aptlie applied to our resurrection First and formost we must call to mind that the iudgement was pronounced by God Gen. 3 19. against Adam and his posteritie that by death they should returne into the earth from whence they were taken and in the earth they should perpetuallie haue remained vnlesse Christ by his death and resurrection had cut off and abrogated that cursse He verelie died and was buried but he liued not so long in the sepulchre that his dead bodie did putrifie He died and was buried as other men be but sawe not corruption in like maner as they did Other men also shall not be left in the graues séeing that in the end of the world they shall rise againe yet shall they not escape corruption although that their bodies by the trauell of physicians be preserued either with myrre or alloes or baulme or with other spices For the flesh is consumed and being wholie dried vp it cleaueth to the bones being so corrupted and changed as it may rather séeme to be skin than flesh The elect while they liue here are not deliuered from troubles vexations calamities and diseases yea in comparison of others they suffer gréeuous things and yet they are said to be at rest verelie not in act but in the hope of resurrection Thereby are they comforted in the midst of death by it the martyrs did constantlie suffer and were liberall of their life and bloud for the name of Christ And that this hope is to be vnderstood of the resurrection the words which followe doo sufficientlie declare Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell nor suffer thy holie one to see corruption This hope neuerthelesse albeit it doo cheare vs vp verie much and doth excéedinglie strengthen vs yet hath it sighs sobs ioined therewith For Paule in the 8. chapter to the Romans verse 22. writeth We hauing the first fruits of the spirit doo sigh in our selues expecting the adoption and redemption of our bodie for through hope we are saued 30 Moreouer that saieng hath a great emphasis Psal 16 10. What emphasis these words haue Thou shalt not leaue my soule in the graue wherein it is written Thou shalt not leaue me in the graue for thereby Dauid prophesieth that Christ should be buried For we leaue not anie thing in a place vnlesse it were first put there Wherefore he dealeth not in this place touching anie protection safe custodie and defense of the flesh in this world but of the resurrection of the flesh and eternall life Euen cattell and brute beasts when they die be at rest as well from diseases as from labors but they rest not in hope bicause they hope not for the blessed and happie resurrection The Hebrue word Chasid is translated by the Septuaginta 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holie So was Christ peculiarlie called Acts. 3 14. The holie one of God and so did the diuels call him Mark 1 24. Luk. 4 34. as we read in Marke and in Luke Scheol among the Hebrues expresseth both a graue and also hell of the verbe Schaal which is To craue bicause these things séeme euermore to demand and craue neither are they at anie time satisfied The 70. interpretors and the apostles in the Acts said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into hell But Schacath is deriued of the verbe Schacath which signifieth To destroie and corrupt wherevpon as well a hole as a graue is called Schacath bicause dead carcases doo there putrifie and corrupt Thus much of the names So as the confession of our faith hath that Christ was dead and buried but yet so as neither his soule was long deteined in hell nor yet his bodie so long taried in the graue that it had triall of corruption These words conteine singular and excellent comfort as touching the flesh séeing we beléeue that the same shall be raised vp from death Which doubtlesse would be no comfort at all if so be that our bodie and flesh should be subiected vnto perpetuall death The elect doo aduance their ioie and hope bicause they be not afraid of death They knowe that in these words there is no speaking of a certeine short deliuerance to be giuen vnto them for a time Certeinlie Dauid was manie times deliuered from sundrie dangers and from most sharpe and deadlie sicknesses and for those benefits he in his psalmes gaue GOD sundrie thanks for he acknowledged that those things were laid vpon him for his benefit But in this place he speaketh of eternall life and of the chéefe felicitie which the words that followe do declare when it is said Thou shalt shew me the path of life in thy presence is the fulnesse of ioies at thy right hand there are pleasures for euermore But it is a cold comfort that ariseth thorough hope of deliuerance from one danger or another and from one disease or another when others be at hand
and that finallie we must die for that in déed is nothing else but euen to take breath for a time Further I passe it ouer that such benefit is common to vs with the wicked bicause both their death is oftentimes deferred and they escape from sundrie sicknesses But this is the great happinesse of the godlie that vnto them death is turned into rest and the graue is not properlie corruption vnto them in the which they swéetlie lie being now deliuered from the troubles and labours of this life And when it is said that the flesh dooth rest in hope it must not so be vnderstood as though the carcase or dead flesh dooth hope For if we consider of it as it is separated from the soule it is a brute and rude thing neither dooth it hope nor despaire but the meaning is that the godlie while they liue here doo so comfort themselues as they hope that their flesh shall both rest and be restored vnto a most happie life If Dauid which liued vnder the lawe and in the old testament thus prophesies concerning the resurrection of the dead and of Christ how dare foolish men saie that the fathers in the old testament were ignorant of these things Peter aduised the Israelites that they should giue credit vnto Dauid bicause he could rightlie pronounce of these things in that he was a prophet whose function is to foreshew of things to come Further that Christ was promised vnto him by an oth and that not onelie he should come foorth of his stocke but that he should sit vpon his seate that he might faithfullie gouerne and rule the Israelites 31 Nor must it be forgotten that Dauid did not write The words of the psalm I shall rest in hope I did rest in hope but he attributed the same to his flesh least he should giue cause of suspicion that death did also perteine vnto the soule for there be such as thinke that the soule dooth perish togither with the bodie Further that at the resurrection of the dead both parts shall be restored the which opinion we haue before confuted by most euident testimonies of the scriptures And that the thing may yet more manifestlie appéere it is to be vnderstood that Soule in this place is not taken by all men after one maner for some doo consider of the same properlie as it is distinguished from the bodie and then they take the word Scheol not for a graue but for hell to haue the sense to be that Christ was not to be forsaken in hell but should quicklie be restored to his bodie The descending of Christ into hell And vndoubtedlie the greatest part of the fathers when they would confirme the going downe of Christ into hell doo vse this interpretation from which also the apostles doo not flie who said with the seuentie interpretors Thou shalt not leaue my soule in hell and turned not the word Scheol sepulchre But others doo vnderstand Soule as though it should signifie a dead man that is the dead carcase it selfe and they thinke it to be said Thou shalt not leaue me being dead that is my dead carcase in the graue so as if the same thing were repeated in the second clause which was spoken in the first namelie that it is all one to saie that the holie one shall not sée the graue and to saie my soule shall not be left in the graue This interpretation Dauid Kimhi followeth Now that the soule dooth sometimes signifie a dead man or a dead carcase it is read in the 21. verse 11. of Leuiticus where God commandeth the Israelites that they should not contaminate or pollute themselues ouer a soule that is ouer a dead man or ouer a dead carcase But for this matter I meane not now to contend But yet as touching that which belongeth vnto the descending of Christ into hell which is gathered of the former exposition I thinke it not amisse to haue noted that they flie from the true marke which thinke that the soule of Christ did so descend into hell where the damned soules are punished for their deserts as that he suffered there also the punishments and torments of the vngodlie to the intent that we should be deliuered from those euils These be deuises of men neither are they grounded vpon anie of the holie scriptures naie rather when Christ was at the point of death vpon the crosse Iohn 19 30. he said It is finished bicause in dieng he had finished his vocation