small questions gathered out of the booke De trinitate Adde withall that if the holie Ghost should be said to be begotten then in the trinitie we should appoint two sonnes two fathers For séeing the holie Ghost is as well of the father as of the sonne he should haue them both to be his fathers if it might be said that he is begotten of them yea and if the matter be well considered he might I saie be called both the sonne and sonnes sonne of one and the selfe-same Father For in affirming him to be begotten of the Father he should be called his Sonne but in asmuch as it should be said that he is borne of the Sonne he should be nephew vnto the Father which things be absurd and wholie strange from the scriptures Since the Sonne is called the onlie begotten it may not be said that the holie Ghost is begotten Iohn 1 14. Iohn 3 16. 1. Iohn 4 9. Yea and further to saie that the holie Ghost is begotten the words of the scripture are against it which verie often doo call the Sonne The onlie begotten whereof it followeth that the holie Ghost is not begotten In the first chapter of Iohn it is said We sawe the glorie thereof as the glorie of the onlie begotten of the father And in the third chapter of the same gospell So God loued the world as he gaue his onlie begotten sonne And the same Iohn in his epistle In this the loue of God towards vs appeared that he gaue his onlie begotten sonne Christ as touching his humane nature is called the first begotten Rom. 8 29. And Christ as touching his humane nature hath béene accustomed in the scripture to be called not The onlie begotten of God but The first borne among manie brethren as it appeareth in the epistle to the Romans Howbeit doubtles as touching his diuine nature he hath no brethren There be some which cauill that in the Synod of Nice the holie Ghost was not in expresse words called God but that onlie the Godhead of the sonne was expressed Vnto which obiection Epiphanius answereth Why Epiphanius in the Synod of Nice and other fathers else where haue not expresly named the holie Ghost God that in the Synod of Nice the controuersie was as touching the sonne onlie For Arrius at the first contended onlie against this point And Councels for the most part define not anie other things but such as are called in question yet neuertheles if a man diligentlie examine the matter he shall sée that those things be there defined which doo plainelie inough declare the diuine nature of the holie Ghost For it is there said We beleeue in the holie Ghost and it is not lawfull for one to put his confidence in a creature Moreouer that which was doon in the Synod of Nice was performed in the Synod of Constantinople 18 Also they obiect that among the fathers there were some and especially of the more ancient of them which were slacke in their writings to expresse in plaine words the holie Ghost to be God Among whom Erasmus reckoneth Hilarie Erasmus Hilarie who was thought to be the first among the Latins that wrote against the Arrians This father in his booke De trinitate neuer by expresse words called the holie Ghost God Vnto this obiection we answere that the most ancient fathers in teaching diuine things vsed a singular modestie and did imitate the holie scriptures so much as they could and although they said not in expresse words that the holie Ghost is God yet in the meane time they wrote those things which manifestly prooue his Godhead And further it appeareth that they of set purpose disputed against them which denied the Godhead of the holie Ghost and equalitie of the thrée diuine persons as we sée by the strife that was about the word * Of like substance Homousion A similitude from which manie of the Catholiks at the beginning did restraine themselues bicause it séemed to bée but new and that it was not had in the holie scriptures yet they neuertheles did imbrase and most willingly admit the thing signified Howbeit we striue not about these things but grant first and chéefelie whatsoeuer is in the holie scriptures and then whatsoeuer is necessarilie and manifestlie deriued out of them Next vnto those ancienter sort of fathers did Basil and diuers others succéed which by all meanes both testifie and defend the holy Ghost to be God 19 Others cauill bicause it is written that None knoweth the Father but the Sonne Mat. 11 27. and on the other side None the Sonne but the Father in which places they saie that there is no mention of the holie Ghost and therefore it séemeth vnto them that he knoweth neither the Father nor yet the Sonne that for the same cause he is not God To these also we answer Whether the holie Ghost knoweth the Father and the Sonne that when the knowing of the Father and of the Sonne is attributed to two persons the holie Ghost must not be excluded séeing he is said to be the spirit aswell of the Father as of the Sonne wherfore that which is belonging to both is also common vnto him And if they demand a plaine testimonie hereof out of the scriptures we will bring foorth one out of the first epistle to the Corinth where it is written 1. Cor. 2 11. The things of man none knoweth but the spirit of man which is within him and euen so those things which be of God Matt. 16 17. none knoweth but the spirit of God Also it is written in the gospell Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Iona The holie Ghost both knoweth the Father and the Sonne and also reuealeth them for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed these things vnto thee but the spirit of my father which is in heauen By these testimonies it is manifest that the holy Ghost dooth not only knowe God but dooth also reueale make him to be known vnto others But this error whereby some indeuor Origins error to rebuke the holie Ghost with an ignorance of heauenlie things tooke beginning frō Origin who affirmed a certeine degrée to be among the natures of Intelligencis so as he though that the Father knoweth himselfe onelie he said that the Sonne did not knowe the Father and that the holie Ghost knew not the Sonne Epiphanius and he would moreouer that the angels perceiue not the holie Ghost and lastlie that men sée not the angels And that this order is set downe by him Epiphanius sheweth out of the booke as he testifieth The booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in which booke neuertheles so far as hitherto I remember I haue not read the matter plainlie in such sort described Which is no maruell for that booke which Ruffinus translated Ruffinus hath manie things vnperfect For he plucked out those things which hée thought
suffer nothing for it nor restreine our selues from anie cōmodities of the bodie or delites of the flesh His will was that all men should be in good case and in the meane time one alone to suffer but we desire to be in good case our selues alone although all other in the meane time must perish But it is not possible that there should be in vs so great a contempt both of our owne saluation and also of the saluation of others but that either we beléeue not so great a benefit of God or else we doo not earnestlie enough weigh it There was neuer wooer that with so great a desire and feruent loue married his spouse as Christ hath married vnto himselfe his church The church an vnmeet spouse for Christ Neither hath anie man at anie time married a wife so vnméet and vnwoorthie for him to match with as Christ hath doone the church For in what state the church was before Christ matched with it Ezechiel in the 16. chapter describeth where he saith verse 4 c. that She laie vpon the ground and that hir nauill string was not cut off neither was she washed with water nor powdered with salt there was no eie that had compassion on hir Paule also both to the Romans Rom. 3. and elsewhere dooth oftentimes declare at large in what state we were before we came to Christ Vnto the Ephesians he not onelie faith Ephes 2 5. that We are by nature the children of wrath but also he addeth Ye were once darknesse Titus 3 3. but now ye are light in the Lord. Vnto Titus he saith We were as fooles not obedient but wandering out of the waie giuing our selues to sundrie lusts liuing in malice and enuie hatefull and hating one another In the first to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 6 11. when he had reckoned a beadroll of most heinous sins he saith These things vndoubtedlie were ye sometimes but ye are washed but ye are sanctified Wherefore we haue the sonne of God giuen vnto vs as a pledge of the loue of God He placed not in his stéed an angel or an archangel although he might so haue doone He vouchsafed to come himselfe and to suffer a most bitter death vpon the crosse It behooued What was requisite in the price of our redemption that for our redemption there should be some such good thing offered vnto GOD which might either equallie or else more please God than all the sinnes of the world had displeased him And this hath Christ offered for vs. And if a man demand why the death of Christ was so acceptable vnto GOD there can no other reason be giuen but his vnmeasurable charitie and loue God indéed might haue béene contented with anie other thing but his will was rather to haue this thing not bicause he would féed his eies and mind with the affliction and punishments of Christ for that had béene the part of a cruell father neither for that he foresawe the the great loue and modestie in his sonne although these things were in Christ most singular and of verie great force with the father but as I verelie iudge bicause that by this onelie meanes he might sée his loue towards vs to be most perfectlie declared Whether it were of necessitie that Christ shuld die and also an example of most holie life to be set foorth for men to followe For if thou demand whether it were of necessitie that the sonne of God should in such sort die I answer that héere must be put no necessitie of compulsion séeing there is nothing in God that is by violence neither also was there anie necessitie of nature For although there be in the diuine nature many things of necessitie namelie that it be one that it be thrée and that it begat a sonne and such other yet were it a wickednesse to thinke that anie outward effect procéedeth from the same through naturall necessitie séeing whatsoeuer God dooth he dooth it fréelie Neither doo we héere put anie necessitie by supposition of the end For the saluation of man might haue béene wrought by manie other waies and meanes if Gods will had béene so But it was of necessitie that Christ should die by supposition of the diuine prouidence counsell bicause God had decréed it should be so And this he did chéefelie to declare his infinite loue 20 Now resteth to sée what this so great loue of GOD towards vs requireth againe at our hands In Rom. 5 verse 9. What so great loue of God requireth of vs. and those things are manie For first as Christ applied all his will and indeuour to redéeme vs so is it our part on the other side vtterlie and all wholie to addict our selues vnto him And as he setting aside all things had a care onelie of our saluation so also ought we to plucke awaie our mind from all things and not to séeke our owne anie more but that which belongeth vnto Christ They which haue returned againe into fauour with their enimies may be an example vnto vs. For they least they should haue séemed to doo it counterfetlie or fainedlie leaue no dutie vndoone but that they shew vnto their new reconciled fréends yea and take speciall héed that they be not thought to reteine still anie remnants of enimitie or dissimulation closed vp in their mind as we read that Cicero Crassus Pompeius and manie other did Further also séeing by the mercie of God through the death of Christ we are so stedfastlie placed we must take héed that through wicked and shamefull acts we throw not our selues downe headlong from thence For they which after they haue béene once reconciled persist in defiling themselues with vices doo not onelie fall headlong from their most excellent state and condition but also as it is written vnto the Hebrues doo tread vnder foot the sonne of GOD Heb. 10 29 and pollute his bloud which was shed for them By this place also we are taught to loue our enimies not after that ordinarie maner as when men are woont to saie that it is enough to wish well vnto their enimie if they hate him not but yet in the meane time they will put no indeuour either to amend him or to bring him to saluation And that which is more gréeuous they not onelie are not beneficiall towards their enimies but also through their slothfulnesse they suffer the weake brethren to perish They winke at their faults neither doo they vse their admonitions and reprehensions to amend them There are besides infinite other instructions which the loue of God teacheth vs. The loue of God bringeth vs infinite instructions For we haue no booke furnished with more plentifull doctrine than is the death of Christ the which if we diligentlie examine we shall be throughlie taught almost in all the duties which be necessarie vnto saluation 21 Furthermore those things that be said In Rom. 8 about the end touching
Christ himselfe although by his death he was to deliuer mankind yet did he neuer offer to kill himselfe but tarried to be slaine by others 2. Sam. 1 16 And when the Amalechit had said that he stood vpon the bodie of Saule while he was dieng and did presse him downe that he might die the more easilie Dauid answered Thou art the sonne of death But if it had béene lawfull for Saule to haue killed himselfe how could the yoong man which hastened his death be worthie of death For it is lawfull for one to helpe an other in an honest matter and especiallie his prince And if the lawe forbid thée to kill an other man it much rather forbiddeth thée to kill thy selfe sith that which is not lawfull for thée to doo to an other is vnlawfull for thée to doo to thy selfe Whence the rule of charitie must be taken For the rule of charitie must be taken from that charitie wherewith we loue our selues Furthermore thou killest either an offender or an innocent If innocent thou dooest iniurie to the lawe if an offender yet art thou iniurious against the lawe for thou bereauest thy selfe of time to repent And if so be God would suffer thée that thou mightest repent surelie thou that art not a magistrate oughtest to suffer thy selfe Thus much out of the holie scriptures Augustine Arguments out of the fathers 12 Augustine in his first booke De ciuitate Dei from the sixt chapter vnto the 20. disputeth hereof at large And the cause whie he wrote these things in so manie words was for that when the barbarous nations after the sacking of Rome did iniurie vnto yoong maidens and matrons manie rather killed themselues than they would abide such things But Augustine counselled that they should not so doo And in the 17. chapter he saith that It is not lawfull for anie to kill themselues either for obteining of good things or for auoiding of euill for it is murther which is forbidden by the lawe of God And Iudas Matt. 27 5. when he killed himselfe vndoubtedlie did slaie a wicked man yet is he guiltie saith he not onelie of the death of Christ but of his owne also The same father in the second booke and 19. chapter against Petilianus Thou saist saith he that a traitor hath perished by an halter and for such hath left the halter As if Petilianus would saie that it is lawfull for a christian man to reuenge his owne sinne vpon himselfe and they which would so doo should be accounted for martyrs But we saith Augustine account not such to be martyrs The same father in his 60. epistle and in the 204. dooth much more plentifullie dispute of this matter Ierom in his epistle to Marcella Ierom. concerning the death of Blesilla vnder the person of God saith I receiue not such soules which against my will went foorth of their bodies And those philosophers which so did he calleth the martyrs of foolish philosophie The same father vpon Ionas saith that It is not our part to plucke death to vs violentlie but when the same is offered to take it patientlie except saith he it be where chastitie is in danger Chrysost Chrysostome vpon these words of the first chapter to the Galathians He hath deliuered vs out of this wicked world Gal. 1 4. If so it were saith he that this life were euill they should not doo euill which kill themselues but we saie that they be wicked and woorse than murtherers The canons condemne those also which geld themselues And those canons which be called The canons of the apostles Canons of the apostles doo call such men murtherers of themselues But and if it be not lawfull for one to geld himselfe much lesse is it lawfull to kill himselfe But yet it must be noted that it is not there ment of them which for disease are cut by the Physician 13 Herevnto also agrée the better sort of the philosophers The better I saie Arguments out of the philosophers and poets Plato bicause I knowe that there were manie as Cleanthes Empedocles Zeno and others which slue them selues Plato in Phaedone saith that This thing for two causes is not lawfull First bicause it is not lawfull to slaie the seruant of an other and that all we be the seruants of God Secondlie for that soldiers be condemned if they forsake their station without their emperors commandement He saith that God hath set vs as it were in a station wherefore he that without his commandement shall leaue his place is a traitor Aristotle in the fift of his Ethiks saith Aristotle that It is not lawfull to kill a citizen without commandement of the lawe and magistrate and therefore they which kill themselues ought to be gréeuouslie punished for they are noted with infamie These things he said although it be reported that afterward for the auoiding of danger he did wilfullie kill himselfe Virgil. Virgil placeth these kinds of men in great torments in hell saieng Then lowring next in place beene they that fell with wilfull death And guiltlesse slue themselues with hastie hands abhorring breath And shooke from them their soules How gladlie now in skies againe Would they full poore estate and hardnesse of their life sustaine The destnies them resist and lake vnlouelie them detaines And bellie fenne that nine times flowes among them fast restraines Out of the Epigrams And one that wrote Epigrams saith Death to contemne in poore estate an easie thing it is In thrall to liue who can abide doth valiantlie ywis 14 In the Digests De bonis illorum Arguments out of the lawes qui ante sententiam sibi manus attulerunt aut corruperunt accusatores L. Qui rei it is decréed that they who shall kill themselues their goods shall be confiscate the reason is that they must be taken for such as haue confessed themselues guiltie Yet is the sharpnes of that lawe mitigated by Antonius the emperor for he decréed that that lawe shuld be of force if the crime be woorthie either of death or of banishment Wherefore they which for theft kill themselues are excepted They also be excepted which being wearie of life or impatient of sorowe doo slea themselues Also Adrian excepteth the father who being suspected of killing his sonne killeth himselfe for it shuld séeme saith he that he did it rather for the loue of his sonne than for guiltinesse of the crime And if so be that one going about to kill himselfe and others comming in the meane time doo let him of his enterprise so he doo this through an vnpatiencie of sorowe or wearinesse of life him also Adrian dooth except but if he shall doo it for anie other cause he appointeth him to be punished For he that will not spare himselfe saith he how will he spare others In the Digests De iure fisci in the lawe In fraude in the Paraph Si quis If anie through shame
