against an ill feare 17 Against such feares Seneca hath inuented remedies namelie that we should liue vprightlie and commit nothing that is wicked But who can by this meanes be secure at anie time For who is he that sinneth not But we much better repose our selues in the faith of Christ put all our confidence securitie in his mercie onelie This maner of waie Paule teacheth vs Rom. 5 1. Being iustified saith he by faith we haue peace with God This medicine hath vertue against all diseases Also carefulnes which séemeth to be contrarie vnto securitie Carefulnes is not alwaies to be praised is not alwaies to be praised bicause therein are two vices to be taken héed of The first is that being mooued with it we séeke not by vniust meanes to remedie an euill that commeth vnlooked for as the Iewes did when they said Ioh. 11 48. If we suffer this man to liue the Romans will come and othrowe our place and nation wherefore they decréed to destroie him Furthermore we must beware that we be not so mooued for temporall things as we should cast awaie our hope and confidence of the goodnesse and prouidence of God Wherefore the true securitie is that Which is a true and laudable securitie Rom. 8. 31 which is receiued by faith and consisteth of the promises of God Paule did put vs in mind hereof when he wrote to the Romans If God haue giuen his sonne vnto vs how shall he not also giue vs all things with him Who shall laie any faults against the elect of God It is God which iustifieth who shall then condemne It is Christ which died yea and which rose againe who also sitteth at the right hand of God and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall affliction Shall trouble Shall persecution Shall hunger Shall nakednes Shall danger Shall the sword I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor heigth nor depth nor anie other creature can separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now it sufficientlie appéereth as I thinke what maner of securitie is allowed and which is condemned VVhether true Faith may be seuered from Charitie 18 But now let vs propound thrée things to be inquired the first In 1. Co. 13 verse 3. whether true faith may be seuered from charitie as our aduersaries persuade themselues that it may another is whether charitie be the forme of faith according as the Schoole-men teach lastlie Wherein charitie and faith excell one another let vs sée wherein charitie is more excellent than faith and likewise how faith dooth excell charitie Concerning the first it shall be conuenient before all things that we by some certeine definition set foorth the nature of faith for then we may easilie discerne how much it is ioined with charitie Let vs rip vp the matter throughlie first let vs make a difference betwéene supposing and beléeuing The difference betweene supposing and beleeuing When anie man dooth giuen his assent vnto one side of a controuersie he is said to suppose or haue opinion which thing is not without suspicion and a doubtfull mind least peraduenture the matter should be otherwise But we are not said to beléeue vnlesse we doo alreadie giue a firme and assured consent vnto the one side so that we suspect nothing at all of the truth of the other side Wherefore to beléeue according as serueth to our purpose What is to beleeue is by the inspiration of the holie Ghost to giue a firme assent vnto the word of God and that by the authoritie of God himselfe We saie that the inspiration of God is required bicause humane reasons in those things doo faile and The naturall man perceiueth not those things which be of God for he thinketh them to be but foolishnes and he cannot giue credit vnto them And that a firme assent is required in a true faith Augustine Augustine declareth in his 109. treatise vpon Iohn when he saith We must beléeue immooueablie firmelie stedfastlie and couragiouslie least a man wander about his owne affaires The word of God of two sorts and abandon Christ And we must giue our assent vnto the word of God which is of twoo sorts written and not written For those things which God spake vnto the prophets the prophets beléeued yet were not those things written by others before them Gen. 15 6. Abraham beléeued that he should be blessed so as all nations should obteine blessing in his séed also he beléeued that God was to be obeied Gen. 22 3. when his sonne was demanded for sacrifice and yet had he not read anie thing written thereof Wherefore that which we haue spoken of faith maketh nothing against them which saie that faith is an assent giuen to the Gospell of Christ or to the mercie of God giuen vs through Christ or else offered vnto vs by him for the remission of sinnes Forsomuch as these be the most high and principall things in the word of God vnto the which the lawe the prophets the threatenings promises and histories how manie soeuer be found in the holie scriptures be directed Wherefore I agrée with them and what they imbraced in the Gospell but as touching remission of sins through Christ I also doo affirme to be conteined in the word of God Heb. 11 1. The definition of faith which is in the epistle to the Hebrues 19 The epistle to the Hebrues the eleuenth chapter hath a most plaine definition of faith where it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is The ground or being of things which are hoped for in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And surelie in this respect faith comprehendeth the Gospell eternall life the fellowship of Christ and thereby the remission of sinnes for these be the things which wée hope for But séeing those things cannot appéere by naturall euidence neither yet sticke fast in our minds or can firmelie abide by the industrie of our owne reason or by the helpe of humane knowledge they haue néed of faith as a prop or ground-worke vnto the which surelie they may leane Afterward is added 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is An euident token or argument of those things which appeere not For those things which be taught vs in the scriptures vnlesse they be admitted by faith will not séeme of themselues verie likelie to be true vnto our reason And whereas there is mention made of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is A being or euident token that firme assent is declared the which we saie we haue néed of in beléeuing Wherevnto there is no let that we being compassed on euerie side with the flesh are oftentimes put to trouble by wauering and infirmitie If at anie time wee wauer in faith that is not faiths fault but ours
new maner proposition 9 Holinesse first belongeth vnto God then vnto all those which be appointed to his seruice proposition 10 In this standeth the holinesse of creatures that they be remooued from a prophane vse and are appointed to a holie vse proposition 11 Baptismes were before the lawe in the lawe and vnder the Gospell and all as touching their substance had one efficacie proposition 12 It is not true that the ceremonies of the old fathers were onelie outward exercises wherein there was no remission of sinnes proposition 13 Curiositie dooth therefore much hinder faith bicause faith is of things which are not séene proposition 14 When God requireth of the Israelites that they should absteine from their wiues vntill the third daie he dooth not therefore condemne the fellowship of marriage that it should be sinne if a man vse the same lawfullie Probable proposition 1 IT were good in a Common-weale that all citizens should haue their rulers of tens of hundreds and such like officers which might take speciall care of them proposition 2 To beléeue God and to beléeue in God is all one proposition 3 The washing of garments was a signe of obteining of righteousnes and newnes of life Propositions out of the xix chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 GOd is said to haue béene séene of the Hebrue people vpon mount Sina by a participation of his properties whereas they perceiued nothing but the outward tokens wherewithall he was compassed proposition 2 Good works in the holie scriptures are trulie and properlie otherwhile attributed to vs and otherwhile to God proposition 3 Frée will which in Gréeke is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is power of the will wherby we desire or refuse anie thing according to the iudgement of reason proposition 4 Those things which are manifestlie and euidentlie good when they be offered vnto the will they are necessarilie chosen proposition 5 The good things which be after a sort vncerteine and euident are shunned and desired according as it hath knowne that thing proposition 6 Necessitie is not properlie set against the fréedome of will but violence and compulsion proposition 7 A man not regenerate cannot choose true and sound good things which are pleasing vnto God proposition 8 As touching morall and ciuill actions those which be not regenerate may choose manie good things albeit they neuer in a maner choose or execute them without error proposition 9 They which be borne anew in Christ haue frée will restored vnto them as touching both kinds of good things proposition 10 In the regenerate the execution of deliberated actions is not perfectlie and fullie restored proposition 11 Those which be not regenerate as touching true good things albeit they cannot desire them yet can they not be said not to doo fréelie about them proposition 12 The fréedome of the will is not hindered although the children of God are said to be led by his spirit or else in this respect that the diuell worketh effectuallie in the children of disobedience Probable proposition 1 WHen the lawe should be published there went before the same verie terrible signes that by the report thereof mens minds might be shewed to be beaten downe and that the Maiestie of God which published the same might be declared proposition 2 The lightenings thunder earthquakes and found of trumpet vpon mount Sina were doone by the worke of angels proposition 3 The signes which went before the Gospell were mild and gentle that the comfort might be signified which thereby should come vnto mortall men proposition 4 Those things which were doone in the publishing of the lawe ought to be compared with the solemne sending of the holie Ghost vpon the apostles for in both places God was openlie declared the king of his people proposition 5 God gaue the lawe without the land of promise in the desert that the Israelites entering into the kingdome of Chanaan might detest the lawes of the Gentils being now a good while inured with the lawes of God Propositions out of the xx chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 GOd cannot be defined but in the place of the definition of him we vse certeine notions to know him by gathered as well out of the holie scriptures as from the creatures proposition 2 When God offereth himselfe to be knowne of vs vnder certein tokens none is more excellent than this wherein we apprehend him to be the father of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome he hath redéemed and saued vs. proposition 3 The substance of the first commandement is that we account the true GOD for our Lord whereof it straitwaie followeth that vnto him is due our faith hope loue feare and obedience proposition 4 We must behold in the first precept not onelie the commandement it selfe but the promise of the Gospell ioined therewith proposition 5 Although that all vse of images be not forbidden the godlie yet those which are lieng offensiue and vsed to represent God must not be suffered no more also must those which be filthie proposition 6 These two saiengs are not disagréeing in themselues namelie that the child beareth not the iniquitie of the father and that God visiteth sinnes vnto the third and fourth generation proposition 7 For the holinesse of the forefathers God dooth blesse the posteritie proposition 8 8 Whatsoeuer is ordeined for a seruice of God against his word belongeth to idolatrie which Tertullian pronounced not amisse to be all maner of worship or seruice giuen to anie idoll proposition 9 Outward images are not alwaies required to the committing of idolatrie proposition 10 All heretiks are worthilie reckoned among idolaters proposition 11 In euerie idolatrie the diuell is worshipped proposition 12 Artificers which labour to make images which they know shall be appointed to the vse of idolatrie doo most gréeuouslie sinne proposition 13 In the third commandement not onelie periurie and vaine oths are forbidden but also euerie kind of contempt of the name of God proposition 14 In a well ordered Common-weale the crime of blasphemie against GOD ought to be punished with death proposition 15 In the third commandement not onelie it is commanded that we should not prophane the name of God but contrariwise that we should sanctifie the same proposition 16 Euen as it is lawfull for the faithfull to vse oths in time and place so are not cursses alwaies forbidden them proposition 17 The Magistrate must take care that oths be kept inuiolate as well for the honor of the name of God as for that they be the bonds of humane societie Probable proposition 1 IMages should not be placed in temples proposition 2 In that men take pleasure of imitation it commeth hereof that they are made according to the image of God proposition 3 In the primitiue church before the Gospell was publikelie receiued the professours of prophane authours taught with great danger of the hearers but at this daie it is not so Propositions out of the xx chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1
holie scriptures it is intreated concerning iustification by faith other things of that sort those are not to be ascribed vnto a dead faith but vnto a liuelie faith after which maner I at this present may order my spéech Amongst the Schoole-diuines there is boast made of faith formed and faith without forme for such terms they haue but the same we will examine a little after Onlie I will now declare this to wit that Thomas Aquinas held Thomas Aquinas saith that faith formed and vnformed haue both one habit that faith formed and faith vnformed be of one habit or qualitie bicause as he thinketh it belongeth little or nothing vnto faith whether charitie be present or not present for this they thinke is doone by chance or as they saie by accidens Certeinlie it is to be woondered that so notable a man should be so much deceiued as he would not haue these two to be distinguished in their owne nature séeing the one is a dead faith and the other a liuelie faith the one maketh vnto eternall life and the other vnto condemnation For a dead faith putteth a certeine goodlie shew in the mind but such Faith vnformed is faultie bicause it onlie taketh awaie excuse as séeing it dooth not iustifie or regenerate it onelie taketh awaie the excuse of ignorance as Paule teacheth vnto the Romans and Christ in the Gospell of Iohn If I had not come saith he and had not talked with them they should haue had no sinne 23 Faith hope Rom. 1 20. Ioh. 15 22. and charitie we appoint to be thrée seuerall things neither doo we mingle them togither or confound them one in another as our aduersaries laie to our charge but we saie that they be inseparable companions in such sort A similitude as where true faith is there also will hope and charitie be present their natures neuertheles being safe and vnmixed Neither would we euer grant charitie to be an accident vnto faith sauing that peraduenture our aduersaries vnder the name of an accident have vnderstood a thing proper For charitie dooth no lesse folowe faith A similitude than light foloweth the sunne which thing shall be shewed by authorities out of the scripture and also by diuerse reasons Paule vnto the Hebrues Heb. 11 1. in the definition of faith as we declared before The first reason appointed Faith to be a ground or argument of those things which are hoped for Here now thou séest that hope and faith are ioined togither for so soone as euer we haue assented vnto the promises of the mercie of God and the remission of sinnes we doo hope for them for we haue confidence that we shall obteine those things which God hath promised And it cannot be but we should also loue those things which we alreadie knowe and hope to be singular good The second reason Moreouer faith is the power whereby we apprehend Christ who is by God made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes sanctification and redemption But what righteousnes or sanctification can there be vnto vs if charitie be absent The third reason Further faith causeth vs to apprehend God not onelie in respect that he is good but also as he is our souereigne good Which thing so soone as euer it is perceiued it followeth necessarilie that we should prosecute the same with loue and charitie I verelie would neuer assent vnto those crabbed Sophisters which saie that it may be that the blessed may vnderstand the chéefest good thing and yet neuertheles may withhold their will from the loue and imbracing of the same Augustine 24 Now let vs come to the fathers Augustine De fide operibus the 16. chap. writeth that Faith which is without charitie is the faith of diuels and not of christians And he iudgeth that to beléeue in Christ perteineth onelie vnto the true faith of the which we now presentlie speake and he declareth it to be the same which worketh by loue And in the next chapter he most plainelie writeth that those adulterous persons which will still persist in their vncleannes begun must not be admitted vnto baptisme bicause he denieth that they beléeue in Christ for either saith he they iudge that God hath made no lawe against such wickednes or else they thinke that they may be the members of Christ togither with the members of an harlot And thus he manifestlie prooueth after a sort that they beléeue not in some place the word of God But it is necessarie that true faith giue equall assent vnto the whole word of God Chrysostome in his sermon Chrysost which is intituled De fide lege naturae spiritu sancto writeth So soone as thou beléeuest thou shalt be garnished with good works he addeth Ierom. that faith by it selfe is full of good works Ierom against the Luciferians dooth saie that Faith is a firme and vndoubted thing I stand readie in praier but I should not praie vnlesse I beléeued and if so be I did beléeue I would clense that hart whereby God is discerned my chéekes would be watered with teares I would knocke my brest my bodie would tremble my face would be wan and I would lie at the féet of Christ crucified c. In these words thou séest that manie good works are ioined with faith In the booke named The calling of the Gentils being ascribed vnto Ambrose it is written Ambrose that Faith is the begetter of a good will and of a iust action Gregorie Gregorie in his 22. homilie vpon Ezechiel saith Looke how much we beléeue so much we doo loue But this thing is more certeinlie prooued by the testimonie of the holie scriptures When the apostles were demanded by Christ The fourth reason whether they also would depart Peter answered Lord to whom shall we go Iohn 6 67. Thou hast the words of eternall life for we knowe and beleeue that thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Here it appéereth that vnto knowledge and vnto a liuelie faith was ioined charitie whereby the apostles would not forsake Christ Christ said The fift reason Iohn 6 40. Iohn 3 36. Euerie man that beleeueth in me hath life eternall Iohn Baptist pronounced the same when he said He that beleeueth in the sonne hath euerlasting life True it is indéed that while we liue here we haue no absolute or perfect faith but haue onelie an entrance of the the same but howsoeuer it be The sixt reason Abac. 2 4. The seuenth reason Gal. 3 26. Iohn 6 45. The eight reason Iohn 17 3. The ninth reason without charitie it cannot consist The prophet Abacuk saith The iust man dooth liue by faith Paule vnto the Galathians saith Ye be all the children of God by faith And in the Gospell of Iohn Euerie man that hath heard of my father and hath learned and beleeued commeth vnto me And againe This is the life eternall that they knowe thee
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
how necessarie an art the same is and that it is a procurer of wisedome 2 302 a The right meanes of disputing contemned by Epicures 1 153 a It hath diuerse endes and purposes 1 7 a How it ceaseth to be Logike and becommeth Sophistrie 1 20 b Rhetorike and Logike interchangeable artes 4 132 a Rules in Logicke resolued 4 73 b 54 a 1 43 b Longsuffering Of the Longsuffering of God before hee punish sinne 3 111 b ¶ Looke Patience Lorde Lorde and God in the Scripture both counted one 3 339 b Why Christ is called Lorde 2 606 b 615. 610 a Lot What is meant by the distribution of kingdomes by Lot 4 305 b What manner of Lot could haue place in the soule of Christ 2 245 a Lottes Manie kindes and what Cicero reporteth of them 1 59 b All may be reduced to three sortes 1 60 a A question what néede the Israelites had of them then hauing better directions 1 60 b What the Scripture teacheth vs concerning them 1 59 a Vppon what principle or ground◠they doe depende 1 60 a Much vse of them among the Iewes in diuers cases 1 59 b Fiue thinges to bee obserued and marked in the vse of them 1 60 ab Darius king of Persia instéede of them vsed the neighing of an horse 1 59 b The example of them in the election of Matthias must not bee followed 1 60 b In olde time sundrie waies 1 59 ab Howe when and in what causes they must be vsed 1 60 a Of Elections by them and what wee haue to marke therein 1 59 ab Howe Ieroms meaning is to bee taken in that hee saith the vse of thē is vtterly vnlawful 1 60 b In what case of giuing almes Augustine admitteth them 2 519 ab 1 60 a What we haue to note vpon this that whiles Lottes were a casting God was prayed vnto 1 60 b Loue natural or ciuill The definition of Loue. 3 258 b 2 384 b 556 b Wherewith Saul loued Dauid and of Dauids loue to Ionathan 2 385 a Touching Loue in diuers doubtfull respectes reade certaine cases propounded 2 380 a Whether that of children is lesse to bee estéemed than religion 3 184 a Of children and of wiues compared 2 574 b The force of brotherlie Loue. shewed by examples 2 557 a Wherein it consisteth 2 558 a From whence it springeth 2 557 a What the lawe commandeth touching the Loue of our selues 3 257 b 258 a What kinde of affection it is 2 556 b Why God perswadeth vs therunto in his law 2 280 a The difference betwéene fauour Loue and charitie 2 558 a The endes of true Loue and fained or false loue 2 384 b Prodigious and inordinate Loue. 2 450 a What remedie God ordeined as a medicine for raiging Loue in the Iewes 2 446 b 447 a ¶ Looke Friendshippe Loue Theological The Loue of God described 3 280 b Gods Loue election and predestination ioyned together 3 9 a Wherin the Loue of God towards vs did chieflie shine 2 610 a What it requireth of vs. 2 611 a Wherein it chiefly consisteth 2 567a Of the same out of Barnard and Augustine 2 574 b 575 a What kinde of Loue Gods lawe requireth 2 568 b It goeth before all other gifts 3 49 a It bringeth vs infinite instructions 2 611 ab How towards God it is kindled 3 17 a Whether the same whereby God loueth vs doe spring from our loue 3 17 b 18 a Whom we should set before vs as a paterne to Loue God 2 572 a When we shall Loue God with all our heart c. 3 54b 55 a Why we cannot Loue God in this life perfectly 3 228 b Why we are commaunded to Loue God with al our heart sith it cannot be performed in this life 3 54 b 55 a How Loue is ingendred of faith 3 74 b Whether it iustifieth vs. 3 138 b 139 ab Vnperfect and faultie in this life 2 558 b 563 a When it is performed 2 566 a How they that Loue God are saide to kéepe his commaundements 2 569 a The words of Christ Thou shalt Loue the Lord c. expounded 2 556a ¶ Looke Charitie Lu. Luke Luke was a physician and no painter as some say he was 2 335 ab Lust Two sorts of Lust 2 552 b Compared it to a verie strong bonde and that it maketh the actions of men not voluntarie 2 289 b The obiects of the same 2 552b Prodigious and inordinate 2 450a The eye leadeth thereto 2 481 b A cause of painting the face 2 508 b Not the holiest man aliue frée from it 2 552 a Whether it be more filthie and shameful in women than in men 2 491b 492 a Lust specially treated of as the hed of all euils 2 551 b The commandement against Lust is not rightly diuided into twaine 2 553 ab That precept cannot be fulfilled in this life 2 566 a Chrysostomes errour touching the precept Thou shalt not Lust 2 594 a Diuerse interpretations of these words Thou shall not Lust 2 552 a ¶ Looke Concupiscence and Desire Lusts Whether to haue Lusts and to bée giuen euer vnto them is all one 1 203 b 204a Whether they that be stirred vp with them are to be compared with phrentike men 4 251 b Intollerable Lusts gréeuously punished read the examples 1 49 b Luther Luthers manner of repeating the ende of the first table in euerie precept of the latter table 1 8 b 9 a Ma. Madnesse What P. Martyr determineth of such as kill themselues through Madnesse 2 391 b Of the Madnesse that God sent vpon Abimelech and the Sichemits and why it was 2 390 b Magike Against Magike and arts forbidden 2 437 b Of diuerse myracles wrought by that art 1 85 a That art Magike is vaine and vncertaine prooued by Plinie 1 84 b Tertullian prooueth the arts Magike a second ydolatrie and how 1 73 b Magicians Magicians can doe manie thinges prooued by Gods worde 1 84 b 85 a The meanes that they vse in working their art Magike 1 79 b What diuerse writers haue diuerslie thought of the Magicians rods turned into serpents 1 86 a That there be Magicians and howe the Platonists Peripatetikes and Diuines vnderstand Magicians 1 78 b 79 a Being brought into the Councell before a iudge haue vanished away 1 116 b Nero and Iulian being Magicians could do nothing by their art 1 84 b The inconueniences that haue fallen vpon some by giuing themselues vnto Magicians 1 84 b Sharpe lawes made against them and such as repaire vnto them for counsell or any other purpose 1 84 b 85 a ¶ Looke Sorcerers Magistrate The definition of a Magistrate 4 226 a 22 b Whether he may beare rule ouer preachers 4 38 a What the Church must doe if the Magistrate be vngodly 4 38 b How the consent of the people dependeth vppon his voice 2 437 a Whether he ought not to punish offenders with death 4 291 a Those that striue against their
condemne you for mangling his sacraments and prophaning his ceremonies with your false seruices for giuing vnto creatures anie part of the honour that is due vnto himselfe for turning your eares from him when he crieth vnto you out of his holie word for refusing the congregation of his saints and ioining your selues to Baal-Peor for greeuing his spirit when he sounded his voice into your deafe eares and for that yee haue persecuted him in his saints vpon the earth Now the time approcheth wherein the Lord shall preuaile against you and shall tread all his enimies vnder his feet Then shall ye know that the Gospell of Christ is his power vnto saluation to all them that beleeue and that hee hath continuallie since his departure spoken and interpreted to you by his holie spirit speaking out of his word whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation but ye would not harken vnto him no more than the Iewes would vnto Christ when he told them plainlie that he was that verie Messias Therefore since ye will not giue credit vnto him by the soft still noise of his spirit speaking vnto you in his word he shall come in a mightie consuming fire with a voice more horrible vnto you than was heard vpon mount Sina more terrible than was there the face of his maiestie victoriouslie leading captiuitie captiue ioifullie with all his saints and triumphantlie with innumerable Angels He shall gather his elect from all the corners of the earth and all those which would not hearken to his voice he shall reiect as they that would not suffer him to reigne ouer them they shall be cast into the vttermost darkenesse where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But all vs that haue beene obedient to his word in this life and haue sought our righteousnesse in Christ onelie and which doo sigh and grone for his comming he shall raise vp on high vnto him and we shall see the saluation of our God Let vs therefore with ioifull and true harts looke vp to heauen aboue for our redemption draweth neere Let vs fix our eies and minds vpon our mightie GOD which commeth in triumph and victorie Let vs run foorth togither with palmes in our hands to meet our bridegroome comming vnto vs. Let vs spread our garments before him in the waie and crie Blessed is hee that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosanna in he highest Then will he receiue vs gladlie and imbrase vs and bicause we haue continued with him in his temptations therefore shall we eate and drinke with him at his table in his kingdome where hee reigneth euerlastinglie and shall iudge the world with righteousnesse and his owne people with equitie I H S A breefe waie how Ministers should order their studious exercises for to benefit themselues and their flocks and also what good vse they may haue by travelling in the Common places of the Scripture and in such bookes as are alreadie gathered to this purpose THese things doo I write to the Ministers and Curates of the seuerall congregations but speciallie to them which hitherto haue not obserued anie conuenient order or method in their studies wherby they might be able to edifie the Church and discharge their duties in so excellent and honourable a vocation And first I exhort them that they will giue themselues to a continuall and earnest reading and studie of the holie scriptures which is able to make them wise vnto saluation and is profitable to teach to improoue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse For vnlesse they haue the scriptures verie familiar vnto them they will sticke at manie things and while they haue not what to saie they will either speake that which rashlie commeth into their owne mind or else what other men haue inuented And they which giue themselues to this studie it shall be requisite that they haue the knowledge of the toongs especiallie of the Hebrue and Greeke wherein the holie books of the scriptures were first written by the Prophets and Apostles for he that dependeth altogither of interpreters seeth with other mens eies and speaketh in another mans mouth Further it is necessarie that a Minister be well acquainted with the histories and examples not onlie of the holie scripture of the old and new testament but also of all prophane writers and that he be perfect in the histories and chronicles of his owne countrie that he may shew vnto his hearers what in old time was either profitable or hurtfull to their ancestors Besides this to the intent he may reape some fruit of his studie and labor two things aboue other are necessarie First that he conceiue a certeine summe of doctrine which he must drawe togither as it were into one bodie and distinguish the same againe into their members or common places that while he teacheth he may knowe vnto what places or cheefe heads the places of the scripture which he will interpret to the Church ought to be referred The other thing is that he knowe what waie of teaching to take for the commodious and profitable shewing to the people that which with much studie he hath learned so as it may serue for the instruction edification and comfort of the hearers An example of the first kind is the ten Commandements which afterward both Moses and Christ himselfe drew into a shorter summe on this wise Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy hart with all thy mind and with all thy cogitation and thy neighbour as thy selfe So as vnder this double loue to wit of God and our neighbour Christ comprehendeth all the whole doctrine of religion and christian life Howbeit if ye looke more neerelie into the matter both the loues are verie largelie extended for the loue of God stretcheth vnto his seruice as well inward as outward and togither with faith it comprehendeth the obedience which we owe vnto him likewise the loue of our neighbour is diuided into infinite kinds according to the diuersitie of men with whom we deale And in like maner did the Apostles as Jraeneus testifieth comprise in those few articles of the Creed the summe of Christian religion which articles in their sermons and writings they did more diligentlie expound Neuerthelesse bicause such expositions are not taught in the holie scriptures in one certeine place or continued order so as they can be perceiued of euerie one except he be a verie attentiue reader it is altogither necessarie that they which shall profit the Church doo knowe not onlie the summe in generall of the heauenlie doctrine but that they can distinguish it into parts and kinds and distribute the same into their parts and places both that they may vnderstand how largelie they extend and what may be godlie and soundlie said as touching each one of them Thus haue manie and godlie learned men of old but especiallie of our time doone And to this purpose are these Common places of our famous Diuine D. Martyr Vermilius according to which forme euerie learned
it selfe is the finall cause not in that it is extant or brought to passe but in that it hath a respect of good and that either the efficient partie or else his action is made perfect thereby I grant that these things ought first to be vnderstood and knowen of the efficient partie but I denie that these things haue the nature of an end in that they be formes and shapes conceiued in the mind but in respect of those things which they signifie and represent vnto the vnderstanding of the artificer 11 Moreouer Why manie ends are referred vnto one there be manie arts ioined togither vnto one and manie ends also vnto one certeine end that they may reach vnto that for the which man hath his béeing And it must bée vnderstood that as faculties are more excellent among them selues so are also their ends The examples of Aristotle are drawne from the art of those that make bits for horses and of other arts of trappers saddles for horses all which he affirmeth to be conteined vnder the facultie of riding of horses Also of the same art of riding of horses and of all other warlike actions as to ride to shoote to throwe a dart to weare shéelds there is one architectonicall or principall art Whervpon he saith that vnder the art of warre are conteined all these things and it is to be vnderstood that the same principall art or architectonicall facultie dooth command and prescribe vnto those inferior sorts which it hath vnder it and that the end thereof dooth gouerne the ends of them Why art is called power Aristotle in his booke of Ethicks calleth art power respecting saith Eustratius the matter For euen as the matter is power and by power is knowen euen so arts are in power to atteine or not to atteine their end A physician dooth sometime heale and sometime he looseth his labour an orator otherwhile persuadeth and otherwhile bringeth not this to passe Also they are in power vnto contraries as a physician both may heale and may also hurt the health an orator may persuade and dissuade a Logician may prooue and confute Againe Aristotle affirmeth that there is no difference betwéene the woorthines of faculties whether they haue worke for their end or whether they haue action For if a facultie should in that respect be counted more noble bicause after the act it would leaue a worke then would carpenters art be better than the art of ciuill profession whereas felicitie is ordeined to be the end of ciuill profession which felicitie is no worke but an action which would be most absurd since nothing can bée found better or more happie than felicitie And this also we shewed before neither is this doctrine weakened by that former distinction of ends that otherwhile some are actions and that other are sometime works But herein is a doubt that when Aristotle gathereth a worthines of euerie end by the noblenes of the facultie what kind of demonstration this is And we answere that it is of the effects or as they commonlie call it of that which followeth For in verie déede faculties doo drawe their excellencie and worthines from their ends That the excellencie of ends and faculties is aswell towards the one as the other Wherefore since they be made excellent by them to trie the excellencie of the ends by the worthines of the faculties is to procéede from the effects to the causes although this proposition is true which waie soeuer ye turne it For as we saie that the end of the better facultie is the better so likewise we may saie that it is the nobler facultie which shall haue the worthier end 12 Now since the matter is on this wise let vs sée how these things agrée with the holie scriptures Sundrie ends of christians in working First we will grant that a Christian man in working hath manie ends For sometimes he hath herevnto respect that he may call vpon God him selfe that he may celebrate his name that he may giue thanks and such like where he hath respect vnto God without anie meane But sometime he laboreth to restore himselfe and by vertues and excellent actions to recouer the image of God wherevnto he was created Sometimes also yea and that verie often he is occupied in the helping of other men either by his riches or by doctrine or by counsell Wherfore it is manifest that euen of a Christian life there be manie ends which ends neuertheles as we saie haue degrées and order among themselues But whereas Aristotle saith that where the worke remaineth after the act That the works of Christians are not better than the working thereof the worke it selfe is better than the working therof going before it séemes not to haue place in our ends if we speake vniuersallie For when a man being mooued with charitie shall cloth a poore man nourish heale and instruct him it is certeine that after the act he leaueth a worke behind namelie health nourishment or raiment or instruction in the poore man in which kind of works the action which goeth before namelie obedience towards God and the vse of charitie are farre more pleasing vnto God and more to be estéemed than the worke remaining after the act séeing that is transitorie and shall perish What order the ends of Christians haue But how in him that professeth himselfe a Christian the ends which be many may haue an order among themselues it may be perceiued in faith hope and charitie For as the faith is greater and God more knowen by it the more is charitie inflamed about the end thereof in such sort that the end and as they saie the obiect of faith dooth prescribe vnto charitie and so much as the confidence is towards God so much is the loue towards our neighbour Wherefore the end of charitie which is the good of our neighbour is thus conteined vnder the end of faith and so it causeth that the power of faith as touching this matter excelleth and is better than the power of charitie And thirdlie as the faith is firme and the charitie actiue so the hope is more constant and with a stronger patience and fortitude we expect the performance of Gods promises in how much we apprehend those things with a greater faith and haue more fruitfullie exercised our selues by charitie And so these thrée powers namelie faith hope and charitie should bée sufficient vnto that which we would shew But when the order of the table of the ten commandements is set before vs we may manifestlie in them declare the selfe-same thing For the first table hath respect vnto God without anie meane but the other is directed vnto our neighbour And wée must vnderstand that there is a greater dignitie of the first table and that the end thereof is more noble bicause it conteineth the other and hath them vnder it as it were the chéefe builder bicause the end of the latter table is ruled and gouerned