so far foorth as he was sent for the redéeming of mankind and by that one onelie oblation or sacrifice as it is written to the Hebrues Heb 9 10. he obteined saluation for vs. And we read euerie where in the holie scriptures that we by the death crosse and bloud of Christ are redéemed but we read no where that we are redéemed by the torments and punishments in hell which happened after his death Further when he was euen now dieng he said vnto the father Luk. 23 46. Into thy hands I commend my spirit and they which be in the hands of God vndoubtedlie are not tormented with the paines of hell But of this matter we haue sufficientlie spoken at this time for I thinke that hereby it is plainelie shewed what sense is to be gathered out of the words of Dauid Now resteth to be considered whether this oracle were vttered concerning Dauid himselfe or touching Christ 32 The Hebrues and chéeflie among them D. Kimhi thinketh that the prophet spake these things of himselfe namelie that he beléeued he should in that sort be protected and deliuered by God as he should neither be left in his sepulchre nor sée the graue Howbeit Peter excepted him and such other verse 19. as we read in the second chapter of the Acts saieng vnto the Israelites For I may boldlie speake vnto you of the patriarch Dauid that he is both dead and buried and that his sepulchre remaineth with vs vnto this daie By which words he sheweth that his dead bodie was not onelie left in the sepulchre but that it there became rotten and that therefore that prophesie could not be applied vnto him but was fulfilled in Christ But the Hebrues laugh vs to scorne and saie Without all doubt your Christ died and was buried as ye your selues confesse how commeth it then to passe that he sawe not the graue We answer How Christ sawe not the graue that we in verie déed confesse that Christ died but yet not so that he was deteined either by death or by hell Wherefore his dead bodie was not left in the sepulchre neither did he sée corruption if we vnderstand Schacath to signifie Putrifaction which by the apostolicall doctrine is the lawfull interpretation thereof But if we yéeld vnto these men to wit that by that word is signified either a graue or a sepulchre we will saie that it was pronounced of Christ that he should not sée the graue either by the
that subiectes which obey those lawes be well aduised And let this much suffice for the question propounded 6 But passing ouer these things In 1. kin 21. at the beginning two things come now to minde to be examined which serue to our purpose For there be two things which pertaine not to our right and power and yet are they sometime required of princes therefore we must sée whether it be in our hand to giue them There be certaine goods which be called Ecclesiasticall goods of the which the Bishops and Ministers of the Church be disposers and haue the charge but are not frée and absolute lords For they be assigned for the liuing of the Ministers and for sustenance of the poore Neuerthelesse this doeth Princes oftentimes require that they should be giuen to them and to their nobilitie There is also a Catholike sound faith which is not ours but must onelie be agréeable to the doctrine of the holie Scriptures and oftentimes notwithstanding it is required by Monarches and Tyrants that we should bend and apply the same to their will and pleasure Wherefore it is demanded whether in those things we should alwaies follow the constancie of Nabaoth whereof there is mention made in the xxj Whether goods ecclesiastical are to be deliuered vnto Princes Chapter of the first booke of Kings As touching the first to wit Ecclesiastical goods the opinion of all men is not one reasons are foūd for both parts They that wil not haue those things to be giuen say that these goods be not the goods of the ministers but of the Church so as it is not lawfull for them to plucke away those things that be none of their own Leo the first of that name writing vnto a Bishop néere Sicilia said these goods are not ours but are committed vnto vs. Further they saie that those things being giuen vnto kings princes are not conuerted vnto good vses but serue vnto riot and courtlie pompe and they thinke it rather the part of a Magistrate to prouide that those be well distributed and bestowed And that if he shall perceiue that Ecclesiasticall men performe not the same both they maie and ought to driue them to doe their office Ambrose Verilie Ambrose would not deliuer the Church vnto Valence the Emperour when he required the same Laurence Laurence also would not deliuer the Treasures of the Church vnto the most cruell Emperour Decius but bestowed them vppon the poore Further hee shewed vnto the Tyrant the lame the blinde the afflicted and néedie and those he said are the treasures of the Church On the other side Augustine being a man of a gentle and méeke nature Augustine was a man of méeke nature was not austere and strait in defending of those things Naie rather as Possidonius the Bishop of Calamensis reporteth in his life the 33. Chapter when some of his Clergie were enuied by reason of certaine Farmes and possessions which they had said openlie vnto his people that he had rather liue of those things which should be giuen by the people than to take vpon him the charge of possessions landes of the which he with his might be maintained and that he was readie to giue place that they themselues and the Ministers should be maintained by the oblations of the Aultar as they were in the olde Testament And this he not onely spake in wordes but performed it by a certaine déede which differeth not from this his saying For vppon a time a certaine noble man of Hippo who notwithstanding liued at Carthage franckly and of his owne accorde gaue to the Church of Hippo wherof Augustine had the charge a possession by writings made and sealed which writings he deliuered to Augustine and his clergiemen onely reseruing vnto himselfe the profite of the land during his life But after a certaine time when he had repented him of his graunt he sent his sonne vnto Augustine to require the writings of the graunt and in the meane time he would giue a hundreth shillings to be bestowed vpon the poore These things being heard Augustine lamēted and sorrowed not for the possession demanded againe but for the inconstancie of men For he reprooued him by letters but he restored the writings of the gift neither woulde he receiue those hundreth shillings And yet neuerthelesse he feared not to alienate from the Church that right of Donation which he then possessed The question is difficulte Note in the resoluing whereof I was first of this opinion that if the Magistrate and Prince woulde take awaie those goods they should not be resisted by force Howbeit if they would compell me to deliuer those things I should not easilie yéelde vnto it 7 But oftentimes it commeth to passe that Princes and Magistrates will not take awaie those goods by force but they would haue them deliuered by writings of exchāge or alienation made and sealed And vnlesse this be doone there is a danger least their mindes should be alienated from the Church and from the reformation thereof And whereas they maie séeme after a sort to fauour religion and if they be reiected they will hinder the same and through them the Church shall want good Ministers and Papistes shall be called in the people shall be destitute of syncere and pure doctrine neither shall the same haue a due administration of Sacraments For what vses the goods of the Church may be deliuered When the cause then cōmeth into so great daunger then if that any goods of the Church be deliuered to the end that the Church maie be redéemed from such vexations they which so doe must not in my iudgement be thought to sinne For if it be lawfull to sell the goods of the Church for redéeming of the beléeuing captiues why should it not also be as lawfull for the redemption of the Church it self That the goods of the Church maie be solde to that vse Ambrose declareth Ambrose who in his second Booke of Offices Chapter 28. saieth That Ambrose tooke the goods of the Church and imployed them to godly vses that he sometimes for this cause incurred the enuie of the Arrians for that he melted the Challices of gold the holy vessels whereof he might make a benefit for the redéeming of captiues further that he defended that the soules of the Captiues which were redéemed bée more acceptable vnto God than vessels of golde and other ornaments of Temples Beside this he rehearsed the example of Laurence of whom we spake a little before The example of Laurence adding that the Church hath gold not to kéepe it but to bestowe it That the verie same is lawfull Gratian in the decrées 12. Quaest 2. Can. Apost And it is out of the sixt Synod And the same thing is in the same place in the Canon Et Sacrorum Can. Therfore if it be lawfull to redéeme captiues with the Church goods alienated awaie it shall be much more