performeth that which he is bound to doo by the lawe of God ought to be mooued with hope of the reward or whether he should rather haue a regard onelie to goodnesse righteousnesse and Gods pleasure To answer to this question I thinke that this must be the first ground to wit that a man is not onelie appointed to some certeine end when as GOD dooth nothing rashlie or by chance but also he is appointed to manie ends which neuerthelesse are so ioined togither that they doo mutuallie serue and helpe one another by a certeine order First How man is appointed to an end we are created to set foorth the glorie of God then that by the sight and perfect knowledge of God we should come to be happie and that whilest we liue here we should liue togither among our selues in an acceptable fellowship to God Soldiers doo therefore beare weapons and make wars to defend honest and iust causes after the same maner doubtlesse by which God hath commanded them to be defended by his lawes who moreouer ought so to be incouraged to performe this thing as although they should haue no other reward or gift to come vnto them yet ought they to take the enterprise in hand Furthermore men vse to fight for the defense of their countrie wiues children kinsfolks and fréends And if so be that they besides these things looke for iust stipends whereby they may honestlie nourish both themselues and theirs no man will count that for a vice in them For the apostle hath said in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 9 7. Who goeth on warfare at his owne cost But now The intent that man ought to haue in forbearing of wicked acts to come more particularlie vnto things when anie man tempereth himselfe from anie gréeuous wicked act he ought first to doo that to the intent he may obeie the commandements of God as it is méet then that thereby he may escape either eternall or ciuill punishments moreouer that he may not offend the minds of the brethren and plucke them backe from an holie conuersation and pure life by his wicked example and finallie that by his wickednesse he prouoke not the wrath of God either against himselfe or his familie or against the people Wherefore it is manifest that the end of our actions is not simple but sundrie and manifold 18 And this being thus finished and concluded we must diligentlie take héed that when manie ends are set before vs we may prefer that before the rest which by good right excelleth the rest For if it should be otherwise doone and that those things which be hindermost and of smaller importance should be preferred before the better we might iustlie be condemned for peruerting the order of things So as we must take héed that we direct not God himselfe or the worshipping of him according vnto our owne commoditie or else vnto anie other ends For then should that surelie happen vnto vs which Augustine dooth so sore detest Augustine to wit that we should enioie those things which we ought to vse and on the other side we should vse those things The cheefe peruersenesse of mens actions which we ought to enioie than which peruersenes in humane actions no woorse thing can be thought Wherfore when it is demanded whether it be lawfull in well dooing to haue respect vnto the gaine or reward we cannot well denie but that it is lawfull forsomuch as God himselfe hath promised a reward to them which liue godlie Neither did God that for anie other cause than by his gifts and allurements to stir vp men to iust good and holie works But although we doo not vniustlie in hauing a regard to the reward offered vs by God when we are occupied in good works yet this is diligentlie to be taken héed of that we be not mooued onelie bicause of the reward which is offered vs. Neither is this sufficient for if a man would saie that he would in dooing good both obteine the reward set foorth and by the same worke obeie God he must take héed that he attribute not the chéefest parts to the gift or reward bicause alwaies among the ends as I haue alreadie said as euerie one of them is more excellent by nature so it ought to be preferred in the first place And in this there néedeth an excellent diligence since it oftentimes happeneth that we deceiue our selues falselie supposing that nothing is more excellent or déere vnto our minds than God from whom neuerthelesse we are by little and little withdrawne and plucked backe by reason of too much desire and delite of reward or gift Wherefore it afterward happeneth that we come to great miseries thereby For when GOD perceiueth that we most estéeme those things which ought to be of lest estimation with vs he withdraweth them awaie least they shuld more and more plucke vs from him And this happened manie times to the Israelites from whom God sometimes tooke awaie riches libertie and the promised land to call them againe to himselfe whom they lesse estéemed than their riches possessions yea than their idols Wherefore those things being marked and obserued which I haue rehearsed I doubt not but that it is lawfull for godlie men after a sincere and ernest indeuour towards God to doo good for reward and gift 19 Neither am I ignorant Barnard that Barnard writeth in his little booke of louing GOD that charitie by it selfe cannot be emptie although it behold no reward c. By which words he putteth vs in mind of two things both that the works of charitie in themselues haue so much delectation pleasure and commoditie as may be sufficient for them which liue well although for that their well dooing they should haue no other reward giuen them of God And that we in louing of God should looke for no other reward but this that he according to his goodnesse will vnfeinedlie giue those things which are to be giuen And therefore no man ought to be mooued chéeflie with a desire of the reward And he addeth that he dooth far prefer the loue of the wife towards hir husband before the loue and obeisance wherewith the children loue the father Forsomuch as the sonnes doo so loue the father bicause they hope they shall be inriched of him by his inheritance Wherefore their loue as he thinketh is not so pure But the wife if she be such a one as she ought to be wisheth good to hir husband for his owne sake and for his owne cause although she hopeth or looketh to obteine no good at his hands Manie haue thought that the opinion of this father ought to be allowed and haue gone about to make the same plaine by a certeine distinction not so circumspectlie inuented by them in my opinion For they affirme that we may measure God or his nature according to his woorthinesse and that we may behold him according to our owne perfection and vprightnesse
predestinated are so to be taken as they are foreséene of God and by this meanes they cannot séeme to be temporall Be it so That which is the latter cannot bee the efficient cause of that which went before take them in that maner yet can it not be denied but that they are after predestination for they depend of it and are the effects thereof as wée haue before taught Wherefore after these mens doctrine that which commeth after should be the efficient cause of that which went before which how absurd it is euerie man may easilie vnderstand Further the efficient cause is of his owne nature more woorthie and of more excellencie than the effect speciallie in respect it is such a cause So then Our works cannot be of more woorthines than predestination if works be the causes of predestination they are also more woorthie and of more excellencie than predestination Ouer this predestination is sure constant and infallible how then shall we appoint that it dependeth vpon works of frée will which are vncerteine and vnconstant Things constant and certeine depend not of things vnconstant and vnterteine and may be wrested to and fro if a man consider them particularlie For men are alike prone vnto this or that kind of sinne as occasions are offered for otherwise if we will speake generallie frée will before regeneration can doo nothing else but sinne by reason of the corruption that commeth by our first parents So as according to the mind of these men it must néeds followe that the predestination of God which is certeine dependeth of the works of men which are not onelie vncerteine but sinnes also Neither can they saie that they meane as touching those works which followe regeneration for those as we haue taught spring of grace and of predestination We must not so defend mans libertie that wee spoile God of his libertie Neither doo these men consider that they to satisfie mans reason and to attribute a libertie I knowe not what to men doo rob God of his due power and libertie in election which power and libertie yet the apostle setteth foorth and saith that God hath no lesse power ouer men than hath the potter ouer the vessels which hée maketh But after these mens opinion God cannot elect but him onelie whom he knoweth shall behaue himselfe well neither can he reiect anie man but whome he séeth shall be euill But this is to go about to ouer-rule God and to make him subiect vnto the lawes of our reason As for Erasmus he in vaine speaketh against this reason for he saith that It is not absurd to take awaie from God that power which he himselfe will not haue attributed vnto him namelie to doo anie thing vniustlie For we saie that Paule hath in vaine yea rather falselie set foorth this libertie of God if hée neither haue it We must attributed vnto God that libertie which the scripture sheweth of him nor will that it should be attributed vnto him But how Paule hath prooued this libertie of God that place which we haue cited most manifestlie declareth They also to no purpose obiect vnto vs the iustice of God for héere is intreated onlie of his mercie Neither can they denie but that they by this their opinion doo derogate much the loue and good will of God towards men For the holie scripture when it would commend vnto vs the fatherlie loue of God Rom. 5 8. affirmeth that He gaue his son and that vnto the death and at that time when we were yet sinners enimies and children of wrath But they will haue no man to be predestinated which hath not good works foreséene in the mind of God And so euerie man may saie with himselfe If I be predestinated the cause thereof dependeth of my selfe But another which féeleth trulie in his hart Loue towards God is kindled by the true feele of predestination that he is fréelie elected of God for Christ sake when as he of himselfe was all maner of waies vnworthie of so great loue will without all doubt be woonderfullie inflamed to loue God againe 23 It is also profitable vnto vs that our saluation should not depend of our works For we oftentimes wauer and in liuing vprightlie are not constant Doubtles if we should put confidence in our owne strength we should vtterlie despaire but if we beléeue that our saluation abideth in God fixed and assured for Christ sake we cannot but be of good comfort Further if predestination should come vnto vs by our works foreséene the beginning of our saluation should be of our selues against which opinion the scriptures euerie-where crie out for that were to raise vp an idoll in our selues Moreouer the iustice of God should then haue néed of the externall rule of our works But Christ saith Ye haue not chosen me Iohn 15 16. but I haue chosen you Neither is that consideration in God which is in men The same consideration is not of Gods choise that is of mans choise when they begin to fauour a man or to loue a fréend for men are mooued by excellent gifts wherewith they sée a man adorned but God can find nothing good in vs which first procéedeth not from him And Cyprian saith as Augustine oftentimes citeth him that we therefore can not glorie for that we haue nothing that is our owne and therefore Augustine concludeth that we ought not to part stakes betwéene God and vs to giue one part to him and to kéepe another vnto our selues to obteine saluation Touching saluation the whole must be ascribed vnto God for all wholie is without doubt to be ascribed vnto him The Apostle when he writeth of predestination hath alwaies this end before him to confirme our confidence and especiallie in afflictions out of which he saith that God will deliuer vs. If predestination should depend of works it wold make vs not to hope but to despaire But if the reason of Gods purpose should be referred vnto our works as vnto causes then could we by no meanes conceiue anie such confidence for we oftentimes fall and the righteousnes of our works is so small as it can not stand before the iudgement seate of God And that the Apostle for this cause chéefelie made mention of predestination we may vnderstand by the eight chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 8 1. and 8 c. For when he described the effects of iustification amongst other things he saith that we by it haue obteined the adoption of children and that we are mooued by the spirit of God as the sons of God and therefore with a valiant mind we suffer aduersities and for that cause euerie creature groneth and earnestlie desireth that we at the length be deliuered and the spirit it selfe maketh intercession for vs. And at the last he addeth Ibidem 27. That vnto them that loue God all things worke to good And who they be that loue God
with one worde As he made the world he might haue redéemed vs but he would not to the intent we might vnderstande his loue He forgetteth the euils which were doone vnto him prayed for them that crucified him that is he prayeth for vs which through our sinnes crucified him Forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe Luk. 23. 34. Without doubt this is an vnspeakeable loue But herewithall the will of his sonne sprang of the will of the father he in so louing vs obeyed his Father Now may we be sure that the father loueth vs For he so loued the worlde that hee gaue his onelie begotten sonne Iohn 3. 16. This is to bee drawen vnto the father by the sonne This is to sée the sunne not in the East but in the West when it shineth vppon the wales In the death of Christ the loue of the father shineth vppon vs. He that in beholding of these thinges entereth into the bath of this heate and charitie doeth afterwarde greatlie abhorre cold and doth not easilie abide to sinne He séeth Christ to haue died for him and the father to haue deliuered him to death not that the father is bitter or cruel he delighteth not in euil as it is euil He deliuered one mēber for all the rest Further he so deliuered the same as it shoulde not perish for euermore but that it should be in excellent state that thervppon might followe a pacification and that we when we shoulde be made sure of saluation should then haue examples of all vertues Here there was made a great societie betwéene Christ and vs. He vnto vs gaue his righteousnes and tooke vpon him our sinnes He in verie trueth suffered our infirmities he himself bare our griefes He put in him al our offences For the sins of the people haue I striken him He became subiect to the lawe that he might deliuer vs from the law He became accursed that he might deliuer vs from the curse More are we beholding vnto him than vnto the Phisition For he cureth the sickenesse without taking the disease vppon him but Christ so healed vs as he tooke our euils vpon him Vnlesse wee shall make so great an account of this benefit that the same be perceiued in vs that is in Christ we shall be reprooued as guiltie of his blood and death as hauing troden vnder foote the bloode of the sonne of God Christ gaue a great price for vs I beséech you with how great vsurie and gaine will he require the same againe at our handes Since he hath bought vs so déere let vs cease I beséech you to bee vile in our owne sight and let vs serue sins no longer We haue heard of the death and passion and bitter sorrowes of Christ but doe we thinke that the same is finished No verilie he euen at this daie suffereth the selfe same thinges in his members and in his Church Hée is there forsaken because faith faileth and when the sonne of man commeth do ye thinke that hee shall finde faith The charitie of manie waxeth colde the dangerous times are at hande and men be louers of them selues Christ in some of his members that remaine is called a seducer an heretike is communicated and cast out of the synagogue About him there standes dogges calues fat Buls Lions and Elephantes as it is described in the 27. Psalme Popes Cardinals Verse 13. false Bishops our Maisters these be they which afflict him as much as they can The bones and members of Christ are vexed bloode is shed like water the soules almost in no place are healed The tongue of Christ waxeth drie in a manner like a potsharde for fewe doe preach his gospell purelie and the trueth is not taught Great is the number of Dogges which neither can nor will barke and these be most impudent and vnsatiable The head is pricked with thornes For the Prelates of the Church being loaden with riches such kinde of cares doe presse Christ but further him not They liue to their bellie and to their glorie they onelie giue their minde to the cares of this life and are vnmeete to handle diuine things He is clothed in purple because in their great powers he is maruelously deluded A réede is giuen him in his handes the vanitie of the doctors and diuines subtil shifts of sophisters which sauor more of Aristotle than of the holy Scripture They knéele they perpetually inuent fained worshippings For they builde huge Temples within there is nothing but Idols signes perfumes waxe lights bleating and such like so that the Altar of Damascus is translated into the temple of God There is no ende of yéerelie obites and of Masses They smite Christ on the head for they make decrées that one kind doth suffice that transubstantiation should be beléeued that matrimonie should be plucked away from clergie men and other things of like sort They crucifie Christ among théeues when they account all professors of the Gospell among théeues They torment him in his whole bodie when by their wicked decrées they strayten binde and rent in sunder the consciences they would haue men to haue no part in the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he will confesse all his sinnes The garments of Christ that is the Scriptures wherein he is cladde they diuide into many senses historicall allegoricall tropologicall and * High and of subtile vnderstanding anagogicall so that they now contemne the literall sense and the people of God is deceaued by mens dreames and through the libertie of glossing and diuiding they so rent in sunder and dismember all things as there is nothing whole remaining They cast lots vpon Christs garment for the Popes answere must bée attended before the matter be defined a determination must bée expected from the secresie of his brest neither is it lawfull for the Councell of Trent to decrée without the Pope Is not this to deale by lot for the answeres of a diuelish brest doe disagrée Hereof it comes that in the Schooles and in the Vniuersities nothing is suffered to be intreated of but by the way of question for disputation sake and after the manner of the maister of the Sentences but not definitiuely nor determinately They all protest that they will say nothing against the Church which is that Church The Romish Church which Romish Church The Pope Oh good Christ when shall thy people bee deliuered out of their handes Oh God art thou angrie for euer We be the shéepe of thy pasture we be the worke of thy handes wilt thou haue thy Church thus to liue vnder the Crosse till the ende of the world Oh howsoeuer it be giue it constancie and in death forsake it not For the which also God exalted him The Crosse of Christ was a triumphant chariot wherein he was caried vnto the Capitol of Gods kingdome He being God tooke the forme of a seruaunt Tyrantes dare neuer laie aside their kingly pompe and principall garde of their body For