iustified but as for other things neither be they good nor yet doo please God Wherefore séeing the Publican praied and that faithfullie it is certeine that he had eternall life and was not destitute of iustification 19 But that all these things may be the perfectlier vnderstood What is required vnto the works which be acceptable vnto God it shall not be from the purpose to knowe what things are required vnto a good worke to make it acceptable vnto God First of all he that dooth anie good thing it behooueth him to be mooued by the spirit of God for otherwise in vs that is in our flesh dwelleth nothing that is good and they which be lead by the spirit of God those be the children of God Secondlie it behooueth that faith be present by which it is vnderstood for a certeintie that the worke which we take in hand is of those kind of things which God willeth and by his lawe hath commanded to be doone Rom. 14 23 For whatsoeuer is not of faith the same is sinne Neither ought we so to handle the matter that our owne hart should accuse vs in that thing which we doo Thirdlie whatsoeuer we doo the same must be wholie directed to the glorie of God that herevnto chéeflie and aboue all things we haue regard that the praise and glorie of God may be set foorth by our works 1. Co. 10 31 Whether saith Paule ye eate or whether ye drinke or what other thing soeuer ye doo doo it to the glorie of God Fourthlie forsomuch as by reason of th' infirmitie which is graffed in vs there is alwaies some want in our works yea euen in those works which séeme to be doone well it is necessarie that the grace and mercie of God through Christ be present with vs wherby that defect or want may be supplied For this cause Dauid saith Psal 32 1. Blessed are they whose iniquities be forgiuen blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord hath not imputed sinne And Paule saith Rom. 8 1. There is now no condemnation to them which be in Christ Iesus Againe Ibidem 3. That which was vnpossible to the lawe insomuch as it was made weake through the flesh God sending his owne sonne c. These testimonies sufficiently declare both that our works doo faile of their perfection and iust end and that also it commeth through Christ and the mercie of God that that blame mingled with our works is not imputed vnto vs. Lastlie this also is required Ierem. 9 23. 1. Cor. 1 31. that no man glorie of that which he vprightlie dooth but that he glorie in GOD onelie and acknowledge that what he dooth he dooth by his goodnes not of his owne strength for Who hath separated thee saith Paule to the Corinthians 1. Cor 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued But if thou hast receiued it whie dooest thou glorie as though thou hadst not receiued it When all these things which I haue here recited shall take place the worke with out all controuersie will be good and acceptable vnto God Here may the diligent reader out of these conditions of a good worke Whence may be gathered the definition of good works gather the definition thereof On the contrarie part if we haue respect vnto the nature of man not regenerate we shall easilie perceiue that these conditions which we haue said to be necessarie vnto a good worke cannot be found in him For he is altogither void of the spirit of God and of faith and is so infected with the loue of himselfe that whatsoeuer he dooth he referreth it not vnto God but vnto his owne profit Moreouer forsomuch as he is a stranger from Christ it must néeds be that he is left vnder the lawe so that what defect or fault soeuer there be in his works as of necessitie there must be much the same cannot by anie other meanes be recompensed To conclude if perhaps he haue doone any notable goodlie worke he dooth not glorie in God but in himselfe for he is ignorant of Christ and of grace By these two descriptions of a woorke good and acceptable vnto God and of a man that liueth without Christ I thinke it is now manifest How far the wicked are from the condition of good works that those works cannot be good and acceptable vnto God which procéed from a man that is out of the faith 20 But our aduersaries indeuour to wrest from vs two verie strong places which we vse for the confirmation of this matter A metaphor of a good and euill tree Matt. 7 18. Rom. 14 23. The first is that we say An euill tree cannot bring foorth good fruit the other is Euerie thing that is not of faith is sinne of which things somewhat must be said in this place That metaphor of an euill trée which cannot bring foorth good fruit Christ vsed not onelie in the seuenth chapter of Matthew verse 33. verse 34. but also in the twelfe chapter of the same Gospell and thereof he inferred Yee generation of vipers how can you speake good things when ye your selues be euill But before I make open this cauillation I thinke it good to declare how Augustine in the fourth booke and third chapter against Iulian the Pelagian contended for this selfe-same place He setteth foorth a goodlie worke of a man being an infidell namelie To cloth the naked without faith is sin to cloth a naked man and he demandeth whether this worke may be called a sinne Surelie vnlesse this worke be of that kind that pleaseth God I perceiue not that anie other worke of an infidell can be acceptable to him And Augustine affirmeth and prooueth that the same is sinne and least that he might séeme to speake this without reason he saith It is therefore sinne bicause he that did that goodlie worke glorieth in his worke for he dooth not by faith acknowledge either God or Christ to whom he should ascribe the dooing thereof Moreouer he saith that To auoid the nature of sinne it is not inough that a good thing be doone but also that it be well and vprightlie doone Shall we their saâ—e that an infidell hath done a good worke and wrought vprightlie If we grant not this then we confesse that he sinned But if we doo grant it then we confesse the fruit to be good whereas the infidell without Christ is an euill trâ—e By this meanes we shall grant that an euill trée dooth bring foorth good fruit which thing neuertheles Christ dooth expressedlie denie Our aduersaries therefore are driuen to such a passe that now they doo not fight against vs onelie but euen against Christ himselfe also vnlesse peraduenture they will saie that a man being faithlesse an infidell and a stranger from GOD is a good trée But if they affirme this how doo they denie that he pleaseth God séeing that which is good cannot be but acceptable vnto our good
God But he which pleaseth God must out of all doubt haue faith for vnto the Hebrues it is written Without faith it is vnpossible to please God Heb. 11 6. But these men by this their heresie will obtrude vnto vs that which the same epistle denieth can be doone But a man saie they in that he is a man is no euill trée But Augustine saith If the respect be vnto nature no tree is euill Natures must not be weighed as they were made by God but according to the state that coms to them afterward If we consider the natures onelie then shall there be no where anie euill trée for both angell and man were created by God and receiued good natures But these natures must not be measured by vs according to that which they were made by God but according to the state which came vnto them afterward A man indued with a good will shall be called a good trée but an euill trée shall be the man which is indued with an euill will And we saie that after the fall of Adam and the first ruine of our kind men be such as they are not mooued with a good will but with an euill But to returne to the almes of an infidell Mercie doone to a neighbour without faith is faithlesse whereof we began to speake we may demand whether this mercie which is shewed be of faith or be faithlesse And forsomuch as it is doone without faith it must néeds be faithlesse wherefore it cannot be without vice sinne It is not sufficient to haue mercie of our neighbour Mercie of it selfe is not good vnlesse the same be also doone faithfullie and rightlie for mercie is not of it selfe alone good For God hath dissalowed manie benefits bestowed vpon our neighbours as when the king of Israell spared the king of Syria and Saule 1. kin 20 35. 1. Sam. 15 verse 16. Agag the king of Amaleck But faith which woorketh by loue God disallowed certeine works of mercie is alwaies good and can neuer be euill But forsomuch as mercie is not of that kind therefore it is necessarie that there be vsed an vprightnes whereby it may be doone faithfullie to receiue commendation The wicked abuse naturall affections They crie out that this naturall affection of shewing mercie is good which thing peraduenture we will not denie But they should haue â—onsidered that men not regenerate abuse the good thing when as they direct it not to God who is the onelie end of all our actions neither surelie dooth he commit a slight sinne which peruerslie abuseth so great a gift of God 21 Furthermore the same Augustine affirmeth that Whatsoeuer good thing can be perceiued to be in the worke of an infidell the same is wholie of God Wherefore in that our neighbour is holpen and some ordinance of reason obserued and some ciuill honestie reteined that commeth not anie otherwise than of God but so farre foorth as it procéedeth from an infidell and a man corrupt it is sinne and displeaseth God By these and such other reasons Pelagius was led to confesse that these men which so by nature behaue themselues aright are good indéed but yet without fruit Augustine againe replieth against them saieng that Such is the nature of barren trées that either they bring foorth no fruit at all or else euill fruit But Pelagius still endeuoureth to cleare himselfe and therefore he saith that these men are to be called barren for that although those things which they doo be good yet helpe they nothing to the atteinement of the kingdome of heauen But in saieng thus Pelagius and the Schoolemen affirme good works but not such as further to the kingdome of heauen he saith nothing naie rather he hindereth his owne selfe Truelie the Schoolemen of our time haue euen the verie same opinion the which thing Augustine withstandeth by all the might he can for he saith By this means the Lord which is good shall cut downe and cast into the fier a good trée bringing foorth as ye say good fruit What maner of iustice is this which ye so seuerelie defend eueriewhere Vpon this opinion of yours there followe manie vaine and absurd things Thus much hitherto out of Augustine A grace preuenting and knocking But our men boast that they differ much from Pelagius for we put saie they a certeine grace preuenting and knocking whereby in the harts of men may be inclosed some good treasure by which they may worke some good thing wherefore they are not plants vtterlie dead A similitude for after a sort they bring foorth fruit And although that which they doo bring foorth cannot bud foorth into flowers and into tried fruit yet are there boughes which may and doo come foorth of some sappe of the grace of God whereof euen they which be strangers vnto the grace of God be altogether destitute But Pelagius confessed euen the verie same things for he misliked not the name of grace when as neuerthelesse by the same name as Augustine dooth prudentlie discouer him he vnderstood what he listed rather than what he ought and a farre other matter than that word signifieth among the catholike writers or in the church of Christ or in the holie scriptures But these men in their similitude Against the former similitude haue small consideration for they remember not that the Lord in the gospell did curse the trée which onelie bare leaues without fruit and also commanded that the same should be cut off Mat. 21 1â— Luk. 13 6. and cast into the fier But there is nothing in the danger of Gods curse and of hell-fier but sinne But they haue yet an other colour whereby they would auoid this place for they saie that these trées indéed be euill but yet not vtterlie dead for in them there is found out sappe of grace For they affirme that there is in man a certeine grace which knocketh and preuenteth whereby in the harts of men not regenerate some good treasure may be inclosed out of which may spring some blossoms from a man not penitent For although they be not able to make that which they bring foorth prosper vnto a perfect and ripe fruit or to beare flowers yet at the least wise they bring foorth boughes and leaues which doubtlesse be a token of secret grace and life It is a woonder to sée how these men stand in their owne conceit concerning this knocking and preuenting grace whereof we haue declared before what is to be thought But they which speake and iudge after this sort are too much without consideration for they marke not that this grace of theirs is no other but a certeine inuiting vnto Christ but yet not of efficacie for men therewithall are left vnder the wrath of God neither are their harts changed What good treasure then can be in them from whence may bud foorth woorks acceptable vnto God But because we will not flie from their
which obeied not the cursse when if was published were most gréeuouslie punished Which the holie historie of Iosua declareth to haue happened vnto Achan Iosua 7 1. bicause he vsurped vnto himselfe some of the spoiles of Ierico We knowe also 1. Sa. 15 11. that Saule was for this cause béerest of his kingdome in that he had reserued Agag the king and certeine oxen and fat cattell of the preie which were alreadie bound by the vow of the cursse 32 But touching the forme and end of the cursse we haue spoken inough The forme of the cursse For the forme is the destruction of cities men and beasts and the consecration of gold siluer iron brasse pearles pretious stones costlie things which were appointed onelie to the vse of the tabernacle The end thereof But the end was that they might be monuments of Gods goodnesse and iustice and also an exercise and triall of the Israelits Now resteth to speake somewhat of the matter and efficient cause thereof The matter of the same Certeinlie the matter was whatsoeuer was to be found aliue in those cities for all that ought to be killed And the buildings and other garnishings of the citie to be cleane destroied but as for the riches and ornaments they as it is said were consecrated vnto the worshipping of God But there was to be noted that none were vowed vnto so horrible a destruction except such as were alreadie declared and openlie vowed to be enimies of GOD. For it is not lawfull to kill innocents Wherefore they sinned most gréeuouslie which so vowed Paules death Acts. 25 14. as they would neither eate nor drinke till they had killed him And at this daie they behaue themselues more than wickedlie which confesse themselues to haue made a vow most cruellie to kill all the professors of the Gospell Yea Ieptha without doubt was deceiued Iude. 11 39. Ieptha who bicause of this kind of vowing thought that his daughter ought either to be slaine or else forced to perpetuall virginitie Agamemnon Agamemnon also is to be condemned who as Cicero in his booke of Offices reporteth vowed vnto Diana the fairest thing that should be borne in his kingdome The efficient cause of the cursie which foolish vow to performe he sacrificed his daughter Iphigenia But the efficient cause of the vow Cherem sometimes is God as it is written in the seuenth tenth chapters of Deuteronomie Deut. 7 16. For there it is commanded that places dedicated to idols altars images groues and monuments should vtterlie be destroied and that was a perpetuall cursse in the land of Chanaan and to be alwaies obserued Iosua 6 17. Sometimes the prince made such a vow as we read of Iosua and sometimes the people Num. 21 2. as we find in the 21. chapter of Numbers The prophet also sometime did this and thus did Samuel charge Saule 1. Sam. 15 3 that he should destroie all things which belonged to the Amalechits The name of this citie whereof there is mention in the first of Iudges was afterward called Horma whereas before it was not so called And it was so called of the word Cherem for such a name were they woont to giue the places that were destroied by reason of a vow or cursse In the booke of Numbers a certeine portion which the Israelits kept by force was by reason of such a vow called Horma Num. 12. 33 But it would séeme to be a question whether these destructions were against charitie I saie they were not for such enimies were chosen to be vtterlie destroied of the Iewes by the iudgement of God and not at the pleasure of men And as concerning the loue or hatred of enimies we must vnderstand Augustine that Augustine hath written toward the end of the former booke of the sermon of the Lord vpon the mount that he dooth ascend a certeine step of righteousnesse which loueth his neighbour although he as yet hate his enimie But he shall then performe goodwill and goodnesse according to the commandement of him which came to fulfill the lawe and not to breake it when he shall extend the same euen to the loue of his enimie For the other degrée although it be somewhat yet is it so small that it may be common also with Publicans Neither is that which is said in the lawe Thou shalt hate thine enimie Matt. 5 43. to be taken as a commandement vnto the iust but as a permission vnto the weake Thus much writeth he To whom if I shall saie as the truth is I doo not agrée but am certeinlie persuaded that to hate our enimies is not permitted by God no not in them which be vnperfect for it is an euerlasting precept that we should loue our neighbour as our selues And he is our neighbour Who is our neighbour vpon whom we light by anie occasion as Christ declared in the parable of the Iewes and of the Samaritane Luke 10 30 Those vndoutedlie were compared as enimies one to another wherfore the condition of enimitie when it happeneth cannot let but that such as are enimies one to another be neighbours notwithstanding Moreouer forsomuch as we sée Psal 109. that Dauid and other prophets did oftentimes cursse their enimies by what meanes can we call them weake to whom God gaue libertie to hate their enimies For they were holie men and verie perfect Neither dooth that séeme to make much to the purpose which the same Augustine saith Augustine namelie that The saiengs of these holie men were no vowes and desires but rather forspeakings and prophesies of them who liuing vnder the old testament did oftentimes prophesie the euent of things to come For the apostles are also found in the new testament not onelie to haue spoken words of curssings as Paule when he saith I would to God they were cut off that trouble you Gal. 5 12. but also to haue imposed most gréeuous punishments For so much as it is written in the Acts of the apostles that the same Paule depriued Elimas the magician of his sight Acts. 13 11 Act. 5 5. 9 and Peter slue Ananias and Saphyra Wherfore it were better to saie that these great men did not such things of hatred granted to them against vnperfect men but forced therevnto by some other maner of meanes Note a distinction And so me thinketh we must make this distinction that they sometimes had to doo for their owne causes and sometimes for Gods cause When they had to doo for their own matters they seasoned all their dooings with all modestie and gentlenesse as we sée Dauid did who sundrie times spared Saule his deadlie enimie 1. Sam. 26 9 Moses also and other holie men did verie oftentimes susteine gréeuous things both constantlie and valiantlie but when Gods busines was to be handled they behaued themselues seuerelie and noblie But this if they had doone while
the harlot or vitler Augustine answereth Augustine that it was not the lie which the midwiues made but the faith and feare that they had towards God and the mercie shewed vnto the Israelits that pleased the Lord which the holie historie by expresse words dooth testifie And no otherwise must we thinke of Rahab Gregorie But I neuer like of the opinion of Gregorie who saith that for the lie which they made their eternall reward was turned to a temporall reward bicause it is said that God for their euerlasting blessednesse builded them houses But I iudge that by reason of the true faith which was effectuall in them in such sort as it brought foorth in them both loue and the feare of God which be lawfull and iust fruits of that faith the lie which they made through infirmitie béereaued them not of eternall felicitie 36 Abraham also is obiected who said Looke In Gen. 12. at the end and 19. 8. Gen. 12 13. that Sara was his sister Howbeit therein as Augustine teacheth he lied not he told that which was true but yet he spake not all the truth And that is of no man required to vtter all that he knoweth to be true He did not saie that she was his wife yet bicause she was his kinswoman he might according to the maner of the Hebrues truelie saie that she was his sister Notwithstanding he séemeth not to be holden altogither excused for although he lied not in calling of hir sister yet it appéereth that therein he fell bicause by not reuealing that she was his wife he put hir in danger of loosing hir chastitie sith he lest hir void of that helpe whereby onelie she might haue béene defended from falling into the loue of strangers Neither is it néedfull that I should indeuour to excuse Abraham altogither for he was a man and by too muth feare might easilie doo amisse Howbeit Augustine Augustine mentioneth that Abraham was then in danger two maner of waies the one least he should be killed him selfe the other the adulterie of his wife The first he might shun in calling hir his sister the other namelie least she should be polluted he was not able to repell For although he had said that he was hir husband that would not haue serued to deliuer hir from the shamefull lusts of the Aegyptians Wherefore that which he himselfe was not able to shun he committed vnto God and in that which was in his owne power he would not tempt him This séemeth to be the iudgement of Augustine But what I iudge I haue before declared 37 But did not the same Abraham lie when he said vnto his seruants Gen. 22 5. Looke In Gen. 27 19. Tarrie here and we will returne vnto you when neuerthelesse he was minded to sacrifice his sonne Which if he had doone he might not haue returned hauing his sonne with him but should haue returned alone without him Iacob also by expresse words lied Gen. 27 19. when he said vnto his father I am Esau thy sonne Paule also as it is written in the Acts saith that he knew him not to be the chéefe priest which commanded him to be striken when for all that as Augustine testifieth in his sermon of the Centurions sonne and as it is written in the 23. cause question the first chapter Paratus he knew him well enough Paule saith he was brought vp among the Iewes he had learned the lawe at the féet of Gamaliel wherefore he verie well knew the chéefe priest from other men 2. Kin. 10. 18 Iehu also lied manifestlie when he said Augustine Two kinds of men that he would worship Baal Augustine writeth that there be two kinds of men mentioned in the holie scriptures For that there were some so perfect as although they were not without sinne yet we may not rashlie iudge euill of them but rather séeke how we may defend those things which in their works haue a shew of sinne They oftentimes were so mooued by the holie Ghost that God by their words and acts might make certeine secrets knowne And so we must beléeue that oftentimes they both spake and did certeine things by prophesie So Abraham when he said We will returne vnto you prophesied vnwares that which shuld come to passe for he safelie returned from the mountaine with Isaac And Iacob in saieng I am Esau ment to declare nothing else but that he was the man to whom the degrée blessing and dignitie was due which séemed to perteine vnto Esau who was the first borne Paule also prophesied what should at the length become of the high priest namelie that as a painted wall and a thing altogither feigned and hypocriticall he should be taken awaie Further saith Augustine there were other men not so perfect but were euill which are spoken of in the old testament either to haue lied or else to haue doone some thing that might séeme to be sinne But he thinketh that we should not so greatlie indeuor to defend the good name and opinion of those men Of this sort of men was Iehu for although that murther which he executed vpon Achab and his familie and also his wéeding out of Baal and the worshippers thereof pleased God yet neuerthelesse he was a wicked king neither forsooke he the worshipping of golden calues Wherefore it shall be lawfull to confesse that in lieng he committed sinne But in my iudgement and as I noted before by this onelie distinction we may easilie dissolue this doubt namelie Note a distinction that those men were stirred vp to lie either by the spirit of man or by the motion of God When they did it as men we will not denie but that they sinned but when they spake so by the inspiration of God we maruell at their saiengs and dooings But we will not take it as an example and president to followe VVhether it be lawfull to lie for preseruing the life of our neighbour 38 But there ariseth a harder doubt Looke In 2. Sam. 15 33 namelie whether it be lawfull to make a lie for the preseruation of our neighbors life Augustine Augustine De mendacio ad Consentium saith If a man shuld be in great perill of death and the same man should also knowe that his sonne were in extreame danger who happening to die thou hauing knowledge thereof if the father aske thée Dooth my sonne liue And thou art sure that he also will die if thou shew him that his sonne is departed what wouldest thou doo in this case Whether thou saiest he liueth or whether thou saiest I cannot tell thou liest But if so be thou answer that he is dead all men will crie out vpon thée as though thou haddest committed man-slaughter and as though thou by thy heauie newes haddest béene the occasion of the death of this father being sicke and lieng at the point of death Augustine granteth that the case is hard neither denieth he but that as a man
none that is godlie will delight in this kind of sinne For if a man loue God with all his heart it is necessarie that he refraine and detest all sinnes which are manifestlie repugnant vnto the will of GOD We take pleasure in sinnes by chance and vnto his lawe But accidentallie or indirectlie it is possible that some pleasure may be taken in them Morall good works doo delight vs though they be sinnes As if we be now set at libertie the more and more gréeuous acts they be which we haue committed the more shall we reioise And if a man haue béene before time proud and arrogant and after some fall being repentant doo behaue himselfe more modestlie he will somewhat reioise by reason of his sinne Which also happeneth if after faults be committed good lawes be made and an order appointed that such faults be not afterward committed For we reioise that such an occasion was offered And bicause that as Paule saith Where sinne hath abounded grace also hath more abounded and vnto them that loue GOD althings worke to good we will grant that by a phrase of spéech although not proper but by accidents the godlie may sometime take pleasure of sinnes But in speaking of morall workes which are doone by them that are not regenerate if we looke perfectlie into them A similitude we cannot but reioise in them For euen as it is a pleasure and that not small to behold the vertues of hearbs the properties of liuing creatures of pretious stones and of the starres so also it is a delight to sée the acts of notable men which acts GOD would haue to be in the nature of man for the preseruation of Common-weales and of ciuill discipline Who taketh not pleasure when he readeth the honest life and vertuous acts of Socrates Or when he weigheth with himselfe the notable acts doone by Scipio Aphricanus And also when he séeth the things that be doone in our time of notable men that are euen void of Christian religion Yea for so much as they haue a certeine shew and countenance of sound vertues the godlie are so much delighted with them as they are often times stirred vp to praie earnestlie for the saluation of those men thus thinking with themselues If God vouchsafe to change these men and to draw them vnto Christ they would be a great ornament and helpe vnto the church neither do they easilie despaire of their saluation Euen as a skilfull husbandman A similitude if perhaps he sée a ground verie ranke with brakes and wéeds desireth to buy the same thinking with himselfe that if the naughtie hearbs were wéeded out and the brakes with a plough rooted vp fruits would plentifullie growe thereon And so also will he doo if he sée wild vine trées or wild oliue trées spring in anie place of their owne accord for he will thereby iudge the ground to be méet both for vine trées and for fat oliue trées if it might be well husbanded Also Christ our sauiour when a yong man had asked him what he should doo to atteine to euerlasting life and he had answered him Matt. 19 16. Keepe the commandements and when the yong man had replied that he indeuoured himselfe therevnto euen from his youth which neuerthelesse was not true Iesus for all that delighted in that indeuour of his whatsoeuer it was touching the inquirie of saluation and of obeieng the commandements of God as much as in him laie For this is the meaning of that which Marke writeth in the tenth chapter that Christ loued him to wit that considering his present calamitie he was mooued with mercie for that he labouring and going about to atteine vnto the righteousnesse of works fell awaie from it The same Lord also when he had made answer that the greatest commandement is To loue God with all our heart with all our soule Mark 12 34 and with all our strength and that the next commandement is To loue our neighbour as our selues and that a certeine Scribe had commended the answer of the Lord the Lord said Thou art not far from the kingdome of heauen although he yet beléeued not neither was he iustified by Christ But the Lord would declare that this his assent to the truth resembled some shew of dutie and godlinesse Wherefore in such works as morallie be called good the mind of the godlie sort is delited although it be also gréeued that those works be not doone as they ought to be And as touching the saieng of the apostle we must not gather Rom. 10 2 that he of sinne that is of zeale without true knowledge conceiued a loue and good will towards the Iewes For he reasoneth not from the cause naie rather by the effect he declareth his loue towards them namelie in that he not onelie praieth for the saluation of them but also for that he aggrauateth not the crime which they were guiltie of but rather excuseth it so far as the matter will permit It should be a false argument A non causa vt causa that is taking that for the cause which is not the cause if a man would hereby prooue that Paule was delited in the sinnes of the Iewes But if a man will néeds contend that this argument is taken from the cause we will saie that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in English is Harts desire is in this place an affect The zeale of the Iews was sinne which perteineth vnto mercie And so Paule had compassion of the Iewes bicause he sawe them so miserablie deceiued Of Salutations In 2. King 5 verse 29. 15 That which in the scriptures is commanded of forbidding salutations one towards another séeme to be a verie hard vnvsuall thing forsomuch as a salutation is nothing else What is a salutation but a luckie and happie praieng and it is not the least worke of charitie towards our neighbours Among the Hebrues it is expressed in the word Beraca which is as they commonlie call it a benediction or a good and gladsome praieng and of the Gréeks it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Further to salute againe commeth of a gratefull mind and belongeth vnto exchanging or recompensing iustice For it is méet and good right that we should in like maner wish good things to them which haue first wished well to vs. And there is no doubt but that mutuall salutations doo verie much further vnto the ioining togither of minds Which coniunctions how necessarie and profitable they be in a christian Common-wele and in the church of Christ all men doo knowe Augustine Augustine in his 42. sermon De sanctis If anie doo not salute a man whom he méeteth or vse not salutations againe vnto him that hath saluted him he shall not be taken of the traueller for a man but for a stocke a stone or for Mercurie who standing by the waie directeth the iournie and speaketh not a word Neither can mutuall salutation be