lawfull to redéeme the Church it selfe being captiue Another argument also maie be drawen from the ciuil lawes which graunt vnto a guiltie man in perill of his life and that should fall into extreme punishment to redéeme for a price euen his owne bloud namelie by making agréement with the accuser that he should surcease his action And this is in the Code De Transact in the law Transigere And in the Digestes De eorum bonis qui ante sententiam latam mortem sibi consciuerunt in the first law And if it be lawfull for a man through the abandoning of goods and possessions to redéeme his owne bloud why maie it not be lawfull for Churches which belong vnto eternall life to redéeme by their outward goods séeing these things are more of value than corporall life 8 But they saie no man can giue these things because they appertaine vnto the Church and are not in the power of any particular men I answere Neither woulde I that a Bishop or Minister of the Church doe this by his owne onelie counsell and will but that the Church shoulde be priuie and consenting to the same Ouer this let vs imagine that there is some stewarde which gouerneth the goods and possessions of his maister If it happen that he commeth into the daunger of his life or be taken prisoner who will blame the good steward if by selling some of his maisters goods he redéeme him and deliuer him from calamitie If it be lawfull to giue skinne for skinne Iob. 2. 4. all that we haue for the soule that is for the life doubtles it is much rather to be done that we may haue the pure Gospel and maie obtaine eternal life Let vs put the case that there is some Pope created which neuerthelesse is not to be looked for but for example sake let one be imagined Note that will saie vnto our men permit ye me that I maie possesse these Cities and Castels and I will suffer that ye shall haue the Gospell frée The libertie of the Church is to be redeemed that ye shall reforme the Churches as ye will I will not trouble you nay rather I will be fauourable to your indeuours Who woulde not giue these things vnto him Wherefore if anie being put in such or in the like danger doe deliuer anie goods of the Churches vnto Princes they are not straight waies to be accused as though they haue sinned nay rather if they obstinatelie delaie to doe it they maie incurre the suspition of couetousnesse Yet this must they take héede of namelie that they being mooued through Ambition to attaine vnto dignities or Bishoprickes or other spirituall promotions shew not themselues readie either to giue or alienate such goods This also must be foreséene that they giue not vnto their néere kinsfolke and friends those things which they faine that they would not graunt vnto Magistrates and Princes But as things now are in Popish religion I cannot tell what profit it maie be to the Church that so manie and so great riches are possessed by Ecclesiasticall men as they will be called séeing they abuse those goods especiallie against the Gospell and profession of true religion The effect is that in this difficult hard cause I would allow that if it might possiblie be they which haue the gouernment of Churches should not resist Magistrates which pluck awaie such things by force and yet that they should not by their owne proper assent deliuer thē Howbeit if the same be done at anie time in maner forme as it is now described in my iudgmēt it cānot be blamed 9 But as to the other kinde of good that is to wit the true and right faith because the same is the vine of God Whether the true and right beliefe is to be yeelded to the persecuters of the Church it is lawfull for no man to yéeld that vnto anie For nothing must be added or diminished at princes pleasures In this matter verie manie at sundry times departed from the constancie of Nabaoth Verilie there were some weake men in the time of Dioclesian and Maximinianus which deliuered euen the verie holie bookes to be burned Of which offence Coecilianus Bishop of Carthage was greatlie accused by Donatus Whence arose the heresie of the Donatists whereupon arose the heresie of the Donatistes Moreouer vnder Constantius some which otherwise were good Bishops being forced by feare The father of Gregorie Nazianzene subscribed to the opinions of the Arrians among whom was the father of Gregorius Nazianzenus Also manie reuolted what time as Iulianus the Apostata obtained the Empire neither did they faithfullie kéepe the vine of the Lorde I meane the inheritance of their parentes 10 But in verie déede the Clergie and Ecclesiasticall men contend In Rom 13 verse 9. that they by the benefite of Princes are exempted from tributes and customes Doubtlesse Christ vsed not this priuiledge for he prouided to paie tribute both for himselfe and for Peter Mat. 17. 27 Why the Clergie be exempted frō tributes customes Looke after in pl. 13. Art 23. Againe if we looke vpon the Ciuill lawes they are not exempted from all burthen of tributes Iustinianus in déede willed that they should be frée from personall offices as it is in the Code de Ecclesijs episcopes And those are called personall offices which we execute giuing hereunto industrie and labour onely For if the ministers should be bounde to them it coulde not be chosen but that they should be hindred from their function And the same Iustinian séemeth also to haue exempted them from extraordinarie and not from ordinary exactions Yea they are bound to the mending of common high waies and to repairing of bridges Neither doeth the lawe of charitie suffer that when as they possesse landes and manie other things they should withdraw themselues from ciuil burthens and laie the whole weight vpon others 2. Cor. 8. 13 that there should be a burden vpon all others and they onelie discharged Bonifacius the 8. A most vniust decrée of Boniface the 8. a man as the Papistes themselues confesse ouer proude and arrogant in his decrées as we haue De Immunitate ecclesiarum made a decrée wherein he ordained that Ecclesiasticall men be altogether frée from all payment of tributes yea rather he straitly forbiddeth thē that without the commandement of the Romane Bishop none should be so hardie as to paie anie thing to prophane Princes A most grieuous constitution of a most outragious man from whence haue sprong welnéere infinite garboyles and endlesse quarels Howbeit some haue patched it vp with a goodlie interpretation namelie that somewhat notwithstanding maie be exacted of them if Church matters or Religion or common weale be in any extreme danger As though for sooth these men ought not to succour the cōmon weale except when it is in extreme necessitie A Philosopher wittily quipped by Dioclesian I remēber a verie wittie
strength the names of dedication be of In Hebrew there be two verbs Chanac and Cadasch which in the coniugation Hiphil hath Hicdisch and is nothing else but to sanctifie But Chanac signifieth to teache and instruct in the first principles Wherefore Salomon in the Prouerbs the 22. Verse 6. Chapter wrote Chanoc Iannaar Aalpi darco which is Instruct a childe according to his waie that is to saie as his capacitie will serue Gen. 14. verse 14. And in Genesis we reade that Abraham for the recouery of Lot armed Eth Chanicau his house borne seruantes whom he had trained not onelie in religion but also in necessarie artes Moreouer that verbe signifieth to dedicate because it is then doone so soone as we begin to vse anie thing Wherefore Chrysostom vpon the Epistle to the Hebrewes saieth that consecration or dedication is then doone so soone as euer we beginne to vse it And not onelie are temples dedicated but manie things else as a house And therfore the title of the 30. Dedication of priuate howses Psal is Schir Channucath both Iedauid that is The dedication of the house of Dauid Then also men are said to enter their house when they first begin to eate to drinke and to dwell therein Which thing the godly without prayers and thanks giuing vse not to doe Therefore Dauid when he had dedicated his house made a song or Psalme wherein both he himselfe gaue thankes vnto God and also prayed that the same might be godly religiously and holilie vsed Of such dedication also there is mention made in the 20. Chapter of Deuteronomie Verse 5. wherein are deliuered preceptes of warfare Verilie God woulde that manie shoulde be excepted from the warres and those among the rest which when they had built an house had not after dedication vsed the same And in the Booke of Nehemias there is a dedication of the walles of a Citie Nch. 12. 27 Dedication of the wals of a Citie the maner thereof which was no thing else but that the walles of the Citie being made vp the people together with the Leuites and Priests and also the Princes went thither and there gaue thankes vnto God because the walles were reedified and prayed that the Citie might be righteouslie vsed After which maner likewise before we take meate we also consecrate the same Consecrating of meates Gen. 1. 