called the sonnes of God and came of the generation of Seth the third sonne of Adam For séeing they reteined the true and sincere religion of God and the pure inuocation of his name and were adorned with the fauour and grace of God they are called by the scriptures The children of God In what sort the children of God fell from God Neuertheles when they afterward burned in the lusting after those women which descended of the stocke of Cain and therefore belonged to the societie of the wicked and had taken to themselues wiues of them they themselues also inclined to superstitions and vngodlie worshippings and they of the sonnes of God not onlie became men but also flesh And to shew this by the waie Aquila translating those words out of the Hebrue Aquila Not saith he the sonnes of God but the sonnes of gods in this respect as I thinke bicause they had godlie progenitours which so miserablie fell from God through the mad loue of women Symmachus But Symmachus translateth it The sonnes of the mightie But to returne to Augustine he constantlie affirmeth that out of that place of Genesis there can be nothing gathered as touching the copulation of angels with women but rather thinketh that far otherwise may be gathered of the words of God there written For when the scripture had there said that giants were vpō the earth that the sonnes of God as it is said had transgressed and brought foorth giants it is added And God said Gen. 6 3. My spirit shal not alwaies striue with man bicause he is flesh By this saieng Augustine will haue it manifest that they which so offended are called men not onelie as they were in their owne nature but also as they are called flesh vnto the which they inclined with their shamefull lusts But they which vnderstand it otherwise thinke that they bring a great testimonie of Enoch the seuenth from Adam Iude. 14. The booke of Enoch of whom Iude speaketh in his canonicall epistle For in the booke which is intituled to him the giants are said to haue had not men but angels to be the authours of their generation But vnto this answereth Augustine Augustine that the booke is altogither Apocryphus not canonicall and therefore that credit must not be giuen to the fables which be recited therein He saith that it must not be doubted but that Enoch wrote manie diuine things séeing Iude the apostle did plainlie testifie the same but yet that it is not necessarie to beléeue all the writings in the booke of Apocryphus which are shewed to haue come from him forsomuch as they lacke sufficient authoritie Neither should it be thought that if Iude vttered some certeine sentence out of it that therfore by his testimonie he approoued the whole booke vnles thou wilt saie that Paule also allowed of all things that were written by Epimenides Aratus and Menander bicause he alledged one or two verses out of them Ierom Which thing Ierom in expounding of the first chapter of the epistle to Titus testifieth to be a verie absurd and ridiculous thing And as concerning Enoch it would séeme a verie great maruell if he were the seuenth from Adam how he could write that Michael wrestled with the diuell for the bodie of Moses séeing if these things were as in verie déed we must beléeue they were they of necessitie happened well-néere a thousand fiue hundred yéeres after vnles we shall grant that this was reuealed vnto him at that time by a certeine excellent power of prophesie 34 Neither must it be forgotten that those The reason that mooued some to thinke that giants came not of men which thinke that giants had not men but angels for their parents were therefore brought thus to thinke bicause they thought it might not possiblie be that huge giants can be borne of men which be of an ordinarie stature and bignes Wherefore there were some which procéeded so farre in the matter as they affirmed that the first man was a giant and also Noah and his children For they beléeued not that that kind of men either before or after the floud if so be they might be thought to haue sproong of men could be vnles they had such progenitours But Augustine prooueth that opinion to be false Augustine and saith that A little before the destruction which the Gothes made A woman giant in Rome there was in Rome a woman of a giants stature whom to behold they came by heaps out of diuerse parts of the world which woman neuertheles had parents that excéeded not the common and vsuall stature of men If we shall search what the cause is that nature hath brought foorth giants of such huge bodies we can alledge no other A naturall cause of the tall stature of giants but an abundance of naturall heate and a moisture which abundantlie and largelie ministreth matter For the heate not onelie extendeth a man to tallenes and heigth but also spreadeth and inlargeth him to breadth and thicknes Wherefore giants began to be before the floud and they were also before the resort which the sonnes of God had with the daughters of men and were bred after that also Further men did beget them and there was a naturall cause as I haue shewed Also for a truth there were of them borne after the floud For there is mention made of them in the bookes of Numbers Deuteronomie Ioshua Iudges Samuel and Paralipomenon and in others of the holie bookes Of what stature giants haue bin 35 Of the greatnes and stature of them we may partlie coniecture and partlie we haue the same expresselie described The coniectures be that Goliah had a coate of male which weighed fiftie thousand sickles of brasse 1. Sam. 17 5. The haft of his speare was like a weauers beame and the iron speare had weighed sixe hundred sickles of iron We also coniecture of the excéeding great stature of Og the king of Basan Deut. 3 11. by his bed which being of iron was of ten cubits long Also the Israelits being compared with Anachis Num. 13 34 séemed to be but grashoppers these things may be a token vnto vs of what greatnes these men were The greatnes of Goliah 1. Sam. 17 4 But the greatnes of Goliah is properlie and distinctlie set foorth in the booke of Samuel for it is said there that he was of sixe cubits and a hand-breadth high and a cubit if we followe the measure of the Gréekes is two foote but according to the account of the Latins The cubit of the Greeks and Latins one foote and a halfe Some alledge this to be the cause of the difference that the measure may be sometimes extended from the elbowe to the hand sometime closed together and sometime open stretched foorth This is as much as I could gather of the stature of giants out of the holie scripture The Ethnicks testimonie
dispraisers of monasticall life writeth that He ought not onlie to haue punished his children with words but to haue chastened them with stripes to haue cast them off to haue disgraded them of priesthood and not to haue suffered such wicked caitifes to remaine in the ministerie Ambrose the bishop of Millen compelled vnto open repentance Ambrose not his children I saie but Theodosius himselfe Marcion punished by his father being the emperour Also Marcion when he had defiled a maiden was expelled the church by his father being a bishop after which he comming to Rome and there could not be accepted to the peace and communion of the church deuised a wicked heresie Peraduenture this old man Helie was somewhat ambitious and indeuored to reteine still the priesthood in his familie in the meane while he by such meanes did that which was verie ill both for himselfe his children and his familie Further it is to be considered that Helie blamed not his children of his owne accord and frée motion but was after a sort constrained thereto at the complaints cries of the people Verelie we be all so disposed through our naughtie corrupt nature as we reprooue others against our wils for our mind is to please all men and to displease none Also man is a creature that desireth fellowship therfore he feareth in a maner alwaies least if he should rebuke others and more franklie admonish them he should be accounted vnworthie of societie and be called a furious and sterne man For such be they estéemed to be which are woont to speake fréelie and trulie And this most of all happened vnto the prophets that while they reprooued mens falts they were of manie reputed for mad men For so the princes of the armie demanded of Iehu as touching the disciple of Elizaeus 2. King 9 11 To what end commeth this mad man vnto thee Againe it is most trulie said of the Comicall poet that Truth bréedeth hatred So likewise Paule vnto the Galathians said Gala. 4 16. Am I become an enimie to you for speaking the truth Wherefore Helie thought it not méet to take such a thing in hand as might bréed him displeasure but did like a good Mitio in correcting of his children Faire spéech pleaseth all men and soft words are heard quietlie and without grudge Also there be some which mislike the admonishing and correcting of men bicause they haue an euill conscience of their owne and consider that they themselues also may be iustlie reprooued these doo feare least that saieng should be obiected against them Thou hypocrite Matt. 7. 5 first take the beame out of thine owne eie Cicero against Verres writeth that He which is readie to pronounce against an other man dooth bind himselfe to liue vprightlie 3 Moreouer Ambrose hath well noted first In Ge. 37. 9 that the father ought to take héed that if he haue more children than one he shew not himselfe more louing to one of them than to another Children must be looued alike for so may he easilie marre that child which he fauoreth aboue the rest sith by reason of his fathers good will he will soone take a libertie of sinning Further the rest of the brethren will easilie be inflamed with hatred or enuie against him which thou must prouide that it happen not At the least wise he himselfe which perceiueth that he is more made of by his father than the rest while thereby he swelleth with insolencie and aduanceth himselfe with pride is pulled awaie from his brethren with whom he ought to haue béene most néerelie ioined But if so be that the father doo loue his sonne let him winne vnto him the good-will of the other brethren and those whom nature hath knit togither let not fathers affection diuide in sunder In an houshold equall tribution is required For to the kéeping of houshold peace among brethren an equall tribution is required Thou séest in the patriarch Iacob how great euill happened thereby And if so be that brethren be so offended for a speciall garment giuen to one and not to the rest what thinkest thou they will doo if possessions and lands be bequeathed by the father or mother to one aboue the rest But if the father will at anie time excuse this his loue more bent to one than to an other saieng I haue respect vnto vertue I loue him most that attaineth to more vertue and industrie than the rest I allow of it that thou loue more but yet thou must beware that thou doo not lightlie shew foorth euident tokens of this loue there must be a respect had vnto their age Yoong men are much affected vnto anger and hatred which affections ought rather of the wise father to be repressed and kept vnder than to be stirred vp 2. Cor. 11 3. Whether before sinne the woman were subiect to the man 4 As touching the man and woman Chrysostome doubted whether before they sinned one were of more dignitie than the other so as while things were yet perfect the woman were subiect to the man Which thing he denieth and séemeth to leane vnto the holie scriptures For when God had fashioned Eue thus it is written of hir Gen. 2 23. She is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh and the rest that followeth Neither in verie déed is there anie mention made of subiection But after sin this saieng was added Gen. 3 16. Thy desire shall be subiect to thy husband and he shall beare rule ouer thee Neuerthelesse I thinke that euen when nature was vncorrupted séeing woman was more vnperfect than man she should after a sort haue béene ruled by him for she was made for him and to be a helpe vnto him But when sinne had now corrupted our nature the imperfection of woman was gréeuouslie increased and therfore she had néed to be more seuerelie ruled by man Wherefore Aristotle as things now be Aristotle otherwise an Ethnike séemed not to thinke amisse who saith that It is not conuenient that a wife shuld not differ from a seruant A wife differeth from a seruant bicause this is barbarous The barbarous sort in so much as they haue that part of their mind rude which ought to rule for they be not instructed in good science and vertue therefore they séeme to be made to serue neither doo they account of their wiues otherwise than of bondslaues But this is contrarie vnto nature who is not accustomed to applie one instrument to two or more kind of works one fitlie serueth for one worke Therefore it is not méet that one woman should both be a wife and a seruant to anie man And in the ninth booke of his Ethiks The dominion of Aristocratia betweene husband and wife he appointeth the dominion of Aristocratia to be betwéene man and wife in the which kind of gouernement he is the chéefe which excelleth in vertue and worthinesse Whereby it appéereth that
of the Decemuiri The Decemuiri of Rome decréed also by the lawes of Solon that a woman should be without a dowrie and should bring from hir fathers house onelie thrée garments and also certeine vessels of small price bicause they would declare that the fellowship of marriage is not confirmed by riches but through the loue of children Certeinlie these things doo verie well agrée with that which is written by Paulus and Vlpianus in the Pandects as concerning the frée gift betwéene the husband and wife A custome of the Aegyptians It is written also of the Aegyptians that if they receiued dowrie of their wiues they should then be counted as their wiues bond-men Which custome did sufficientlie teach that it séemeth both infamous and vnprofitable to séeke a dowrie of our wiues when as nothing is more noble than libertie And nature hath ordeined that the husband should rule the wife A custome of the Spaniards And it is written that the Spaniards had a custome that the wiues should bring to their husbands a distaffe woond with flar in stéed of a dowrie I might reherse a great manie besides to signifie that all the men in old time allowed not that husbands should haue dowries giuen them when they married their wiues But in verie déed the lawes of GOD make mention verie often of dowrie And yet I am assured that the same was some-where vsed before the lawe In Exodus he which had defiled a virgine was bound to marrie hir so that hir father were content but if he would not marrie hir then he was forced to giue hir a dowrie euen as the lawe appointeth the dowrie of virgins to be Moreouer in the first booke of Kings the ninth chapter Pharao gaue for a dowrie vnto Salomon who had married his daughter the citie Gazar which he had taken from the Chanaanites Beside this the Romane lawes which otherwise be most indifferent of all other doo make verie much mention of dowries and haue manie whole titles wherein this matter onelie is treated The definition of a dowrie 50 But séeing we are now come thus far it séemeth méete to define a dowrie that thereby we may the easilier knowe how much must be attributed thereto by godlie men in the contracting of matrimonies A dowrie is a right to vse things which are giuen to the husband by his wife or by others in hir name to susteine the burthens of matrimonie And although a dowrie be properlie said a right of vsing yet notwithstanding those things which are giuen vnto the man are oftentimes called by this name dowrie Howbeit the end is chéeflie to be noted in this definition namelie to susteine the burthens of matrimonie It séemeth also that séeing the husband bestoweth verie much in nourishing of his wife and in the honest maintenance of hir iustice and equitie would that somwhat in like maner be yéelded vnto him Then séeing a dowrie hath this foundation of iustice there is no doubt but that it is a thing lawfull Neuerthelesse therein is an error not to be suffered bicause some are not ashamed to saie that by a dowrie concord betwéene man and wife is easilie obteined This An error touching dowrie both reason and experience teacheth to be most false Who is ignorant that that kind of fréendship which hath respect onelie vnto profit and which is grounded onelie vpon pleasure is verie fraile and transitorie Moreouer experience teacheth that mariages which be so contracted as there is no other consideration had therein but onlie the wiues beautie and hir dowrie haue verie ill successe Wherfore these are reprooued by the common prouerbe Qui vxores oculis digitis ducunt Such as marrie wiues with their eies and fingers that is which are mooued onelie with beautie and monie Dowries must be giuen with moderation and reason So then it behooueth iust lawes not altogither to take dowries awaie but rather streictlie to prouide that they be not ouer-much increased nor doone without right or reason And for this cause the Romane lawes commanded those dowries to be cut off which were greater than the abilitie of the giuer might beare as we read in the Digests De iure dotium And contrariewise we must take héed that neither parents nor tutors being ouercome with couetousnesse giue lesse than honestie requireth as it is written in the title De dote inofficiosa And bicause dowries be giuen to susteine the charges of matrimonie those cannot be excused which hauing receiued them of their wiues afterward dare vse their wiues miserablie Besides that they be vniust bicause they violate the lawe of God whereby they ought to loue their wiues as themselues and as their owne proper bodie when as they will not conuenientlie helpe them with their owne goods Yea there be some which if they were not lett by publike lawes would consume sell and vtterlie alienate their wiues dowries And that this might not be the lawes especiallie of the Romans haue carefullie prouided For they decrée that the state or title of the dowrie should remaine with the wiues although the husbands had the fruit and vse thereof so long as the marriage should last But what I praie you shall we saie of them which suffer so gréeuous and intollerable burdens of matrimonie to be dailie augmented while they too much flatter and cocker their wiues Surelie they sinne verie gréeuouslie forsomuch as now neither their owne patrimonie neither their wiues dowries can be sufficient bicause they excéed so much in sumptuous attire Certeinlie among godlie husbands and good wiues all things ought to be vsed with moderation and temperance But wherefore thinke we haue the lawes ordeined so manie things and by so manie waies concerning dowries Euen bicause they would kéepe the citizens without hurt or damage when as they marrie and are ioined togither in matrimonie Why the dowrie should remaine whole to the wife For it is expedient for the weale publike that if the husband die the dowrie should remain whole vnto the wife wherewith if she will she may marrie againe or if the wife die first that the dowrie should serue to nourish apparell and bring vp the children which are begotten in matrimonie 51 Notwithstanding thou wilt demand Whie are dowries said to be giuen vnder this title of susteining the burdens of matrimonie Euen least the same dowrie should be counted a price A dowrie is no price of marriage as though wiues and marriages were things to be sold For the which cause in the Digests gifts betwéene husband and wife are prohibited to wit that in matrimonies contracts gifts betwéene man wife be neither giuen nor receiued Furthermore when as diuorsements were giuen in manie places by that ciuill lawe if gifts betwéene man and wife had béene lawfull marriages would verie easilie haue béene dissolued Séeing if one of the married parties would not giue vnto the other so much as he demanded that partie should foorthwith haue béene refused The