man But forsomuch as I perceiue that these things which I haue spoken are sufficient enough to prooue that which I purposed at the beginning now there remaineth that we answer those things which are obiected by our aduersaries 8 They saie that Paule in the latter epistle to Timothie 1. Tim. 1. giueth thanks vnto God for bicause he had serued him from his forefathers and that with a pure conscience Howbeit these words trouble vs not séeing they were spoken by the apostle to the end he might purge and defend himselfe For other aduersaries laid to his charge that he had departed from the lawe and had alienated himselfe from the God of Israel and that therefore men should beware of the Iewes as of deceiuers But he made answer that he worshipped the liuing God and that euen him whom his forefathers had worshipped and that in preaching of the sonne of God as he did he did not fainedlie or by fraud but with a pure and faithfull conscience Neither can it be gathered hereby that he boasted of a full and perfect obseruation of the commandements of the lawe Furthermore it was obiected that Dauid as himselfe testifieth confessed God with all his heart Psal 9 2. and that he searched out the commandements of God with his whole heart Of which perfection also there was a testimonie giuen to some kings in the holie historie 1. King 15 3. 15 2. King 23 3. namelie that they sought God with their whole heart 9 We answer that our works if they be regarded as they be in their owne nature and of themselues are of no such vertue as they answer vnto the lawe of God in all points But if they be considered as they be accepted of the heauenlie father through his diuine mercie and by the meanes of Christ it may be said that they are doone with all the heart with all the soule and with all the strength But thou wilt saie Dooth God vse a peruerse iudgement so as he accepteth things otherwise than they be indéed I affirme that iniquitie is altogither remooued from God for our works when we be once renewed are not offered to God barelie as they be in their owne nature but iointlie togither with Christ Wherefore with them is ioined the loue and obedience of Christ which was doone with all the heart with all the soule and with all the strength GOD estéemeth not things that be offered better than they be indéed and therefore by the mediatour is forgiuen and amended whatsoeuer hath wanted in our actions Neither is that feined which is alledged by me séeing the scripture testifieth the same For in the first epistle to the Corinthians it is written of Christ 1. Cor. 1 30. that He became our wisedome our righteousnesse our holinesse and redemption Besides this we are said to loue God with all our heart with all our soule and with all our strength bicause we bend our selues thereto and stand in hope that once it shall so be And it commeth not sildome to passe that a motion taketh name of that terme or end wherevnto it tendeth Neither dooth the scripture disagrée with this manner of speaking For it is said vnto the Romans Rom. 8 24. that We are saued by hope when neuerthelesse we be as yet conuersant in miseries and sinnes and doo hold saluation it selfe not in déed but in hope It is written also vnto the Ephesians that God hath alreadie quickened vs togither with Christ Ephes 2 1. and hath made vs sit togither with him on the right hand in the celestiall places when as notwithstanding we be here vpon the earth Yet we are declared to haue this alreadie bicause by faith and hope we inioie the same as if we presentlie held it Also Christ said He that beleeueth in me Iohn 6 47. hath euerlasting life whereas yet his faithfull people are both troubled with diseases and they also die as concerning their bodie But they are trulie said to haue obteined euerlasting life bicause the same is alreadie begoone in them In like manner the sonne of God said Blessed are they that suffer persecution Matth. 5 10. and what blessednesse is this Certeinlie none other but a beginning of the chiefe felicitie To the Romans also it is written Rom. 6 4. that We are buried togither with Christ in baptisme albeit that our corrupt affections and old man be not remooued from vs as yet much lesse buried or dead Vnto the Galathians the apostle saith Gala. 5 24. They that be of Christ haue crucified their flesh with the desires of the same Rom. 6 6. And vnto the Romans Our old man is crucified that the bodie of sinne might be abolished All these things verelie are said although that the remnannts of sinne naughtie lusts and sinne it selfe are not as yet vtterlie extinguished bicause we possesse these things as begoone though not brought to perfection And things which haue their beginning are described as though they were alreadie finished Which Augustine also himselfe perceiued who in his second booke De peccatorum meritis remissione the 15. thapter saith that Some man is at some time counted to be perfect bicause he hath profited in a great part 9 Further it is argued Ezec. 36 26 that God testifieth by the prophesie of Ezechiel that he would giue vs a hart of flesh and a spirit in such sort as hée would write his lawe in our harts whereby we might walke in his commandements Also in the 30. chapter of Deuteronomie I will circumcise saith he the fore-skin of thy hart that thou maiest loue me with all thy hart with all thy soule c. How God giueth vs to walke in his commandements I grant that these promises of GOD are extant but those must be vnderstood after such a maner as I haue before declared namelie that our loue is accepted by God through Christ that it is repaired and fulfilled by the perfection and obedience of Christ himselfe Moreouer that which the Lord promised vnto his that hath he giuen them partlie in this life and partlie he will fulfill and performe the same in the life to come Matth. 5 8. Which is confirmed by another saieng of Christ for he pronounced them blessed which be cleane of hart sith they shall sée God Dooth he wholie performe this promise in this life No verelie For now we onelie knowe in part by a glasse and in a darke saieng 1. Cor. 13 9. but in the euerlasting habitation we shall sée him at the full and as he is While we be in this life we hunger and thirst after righteousnesse séeing we cannot as yet haue the same perfect and absolute Also they saie that it maketh against vs which is written by Paule Rom. 23 10 and 8. that Loue is the fulfilling of the lawe And againe He that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the lawe Certeinlie these things be true and there is
of regeneration euen as our baptisme is also Circumcision was the sacrament of regeneration as baptisme is Yea and the Schoolemen themselues confesse that originall sinne was forgiuen vnto the forefathers in circumcision Wherefore iudgement ought not so lightlie to haue béene giuen that they had onelie outward purifiengs But this is a great deale surer when he addeth that They restrained their hands from euill works but we restraine both the mind and conscience Chrysostome séemeth alwaies to be of this mind that the lawe forbiddeth onelie the outward worke and that the Gospell afterward forbiddeth anger hatred and lust of the mind and considereth not that the old fathers had also this commandement Exo. 20 17. Thou shalt not lust and that the prophets euerie-where require circumcision of the hart Deut 10 16 Ierem. 4. 4. and that in the first commandement is comprehended faith hope charitie and whatsoeuer perteineth to the spirituall motions of the mind But whereas he saith that they were driuen by feare and we by loue that indéed is true after a sort howbeit not so as they were vtterlie without loue and we altogither without feare And that is most vntrue of all when he saith that they performed the lawe but we far passe those things which are commanded in the lawe For as we haue else-where prooued they themselues that be regenerate cannot so frame their works that they can in all points satisfie the lawe of God He addeth moreouer that they could not be corrected and amended otherwise than by stoning maiming burning and other such like kind of punishments but we are onlie excommunicated when we deserue to suffer the extremest punishment that the church can laie vpon vs. Howbeit he should haue remembered that those punishments which he maketh mention of were ciuill punishments which our christian magistrates also doo laie vpon such as be malefactors But they saith he had onelie in name the honour of adoption and of children but we haue it in verie déed Certeinlie it cannot be denied but that God was in the old testament called the father of his people For of him he saith Psal 11 1. that He had called his first begotten sonne out of Aegypt And Moses saith in Deuteronomie Deut. 32 18 Thou hast forsaken God which begat thee And Malachie verse 10. in his second chapter There is one God and father of vs all And Esaie I haue nourished and brought vp children Esaie 1 2. and they haue despised me And dooth not Paule saie Vnto whom apperteine the couenant and adoption Rom. 9 4. speaking then of the fathers of the Israelites of whom was Christ according to the flesh Psal 82 6. I said ye are gods and children of the most high They also called God their father when they said in Esaie Esai 63 16. Thou art our father for Abraham knew vs not and Israel had no knowledge of vs. And so great an affection did God the father beare towards them as he saith Esai 49 15. Can a mother forget hir child but although she can yet will not I forget thee And as Chrysostome hath thus written in this place so hath he in other places also manie things like vnto the same which as I haue said must be read warilie and with iudgement 24 Augustine in the handling of that place saith that there is put a difference betwéene the old and new testament of which the one consisteth in feare and the other in loue He addeth moreouer that it is without controuersie that the spirit of adoption is the holie Ghost but the spirit of bondage he thinketh to be that which hath the power of death that is satan séeing so manie are held vnder the euill spirit as are destitute of grace and being not regenerate liue vnder the lawe For they are addicted vnto temporall things and obeie their owne lusts not indéed through default of the lawe but bicause they themselues are strangers from Christ and from God for they cannot obserue the lawe of God and therefore they are both wrapped in sinnes and also disquieted with continuall furies He also signifieth that of this place there is another interpretation as though the spirit should here signifie our mind which is somtime the seruant of lusts and sometime liueth vnder the libertie of the sonnes of God But this opinion saith he cannot stand The spirit of adoption is not our mind but the inspiration of God Rom. 8 16. bicause the spirit of adoption is a little afterward said to be externall and receiued from without namelie being inspired from aboue For so Paule writeth It is the spirit that beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the sonnes of God Which words plainelie declare that there is a difference put betwéene the spirit that persuadeth and that spirit which is persuaded And if this saith he be true concerning the spirit of adoption the same opinion also must we haue of the spirit of bondage So that Augustine herein agréeth with Chrysostome that they whom he thinketh to be vnder the spirit of bondage are quite void of the spirit of God For those kind of men he affirmeth not to be regenerate and that they be also strangers from God yea rather addicted vnto the spirit of satan of whom we cannot vnderstand Chrysostome to speake For out of the lawe and the sacraments he bringeth a reason why the forefathers wanted the spirit But Augustine denieth that this came to passe through the default of the lawe What the spirit of bondage is wherefore his saieng is more probable than Chrysostoms Howbeit herein I agrée not with Augustine to thinke that by the spirit of bondage is to be vnderstood satan Two effects of the holie Ghost for here as I said are to be vnderstood two effects of the holie Ghost The first is when we are touched with the knowledge of the lawe and remorse of our sins we straitwaie despairing of saluation perceiue that we be vtterlie vndoone vnlesse we repaire vnto Christ So that the selfe-same spirit being our guide we come vnto Christ and by faith laie hold vpon him and the promise of the mercie of GOD by which meanes our sinnes be forgiuen vs and we are receiued into the adoption of the sonnes of God Wherefore Paules meaning was to declare vnto the Romans that they being now past that first step and being regenerate in Christ haue obteined adoption and therefore it behooued them not onelie to liue godlie but also willinglie and of their owne accord to worke vprightlie Vnto this interpretation of ours Ambrose subscribeth for he saith that the apostle here teacheth the Romans that they be no longer vnder the lawe Two steps of conuersion but doo now liue vnder faith I iudge therefore with him that in these words is set foorth two degrées of conuersion 25 And if a man doo demand as touching the people in the old lawe In what state the old Iewes
themselues as concerning nature and state of liuing Then when they haue made them their heires Wherin out similitude with God standeth they desire to inrich them with all their substance The similitude vndoubtedlie which the regenerate haue with God their father consisteth in wisedome iustice simplicitie of mind magnanimitie charitie and in other like heauenlie and diuine affections of the mind whereby they iudge themselues to be made according to the image of GOD as they were created at the beginning And the inheritance which they expect of so excellent a father is eternall and most blessed life And I praie you how much dooth this generation differ from that The heritage of the godlie wherein we are begotten according to flesh and bones And how great a diuersitie is there betwéene the same inheritance of eternall life and the frée gifts among them that be aliue or that are woont to be doone by testaments concerning fields vineyards houses cattell monie or anie other thing For albeit we haue not so much as these things anie other way than of him and by him now presentlie yet we speake onelie of that by reason wherof God is properlie called The father of them that be regenerate in Christ If so be that men would imbrace this thing as méet it were with faith and readinesse of mind they should not so erre from the properties and similitude of God our father neither yet could they shew the disposition of false begotten children by their shamefull actions and wicked déeds as at this daie manie are accustomed to doo This is that fatherlie image and shape whervnto Christ inuited vs in these words Be ye perfect Matth. 5 48 as your heauenlie father is perfect Yet did he neuertheles not kéepe in silence that goodlie and rich inheritance when he said vnto Peter Matt. 19 29. Who soeuer shall leaue that that is his for my names sake he shall not onelie receiue an hundreth fold for me but besides this shall haue euen eternall life also Whosoeuer therefore expecteth so great an inheritance by faith euen as he is not puffed vp by prosperitie so neither is he sorrowfull aboue measure in aduersitie but he hath alwaies his mind bent vnto greater matters neither will he euer persuade himselfe that the labours and vexations which he is subiect vnto in this life are not equiualent to the reward which he looketh for Of the omnipotencie of God 3 But now let vs come to the third point wherein we beléeue him to be omnipotent And this dooth first signifie that he of his owne onelie power was able to bring foorth as afterward shall be said whatsoeuer is conteined both in heauen and earth Further when he will protect me from all euilles and heape euerie good thing vpon me I being his owne workemanship he can shew the same by manie meanes and he being omnipotent as we beléeue him to be can easilie remooue all lets and impediments Herof dependeth as of a most sure foundation all the honour and woorthinesse of our faith For how much soeuer the wisedome of man the world the flesh our owne verie sense or temptation of the diuell is able to withstand the promises conteined in the holie scriptures by this article is beaten downe Hereof it commeth Rom. 4 20. that Paule saith vnto the Romans that Abraham gaue the glorie vnto God when he beléeued perfectlie that he was able to performe that which he promised although the same might not be granted by humane reason and power Wherefore thou must not make anie account of that which importunate men shall obiect neither yet of that which troublesome cogitations entring into thy mind and withstanding those things which be conteined in the holie scriptures diuine promises shall moue sith to thée is manifest both the infinite power of God and also his fatherlie will in whom thou professest thy selfe to beléeue Thou must also remember that neither miracles are wrought nor praiers are heard vnlesse that faith be fullie giuen vnto this omnipotencie of God and vnto the loue wherewith he loueth vs. For this cause Christ said Mark 9 22. that All things are possible vnto him that beleeueth 4 Now remaineth to expound the last part of this article namelie God the creatour of heauen and earth The maker of heauen and earth By which saieng is refelled the error which the schooles of philosophers indeuor to persuade that the world in verie déed was without beginning and that it cannot by anie possible meanes be that the same should be made of nothing séeing here all we that be indued with faith doo sée much more perfectlie than they haue séene For it shall be an absurd thing to measure the works of God omnipotent with a certeine measure of naturall works Further we also beléeue hereby that God is the perpetuall preseruer of the things which he hath made For vnlesse he should gouerne all things by the selfe-same vertue wherewith he made them without doubt all things would be reduced to naught which to haue their being were at the first brought foorth by him of nothing Wherevpon also it is lawfull to conclude another thing namelie that if all things be created by God as we haue before declared and that he is verelie a father vnto thée and so mercifull a father whatsoeuer is made by him commeth to thy vse Vnto Adam the parent of all mankind all things in a maner became subiect but seeing he was vngratefull of mind he by his gréeuous offense spoiled both himselfe and all vs of so pretious and ample inheritance the which inheritance Paule doth manifestlie shew Roma 5 17. and that with verie great most forceable arguments to be restored to vs againe by Christ teaching that the benefit of Christ is mightier and of more efficacie than the malice and wickednesse of Adam Therefore he also writeth vnto them that All things happen well vnto them which trulie loue God It is therefore our part Rom. 8 27. rightlie and iustlie to applie vnto our vse and commoditie those things that be created that for the vse of them and for the delectable fruit which we receiue by them the goodnesse of GOD may be praised and thanks giuen vnto him For as the same apostle writing vnto Timothie saith Things created by God are good that the faithfull may vse them and giue due thanks to God 1. Tim. 4 4 so as none of them be receiued as euill Yea and although the same haue drawne anie euill vnto it yet by the word and by praier it is made holie Yea and things created doo no lesse serue for the sustentation of mans life than doo giue vs an apt testimonie of the perfect and singular goodnesse of our most mercifull father which thing as it is most true so it ought not to be contemned Fiue other principall points belonging to the person of the sonne 5 I beleeue in Iesus Christ his onelie sonne our Lord
If that election be free why yet is there added a respect vnto works least he should séem to haue striuen so much in vaine But if predestination be frée and doo depend of the méere will mercie of God as the scriptures testifie whie durst this man of his owne head imagine this new respect of works For the holie scripture and especiallie Paule vtterly excludeth works from this matter But Pighius the more to bewraie that his lewd desire of contending bringeth certeine arguments which make nothing at all to this matter That which in the blessed virgin the mother of God happened saith he touching election ought in others also to take place But shée was not predestinated fréelie but bicause of hir humilitie for shée sang Luke 1 48. Bicause he hath regarded the humilitie of his handmaiden Wherfore the selfe-same thing ought to happen in others I maruell how this man sawe not that there is great difference betwéene 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a vertue which the Latines call Modestia that is modestie whereby men haue a lowlie moderate opinion of themselues the opposite to which vertue is pride or arrogancie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a vilenes and basenes which commeth vnto men either by reason of pouertie or by reason of base bloud or for other like things Wherefore the blessed virgin reioised and praised God for that he had aduanced hir to so great an honour Mary ment not that she was elected for any merit of hir owne The song of Marie setteth foorth the mercie of God and not merits Ibidem 50. verse 54. verse 55. The image of our predestination appeereth in Christ whereas she otherwise was base obscure and vnwoorthie For she was not as this man dreameth a setter foorth of hir owne merits and vertues to saie that she was therefore elected of God for that she had deserued it through hir modestie And if thou diligentlie consider the course of that song thou shalt easilie sée that she ascribeth all hir good things vnto God Thy mercie saith she is from generation to generation and she addeth He hath remembred his mercie afterward with mercie she ioineth the promises As he spake saith she vnto Abraham our father But why sawe not this good fellowe that the image of our predestination is to be set rather in Christ than in the virgin But Augustine saith that The humanitie of Christ was predestinated and taken altogither fréelie and vtterlie without anie respect of good works A place in the first booke of Samuel 1. Sam. 16. 7. 28 They obiect also vnto vs the words of the Lord to Samuel for he when he should annoint one of the sonnes of Isaie to be king ouer Israel and had first brought before him Eliab the eldest the Lord said vnto him This is not he whom I haue chosen haue no respect to the tallnes of stature For men see those things which appeere outwardlie but I behold the harts Lo saith Pighius this place teacheth that God is mooued by the perfection of the hart not by outward properties But in that historie is not intreated of the eternall predestination of God whereby he hath elected vs vnto perpetuall felicitie there it is intreated onlie of the exalting of a man vnto a kingdome In committing of an office to any man we must haue respect to the ablenes of the person 1. Tim. 3 1. Wherein God hath set foorth vnto vs a notable example that when we will commit anie office or function vnto a man we haue chéefelie a respect vnto the abilitie and skilfulnes which is required to the execution of that office according to which doctrine Paule also to Timothie setteth foorth vnto vs what things are to be required in him which should be chosen an elder or a bishop God himselfe also in the old testament hath at large described of what conditions he ought to be whom he would haue to be appointed a king Vnto which sense Peter also séemeth to haue had respect who when two were set before him Acts. 1 23. of which the one was to be placed in the roome of Iudas he called vpon God the searcher of harts for that he onlie knew the mind and heart of him whom he would haue to be chosen And yet ought we not to thinke that God findeth in men that hart which he hath a respect vnto he rather changeth and maketh méet those whom he will appoint vnto anie office God findeth not the hart good in men but maketh it good as we knowe he did in Saule of whom we read that he was so changed that he became vtterlie another man For wheras before he was but simple and rude he was afterward able to prophesie amongst the prophets which for that it was new and strange gaue an occasion of this prouerbe An example of Saule Sam. 19 24. What! Is Saule also among the prophets Pighius moreouer alledgeth that of this our doctrine will followe that men will séeke the causes of their damnation not in themselues but in God which is both absurd and wicked But let this man consider The cause of our damnation is not to be sought for in God how this may be inferred of our doctrine for we teach that euerie man is subiect vnto sinne therefore deserueth damnation Neither euer said we vnto anie man that he hath not in himselfe a most iust cause of his damnation yea we both are and alwaies haue béene persuaders of all men that when they will take in hand anie thing they take counsell no where else but from the will of God reuealed that is out of the holie scriptures and not of the secrecie of Gods predestination And yet dooth it not therefore followe that by this forme of teaching there is no vse of the doctrine of predestination for vnto it must we then chéefelie haue a respect when we are tossed with aduersities and when through the verie force of afflictions we féele that our faith is weakened in vs. This taught Paule in the eight chapter of the epistle to the Romans verse 30. and therefore he added If God be on our side who shall be against vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of God Shall tribulation or anguish c. So then this doctrine is not so to be left as though no man can applie it vnto himselfe it must rather diligentlie be kept till opportunitie shall serue to vse it Neither is it a point of arrogancie but of the spirituall wisedome for a man to vse it to himselfe when néed requireth 29 Moreouer Pighius falselie saith that those things which we speake are against the goodnes of God as though it should séeme vniust that God should elect vnto himselfe a certeine few and in the meane time ouerhip infinite others No creature is void of the goodnes of God For
God whose faith as thou séest dooth depend vpon the calling of God And if so be calling be before faith it is also before all merits bicause our good works by the which we deserue anie thing doo flowe from faith euen as it is said in the fift chapter to the Galathians verse 6. Faith which worketh by loue Séeing therefore that faith goeth before works and merits The calling is doone freelie and calling before faith it appéereth that our calling is not giuen for any merits of ours but onelie for the frée mercie of God 2 But now if thou shalt be demanded what time that calling is made Thou must answer The time of calling that vnto GOD there be no lawes prefixed that he by his most prudent gouernment calleth into his vineyard some at the first houre Matt. 20 verse 1. c. some at the second some at the third againe he calleth some a little before the euening time For albeit that in respect of his foreknowledge or predestination all men were called togither at the beginning yet neuertheles the declaration or execution of calling is doone by God according as it furthereth his glorie and the honour or commoditie of his church The honor of the diuine calling And so great is the honour of the diuine calling that the church tooke thereof hir name and is called in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the which vndoubtedlie signifieth no other but a companie of them that be called Wherefore it remaineth We must obeie the calling that when we be called we should with all diligence obeie the caller weighing throughlie with our selues that we be called for our profit for God calleth vs not but for our good Wherefore Christ saith Mat. 11 28. Come vnto me all ye that labour and be heauie laden and I will refresh you For being far from God we are vexed with thought and carefulnes of liuing Moreouer being laden with a multitude of gréeuous mischéefes we are pressed downe Furthermore we must marke what maner of benefit of God this is and how singular and excellent the which he imparteth not vnto all men for he passing ouer so manie whose nature is all one with ours hath taken vnto him or separated vs. Wherefore if we imbrace not the benefit that is offered vnto vs and that is denied vnto others we shall deserue no small punishment yea rather as it is written in the second chapter to the Romans Rom. 2 5. We shall heape vp vnto our selues wrath in the daie of wrath Neither ought there or may there be anie lawful excuse pretended verse 21. for not obeieng God when we be called although in shew the same were a godlie excuse which is sufficientlie shewed in the eight chapter of the Gospell of Matthew touching him that being called of the Lord alledged for himselfe that he should go to burie his father No doubt but that séemed to tend vnto godlines but Christ said vnto him Let the dead burie the dead as if he had said When thou art called by me set aside all duties and followe me The power of Gods calling Ibidem 19. And such is the power of Gods calling as without that all our indeuours are made void are not allowed by God as in the same chapter we most plainlie sée that he pleased not Christ which in a maner offered himselfe of his owne accord to followe him but bicause he wanted that calling he did not set forward himselfe to follow Christ with an vpright mind wherefore he was put to a repulse In Rom. 6 verse 17. 3 Paule when he disputed of calling thought it not sufficient to put vs in remembrance that we are brought to obedience but would also admonish vs besides Before regeneration we were all the seruants of sinne The calling of God findeth none holie what maner of people we were before namelie the seruants of sinne This was the state of vs all before we were conuerted vnto Christ for the calling of God findeth none either holie or iust Neither was it sufficient to saie that we are now the seruants of righteousnes but he added From the hart They which are trulie regenerate in Christ The trulie regenerate doo liue godlie of their owne accord We are deliuered by God bicause it lieth not in our owne power and therefore Paule giueth thanks Ioh. 10 29. and grafted in him worke those things which they vnderstand to be acceptable vnto God not by compulsion or hypocrisie but of their owne accord Wherefore Paule when he maketh mention hereof giueth thanks vnto God for that hée vnderstood the same thing to be the chéefest and singular benefit of God and lieth not in our power as manie men feigne it to doo and therfore he addeth in the passiue signification Yee were deliuered By which words he meaneth nothing else but that which Christ ment when he said No man commeth vnto me vnles my father drawe him But what maner of drawing this is and how hard it is to be expressed he that diligentlie weigheth the words of Christ shall easilie perceiue It is written saith he in the prophets Iohn 6 46. They shall be all taught of God Which sentence Christ dooth yet more plainlie expound Ibidem saieng He which shall heare of my father and shall learne commeth vnto me By which words he sheweth that an outward calling is not sufficient vnlesse there be added by GOD a full persuasion inwardlie and in the mind for after that God hath once inclined and framed our mind then at the last we come vnto Christ And Augustine in his first booke to Bonifacius Of the drawing wherby we are stirred vp by God against the two epistles of the Pelagians writeth that The Lord said Vnles my father shall drawe him and said not Vnles my father shall lead him as though we our selues as of our selues could will anie thing or else giue assent vnto him that calleth vs God draweth none but those that hee willing for he which is willing is not drawne but led not that the father draweth anie but those that be willing For it is not possible that we should beléeue vnles we be willing But God worketh woonderfulllie in our harts so that of vnwilling persons hée maketh vs willing An excellent comparison of Augustine And the same Augustine vpon Iohn expounding this place compareth the beléeuer with a yoong shéepe whom the shepheard by holding foorth a gréene bow draweth after him not indéed by violence but of his owne accord and with a desire for the shéepe hath inwardlie an appetite which stirreth him vp to followe the bow In which comparison this we ought to note that it is the propertie of a shéepe so to doo for another beast will not followe Wales we be first made sheep we will not followe Christ that calleth although thou shouldest allure it with gréene bows So ought we by regeneration to
other side of them were great huge rocks and at their backs Pharao was with a great mightie armie against which hindrances the flesh could not choose but striue And in like sort manie things séemed to be against the promise made to Dauid 1. Sam. 16 verse 12. whereby he should be mooued not to beléeue the annointment by Samuel against the which it was néedfull that he should be strengthened by faith The apostles also descried manie tokens of infirmitie in Christ which they ought to haue ouercome by faith Faith perpetuallie wrestleth with some doubting The end of faith Wherefore we may conclude that such is the nature of our faith that it hath alwaies some strife with doubting 5 And whereas it is added Giuing the glorie vnto God the end wherevnto faith tendeth is respected namelie to aduance and increase the glorie of God which herin consisteth that we conceiue such woorthie estimation towards God It is said that Abraham was well-néere a hundred yéeres old for as it is written in the historie of Genesis the 17. chapter he was 99. yéeres of age Gen. 17 1. when this promise was made to him he had no like example before his time by consideration whereof his mind might be confirmed for he is the first that the scriptures doo make mention of to haue had strength of getting children restored againe to him Neither is it anie maruell that by the worke of faith is aduanced Gods glorie By faith we denie the best part of our selues forsomuch as thereby we for Gods sake denie the best part of our selues which is our mind and reason whereby we either assent or not assent vnto things set foorth vnto vs. Wherefore it is manifest that there can be nothing more excellent offered by vs vnto God than faith for it is woonderfull testification of the power and goodnesse of God for his sake to quench in our selues the sense of nature But I woonder at these which so diligentlie commend works and so lightlie extoll chastitie sole life and other works and yet are so cold in setting foorth of the commendation of faith séeing thereby commeth the victorie by which we ouercome both our selues and also the whole world For so Iohn saith 1. Iohn 5 4. This is the victorie that ouercommeth the world euen our faith Which thing I speake not as though I ment that we are iustified by faith We are not iustified by faith as it is a worke as it is a worke for it is polluted by sundrie blemishes of our infirmitie And Augustine saith that this sentence must by no means be admitted namelie Faith meriteth no iustification vnto vs. Ephes 2 8. that Faith meriteth iustification vnto vs for saith is not saith he of our selues but as Paule expresselie teacheth to the Ephesians It is the gift of God Howbeit in so much as it is a worke it excelleth manie waies all other works Faith as it is a worke excelleth all works Proofes that faith cannot be without good works Neither can it be expressed how far wide the Schoole-men erre when they imagine that faith can consist without good works for after their iudgement faith should not atteine vnto the woorthinesse of wisedome which as the philosophers doo write and also they themselues confesse cannot be had without the rest of the vertues What maner of diuine faith shall it then be if it reach not vnto the perfection of wisedome Moreouer forsomuch as vertue suffereth not vice to be ioined togither with it and they themselues affirm that faith is a vertue how will they haue true faith to be in sinners and in such as be strangers from God But they will saie The vertues of the vnderstanding are not repugnant vnto vices that they appoint faith to be a vertue of the vnderstanding vnto which kind of vertues vices are not repugnant for we sée sometimes that the most wicked men of all haue excellent sciences in them But neither will this anie thing helpe them their owne feigned imagination is a let therto for they imagine that those things which are set foorth to our vnderstanding if they be obscure and not verie euident that assent is not giuen vnto them vnlesse it be bicause the will commandeth the vnderstanding to giue assent and herein to subiect it selfe to the truth of God Wherefore I will demand of these men whether the worke of the will whereby it commandeth the vnderstanding to giue place and to assent vnto the words of God be good or euill Vndoubtedlie they must be compelled whether they will or no to saie it is good Without charitie the vnderstanding cannot be commanded to beleeue But without charitie it is not possible that the will should bring the vnderstanding to imbrace the things that are to be beléeued wherfore these fond deuises of theirs are repugnant the one to the other But we teach no such thing that faith should depend vpon the commandement of the will Faith dependeth not of the commandement of the will for how should the will be mooued to command things that are to be beléeued as good and woorthie of credit vnles it had first receiued the same by vnderstanding Indéed we confesse that those things which we beléeue are obscure and not verie euident to humane reason Those things which we beleeue are made plain by diuine reuelation but they are made plaine to the vnderstanding by the light of diuine reuelation and by the lightening of the holie Ghost wherefore by the iudgement of reason they are imbraced and admitted with the best certeintie Which things being so knowne and receiued the will consequentlie delighteth itselfe in them and so earnestlie imbraceth them as it commandeth the other powers of the mind to doo works agréeable vnto that truth which the mind hath beléeued and by this meanes out of faith springeth charitie after the which hope dooth followe For the things which we beléeue and earnestlie loue we wait for with a couragious and patient mind which thing perteineth chéeflie vnto hope Faith extinguisheth neither the nature of man nor yet reason Neither let anie man thinke that this is against reason or else that it extinguisheth the nature of man for that we séeme in beléeuing to refuse humane sense as though this were a madnes in vs as Festus said vnto Paule when he preached the faith of Christ Acts. 26 24. Much learning hath made thee mad The case standeth not so but rather it is brought to passe by faith that our reason maketh it selfe subiect vnto the doctrine of God and to his reuelation rather than to inferiour reasonings and persuasions the which being but vnderlings to the holie scriptures man is rather puffed vp than humbled by them And if anie man saie that men become mad with beléeuing we will adde that the same is doone most of all by reason 6 The apostle maketh mention that GOD quickeneth them that be dead and that