31. not that we thinke that the Diuell is therein or that it is euill in his owne nature Because God sawe all things that he made and they were exceeding good and Paul in the first to Timothie verie well said 1. Tim. 4. 9 That the things which God hath made be good that therefore nothing must be reiected which is taken with thankesgiuing for it is sanctified by the word of God and by prayers But in our consecration we first giue thankes vnto God that he hath prouided for vs these helpes of life Further we craue that our bodies may not bée hurt by them because we distemper our selues whereby we afterward fall easilie into sicknesse and while wee be loaden with surfeiting and drunkennes we can be no apt instruments either of reason or of the spirit of God 2 Wherefore it is very commendable that after this manner we should consecrate all thinges so soone as euer we beginne to vse them that is to wit as well by thankesgiuing as by prayers so far are we from disallowing such a custome The dedication of Bizantium or Constantinoble Constantine the great when he had repayred Bizantium and had determined to vse that Citie for the seat of the Romane Empire would consecrate the same to God and to the dedication thereof he called thrée hundreth and 18 fathers which at that time held the Synode of Nice The same Emperour also going to Ierusalē builded a very sumptuous tēple vnto Christ and decked it with precious offeringes with golde I meane with siluer and with precious stones And he called away those Byshops which held a Councell at Tyrus that they would come to dedicate the same And as Eusebius sheweth that dedication consisted of preaching of the Gospell of prayses vnto God of prayers and of thankesgiuings And hereof as I thinke From whence spang the dedication of temples among the Christians the dedication of temples had originall and beginning among the Christians For I finde not in the Ecclesiasticall histories that Temples were dedicated before that time Neither must this be vnspoken of that the Hebrewes accustomed to dedicate Temples not onely which were new builded but also those which were repaired and clensed from vncleanesse This they did when after the returne out of Persia they had repayred anew the Temple and altar Nehe. 12. 39. 1. Mach. 4. verse 37. Also Iudas Machabeus reformed the Temple when it was polluted by the Ethnicks with the most filthie idolatrie of Antiochus Yea and yet still in the papacie both the one and the other is retained Such renewed dedications are in the Gréeke called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in Latin we may call Renoualia or Renouales dies that is renewals or dayes of renewing which are not once celebrated but the solemnities of them are doone euerie yere at one time Moreouer in the executing of them the Papists haue gotten to themselues many things as well from the Hebrewes as from the Ethnicks pretending that they very much profite the ignorant by the ceremonies which they vse Howbeit what the Iewes did in their dedications the holy history doth plainly teach But the rites of the Ethnicks were sundrie and manifold The Ethnick dedications Whereof we reade many thinges in Tulli especially in the Oration for his house vnto the high Byshops There the Soothsayer must hold fast a post and speake certaine set wordes without stutting or stammering in his tongue but with a firme and constant minde Also men were cōsecrated by the Ethnicks thereof Cicero rendreth a reason in his second booke de legibus namely that the mysteries which were deliuered vnto them were certaine enterances of mans lyfe Whereby men might be drawne from rude and rusticall to a more humane and ciuill kinde of lyfe The initiating of children Yea and children were said to be initiated or entered when as they were weaned because they were then trayned vp namely from milke vnto a more substantiall meate and drinke Wherefore they were said to be consecrated vnto the goddesses Edidia and Potina The thinges verily were Ethnicall but yet a token of them remaineth in the holy historie Wherein it is shewed Gen. 21. 8. that Abraham made a banquet when he weaned Isaac Wherein no doubt but thankesgiuing and prayers were placed among Gen. 5. 21. Chanoch that is Henoch Also Chanoch which liued before the floud had his name of consecration or dedication and I doubt not but it was by some mysterie of which although I know that the Hebrewes doe fable yet haue I not what to
whereby he commended the same and haue declared the strength which they ascribe vnto it and haue shewed howe manie kindes there be reprehending two sortes of their fond imitation and lastlie haue set foorth that an Ecclesiasticall Rite must not for euerie myracle sake bee instituted I thinke I haue spoken enough of that matter To what end the myracle of Elizeus was shewed This onelie will I note at the last that the end of the myracle shewed by Elizeus was that the people of Ierico might by that benefit receiued be more and more allured to the true seruice of God and that not only that Citie should be woonne vnto God but that all other Cities to whose knowledge so great a myracle should come might be brought to the knowledge of God A Treatise of the Sacrament of the Eucharist made openlie in Oxford by D. Peter Martyr the Kings publike Professor of Diuinitie in the same Vniuersitie when he had now finished the interpretation of the xi Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians Before which Treatise we haue placed an excellent Preface of his touching that matter dedicated by him with the same Treatise vnto the most Reuerend Father and victorious Martyr of Iesus Christ THOMAS CRANMER Archbyshop of CANTERBVRIE NOw haue I determined in fewe words to declare certaine things Out of the Preface to Cranmer Byshop of Canterburie which if I should cōmit to silence I might perhaps be accounted vnwise a forger of new matters a bold rash and an vngodlie man as though I tooke from the sacrament of the Eucharist the honour and dignitie thereof or that I would obtrude the holy Supper to the Church without Christ or perswade such like things as may tend vnto impietie and negligence of Religion I had rather die or that I had neuer bin borne or to suffer the greatest griefe in the world than to scatter abrode such kinde of opinions Verily I for my part doe attribute so much to the sacrament of the Eucharist as I say that the faithfull by exercising of the same doe obtaine the greatest benefites which can be hoped for of God in this life so that they themselues be not hindered either through vices or infidelitie And truely I affirme now that there be three sortes of good things which men doe earnestly desire First that the life which they receiued in their byrth may be giuen and preserued to them so long as is possible Secondly that they would haue God to be gratious and mercifull vnto them For since they that be wise vnderstand that they be neuer without fault and that by the iustice of God there is a certaine punishment due for euerie fault vnlesse they haue in readinesse a sure satisfaction they liue most miserably Lastlie this doe the wise sort wish for to wit that they may liue iustly commodiously merilie and peaceably one with another For without these things men liue both miserably and most vnhappily These in effect be the things which are chieflie desired euerie where of all those men which doe not deale foolishly And the chiefe and principall point of these three is that the life may be prolonged a verie great space of time which we obtaine by a profitable and wholesome kinde of diet this most certainlie we haue in the holy Supper where euen as the bread and wine which nourish the body are giuen outwardly to the bodie so is it truely graunted vnto their mindes that by faith they eate the body and bloud of Christ giuen for our redemption whereupon the whole man aswell inward as outward is restored to the high felicitie And this is the onelie way that the scripture alloweth and knoweth of eating the bodie and drinking the bloud of the Lorde namelie when we apprehend by a constant and firme faith that Iesus the sonne of God our Lord and sauiour gaue his body vpon the Crosse and shed his bloud for vs and that he hath so imbraced vs being giuen vnto him by the father and so ioyned and incorporated vs vnto himselfe as he is our head and we flesh of his flesh and bone of his bones and that he dwelleth and liueth in vs and we in him Herein standeth the whole power and reason of this meate and of this drinke whereunto our faith is stirred vp and kindled three manner of wayes sometime inwardly that is to wit while the holie Ghost by his secret but yet mightie power stirreth vp our mindes to record these things with our selues and that they may be imbraced with a liuely and readie faith To the selfe same thing are we many times mooued by helpe of the worde of God which either by sound or writing doeth outwardly pearce vs. Finally that there should want no reliefes to our infirmitie Christ gaue in the supper bread and wine for signes the which by his institution and his wordes are made sacraments that is to wit instruments whereby the holy Ghost stirreth vp faith in our mindes that by the same faith we may be spiritually but yet truely nourished and sustained with his bodie and bloud What then is there that can more further the faithfull vnto euerlasting life than this kinde of meate Doe we not by this maner of eating dwell in Christ and Christ in vs Can we require that so great a God shoulde more expressely be promised vs than when he himselfe said He that eateth me he shall liue for me Iohn 6. 