owne nature ought to be kept sacred and inuiolated This did Lot vnderstand when he would haue put foorth his daughters to the naughtie lusts of the wanton Sodomits to the end they should doo no iniurie vnto them which were lodged with him And this same example did the old man followe which receiued the Leuite with his wife as strangers as it is more at large expounded in the historie of the Iudges Whose counsell Iud. 19 25. in betraieng his daughters although I allow not yet I doo verie much commend the defending of strangers Yea and the Gentiles worshipped Iupiter and gaue vnto him the name of kéeping hospitalitie knowing by the light of nature that God had a singular care ouer strangers and ghests Pythagoras Pythagoras also for this cause discommendeth the swalowes for that they lodge vnder the couering of mens houses and yet will neuer be made familiar or tame vnto their hosts Also there were sometimes certeine mischéeuous houses Certeine mischeeuous houses in the which none might anie longer inhabit as probable writers haue declared and that bicause the customes of hospitalitie had béene broken in them And contrariewise where hospitalitie hath béene well and faithfullie kept not onelie angels Gen. 18. but God himselfe also hath somtimes béene a most profitable ghest Matt. 25 35. Christ also in the end of the world will saie I was a stranger and ye lodged me commending his chosen in the sight of all the world for the vertue of hospitalitie And it is manifest that men in the old time wished that there should be great amitie betwéene the housekéeper and his ghest Lastlie GOD commanded that the Hebrues should not despise the Aegyptians Deut. 23 7. or wholie driue them awaie from them and that for this cause that at the beginning they gaue intertainement vnto their ancestors Wherefore we must conclude by a generall and ordinarie lawe that the customes of hospitalitie ought to be kept inuiolated And this also ought to be firme No lawes of freendship so necessarie but must be brokē when God commandeth that no lawes nor fréendships be they neuer so honest and iust but if God command otherwise they ought to be broken For so long must all these things be of force as they shall be allowed by the will of God Then séeing God had now cast out Sisara and the Chanaanits and would haue them to be destroied no couenants might iustlie be kept with them for we must rather obeie God than giue place to the reasons of men And of this will of God Deborah was both a prophesier and an interpretor She had declared that Sisara was now cast out by God and foretold that he should be sold into the hand of a woman Exo. 32 29. 12 After this manner the Leuits obeied Moses in the killing of their fréends and kinsefolks To whom Moses in the name of God said Ye haue consecrated your hands so farre was it off that they were reprooued for breaking the bonds of fréendship Ieremie also when by the commandement of God Iere. 48 20. he had declared that the Moabits should be slaine curssed those which had withdrawne themselues from that mind He is accurssed saith he that dooth the worke of the Lord deceitfullie In the lawe it is also commanded that none should be spared Deut. 13 6. which did intise anie to idolatrie no not the father nor the mother neither yet he which sléepeth in thy bosome Who séeth not here that the most néerest bonds of fréendships must be contemned if the will word of God be therevnto ioined Abraham was commanded to kill his sonne and that his onlie sonne Gen. 22 2. as touching whom he had receiued a most large promise The promise of God and the naturall loue of the father séemed to be against this commandement notwithstanding against both these being vrged by the word of God he ought to haue killed his sonne So must we thinke that all men although they be of nigh kin vnto vs are sacrifices to God so manie as he commandeth to be slaine Wherefore it is written in the 34. chapter of Esaie verse 6. The Lord hath a sacrifice in Bozra But they which with a preposterous clemencie What happeneth to them that haue a preposterous clemencie 1. kin 20 39. contrarie vnto the word of God will be mercifull let them remember what happened vnto the king of Samaria He when he had spared Benhadad the king of Syria contrarie to the commandement of God was in this manner reproued by the prophet in the name of God Thy soule shall go for his Of benefiting and vnthankfulnesse 13 Forsomuch as iustice and honestie require this In Iud. 12 ◠that we should giue thanks vnto them which haue bestowed benefits vpon vs nature followeth this order that we should conuert the effects into their causes forsomuch as they haue their conseruation and increase from thence from whence they spring This was due vnto Ieptha since he should haue had either the highest place or the next vnto the highest among those that had well deserued of the publike-weale The degrees of benefits For first thou séest some that when they bestowe benefits they haue onelie a respect to themselues So doo shéepheards neatheards and swineheards when they prouide pasture for their cattell whereof they haue charge since therein they séeke onlie for their owne gaine and commoditie Otherwise they haue no loue to oxen shéepe and swine There be others which in dooing of good haue regard both vnto themselues and also vnto them whom they doo helpe For the poore doo serue rich men princes partlie bicause they loue them and partlie to get some commoditie at their hands In the third degrée are those placed which doo in such sort bestowe a benefite vpon anie man as they looke for no recompense of him It oftentimes happeneth that when we sée one in miserie we are touched with mercie and we helpe him which without doubt procéedeth of humanitie Forsomuch as we are men we thinke that nothing belonging to a man but it apperteineth vnto vs. They are counted in the last and chéefest place which benefit others euen with their owne gréefe hurt and losse After this maner Christ dealt towards vs Wherein Ieptha is resembled vnto Christ he redéemed mankind with the losse of his owne life Whom Ieptha after a sort resembleth who deliuered the Israelites vnto libertie and that to his great danger Which he declared by this forme of speaking Iudg. 12 3. I haue put my life in my hands that is I haue not refused to indanger my life Wherefore the Ephramites were most vngratefull for so great a benefite The degrees of vngratefull men The first sort of vnthankfull men is when they requite not good to those that deserue it at their hands The second when they praise not nor allow well of those things which good men bestowe vpon them The
a reproch but being doone merilie it is called iesting The contrarie vnto contumelie To perceiue it the better thou must vnderstand that betwéene reproching and honoring there is a contrarietie They are vnder one kind and yet as contraries are furthest off one from another They apperteine to the signification of honour If we honour anie man we declare that we thinke well of him if we reproch him we shew by some signe words or déeds that we thinke euill of him And therefore it behooueth that if a man either vse contumelie or haue it vsed vnto him this manner of signification is alwaies therein For if we should doo anie thing against the estimation of anie man and yet not signifie the ill opinion we haue of him it would not be properlie called contumelie I will shew it by examples A man breaking open another mans doore to steale to commit adulterie or to kill some man that breaking in of the gate is heinous but being not purposelie doone to dishonest him it is iniurie if he breake it open to reproch him he dealeth contumeliouslie against him Absalom abused the wiues of his father 2 Sam. 16 20. If he had doone it of lust it had béene incest onelie and not contumelie but séeing he did these things without hauing delight in their loue and beautie onelie through the hatred he bare to his father meaning to dishonour him it is now called contumelie When in these contumelies tawnts are vsed against anie man those sometimes are sins and some times no sinnes When tawnts are sinnes and no sinnes 2. Sam. 16 17. No sinnes as if one vpbraid another that he hath the pox that he is lame or blind sinne as when Semei calleth Dauid A man of bloud 2 There is vsed another distinction These mischéefes are sometimes true and sometimes false Another distinction In Dauid they were false he did not couet the kingdome ambitiouslie he did not commit wicked murders Those sinnes are sometimes manifest and sometimes hidden Hereof commeth the gréeuousnesse of contumelies Sometimes they be weighed according to the state of the person as if he to whom the contumelie is doone be no priuate but a publike person as a magistrate or a preacher And there is alwaies required therin an intent and purpose of discrediting the fame and estimation of another man Which I speake When tawnts are no contumelies bicause if tawnts be not vsed to this end but to the intent men may be amended they be not properlie contumelies Wherefore if anie gouernours of a schoole or ministers of the church vse sharp words to reuoke men from their sinnes they cannot be called contumelious Sometimes it is lawfull to handle men so for discipline sake This is gathered by an argument from the greater If it be lawfull to vse stripes it is also lawfull to vse sharp spéeches So Paule called the Galathians Fooles And Christ O ye fooles and flowe to beleeue Gal. 3 1. Luke 24 25 There was a respect vnto amendement and it was no contumelie Also the prophets doo so deale Esai 1. Eze. 16 and else where sometimes they speake verie bitterlie against Israel calling hir harlot and Sodom not to the intent they would defame the people of God but to reuoke them from idolatrie and wickednesse Paule also verse 12. in the first chapter vnto Titus séemeth to inueigh sharplie against the Cretians when he bringeth a verse of Epimenides The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts and slowe bellies It might séeme to be hardlie doone to note the whole nation of the Cretians with so great an infamie Howbeit the apostles speach was not to this end but he gaue admonition vnto Titus whereby he might vnderstand how earnestlie he ought to vrge that people Neuertheles pastors schoolemaisters must take héed that they vse not contumelies without iudgement for if they often vse the sharper speaches they which be reprehended begin to hate them whom they ought to loue and by this meanes admonitions doo but smallie preuaile Or else another thing followeth to wit that they are not mooued therewith but are hardened if they often heare bitter words Wherefore Augustine vpon the sermon of the Lord in the mount saith that This must be doone sildome and with iudgement Like vnto this is that which is woont to be doone with biting speaches wherein is more bitternesse than fauour They which vse them be of the number of those which had rather foâ—go their fréend than a fine saieng There must be héed taken that men be not hurt rashlie Thus much of the nature definition propertie vse of contumelie 3 Now in the second place let vs speake a few words of the causes Of the causes of contumelies Anger they procéed for the most part of anger and are a certeine kind of reuenge which is euer at hand For so men easilie reuenge themselues especiallie they of the common sort and also women and generallie those which are not able to make their part good with strength and weapons doo vse contumelies In a certeine anger Semei curâ—…ed Dauid he would reuenge the iniuries 1. Sam. 16 7 which he supposed that he had brought vpon the familie of Saule They also procéed of a certeine anger Some there be which in comparison of themselues make no reckoning of other men Pride and therefore they be readie bent to contumelies therefore rightlie said Salomon Prou. 11 2. Where pride is there is reproch The blasphemous speaches 2 kin 18 30. which Rabsaches cast out against God sproong from no other fountaine Foolishnes Also they doo growe of a certeine foolishnesse So Nabal the Carmelite curssed Dauid Salomon saith 1 Sam. 25 14. Pro. 20 30. It is a mans honour to keepe himselfe from strife but a foole medleth with reprodies Thirdlie we are to consider whether it be sinne Whether contumelie be sâ—aine Herein there must be a distinction vsed If it haue respect vnto correction it is no sinne But if we doo it onelie to defame the honour and dignitie of our neighbour we must confesse it to be sinne for it is against the rule of charitie Salomon saith Hatred stirreth vp contentions Pro. 10 12. but charitie couereth the multitude of sinnes It taketh all things in good part it studieth to amend by iust meanes it hath not recourse vnto contumelies Charitie is a vertue therefore contumelie must néeds be a sinne Contumelies or reproches bring sorrowe vnto our neighbour and take awaie his good name these be euill So Christ said in the fift chapter of Matthew Matth. 5 22. Whosoeuer shall saie vnto his brother Racha shall be guiltie of a councell and whosoeuer shall saie Foole shall be guiltie of hell fire Reproch is an euill The weightinesse of vices is considered by their obiects woorse than theft it selfe for the weightinesse of sinnes is considered in respect of their obiects Theft is about the goods of fortune
to our minds that in a maner it can neuer vtterlie be shaken off And forsomuch as of these naturall affections there are sundrie sorts or kinds for either they are betwéene the parents and the children or betwéen the husband and wife or else betwéene brethren the apostle expresseth that kind which most agréed with his exhortation which he had begun namelie to giue vs to vnderstand that our loue towards others ought to be a brotherlie loue Which therefore is more vehement than common fréendships for that these fréendships are dissolued euen betwéene honest men when they perceiue that their fréends are fallen awaie from iustice and are become wicked and corrupt But as touching our parents brethren and children it is vndoubtedlie a gréefe vnto vs to sée them behaue themselues otherwise than we would they should yet is not therefore the affection of our mind towards them extinguished Besides in these néere fréendships we expect not that in louing one shuld recompense another with mutuall benefits For we loue our children and brethren of our owne accord although they haue not bound vs vnto them by anie benefit of theirs towards vs. And forsomuch as these things ought to be obserued in christian loue therefore Paule calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although it come not of nature but of the spirit of God and of grace And how much the consideration of brotherhood is of force to stir vp loue betwéene christian men we are taught by the example of Moses For the next daie after he had slaine the Aegyptian Exo. 2 13. when he went to visit the Hebrues sawe a certeine Hebrue dooing iniurie to another Hebrue as saint Steeuen reciteth the historie said vnto them Acts. 7 26. Ye are brethren why doo ye on this sort iniurie one to another The strength also of this affect Gen. 45 4. Ioseph declareth For he when he ment vpon the sudden to reconcile himselfe vnto his brethren of whom he had béene sold to be a bond-man said vnto them I am your brother Ioseph And so soone as he had spoken that he could not refraine himselfe from teares So great is the force of this fréendship with the godlie Brotherlie freendship is of most force Neither is the mutuall loue betwéene christians without iust cause called a brotherlie loue séeing Christ called his disciples Brethren and that at that time chieflie Iohn 20 17. when after his resurrection he was now indued with immortalitie Aristotle in his ninth booke of Ethiks when he treateth of fréendship Among brethren saith he one and the selfe-same thing is distributed vnto diuerse And therefore forsomuch as they communicate among themselues in one and the selfe-same thing in good right the one loueth the other By that one and the selfe-same thing From whence brotherlie loue ariseth wherein brethren doo communicate he meaneth the substance of the father and of the mother whereof each haue their part The like consideration also is there betwéene the faithfull 2. Peter 1 4. for as Peter saith they be made partakers of the nature of God So as they ought to loue one another as brethren which if they doo not they are woorthilie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is without naturall affections Which vice as a sinne most gréeuous Paule in the first chapter of the epistle to the Romans verse 13. attributed vnto those which fell awaie from the true worshipping of God and were therefore deliuered by him into a reprobate mind In 1 Cor. 12 verse 31. What charitie is 10 But as touching charitie we haue decréed that the same is a bountifull gift of the goodnesse of God and is euermore ioined vnto true faith whereby we are iustified Wherefore none that is a christian indéed is vtterlie destitute thereof But to increase and giue it augmentation in vs if perhaps it become weake and faint and out of courage these helpes we may vse By what means charitie is woont to be increased First let vs diligentlie consider with our selues and weigh the benefits that we haue receiued of God by Christ He gaue his onelie begotten sonne for vs he deliuered vs from sinne from death from hell and from the diuell he adopted vs for his children and appointed vs heires of euerlasting life and he now féedeth vs nourisheth vs and as a most mercifull father bestoweth all care and good will vpon vs. These things if we oftentimes repeate in our memorie they may effectually kindle our mind to loue Christ and God our creator We must regard the dignitie of our neighbours Also let vs regard the dignitie of our neighbour who how weake soeuer he be and subiect to vices yet is he borne withall and susteined by God and indued with manie benefits He denieth him not the benefit of the sunne he sendeth his gratious raine vpon him he giueth him health and the riches of this world neither taketh he his image from him as he deserueth What cause therefore may there be why thou canst not abide him Peraduenture thou wilt saie that he is a wicked man I will aske of thée whether thou doo more detest and abhorre sinne than God dooth Where vndoubtedlie thou canst not answer otherwise than it is to wit that GOD dooth farre go beyond thée in detesting of sinne and wickednes And yet neuerthelesse séeing thou séest that he dooth not immediatlie reuenge but dooth prolong the time of repentance and defer the punishment whie doost not thou imitate him and amend thy neighbour with patience as much as in thée lieth But if peraduenture he shall séeme to be incurable thou must take héed as much as in thée lieth that by the often restraining of his naughtinesse A similitude there come not much harme We sée that the most wild lions being otherwise fierce and cruell beasts are kept in iron chaines and close places least they should doo hurt and that at the pleasure of their maisters who desire to behold in them both the workemanship of nature and the strength of this kind of beasts But wilt thou also to doo God seruice kéepe thy neighbour in gard and custodie though he be euill least he should hurt others that the patience of God toward them maie be séene and perceiued But if thou wilt saie that he is become so wicked as he cannot be staid from dooing much harme and that he must in anie wise be cut off then let publike authoritie I meane the magistrates execute their office For if we being stirred vp of our owne lust desire to reuenge we of our good cause shall make it euill But if thou take in euill part the iniuries and wrongs doone vnto thée The change of person profiteth much and therefore thinke that thou art moued vpon iust cause put the person of another man vpon thy selfe and imagine that those things which be committed against thée be doone against other men then thou shalt sée that the disquietnesse of thy