No particular man ought to be in doubt of his saluation But none of the number of the faithfull ought to be in doubt of his owne saluation for the nature of faith is to make men assured of the promises of God Howbeit this must be vnderstood that it is not possible to shake off all feare While we liue here we cannot shake off all feare so long as we liue in this life for we be continuallie tossed betwéene two cogitations one touching the goodnes faith and constancie of God the other as touching our corruption infirmitie and pronesse to euill For when we consider how weake we are and how prone to euill and weigh also the vnpurenes and imperfection of our works how good soeuer they be and therewithall the seueritie of the lawe in requiring the verie vttermost of things that it commandeth this consideration I saie if it be earnestlie had cannot but make the mind excéedinglie afraid and cast it downe But when on the other side we consider the goodnes clemencie and mercie of God and his stedfastnesse in promises and herewithall remember also that all the merits of Christ are communicated with vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is either qualified or else sometimes plainelie laid awaie For these affections where they be perfect throughlie bent doo one succéed another for they cannot be both at one time or else if they be both at one time then they appéere both to be remisse But in what maner they giue place the one to the other we may by dailie experience vnderstand A similitude For if anie man be set vpon the top of an high tower and when he is there his mind runneth vpon nothing else but vpon the heigth of the tower and what a déepe waie he should fall so that he cannot fall without danger of death it is not possible but if his mind be still bent vpon this he will be altogither smitten with horror but if he turne his eies aside to the bars or battlements which staie him vp so that he cannot fall then will he plucke vp his spirits againe and will put awaie all feare Neither ought it to séeme strange to anie man that we saie that faith expelleth that feare which is ioined with doubting of saluation when as it is said in Iohn that Charitie driueth out feare for it is most certeine 1. Ioh. 4 18. Faith no lesse than charitie driueth awaie feare that that which the scripture attributeth vnto charitie ought much more to be attributed to faith for charitie springeth therof But as we haue alreadie said Paule meaneth not of men particularlie but of the publike profession of Christ of the preaching of the Gospell and of the religion thereof receiued in anie whole nation or prouince And that which is here spoken stirreth vp godlie men to most feruent praiers for preseruation of the churches In Rom. 8 verse 15. 11 But bicause the apostle in his epistle vnto the Romans writeth on this wise Ye haue not receiued the spirit of bondage to feare anie more it shall not be from the purpose bréefelie to sée whether Paule meaneth that we be deliuered from all kind of feare or no. First this is certeine Whether the adopted be free frō all kind of feare that feare is nothing else but a certeine affection of the mind whereby we are striken by reason of some great deadlie euill at hand We are not woont to be mooued with dangers a far off but with such as hang ouer our heads neither doo things that be light and of small weight make vs afraid A definition of feare Wherefore feare as a Diuine speaketh of feare hath respect vnto sinne vnto the wrath of God vnto chastisements and scourges and finallie vnto hell-fire But there are two kinds of feare reckoned to be Two kinds of feare of which the one is commonlie called a childlie feare and the other a seruile feare And that is counted a seruile feare which onelie for feare of paines and of hell-fire either draweth vs backe from dooing euill or forceth vs to doo well Euen so signified an Ethnike poet Oderunt peccare mali formidine poenae that is The wicked hate to sinne for feare of punishment But the childlie feare is that whereby men liue vprightlie and flie wickednesse bicause they desire the glorie of God and for that they allow righteousnes euen for it selfe Wherfore the same poet saith Oderunt peccare boni virtutis amore that is The good hate to sinne for the loue of vertue Of these two kinds of feare are manie things spoken oftentimes by Augustine in sundrie places especallie in his 9. treatise vpon the epistle of Iohn it is read in the maister of the sentences in the third booke and 36. distinction where Augustine alledgeth two places out of the holie scriptures which séeme to be repugnant one to another The one is out of Iohn Perfect loue driueth out feare 1. Ioh. 4 18. verse 10. the other is taken out of the 19. psalme The feare of the Lord abideth for euer To abide How feare can abide and yet be driuen out A similitude and to be driuen foorth agrée not togither this contrarietie he maketh at one in this wise saith that they in verie déed disagrée not For euen as two pipes being blowen with one the selfe-same breath discord not so saith he two harts namelie the hart of Dauid and the hart of Iohn being stirred with one and the selfe-same spirit cannot disagrée the one from the other But yet they require an indifferent and an attentiue hearer for Iohn speaketh of seruile feare and of perfect loue but Dauid speaketh of the childlie feare aforesaid And therefore he saith The feare of the Lord is chast or cleane for in Hebrue it is written Iireath Iehouah Tehorah and abideth for euer On this maner he thinketh that the appéerance of contradiction which séemeth to be in these two places may be holpen And he vseth for each feare this similitude Let vs suppose saith he that there be two women the one chast A similitude and the other vnchast an adultresse doubtles each of these women feareth hir husband the adultresse feareth him when he is absent least he should returne againe and when he is present least he should vnderstand of hir naughtie behauiour but the chast wife is afraid of hir husband when he is present least he should depart from hir or should not loue hir so well or should by some offense be alienated from hir By this similitude Augustine thinketh may be distinctlie perceiued each kind of those feares Others saie moreouer Whether seruile feare be profitable that this seruile feare is not altogither vnprofitable for it prepareth a waie vnto loue for first say they it striketh the mind and terrifieth men from sinnes it stirreth them vp to righteousnesse for feare of punishments And an vpright life by
properlie as it is a motion stirred vp by meanes of some gréeuous euill that hangeth ouer vs shall haue no feare This doth Augustine confes vpon the fift psalme vpon these words I will worship in thy feare towards thy holie temple But in them can onelie be that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is obedience reuerence worshipping and pietie towards God as the 70. interpretours haue expounded the spirit of the feare of the Lord verse 8. What maner of feare Christ had and so such a gift might be found in Christ who indéed otherwise could neither feare sinne nor hell-fire nor yet fatherlie chastisements of God And if a man would saie that he feared death that must be vnderstood of naturall feare whereof we intreat not at this present And after this sort doo I vnderstand Ambrose when in his booke De spiritu sancto he affirmeth that The gifts of the holie Ghost are in the angels Out of which words the School-men gather that in them is the feare of God for doubtlesse séeing they are in blessed state that can be no otherwise vnderstood but as it hath béene alreadie shewed of me But as touching the godlie in this life The saints while they liue here are not without childlie feare we must so affirme as we thinke not that they can be without childlie feare so that that feare be so vnderstood according as I taught before that they doo not onelie flie from offending of God and are afraid of falles against his will but also are mooued with the feare of hell-fire and of the wrath of God and of his punishments vnto which feare neuertheles a quiet faith and confidence in the mercie of God are as a present comfort For we ought not to thinke that the threatenings in the holie scriptures are vaine for they are also profitable to the godlie Threatenings in the lawe are not vaine but doo profit euen the saints Luke 12 5. especiallie when they haue not as yet obteined perfect charitie absolute regeneration Christ said vnto his apostles I will shew you whom ye shall feare euen him which after he hath killed the bodie hath power also to cast the soule into hell-fire And Paule to the Corinthians bringeth foorth examples of the Hebrues in old time 1. Cor. 10 1. whereby he declareth that for their abusing the sacraments of God they were destroied in the desert By which examples he ment to warne the Corinthians to beware of the like vengeance Manie saith he are weake and manie sleepe And if we would iudge our selues we vndoubtedlie should not be iudged but now forsomuch as we are iudged we be corrected of the Lord that we should not be condemned with this world And vnto the Philippians Phil. 2 12. Worke your saluation with feare and with trembling And vnto the Romans Be not ouer wise but feare Rom. 11. 20 Hereby we sée that godlie men liue not vpon the earth without the feare of God And héere feare hath respect to manie kinds of euils for the godlie are afraid of sinne of often falling of the wrath of God of fatherlie chastisements of scourges wherewith God punisheth his people when they sinne and finallie of hell-fire which they sée they haue deserued vnlesse God by his mercie and Christ by his sacrifice which he offered vpon the crosse should helpe and succour vs. But what meaneth that which Iohn saith 1. Ioh. 4 18. A place of Iohn declared Perfect charitie casteth out feare I knowe there be some which interpret these words in this sense to wit that they which loue God trulie are not afraid to put themselues for godlinesse sake into all maner of dangers neither doo they shun persecutions but valiantlie doo stand stedfast in all maner of aduersities 2. Tim. 1 7. The verie which thing Paule in the latter epistle to Timothie wrote in other words saieng We haue not saith he receiued the spirit of fearefulnesse but of might and of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of the Lord 2. Tim. 1 8. or of him being in bonds for the Lords sake but couragiouslie to indure labour for the Gospell sake Albeit that these things be true yet this is not that which the place of Iohn teacheth for it maketh mention there of the iudgement of the Lord of which he willeth the godlie which looue God not to be afraid and he rendreth a reason bicause feare hath disquietnes ioined with it Wherefore I willinglie assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect charitie the which séeing it cannot be had in this life we may not looke to haue it without feare Further we might in this place vnderstand that feare which is disseuered from confidence and therefore driueth men to desperation for they which beléeue and looue God trulie vphold their feare with a liuelie faith Of Securitie 14 Securitie séemeth to be a contempt of Gods iustice whereby sinnes are punished In Iud. 18. verse 27. If we speake of this securitie it can neuer be otherwise than wicked but there is also another found the which no doubt is to be allowed and is commendable Hope is the meane betweene securitie and desperation But to make the thing more plaine let vs consider of thrée things securitie hope desperation Hope is the meane which ought alwaies to be commended securitie is excesse but desperation is a want For as in putting awaie the mercie of God Whence securitie riseth what it is we are made desperate so in contemning his iustice we become secure Wherefore we may conclude that Securitie is a certeine immoderate hope and hereof it springeth either bicause we attribute too much to our owne strength and wisedome as though we thinke that by our selues we be able to obteine anie thing or else though we thinke that the same lieth in the mercie of God yet we suppose that he for our woorthines ought to accomplish it So doo they which promise to themselues remission of their sinnes and eternall felicitie though they vse no repentance but liue vnpurelie and wickedlie Or else it springeth hereof bicause we beléeue not that there is in God anie execution of iustice Securitie is contrarie to desperation and to the feare of God Whereof desperation proceedeth Barnard Securitie the foundation of all impietie And this securitie whereof we intreate is not onelie contrarie vnto desperation but also vnto the feare of God For desperation procéedeth of too much feare of the iustice of GOD against sinnes but securitie thinketh nothing at all of that iustice Wherefore Barnard hath rightlie said Euen as the feare of God is the beginning of wisedome so securitie is the foundation of all impietie and the beginning of foolishnes For the feare of the Lord as the scriptures testifie of it perteineth chéeflie vnto pietie and religion Wherefore in the Acts the tenth chapter verse 2. Cornelius is called a man religious and
séeing this commeth not to passe by anie error of faith but by our owne fault Wherefore we define faith by itselfe according to the propertie thereof and not as it is weakened in vs. Wherevpon the doubting and infirmitie of such an assent is the cause of notable falles The weakenes of our assent is the cause of sinnes which haue happened vnto godlie men and which we sée doo euerie daie happen For whatsoeuer naughtines men doo commit they doo sinne thorough the want and imperfection of faith bicause either they beléeue not that God ordeined lawes against the sinnes which they commit or else those lawes which are made they consider not as they ought to doo or somtimes they giue but weake assent vnto those things that be read and deliuered vnto them 20 Aristotle in his Ethiks maketh diligent inquirie how it can be Aristotle that when as yet there is a knowledge of diuine things anie thing can be committed against the same and he saith It may be that there is reteined onelie a generall knowlege but séeing that particular things doo vrge speciallie the force of a particular thing laid before vs easilie ouercommeth the generall knowledge and maketh the same more féeble If anie man haue assured himselfe that all theft is an vniust and infamous thing and on the other part conceiueth that it were fit for him to followe all his owne commoditie it may soone come to passe that he will not bring in the particular thing of the first sentence whereby hée should earnestlie reckon with himselfe on this wise That which thou now attemptest is theft a thing vniust and infamous For if he did thoroughlie cast in his mind these things and fixe his eies vpon them he would not steale but these things being verie off times abandoned and not considered of he onelie respecteth the particular thing of the other proposition namelie that this monie this garment this stuffe will both be commodious to him and serue him to great vse About which things his mind being bent and occupied he is soone snarled bicause that true knowledge while it is but smallie regarded by him is vnperfect and in a maner extinguished So Dauid as concerning faith An example in Dauid knew verie well that all adulterie both is sinne and displeaseth God excéedinglie 2. Sam. 11 4 but when he committed the same he had euen then but onelie a generall knowledge thereof the which was weake and of verie small efficacie and he conuerted in a maner all his cogitations vnto speciall and present allurements so euidently was the beautie of the woman which he beheld fixed in his mind Vnto which delights he gaue more of his consent than vnto the generall sentence drawne out of the word of God and perceiued by faith wherefore thou séest that through the weakenes of faith he came to his fall An example in Peter Also Peter knew with a generall knowledge that the libertie of the Gospell should be kept that corrupt opinions should not be brought in through his example on the other part he sawe that offense should be taken awaie from the weake brethren Gal. 2 12. Wherefore when the Iewes had come vnto him he began to withdrawe himselfe from the Ethniks neither did he eate with them bicause he did not remember himselfe so much as he ought to haue doone that by this act euill opinions would créepe in and by that meanes the libertie of the Gospell be ouerthrowne but he chéefelie had in his mind his weake brethren the Iewes toward whom he was more affected than it was méet he should And therefore he fell bicause he thought that they ought by no meanes to be offended So that he was vpon iust cause blamed by Paule that he walked not vprightlie By these things it appéereth of how great importance is the strength stedfastnes of the assent of faith which I repeated before 21 I confesse that while we liue here the same cannot perfectlie be had bicause we now knowe in part onelie There is no whole firme assent in this life 1. Cor. 13 6. whereas vnto a strong assent is required a full knowledge But bicause that desire may not suddenlie turne vs from the right nor yet affection disturbe the iudgement of faith this notable remedie we haue A remedie against the weaknes of faith namelie that with a fixed and attentiue mind we be continuallie occupied in the word of God and that we examine our actions by the same therein let vs exercise our selues therein let vs imploie our businesse and therein let vs earnestlie spend our whole time and trauell We must not behold with our eies nor fasten our mind vpon those things that are against the commandements of God which cause Gods word not to be beléeued Abraham being now a hundred yéeres old heard that he should beget a sonne Gen. 17 1. An example in Abraham Rom. 4 19. he respected not as the apostle saith his owne dead bodie he gaue the glorie to God remembring with himselfe that he which was able to doo all things and which failed not nor might not faile promised this vnto him Hereby it came to passe that neither he doubted nor yet mistrusted These things haue we said touching the stablenes and strength of the assent of faith And of what efficacie this strength of of faith is in the beléeuers Augustine declared vpon the ninth treatise of Iohn when he said Augustine To beléeue in Christ is in beléeuing to looue in beléeuing to go vnto him to be made a member of him Now doo we gather A definition of faith that faith is a gift or power inspired into vs by the spirit of God by which faith we giue a firme and stedfast assent vnto the word of God through the authoritie thereof This definition I doubt not but is made plaine by those things which I haue alreadie spoken 22 I am not ignorant that the apostle Iames mentioned that It is a dead faith which is destitute of good works howbeit that is no faith Iame 1 20 A dead faith is no faith when it is pronounced to be dead euen as a man when he is dead cannot be called a man vnlesse we vse a figuratiue spéech And when they saie that a man is buried they vnderstand the same of the dead carcase A dead faith is the dead carcase of faith euen so this is not to be accounted faith but rather a dead carcase of faith neither dooth it in nature agrée with true faith but in name onelie The apostle Paule also writing vnto Timothie called the same feigned saieng on this wise 1. Tim. 1 â— Paule called it a â—eigned faith Matt. 13 21. Temporary beleeuers Let charitie proceed from a pure hart a good conscience a faith not feigned And Christ in the Gospell described certeine beléeuers but those temporarie or which beléeued but for a time Wherefore when as in the
VVhether charitie may be called the forme of faith 27 As touching the second question we are to examine whether charitie be as the Schoole-men terme it The first reason the forme of faith And first I saie that they so speake not properlie but rather fondlie for it is not beséeming that one qualitie of one and the same kind should be the forme of another For we grant not that one accident cleaueth like a forme vnto another accident and that chéeflie among qualities It is said of figures or shapes that they happen vnto quantitie when as yet they be qualities But whether figures doo trulie or properlie perteine vnto the predicament of qualitie I will not stand at this present to prooue it sufficeth as concerning our purpose that one qualitie cannot be called the forme of another A feigned deuise of the School-men But the School-men by that their maner of spéech ment no other thing but that faith is made perfect by charitie euen as matter is woont to be made perfect by the forme of the same which feigned deuise of theirs must not be allowed For if faith be compared vnto hope and charitie it is euen so towards them A similitude as wisedome is to those vertues which they call vertues of intelligence and as prudence is towards those which they call morall vertues For euen as morall vertues are knit togither in prudence so those things also which belong vnto intelligence are ioined togither in wisedome But no man will saie that other-vertues of the mind bée the forms of wisedome neither that morall vertues are the forms of prudence wherefore neither hope nor charitie may be called the forme of faith The comparison which I tooke vpon me to make of faith vnto prudence is to be read in Chrysostome vpon the epistle vnto Titus Chrysost the third homilie where he saith that faith is of no lesse power to the gouerning of life than wisedome is The third reason Furthermore that our wisedome consisteth in faith no man I thinke doubteth and that hope and charitie are knit togither in faith it is hereby declared insomuch as where faith is these also are present with the same Moreouer to speake of the forme according to the nature thereof we make the same to be the beginning of the action but faith by a naturall propertie and vertue thereof maketh vs to hold fast the word of God Neither dooth charitie tend vnto that end the which rather compelleth vs to loue him whom we haue alreadie knowne by faith therefore charitie in respect of faith shall not be accounted a forme séeing it is no beginning of the action thereof the which chéeflie consisteth in beléeuing Furthermore matter is gouerned of the forme The fourth reason and thereby it is both contriued and conteined and not the forme by the matter But charitie is obedient vnto faith faith gouerneth the same for whatsoeuer we loue vprightlie it must be knowne by faith that we ought to loue the same For this in nature we sée that loue followeth the iudgement of the partie that knoweth Besides this the thing which begetteth is more perfect than that which is procreated And we make no doubt but that hope and charitie is ingendered by faith wherefore neither hope nor charitie can be the forms of faith That good works are ingendered by faith Dauid sheweth when he said I beleeued Psa 116 10. and therefore haue I spoken whereby appéereth that confession procéedeth of faith He saith also Ps 119. 101. I haue not declined from thy iudgements bicause thou hast taught me By these things it is manifest that the vprightnes of life procéedeth from the assent of faith 28 But let vs sée after what sort hope and charitie are ingendered of faith How hope and charitie are ingendered of faith Rom. 5 1. In the epistle to the Romans we read We being iustified by faith haue peace towards GOD through Christ by whom also we haue accesse through faith vnto the grace wherein we now stand and reioise vnder the hope of the glorie of God Behold the apostle expresselie sheweth that wée haue peace and accesse vnto God and hope of the glorie through faith The same dooth he more plainlie teach in his epistle to the Ephesians the third chapter where he writeth verse 12. that Wee haue accesse with confidence which commeth by faith Here againe thou séest that confidence which is hope dooth spring of faith And that charitie is deriued from thence the same apostle testifieth vnto Timothie when he saith Charitie out of a pure hart a good conscience 1. Tim. 1 5. and faith not feigned And the reason which we touched before persuadeth the same for séeing that by faith we apprehend GOD as the souereigne good as he that is mightie wise and most louing toward vs Which gaue his onelie sonne vnto death for vs hath giuen all things with him how can it be but that our loue must breake out towards him and towards all things which apperteine vnto him But touching order it is to be vnderstood that hope springeth out first For when as by faith we haue imbraced the promise of eternall life an hope is conceiued of obteining the same and from hence in the third place springeth loue for we loue not those things which we are out of hope to obteine 29 Now let vs come to the arguments A feigned deuise of the Sophisters Gal. 5. 6. which our aduersaries doo vse to prooue charitie to be the forme of faith They alledge that sentence of Paule vnto the Galathians Faith which worketh by loue Séeing saie they that faith doth worke by charitie the same it shall haue in stead of a forme Hereof groweth the error of these men that they imagine something to themselues that should be compounded of faith and charitie the which being all wholy compact of these might haue the first entrance of the working thereof from charitie as from the forme But this deuise of theirs is vaine for séeing faith and charitie be seuerall vertues and that one qualitie as I haue said before is no forme of an other there shall be no one thing compact of these two faculties Moreouer this maner of spéech to wit Not alwais that by which an other thing is wrought is the forme of it it may be the instrument of it 2. Cor. 5 10. that euerie thing worketh by an other thing doth not alwaie respect the forme but somtimes the instruments The writer writeth by his pen the souldier fighteth by his weapon the soule worketh by the bodie but all these things they confesse to be no forms but instruments And Paule siad that We must all stand before the tribunall seat of Christ that euerie man shall beare away according as he hath behaued himselfe in his bodie be it good or be it euill We saie also that prudence worketh by morall vertues which vertues notwithstanding are not counted the
the apostle teacheth that Abraham was not iustified by circumcision but receiued it afterward being now iustified by faith vndoubtedlie he taketh awaie the power of iustifieng from that ceremonie euen also in the time of Abraham wherein it was first instituted Psal 32 1. Dauid also when he affirmeth that blessednes herein consisteth that sinnes should not be imputed which thing as we now reason is nothing els than to be iustified speaketh he of his owne time or of an other time Abac. 2. 4. Rom. 1 17. And Abacuke when he saith that The iust man liueth by faith and excludeth works from iustifieng as Paule manifestlie expoundeth him spake he onlie of his own time thinke you Vndoubtedlie he spake both of our time and also of his owne time Lastlie when Paule expressedlie writeth vnto the Galathians in the 3. chapter vers 10. As manie as are of the lawe are vnder the curse and goeth on proouing that sentence from whence I beséech you séeketh he his testimonie Vndoubtedlie out of the lawe He saith Cursed be he which abideth not in all the things that are written in the booke of the lawe Séeing therefore the law so speaketh and that as Paule saith it wrappeth in a curse all those that transgres the commandements thereof then it followeth of necessitie that by those works which perteine vnto it no man can be iustified An other cauillation 22 But these men flie to an other shift For they saie that all those which are to be iustified are not of one and the selfe-same condition for they saie that some of the Hebrues some of the Gentils are conuerted to the faith of Christ and become christians againe that some They put a difference betweene them which were first conuerted vnto Christ and those which hauing fallen are restored after they haue once receiued Christ doo fall into gréeuous and wicked crimes and haue néed againe of instauration Now saie they the state and consideration of both partes is not alike for they which haue once professed the name of christians when they are fallen cannot recouer righteousnes but by good works as by almes-déeds by teares fasting confessions and such other which preparations merits are not required of them that from infidelitie be first conuerted vnto Christ But I would first heare of these good wise men out of what place of the holie scripture they found this distinction And séeing the maner of iustification is vtterlie one and the self-same and perteineth as well to the one as to the other why should the one come vnto it one waie and the other an other waie Further why doo they attribute vnto them that are fallen in christianitie They which are fallen from christianitie are in worsâ—r state than the Infidels Heb. 6 4. that they by their good works doo merit vnto themselues iustification but vnto those which come froÌ„ infidelitie they attribute not the same Are they which haue not kept faith when they were in the church better than the 〈◊〉 Certeinlie I thinke not For they which haue once tasted of the sweete word of God and doo afterward fall from it are in worse state than the other And The seruant Luke 12 47. which knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not is more greeuouslie punished Also 1. Tim. 5 8. He which hath not a care ouer his and especiallie ouer his owne houshold the same man hath denied the faith and is worse than an Infidel But they saie they denie not but that they which are conuerted from Infidels may doo some good works yea and that if they doo them they may after some sort deserue iustification at the least waie as they terme it of congruitie but that these works are alike required as well of these as of the other they denie But forsomuch as all their works as I haue else-where taught are sinnes how can they doo good works before God Moreouer how are not good workes required of them before they come vnto Christ and are baptised séeing none of them which are regenerate by Christ can beléeue trulie vnlesse he earnestlie repent him of the life which he hath lead For he dooth greatlie lament the sinnes and offenses of his former life confesseth that he hath grieuouslie erred which thing if he doo not vndoubtedlie he beléeueth not faithfullie and trulie This dooth Augustine write of himselfe in his booke of confessions And in the Acts of the apostles Acts. 19 19. the Ephesians when they had giuen themselues vnto Christ did not onlie confesse their sinnes but also burned those bookes which before they had vsed vnto superstition But I will declare what hath deceiued these men They read peraduenture in the Fathers that they attributed much vnto teares fastings almes and other godlie works of the penitent In what sense the fathers haue attributed so much vnto praier fastings and teares But these men vnderstand not what the Fathers meant in those places for they intreated of ecclesiasticall satisfactions and not of our works whereby God should be pacified or the forgiuenesse of sinnes deserued For the church forsomuch as it séeth not the inward faith of them that fall for there are manie which not abiding the shame of excoÌ„munication doo sometimes counterfeit some shew of conuension and repentance thereby the rather to be reconciled and receiued vnto the communion of the other brethren the church I saie to the end that this should not happen would haue a proofe of their faith and conuersion to God neither would it admit vnto the fellowship of the faithfull such as were fallen before they had shewed fastings confessions and almes as witnesses of a true and perfect changing And bicause these men marke not this they confound all things and build therevpon most detestable hypocrisie An other shift 23 But they haue yet another shift for they saie that the works of Infidels are not sinnes although they be doone without the faith of Christ Whether the workes of infidels be sinnes For they imagine that there is a certeine generall confused faith towardes God which faith they which haue although they beléeue not in Christ yet that they maie worke manie excellent works which euen for that selfe same faiths sake maie please God and after a sort deserue iustification They giue saie they large almes they honour their parents they beare excéeding loue to their countrie if they haue coÌ„mitted anie thing that is euill they are sorie for it they liue moderatlie and doo a great manie other such like things that not vnaduisedlie But because they beléeue that there is a God which delighteth in such duties therefore they bend their endeuour to those things to make themselues acceptable vnto him Further they paint out colour their fond deuise with a trim similitude A similitude A stake saie they or a post being put into the earth although oftentimes it take not roote or life yet draweth it