57. Moreouer in the 6. of Iohn the Lord taught this simple bare yet true that is to wit no fained eating of his bodie and drinking of his bloud which the Lord would afterward to be holpen by the assistance of the outward word and by the feele of the bread and wine when wee come to the holy table Wherefore he that is no contemner of the diuine life I meane the eternall and most happie life how can it be that he will not make singular account of the sacrament of the Lordes Supper Howe can it bee but that he will imbrace the same as a sweete pledge of his saluation How is it possible but that he will vse the same in the congregation so often as it shall be deliuered him Vndoubtedly no man which will any thing earnestly weigh these things with himselfe And next vnto life which all men chiefly desire to leade happily all men for the most part couet to haue God well pleased with them Whereof if we be not perswaded our minde is disquieted our cogitations trouble vs our conscience tormenteth vs the creatures terrifie vs as reuengers most seuere Ministers of God nothing is quiet either within vs or without vs we feare heauen and hell both alike the same hatred beare we to God that we doe to the Diuell for the one we feare as an executioner and the other as a iudge Wherefore the holie scriptures doe helpe in this behalfe and teache vs that the heauenly father is by no other meanes pacified with mankind than by
the new byrth Iohn 3. 4. c. Iohn 4. 11. No lesse did that woman of Samaria erre as concerning that water which Christ promised her And the Hebrewes erred when Christ said vnto them Iohn 8. 5 6. That Abraham sawe his day and reioyced Wherefore let them not alwayes say vnto vs that this scripture This is my bodie is plaine for we will aunswere them it is playne as touching the signification of the wordes But the sense of them is not plaine as in the lyke sentences it dooth appeare Christ is the Rock 1. Cor. 10. 4 Iohn 1. 29. 1. Co. 10. 27 1. Co. 10. 7 Christ is the Lambe Ye be the bodie of Christ We that be many are one bread All these be the words of God and we may pronounce of them that they be plaine that they be manifest yet for all that none of them inferre Transubstantiation 33 Wherefore there is no cause why perspicuitie should be so much pretended A first declaration of the proposition This is my body It behooueth by other places and circumstances of the scripture to regard well what is héere meant Wherefore wee will expound this proposition in scanning of it more déepely God meant to drawe man vnto him by ample promises because he woulde blesse him and make him happie and because we haue vnbeléeuing hearts he woulde haue manie benefites to appeare towardes mankinde whereby he might allure the same vnto him Wherefore he not onely gaue vs fréely all creatures but also in the time of the floud deliuered mankind which otherwise had yll deserued from the destruction of the waters He declared himselfe verie mercifull vnto Abraham also he gaue good successe vnto the stocke of Isaac and to his séede Iacob that it should be increased in Egypt And when they were there oppressed he deliuered them he gaue them a verie happie land and he exalted them to the dignitie of a kingdome and Priesthood but yet they were alwaies vnbeléeuing men and smally perswaded themselues of the good will of God towards them Wherefore because of their infidelitie hée cast them into diuerse captiuities and afterward he deliuered them Finally that there should be no place left to doubt of his goodnesse he bestowed the chiefest of all benefites vppon vs namely his owne sonne indued with mans flesh that he should die vpon the Crosse for our saluation Which benefite was such Rom. 8. 31. that as Paule saide vnto the Romans howe could it be but that he gaue all things together with him And least it should be forgotten he would haue it renued in the memorie by the sacrament of the Eucharist that we should reuolue in our minde by faith that Christ by him was deliuered vnto death for vs and that in beléeuing we should eate his flesh and drinke his bloud Which that it might the more effectually be doone the tokens both of bread wine were added which might mooue vs more earnestly than bare wordes could doe Mat. 26. 26 Iohn 6. 35. He compareth the proposition This is my bodie with that in the 6. of Iohn I am the bread of life 34 Therefore when he saieth This is my bodie he meant no otherwise than he promised in the 6. of Iohn I am the bread of life He spake of himselfe as touching the bodie and flesh deliuered vnto death or rather to be deliuered as by his words it is manifest Neither would he any other thing but that these things shoulde be vnto vs breade and meate whereby our mindes shoulde be confirmed and cherished and by the minde the bodie and finally the whole man Wherfore in the Supper Christ did nothing else but that he transposed the proposition and as before he had said that his bodie and flesh is bread so nowe on the otherside he saieth in shewing bread that the verie same is his bodie and while he pronounced This is my bodie it was euen as if he had said My bodie being receiued by faith shall be vnto you in the stead of bread or as it were bread wherby you shall bee spiritually fed Wherefore let the sense be I giue vnto you bread to eate and in the meane time I set forth vnto you my bodie which shall be fastened vnto the Crosse that with a faithful memorie and attentiue minde ye may eate it spiritually with your selues and as ye with the bodie eate bread so with the minde ye may féede vpon my flesh What is more easie plaine than this interpretation And that doeth more better agrée with the promise which the Lord maketh vnto vs in the 6. Chapter of Iohn But and if any man will contende that that first saying of Christ I am the liuely bread is taken for the diuine nature as Chrysostome séemeth to take it first we say that this doeth not well agrée because Christ had ordered his spéech concerning the eating of his bodie in the stead of earthly bread he offered to the Capernaites his flesh to bée eaten which thing by the course of his spéech doeth plainely appeare although he say that the bread came downe from heauen because oftentimes that which is of the Godhead is also communicated with the humanitie But if this exposition of Chrysostome be of so great force with them let that also preuaile with them when he saieth afterwarde that the saying of Christ Verse 5◠The bread which I will giue is my flesh which I will giue for the lyfe of the world doeth belong vnto the Eucharist Neither hath he alone affirmed this but the rest of the Interpretors doe also consent vnto him Therefore when as the Lord saith there that The bread is his flesh he nowe testifieth the same in the supper for the bread being shewed he said This is my bodie He pronounceth both in the one place and the other that his bodie or his flesh is breade namely of the soule and of our regenerated substance which bread is spiritually eaten And so there shal be no conuersion of the proposition but it shall be vnderstoode after the selfe same manner both in the one place and in the other What figure is admitted in this proposition This is my bodie But if thou vnderstand the whole together to wit the bread and the thing offered by the bread that is the bodie of Christ we admit the figure Synecdoche for it is spoken of the whole or of the one part which is vnderstoode of the other But if thou referre the saying vnto bread which both signifieth and offereth vnto vs the bodie of Christ to be eaten it shall be the figure of Denomination to wit when the name of the thing signified is attributed vnto the signe In this interpretation also all thinges are easie absurdities are shamed and one place of the scripture is not contrarie to the other scriptures 35 They said if place be thus giuen vnto figures the Heretickes will peruert all things Vnlesse we vse figures we cannot