these euils be compared with actuall sinnes they doo not so vehementlie and so manifestlie contend against the lawe of God Also those fathers teach vs that these be not called sinnes sauing for that they be the causes and effects of sinnes as when a man saith of his owne writing This is my hand meaning that it was written with his owne hand And men call the cold weather dull bicause it maketh vs dull Such similitudes as these Augustine was wont to vse but then he compared this kind of sinne with actuall sinnes Howbeit it is better to heare the same father when he examineth these sinnes by themselues In the sixt booke against Iulian the 8. chapter It is not saith he no iniquitie when the superiour parts doo shamefullie giue place vnto the inferiour and the inferiour doo shamefullie wrestle against the superiour although they be not permitted to ouercome And in the fift book and third chapter he saith The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit dooth striue is sinne bicause therein is a disobedience against the dominion of reason And it is the punishment of sinne bicause it is giuen as a reward to the deserts of our disobedience Also it is the cause of sinne by reason of the fall of him that consenteth thereto Concupiscence considered of according to three degrees Wherefore hée considereth of this concupiscence according to thrée degrées First by the nature thereof and that he affirmeth to be sinne bicause it impugneth the souereigntie of the mind Secondlie as an effect and punishment laid vpon sinne And lastlie as being the cause of sinne Besides in his third booke De libero arbitrio the 18. chapter he writeth on this wise These things be therefore reckoned among sinnes bicause through them we depart from the forme wherein man was made at the beginning 13 And to declare further that these deformities apperteine not vnto sinne they alledge for themselues the infancie of our sauior Christ whereof Luke dooth write in the 2. chapter of his Gospell And Iesus increased grew in yeeres verse 52. in wisedome and in fauour with God and men And a little before verse 40. And the child grew waxed strong in spirit and was filled with wisdome and the grace of God was with him If he profited dailie saie they it followeth that first there were wants in him and that he was not so wise at the first as he prooued afterward Some haue expounded these things to be ment as concerning the spirit which appeared dailie more and more whome they thinke to be most perfect at the first yet that the scripture hath béene accustomed to saie that anie thing is then doone when it first appeareth Doubtlesse I can readilie condescend and I sée that I ought so to doo namelie that Christ tooke vpon him mans infirmities for our sakes Neither doo I doubt but that his mind had accesse of wisedome according to the proportion of age But the defects in his infancie were not like vnto our defects For as touching ignorance Euerie ignorance is not sinne we must not affirme euerie ignorance to be sinne sith euen the angels are ignorant of verie manie things especiallie of the time when the latter daie shall be But shall we saie that this is a sinne in them Further shall we thinke that Adam did straitwaie know all things No certeinlie Wherefore we call blindnesse of the mind the ignorance that belongeth vnto sinne through the which blindnesse those things be vnknowne which ought to be knowne and whereby things contrarie vnto the truth are perceiued Aristotle in Posterioribus analyticis Ignorance of two sorts distinguisheth ignorance calling one an ignorance of denieng an other of contrarie disposition An example of the first is a rusticall and husbandman who is vtterlie ignorant of the mathematicall sciences bicause he neuer learned them The other ignorance is ascribed vnto him which sometime applied his indeuour to the mathematicals but perceiued ill those things that were taught him so as those things which be true in them he iudgeth to be put contrarie and thinketh the line to be crooked which is straight Wherefore I might be lawfull to saie that ignorance of denieng is no sinne vnlesse it be as touching men of ripe yéeres séeing they be ignorant of things which be necessarie for obteining of saluation Therefore Christ in taking of our infirmities did not receiue sinne into himselfe By reason whereof at his death he felt naturall motions through which he trembled at death but yet those perturbations procéeded of sound and perfect nature not of euill and corrupt reliks of nature Now then the infirmities of Christ were farre differing from our infirmities verse 15. And therefore it is written in the fourth chapter to the Hebrues that The Lord was tempted in all things as we be But the exception is added Yet without sinne 1. Co. 13 11 And whereas Paule saith When I was a child I spake as a child it is ment that one daie shall be voided all that which before was vnperfect and we shall at the last come to eternall life where all things shall be absolute Bréefelie it must be considered that our naughtie motions though they be the first of all are not onelie rude and vnperfect things but that they be also repugnant vnto the lawe of God as it is declared in the seuenth chapter to the Romans verse 14. Where we must not hearken vnto those men which thinke such a thing to be there described by the apostle as the Poets described of Medea who said I see the better I allow the better but I followe the woorser For as I taught a litle before the apostle did not there dispute of ciuill honestie but of the lawe of God the which he called holie iust and honest whose equitie the naturall man dooth not perceiue 14 Also there is much a doo made against vs bicause Christ said Matt. 5 48 Be ye perfect as the heauenlie father is perfect Where neuerthelesse it séemeth absurd that Gods goodnesse being infinit should be commanded vnto vs. Héerevnto I answer that Christ is set foorth as a familiar example for vs the which we ought to follow as much as in vs lieth And thinke not that of him and of the heauenlie father all one consideration must be had throughlie in all respects for the soule of Christ being a part of his humanitie was not immensible séeing it was a creature so as the loue that came from thence was limited and not infinit And therefore in the louing of GOD we are bound to imitate him Certeinlie the heauenlie father although in his owne nature he be infinit yet the effects of his charitie I meane the good things which he bestoweth vpon vs are measured bicause they shall not excéed the order of things created Furthermore I dispute not of this aduerbe Sicut that is As whether it expresse an equalitie in quantitie or a
were for the spirit of Christ in what case they stood concerning the spirit of Christ that I thinke may be thus answered to wit if we diuide the Iewes into thrée sundrie parts For some of them were vtterlie wicked and vngodlie which besides name habitation and outward circumcision had nothing common with the people of God These men I grant be vtterlie void of the spirit of Christ yea rather they liued vnder the spirit of sathan On the other side there were some excellent and holie men as Dauid Ezechias Iosias Elias Daniel and manie such other like whom we can by no meanes denie but that they had the spirit of the Gospell although as the time required they were compelled to obserue manie ceremonies and rites perteining vnto the lawe Againe there be some others which were weake who although they cannot be compared with those whom we haue mentioned yet forsomuch as they being godlie beléeued in the Messias to come were by that faith iustified we ought not to thinke that they were strangers frō the spirit of Christ although by reason of their imperfection the lawe challenged great power ouer them And they were with others as those times required compelled to be subiect vnto infinite ceremonies And this is the reason whie the old fathers are said to haue liued vnder the lawe and vnder the spirit of bondage They had not the sacraments of their saluation so manifest and cléere as ours now are neither had they the mysteries of Christ so commonlie reuealed as we now haue in the Gospell Wherefore although amongst vs are manie wicked men and a great number of weake ones yet are we said to be deliuered from the lawe both bicause we be deliuered from ceremonies and for that we haue the sacraments and mysteries of saluation obteined through Christ made more cléere and more manifest than theirs commonlie were Paule also calleth the old fathers litle ones for that they liued vnder tutors and gouernours and were instructed of the lawe as of a schoolemaister And when they are called seruants we ought to vnderstand that they were profitable seruants For such seruants beare great goodwill and loue to their maisters and are persuaded that that which is to the honour of their maister shall also turne to their owne honour But lewd seruants neuer refraine from vices neither doo they anie thing well vnlesse they be by stripes compelled These their two titles which I haue mentioned Gala. 3 24. and 4 1. Paule ioineth togither in the epistle to the Galathians For thus he saith The heire so long as he is a little one liueth vnder tutors and gouernors and differeth nothing from a seruant when as yet he is lord of all By which words he declareth that the elect of God amongst the old fathers were in verie déed heirs although considering the time they were as little ones vnder the forme of seruants kept vnder the schooling of the lawe and elements of this world Thus I thinke is to be thought of the old fathers 26 But now let vs diligentlie examine those things which we touched a little before In 1. Sam. 2 verse 10. namelie that our minds must be lifted vp from temporall things vnto eternall and heauenlie things sith in this mortall life we be sometimes deliuered from afflictions yet vnperfectlie For by Christ we be alloted vnto righteousnes and vnto manie excellent gifts of God but yet we possesse all those gifts of God vnperfectlie But when the horne of Christ shall be exalted as speaketh Anna then shall all these things at length be fullie perfect in vs and that shall then be Luke 1 69 when the Lord shall iudge all the ends of the earth 1. Cor. 15 24. and when as Paule saith he shall deliuer the kingdome vnto God and the father But this kind of exposition will some saie is not proper séeing it sauoureth of an allegorie and that it ought not to be the verie due meaning of the scriptures But we must assure our selues A rule that those things that were written in the old testament concerning temporall things doo belong vnto eternall things In the old time God promised vnto the patriarchs that he would giue the kingdome vnto Dauid and his posteritie And this is to be vnderstood Psal 89 30 not onelie of Salomon but also of Christ Wherefore the angell speaking of him said God will giue vnto him the kingdome of his father Dauid Luke 1 33. and he shall reigne in the house of Iacob for euer Also in Deuteronomie GOD commanded his people that they should not take counsell of witches or sorcerers Deut. 18 10 and 15. For God saith he will raise vp a prophet among you The which although it may be vnderstood of the prophets which neuer should be wanting of whom the people might take counsell yet dooth Peter in the Acts of the apostles Acts. 3 22. translate the same vnto Christ and affirmeth that the kingdome promised to Dauid was made perfect in Christ For euen so the promise of séed made vnto Abraham Gen. 22 18 in the booke of Genesis although it may be referred vnto Isaac yet by Paule it is applied vnto Christ Gal. 3 16. For he saith It is said Not in thy seeds as in manie but in one which is Christ So that when we refer the song of Anna vnto higher matters we offend not against the doctrine of the apostles And why it is thus doone the reason is easilie shewed In weighing of all the benefits of God it is méet to returne to the fountaine and head it selfe from whence all those things doo flowe Assuredlie the highest benefit of God towards mankind is Christ wherefore all other things must be reduced wholie vnto this root Wherevpon Paule vnto the Romans reasoneth after this maner If God gaue his owne sonne vnto vs Rom. 8 13. how shall he not with him giue vs all things also 27 But thou wilt saie that manie benefits are bestowed vpon the wicked who neuerthelesse haue not Christ for their head neither doo they acknowledge him I grant it but those be gifts without gift as the poet saith and make not vnto their saluation but vnto their destruction Phil. 3 7 and 8. Euen so Paule vnto the Philippians although he had manie gifts before he came vnto Christ and euen such as were not to be despised yet he saith that He accounted them for losses and doong For the wicked when they flourish in all wealth and abundance are like vnto the beasts appointed for sacrifices which being found most fat are slaine in she shambles But to the intent that these things may the better be vnderstood let vs thus conclude the reason God either angrie or well pleased bestoweth his benefits vpon men He being angrie no man Would receiue of him bicause such things should be no benefits séeing they would worke to destruction not to saluation So as it is to be wished
that the sacraments as we haue often said haue the names of those things that they signifie And other toongs also both Latine Gréeke séeme to haue imitated this forme of speaking For the Latins call that Piaculum or Piacularem hostiam which is offered to turne awaie the wrath of God The same thing the Graecians call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of making cleane and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And this is it which Paule sometimes calleth sinne a cursse This therefore is the meaning that Christ condemned sinne which was in our flesh by sinne that is by that oblation which was for sinne that is by his flesh which is now called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which after the Hebrue maner of speaking is the sacrifice for sinne But to condemne signifieth in this place to take away and to discharge those things which vse to followe them that are condemned And that we may the easilier vnderstand how Christ by his death condemned sinne we ought by faith to be assured that he hath obteined the holie spirit for vs by whom our sinnes be forgiuen by whom lusts which are the root of all sinnes be repressed in vs. In Rom. 4 verse 25. 18 But here ariseth a doubt by what means the apostle may séeme to seuer and plucke these things one from another namelie forgiuenesse of sinnes and iustification and on the other part the faith of the death from the faith of the resurrection when as it may séeme that by the saith of both parts I meane of the death and resurrection not onelie is giuen remission of sins but also iustification Augustine in his 16. booke against Fautus Faith is cheeflie carried vnto the resurrection of Christ séemeth to bring this interpretation that our faith is chéeflie directed vnto the resurrection of Christ That he died the Ethniks also grant but that he rose againe they vtterlie denie And therefore séeing faith is said to be the thing whereby we are iustified Paule would make mention of that thing wherin faith is most conuersant And for confirmation of his saieng he citeth a place out of the tenth chapter to the Romans verse 9. If with thy mouth thou confesse thy Lord Iesus Christ and beleeue in thy hart that he was raised from the dead thou shalt be saued By which words it appéereth that saluation and iustification are attributed vnto the faith of Christs resurrection But these things must not so be vnderstood as though our faith should not be directed euen vnto the death of the Lord. Indéed it is true Our faith is also carried euen to the Lords death that the Ethniks confesse that Christ hath béene slaine but they beléeue not the same to be doone for the sinnes of men but either for some fault of his owne or else by iniurie Whereas we assuredlie beléeue that he was crucified for the saluation and redemption of mankind So as our faith is exercised as well in the death of Christ as in his resurrection And that which he bringeth out of the tenth chapter to the Romans dooth make nothing against vs. In the faith of the resurrection is comprehended the faith of his death For who vnderstandeth not that in the faith of the resurrection of Christ is comprehended that faith also which we haue of his death and crosse Wherefore there remaine two other interpretations verie likelie to be true Whereof the first is that by she verie death of Christ the price of our redemption was performed But that this might be applied vnto vs there was néed of the holie Ghost by whom we might be led to beléeue Christ that it should be expedient for vs that he had risen from death that he had sent abroad his apostles to preach in all parts and that he is now with his father as an intercessor and high priest He is said to haue therefore risen againe that he might helpe vs to obteine iustification Chrysostome séemeth to like of this exposition Another exposition is that the faith of the death and of the resurrection bringeth iustification but that Paule disseuered these things to the intent he might aptlie declare the analogie and proportion betwéene them Vnto the death of Christ verie well answereth the forgiuenesse of sinnes for by reason of them death was due vnto vs. And as Christ concerning this corruptible life died so also we ought when we are iustified to die vnto sinne Againe bicause iustification séemeth herein to be declared in that we begin a new life therefore it is referred vnto the resurrection of Christ for that he then séemed to haue begoone an heauenlie and happie life Paule vseth in a maner the selfe-same forme of words when he saith With the hart we beleeue vnto righteousnesse and with the mouth we confesse vnto saluation For the faith of the hart both worketh righteousnesse and also bringeth saluation Howbeit bicause saluation and instauration are chéeflie declared in action therefore he ascribeth it to confession But whether of these expositions is the truer neither doo I contend nor yet willinglie will I now declare In Rom. 5 vers 8. 19 Rightlie therefore is it said that GOD commended his loue towards vs when he deliuered his owne sonne vnto the crosse for our sakes For there is nothing that men hold more déere and set more store by than their children Wherefore we read that wicked mothers when they would testifie to their adulterous louers their most feruent loue and faithfulnesse of their continuall companie slue their owne children bicause they sawe they had no other argument more sure to testifie their good will towards them The charitie of God shined most in the death of Christ So God when for our sakes he deliuered his sonne vnto the death and that vnto a most shamefull death gaue vnto vs a most sure token of his excéeding good will towards vs. In that he created the world for our sakes it was indéed a great signe of his good will towards vs although therein rather shined foorth his power and diuine might and wisedome For it is the part of liberall and frée harted lords to giue and bestowe manie things vpon their subiects Howbeit lords will neuer go so far as they will endanger themselues for their seruants sakes Why God shewed so great charitie towards vs. Wherefore when GOD gaue his owne sonne vnto the death for our sakes therein as Paule saith he most of all set foorth his loue towards vs which thing he therefore did to stir vs vp to loue him againe Deut. 6 5. God had commanded vs in the lawe that we should loue him with all our hart with all our soule and with all our strength And that we might the willinglier performe this he would first declare his good will towards vs that it might appéere that he loued and cared for vs more than for himselfe For he would die euen for our sakes which death yet we so little estéeme that we will