Demosthenes in an oration against Androtion saith that Decrées of the senate ought not to be made but according to the prescript of those things which are alreadie determined in the lawes So in ecclesiasticall councels there ought no new decrées to be made as touching doctrine but of those things onlie which are either expreslie named in the word of God or else may assuredlie and euidentlie be gathered out of it First we will begin with the African councell where The African Councell in the 80. chapter a curse is pronounced against the Pelagians who said that The grace of iustification is therefore giuen that by grace we may the easilier fulfill that which we were cōmanded As if euen without grace although with more difficultie we might by our fréewill fulfill the commandements of God when as yet the Lord speaking of the fruits of the commandements said not Iohn 15 5. Without me ye can hardlie doo anie thing but Without me ye can vtterlie doo nothing By these words are reprooued the Papists of our time which are not ashamed to saie that A man before iustification maie doo the works which are commanded in the lawe and which doo please God and doo prepare to regeneration For what thing els is this than with the Pelagians to saie that A man may euen before iustification performe the lawe although not so fullie and easilie as after he is iustified And that is nothing which they saie to wit that they put a certeine grace preuenting whereby men not yet regenerate may doo those works which they call preparatorie For in speaking after this maner they differ in name onelie from the Pelagians for they also taught no lesse than these men doo that a certeine grace of the lawe and of the knowledge of the will of God and of illumination goeth before whereby a man vnderstandeth what he ought to doo But as for the rest they doo attribute it to fréewill which thing these men doo also And that the Pelagians were of that opinion The Mileuitane councell the Mileuitane councell declareth wherein it is thus written in the 4. chapter We curse all them which saie that the grace of God through Iesus Christ our Lord helpeth vs onlie for that by it is reuealed and opened vnto vs the vnderstanding of the commandements of God that we may knowe what we ought to desire what to auoid and that by it also is not giuen vnto vs to loue and to be able to doo that which we knowe ought to be done For whereas the Apostle saith Knowledge puffeth vp but grace edifieth it is a verie wicked part to beléeue that we should haue the grace of Christ vnto that which puffeth vp and not to that which edifieth especiallie séeing it is written in the 4. chapter of the 1. epistle of Iohn verse 16. that Loue is of God The Arausicane councell 43 Moreouer in the second Arausicane councell the 4. chapter it is thus written that They resist the holie Ghost which saie that the Lord waiteth for our will Pro. 16 1. séeing Salomon saith The will is prepared of the Lord and also in that Paule saith vnto the Philippians Phil. 2 13. It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to performe according to his good will And in the 5. chapter are reprooued those which affirme that by the grace of Christ is giuen an increase of faith but not the entrance or beginning thereof For the beginning also of faith commeth by the inspiration of the holie Ghost which correcteth our infidelitie bringing it from infidelitie to faith and from vngodlines to godlines And the proofe hereof is brought out of sundrie places of the scriptures Phil. 1 6. for Paule saith vnto the Philippians I trust that he which hath begun a good worke in you shall accomplish it in the daie of the Lord. And againe Ibidem 29. in the same epistle Vnto you it is giuen not onelie to beleeue in him but to suffer for him Ephe. 2 8. And vnto the Ephesians By grace ye are saued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God Moreouer they were accursed which said that The mercie and grace of God is giuen vnto the willing to the beléeuers to them that desire it to them that indeuour to haue it to them that labour to them that watch to them that studie to them that aske to them that séeke to them that knocke but would not confesse that by the infusion and inspiration of the holie Ghost and by the gift of God is giuen vnto vs to haue a will to beléeue to endeuour our selues and to labour They cite these testimonies out of the holy scriptures 1. Cor. 4 7. What hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued why bostest thou as though thou hast not receiued And the Apostle writeth of himselfe 1. Co. 15 10 By the grace of God I am that I am In the 7. chapter are condemned those which déeme that by the strength power of nature we can thinke or atteine vnto anie thing that serueth to saluation or that we can without the illuminatiō of the holie Ghost giue credit vnto the words of GOD preached This may be confirmed by the scriptures for Paule saith 2. Cor. 3 5. that We cannot thinke anie thing of our selues as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Christ also saith Iohn 15 5. Mat. 16 17. Without me ye can doo nothing Also Blessed art thou Simon Bat-iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee They also are cursed which grant the fréewill is after some maner weakened and hurt yet not so but that men by it may be turned to saluation Against these men the scriptures doo openlie reclaime for the Lord doth saie Iohn 6 44. No man commeth vnto me vnlesse my father shall drawe him Paule also to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 12 3. No man can saie The Lord Iesus but in the spirit of God This is an excellent sentence God loueth vs being such as we shall be by his gift and not such as we are by our owne merit And in the 13. chap. it is thus written Fréewill being lost in the first man cannot be repaired and bicause it is lost it cannot be restored but by him by whom it was giuen at the beginning Wherfore the truth it selfe saith Iohn 8 36. If the sonne shall make you free then shall ye be free in deed Further in the 17. chapter is decréed that The strength of the Ethniks commeth of worldlie lust which words declare that their vertues as we haue before shewed out of Augustine and other fathers were not true vertues chieflie forsomuch as they sprang out of an euill ground But humane lust comprehendeth whatsoeuer is possible to be found in men not regenerate It followeth in the same chapter that The loue of God maketh the force and
strength of Christians which loue is powred in our harts not by fréewill but by the holie Ghost which is giuen to vs whereas no merits go before that grace And in the 25. chapter We ought to preach to beléeue that by the sin of the first man fréewill is so decaid and diminished that no man afterward can either loue God as he ought to doo or beléeue in God or for Gods sake worke that which is good vnlesse the grace mercie of God preuent him Wherefore iust Abel Noah Heb. 11. Abraham Isaac Iacob and all the saints in the old time are in the epistle vnto the Hebrues said to haue done those things which in the holie scriptures are mentioned to haue béene done by them which faith we haue before taught to come of God And Paule writeth of himselfe 1. Cor. 7 25. I haue obteined mercie that I may be faithfull But he saith not I haue obteined mercie bicause I was before faithfull but contrariwise And in the selfe-same chapter This also we profitable confesse and beléeue that in euerie good worke it is not that we our selues do first begin afterward are holpen with the mercie of God but that he first inspireth into vs both faith and the loue of him and that without anie of our merits going before Wherefore we must without all doubt beléeue that both Zacheus and the théefe and alsoo Cornelius atteined not to beléeue through nature but by the gift of the bountifulnesse of GOD. 44 These things haue I alledged out of the Arausican Councell peraduenture more largelie than maie séeme to be conuenient for this place But for this cause haue I the willinglier doone it for that I sawe that all those things which are there affirmed are confirmed by the holie scriptures and doo verie much serue for our purpose Such Councelles gentle reader must be harkened vnto What Councels must be harkened vnto which cleaue vnto the word of God for whatsoeuer commoditie or discommoditie the church hath the same ought wholie to be ascribed vnto the obseruation or contempt of the word of God For in the old and auncient Councelles how were Arrius Eunomius Nestorius Eutyches and other pestiferous heretikes ouercome otherwise than by the word of God For without doubt they could neuer by anie other engines be ouercome and vanquished And contrariewise when began the church to giue place vnto abuses and to superstitions but when the word was contemned And now in our times vnlesse the word of God had béene sought for and called againe in a maner out of exile how could we euer haue béene deliuered from the tyrannie of the Pope Let these few things be a warning vnto vs not rashlie to beléeue euerie Councell but let vs receiue those Councelles alone which haue soundlie confirmed the decrées of their doctrine by the scriptures But that the thing which I affirme The Councell of Trent maie be more manifest let vs bring foorth the Councell of Trent that by the contrarie the truth maie the better be vnderstood In that Councell the fift Session from the fift chapter vnto the eleuenth chapter is intreated of iustification There these good holie Fathers the hirelings of the Pope doo thus decrée that The beginning of iustification is of grace But what they there vnderstand they straitwaie make it plaine For thus they saie It calleth and it stirreth vp they which are to be iustified are so holpen by it that being called and stirred vp they giue assent vnto this grace and worke therewith and are made apt to regeneration But this assent and working togither with it they doo attribute to frée will as the words doo shew What else would Pelagius saie if he were now aliue For euen he doubtlesse denied not grace if thou take it for an admonition calling and stirring vp He also attributed this vnto frée will that it had power to assent and to obeie the commandements of God But the grace which the holie scriptures set foorth vnto vs reneweth our vnderstanding and will and in steed of a stonie hart giueth vs a fleshie hart for it dooth not onelie counsell our reason but also fullie persuadeth it and bendeth and changeth the will Our men of Trent doo grant indeed that God toucheth the hart of man by the illumination of the holie Ghost but least a man himselfe should doo nothing they adde that man admitteth the inspiration as he which maie also refuse it Wherefore they fullie conclude that it perteineth to man to admit or receiue although they confesse that he can not doo that vnlesse he be called and stirred vp by grace But how can the hart of man vnlesse it be renewed by the spirit and grace of God receiue those things wherevnto it is enimie by reason of his nature being yet corrupt and defiled Assuredlie though it be neuer so much stirred vp taught and mooued yet vnlesse it be vtterlie changed it will continuallie refuse it and resist Wherfore Augustine Ad Simplicianum It is not in our power that those things which be set foorth vnto vs should please vs. writeth verie well that It is not in our power to bring to passe that those things which are set foorth vnto vs should be acceptable and pleasant vnto vs. But that thing which is neither acceptable nor pleasant we choose not though we be vrged by admonishers As if there should be offered vnto a sicke man good healthfull meats A similitude and verie pleasantlie dressed yet bicause they are neither pleasant nor acceptable vnto him he refuseth them though there stand manie by which saie vnto him that those meats are wholsome and verie well dressed The selfe-same thing vndoubtedlie happeneth vnto a mind not regenerate except that as touching the receiuing of the grace of God there can no violence be doone vnto the mind but the sicke person maie be compelled to take meats that are to him vnpleasant Wherefore so long as our will and vnderstanding is not changed by the spirit of God it will not admit anie healthfull admonitions And euen as a sicke person A similitude before he be restored to health neither abideth nor gladlie receiueth anie meats when they are offered him euen so the mind of man vnlesse it be changed from infidelitie to faith from impietie to godlinesse as saith the Arausican Councell it neither obeieth nor giueth place vnto grace which calleth stirreth it vp which thing neuerthelesse the good Fathers of Trent doo affirme 45 But least they should séeme to speake without scriptures they bring foorth two testimonies the one out of the first chapter of Zacharie Be ye conuerted vnto me Zach. 1 3 and I will be conuerted vnto you This saie they hath a respect vnto the man who is commanded that euen as touching iustification he should do somwhat Iere. 31 18. And Ieremie saith Conuert vs ô Lord and we shall be conuerted by which words is declared that vnto this
26. Ye are all the children of God by the faith of Iesus Christ For what is it to be the sonnes of God but bicause we haue alredie obteined adoption which we obteine onelie by regeneration or iustification And in the fourth chapter Rom. 4 28. Brethren saith he we are after the maner of Isaac children of the promise But to be children of the promise is nothing else but to beléeue those things which God promiseth whereby we are made his children according as he hath promised we should be For so was Isaac borne vnto Abraham not by the strength of nature but by the benefit of the promise of God In the fift chapter he writeth Rom. 5 5. We in the spirit looke for the hope of righteousnesse by faith In this place are two things touched the spirit of God whereby we are new fashioned and renewed vnto saluation and faith whereby we apprehend righteousnes Wherefore in this matter of our iustification although there be in our minds manie other works of the holie Ghost yet none of them except faith helpe to iustification Wherevpon the apostle concludeth Circumcision is nothing Ibidem 6. and vncircumcision is nothing but onelie faith which worketh through loue Hereof onelie dependeth iustification of this faith I saie not being dead but liuing and of force And for that cause Paule addeth Which worketh by loue Which yet ought not so to be vnderstood as though faith should depend of loue or hath of it as they vse to speake hir forme but for that when it bursteth foorth into act and will shew foorth it selfe it must of necessitie doo this by loue So the knowledge of anie man dependeth not hereon for that he teacheth other men but by that meanes it is most of all declared But if anie perfection of these actions of louing and teaching redound vnto faith and knowledge that commeth of another cause and not for that they depend of it or thereof haue their forme as manie Sophisters haue dreamed Ephes 2 8. 52 In the epistle to the Ephesians the 2. chapter it is thus written By grace ye are made safe through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God And after that in the third chapter Eph. 3 16. That according to the riches of his glorie he would grant you that ye may be strengthened with might in the inward man by the spirit that Christ may dwell in your hart by faith He that hath Christ in him the same hath without all doubt righteousnes for of him Paule thus writeth vnto the Corinthians in the former epistle 1. Cor. 1 30. and the first chapter Who is made vnto vs wisedome righteousnes holines and redemption Here therefore it is shewed by what meanes Christ dwelleth in our harts namelie by faith Againe Paule in the third chapter to the Philippians Phil. 3 9. That I might be found saith he in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is of the lawe but that which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Here that righteousnes which is of works and of the lawe he calleth His but that which is of faith and which he most of all desireth he calleth The righteousnes of Iesus Christ Heb. 11 33. Vnto the Hebrues also it is written in the eleuenth chapter The saints by faith haue ouercome kingdoms haue wrought righteousnesse and haue obteined the promises These words declare how much is to be attributed vnto faith for by it the saints are said not onelie to haue possessed outward kingdoms but also to haue exercised the works of righteousnesse namelie to haue liued holilie and without blame and to haue obteined the promises of God verse 5. And Peter in his first epistle and first chapter By the power of God saith he are ye kept vnto saluation through faith In these words are signified two principall grounds of our saluation the one is the might and power of God which is wholie necessarie for vs to obteine saluation the other is faith whereby as by an instrument saluation is applied vnto vs. Iohn in his first epistle and fift chapter verse 1. Euerie one saith he which beleeueth that Iesus is Christ is borne of God but To be borne of God is nothing else than to be iustified or to be borne againe in Christ If followeth in the same chapter Ibidem ◠This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen our faith By which testimonie is declared that the tyrannie of the diuell of sinne of death and of hell is by no other thing driuen awaie from vs but by faith onelie And toward the end of the selfe-same chapter it is said And these things haue I written vnto you verse 3. which beleeue in the name of the sonne of God that ye might knowe that ye haue eternall life and that ye should beleeue in the name of the sonne of God 53 Now let vs gather out of the euangelists as much as shall serue for this present question Matthew in his eight chapter saith Mat. 8 19 That Christ exceedinglie wondred at the faith of the Centurion and confessed that he had not found such faith in Israel and turning vnto him said Euen as thou hast beleeued so be it vnto thee Here some replie that This historie and such other like intreate not of iustification but onelie of the outward benefits of the bodie giuen by GOD. Howbeit these men ought to consider that sinnes which are in vs are the causes of the gréefes and the afflictions of the bodie For onelie Christ excepted who vtterlie died an innocent all other forsomuch as they are subiect vnto sinne doo suffer no aduersitie without iust desert And although God in laieng of his calamities vpon vs hath not alwaies a respect herevnto for oftentimes he sendeth aduersities to shew foorth his glorie and to the triall of all those that are his yet none whilest he is so vexed can complaine that he is vniustlie dealt withall for there is none so holie but that in himselfe he hath sinnes which are woorthie of such like or else of greater punishments And where the cause is not taken awaie neither is nor can the effect be remooued Wherfore Christ forsomuch as he deliuereth man from diseases of the bodie manifestlie declareth that it was he which should iustifie men from sinnes And that this is true the selfe-same euangelist teacheth vs in the .9 chapter verse 2 for when he that was sicke of the palsie was brought vnto Christ to be healed he saith that Christ answered Be of good cheare my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee At which saieng when as the Scribes and Pharisies were offended to the end they should vnderstand that the cause of euils being taken awaie euen the euils them selues are taken awaie He commanded him that was sicke of the palsie to arise and take vp his bed and to walke Wherefore it manifestlie appeareth that Christ by the healings of the bodies
much did set by their estimations and the iudgements of men that rather than they would be cast out of the synagog or yet be noted of anie infamie with the people they would forsake the confession of the name of Christ Wherefore when as the Lord saith that Such cannot beleeue and Iohn affirmeth that They did beleeue it is manifest that they spake of a diuerse and sundrie faith vnlesse we will saie that two contradictories maie both at one and the selfe-same time be true Wherefore Iohn spake of an humane faith but Christ of the sincere and true faith Two places reconcilled which at the first sight seeme repugnant Rom. 10 10. which true faith ought to be ioined with confession as Paule declareth saieng With the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnes and with the mouth man confesseth to saluation He which séeth the connexion betwéene righteousnes and saluation must néeds also sée the coniunction which ought to be betwéene faith profession Wherefore we saie that their faith was a dead faith but a dead faith is not a faith A dead faith is no faith no more than a dead man is a man 60 Although Smith in a certeine little booke of iustification which he wrote against me Smith contendeth that a dead faith is a faith which he prooueth chéeflie by this argument for that he by bodie of a dead man although it be dead is notwithstanding a bodie And this good wise man woonderfullie delighteth in this his similitude in which yet he hath vttered a sophisticall argument not disagréeing from his studie and skill For let vs a little examine this notable similitude Whether a carcase be the bodie of a man I would haue him to answer me whether a carcase be the bodie of a dead man or simplie the bodie of a man I thinke he will not answer that it is the bodie of a man for the bodie of a man and a dead carcase doo differ much the one from the other and that in verie déed more than two particular kinds which are of one and the selfe-same generall for that they are conteined vnder diuerse generall kinds from which they come next and as it were lineallie descend I grant that the carcase of a dead man is a bodie in the generall nature of substance as are stones stocks such other like but that it is in verie déed the bodie of a man I vtterlie denie For death taketh away from the bodie of a man the proper forme nature which he had before but it leaueth the generall nature onlie so that it maie be called a bodie Euen so true and iustifieng faith when it is lost or ceaseth to be a true and proper faith it maie indéed as touching the generall word which dooth betoken all kind and nature of faith be called a certeine cold assent sproong of humane persuasion and not such as commeth of the holie Ghost and which hath the selfe-same strength efficacie that it had before Wherfore if on either side be kept the selfe-same proportion of the similitude this woonderfull subtill shift shall make nothing against vs for as we confesse that a dead bodie is a bodie so we grant a dead faith is a faith so that by faith we vnderstand the generall kind which comprehendeth all sorts of faith and not that liuelie true faith whereby we are iustified Parlogismus aequiuocationis This reason is as they call it Paralogismus aequiuocationis that is a false argument comming of a word of diuerse significations He addeth moreouer that faith cannot iustifie bicause of his owne nature it is a thing dead receiueth life of another thing namelie of charitie and of good works True faith is no dead thing These obiections are vaine and trifling for none that is in his right wits will grant that true faith is a dead thing for The iust man is said to liue by his faith Abac. 2 4. And if out of faith we drawe life how can it then vnto anie man séeme dead But that it taketh life of an other thing From whence the life of faith commeth we denie not for it hath it partlie of those things which it beléeueth namelie of Christ and of the promises of God and partlie of the holie Ghost by whose breathing it is inspired In this sort we will grant that it hath life of another thing but not in that sort that this man will namelie that it hath it either of charitie or of good works For what man that is well in his wits will euer saie that either the stock of a trée or the branches or the fruits or the flowers doo giue life vnto the roots A similitude And faith is before either hope or charitie therefore of them it receiueth not life for in verie déed faith cannot be the matter of these vertues And euen as that facultie or power of the soule wherby we liue and are quickened which they call Vegetatiue giueth life to the bodie and receiueth not life of the facultie or power sensitiue whereby we féele or rationall whereby we vnderstand the which dooth followe euen so faith giueth life vnto the soule but taketh not that life either of charitie or of good works How faith is increased by good works Howbeit I grant that that life of faith is made so much the greater and ampler as it hath more and better works more feruent charitie breaking foorth of it not that it is increased by dooing of manie actions as they saie of vertues which they call morall but bicause God of his grace mercy multiplieth the talent for that it was not idle and bicause God by his power bringeth to passe that faith when it worketh through loue is stronger than it selfe when it dooth not so 61 But omitting these things let vs returne againe to Pighius He as much as lieth in him laboureth to prooue that a man cannot be iustified by that faith which is in Christ and in the remission of sinnes for that faith saith he whereby Abraham was iustified was not applied vnto these things For God promised vnto him onelie a plentifull séed and possession of a countrie and straitwaie is added that Abraham beleeued God Gene. 15 6. and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnes In this argument Pighius dooth scorne and triumph in words against the truth and vtterlie derideth this our opinion and iudgement but this is nothing else than to deride Paule himselfe For he by most expresse words affirmeth Rom. 4 3. that We are iustified by faith in Christ and by the remission of sinnes Neither is there anie thing else in Pighius than a méere madnesse and a wicked desire to contend But let Paule come foorth and answer for himselfe what he thought to be vnderstood by the séed promised vnto Abraham Vndoubtedlie in his epistle vnto the Galathians the third chapter he calleth that séed Christ verse 16. Vnto Abraham
we grant that faith is verie farre from it for we must by manie tribulations aduersities and gréeuous labours come to the kingdome of heauen But after the selfe-same maner we maie saie that iustification also is onelie the foundation of that eternall saluation and that it is also farre from the blessednes which we looke for For the first degrée vnto saluation is to be receiued of GOD into fauour and to be regenerated through Christ and afterward doo followe other degrees whereby we come vnto that chéefe and souereigne blessednesse which we looke for But where this man found that faith is onelie the foundation he cannot teach out of the holie scriptures except peraduenture he will bring the same out of the epistle vnto the Hebrues Hebr. 11 1. Faith is the substance of things that are hoped for But by those words is nothing else meant but that those things which we hope for are by faith vpholden and confirmed in our minds which would otherwise wauer neither should they by anie means stand fast But this maketh nothing at all to this purpose Ibidem 6. And if in case he will cite this also that He which will come vnto God ought to beleeue we haue alreadie before answered therevnto and peraduenture we will afterward in due place speake somewhat more as touching the same 64 Well now when he by so manie meanes hath gone about to ouerthrowe our doctrine let vs heare at the length what he himselfe affirmeth Pighius opinion as touching iustification and vnto what things he attributeth the power of iustifieng There are saith he manie preparations and dispositions required in vs that we maie be iustified First saith he we beléeue the words of God afterward we are afraid of his wrath after we hope for mercie then we detest sinnes To be bréefe he reckoneth vp all those things which we before declared vnder the name of the Councell of Trent But lastlie he saith that there succéedeth a sincere pure loue of God which altogither beareth dominion in our harts and vnto this he saith is ascribed iustification I cannot inough maruell at the deuise of this man for he affirmeth that a man is in a maner perfect before he can be iustified for he which beléeueth feareth hopeth repenteth and sincerelie loueth God what wanteth he to perfection But this man affirmeth that a man being without Christ being a stranger from God not yet iustified is able to accomplish those things Which vndoubtedlie in no wise agréeth with the holy scriptures for they teach that a man before he is iustified is occupied in euill works and wandreth in the hatred of God as it is manifest in the epistle to the Colossians the first chapter and to the Ephesians the second chapter Col. ◠21. Eph. 2 1 c But how can they by whome are wrought so excellent works as this man maketh mention of be the children of wrath How can they be sinners Rom. 5 10. How can they as it is written to the Romans be the enimies of God But omitting these things let vs sée what are the grounds of this opinion Iohn 3 14. First he citeth out of Iohn He which loueth not abideth in death and thereby he concludeth that of loue is had iustification and life This is all one A similitude as if a man should saie He which cannot laugh is not a man therefore by the power of laughing a man obteineth to be a man But how absurd this is euerie man maie perceiue for to be men we haue it of the soule indued with reason vnto which soule forsomuch as the power of laughing is of necessitie ioined this proposition which we haue brought is euer true He whith cannot laugh is not a man So is that most certeine which Iohn saith that He which loueth not abideth in death although he haue not life of loue but of faith wherewith loue is of necessitie ioined Iohn 8 42. He citeth also those words of Christ If ye had God to your father doubtlesse ye would loue me Therefore saith he of loue we haue the adoption whereby we are made the children of God But here also he vseth the selfe-same forme of reasoning for they which loue not Christ are not the children of God yet are we not the children of God in respect of that loue but for faiths sake from whence loue springeth After the selfe-same maner a man might saie If thou wert liberall thou shouldest also be prudent and this indéed is a true proposition and yet it followeth not that a man is by liberalitie made prudent yea much rather of prudence springeth liberalitie To be bréefe these arguments and such other like doo conclude nothing els than that iustification cannot consist without loue and other christian vertues And yet it cannot thereof be rightlie gathered that a man is iustified for these vertues sake Pighius addeth moreouer this sentence of Christ If anie man loue me he will keepe my commandements Iohn 14 23. I and my father will come vnto him and make our abiding with him By these words it appéereth saith he that iustification followeth of loue and the obseruing of the commandements of God for those being obserued Christ promiseth that he will come with his father and abide with vs. For he meaneth that To receiue and to reteine Christ is nothing else When and how God commeth vnto vs. than To be iustified And we grant that when christians being now regenerate and iustified doo liue vprightlie and by good works shew foorth their faith God commeth vnto them and plentifullie powreth in them greater gifts and more ample grace For God although otherwise he be euerie where yet it is expressedlie said that he commeth vnto them in whom he beginneth to worke new works And sithence he dailie increaseth and adorneth his which behaue themselues vprightlie and godly Mat. 25 14. and faithfullie exercise the talents committed to them it is verie well said that he dailie commeth vnto them by reason of new gifts And this is that kind of visiting whereof Christ speaketh in the Gospell of Iohn But if we will knowe the first accesse of God and the comming of Christ into our harts to dwell in them Paule teacheth it vs vnto the Ephesians Eph. 3 17. for thus he writeth That Christ may through faith dwell in our harts Wherefore this sentence of Christ teacheth not that iustification commeth of looue for iustification goeth before it although not in time yet in order Pighius distinction of testaments 65 Pighius goeth on and maketh such a distinction of testaments that some he saith are absolute and frée whereby the heire may straitwaie enter vpon the inheritance other some are conditionall which make no heire but vpon certeine conditions and to this latter kind he referreth the testament of God And therefore he earnestlie affirmeth that except those conditions be performed none can be iustified Here
afterward is made perfect and full when other good works come vnto it But how vaine this is Rom. 3 28. Paule himselfe sufficientlie teacheth for he dooth not onelie saie that We are iustified by faith onelie but also he addeth without works Further this also maketh against these men which is written in the booke of Wisedome To knowe God is full righteousnesse Wisd 15 3. In which place it is a sport to sée how Smith wringeth himselfe First he dares not denie the sentence for he counteth that booke for canonicall but as he is of a sharpe wit at the last this he deuiseth that God is not knowen by faith onelie but also by loue But who euer would so saie but onelie this man Vndoubtedlie by loue we doo not knowe but we doo loue But that which is spoken in the booke of Wisdome which yet with me is not of so great authoritie Christ himselfe hath most manifestlie testified in the Gospell saieng Iohn 17 3. This is eternall life that they knowe thee the onelie true God Although of this saieng also of our sauiour Gardiner the Bishop of Winchester Gardiner deuised of late I wot not what namelie that to knowe God is not properlie eternall life although it somewhat helpe forward therevnto But forsomuch as neither the Fathers nor Paule nor Christ himselfe can satisfie these men there is no hope that we shall anie thing preuaile with our reasons They adde moreouer that the Fathers saie that onelie faith iustifieth that is it is the principallest thing whereby we are iustified I confesse in déed This word Onelie sometime signifieth Principall 1. Cor. 13 13 that Onelie sometimes signifieth Principall But this sense cannot agrée with Paules purpose for if charitie be compared with faith charitie as Paule saith is more excellent and better Wherefore if both of them iustifie as these men will haue it then should charitie haue the chéefest part and not faith And this also is a great let vnto these men which I haue oftentimes spoken of that Paule so ascribeth iustification vnto faith that he saith Without works Augustine But Augustine saie they vnto Simplicianus writeth that By faith we begin to be iustified Vnto this we maie answer two maner of waies first that that beginning is such that in verie déed it hath the verie full and whole iustification So that Augustines meaning is that we are iustified so soone as we haue faith Or if this please them not we will saie as the truth is in déed that Augustine ment of the righteousnesse which sticketh in vs. They cite also Ambrose vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians In Christ c. For saith he we haue néed of faith onelie in charitie to iustification Behold saie they vnto iustification we haue no lesse néed of charitie than of faith But they are far deceiued for by those words Ambrose ment nothing else but to make a distinction betwéene true faith and vaine opinion therefore he saith that we haue néed of faith onelie namelie that which is ioined with charitie But Ierom vpon the fift chapter vnto the Galathians saith that It is charitie onelie Gala. 5 6. which maketh cleane the hart What other thing else shall we here answer but that this his saieng if it be sharplie and sincerelie vrged is false For it is faith also which purifieth the harts as it written in the Acts of the apostles And Paule vnto Timothie saith 1. Tim. 1 5. Charitie out of a pure hart and a good conscience c. By which words it is plaine that the hart must of necessitie first be pure before charitie can come Wherfore we will interpret that sentence by the effect and as touching our knowledge for then it is most certeine that we are regenerate and haue a cleane hart when we be indued with charitie After this maner also haue we before expounded this Manie sinnes are forgiuen hir bicause she loued much 89 And by the selfe-same meanes also may that saieng of Augustine in his booke De natura gratia the 38. chapter be answered vnto It is the charitie of God saith he by which onelie he is iust whosoeuer is iust But this séemeth also best vnto me to vnderstand such saiengs of the fathers to concerne that righteousnes which abideth and sticketh in vs for that consisteth not onelie of faith but also of all vertues good works Why our righteousnes is somtime attributed vnto charitie alone Now bicause amongst all vertues charitie is the principall therfore the fathers somtimes attribute righteousnes vnto it onlie And that which our aduersaries haue most vniustlie vsurped to expound this word Onelie for Principall or cheefe may in this place most iustlie serue vs for here we intreate not of that iustification which is had by imputation but of that which we atteine to after regeneration Wherefore in this our proposition we exclude not from a man that is iustified hope charitie and other good works but this onelie we saie that they haue not the power or cause or merit of iustifieng And when we saie that a man is iustified by faith onelie we saie nothing else vndoubtedlie but that a man is iustified onelie by the mercie of God and by the merit of Christ onelie which cannot be apprehended by anie other instrument than by faith onelie We must not desist from vsing this word Onelie Neither must we giue place vnto our aduersaries not to vse this word Onelie though they crie out neuer so much that of it springeth great offense and mens minds are by this persuasion somewhat weakened in the exercise of vertues For by sound doctrine we doo easilie remedie these discommodities for we alwaies teach that it is not iustification or true faith which wanteth the fruits of good life But we see the subtile and craftie deuise of these men for if we should saie that a man is simplie iustified by faith leauing out this word Onelie straitwaie they would adde of their owne that a man indéed is iustified by faith but yet he is no lesse iustified by hope and charitie and other good works For this verie cause the Catholikes in times past would not permit vnto the Arrians this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A like example that is Consubstantial or Of like substance bicause they would straitwaie haue said that The sonne indéed by appellation or name is God like vnto the father and in a maner equall vnto him but yet not of one and the selfe-same nature and substance Wherefore they did with tooth and naile defend and kéepe still this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Consubstantiall or Of one and the selfe-same substance as a word most apt to expresse the truth of that controuersie Which they might also by good right doo and chéefelie for that they sawe that that word was of necessitie concluded out of the holie scriptures out of which also is most euidentlie concluded this our word