21 But now it séemeth good to treat wherefore tyrantes be so stirred vp against godlie men and against the Gospell Paul in the 2. Chapter to the Ephesians The prince of the world saith he woorketh with efficacie in the children of disobedience euen as godlie men are mooued in the holy ghost By which place it is manifestly gathered that wicked men be instruments which the diuell vseth for the execution of his furie And moreouer vnto the Diuell is giuen power against the Saintes although the same be repressed and bridled within certaine boundes and limites according as vnto the Lord it hath séemed profitable for his For this cause dooth the Diuell rage in his owne members that he may be an hindrance vnto GOD and to the Gospell And therefore dooth God permit these thinges to the intent that the excellent victories of Martyrs may appeare and that the Church no lesse than the world may haue her excellent men So then thou vnderstandest for what ende or purpose God suffereth these thinges to be doone Assuredlie it is no maruell that the Diuell rageth against the Gospell because through it he is spoyled by Christ For the Gospell is the power of God vnto saluation to all them that beleeue Rom. 16. 1. 23 There remaineth a doubt why God doth prosper Tyrants which be altogether cruell and wicked who haue had sometime such prosperous successes as their Kingdoms haue béene aduaunced to most ample Monarchies As it is manifest by Romulus Cyrus Philip and Alexander of Macedonia which euē of Ethnick Historiographers are noted to haue béene most violent and vniust First as touching these Monarchies Why how and to what end GOD suffereth tyrants to encrease howe they haue grownne this shall be imputed the cause that in the world there is a certaine coniunction betwéene causes and effectes firmelie appointed by the institution of God which cannot easily be changed nay rather it séemes many times to take place Wherefore those Princes or people which haue attained and kept these studies and Artes of gouernment which are of force aswell to increase as amplifie dominion and Empire haue obtained this good successe For present example let vs speake of the Romans They as the histories declare and as Augustine testifieth might get themselues so great power because they had those things by which it hath bin vsually obtained First they had a desire of praise not in verie deede altogether false and counterfait namelie such as thereby they might approoue themselues sounde and iust Iudges Moreouer they were liberall of monie yea and adde if ye will that they were oftentimes contemners of the same and desirous of glorie Which glory notwithstanding they ascribed to their countrie in generall which they so loued as they would haue it for a long time to be frée but euermore to be the Ladie of other countries And by Virgill is set foorth that excellent propertie of the Romans To spare the subiects and to vanquish the proud 24 They suffered not themselues to bée weakened with delightes and pleasures neither set they their minde vppon heaping of riches Besides this there was a patient enduring of labours and also a discipline of warre They pould not their subiects but protected them They wasted not their monie vppon stage players Iesters Dicing Harlots or haunting of victualing houses They obtained not their offices by guile by deceits or by yll practises but by honest meanes whereby at home they vsed great diligence and abrode a iust gouernement They gaue counsell fréelie taking héede least their minde shoulde be subiect to lustes and vices Wherefore séeing they had so excellent studies vertues and faculties they easilie obtained by nature to beare rule ouer others For such a coniunction and linking together in the world is ordained by God as of such causes vnlesse he himselfe let it those things doe alwaies or for the most part followe Howbeit I denie not but that in the common wealth of Rome there were manie vices also séeing the people was constrained sundry times to auoide from the Tyrannie of the Fathers Albeit that euen in those times they had some excellent actiue and valiant men which tempered and corrected such vices But afterward when the Empire was obtained whē vices had excéedinglie preuailed vices were supported together with the verie hugenesse of so great a kingdome and people and nobilitie So notwithstanding that they themselues abused so great an Empire yet God did both punish the world and the infinite wickednesse thereof And the Church was woonderfully increased with witnesses and heauen with Saints There be moreouer other causes as vnto vs vnknowen so most iust for the which God suffereth these things to happen The Romane Empire at the length gaue peace vnto the Church In the Monarchie of the Persians the people of Israell was restored into their owne countrie And while Nabuchad-nezer enioyed the kingdom of the Chaldeans the name of God was published and spread abroade among the Gentiles Vnder the kings of Macedonia the holie Scriptures were translated out of the Hebrewe into the Gréeke tongue while Ptolomaèus did beare rule in Egypt And thus shalt thou euermore finde that God verie well knoweth howe to vse an euill thing The end of the fourth Part. To God alone the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost be all honour praise glorie and dominion for euer and euer Amen ANOTHER Collection of certeine Diuine matters and doctrines of the same M. D. Peter Martyr the titles wherof appeare in the page following necessarilie added to this volume for the greater benefit and comfort of the Christian Church At the end is placed a table of all the particulars and the Authors life at large Translated and partlie gathered by the said ANTHONIE MARTEN Meliora spero Philipp 1 verse 9. I praie that your loue may abound more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that ye may discerne things that differ one from another Seene and allowed according to the Queenes Maiesties Iniunctions 1583. The Contents Common places of Free will Prouidence Predestination The cause of sinne The sacrifice of the Masse An exhortation to the Supper of the Lord. Three confessions touching the presence and participation of Christ in the sacraments Certeine questions and answers Diuers propositions out of Genesis Exodus Leuiticus and the booke of Iudges A disputation which D. Peter Martyr had at Oxford with Tresham Chadse and Morgan Sundrie sermons of The death of Christ The resurrection of Christ A place in the 20. chapter of Iohn Reedifieng of Christs church The profit and dignitie of the holie ministerie An exhortation to the studie of Diuinitie A praise of the word of God deliuered in the scriptures Certeine other orations Diuers and sundrie theologicall Epistles The life of D. Peter Martyr E R To hir Maiestie WHen I had now by the speciall goodnesse of almightie GOD brought to a perfect end the foure Parts of M. D. Peter Martyrs Common places and perceiued that in
in themselues as sometime they haue which may further the preseruation of mens life and the true saluation of them Wherefore séeing other faculties and sciences haue taken manie thinges from the scripture and it nothing at all from others it is by all manner of right called most aunciēt Which also the plainnesse thereof and simplicitie without counterfeiting ioyned with a woonderfull grauitie dooth declare And so auntient are the Histories therein rehearsed that those thinges which be set foorth by other writers being cōpared with them may easilie be perceiued to be doone manie ages after But since all commendation is not to be sought for in antiquitie therefore wee will nowe haue a regarde to the vtilitie thereof and as I hope will shewe that the same is farre more plentifull in the holy scriptures than can euer bee founde any where else What more plentifull fruite I beséech you can men of sober and sound iudgement looke for by the knowledge of worldly thinges when they haue verie perfectlie attained to the same than that some knowledge of almightie God may at the length by the effects thereof lighten mans vnderstanding that by those thinges we may be holpen to sustaine the life of the bodie In these knowledges there cannot bee had or imagined a greater profite But the holy scriptures doe in many places set foorth the naturall works of God and do euerie where teach that God himselfe by his eternall power and singular prouidence is the cause of all those thinges neuer making any mention of nature chance fortune forme priuation elements imaginations * A thing so small as cannot be diuided Atomi concord or discord as the principles of all things No doubt but the knowledge of men is busied in considering the effects of God But how seldome herein is there recourse vnto God himselfe his goodnesse counsel and wisedome Indéed naturall knowledge may séeme to be somewhat curious in searching out the power of thinges and somewhat more subtill and diligent in finding out the secretes of nature But as touching the ende it selfe to wit that God may be truely knowen by the effects and that we may well and Godly vse his creatures if it bee compared with diuinitie it is farre more negligent yea and