open through which when the enimies enter in destroie althings they perceiue that they lost all their labour So these men take excéeding great paines bicause there may séeme to be no vncerteintie as touching the goodnes power and clemencie of God or merit of Christ Howbeit in the meane time they appoint our will to be so subiect vnto changing as it neither can nor ought to promise vnto it selfe perseuerance no not out of the word of God and by this meanes they quite take awaie all certeintie so that this saieng of Paule Hope confoundeth not can haue no place neither dooth the certeintie which they go about to establish anie thing profit Verely if we peruse the holie scriptures we shall not onelie vnderstand that God is generallie good and mightie but also that he is euermore vnto vs good and mercifull and that therefore he will confirme our will that it shall neuer fall awaie from him For as we haue a little before mentioned He will not suffer vs to be tempted aboue that which we are able to beare 1. Co. 10 13 but togither with the temptation will make a waie foorth verse 8. And in the first chapter of the first to the Corinthians Ibidem 9. He shall confirme you blameles euen to the end against the daie of the Lord Iesus Christ for God is faithfull by whom we are called There are besides Testimonies of the scriptures promising perseuerance vnto vs. What the certeintie of hope is a great manie other testimonies in the holie scriptures which promise vnto vs both perseuerance and confirmation of our will by Christ Wherefore we saie that this certeintie of hope is a firme cleauing vnto the promises offered vnto vs and receiued by faith bicause we knowe that we shall not giue ouer but continue euen vnto the last end 46 And of so great force is this hope that as Augustine writeth vnto Dardanus Hope calleth those things which are to come as alreadie doone Ephes 2 5. and in manie other places it calleth things that are to come alreadie doone as the same Augustine verie well declareth out of manie places of saint Paule and especiallie vnto the Romans vnto the Ephesians vnto the Colossians For vnto the Ephesians we are said to be alreadie raised from the dead and to be alreadie set at the right hand of God togither with Christ in the heauenlie places Vnto the Colossians Col. 3 1. If ye haue risen togither with Christ c. And in another place Titus 3 5 Rom. 8 23. He hath saued vs by the fountaine of regeneration And vnto the Romans By hope we are made safe Wherof the certeintie of hope springeth This certeintie springeth chéefelie of a woorthie estimation which by faith we conceiue touching the constancie of God the which no vnwoorthines of ours is able to cast downe Vnto which vnwoorthines of ours drawing vs from this confidence if we haue respect we must néeds against hope beléeue in hope and haue a full confidence that we shall be saued by Christ although the same vnwoorthines repugne neuer so much against it setting before the view of our eies our father Abraham whose steps we ought by faith to cleaue vnto He as touching the promise that he should haue issue weihed not his owne age or the age of his wife which was past child bearing but had a respect vnto him onlie which made the promise and considered his might and therefore he determined most assuredlie with himselfe that that should come to passe which God had promised Euen so although we be vnwoorthie and that our fowlnesse and sinne is a let vnto vs yet let vs haue no mistrust but that by Christ we shall be made safe vnlesse we will suffer our selues to be infected with infidelitie the which Abraham did most of all abhorre Rom. 4 20. for he staggered not through vnbeléefe as the apostle saith Wherefore this vncerteintie of our aduersaries is vtterlie taken awaie from the minds of the godlie for for this cause as the apostle testifieth would God haue vs to be iustified by faith Rom. 4 16. and not by works that the promise should abide certeine and vnshaken And this is indéed to giue the glorie vnto God What is to giue glorie vnto God which thing Abraham did for he notwithstanding those woonderfull great impediments hoped vndoubtedlie that the same which God had promised should come to passe Iob also made so small account of these impediments that he said Although he kill me yet will I hope in him by which words he sheweth The godlie in affliction will not cast awaie hope that it is the propertie of the godlie that albeit they be verie seuerelie afflicted by God and may appéere to be hated of him yet doo not cast awaie their hope Wherfore let vs imitate him and if so be that our falling and vnwoorthines shall set themselues before our eies yet let vs not distrust Let vs in the meane time detest our vices and as much as lieth in vs amend them but yet through them let vs by no means be cast downe from the hope of saluation For if when the promises of God be offered we should behold our owne woorthines we should rather be mooued to desperation than to anie hope for there is no man whose mind is not laden with manie and gréeuous sinnes Besides this Rom. 5 1. Paule teacheth vs that Peace towards God is had by Christ and by the faith which is towards him There shuld be no peace if we stood in doubt of saluation which peace vndoubtedlie should either be none at all or else verie troublesome if we should continuallie doubt of his good will towards vs. Doo we not alwaies in our praiers call vpon him as our father But no sonne which followeth naturall affection doubteth of his fathers good will towards him How then doo we call him father whom we suspect to be our enimie The fathers taught the certeintie of saluation 47 There might be a great manie of such other reasons brought for the certeintie of hope But now I will in few words declare that the fathers also in their writings taught the selfe-same certeintie Chrysostome vpon that place vnto the Romans thus writeth Doo not saith he yea though thou be of small woorthines discourage thy selfe séeing thou hast so great a defense namelie the loue or fauour of the iudge And a little afterward he saith For that cause the apostle himselfe when he saith Hope confoundeth not ascribeth all the things which we haue receiued not vnto our good déeds but vnto the loue of God Ambrose also saith that Forsomuch as it is impossible that they which are déere vnto him should be deceiued he would make vs assured of the promise bicause both it is God which hath promised and hath promised vnto those whom he will haue déere vnto him Augustine in his sermon which he made vpon mondaie in
not imputed sinne By the which words we doo not onelie gather that the righteousnes by which we are said to be iustified sticketh not in our minds but is imputed of God that it is such an imputation as consisteth not of works but of the méere clemencie of God Further the apostle dooth by another propertie of good works confirme his opinion namelie The tenth reason bicause works are signes or seales of the righteousnesse alreadie obteined where he saieth of Abraham And he receiued the signe of circumcision being a seale of the righteousnes of faith which was in vncircumcision c. vers 11. Séeing therefore that good workes are signes and also seales which beare witnes of the righteousnes alreadie receiued they cannot be the causes thereof Neither haue ceremonies onelie that propertie but also euen those works which are called morall Euen verie morall works are seales of righteousnes imputed when they are pleasant and acceptable before God for they also are signes tokens of our righteousnes Wherfore Peter exhorteth vs to endeuour our selues to make our vocation sure namelie by liuing vprightlie by good works yea and the forme of the promise which God made with Abraham 2. Pet. 1 10. is dilligentlie to be weighed for therevnto is not added a condition of the lawe The eleuenth reason or of works And séeing God added none what boldnes were it in vs to presume to doo it and Paule saith For not through the lawe was the promise made vnto Abraham or to his seede Rom. 4 13. that he should be the heire of the world but through the righteousnes of faith For if those which pertaine vnto the lawe be heires then is faith made frustrate and the promise is of no force namelie because the lawe worketh anger Wherefore if we fulfill not the lawe the promise shall take no place And to beléeue that promise which shall neuer be fulfilled would be a vaine thing which vndoutedlie must néeds vtterlie be so if it be giuen vpon this condition that we should performe the lawe when as no man can perfectlie accomplish the lawe Vers 16. The twelfth reason But the apostle procéedeth further and by the iudgement of the most mercifull counsell of God decréeth after this maner Therefore is the inheritance giuen by faith and according to grace to the end the promise should be firme As if he should saie If the promise should depend vpon works our mind would continuallie wauer none might appoint anie certeintie of his owne saluation for his conscience would euermore accuse him that he had not perfourmed those works for the which the promise was made To the end therefore we should not wauer Why God would that our iustification shuld come by faith vers 18. The .13 reason God would that our iustification should consist of faith and grace that the promise might be firme The same thing also is gathered by that which is declared of Abraham howe that Contrarie to hope he beleeued in hope He is said to beléeue in hope contrarie to hope which either in him selfe or in nature séeth or féeleth no maner of thing which might persuade him to hope Euen as Abraham was an hundred yéeres of age his bodie was in a maner dead his wife an old woman and barren all which things naturallie put him from hoping and yet preuailing against them all he hoped But we if we had merites or good works whereby we might obtaine righteousnes then should we not hope contrarie to hope but in hope and according to hope Wherefore our iustification is to be appointed no otherwise than we read it was in Abraham for he is the father of vs all as it was imputed vnto him euen so shall it be imputed vnto vs. The .14 reason 12 But now let vs come to the .5 chapter There againe Paule plainlie expresseth in what case men are before they be regenerate for he saith For Christ when we were yet weake according as the time required Rom. 5 6. died for the vngodlie And straight waie But God setteth out his loue towards vs in that when we were yet sinners Christ died for vs. And he addeth vers 8. For if when we were enimies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne vers 10. much more being now reconciled shall we be saued by his life Hereby we gather that before regeneration men are weake sinners vngodlie and the enimies of God Who then can ascribe vnto such men power to obtaine righteousnesse at their pleasure when they list to doo good works Others maie beléeue it but the godlie will neuer be so persuaded This moreouer is another proofe in that he setteth foorth the cause of so great an euill when he saith Therefore vers 12. euen as by one man sinne entred into the world and by sinne death The .15 reason euen so death went ouer all men forsomuch as all men haue sinned As if he should haue said We haue béene euen from the beginning by the first man lost and condemned And least thou shouldest thinke that infants are to be excepted he saith vers 14. Yea death hath reigned from Adam euen to Moses ouer them also which haue not sinned after the similitude of the transgression of Adam The masse or lumpe of perdition comprehendeth all those that are borne from which corruption the holie scriptures teach that it is not possible for men to escape by their works and to challenge iustification vnto themselues Afterward in the .6 chapter thus speaketh our apostle vers 21. What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed For the end of them is death The .16 reason but now being deliuered from sinne and made the seruants of God ye haue your fruit to sanctification and the end euerlasting life What other thing meane these words than that all things which men doo before they beléeue in Christ deserue nothing else but ignominie shame And there is no fruit there of sanctification but it followeth regeneration it selfe And who will saie that we are iustified by those things which are full of ignominie and shame The .17 reason But now let vs heare what is said in the beginning of the .7 cap. Knowe ye not brethren for I speake to them that knowe the lawe how that the lawe hath power ouer man as long as he liueth Rom. 7 1. For the woman which is in subiection to a man is bound by the lawe to the man as long as he liueth but if the man be dead she is losed from the lawe of the man Wherefore if whilest the man liueth she couple her selfe with another man she shal be counted a wedlocke-breaker but if the man be dead she is free from the lawe of the husband so that she is no wedlock-breaker though she couple her selfe with another man Euen so ye also my brethren are dead vnto the
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
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
others And those are to be lesse estéemed who breake the lest of Gods commandements teach others to breake them Except perhaps thou wilt saie that they which breake teach others to breake the cōmandements of God To the seuenth Matth. 13 8 shal be in eternal felicitie which thing is most absurd Neither is it any difficult thing to perceiue what meneth the parable of the séed wherof a part falleth on good ground and giueth fruit thirtie fold when as of other parts there is had euen sixtie fold or an hundred fold There is none but vnderstandeth that these things belong to the state of this present life bicause Gods word fructifieth not in all the godlie after one sort To the eight Matth. 25. Neither doth the parable of the talents respect anie thing else for he that vseth Gods gifts well is made worthie to be placed ouer manie things graces are increased in him he dailie made more capable of spirituall gifts To the ninth 2. Cor. 9 6. 12 Also they cited that saieng vnto the Corinshians He that soweth sparinglie shall also reape sparinglie Which saieng also may apperteine to the receiuing of spirituall fruits in this life for they that be liberall in almes doo abound in spirituall good things and it oftentimes commeth to passe that God more abundantlie imparteth riches vnto them to the intent they may haue the more plentie whereof to be mercifull So then as touching all these things we may vnderstand that a sparing haruest shall be if we sowe sparinglie Wherefore there is nothing necessarilie prooued as touching rewards of eternall life To the tenth Matt. 20 27. And whereas the Lord said vnto the apostles He that will be greater let him become the least of all it is nothing against vs séeing it may be vnderstood as touching the church where those should be acknowledged for chéefe which doo behaue themselues lowlie But the testimonie out of the Apocalypse To the 11. Apoc. 14 4. that They which be virgins doo followe the lambe wheresoeuer he shall go and that those hundred fiftie foure thousand Ibidem 2. soong a song which might not be soong by others and those things besides which are alledged out of the same booke are obscure since it is said to be sealed vp and that it is not easilie yea rather of verie few vnderstood And it appéereth not vnto vs whether the things shewed doo belong vnto the life present or vnto the life to come We grant that they which be of the purer life be more apt to penetrate the secrets of GOD. And on the other side we are taught that where-soeuer Christ is there also shall his ministers be Wherefore it is promised not onelie vnto some but also vnto all which serue Christ that they shall followe the lambe 13 Concerning the fathers we fréelie grant To the 12. that they affirmed a difference of rewards But in this place it is onelie called into question whether this opinion may be prooued by the testimonie of the holie scriptures Further they doo not also alwaies speake with one consent Ierom in his epistles when he had commended a widowe and that he séemed to compare hir vnto a virgin saith that He liked not to put this difference betwéene the saints whereas yet he himselfe séemeth to be an earnest defender of these differences To the 13. Neither doo we make anie great account that it was said that men are made sluggish who otherwise by this diuersitie of rewards would be incouraged to liue godlie For they which be not mooued through the loue and faith of the word of God and through a hope of excellent felicitie neither also will they be easilie stirred vp to doo well in respect of these differences But if they should doo otherwise they might rather be counted hirelings than sonnes of God Neither as I said before are these things spoken by me to the intent I would vtterlie denie such a difference of rewards but this onelie I ment to saie that they cannot be prooued by the scriptures Otherwise A great difference betweene them that shall be raised from the dead among those that shall be raised from the dead we put a difference bicause the habit of the damned soules shall be one and of the blessed soules shall be another Moreouer we denie not but it may well be that when the saints consider in their mind that God by himselfe did manie acts and those verie excellent they will perhaps conceiue thereby more delight and ioie than others which cannot remember with themselues that so manie and so great acts were doon by him which neuertheles is vncerteine but is brought as a thing probable But this chéeflie I thinke to be friuolous which the School-men deuise I knowe not what as touching crownes of laurell and substantiall accidentall reward 14 The same men also reason manie things In 1. Cor. 13 vers 12. as touching the state of felicitie and they demand among other things Curious questions touching the life to come whether the knowledge which is gotten here shall so be lost as when we shall come into the heauenlie habitation there shall be no difference betwéen the learned and vnlearned This is a curious search séeing it hath small or no profit at all First it were good to come thither and it should behooue vs to be carefull of the meanes how we should atteine thither rather than with a superfluous indeuour to dispute now of the condition qualitie and forme of the blessed The holie scriptures call vs not to this indeuour and perhaps there is nothing concerning this matter determined by them But as touching the difference of the elect in the euerlasting habitation the place serueth not to dispute anie more héereof we haue spoken sufficientlie when we intreated of the conditions of them that shall rise againe But that gifts and frée graces shall at that time be abolished Whie gifts and free graces shal be then abolished it is no maruell séeing they be giuen for the aduancement of faith which then shall continue no longer Yea we haue experience at this daie when as the gospell is in a maner euerie where preached that those gifts which we spake of before are either taken awaie or else they be verie rare As touching languages whether they shal be then abolished some man perhaps will demand Shall not the saints in heauen speake Spéech to this purpose is giuen To what purpose speach is giuen that either we may communicate with others those things which we knowe or else to demand of others those things which we want But among the saints in the kingdome of God it séemeth that neither of both shal be necessarie bicause both in God and in our selues all things shall aboundantlie enough be knowen and be had But if perhaps such a familiar custome shal be granted vnto vs it is verie likelie that all shall vse one maner of language