maner that we should wéepe for the sinnes alredie committed and we should take héed we doo not the same againe And Chrysostome vpon the epistle to the Colossians the twelfe homilie complaineth Chrysost that the christians abused teares The abuse of teares and that whereas otherwise they be good creatures of God they diffame them in that they vse them in such things as deserue no wéeping Sinnes onlie saith he must be wept for not onelie our owne sinnes We must bewaile the sinnes both of our selues and of others 2. Co. 12. 20 but other mens sinnes also Which in verie déed Paule performed who in the second epistle to the Corinthians said that he was afraid that he should not come vnto them but so as he was pensiue compelled to wéepe for verie manie which being fallen had not repented Yea and he exhorted the same Corinthians to wéepe for the sinnes of others when in his epistle he said Ye are puffed vp and haue not moorned 1. Cor. 5 2. namelie for a gréeuous crime of an incestuous man And Dauid in his 119. psalme writeth verse 136. Mine eies haue brought foorth riuers of water bicause they haue not kept thy lawe That most holie prophet wept bicause of the publike transgressions of the lawe and when as he sawe those transgressions euerie where cōmitted he powred foorth aboundance of teares Ezech. 9 4. And Ezechiel in the ninth chapter commendeth some which wept for the wicked acts of other men And hereof it commeth The godlie doo easilier weepe than laugh that when holie men sée horrible spectacles of sinnes to happen often they doo more easilie breake foorth into teares than into laughter For so Christ vsed to doo whome we read to haue oftentimes wept but we neuer read that he laughed The verie which thing we also must doo at this daie séeing so euill an haruest of sinnes dooth euerie where shew it selfe 4 Finallie we must vnderstand that all kind of moorning is not allowed by God For there be some as I haue declared before which are onlie mooued with the féele of punishments neither doo they procéed anie further In déed the sorrowe for paine and punishment sake is a certeine degrée vnto true repentance and for that cause God both punisheth and threatneth men The weeping which commeth onelie through the feele of punishment is not allowed verse 5. while they liue héere Howbeit this sorrowe is not sufficient neither is it by it selfe allowed of God for it springeth of self-selfe-loue and is in a maner a thing vnprofitable vnlesse it go further Wherefore the Lord saith in Zacharie the seuenth chapter that the Hebrues had fasted for them selues not for his glorie so these wéepe and moorne for themselues and not bicause they haue violated the commandements of GOD. The teares of them which speak euil of God are condemned Moreouer thou maist sée some others somewhat woorse than these which being mooued with the sorrowe of troubles doo in their wéeping and among their teares speake euill of God himselfe being angrie at his iustice as though he were too seuere and a harder Lord than he ought to be and such moorning belongeth not to repentance but rather to despaire An example thereof we haue in the booke of Numbers Num. 14 2. the 14. chapter where the people hearing the bitter relation of the spies fell to wéeping and spake euill both against Moses and against GOD and determined to turne into Aegypt What kind of moorning is most acceptable to God The third kind of moorning is acceptable vnto God and that is when we are gréeuouslie sorie bicause we haue violated his lawe and bicause we sée a great number of others resist his most holie will To this kind of lamentations did Ioel Ioel. 2 16. and 17. and other holie prophets stirre vp the people of the Hebrues Christ also persuadeth vs vnto them Matt. 5 4. when he saith that They are blessed which moorne bicause consolations are laid vp for them The church also vseth sometimes to stirre vp the people to these kind of moornings Publike repentance must sometime be renewed when as sometimes publikelie it reneweth repentance which although it ought continuallie to cleaue in the harts of christians yet by reason of publike calamities and a certeine sluggishnes graffed in vs ought sometimes to be renewed by the diligence of pastors Wherefore in the old lawe God instituted a fast to be held once a yeare namelie in the 7. moneth in the which daie the people of Israel should afflict them selues before God for the sinnes that they had committed And to the end it might the more solemnlie be doone GOD manie times sent his prophets to reprooue the people Of Fasting 5 To begin at the etymologie of the word In Iud. 20. at the end Auen-Ezra This Hebrue verbe Tsom signifieth To afflict wherfore Auen-Ezra saith that Wheresoeuer in the holie scripture is found affliction of the soule there fasting is vnderstood There is another word namelie Tsame verie nigh vnto this word and it signifieth To thirst for they which fast much are woont to thirst bicause the humors of the bodie are with hunger and fasting dried vp The Graecians doo deriue this Gréeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of this priuatiue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Gréeke verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is To bee strong and firme bicause by fasting the strength of the bodie is diminished But bicause this priuatiue or particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rather extensiue it séemeth to signifie a verie firme and strong thing bicause a man that is fasting is verie firme and constant so that he had rather suffer paine than go from his purpose Also the Graecians haue another word for fasting namelie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bicause they which fast doo withdrawe from themselues nourishment and food for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth both corne and meate A distinction of fasting But before I define what fasting is I thinke good to distinguish the same for seing there be sundrie kinds of fastings they serue not all to our purpose For there is a certeine fast that is naturall A naturall fast which perteineth either to the defending or recouering the health of the bodie wherefore Hippocrates saith that they which are of a full and perfect age or else be old Hippocrat can verie well abide fasting In which place old men must be vnderstood as concerning the first entrance into old age for they which are old can no better abide fasting than yong men or children This kind of fasting we leaue to the physicians séeing it is none of that which we intreat of There is another fast which is ciuill A ciuill fast and is then taken in hand when men are so bent to their busines as by no meanes they will intermit their affaires which they haue in hand So Saule when he pursued the
said that he should watch at the â—oome of blessed Anthonie within a daie or two bicause now a yéere or certeine yéeres were passed since he died The elders watched also at the sepulchres of martyrs therby to shew vnto them honor applieng them selues to doctrine exhortations giuing of thanks and praiers especiallie in those perillous times when they might not easilie in the daie time assemble togither Moreouer godlines was by that meanes the better obserued for in the daie time men were occupied in sundrie labours and works Wherefore to the intent that the worshipping of God might not be vtterlie neglected they appointed certeine houres in the night for it Ierom. 29 Ierom against Vigilantius maruelouslie commendeth the institution of the church for watching and he thinketh that we should not cease from this obseruation although by the occasion of these watches some shamefull thing were committed For saith he the errors of yoong men and light women which can also sinne in an other place and plaie shamefull parts at home ought not to reuoke vs from so holie a custome But we sée at this daie contrarie to the saieng of Ierom watches not onelie of the martyrs are abolished but also those which were doone in the honor of the Lord as it manifestlie appéereth in the councell of Anticiodorensis The Councell of Anticiodorensis chapter 5. Although in some places there continue some remnants of watches as at Mantua vpon the feast of Bartholomew and at Vercellis in the night of saint Eusebius But all men knowe how vnreasonablie and immoderatlie men behaue themselues in those watches Watchings turned into fastings Wherefore they haue conuerted the obseruation of watchings into fastings But what maner of fastings I praie you Such as now a daies they vse to absteine from the eating of flesh But whatsoeuer it be the sentence of the apostle is firme and constant 1. Tim. 4 8. that The exercises of the bodie haue no great profit but godlines is profitable vnto all things We must indéed fast and watch as much as reason requireth and the strength of the bodie will beare And I doo not thinke Basil and others must not be imitated in fastings that herein we ought to imitate Basil Nazianzen and such other which with outward obseruations so kept vnder their bodies as at length they became vnprofitable both to themselues and also to others The golden mediocritie is to be kept wherein we must obserue the laudable measure of frugalitie and temperance And these things by the waie as touching watches The eleuenth Chapter Of Christian life wherein is treated of diuers vocations of friendship of the confession of Christ also of the example of Naaman the Syrian which is largelie expounded the vse of riches and of pouertie A Verie excellent sentence is that of Paule In 1. Co. 10 verse 14. We must not seeke out owne as touching the flesh in the first to the Corinthians the tenth chapter Let no man seeke his owne but euerie man an others wealth Wherein is bréeflie comprehended that we should perpetuallie in all our actions haue before our eies the edifieng of our neighbour 1. Cor. 9 22. which the apostle did excellentlie well performe when as he would be made all things to all men As touching the words We may seeke those things that be trulie our owne they haue like signification in name For we are not to séeke our owne as touching the flesh and pleasures but in the meane time there is no let but that we ought to séeke the kingdome of heauen saluation and eternall life which things be ours Otherwise the apostle should be against himselfe who saith in the epistle to the Philippians Phil. 2 12. With feare and trembling worke ye your saluation And also vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 4 14 Attend vnto thine owne selfe and to doctrine Afterward when it is said We must not seeke for other mens things as touching the flesh that We should care for those things which be other mens that also must not be vnderstood as touching the flesh and pleasures For as we are not to séeke these things in our owne selues so must we not prouide that they may be in our neighbours But those things which Paule speaketh namelie In the holie scriptures there is no expresse coÌ„mandement touching the loue of mans selfe of other mens we ought to prosecute as touching saluation eternall life and obteining of the kingdome of heauen vnto them Of the louing of our owne selues there is no manifest precept extant in anie place of the holie scriptures yet is there a commandement giuen vs that We should loue our neighbour Matt. 22 39. as our owne selues Wherein the holie scripture séemeth to determine that the same loue is graffed in vs by nature for what things soeuer God hath made they be of such a nature as they desire most of all to preserue themselues The naturall loue of a mans self being defiled by Adam and by him in vs the lawe commandeth to be amended Which naturall loue of a mans owne selfe when the first man had defiled through sinne he transferred the same being corrupted into his posteritie Wherefore we are instructed by the lawe to correct the same which shall be doone if in like sort as we haue loued our selues we haue such regard of our neighbour in loue as we haue of our selues Therefore it is said Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe Let it not trouble vs bicause else-where in the scripture we heare it spoken that we should hate our selfe as when it is said in the gospell Iohn 12 25. He that hateth not his owne soule can not be my disciple and vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 3 2. Men louing them selues are reprooued And this doubt is easilie resolued for we may doo both After what maner we should both hate and loue our selues that is to wit hate our selues and loue our selues For we our selues beare hatred against our selues séeing as the apostle saith We knowe right well that in our flesh dwelleth no good thing And by the flesh we vnderstand a man that is seuered from the grace and spirit of Christ Rom. 7 18. in whom séeing there is much euill and nothing that is good he deserueth hatred and not loue But againe we loue our selues in the Lord in whom we be now a new creature for we earnestlie wish that the good things which be begun in vs may euerie daie be made perfect more and more Of Friendship In Rom. 11 2 There is no man but vnderstandeth that friendship is a necessarie thing which neither great princes themselues nor emperours can want for if they be destitute of friends by whom shall they gouerne their dominions and kingdoms And how méete and profitable a thing concord is in aduersities we néed not in manie words declare bicause it is most manifest to all men Friendship more conuenieÌ„t than iustice and
sell that thou possessest Matt. 19 21. Of the yong man whom Christ cōmanded to sell all and followe me for this was a speciall calling of him neither did Christ rashlie command him to doo it The man thought that he had fulfilled the law in such sort as if there had wanted nothing vnto perfect instruction but how farre he was from the same the Lord would haue it declared vnto him when he commanded him to doo this for it taught him foorthwith that he did not as yet loue God aboue all his riches for he went awaie sorrowfull And it is to be thought that he tooke profit by this admonition so that he now knowing his owne infirmitie returned at the length vnto the right waie And whereas the Lord saith in the same chapter Ibidem verse 24. that it should be Easier for a camell to passe through the eie of a fine needle c he dooth not inferre that it is vnpossible for all kind of rich men to be saued but for those onelie which Marke intreating in the tenth chapter of the same argument expresseth Mark 10 24 saieng that It is vnpossible for them to be saued The godlie are cōstrained to get their riches by iust labours which put their trust in riches And so farre is it off that godlie men are forbidden to haue riches as they that liue well are constrained to get themselues wealth by their iust labours whereby they may mainteine both them selues and theirs Héerevnto the apostle exhorteth the Thessalonians 1. Thes 4. 11 that they should haue wherewith to sustaine not onelie themselues and their familie but also that they should haue ouer and besides whereby they may be able to distribute vnto the poore Wherefore the same apostle verse 28. in the fourth chapter to the Ephesians saith He that hath stollen shall not now steale but shall rather labour with his hands that he may haue wherewith to giue them that suffer necessitie Vnder what conditions riches may iustlie be reteined by the godlie But that riches may be lawfullie reteined by them that be iust certeine conditions are néedfull condition 1 First that they be gotten of them by iust meanes that is not by arts which in their owne kind are euill or of themselues good yet forbidden and not agréeing with that person For none ought to withdrawe himselfe from teaching of the word of God to practise shoomakers craft and thereby to inrich himselfe condition 2 Let him not abuse them so as he would haue them to mainteine riot and voluptuousnesse condition 3 Let not the mind of him that procureth them be drawen awaie from the confidence in God from his vocation or from the worshipping of God condition 4 Let him not hoord them vp but let him distribute them to the poore when and according as néed shall require condition 5 Let him put no trust in them as Paule in the first to Timothie the last chapter hath admonished verse 17. Command thou the rich men of this world that they put not their trust in the vncerteintie of riches condition 6 Let not rich men take stomach vnto them so as they become proud aduancing themselues and contemning the poore condition 7 Let them weigh that riches are vnstable and maie easilie be taken from them Wherefore let them not set their hart vpon them and when the Lord shall take them awaie from them let them saie Iob. 1 21. The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken awaie euen as it pleaseth the Lord so let it be condition 8 Let them acknowledge that they haue gotten them of the Lord and not by their owne power condition 9 And let them euerie daie more and more mortifie the desire of hauing least the desire of hauing should as much increase in them as they be growen in wealth and riches In 2. kin 11. Worldlie goods must not be so greatlie expected 18 Here there is a thing that we may verie profitable learne namelie that externall goods must not with so great affection be desired and sought after as they be sought for wished by vnskilfull men for such is the infirmitie of man and weaknesse of mortall mens wits as they will not easilie appoint anie measure vnto riches Yea and moreouer the knowledge of humane and naturall things ought not to be immoderatlie desired of vs. For otherwhile we putting our trust therein and being puffed vp more than is méet Why God gaue so gret riches vnto Salomon when as he knew they wold turne to his destruction Matt. 5 45. doo the lesse depend vpon God and vpon his word But some man will saie Séeing God loued Salomon and that he knew that these goods would turne to his destruction whie did he bestowe them vpon him in such plentie and abundance First I answer They that aske these things may by the same reason demand whie GOD raineth as well vpon the iust as vpon the vniust whie he maketh his sunne to rise both vpon the good and euill séeing it is not vnknowen vnto him that the vniust euill men doo abuse both the sunne and the raine It may be asked also Wherefore God séeing he knew that Pharao would not obeie his word but rather become the worse by occasion thereof sent notwithstanding Moses and Aaron with his commandements to him Exod. 4 21. Neither yet was God ignorant that the Iewes would scorne the prophesies and oracles of the prophets and yet neuerthelesse the captiuitie of Babylon being at hand he sent such a number of prophets vnto them as he séemed good at that time to set open the schoole of the prophets Now then this kind of questions is superfluous for an order can not be prescribed vnto God neither ought his gouernment to be limited by our reasons Howbeit touching Salomon I saie A discourse touching the end of Salomon that either he perteined vnto the predestinate or vnto the reprobate certeinlie one of the two we must admit for betwééne these can be granted no meane If he were of the elect and predestinate he belonged vnto euerlasting life And in verie déed the Hebrues affirme for a certeintie that he repented after his fall yea and they saie that the booke Coheteth was written by him in the verie time of his repentance Wherefore we are warned and taught by his falles to put no trust in our owne selues and that we estéeme not of the pleasures and delights of this world otherwise than they are séeing we heare that king Salomon when he enioied all those things in most abundance did pronounce generallie of them Eccles 1 1. Vanitie of vanities and all things are vanitie Which sentence verelie if a common person a poore man or an husband-man had pronounced all men in a maner would haue said How dooth this fellowe knowe hereof who neither hath had experience nor yet could procure vnto himselfe pleasures and delights Therefore God would that he should affirme
We for our part haue an Oracle farre more certeine namelie that They are not to be feared Matt. 10 28. which kill the bodie but cannot kill the soule The Decij vowed themselues to the death that their legions of soldiers might be preserued and get the victorie Our martyrs also when they shed their bloud rather than they will be plucked awaie from the religion of Christ cannot boast that they take an enterprise in hand which hath not béene heard of M. Puluillus when he should consecrate a temple vnto Iupiter in the meane time word was brought him by enuious persons of the death of his son was not one whit abashed in mind neither left he off that which he had begun but commandded that his sonne being dead should be carried out and buried With what mind then ought a christian man to suffer séeing he heareth the Lord saie Suffer the dead to burie their dead Matth. 8 22. Regulus when he had sworne that he would returne vnto Carthage although he knew that most gréeuous torments were prouided for him yet would he not commit the crime of violating his faith Wherefore we also séeing in baptisme wée haue publikelie giuen our faith vnto Christ although for the kéeping thereof we should suffer all things yet ought we not to violate the same Some will boast of the contempt they haue of riches and of voluntarie pouertie taken vpon them for Christ but let these boasters call to remembrance Cincinnatus who after he had behaued himselfe honourable and doone notable acts in his Dictatorship of his owne accord returned againe to till husband his foure acres of ground Let them remember that Valerius Publicola after he had passinglie well gouerned his Consulship died so poore as he left not wherewith to burie himselfe but was buried at the common charge of the citie And Fabritius so little repented him of his pouertie as he despised the gold of king Pyrrhus These so great and notable acts did these men onlie as I haue said to get the praises of men and to preserue that earthlie publike weale But we if we enter into anie dangers haue God himselfe to be our inheritance and our reward and shal be heires togither with Christ Before vs as a prise is set the kingdome of heauen and eternall felowship with the angels Wherefore it is manifest The notable acts of the Ethniks passed their expected ends but our rewards far passe our works that the notable facts of those heathen farre passed the ends and rewards set before them but our works are infinitelie excelled of the rewards that are before vs. I grant indéed that their works are not to be reckoned among the true vertues for they were rather shadowes and images of vertues And their works although they were excellent if we consider them after a ciuill maner Their works before God were glistering sinnes yet before God they were nothing else but glorious and glistering sinnes for they were not mooued to worke either by faith or by the loue of God neither yet did they direct their works to a iust end Wherefore Augustine in his fift booke De ciuitate Dei and 18. chapter when he had made mention of these and such like things prudentlie added Either we perceiue these things to be in vs or else we féele our selues to be void of them If at anie time we doo the selfe-same things there is no cause whie we should be puffed vp séeing they for lesser rewards haue doone the like but if we knowe our selues to be so weake and féeble that we dare not enterprise anie such things our minds ought excéedinglie to be pressed and touched especiallie séeing we be found weaker than the verie Ethniks were Moreouer God hath not respect to the gretnes heape of works these comparisons declare that God hath not respect to the quantitie and heape of works for else he would giue vnto them the rewards which he promiseth vnto vs. But GOD chéeflie respecteth this whether by faith we are ioined togither vnto Christ and whether we direct all that we doo to the praise and glorie of his name But to haue the power and abilitie to doo excellent acts he of his mercie ministreth abundantlie vnto vs when he iudgeth the time méet In the meane time let vs giue thanks vnto him for that he hath made our lot better than theirs In Rom 5 verse 3. 10 Furhter of so great force is the reioising of godlie men that those things which men especiallie vngodlie men reckon to be a rebuke and which they séeke to auoid through which they iudge them selues vnhappie the Christians doo turne the same vnto praise doo willinglie imbrace A similitude and doo most of all reioise in them For euen as the planets direct their course farre otherwise than dooth the eight sphere for that is mooued from the east vnto the west but the planets from the west vnto the east euen so godlie men doo willinglie imbrace those things and in them doo reioise which the wicked doo shunne and iudge reprochfull A rare thing trulie and woorthie of admiration For it is no woonder if a man glorie as concerning the promises and obteinment of the glorie of God but in afflictions to reioise passeth all humane reson Further bicause there is no reioising but of principall and singular good things which now we so assuredlie possesse as they can not be taken from vs for otherwise it should be no true reioising but rather a boasting least our reioising for the hope of the glorie of God should séeme to be vaine séeing in verie déed we haue not yet the fruition of it Rom. 5 3. Paule teacheth in the fift to the Romans with what good things God dooth in the meane time indue vs while we doo liue héere namelie Tribulations patience experience and hope which confoundeth not An excellēt gradation Vndoubtedlie an excellent and most profitable procéeding by degrées and woorthie to be obserued of vs all against doubtfull and fearefull times But godlie men sometimes sigh are sad and are heauie It is not repugnant that godlie men doo both sigh and reioise at one and the selfe same time 2. Sam. 15 7. and 16. 5. An example and complaine when they fall into afflictions how then doo they reioise Here is no contradiction at all For our outward man sigheth is heauie is sad the flesh complaineth but the spirit and our inward man reioiseth and is glad When Dauid went foorth of the citie from the face of Absolon bare footed his head vncouered and with manie teares outwardlie there appéered in him no signification but of miserie and sorowes for Semie who vpbraided vnto him this miserie sawe nothing in him but that which was lamentable and miserable Yet who doubteth but that he as touching faith and the inward man reioised excéedinglie for the fatherlie correction of God For therevnto was his mind bent and therefore he spared
resurrection there shal be no néed either of meat drinke or of women séeing men as Christ taught shal be like vnto angels Matt. 22 30 Wherefore the Mahometists and the Saracens are herein shamefullie deceiued who beléeue that after the resurrection the blessed sort shall haue ministred vnto them abundance of meat store of drinke and a plentifull vse of women for so hath their Alcoran taught Alcoran Auicenna Yet hath Auicenna in his Metaphysicks not vnwiselie interpreted this and saith that Those spéeches are metaphoricall bicause as he thinketh the honest pleasures of the life to come might not be expressed especiallie vnto ignorant men otherwise than in termes of the vulgar delights which be receiued in this world These things I said were not vnwiselie brought bicause euen in the holie scriptures are found such allegories or translations For we read in the twelfe of Luke verse 37. Blessed be those seruants which the Lord shall find waking for he will gird himselfe about and passing by will minister vnto them And in the 22. chapter of the same euangelist Luk. 22 29. it is written I appoint vnto you a kingdome euen as my father hath appointed vnto me that ye should eate and drinke at my table in my kingdome Yea and among our most ancient fathers there were verie manie which thought that Christ at his latter comming shuld reigne togither with his saints for the space of a thousand yéeres in singular delights and great pleasure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These men be called by the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Latines Millenarij Augustine of whom Augustine spake at large in his second booke De ciuitate Dei and 20. chapter Hereby they first tooke an occasion of error bicause Christ did eat and drinke togither with his apostles after his resurrection secondlie bicause the prophets doo ofttimes make mention of these things when they prophesie of the last times Moreouer vnto this purpose they wrested a place out of the 20. chapter of the Apocalypse Apoc. 20 6. where there is mention made of those thousand yéeres To confute this error of theirs first we saie that Christ Why Christ did eat and drinke after his resurrection with his apostles did eat and drinke to the intent he might leaue a most testified truth of his humane nature and not to serue necessitie For he had an vncorruptible bodie which was neither troubled with hunger nor thirst Wherefore the meat and drinke which he vsed turned not into the substance and quantitie of his bodie but they departed and were resolued into their first matter Whereby it may be vnderstood that there were certeine things which Christ did after his resurrection to testifie the truth of his humane bodie and some other for the setting foorth of his glorie Tokens of Christs glorie Luk. 24 31. Tokens of his glorie were these that he vanished awaie vpon the sudden when he was séene and was suddenlie present with his apostles that he came in vnto them when the doores were shut Iohn 20 29 and at the last in that he ascended vp into heauen But on the other side he shewed himselfe still to be verie man when he offered himselfe to be séene and handled Ioh. 20 27. when he did eat and drinke togither with his apostles when he ascending vp into heauen Acts. 1 9. was visiblie separated from them And whereas the holie scriptures as well in the prophets as in the euangelists make mention of meat and drinke that as we haue declared is doone by an allegorie and by metaphors and similitudes well inough applied vnto teaching This we may shew by a testimonie of the booke of Prouerbs Prou. 9 2. where wisedome is described which mingled hir wine and prepared hir table Which things can not be agreable vnto wisedome whose nature is spirituall and sticketh in the minds of men but vnder the name of meat and drinke we vnderstand the knowledge of God the feruent loue of heauenlie things and the ioie that floweth out of the presence of God These things I saie shall vnto the elect be like most delicate meat and drinke And therefore when as Marie sat at the Lords féet and was maruellouslie refreshed with his doctrine she was defended by Christ himselfe Luk. 10. 40. when she was accused by Martha in respect that she intermitted hir busines of preparing things necessarie to liuelood for he said Marie hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from hir Touching the place of the Apocalypse Apoc. 20 ◠we must vnderstand that the resurrection whereby the saints shall reigne with Christ a thousand yéeres is not that whereof we now intreat but it is the regeneration whereby we are iustified And therefore it is there in expresse words added And this is the first resurrection Neither dooth the thousand yéeres note anie other time than that wherein we now remaine vnder the protection of Christ in his kingdome which is the church Neither is it anie doubt but that the certeine and prescribed number is there put for an infinit number So as those things belong not to the latter cōming of Christ but vnto the former Which if those ancient fathers had considered they had not so fallen into error Wherefore in that mortall life there shall néed neither bodilie food neither yet procreation of children for these things serue vnto mortall life but the other shall be immortall And bicause there is nothing diminished of the substance of bodies there shall be no néed of that renewing which is made by meat and drinke And bicause also none shall die others shall not be substitute in their place by new procreation 58 An other condition or qualitie they haue called light and splendent brightnes Phil. 3 21. whereof Paule to the Philippians saith God will make our base bodie like to his glorious bodie And a shew of this condition did Christ make Matt. 17 ◠when he was transformed where his face did shine like vnto the sunne And in Matthew it is written Matt. 13 43. The iust shall shine in the sight of God like vnto the sunne Dan. 12 3 Neither did Daniel passe ouer this brightnesse or clearenesse as we haue alreadie heard 1. Cor. 15 43 And Paule in the first to the Corinthians the 15. chap. saith Now it is sowen in ignominie then it shall rise againe in glorie Moreouer they thinke that this brightnesse must be deriued vnto the bodies of the blessed from the soules which shall sée God not as in a darke spéech or in a glasse but shall sée him indéed as he is by which sight they shall receiue so great ioie and gladnesse as it shall flowe from thence to their bodie Neither is it vnknowen to anie that the mind and the spirit dooth exhilerat the countenance and make the bodie chearefull Besides this An agilitie of bodie there is put an agilitie in
of that saying of Christ Luke 23. 33 I prayed for thee Peter that thy faith shoulde not faile The words of Christ I haue praied for the Peter expounded As though the Lord prayed not for others also Assuredlie he prayed as it is in Iohn for others also not onelie for the Apostles but also for all men that should beléeue But I returne to the place Of feeding the sheepe and I answere them which demand why those wordes were seuerallie spoken by the Lord vnto Peter Why it was onelie saide to Peter Féede my shéepe and I saie that Christ would take away the infamie of Peters thrise deniall And as Augustine saieth It was prouided that the tongue of Peter shoulde no lesse serue to the louing thā to the fearing of the sauiour to the intent that death being at hand he should speake no otherwise than in the life present he did And the same in a maner hath Cyrill So as the Lord dealing after this maner with Peter caught as it is commonlie said two hares at one leape First he indeuoured that all the Apostles should know that Peter was receiued into fauour and restored to his former place Secondlie that they might vnderstand that there is no néede of singular loue to the féeding of the flocke of Christ For he that from the heart and sincerelie loueth the Lord of the flocke cannot but féede it with excéeding faithfulnesse But least that vnto anie man it maie séeme somewhat hard which we affirme either that Peter spake for the rest of his fellowes or else that those things which were spoken vnto him pertaine also vnto others this will be easilie prooued by the vsuall spéeches in the scriptures Zuinglius iudgement Certainlie Zuinglius laboured verie well in that Argument He in his Treatise De vera Religione in the Chapter where he intreateth of the keyes of the Church gathered manie places which make well for the present purpose Verse 67. In the 6. Chapter of Iohn when the seuenty Disciples were gone Christ turning vnto the 12. said vnto them Will ye also goe awaie There Peter in the stead of all answered Lord vnto whom shall we go Thou hast the words of eternal life We know and beleeue that thou art Christ the sonne of God Séeing he speaketh in the plurall number he manifestlie sheweth that he answered in the name of his fellow Disciples neither did the confession which he vttered differ from that which a little before both wee brought vttered out of the 16. Mat. 16. 16. Chapter of Matthew But somtime it commeth to passe that one man doeth not answer for all men but all men for themselues as when the Lord demanded in the 22. Verse 35. of Luke whether they wanted anie thing while they liued together with him they answered nothing Againe in the same Euangelist he said vnto the Apostles Luk. 9. 13. Giue them to eate Vnto whom they answered Wee haue no more but fiue loaues and two fishes There this answere is ascribed vnto all whereas neuerthelesse in Iohn it is assigned onelie vnto Andrew the brother of Simon Peter Iohn 6. 9. Matt. 4. 10. Moreouer vnto Peter and Andrew is saide that which belonged vnto all the Apostles to wit I wil make you fishers of men But to come more néere vnto that place in the 16. Chapter of Matthew of which I spake before it is easilie gathered by the other Euangelists that Peter answered vnder the name and person of all For wee haue it in the 8. Mark 8. 30 Luke 9. 21. of Marke and in the 9. Chapter of Luke The Lorde rebuked them and threatened them that they shoulde not tell it vnto others Our aduersaries doe not weigh these things They are onelie verie desirous to speake but what they doe speake they consider not They are excéeding carefull for the defence of their dominion and primacie Mat. 20. 26. But the Pope to become Lord of Lords calleth himselfe the seruant of seruants whereas the Lord forbad the same to his Apostles and commaunded that they which would be the greater should behaue themselues as the lesser and he warned that such Ambition was proper vnto the Kings and Princes of the Ethnicks and that it did not appertaine vnto his Disciples 33 Because we haue said that they deale verie wickedlie and shamefullie Whether the fowle life of the Romane Clergie because sufficient to depart from them Mat. 23. 2. here also they set themselues against vs and saie that the foule and reprochfull life of ministers is no cause of separation and departing from the Church because Christ said vnto his Apostles of the Scribes and Pharisées which sate vpō the chaire of Moses that they should doe those things which were spoken by them but not those things which they did We also confesse that we ought not to depart from the Church for the filthie maners and vitious life of Clergie men although it behooueth all godlie men and members of Christ to indeuour that either they may be amended or else if they shall be obstinate in their sinnes to be remooued from their place But while this cannot be done let vs heare them when they shall speake out of the bookes of Moses I meane out of the lawe of God out of the Prophets and out of the writings of the new Testament But if vnder the pretence of the holie Ministerie they will obtrude the traditions of men and especiallie such as be repugnant to the worde of God we maie not heare them neither shall wée violate the commaundement of Christ by withstanding them They are woont also to obiect that which is in the 17. Chapter of Deuteronomie Verse 12. where God commaundeth that the high Priest should be heard by the people of God A place in Deuteronomie answered But why do they not mark in like maner that it is commanded the Priest that he should answere according to the law Whereby it is gathered that he must in the meane time be obeyed while he declareth his opinion not out of his owne head but out of the law of God To this they alleage against vs the examples of the blessed Virgin An example of Simeon and others which in Christes time forsooke not the companie of the Scribes of Iohn Baptist of Elizabeth Ioseph and Simeon who being not ignorant that the Priests and Leuites of their times were corrupted yet did not withdrawe themselues from the Church Vnto this we answere First that the precepts of the lawe vrged them to sacrifice for the time of that age that for sundrie causes Deut. 12. 5 Againe they were enforced that they should not sacrifice whersoeuer they thought good but in some certaine place which God had chosen But we by the benefite of Christ are not bound to those preceptes Further the Priests and Leuites although they were corrupt and infected yet did they not compell anie man vnto wicked rites