in a manner blinde and dumbe Finally the holy scriptures doe speake of a certaine notable and woonderfull kinde of the workes of God whereby the powers of nature be ouercome and the accustomed course of things is cut off wherein God both more properlie and more expresly shineth than in the daylie and common succession of thinges which by reason of a continuall vse thereof is become of small estimation And by a word now receiued these thinges are woont to be called myracles for no other cause indéede but that they haue commonly made mortall men to woonder altogether at them But the works of this kinde are kept secret in naturall knowledge For there shall yee neuer reade of that first creation of things of laying the foundations of the worlde of breathing the breath of life by God into the claie of our bodie of the Godheade speaking openly with men Of the sea giuing place vnto men passing through the déepe thereof so as it made walles of water both on the right side and the left for them that passed through Of the standing still of heauen and of staying the perpetuall turnings about thereof from the East to the West Of God to bee made a man of a virgin to be a mother of the raising from life them that were deade and of men gréeued with desperate and incurable diseases to be cured by a woonderfull efficacie of Christ our sauiour These maruelous things without doubt God woulde haue vs to knowe by the holie scriptures least perhappes wee might doubt that all his vertue and power is so spent and consumed in bringing foorth and preseruing of natural things that hée shoulde not be able yet to doe any thing greater and more excellent This kind of doctrine doth not Philosophie teach but onely beholdeth the accustomed course of nature Assuredly it is no small comfort vnto Godly men What fruite the doctrine of prouidence bringeth to vnderstande that God is the prince and authour of nature For since they be the children of God while they consider that all thinges which bee doone are in the hande of their good father they feare the power of no creatures since they know for a certaintie that they are not able to bring vpon them any trouble or sorrow but somuch as God the guide thereof hath decréed to bring vpon them for their saluation This is the singular fruite which is had of the saincts by the knowledge of naturall things But how much more ample is this if they be perswaded with a constant faith that the power of the heauenly father is infinite whereby hée is able still to doe and produce many yea infinite thinges otherwise than they be in the common course of nature Héereby Godly men being incoraged become of an excellent hope euen in aduersitie In perils valiant euen in the crosse it selfe ioyfull of an inuincible courage and altogether without feare when for the trueth of God or the name of Christ they must abide any conflict Héereof sprang that noble spéech of Daniels fellowes Beholde our God whom we worship is mightie to saue vs from the furnace of burning fire and shall plucke vs out of thy hand O king Psal 27. Héereupon did Dauid with an inuincible minde sing The Lorde is my right and my saluation whom shall I feare The Lord is the strength of my life of whom shall I be afraide Though an hoast of men besieged me yet shall not my heart bee afraide though there rose vp warre against mee yet will I put my trust in him And againe Although I shall walke through the valley of the shadowe of death I will feare no euill Psa 23. 3. Finallie by this meanes did Paul saie Rom. 8. 34. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God shall afflictions shall penurie shall persecutions shall hunger shall nakednesse shall perill shall the sworde As it is written For thy sake wee are deliuered to the death all the daie long wee are accounted as sheepe appointed to the slaughter but in al these things we ouercome through him that loueth vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor anie other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is Christ Iesus our Lord. Such things doe the children of God taught by the holie Scriptures pronounce with true boasting that GOD suffereth not nature as the wise men of the worlde teach to goe forwarde according to those lawes which hee at the verie beginning appointed thereunto but that he directeth tempereth and ruleth al thinges at euerie instant according to his owne pleasure that he
I am deliuered from so great a danger being not ignorant of these kinde of troubles since I was certified from Rome from the societie from the Monasterie and from your Citie of the persecution euen at hand since I did harme vnto none but by Lectures and Sermons did manifest the trueth all dignities riches and commodities set aside being rid out of the bondes of superstitions and deliuered from so many hypocrisies if I deliuered my life from imminent oppression there is no causse why anie man should take occasion of offence And dooth not the Lord graunt that we should auoide persecutions To speake fréelie as the thing is I acknowledge herein no fault I would I could aswell alow all the rest of my actions But if it be anie sinne it must rather be attributed vnto reason than to will Of these thinges déere brethren I haue written somewhat more at large but yet as I iudge not without profit For an interpretour of the word of God must yéeld account vnto the people both of sayinges and doinges which are of great importance and may otherwise be taken of other men least he destroy more by his actions than he hath edified by his Sermons Hereafter I will write more often vnto you neither will I write anie thing else than Christian doctrine and spirituall consolations First I thought good to certifie you in what place of the world I am and wherein I am occupied and therewithall to yéeld a reason of my departure I make mention of you in all my prayers Wherefore I earnestlie beséech you that you will shew the like part vnto me commending me in your prayers to the mercie of God Grace and peace through the spirit of Christ be dailie multiplied in you all Amen Giuen at Strasborough the viij calends of Ianuarie 1543. An Epistle of Maister Peter Martyr to a friende of his touching the flying awaie in time of persecution YOur petition Sir when I considered with my selfe I was drawne into a doubtfull deliberation For on the one part I wold obey you as my dutie is but on the other part I feared least the controuersie risen among the brethren about flying awaie should waxe the more sharpe Yet hauing an affiance in your wisedome I haue taken vpon me to declare what my opinion is as touching this question perswading my selfe that you haue desired this for your own vse and not for other mens Neuerthelesse if it shall like you to communicate vnto others those things which I write I doubt not but you will doe it with that moderation that no tumult shall arise thereby Wherefore that I may touche the thing as shortly as I can take you it after this manner Vndoubtedly both sortes of brethren disputing of this matter mooue the weaker sort of Christians to flie awaie in time of persecution howbeit by a diuers manner of perswasion For the one alloweth of flying away as of the lesser euill so farre foorth as it is compared with abiuration or forswearing but the other sort allowe it as good in it selfe or else mingled of good and badde But to flie to the intent we may after the maner of Epicures more commodiouslie fulfill the lustes of the flesh is both a foule fault and déemed of both sortes to be most vnwoorthie for a Christian man Wherefore mée thinkes there be two principall pointes of this controuersie one whether the feare of death in a Christian man be sinne and the other whether this precept which is in the x. of Matthew Mat. 10. 