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
of Iayes Againe the same father vppon Matthew the 26. Chapter Homilie 83. They were about to iourney frō Egypt into Palestina and therefore they did weare the habit of a traueler thou from the earth must ascend into heauen And in the 3. booke De Sacerdotio Doost thou thinke to dwell among mortal men and to stay and be in the earth And doost thou not rather thinke that thou shalt foorthwith be translated into heauen And in casting away all cogitation of the flesh doest thou not with a single heart and pure minde consider those things that be in heauē 73 Augustine vnto Boniface hath all these things after the same order and sense The time of Easter being at hand hee saith As this or the next day saue one Christ dyed and on the Sonday This day Christ rose againe Baptisme is faith and the Sacrament of the bodie of Christ is the bodie of Christ And wee sée that in all the sayings which we haue reckoned The thing absent is really spoken of the thing present Acts. 9. 4. that which is absent is really pronounced of that which is present The same Father vpon the 54. Psalme The head was in heauen and he saide Why doest thou persecute mée Wee are with him in heauen by hope he is with vs in the earth by loue And in the 119. Epistle to Ianuarius Wherefore to that persecutor whom with his voyce he slue and translating him into his bodie after a sort hath eaten he sounded frō heauen Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee Vpon Iohn the 30. Treatise and we haue it in the Title de Consecratione distinction the 2. yet the first in déede The Lord is aboue but here also is the truth of the Lord For the Lords body wherin he rose againe ought to be in one place his trueth is euerywhere spread Also vpon Iohn the 50. Treatise For according to his Maiestie according to his prouidence according to this vnspeakeable inuisible grace is fulfilled that which was spokē by him Behold I wil bee with you vntill the ende of the world Mat. 28. 20 But according to the flesh which the word tooke vpon it according to that which was borne of the Virgin according to that which was taken holde of by the Iewes which was fastened to the trée which was taken downe from the crosse which was wrapped in cloathes which was buried in the sepulchre which was made manifest in the resurrection Ye shall not alwaies haue mee with you Mat. 26. 11. Wherefore after he had béene conuersant as touching his bodilie presence fourtie daies with his Disciples they leading him foorth while they saw him but not followed him he ascended into heauen and is not here for there he sitteth at the right hand of his Father and is héere for he departed not with the presence of his Maiestie we haue Christ alwaies As touching the presence of the flesh it was rightlie saide vnto the Disciples Mat. 26. 11 Me ye shal not haue alwaies For the Church had him but a fewe daies as touching the presence of the flesh Nowe it houldeth him by faith it séeth him not with the eyes And the same Father vpon the Epistle of Iohn at the end Wherefore our Lord Iesus Christ did for this cause ascend into heauen on the fortie daie hee in this respect commended his bodie because it was to be left on the earth in his members for that he sawe that many would honor him for that he ascended into heauen and perceaued that their honoring is vnprofitable if they tread downe his members vppon the earth And that none might be deceaued nor when he should woorship the head in heauen should oppresse the séete vppon the earth he tould them where his members should be For when he was about to ascend he spake the last wordes after these wordes he spake no more vppon the earth The head being about to ascend into heauen commended his members vppon the earth and so departed Thou shalt not now finde Christ to speake vppon the earth Thou findest him to speake howbeit in heauen and out of heauen it selfe Wherefore because the members were ouertrodden vppon the earth For vnto Paul the persecuter he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me Acts. 9. 4. I ascended into heauen but I lie still vpon the earth Here I sit at the right hand of the father there I still hunger thyrst and am a straunger After what sort then commended he his bodie vpō the earth being about to ascend Acts. 1. 6. When his disciples had demaunded of him Lord if thou wilt at this time be presented when wilt thou restore the kingdome of Israel He aunswered vpon his departure It is not for you to know the time which the father hath layd vp in his owne power but ye shal receaue the power of the holy spirit comming vppon you ye shall be witnesses vnto me in Ierusalem Behold in what respect he spreadeth out his bodie behold when he wil not be trodden vppon ye shal be my witnesses in Ierusalem and ouer all Iury and Samaria and vnto the endes of the earth Behold I lie which doe ascend For I ascend because I am the head my bodie yet still lyeth In what sort dooth it lie Ouer the whole earth 74 Vnto Augustine Cyrillus dooth consent who saith vppon Iohn the 6. booke and 14. Chapter Here must we note that although he tooke from hence the presence of his bodie euen as he promised that he would be away from his disciples yet in the maiestie of his Godhead he is alwayes present Behold I am with you alwayes euen vntill the end of the world And the same father in the 9. booke vppon Iohn the 21. Chapter And Christ said that he would be with his disciples a little while not because he would vtterly depart from them for he is with vs alwayes euen vntill the end of the world but because he would not liue together with thē as he did before For the time was now at hand that he should goe euen into heauen vnto the father And the faithfull ought to beléeue that although he be absent from vs in bodie yet that we and all thinges are gouerned by his power and that he is alwaies present with all men which loue him Therfore he said Mat. 18. 20 Verilie verilie I say vnto you that wheresoeuer two or three be gathered in my name there am I in the middest of them For euen as when he was conuersant vppon the earth as man he then also filled the heauens and left not the fellowship of the Angels after the same manner now he being in the heauens filleth not the earth with his flesh and yet is with them that loue him And it must be obserued that although hee should be absent onely according to the flesh for he is alwayes present by the power of the Godhead as we haue said yet he said he would be a little while with
which are not Magistrates such be the Ministers of Churches which neuerthelesse are kéepers of the word of God and of his law but not onely as touching outward discipline The difference betwéene the office of a magistrate and a Minister Because it is the office of ministers through the word of God to pearse euē to the inwarde motions of the minde because the holy Ghost ioyneth his power both to the right preaching of his word and also to the sacraments which are ministred in the Church But the Magistrate onely exerciseth outward discipline and punishment vpon transgressors The minister in the name of God bindeth the guiltie and vnpenitent and in his name excludeth them from the kingdome of heauen as long as they shall so remaine The Magistrate punisheth with outwarde punishments and when néede requireth vseth the sword Both of them nourish the godly but diuersly The Magistrate aduaunceth them with honors riches and dignities The minister comforteth them with the promises of God with the sacraments The end of a Magistrate Wherefore the Magistrate is appointed to the end that the lawes should be diligently kept the guiltie punished and the good holpen and fostered And certainely the lawe is a dumb Magistrate and againe the Magistrate is a liuing and speaking law Rom. 13. 3. and is also the Minister of God as Paul saieth to their praise which doe well and on the otherside he beareth the sworde against the wicked as a iudge and reuenger of God Looke In 1. Sam. 8. 6. Neither tend these things to any other ende than to the safetie of men 2 Howbeit the forme of Magistrates is not of one sort but manifolde as Monarchia The forme of a Magistrate is manifold the gouernment of one Aristocrasia the rule of many good men and Politia politike gouernment Or else Tyrannis where one rules for his owne commoditie Oligarchia where a fewe be in authoritie and Democratia when the people beare the sway The descriptions and natures of which formes Plato Aristotle and other Philosophers haue elegantly described Of all these manners of gouernment the best is to be desired And all men to whom it pertaineth ought to prouide that a good or tollerable estate degenerate not into an euill one But if it happen at any time that Tyrantes or wicked princes obtaine the gouernance that must bee suffered as much as the worde of God giueth leaue The Iewes were by violence oppressed of the Babylonians Ier. 27. 11. 29. 7. An example of the Iewes for obeying of the Magistrate whom neuerthelesse GOD admonished that they should obey to pray for the King although he were a Tyrant and possessed the kingdom of the Hebrewes most wrongfully Caesar also helde Iewrie by Tyrannie and yet Christ said Giue that which is Caesars vnto Caesar Mat. 22. 21. and the things that are of God vnto God The Apostles also haue taught that we must obey princes and pray for them Rom. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Nero was a most shamefull beast to whom notwithstanding the Apostle in his Epistle to the Romans sheweth that obedience ought to be giuen Rom. 13. 5. not onely for feare but also for conscience sake Phocas attained to the Empire of Rome by euill practizes and most cruelly slew Mauritius his prince and also his children whom neuerthelesse the Romans acknowledged for their Emperour and Gregorie the first read vnto the people his commandements and writings But and if thou shalt demaunde what forme of a publike weale the Iewes had it may easily be knowen At the beginning they had Aristocrasia where the best sort ruled For God approoued the counsell of Iethro Exo. 18. 14 which was that there should be chosen out wise men and couragious and such as feared God which shoulde gouerne the publike weale as it is written in Exodus and Deuteronomie Deut 1. 9. Numb 11. 16. Yea and God himselfe with his spirit did so inspire these 70. men whom he had commaunded to bée chosen as helpers of Moses in the gouernment as they also prophesied On this wise were the Israelites gouerned although afterward they were ruled by a king That Princes are called pastors 3 But this must not be omitted that princes in the holy scriptures are not onely called Deacons or Ministers of God but also Pastors Ezech. 34. Of whom Ezechiel complaineth for manie causes for that they cruellie and peruerslie fed the people of God Homer Homer also calleth his Agamemnō the pastor of the people For they ought not to beare rule as théeues or hirelinges to fléece and to oppresse but to kéepe nourish and féede lyke Pastors They are also called Fathers Magistrates are called Fathers wherefore the Senators among the Romans were called Patres conscripti that is appointed Fathers Neither was there a greater or more auncient honour in the Commonweale than to be called The father of the Countrie Yea also a Magistrate by the lawe of God is cōprehended vnder this commaundemēt Honour thy father and thy mother Exo. 20. 12 Princes then owe vnto their subiectes a fatherly loue and they ought alwayes to remember that they are not rulers ouer beastes but ouer men and that themselues also are men who yet should be farre better and more excellent than those whome they gouerne otherwise they are not fit to gouerne them For we make not a shéepe the chiefe ruler ouer shéepe but the Belwether and then the shepheard And euen as a shepheard excelleth the shéepe so ought they to whome the office of a Magistrate is committed to excell the people Nowe must wée consider by whome Magistrates are ordained That is sometime doone by the consent of the Senate By whom Magistrates are appointed sometime by the voyces of the people or by the will of the souldiers or else by succession of inheritance Howbeit these are but instrumentes God is the first appointer of Magistrates But the proper cause of Magistrates is God himselfe which may be prooued by manie reasons First there is by God kindled a certaine light in the hearts of men whereby they vnderstand that they cannot liue together without a guide and from thence sprung the office of a Magistrate Deu. 17. 12 The lawe of God also commaundeth to obay Magistrates And before the lawe giuen by Moses as it is written in Genesis Gen. 9. 6. God ordayned that he which sheddeth mans bloud his bloud also should be shed not rashlie in déede or by euery man for that were verie absurd We may then gather by those wordes that a Magistrate was plainelie instituted by God that he should punish manquellers Paul also writeth that Rom. 13. 1. all powers whatsoeuer they be are ordained of God And Christ aunswered vnto Pilate Ioh. 19. 11. Thou shouldest haue no power against me except it had bin giuen thee from aboue By these testimonies and reasons it is prooued that
Great numbers of thine Ancestors that liued long agoe To what purpose these arguments are vsed It is a ridiculous thing for a man to boast that he can recken vp seuen great grandfathers These reasons some vse to extenuate the nobilitie of bloude Neither are these things spoken amisse or yet without profit especiallie against them which onelie for the vertue of their ancestors will be counted noble whereas otherwise they themselues liue dishonestlie vilelie and obscurelie And if any man haue together with vertue obtained nobilitie of bloud Nobilitie of kindred ioyned with vertue to profitable doubtles he hath great commoditie by it syth nobilitie is not a thing altogether outward as it was obiected For the properties and markes and motions of the Ancestors are I knowe not howe transferred to the posteritie which although that in the next children or childrens children doe not oftentimes shewe foorth or appeare yet are they still kept by a certaine power and reuiue againe in other of the posteritie so as in them the spirites and courages of their ancestors are renued vnto vertue Wherefore séeing such sparkes are still reserued in vs they are not wholie to be accounted among outward good things Neither agréeth that comparison of the Mule which they saie is procreated of a horse for that in the Mule the generation is stayed Neither can the Mule if we cōsider the common course of nature liue long But they which are begotten of noble parentes although they thēselues degenerate yet may they afterwarde bring foorth others And to staie euen in that similitude It no small deale adorneth the Mule that he is begotten of the horse séeing for the same cause they are more commendable than Asses But Iuuenall Cicero and Iphicrates spake of those noble men which when as they themselues had no part at all of their fathers or predecessors vertue and good disposition woulde notwithstanding be had in estimation for this cause onely that they came of a noble bloud He which being but of obscure parentage hath made himselfe honorable by vertues is of farre more excellencie than are they which comming of great nobilitie doe with vices and wicked actes and with Idlenesse cowardice dishonour both them selues and their stocke God vnto the posterity of Saincts graunted many things Rom. 9. 4. Exod. 20. 6. Gen. 49. 10 Num. 1. 47 3. 1. c. And how much God attributed vnto the posteritie of the godlie it is manifest not onelie by a place in the 9. Chapter to the Romanes but also by that place in Exodus where God promised that he would doe good euen to a thousand generations of the iust but euen héereby also in that he decréed that the Priestes and Kings should be chosen out of a certaine stocke This prerogatiue the Ethnickes contemned not For he which praiseth Alcibiades which some thinke was Euripides when he was crowned in the games of Olimpus saith that he which shall be happie must come of a noble Citie To which purpose I might cite a great manie of other things Whether the Gentiles be more abiect than the Iewes 1. Cor. 1. 