and ceremonies For as yet by the ordinances of Moses they retaine the sacrifices and Ceremonies and no man was constrained to giue assent vnto their false opinions But we are forced by the Popes and Bishops to professe wicked doctrines neither can we by reason of them receiue the Sacraments according to the institution of Christ sincerelie call vpon the name of the Lord. Wherefore the consideration of both partes is not alike neither can the example which they haue brought be applied vnto the present cause The crime of breach of Charitie They accuse vs also that we haue broken charitie with them neither doe they remember that charitie dependeth of faith And so séeing they retaine not the same but haue renounced it we cannot as touching Ecclesiasticall communion exercise brotherlie charitie with them neuerthelesse we withdraw not Christian loue from them we continuallie wishe and praie for their bettering namelie that they maie conuert to the Gospell of the sonne of God and that they will at length correct and reforme those things which they haue marde corrupted in the Church Further they disquiet vs They obiect that wee haue departed of our owne priuate authoritie for that we are departed not by publike but by priuate authoritie Neither consider they that God commaunded euerie man to haue a care of his owne saluation What if others will not assent vnto the truth and auoide the corruptions of Religion shall he that is bound to the studie of Gods commandements glory of Christ neglect to doe what he can and that which belongeth vnto him Moreouer all men maie sée that our Churches are not without publike authoritie séeing in them dwell both Magistrates and Princes Neither doeth that subtiltie which they often vse hinder vs in saying that it is not the part of this or that common weale or of this or that Prince thus to doe but that we must expect the consent of all Christendome Here doe they excéedinglie erre séeing God hath commanded both euerie Magistrate euerie Prince that they should with singular diligence and watchfull studie be carefull for the saluation of them which be committed to their charge Ouer and besides Constance and Constantine when they had imbraced Christ they did not expect a consent in Christian Religion of Dioclesian Maximianus Licinius and of their Emperours or Caesars which were their fellowe Magistrates and had then the rule in their hands And ill came to Tiberius for that he expected the consent of the Senate in appointing of Christ to be among the number of the Goddes 34 Hitherto I haue taught howe iust causes they be for the which we haue departed from the communion of the Papists and as I thinke haue sufficientlie to the nature of this place answered their argumentes wherewith they rent and teare vs. So then remaineth that I should descend to the other point of the treatise whereby I maie declare that this was altogether necessarie Which shall thrée wayes appeare First shall be shewed that the commandement of God which is the strongest weapon vnto godlie mindes did vrge vs. Further that it behooued vs to flie least our mindes and consciences shoulde be polluted by the vnpurenesse of doctrine and idolatrie of our aduersaries And finally least we shoulde be in daunger of the wrath and punishments of God which they bée in daunger of As to the first Commandements of GOD by which we are bidden to depart from the companie of the vnfaithfull there be verie manie and sundrie precepts of God extant in the holie scriptures which commaund this separation Yet all those I will not recite because it would be ouer long but I will onlie repeate some Christ saide Matt. 7. 15. Beware ye of false Prophets for although they be in sheeps cloathing they be rauening wolues Wherefore euen as we should flie from Wolues so should they be auoided which destroy soules by peruerse doctrine and religion He in like maner as we reade in Iohn said Ioh. 10. 27. My sheepe heare my voyce and follow not the voyce of strangers Therefore séeing the aduersaries haue alienated thēselues frō Christ we cannot cleaue vnto them vnlesse we will cease to be the shéepe of Christ The same Lord saide Mat. 15. 14 If the blind followe the blinde both of them shall fall into the ditch so as we haue renounced the conduct of the Papists least we should fall headlong together with them It is also written in Iohn Ioh. 12. 48. that manie of the Princes beléeued in Christ who neuerthelesse because of the Pharisées confessed not Christ least they shoulde be estranged from the Synagogues because they rather sought the glorie of men than of God Wherefore if we had taried with our aduersaries it had bin also néedefull for vs to haue feared least we should haue more hunted for glorie and honour at their handes than to haue entirelie loued the sincere truth of the Gospell We haue heard also that Christ said Mat. 10. 34 I came not to send peace but a sword and to separate euerie faithfull man from his owne housholde which would hinder them from the doctrine of the Gospell Then séeing our enemies studie earnestlie indeuour nothing more than to turne vs awaie from the trueth receiued we haue vpon iust cause departed frō them But in the Epistle to the Galathians the first Chapter Gal. 1. 8. there appeareth a most plaine testimonie of this matter for there the Apostle commandeth that whosouer shall bring another Gospel than that which he had preached vnto them he shoulde be accursed vnto vs he goeth so farre as he testifieth the verie same thing of himselfe and he ascendeth from himselfe euen to the Angels Nor doeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place signifie anie other thing than a malediction or curse And who séeth not that it behooueth euerie Christian man speciallie to beware that he runne not into the curse of God And if so be that Paul once wished to be accursed for the brethren Rom. 9. 1. he sawe that it redounded to the glorie of God But in this cause by adioyning our selues to the Papistes we should become accursed together with them doubtlesse not vnto their saluation but through our consenting they would be more and more hardened in their errors Whereof would procéede not the glorie of God but rather the dishonor of his name Augustine expounding this place in the Epistle to the Galathians brought in an excellent exposition of the Apostles meaning namelie that the trueth for it self is worthie to be desired but not for their sakes which set forth and publish the same For if it should be admitted for feare of thē it might easilie be that we woulde also receiue lyes for dread of them And we are not to thinke that the Apostle in that place rashlie vsed a repetition because the matter was both weightie and doubtfull for euen the aduersaries themselues will séeme to
the truth A shadow in the Lawe an Image in the Gospell the truth in the heauenlie places Before time a Lambe was offered a Caulfe was offered nowe Christ is offered but he is offered as a man as it were receiuing passion but he offereth himselfe as a priest that he may forgiue our sinnes héere in an Image there in trueth where as an aduocate with the father he maketh intercession for vs. And vpon the first Epistle to the Corinthians as we haue alreadie cited he saieth In eating and drinking wee signifie the flesh and bloud of Christ which are offered And when he speaketh of the bloud hée saieth that we receiue a figure thereof that is the mysticall Cup. Againe the same father in these Bookes De Sacramentis in the 4. Booke and 4. Chapter manifestly affirmeth our changing into Christ The which wee haue oftentimes noted in other Fathers 47 Now there remaineth that we consider of Chrysostom An exposition of Chrysostome They alledged this similitude of waxe the which being put into the fire as touching the substance there is destroyed so as nothing remaineth so saith he thou maist think that the mysteries be consumed by the substance of Christs bodie What say they can be more manifest for Transubstantiation But here I thinke it good to examin Chrysostom himself whereby ye may plainelie perceaue how rightlie those things are noted whereof we spake before as touching the sayinges of the fathers He in the 83 Homilie vpon Matthew saith The excessiue spéeches of Chrysostome Many say that they would and doe couet to sée the forme and shape of Christ also to behold his garments and shooes But he giueth himselfe vnto thée not only that thou maiest sée him but also that thou maist touch him Do we not here vnderstand that he attributeth vnto the matter of the sacramēt that which belongeth vnto the signes namely that the bodie of Christ may be touched and séene which who séeth not to be true onely as touching the signes Again in the same Homilie He reduceth vs as I may say into one lumpe together with him and that not alonely by faith but he maketh vs in very déede his bodie And the same he wrote in the 60. Homilie and in the 61. vnto the people of Antioch We are not onely in faith but in verie déede mixed with the bodie of Christ That we I say not onelie by faith and loue but also in very déede are made and mixed with the bodie of Christ and if this be so that we be not transubstantiated and yet neuerthelesse so néerely ioyned with Christ what néede is it for the bread to be transubstantiated that it may bee made the bodie of Christ But there might arise a doubt as though Chrysostom maketh against vs which affirme this receauing by faith séeing he saith that we not onely by faith but in verie déede also are mingled with him and changed into him But here it must be vnderstood that although we haue sayd that the bodie of Christ and his bloud be eaten and drunke by faith yet after this receauing by faith there followeth not a feined but a true coniunction betwéene vs and Christ whereby not onelie our minde is vnited with him but also our bodie and flesh hath his renewing from thence and we are truelie made the members of the Lord and doe receaue him to be our head from whence we perpetuallie drawe both spirit and life And this is it that Chrysostom said that we are in very déede ioyned with Christ And againe in the same Homilie vppon Matthew he saith that these be signes of the Lord Iesus whereby we stoppe the mouthes of the heretickes which demaund how Christ suffered For if he had not had true flesh and had truely suffered in vaine should these signes be In the same Homilie he saith that our tongue is made bloudy in receauing of the Sacraments And least thou shouldest cauil that the bloudinesse with which together with the wine or the accidentes of the wine as they terme it our tongue is made bloudy should be vnderstood to be inuisible in the 60 Homilie which the same father had to the people of Antioch he writeth that our tongue waxeth redde with this bloud where euery man may sée that it is Hyperbole or an excessiue speach And in Encaeniis he saith that the bloud in the cup is drawne out of the side of the Lord which cannot be beléeued as it is spoken séeing the side of the Lord is not at this day open and from thence the bloud is not drawne Chrysostom declareth his owne excessiue spéeches 48 He writeth moreouer in the same Homilie Doost thou see the bread or the wine he aunswereth God forbid Certainlie if he should here aske the senses they would aunswere that it is not true that he saith For by the iudgement of our sense A negatiue is somtime vnderstoode by a comparison the bread and the wine is present but he speaketh truelie when he addeth Thinke not so because in respect of our iudgement bread and wine doe cease to be there The same father writeth Thinke not thou that thou receauest of man the bodie of Christ but of the Seraphin that is present and with a payre of tongs he deliuereth vnto thée a fierie cole Here I thinke not that they would haue the Minister or Pastor to be transubstantiated which deliuereth the Sacramentes vnto vs. And he added Let vs runne together to sucke forth the bloud which floweth out of the side of the Lord. These thinges the Schoolemen themselues dare not speake For they write that the bread and wine is changed into the substance of the bodie and bloud yet not so as to the true substance of the bodie of Christ any thing either commeth or departeth away And in the 61. Homilie vnto the people of Antioch he saith that Christ not onely gaue himselfe vnto vs to be séene but also to be touched and felt vppon whose flesh also we fasten our téeth That which belongeth vnto the signes is attributed to the things In which place thou séest that that which appertaineth to the signes is attributed vnto the thing signified by the Sacramentes For our tooth reacheth not vnto the substance of the bodie of Christ but onely vnto the bread and signes and Sacramentes The selfe same father in the 60. Homilie vnto the people of Antioch saith that we ought not to thinke that the hand of the priest reacheth the Sacramēt but must iudge that the hand of Christ stretched foorth dooth deliuer the same And that he himselfe also in baptisme executeth the office namelie of baptising And in the 61. he admonisheth that we should consider that in this Sacrament we leaue Christ sitting in heauen who is woorshipped of the Angels By all this it is plaine that this father of ours prouided by all meanes to call foorth the mindes of the communicantes from the grosser sort of signes and from outward
vs which be giuen to earthlie lusts louing after the maner of brute beasts those things onelie which be present vnto vs while by the reuelation of wisedome he stirreth vp our amazed will to the loue of God while he persuadeth vs to all things that are good which thing thou fearest not else-where to denie c. But in the same tenth chapter Augustine confuteth him in these words Yet we doo not principallie desire that outward but this inward grace he must néeds at length confesse whereby the greatnesse of the glorie to come is not onelie promised but also beléeued and hoped for and is not onelie reuealed in wisedome but is also euen loued and whereby euerie good thing is not onelie suggested 2. Thes 3 2. but also throughlie persuaded for all men haue not faith The same Augustine in his booke of grace and frée will the 16. chapter For it is certeine that we doo kéepe the commandements if we will but bicause the will is prepared by the Lord we must make petition vnto him that we may will so much as is sufficient and in willing we may doo it Certeine it is that we will when we be willing but he it is that causeth vs to will that which is good Of whom it is said which a little before I affirmed that the will is prepared by the Lord. Psal 37 23. Of whom it is said His steps shall be directed by the Lord and hee shall order his waie Phil. 2 13. Of whom it is said It is God that worketh in vs both to will and to doo Certeine it is that when we doo we doo it but he causeth that we doo by giuing most effectuall strength to the will Who said Eze. 36 27 I will cause that ye shall walke in my commandements c. The same Augustine against the two epistles of Pelagius to Boniface the third booke the ninth chapter What is it then saith he that they conclude where they rehearse those things which themselues hold They saie that they confesse that grace also helpeth euerie good purpose but yet that it dooth not put an indeuour of vertue into him that resisteth c. This also would Augustine haue caused the Pelagians to grant that God putteth an indeuour of good things euen into them that resist the which cannot be doone vnlesse our mind be conuerted and that of an euill and corrupted will it become good This is that change which the holie Ghost worketh in vs. Hereby are we mollified when we be hard and stubborne The same father said that when God hardeneth it is nothing else but that he will not mollifie bicause vnlesse it be doone by him that we be mollified we continue still in our hardnesse The holie Ghost bringeth it to passe that we are made readie scholers of GOD when of our selues we are vncapable of diuine things Salomon 3. King 3 6. as we haue it in the third booke of the Kings the third chapter desired of God an vnderstanding hart or such a hart as would easilie be taught This is it which is said in the Gospels that We be taught of GOD Iohn 6 45. Esaie 54 13 which thing was promised by the prophets God is the true master who not onelie instructeth and teacheth but also bringeth to passe that we doo learne but that are not outward masters able to doo for God giueth eares to heare eies to sée an hart to vnderstand Wherefore Christ in the Gospell said He that hath eares to heare let him heare Matth. 13 9 Vnlesse this be doone in vs we séeing shall not sée nor hearing shall not heare neither shall we perceiue with the hart It is written in Deuteronomie the 29. chapter Deut. 29 4. He hath not giuen you eies to see not eares to heare nor a hart to perceiue namelie those things which in the wildernesse GOD did among you and the words which he spake And why this ought to be doone in vs the excellencie of diuine things doo declare vnto vs. For as the apostle Paule saith 1. Cor. 2 9. The eie hath not seene the eare hath not hard neither yet haue entered into the hart of man the things which GOD hath prepared for them that loue him Wherefore it is written in the 1. to the Corinthians Ibidem 14. The naturall man perceiueth not the things which be of the spirit of God neither can he knowe them for they be foolishnesse vnto him The reason is afterward added why a naturall man cannot vnderstand or desire these things bicause they be spirituall things And if they be spirituall things they are onelie iudged by the spirit And in the second epistle to the Corinthians he saith 2. Cor. 3 5. that We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues bicause our sufficiencie is of God But if so be we cannot so much as thinke of those things how shall we be able to vnderstand or desire them which is a far greater and more difficult matter than to thinke Wherefore if the spirit of God shall propound vnto vs either the lawe or the promises or the words of the holie scripture and that no change commeth we will not be mooued bicause we are neither sufficient nor apt vnto those things It behooueth that a conuersion go before which may be called a certeine disposition The same doo the Papists attribute vnto humane strength and vnto our owne power as though we can dispose it vnto grace and vnto faith Our conuersion and disposition must be attributed to the spirit of God Howbeit this must be vtterlie ascribed vnto the spirit of God not vnto mans strength and will as we haue declared Also it might rightlie be called the health of the mind of which healing Augustine in his booke De spiritu litera hath oftentimes made mention As touching sinnes we first of all affirme that the nature of man is corrupted and defiled Further we perceiue that euill acts doo breake out So on the other side we must affirme that there is first some healing of the mind that goeth before afterward that there followeth a consent of faith a confidence and loue towards God and an imbracing of his word But and if such a conuersion or medicine haue not gone before we will flie from GOD. This was verie well shewed in Adam the first man Gen. 3 8. as in a certeine type or figure who when he was fallen after the breach of Gods commandement into corruption and spirituall death he hiding himselfe fled from God And the apostle Paule although he had heard and read manie things in the prophets concerning Christ yet neuerthelesse was he turned from him and made hauocke of the church Acts. 9 1. bicause as he himselfe said vnto the Romans The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God Rom. 8 7. and is not subiect to the lawe of GOD neither yet can it be And bicause
of planting watering there is one thing doone in them whose outward eares are mooued by a bodilie voice an other thing in them whose inward sense God hath opened in whose hart he hath put the foundation of faith the feruencie of loue c. Those two kinds of calling could not more euidentlie be expressed Zuinglius in his book De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 370. That appointment or ordinance wherby is decréed that a man is now called by God not onelie by this generall calling which betokeneth the outward preaching of the apostles but also by that whereby the spirit dooth earnestlie put the elect in remembrance that they desire to obeie GOD in that he commandeth or promiseth c. The same author vpon the epistle to the Romans the eight chapter tome 4. leafe 428. To them which according to the purpose who indéed were called from the beginning These words doo I vnderstand of the inward calling that is of the election not of the outward calling of the word As if he should saie I haue now said that to the saints or them which be called all things turne vnto good Which saieng I allow for all things are grounded vpon the frée election of God God which knew all things before they were determined also before hand that they should be coheires with his sonne so neuerthelesse that Christ is the first begotten that is the naturall and essentiall sonne of God and we the adopted sonnes Whom he hath so before hand appointed and ordeined those afterward he calleth by an inward calling that is he draweth inwardlie Iohn 6. that is he maketh faithfull he draweth them that their mind may cleaue fast and trust vnto him Whom he thus maketh faithfull those also he iustifieth through an assured faith that is to wit of his sonne c. The same author in his booke De prouidentia tome 1. leafe the 368. saith For they sawe that this thing is not now signified by signes but doone before the eies whereby the sinnes of the whole world were purged but as touching this outward calling there was nothing doone bicause onelie they did repent whom the holie Ghost lightened that they might knowe this man to be the sauiour and the father did drawe them that they might come vnto him and might imbrace him further to knowe that outward things are not able to doo anie thing else but signifie and shew c. Conradus Pellicanus vpon the first chapter to the Ephesians interpreting these words Ephe. 1 5. Who hath predestinated vs to the adoption of sonnes thus writeth In the which thing must be noted the order wherein election holdeth the first place next vnto that the adoption to be sonnes which is said to be the calling while the Lord draweth vnto him those which he indued with the spirit in giuing a knowledge of himselfe finallie there succéedeth an holinesse of life c. Now by these excellent and holie men appéereth these two maner of callings not deuised by me but both receiued and put in writing by them Whereof it commeth that of them which be at one and the selfe-same sermon and heare the selfe-same Gospell some beléeue some contend some imbrace and some laugh to scorne Verelie they which contend scorne and refuse doo it of their owne naughtinesse which God infuseth not into them but they which beléeue and imbrace doo this by the effectuall caling of God the which is not giuen vnto all men Wherefore Augustine De praedestinatione sanctorum chapter eight Therefore when the Gospell is preached some beléeue and some beléeue not they which beléeue the preacher speaking outwardlie do inwardlie heare of the father do learne but they which doo not beléeue doo heare outwardlie inwardlie they doo not heare nor yet learne This is as much to saie as To the one sort it is giuen to beléeue to the other it is not giuen Iohn 6 44. bicause No man saith he commeth vnto me except my father shall drawe him The same father euen in that booke the sixt chapter Many heare the word of truth but some beléeue and some speake against it That these therefore will beléeue and that those will not who can be ignorant of this Who can denie it Howbeit séeing the will of some is prepared by the Lord and of some not we are in verie déed to discerne what springeth of his mercie or what springeth of his iudgement Rom. 10 3. That which Israel sought saith the apostle it obteined not but election obteined it Acts. 2 37. But others be blinded as it is written God hath giuen vnto them the spirit of slumber eies that they might nor see and eares that they might not heare euen vnto this daie c. Wherefore verie great is the difference of hearers the which Augustine as we haue knowne noteth by the diuersitie of callings And wherefore God so tempereth and distributeth them he in the same booke the eight chapter teacheth in these words But whie he teacheth not all men the apostle hath opened so much as he thought méet to be opened bicause He minding to shew his wrath Rom. 9 22. and to make his power knowne suffered with long patience the vessels of wrath prepared to destruction and that he might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he prepared vnto glorie c. Here the reason as it manifestlie appeareth is deriued from the finall cause bicause God determined to make manifest not onelie his goodnesse but also his righteousnesse and seueritie But some man will saie If thus the case stand God shall not be vniuersall but particular The which doubtlesse in this respect cannot be denied for we sée that he ruleth at his pleasure and distributeth these two kinds of callings But of this matter we will speake afterward when we shall come vnto predestination The vse of this doctrine 14 In the meane time let vs answer them who say it is but a small matter that they desire and that the frée will which they would haue to be granted them they saie i◠but a certeine little sparke The same we doo grant so farre as godlinesse will permit namelie in those things which are subiect to the sense reason of man and which doo not excéed the capacitie of our nature Also to them that be renewed we grant it as much as mans infirmitie dooth suffer while we liue in this world But vnto those which be not renewed we cannot grant the same as touching heauenlie and spirituall good things bicause such a sparke it is as it would not bréed brightnes but smoke wherby men would soone become proud and withdraw much from the grace and mercie of God For by this little sparke they would boast that they are discerned from others but the scriptures will not haue them discerned otherwise than by the grace and mercie of God not by free will or by their owne gifts and vertues
his foreknowledge doo erre excéedinglie For the scriptures doo put his will betwéene Matt. 10 29 A sparowe falleth not without the will of the father the will I saie not new but eternall Iere. 25. 11. Esaie 3â— 5. To the captiuitie of Babylon were seuentie yéeres prescribed And vnto Ezechias life were added 15. yéeres Christ saith Mine houre is not yet come Iohn 7 6. Exo. 33 19. Acts 13 â—8 I will haue mercie on whom I will haue mercie They beleeued so manie as were ordeined Christ was crucified according to Gods determinate counsell Predestination Diuers iudgments touching predestination some saie is a preparation of grace or a foreknowledge or a preparation of the gifts of God whereby they which are deliuered are certeinlie deliuered but others are left in the lumpe of perdition Some saie that it is a purpose of taking mercie others a preparation of grace in the time present and of glorie in the time to come But I saie that it is the most wise purpose of God whereby he constantlie decréed before all ages to call those whom he loued in Christ vnto the adoption of children vnto iustification by faith and at length vnto glorie by good works that they may be conformable vnto the image of the sonne of God and that in them may be declared the glorie and mercie of the Creator Predestination is vnchangeable 2. Tim. 2 19. The foundation of God remaineth sure The Lord knoweth who are his Hereof commeth the certeintie of saluation Wherefore Paule when he had spoken of predestination said Rom. 8 32. Who shall accuse vs Who shall condemne vs Who shall separate vs from the loue of God I am the Lord Mal. 3 6. and am not changed Reprobation what it is Reprobation is the most wise purpose of God whereby GOD constantlie decréed before all worlds without anie iniustice not to take mercie on them whome he loued not but passed them ouer to the intent that by their iust condemnation hée might declare his wrath towards sinnes and to shew foorth his power and glorie Sinnes are not the cause of reprobation forsomuch as some are excepted from the loue of God and are forsaken albeit they are the causes of damnation Wherefore if the fathers doo sometime saie that sinnes are the cause of reprobation that they vnderstand as touching the last condemnation the which is altogither laid vpon men for sinnes God predestinateth vs to this end that while we liue we should worke well for it is said vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 2 10. that He hath ordeined good works that we should walke in them But yet good works or else faith cannot be the causes of predestination bicause they be the effects thereof For whome he hath decréed to blesse vnto them he hath predestinated to giue faith and good works In the epistle to the Romans as touching the two twins when they had as yet doone neither good nor euill Rom. 9 11. it is said The elder shall serue the yoonger Iacob haue I loued Esau haue I hated Not of works but by him that calleth Ibid. ver 16. It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth Exo. 33 19. but in God that sheweth mercie I will shew mercie on whome I will shew mercie He hath mercie on whome hee will and whome he will he hardeneth The arguments of Paule should be of none effect if the predestination of God depended of faith and of works that were foreséene 1. Cor. 7 25 I obteined mercie of the Lord to bee faithfull I did not therefore obteine mercie bicause I was faithfull Act. 13 48. They beleeued so manie as were ordeined to eternall life They beléeued bicause they were ordeined not that they were ordeined or predestinated of God bicause they beléeued Our iustification dependeth of the election or predestination of God Rom. 8 29. Whome he predestinated them he called whome he called them he iustified But if predestination should depend of frée will then should we be iustified by frée will The election of God and men are diuers Men doo loue and choose them in whome they find vertues or anie good thing But God cannot find in men anie good thing that he himselfe hath not put in them Wherefore if he choose whome he will in Christ they haue it not of themselues that they be in Christ they are to haue that of God himselfe wherefore to be in Christ is not the meanes or cause of predestination but the effect Christ is the chéefe and principall effect of predestination GOD gaue him That Christ is the cheefe effect of predestination that by him he might saue them that were predestinate By him as by a conduit other effects of predestination are deriued vnto vs by the mercie of God If election should depend of works foreséene it had not béene so hard with Paule that he shuld crie O the deepenesse of the riches c. Rom. 11 33 By the doctrine of predestination there is not opened a window vnto idlenesse but rather vnto carefulnesse and indeuour of right liuing For when we beléeue that we are predestinate we know that we are predestinate to liue well and therefore let vs studie to make our calling certeine and to liue according to the disposition of men predestinate At the first vew it séemeth an absurd thing that some should be created of God to perish Yet dooth the scripture saie this Rom. 9 21 that The potter dooth make some vessels vnto honour and some vnto dishonour Ibid. ver 17 vers 22. and that God ordeined Pharao that he might show his power in him It is also said that Hee to shew his wrath suffered with much patience the vessels of wrath prepared vnto destruction Also Pro. 16 4. He maketh the vngodlie for the euill daie Not all men which be called are predestinated For Christ said Manie be called Mat. 20 16. but few are chosen But they affirme that the calling is vniuersall 1. Tim. 2 4. And that God would haue all men to be saued If it be vnderstood an vniuersall calling bicause it is propounded to all and no man by name excluded it is true If also it be called vniuersall bicause the death of Christ and his redemption is sufficient for the whole world that also is most true But if this vniuersalitie be ment that it is in all mens power to receiue the promises I denie it bicause vnto some it is giuen to others it is not giuen As though also we sée not that the verie preaching of the Gospell for a long time was not giuen to manie places ages and nations God would all men to bee saued * He meaneth onelie all those that doo beleeue Mat. 20 15. yet beléeuers But faith he giueth to whome it séemeth good to him for he may iustlie doo with his owne what he will Hereof dependeth the certeintie of our saluation For