23. When they shall persecute you in one Citie flie ye into another be at this day in force or whether it be abrogated by Christ as is that saying Goe not into the waie of Gentils Ibidem 5. and into the Citie of the Samaritanes enter ye not If these two things be resolued I am of the minde that the disagréeing opinions of the brethren will be easilie reconciled First of all therefore consider that feare is nothing else but an affect of the minde What is Feare whereby wée are disquieted and afflicted by reason of dangers that are at hand And this perturbation may two manner of waies be faultie Two maner of faults in feare First when a man feareth a thing as euill which in verie déede is not euill euen as we sée that children and such other as want vnderstanding doe feare shadowes Phisitians and medicines when they be sicke And this kind of feare is counted a feare altogether procéeding from the defect and corruption of iudgement and it is condemned in the holy Scriptures With this kinde of sinne are they intangled which feare least the bellie shoulde want any thing or least that the worlde with the fleshly pleasures thereof shoulde be forsaken Another waie feare is faultie when a man feareth that which is in déede euill but yet not vnto that ende or not after that manner which behooueth With this vice are they infected which feare the punishments set downe in holy writings for them which are breakers of the law hauing respect to their owne commodities not to the glorie of God So Esaw Ahitophell and Iudas the Traitour feared the wrath of God and euerlasting damnation For although they feared that which was to be feared yet they sinned in fearing without measure and without faith This distinction in mine opinion is so plaine that euerie man may vnderstand it Whether there be a faultinesse in the feare of death Moreouer we are to sée whether the terrour of death which is ioyned with errour ought to be referred to the first errour spoken of by vs or to the latter that is to say whether we sin because y◠that which in déede is not euil is supposed to be euill or else because the meane of feare is not obserued Verily I doe thinke that the feare of death is not therfore a thing to be blamed because death should not be feared for this doe al liuing creatures very much feare which I might prooue not only by experience but also by natural effectuall reasons but for breuitie sake I will content my selfe onely with the testimonies of the Scripture Gen. 2. 17. Vnto the first man God threatened death as a horrible punishment if hée shoulde not kéepe his commaundementes Likewise Moses pronouncing the Lawe in the name of God Deu. 30. 19 saide Beholde I haue set before you death and life life if ye shal keepe the commaundements death if ye shall not keepe them Vndoubtedly except that death were a thing to be feared God woulde not threaten it vnto them that bee obstinate What néedes many wordes Paul in the first to the Corinthians calleth death the last enemie that shall be destroyed by Christ 1. Co. 15. 26 The same Apostle in the second to the Corin. writeth that We would not be vnclothed 2. Cor. 5. 4. but be clothed vpon 1. kings 18. 13. And that holy men not a few feared death as did Dauid Helias
he prouided that the young men should be most diligently instructed in the three tongues And in the Latine tongue did Paulus Laecicius of Verona teache the Greeke tongue did Celsus one of the noble familie of the Count Martinengo teach and the Hebrew tongue did Emanuel Tremellius teache But Martyr himselfe to the intent he might teache the younger sort both the Greeke tongue and Religion together daylie interpreted to them the Epistles of S. Paul and heard them againe repeate this Lecture And he was accustomed openly before supper to expounde vnto them some Psalme of Dauid And there came flocking together out of all the Citie to heare him manie noble and learned men which were Senators of Luca. And to the intent he might plant the true Religion ouer all the Citie euerie Sunday he preached vnto the people and in the time of Lent and Aduent he after the vsuall manner expounded the Gospels appointed long since for those times but in the other seasons of the yeare he expounded the Epistles of Paul What great profite he brought by teaching I will not declare you your selues may easilie gather hereby in that after his departure out of Italie 18. of the fellowes within the space of one yeare forsoke the College and forsaking Poperie went vnto the Churches where the pure doctrine of the Gospell was openly preached among whom was that noble man Celsus Martinengus who with great praise gouerned the Italian Church of Geneua Also D. Hieronymus Zanchus who now teacheth the holie scriptures in the famous schoole of Strasborough Also Emanuel Tremellius an excellent interpreter of the Hebrue tongue That the sermons of Martyr were not without fruite the great number of Senators of Luca which willingly entered into banishment for the name of Christ are a testimonie While Martyr thus liued at Luca there met together in that Citie Charles the Emperour and Pope Paulus 111. Thither also came Caspar Contarenus a Cardinall returning from his Ambassade out of Germanie who for the olde amitie which he had with Martyr tooke that place in his way together with Thomas Badias of Modona Maister of the sacred Palace and fellowe of his Embassade In those dayes there was a daylie conference betweene Martyr and Contarenus as touching Religion as happeneth betweene friendes which bee learned men and studious in Religion Contarenus was nowe newlie come out of Germanie he had heard the confession of the saith which our men had made he knewe their reasons and arguments and as many iudge he did not altogether thinke amisse of our men It is also to be thought that both Martyr had heard manie things of him touching vs and our teachers which confirmed him in his opinion and in like manner also that he helped Contarenus in manie things so as he began to open his eies and more clearely to acknowledge the trueth Manie supposed that by the comming of the Pope Martyr should be in some perill because enuious and malitious men which bee euermore enemies of true vertue might deuise some craftie accusation whereby he shoulde bee brought in daunger with that suspicious olde man Howbeit because he was well fortifyed through his owne authoritie and learning and moreouer was great in the fauour of the people and had helpe of friendes they made then no sturre against him but deferring the matter till another time they meant to lie in waite for him Wherefore so soone as they had tried the patience of the people of Luca they cast in prison by the commaundement of the Bishop of Rome a certaine Heremit a confessor of the Augustinian familie and framed an accusation against him for violating of Religion Which thing certaine noble men of Luca taking in ill part for the godlinesse and innocencie which they knewe in the man did breake the prison and bringing him out of the Citie willed him to prouide for himselfe by escaping away wherein when by chaunce he had broken his legge he was againe taken and lead awaie vnto Rome Wherfore after that this first violent assault as I may say happened according to their desire they minded afterward to assaile Martyr therefore they laie in waite for him in euerie place At Rome they priuilie framed an accusation against him In euerie College of his familie they stirre vp his auncient enemies they shewed the time to be come wherein they might recouer their licence which they called their libertie and to punish P. Martyr desiring them that they would not omit that occasion And nowe within a while through the trauell and indeuour of these men they met together at Genua not the chiefe men of the societie as the custome was but those specially which hated or enuied Martyr who wished to haue all the licentiousnesse of their life to be restored vnto them whose Religion consisted in superstitious ceremonies and their holinesse in hypocrisie By these was Martyr called that he should come with all speede to Genua But he being not ignorant of the treacherie of his enemies which being blinded with hatred they could not conceale his old friends giuing him warning to take heede to himselfe and that there were manie which laie in waite for his life when he had diligently considered with himselfe of the matter he determined in any wise to shun this assemblie and to goe to some other place where he might be safe from the power intrapping of his aduersaries Wherefore he first of al committed a part of his Librarie of Bookes for these were his Treasure vnto Christopher Trent a Senator of Luca which was a godly man and studious of true Religion who found the meanes afterward to send the same to him into Germanie the other part he bequeathed to the College Then hauing set in order all the College affaires as much as he coulde and committed the care thereof to his deputie he departed priuilie out of the College and out of the Citie onelie with three persons which accompanied him namely Paulus Lacisius of Verona who afterwarde beeing made reader of the Greeke tongue at Strasborough dyed in that Citie Theodosius Trebellius and Iulius Terentianus who as all yee knowe cleaued faithfully and constantly to Martyr vntil he died He departing from Luca since he was minded first to visit his owne countrie came to Pisa and in that citie hee celebrated the supper of the Lorde with certaine noble men after the Christian manner And there finding trustie men hee wrote vnto Cardinall Pole letters of his departure and other letters vnto his Collegiates of Luca which a moneth after his daparture were deliuered vnto them In these he shewed what and how great errors and abuses be in all the Bishoppes of Romes Religion and especially also in the life monasticall wherewith hee coulde not with safe conscience haue any longer conuersation Hee also shewed other causes of his departure to wit the hatred and treacheries of his enemies He put them in minde of his faithfulnesse and synceritie in instructing and gouerning of