that righteousnesse is set before vs by the word of God it is also manifested and signified by the Sacramentes which he visible wordes of God Therewithall comes faith which is the gift of God and by it we doe apprehend the righteousnesse that is shewed Wherefore Christ sent his Apostles saying Mar. 16. 15 Preach ye the Gospell to all creatures and he added He that beleeueth and is baptised shall be saued In Esai the 53. Chapter is said Verse 11. that with his knowledge he shall iustifie manie This is the life eternall Iohn 17. 3. that they may know thee the onelie God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Col. 2. 14. The death of the Crosse is a new kinde of sacrifice and therefore a new altar He fastened to his crosse the handwriting of ordinances that was against vs and he triumphed ouer his enemies This is the triumphant chariot of Christ The crosse was the cuppe wherein the bloud of Christ was hanged vp It was giuen a price for the whole worlde and vnlesse it had bin better than the whole world it had not redéemed the world Here it should behooue vs to runne through all the gréefes which the Lord suffered vppon the Crosse for vs but that is vnpossible For euen as wise painters doe shewe vnto the world more than they paint so dooth there here remaine more to be considered of than can be spoken euen of those that should haue an iron voyce an hundreth tongues and an hundreth mouthes But yet wil I distribute the griefes of Christ into certaine principall partes otherwise as mercies did abound so it should be necessarie that miseries should abound but vnlesse that mercies had conquered the miseries we should still haue bin in miserie The first calamitie is to lose estimation The théefe was preferred abooue Christ Mat. 27. 26. Barrabas was dismissed Christ was accounted among the wicked An other calamitie As touching bodilie deliuerance he was left destitute of Gods helpe Ibid. 46. My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Augustine vnto Honoratus maketh a difference betwéene the new and old Testament In the new Testament the holie men doe not receaue redemption that they may haue a better resurrection therefore are they left in death that they may haue eternall life But in the olde Testament they were in ieopardie as touching their goods as touching the life of their bodie but they were deliuered a hundreth fould was restored them there were Iudges giuen for the deliuerie of them c. Not that there were some in the olde time which were not left in death as Abel Nabaoth Esay c. they had the portion of the new Testament and manie also in the new Testament are sometime deliuered But Augustine speaketh as in the most part and of the publike state and of the promises And therefore Christ the head of the new Testament was forsaken and truelie cryed My God thou hast forsaken me And that the contrarie may be knowen it is said in the 22. psalme The fathers cryed and were deliuered Verse 5. they cryed and were not confounded Ibid. 6. But I am a worme and no man and the wordes of my faultes are farre from my saluation The third griefe was suffered at the handes of ill ministers Namelie of the Iewes of Iudas and of the priestes and also for many euil and vngratefull persons vnto whome that death should bring no commoditie The fourth He was forsaken of his owne Moses when he sawe his rodde turned into a Serpent fled from it Exod. 4. 3. Christ deliuered manie from sundrie diseases None stepped forth amongest his persecutors and said Abstaine ye from this man for he is holie this or that hath he doone for me The fifth calamitie They which remained and were present to behold increased his temptation they mocked him they thought him to be vniust and with whome God was angrie Iob. 4. 6. So did Eliphas the Themanite thinke of Iob that he was an enemie of God Iohn 9. 3. So the Apostles thought of him that was borne blinde So the inhabitantes of Melitum iudged of Paul because of the viper Acts. 28. 3. But an extreme temptation was that when they said He trusted in God Mat. 27. 43. let him deliuer him let him saue him if he will haue him They doubted whether God loued him and predestinated him We say O Christ deliuer vs from this temptation at our death but when it cōmeth let vs hold our peace let vs imitate Christ say vnto the father Into thy handes I commend my spirit Also let vs imitate the théefe that had so great a faith who when all men denied him confessed him Luk. 23. 42. Remēber me when thou commest into thy kingdome He aunswered him This daie shalt thou be with me in Paradise O good Iesu thou wert fastened to the crosse and yet thou wilt bring this man vnto heauen Howe with what kay wilt thou open vndoubtedly great was the faith of this theefe which hoped in so miserable a Christ Let others woonder at the darkenesse of the Sunne at the shaking of the earth at the renting of the Rockes c. This doe I maruell at that the théefes heart could be in such wise inflamed with so great a faith Peter denied him vppon the earth this man confessed him vppon the crosse He had not séene the miracles of Christ Christ had not saide vnto him I will make thee a fisher of men Mark 1. 17. I will make thee sit vppon the twelft throne and yet hee not onelie beléeued but he also confessed he opened his sinne and had a care of the saluation of his neighbour There is no king that assoone as he commeth into his kingdome taketh a théefe to be his companion Christ did this and did not defile Paradise but rather made it more honourable because it had such a Lorde that could straightwaie so purifie théeues and harlots as they should be méete for the kingdome of heauen The sixt affliction of Christ was that his bodie was on euerie side tormented Esa 53. 6. Psal 69. 2. 15. God in verie déede did cause to fall vppon him all our iniquities and punishmentes In the Hebrewe it is said Hiphghibat These be waters which Dauid saide did passe through euen vnto the soule a most déep mire wherin there was no steddy groūd Howbeit if we will fruitfully beholde these things euerie one of vs wil say My pride fasteneth the thornes to christs head my couetousnes be his nailes my leawdnes openeth his hart as a launce the vniuersal corruption of all my sins doth disquiet all his whole bodie When we beholde all these thinges I beséech you let vs with the eies of faith looke into the most sacred brest of the Lorde and we shall sée the incredible flame of charitie and inestimable fire of his loue whereby the whole world might be kindled if it were acknowledged
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
and those Prophets which because of the crueltie of Achab and Iezabell hid them selues in the dennes the holy scriptures doe plainly testifie Christ and the godlie feared death But euen Christ himselfe which was verie man would not be voide of this feare A vaine thing is it that some men say that not Christ but the Church in Christ feared death For if we confesse as the thing verilie is that he suffered for vs death the crosse and other humane gréefes and that not onely his death but that the horror also of death was saluation vnto vs albeit I stedfastlie beléeue and of all men it ought to be beleeued that all things which Christ did for our sakes were doone iustlie holily and honestlie if I say Mat. 14. 13 26. 37. he verilie feared death for our sake as of the Euangelistes it is taught we ought not to say that that feare is in his owne nature to bee blamed otherwise it cannot be incident vnto Christ Neither herein did our Lorde any thing against the will of the Father since both it was the Fathers will that he not onely shoulde suffer death but also that he should feare the same as also for that he in fearing of death by a naturall instinct and considering the will and decrée of the Father submitted vnto him this feare of his satisfying that precept which commaundeth that God shoulde bee loued with all the soule Deut. 6. 5. and with all the strength There is no doubt but that feare is an affection of the minde and a worke of God which is then directed vnto the worship of him when it is submitted vnto his will and commaundement Howbeit some man may say that this feare although it were not blameable in Christ yet in men it is faultie That feare by it selfe is no sinne I answere that this feare being considered by it selfe and in his owne nature is not euill nor doeth God require of vs that wee shoulde be altogether without affection séeing he hath ingendred these affections in vs and that we shoulde not chaunge the natures of obiectes that is to say to make that pleasant which in his owne nature is dreadfull and terrible or to make that swéete which is sharpe and bitter but he requireth that we should not by anie meanes suffer our selues for these thinges to be withdrawne from his will which is iust and holy Yea and such is the wil of God that if sinne eternall damnation and death with all that belonges thereunto which are the calamities of this life should be set before our eyes we should feare all these thinges and those should vnderstand no otherwise than by nature they are since that there is ingraffed in our mindes a feare of euill thinges If neuerthelesse we shall consider of this feare as it procéedeth from vs being vtterlie corrupted and infected it is sinne in déede and so ought to be called because none of vs hath feared so much in such sort and to such an end as he ought to feare But yet this is not peculiar and proper to the feare of death séeing there is also in it faith hope and loue For no man although he be holy dooth hope beléeue and loue as he ought to doe nor as the lawe requireth In Christ therefore feare was not sinne but in vs it is sinne not of his owne nature but by the faultinesse which it draweth from our corrupt vessel wherethrough it passeth euen as it happeneth vnto an excellent wine powred into an vncleane vessell But some man wil say againe If the case should so stand how should Christ haue desired death Luk. 22. 15. saying I haue earnestlie desired to eate this passouer with you And the Apostle Phil. 1. 23. I desire to be loosed to be with Christ And againe To die is vnto me an aduantage How could S. Andrewe being brought foorth to the place of execution if it be true which is reported of him haue said with a chéerefull minde All haile precious crosse take vp vnto thee the disciple séeing thou hast first sustained the Maister For it is manifest that all these either were without affections Howe the godlie desire the death which they feare or else iudged that to be good which was euill I aunswere that death as it hath bin said is not by it selfe good and therefore so farre foorth as it is so receiued by vs it alwayes bringeth a feare Howbeit it oftentimes happeneth that our cogitation standeth not still in death but looking further it séeth that in dying we make an end of sinning we passe vnto eternal life we further the building of the Church we giue a testimonie vnto the trueth of the Gospell as euerie Christian dooth earnestlie desire So then while we behold such and so manie good thinges the minde triumpheth for ioy and feare which death naturallie causeth dooth giue place and is so ouerwhelmed by that great ioy and is not then so felt as when we behold death it selfe by it selfe alone Oftentimes also God powreth into the mindes of his Martyrs so great fauour and spirite as feare which otherwise in his owne nature would be gréeuous vnto thē is so mortified inféebled as it hindereth nothing at all This doctrine vnlesse I be deceaued is easie manifest and plaine and therefore it easilie assoileth the questions put foorth Wherefore the first part or member of our foresaid distinction is now declared that is to wit that a man dooth not therefore sinne in fearing of death because he feareth that which is not to be feared for death by it selfe is dreadfull cruell and hard and the blessed God hath giuen to our mindes the affect of feare that the same being stirred vp to such kinde of obiectes we may be prest and readie to put away euils from vs so farre foorth as is lawfull by the word of God The second faultinesse of feare Now let vs come to the other part of our diuision namelie to sinne which standeth in the feare of death when a man feareth not to that end nor in such wise as behooueth It is a feare blamewoorthie as touching the end if we being onelie carefull of our owne safetie be vtterlie carelesse of the glorie of God and his word For who séeth not that it is most shamefull to measure the chiefest end by our owne vtilitie to haue regard vnto our owne benefite and not that which is Iesus Christes This end rather is to be appointed that our heart stricken with a terror of death should beware of sinne which was the cause of death that it should shunne the wrath offence of God that it should boldlie pray to the goodnesse of God for deliuerance Finally that it should despise this world that inwrappeth vs in so manie dangers But to conclude in fewe wordes Within what bounds feare must be restrained this ought chieflie to be the end of this feare that we submit the same vnto the will of God
to the intent we may loue him with all the affections of our minde And the manner of the feare of death is that we be not so stricken as we put away the word of God and neglect his glorie Therefore we sinne if for feare sake a man deny the trueth if forsaking his vocation he suffer the sillie shéepe committed to his charge to be caught away by Woolues By these things which be spoken we gather that flying away is no sinne if it be taken in hand for the glorie of GOD that is to wit vnto that end that we may serue him with a pure heart that we may leaue Idolatries and superstitions that we may not rashlie cast our selues into the danger of abiuration that we may by the benefite of Matrimonie liue vndefiled that we may the better call vpon God with a pure conscience in those things which belong vnto the woorshipping of God that we may be instructed by learned men that we may sée the societie of the Saintes that we may leade our life in a well reformed Church Finallie that we may so confirme our selues as at a more fit time we instruct others vnto edification euen as God called vs and mooued vs by his spirit This flying away I say is no sinne although it haue the feare of death ioyned with it For as we haue said that feare is not faultie vnlesse it be stained and corrupted by the end or manner of fearing Wherefore as touching this I disagrée from both these sortes of brethren from the first doubtlesse because they say that flying away hath the respect of a lesse euill For being indued with those circumstances I cannot condemne it nor say that it is faultlie and from the other because they wrote that it is mixed as if they acknowledged that there is some fault therein although there be in it some good For I am of an other minde who iudge that the feare of death being moderated as I haue set downe is a good and laudable woorke hauing no mixture at all with euill but so farre foorth as it procéedeth from our faultie and corrupt nature But this as we haue aboue said is common vnto it with faith hope and the loue of God And I must néedes somewhat maruell at these two excellent brethren that séeing they iudge flying away to be euill or to haue some euill in it they wil perswade the same to the weaker sort of brethren to the intent they may mainteine the profession of the trueth not forswere thēselues For by this meanes they perswade euil Euill must not be done for to obtaine good Rom. 3. 8. that good may be obtained Which Paul vnto the Romans forbiddeth For he permitteth not vs to doe euill thinges vnder pretence that some good may followe Neither should any obiect that God setteth forth all his precepts and good works of euerie kinde to be kept of vs although he know that we cannot doe the same without sinne Séeing alonely God can be excused of this that of him nothing is commaunded but that which in his owne nature is good but if there be any sinne committed that must not be imputed to the commaundement of God but vnto the faultinesse which cleaueth vnto vs. But the perswasion of these men cannot after this manner be excused For they iudge that flying away taken in hande through the feare of death either is sinne although lesse than abiuration or at leastwise hath sinne mingled therewith and that by it selfe Neither do they appoint any circumstances or measure vnto the terror of death or to the flying away for feare of death in respect whereof to flie away in his owne nature is good But some man will wey with himselfe And shall not the feare of death bee faultie also in the foresaide cases and with the foresaide circumstances séeing it striueth against the will of God For it is manifest that Christ otherwhile requireth our death for his owne name sake Howe farre foorth we ought to loose our soule Luke 9. 24. Ioh. 15. 13. Ioh. 1. 3. 16. For he saith Hee that will lose his life for my sake shall saue the same and he that will saue it shall loose it Also we reade in Iohn that it is our part to lay downe our life for our brethren Wherefore if euerie one of vs ought to obey GOD with all his strength and with al his soule how doe we satisfie this precept when as by fearing of death we are manifestly called from the commandement of God and sinne altogether it is whatsoeuer is repugnant to the reueiled wil of God Manie which do not sufficiently vnderstande the nature of sinne That the first motiōs are sinnes are woont to say that those first motions which are stirred vp in vs without deliberation are no sinnes till wee giue our consent vnto them But howe greatlie these men are deceiued Paul hath declared vnto the Romans when hee manifestlie called the lawe of the members sinne speaking of those motions which trouble vs against our will and do holde vs captiues in a manner by violence whiles our minde which otherwise as touching it selfe is excéedingly delighted with the lawe of God doth striue against and withstand those motions so as he crieth out O wretch and vnhappie that I am Rom. 7. 24. who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death I confesse indéede that this aunswere is after a sort obscure but I hope to make it plaine A distinction of those thinges which are forbidden by God Some things there be so forbidden of God as in no respect they can haue any iustnesse or honestie in them such are adulterie theft periurie ydolatrie and pride Wherefore as concerning all these actions so farre foorth as they are considered by themselues they are alwayes faultie as well in persons iustified as not regenerate whether they haue deliberation and assent ioyned with them or whether they be in the first motion Albeit those first motions are forgiuen vnto them which are made iust through Christ neither are they imputed vnto destruction forsomuch as the perfect true faith whereby they are made partakers of the promised saluation is not extinguished in them But there be certaine other affectes or humane actions not forbiddē of God by themselues as to feare aduersities to delight in commodities to possesse the goods of this life and such like which God hath not forbidden sauing so farre foorth as we be drawen of them to do those things which are against his commaundements Wherefore although those first motions whereby we be stirred vp vnto adulterie vnto theft vnto blasphemie and vnto ydolatrie are faultie notwithstanding there be no expresse assent yet feare which naturally awaketh in vs at the presence of death is not faultie so it be submitted to the will and commandement of God if perhaps it behooued vs to die for the defence of his glorie Therefore I graunt it to be faultie so farre foorth as it is
increasing is shewed namelie that each member by the ioyntes and closures whereby it is ioyned to the head hath the same flowing into it from the heade Which doubtlesse what else is it than daylie more more to be made partakers of the head You haue moreouer in the same Epistle the seconde Chapter Verse 19. Nowe therefore are ye no more strangers and foreners but citizens with the saintes and of the houshold of God built vppon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Christ Iesus himselfe being the head corner stone in whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy tēple in the Lord In whō ye also are built together to be the habitatiō of God by the spirit The Apostle as you heare describeth our increase vnder a metaphor of building which not only hath Christ to be the foundation but to be also the chiefe corner stone Wherefore euē as wals do after a sort grow vp and rise from the foundation do tend vnto the chiefe corner outward most quoyne so is Christ ioyned to vs from the beginning like a foundation and is placed as the chiefe corner stone of our building therefore euen as we spring from him by regeneratiō so we rise vnto him by increasings and become more néere vnto him euery day Verse 12. 13. In the Epistle to the Philippians the 3. Chapt. I follow if I may comprehend so farre forth as I am comprehended of Christ Iesus Brethren I count not my selfe that I haue yet attained to it but this one thing I doe I forget those things that are behinde and indeuour my selfe vnto that which is before and follow hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling in God I sée héere y◠Christ of his goodnesse and mercie hath ioyned himselfe to euerie one of vs and by the counsel of God hath giuen to al men a certaine prefixed and distributed measure of the participation of Christ whereunto we perpetuallie tende while we liue leauing the vnperfect things following the better laying away the olde man and putting on the newe And while we liue héere it behooueth that none of vs doe cease as though hée shoulde thinke that hée hath attained Whereuppon it comes that all the godlie doe alwaies in this life goe forewarde and doe growe vp vnto the highest calling And our highest calling is nothing else but Christ vnto him we are called vnto him I say who while he was vpon the earth sayd vnto his Come vnto me or followe me So at this present he calleth vs no other way but vnto him wherefore they which profit more and more are not vniustlie saide to be ioyned more and more vnto him Col. 2. 19. Vnto the Colossians you haue the selfe same thing And houldeth not the heade whereof the whole bodie furnished and knit together by iointes and bondes increaseth with the increasing of God Adde withall that Peter sayth in the first Epistle the seconde chapter 1. Pet. 2. ◠Desire ye as new borne babes the milke not of the bodie but of the minde which knoweth no guile that ye may growe thereby to ripe age This Apostle also attributed to them that be new borne in Christ their increases From whence out increase in Christ commeth Séeing it nowe plainlie appeareth that Christ doth increase in vs and we in Christ there remaineth that wée see from whence we haue this thing whether of workes or of our owne strength No forsooth for we haue it all wholy so much as euer it is of the méere mercie of God although good workes are neuer absent from them that beléeue The mercie of the true God propounded to vs by the worde and the sacramentes is not apprehended of vs by other meanes or instrumentes than by faith therefore are wee saide to bee ioyned vnto Christ by it which neuerthelesse no man dare bragge to be of himselfe Ephe. 2. 8. séeing Paule manifestly teacheth that the same is the gift of God Neither must it be cōsidered of vs as it procéedeth of vs and as it is drawen from our minde or will for in this respect euen as all our thinges be it hath verie much imperfection but let vs consider of it as it is deriued from God the author thereof and as it resteth in the obiect of the promises of God As if you would say that Christ himselfe according as he shall more or lesse giue himselfe to be apprehended of vs by faith so much the more or lesse is he ioyned vnto vs. But seeing he graunteth this vnto his faithfull ones in receiuing of the worde and sacramentes doubtlesse we are then more vnited and incorporated vnto him Wherefore power is not ascribed vnto faith so farfoorth as it is a thing of ours but vnto Christ himselfe according as he giueth himselfe vnto as to be apprehended more or lesse Moreouer it shall be shewed thus to be by an other reason To eate Christ is verilie to beleeue but there followeth such an eating as Christ himselfe sheweth that Christ dwelleth in vs and we in him whereof is inferred that if the eating that is the faith be increased the dwelling also that is our vnion with Christ doth likewise increase for this is the nature and power of thinges ioyned together that the one beeing augmented the other hath also an increase The verie which thing I may conclude in no other maner out of the Epistle to the Ephesians where it is sayde Ephe. 3. 16 Be yee strengthened by the holy spirite in the inwarde man that Christ maie dwell in your hearts by faith These things doe note vnto vs that Christ dwelleth in vs by faith wherefore it is prooued that if faith doe increase there comes an augmentation to such a dwelling and that by the lawe of thinges ioyned together whereof if thou make one greater it followeth that the other also is become greater These and such other argumentes haue I for my opinion But héere learned syr since you are of an other minde heerein than I am you demaunde whether we are rather ioyned vnto Christ in respect we are apprehended by him and that as Paule speaketh When we were yet enemies Rom. 5. 10. and when he chose vs before the making of the worlde or else by our faith which both is weake and hath dailie his increases Whether the coniunctiō of Christ be doone by Christ or by one fayth And you perswade your selfe that we are vnited and ioined vnto him long since in that wee haue béene comprehended of him but not as we our selues apprehend him by faith But I iudge that this reason must be so aunswered as I graunt that either of both may be doone first doubtlesse that we are apprehended of Christ through loue in that of him we were chosen before the making of the worlde and to euerie one of vs is distributed a meane and measure of ioyning and cleauing to him vnto which meane and measure
affection I also make supplication vnto Christ for you so greatlie doeth your calamitie presse and disquiet me And it grieueth mée as I haue said that my authoritie and my faith is not of so great force with God as that of Moses was which is not indéede through default or blame of God séeing he is nowe the verie same that he was in olde time but through the defect of faith and the weakenesse of my confidence towardes him And hereof it comes that my prayers are more slowlie heard and thereof also that ye slacklie bring foorth the desired fruites of repentaunce Yet doe I goe forward in those prayers séeing I knowe that euen Paul himselfe desiring to be accursed from Christ for the saluation of the Hebrewes his brethren after the flesh Rom. 9. 1. was so soone heard And euen as his prayers were not in vaine so doe I by the goodnesse of God promise my selfe of this that I shall be hearde at a time conuenient But that I be no longer than is méete nor yet doe speake without fruite there appeares vnto mée two thinges to bee considered of one is that ye rightly weigh with your selues what hath bin the cause of so great an euill that the same being knowē ye may throughlie roote it vp out of your mindes For it cannot bee that we shoulde bee deliuered from any disease vnlesse the cause of the disease be taken awaie And so soone as the cause of your euill shall bee discouered wee will straight waies in the seconde place incline our selues to séeke out a remedie hauing respect vnto this that at the leastwise the soules may through the grace of GOD bee some manner of way saued although they had suffered a grieuous shipwracke Wherefore as touching the cause of this euill How hurtfull is the loue of riches I iudge there is nothing that hath more called men awaie from the great desire begun towards faith than the loue of riches to wit that either riches and honour might be gotten or else being gotten might be preserued These be the stones vppon which Mat. 13. 22. that good séede of the worde of God can neyther take roote nor fasten These be the thornes which choke and destroy the holie doctrine although it haue alreadie begun to beare her fruites This is the baite this is the hooke these be the nets wherewith the Diuell doeth perpetuallie fish in this sea namely in the worlde Doubtlesse there bee manie founde as wée knowe by experience so tyed with the chaines of pleasures of this life and of earthlie goods as they had rather die than leaue these things With great and marueilous importunitie did that young man demaunde of Christ what should behooue him to doe for the possessing of eternall life Mat. 19. 16 but when he heard that he shoulde sell his possessions he went from thence very sad And thus harde a matter it is to obtaine faith Wherefore the Apostle said 1. Tim. 6. 9. They that will become riche fall into temptation and into the snare and into manie noysome lustes which drowne men in perdition and destruction for the desire of riches is the roote of all euils which who so followe doe fall awaie from faith pearcing themselues through with manie sorrowes But O thou man of God flie these thinges Beholde the roote of temptations of snares and of falling awaie from the faith Assuredlie none of you hauing alreadie knowen the trueth woulde euer haue suffered himselfe to bee led awaie from the knowledge of the worde of GOD vnlesse he had feared the losse of the goods of this life But what will riches honours and all commodities of the flesh profite at the length whose obtaining of them hath labour whose possession hath feare and finallie whose losse hath sorrowe ioyned therewith yea and oftentimes they cast manie into extréeme and perpetuall miserie Oh howe manie are deceiued with the pleasantnesse of their villages with the gorgious furniture of their pallaces with the honour of their patrimonies and with the wealth of their aliances If ye in the time of peace had set your mindes at libertie from these impediments and snares there is no doubt but you woulde with a chéerefull and valiant minde euen in the persecutions haue taken vp your crosse and haue followed Christ But by what meanes shall he rid himselfe which hath both his handes and féete fast tyed in bandes Perhaps ye will saie Who would euer haue thought that so great a calamitie should come Wee promised to our selues a quiet fruition of our goods with a holy Euangelicall peace sometimes going out of the Citie into the Countrie and sometime returning out of the countrie into the Citie I vnderstande you in déede But this is it that is said in the common prouerb To recken without your Host Ye cannot iustlie complaine of Christ for he foretold you He that will bee my disciple Mat. 16. 24 let him take vp his crosse and followe mee Christ promised vnto his Disciples and vnto them that beléeue in him most bountifull good things but yet not without persecutions Mat. 10. 24 He taught also that the Disciple must not be aboue his maister Wherefore if the worlde did intreate him after a miserable manner wee are not to thinke that it will more gentlie handle vs. Therefore when the wife of Zebede had desired him that he woulde cause her children to sit in the honorable seates in his kingdome he leauing the mother turned vnto them and said Mat. 20. 21 Can ye drinke of my cup Whereby he meant that none coulde come thither without the crosse Finally Paul in the second Epistle to Timothie writeth 2. Tim. 3. verse 12. Whosoeuer haue purposed to themselues to liue godlie with Christ shall suffer persecution Who is it therefore of the familie of our Lord that can rightlie say that he was not warned Vndoubtedly no other man but he that would not heare Ye ought alwaies to haue remembred that saying of Iesus Christ Matt. 5. 11. that the rewarde of his faithfull is plentifull euen alreadie hidden and laide vp in heauen and that those are blessed which suffer persecutions for his names sake But we reade that it is written in the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8. 28. That wee are predestinated to bee conformable to the Image of his sonne as he is the first begotten among manie brethren But if it behooued Christ to suffer Luke 14. verse 26. that he might enter into his glory no doubt but wée also ought to suffer if wée will be there with him Manie other places of the scripture I might shewe whereby you were certified before hand what should happen vnto vs concerning the goods and commodities of this life if in déed ye had earnestly determined to followe Christ so as there is nowe left vnto you no iust excuse But the chiefest cause of your calamitie was this that ye did fall into the handes of the
pray for vs. 3 308 b Howe Christ is saide to pray for vs to his Father 3 307 a Howe the holie Ghost is saide to pray for vs the same being an impeaching of his godhead 1 107 a Prayer Impediments vnto prayer 2 565 a Whether for the dead they be lawfull 3 322 b 323 a What is to be auoided therein 3 304 ab Why it is to bee vsed of Gods children 3 300 a Of a forme thereof and what the same teacheth vs. 3 81 b It must be importunate 3 304 ab Howe the bodie should bee setled while we be therein 3 305 ab In the Church in a strange tongue 3 309 b 310 311. Of looking to the East and West therein 3 306 b It and thankesgiuing ioyned together 3 309 a The error of the schoolemen touching the same 3 305 a For other mens sakes besides our owne 3 248 b 249 a Of what minde we should be therin 3 304 a 300 b For the dead spoken to and fro 3 244 b 245 a When much babling is said to be vsed in it 3 304 b Wee are not tied to any certaine place thereof and why 3 305 b 306 a Whether the voice should be vsed therin 3 304 b Whether that of Samson touching reuenge vpon his enimies were good or ill 2 418 a Hippocrates woulde haue vs vse prayer when wee haue dreames either good or bad and why 1 35 a In defence of Common Prayer looke what is saide Page 2 376 b What houre the Iewes appointed for it and howe Cornelius obserued the same 2 259 b What this prayer Forgiue vs our trespasses teacheth vs. 3 102 a Prayers What order we ought to obserue in our prayers 3 300 b Those are counted vaine that leane not vpon faith 1 58 b Of the godlie of two sorts 3 300 a In what respect they shal be heard 3 116 a Why God heareth the prayers of wicked Priests and euill Ministers 2 260 a Whether hee heareth the prayers of sinners 4 224 b 2 260 a The publike prayers of the minister are the prayers of the Church 4 224 a They begin at Gods omnipotencie as howe 3 62 b Without faith are fruitelesse 3 93 a Meete sacrifice for christians 2 348 a How godlie men should come vnto God with them 2 266 a Not in vaine though the euents of things bee defined 3 6 b They must be importunate vnto God 3 300 b 301 a 302 a In what respect they ought to be either long or short 3 304 b What we must take heede of when wee are present at publike prayers 4 224 b Canonicall houres for them 3 300 a To what ende the Papists inioyned prayers 3 224 ab They bee no causes of Gods benefites 3 301 a What things must be desired therein 3 303 b The whole trinitie is present thereat 3 306 b To the dead Saintes disallowed and that they bee the sacrifices of Christians 2 343 a 3 243a Whether being ioyned with weeping be alwayes effectuall 3 245 b What prayers God doth heare 3 112 ab Origens reuerent iudgement of them of the godlie 2 348 ab A distinction of them and fastings 3 193 a The difference betweene Christes ours 3 308 a Prayers to Angels forbidden and why 3 308 b 284 a Whether they offer vp our prayers vnto GOD as the Scripture faith 1 118 b Praise Humane praise inconstant and of small force 3 277 a It commeth from God and so doeth disprayse 2 383 a Companion of chast lite and howe the Ethnikes esteemed thereof 2 382 b The loue and desire thereof driueth men sometimes to madnes prooued 2 383 a It doeth not alwaies followe the suffering of grieuous things 2 284 a What actions the holie Scriptures determine to deserue it 2 291 ab From whom the godlie are to expect it 2 382 b Howe it is lawfull for them to praise themselues 2 383 a A double remedie to bee vsed when we heare men praise vs. 1 382 b 383 a Precepts Common precepts cannot bee performed if particular be neglected 3 259 a ¶ Looke Commandements Preachers Howe and in what respect preachers must bee hearde 3 173 a What counsell Augustine giueth them touching the scriptures 1 42 a How they should order their doctrine to the learned and vnlearned 3 4 b Crimes laide to their charge 4 16 a Vices of ill preachers 4 28 a Preaching Preaching a principall worke of the office Apostolicall 2 633 a Faith cannot continue without it proued 3 63 b Indifferentlie set foorth to all men 3 32 b Why it is common sith grace is not common 3 30 a The certaine number of the elect hindereth it not 3 2. 3. 4 a Of preaching vppon the house top and howe that is meant 4 234a The maner of papisticall preaching 2 633 a Predestinate Outward calling common to the predestinate and reprobate 3 30 a They haue neuer perished 4 91 a Whether they can withdrawe themselues from Christ 3 27 ab They may for a while fall into most grieuous sins 3 34 a ¶ Looke Regenerate Predestination The names and definition of predestination 3 7 b 9 b The effects 3 25 b 17 b Who they bee that canot brag of it 3 10 b It is not common vnto all 3 30 b 31 ab Before all eternitie 3 9 b 10 a 7 a Sinnes are not excused thereby 3 41 b 42 a 6 a Christ the first effect thereof 3 25b A distinction thereof 3 7 b It hindereth not praying 3 6 b Before the predestinate 3 10 b Pighius reasons against it 3 5 b 6 ab 246. 25 a Wherein it consisteth 3 10 b The end thereof 3 18 b 10 ab 11 b 12 b It is perpetuall 3 10 a 16 b Howe Augustine defineth it 3 9 a Predestination prooued by reasons 3 7 ab The cause of our predestination 3 18 a 12 a Vnto what principall points it is reduced 3 14 a Faith foreseene is not the cause thereof 3 12 b 13 a 14 a 15 b It belongeth not to the reprobate 3 11 a The vse thereof 3 20 b 21 a Workes foreseene cannot be the cause thereof 3 16 b 17 ab 18 a 12 b 13 a 14 a 15 b In what respect Christ is not the cause thereof 3 19 a Nothing excluded from it 3 7 b 8 a The principall and chiefest effect thereof 3 19 a Whether it stand with pietie to dispute thereof 3 1 b The Newe Testament doth oftentimes make mention of it 3 2 b The schoole Diuines wil haue it proper to the elect onelie 3 3 a Loue toward God is kindeled by the true feele thereof 3 17 a Originall sinne goeth not before it 3 24 ab To whom the doctrine thereof is profitable and howe 3 3 b Among what relatiues it is 3 10 b Reasons of absurditie if it should depende of workes foreseene 3 16 b 17 ab Finall causes thereof 3 12 b How it is called Gods foreknowledge 3 11 a The materiall cause thereof 3 12 b