26 if néede should so require But what shall we say of our estate Are we more abiect than the Iewes Or may we in comparison of them séeme to be without nobilitie séeing Paul thus writeth Consider your calling brethren Not many noble men not manie wise men are called I aunswere that there is no cause why we should therefore be sorie for our estate For although if we consider the stocke it self from whence we were cut off and which we cannot denie but was a wild Oliue trée we be obscure and without nobilitie To them that be graffed into Christ is cōmunicated all the nobilitie of Christ Ephe. 5. 30 yet after we are once grafted in Christ all his nobilitie is most trulie communicated vnto vs For we are now not onelie members of him but also flesh of his flesh bone of his bones so as now all his fathers are made our fathers Which things although they haue not happened vnto vs by naturall generation yet vnto a godlie man it ought to bée sufficient that they were afterward giuen vnto vs. Of Seruitude or bondage 5 The first mention of Seruitude or bondage in the holy scriptures is in the 9. In Gen. 9. 5 Looke In 1. Sam. 4. 9 of Genesis And it shall not be vnprofitable if we speake somewhat thereof The name From whence came the name of Seruitude if we weigh the Latine Etymologie was deriued of Seruando that is kéeping because those whome the vanquishers had not slaine in war they kept to themselues to the intent they might vse their labour Mancipia are goods cattel bondmen or captiues Thereof were they called Seruants as saith Florentinus the Lawyer in the fourth booke of the Institutes By the same reason had Mancipia their name because they were taken with the hand from enemies as we haue it in the first of the Pandectes of Iustinian Plinie in his 7. The originall of seruitude booke the 56. Chapter attributed the inuention hereof to the Lacedemonians But our writinges which be more auncient doe make vs beléeue that he is deceaued The cause of bondage is sinne The cause of seruitude For warre denounced and made if it be iust it is doone for the repressing of sinnes but if it be vniust as touching their part which make it yet by the dispensation of God it is iust who prepareth thereby to punish those which he hath knowen woorthie to be chastised This did Daniel and other Prophetes most manifestlie declare Dan. 9. 5. when they accounted their owne iniquities and the iniquities of their forefathers to be the cause of victorie vnto the enemies against the people of God Truely bondage is therefore a punishment Seruitude is a thing against mans nature because it is against the nature and condition of man God ordained man not that he should serue but that he should haue dominion Wherefore the good fathers in old time did not exercise dominion ouer men they were Pastors of the flocke and they ruled men onelie with loue and Counsels And séeing Man is made to the Image of God Gen. 1. 27. and that it is the propertie of God to commaund not to execute thinges commaunded it is prooued that men also are not of nature to serue Howbeit bondage must not be reiected by this Argument Bondage must not be reiected and why séeing it is inuented as a bridle of iniquitie and a medicine vnto mans naughtinesse For thou maiest finde manie thinges which haue had their beginninges of a naughtie cause which must not be altogether reiected but retained Hereuppon the Apostles Peter and Paul verie oftentimes in their Epistles Ephe. 6. 5. Col. 3. 21. put vs in remembrance that subiectes and seruantes should be duetifull towardes their Lordes and that they should not presume to shake off the
as setting all other things aside we put our trust in him alone and contemning those things which we sée doo hope for of him those things which we sée not c. These things agrée with those which be written by the same apostle in the same epistle the second chapter verse 1. that When we were dead in our sinnes God quickened vs togither in Christ Wherefore euen as a dead man is able to doo nothing towards his owne raising vp or resurrection so we also doo not rise againe although the words of God call vnto vs alowd vnlesse the spirit and life be first restored vnto vs then doo we mooue and stir vp to well dooing And in the first epistle to the Corinthians it is written 1. Cor. 4 7. For who separateth thee And what hast thou that thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued whie doost thou glorie as though thou haddest not receiued If we should appoint that frée will can receiue the promises offered and can consent to the saiengs of God propounded the answer will be easie for anie man to saie He hath seuerallie appointed vnto me my frée will aboue others bicause I would they would not I haue consented they haue refused wherefore the difference would appeare to be of vs. And when Paule saith Thou hast nothing that thou hast not receiued he meaneth not that of creation but of faith of christianitie and regeneration For he dealt with the Corinthians themselues who professed christianitie 10 Further Iere. 17 14. Psal 80. 7. séeing this healing of the mind dependeth of God we rightlie praie Heale me Lord and I shal be whole And in the Psalmes Turne vs ô God of strength Which thing when God dooth he taketh the veile from our hearts whereby we were let that we could not be méet for heauenlie things And the naile of obstinacie and stubbornesse is driuen out Iohn 6 44. by the naile of the word of God for Christ said No man commeth vnto me except my father shall drawe him Whereof Augustine speaking in his 26. treatise vpon Iohn saith Feare not as though thou shouldest be drawne against thy will the mind is drawne and is drawne with loue neither shalt thou saie How doo I beléeue willinglie if I be drawne Thou art not onelie drawne by will but also by pleasure for as the Poet said Euerie mans owne pleasure draweth him And he addeth similitudes A similitude Thou shewest to a little shéepe a gréene bough thou drawest him Thou shewest nuts to a child and thou drawest him We are not drawne by the hurt of the bodie but by the cord of the hart Further making this drawing more plaine he saith I while I speake vnto you what doo I I bring in a noise into your eares vnlesse there be one within to reueale what speake I What saie I I am he that trimmeth the trée without the Creator is within 2. Cor. 2 7. But he that planteth and he that watereth is nothing it is he himselfe that giueth the increase and maketh all men apt to learne All which men Iohn 6 45. They which haue heard and learned of the father they doo come vnto Christ He intreating of the verie same matter against two epistles of the Pelagians the 19. chapter writeth Who is drawne if he was alreadie willing And yet no man commeth except he be willing Wherefore he is by maruelous meanes drawne to be willing by him which knoweth how to worke inwardlie euen in the verie hearts of men not that men should beléeue against their wils which is vnpossible to be doone but that of vnwilling they should be made willing I knowe that some be of the mind that all men are drawne of God and that some come not bicause they will not not bicause they are not drawne Howbeit this exposition agréeth not with the discourse of the Gospell for some contemned the words of Christ murmured and went their waies But the twelue cleaued vnto Christ who séemeth to giue the reason of this difference namelie that none should come vnto him vnlesse the father shall drawe him Of this sentence it may be prooued They depart and come not vnto Christ Therefore they are not drawne The apostles cleaue vnto Christ and followe him Therefore they be drawne So then these be drawne and those be not drawne And the cause why one is drawne and an other is not drawne iudge not thou said Augustine if thou wilt not erre More might yet be said of this drawing but I surcease I come vnto Paule and to the prophet Esaie Esai 45 69. Rom 9 20. who in such sort compare vs with God as he is the potter but we the claie Which must not onelie be vnderstood of our creation but also of our forming anew for so Paule vnto the Romans vseth the same similitude And it must be diligentlie considered that a potter dooth not onelie forme and fashion the claie but dooth also soften renew and temper it the which thing belongeth vnto that change whereof we now speake Rom. 9 16. It is also said vnto the Romans It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in GOD that sheweth mercie In which words Paule testifieth that our saluation is wholie of him and that we ought not to contend with him as touching the bounds as to saie This is mine and this is his but we must sincerelie and truelie confesse that all our saluation how much so euer it be is of God And this did Oecolampadius a singular man in godlinesse and learning note in 26 Oecolampadius chapter of Esaie the 156. leafe But we must not thus imagine that God prospereth the businesse and yet dooth nothing for euen this dooth he a little after prooue to be false yéelding vnto God all our works Neither doo we giue onelie false titles vnto him as some flatterers doo vnto kings bicause through the authoritie of kings manie thousands are slaine in battell when as they themselues neuerthelesse are occupied in the meane time in games and huntings Augustine in his treatise De bone perseuerantiae the second chapter saith that We liue well when we attribute all vnto God And Cyprian as he is alledged by Augustine said that Of vs there is nothing and that therefore we may not glorie This he spake not alonelie for christian modestie sake but bicause of the truth for that so the thing is And if the exposition were true which some men make of those words It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that hath mercie that it is therefore so said bicause our will and strength are not sufficient vnlesse the mercie of GOD be present the sentence might be inuerted so that we might saie that it is not in God that hath mercie but in man that willeth Because according to the iudgement of these men the mercie of God is not sufficient vnlesse that we also be
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
thinke that I will euer for this diuersitie of opinion which is not great either loue or honour you any thing lesse than I did before c. To a verie honourable Prince in England 43. FOr manie and great causes am I verie much bounde vnto your highnesse most noble Prince For I being but a poore silie man and of lowe degrée whom you saw scarcelie once in England you heare such affection towardes mee as you haue with singular courtesie and good will intertained Iulius which dealeth in my affaires and haue shewed him not small but verie great fauour in the perfourming of his businesse for the which cause I giue your Honour excéeding great thankes and besides this for that you haue sent letters vnto me letters doe I say yea rather praises and commendations both of my learning and vertues which although I doe not acknowledge to be in me yet could I not but reioice in your iudgement because I vnderstoode it to bee a most certaine testimonie of your loue and good will towardes me Neither doe I thinke my selfe to be loued of you for any other cause than for godlines and religions sake I will not rehearse the singular desire that you shewe to haue mée returne againe into England Peter Martyr called againe into England which you also affirme that the godlie and learned men doe desire together with you But how great a fauour is that that you haue put the Quéenes Maiestie in minde that there must be some consideration had of my calling and haue put mee in her Maiesties fauour Finally you haue promised to doe mee all the pleasures and commodities you can and you haue declared the causes and those verie singular of this your affection namely the loue of your Countrie and the excéeding care of setting forward the worde of God Such a Prince who can but loue Vndoubtedly if I should euer be forgetfull of this so great a good will and of so many benefites I shoulde not onely be voide of godlinesse but of humanitie Wherefore I will indeuour and that by all meanes I can that they may neuer slip out of my minde But nowe as touching my returne into England and if I am not able to answere that which I would earnestly desire I beséeche your honour that you will of your courtesie take in good part the answere which I write vnto you First I would not haue you to thinke that I desire any thing more earnestly than the sound saluation of England in the Lorde Wherefore I haue desired now also no lesse than in times past to further the commodities and building thereof and to doe that which might be as well acceptable as profitable to your kingdome and Church But at this day it standeth thus with mee that I am appointed to the Citie and Church of Tigure and therefore I am not at my owne libertie Wherefore as touching this matter I sought the iudgement and good will both of the Magistrate and of the Ministers And certainlie I founde in them a singular indeuour and readie minde to satisfie your desire For thinke not that any thing is more acceptable and deare vnto them than the trueth of the Gospell to be most largely spread But on the other side they no lesse prudently than louingly consider of the constitution of my bodie my state and age and they are somewhat afraide least I being loaden and as it were broken with age cannot abide the trauell of iourney which is somewhat long variable not euerie where easie They sée moreouer that in diuers places are like to come no small daungers Further they consider that I am called abroade to much more painefull labours than I doe here abide For which cause they easilie coniecture that I shall bee able to serue neither them nor you So as they iudge it much better that I should here tarie that by teaching writing and publishing that which I haue commented I maie to my power be a helpe vnto them to you and to others But in these two kindes of answere the first part séemes to haue a likenesse of trueth For I my selfe also doe feare that I should not be able to endure iourneies and labours But in the other I doubt that they themselues be deceiued which thinke that I by tarying and resting here can profite so manie for they make more account of my workes than they deserue Verilie for my part vnto whom the slendernesse nakednesse and simplenesse of my learning is knowen agrée vnto them to tarie for the first cause onelie For I am easilie perswaded to beléeue that by iourneying and labours I shall soone bee weakened and cast downe so as I shall bee made altogether vnprofitable Wherefore I first of all beséeche your honor secondly those godlie learned men that they will accept of my good will where they cannot because of my weaknes obtaine the thing it selfe which they wish to be doone For necessitie is a harde weapon against which to striue séemes to bee no other thing than to tempt God But this in the meane time I woulde haue you right honourable to remember that wheresoeuer I shall bee in the worlde I will alwaies thinke my selfe most bounde vnto you And on the other side I desire you that you will not onelie retaine the loue of your Countrie and the care of furthering religion but that you will indeuour euery day more and more to increase the same in your Christian heart whereby the Feathers sometime cut off from the Gospell of the sonne of God maie growe againe and so growe as it may with a fruitfull course goe through all your prouinces Cities and townes Assuredly if you shall perpetually as you haue begun be inflamed with this double care both almightie god will like of you and all discrete and godly men will honour you as a good Citizen and a profitable Prince God through Christ maintaine you long in health and felicitie Giuen at Zuricke the 22. of Iulie 1561. To Maister Iewel Bishoppe of Salisburie 44. BY the Bishoppe of London his indeuour most worthie Prelate and my verie good Lorde An Apologie of the Church of England was brought a copie of your Apologie for the Church of Englande the which had not béene séene before either of me or of our companie Doubtlesse in your last letters you rather gaue an ynkling that it shoulde come foorth than plainelie signified the same Howbeit so great was the iournei hither as it came not vnto vs before the Calendes of Iulie Hereby you may weigh in your minde howe great a losse wee often times sustaine by the distance of places Verilie the same hath not onelie satisfied by all meanes and respectes me who allowe and maruellous well like of all your doinges but it also appeared vnto Bullinger and his sonnes and sonnes in Lawe and vnto Gualter and Wolphius so wise maruellous and eloquent as they neuer cease praysing of the same neither doe they thinke that anie thing in
thankes for your so gentle and louing intertayning of Iulius Truelie hee declareth manie thinges of your coutesie which in verie déede are not onelie beléeued of mee but those thinges which of your goodnesse you haue doone vnto him I make account of them to be done vnto my selfe And I beséech God that he wil long preserue you in health amongst vs. Fare well right reuerende Prelate I beséech you loue mee still as you do My Wife heartilie saluteth you and both of vs together sende you louing salutations From Tigure the 23. daie of August 1561. To Maister Iohn Caluin 50. ALbeit right excellent man Our Beza will in his owne person shewe you all things which are here doone with vs in that matter for the which he came yet did I thinke good not to let him passe from hence without my letters whereby I might partlie salute you and parlie also signifie of howe ready and willing a minde I am to obaie the desires of the Frenchchurches Trulie I will neuer refuse anie labours nor anie perils in so notable a cause God which is the fountayne original of all good things vouchsafe to prosper our enterprise In the meane time assure you your selfe of me in all thinges which are in my power to do Fare well my good friende God long preserue you in safetie and blesse your godlie labours From Zuricke the 13. of Iulie 1561. I pray you salute my Lorde Marques To Maister Iohn Caluin 51. THe Kinges Ambassadour a very noble man hath found the meanes that the French Kinges safeconducte is brought hither which whē I had read I iudged it to be strong sufficient enough Bullinger shewed the same to both the Consuls who aunswered that they thought the matter was nowe delt in good earnest but they thinke not that as yet anie thing is to be determined of the iourney vntil of this matter somwhat be written out of France which also I perceiued to be your iudgement by those things which you wrote vnto me But as touching me I continue in the same minde and will which I protested here to our louing brother Beza and which I signified vnto you by my last letters I chaunge not my mind but I promise that in this matter I will by the grace of God doe whatsoeuer lieth in mee and I will protract no time so soone as euer I shall be dismissed I giue you most heartie thankes for the bookes I haue not yet read them because of my businesse Howbeit I doubt not but that they smell of the store-house of your goodnesse and learning The letters which you verie prouidentlie wrote vnto the king both we haue reade and doe also verie well like of them And doubt you not but we will take great héede that neither they be spread abroad nor yet that they goe farre from me Bullinger and the other fellowe ministers salute you God long preserue you my good friende in health and richlie blesse your labours From Zuricke the 13. of August 1561. To Henrie Bullinger 52. SInce the letters which I sent from Newburge the 30. Peter Martyrs iourney into Fraunce day of August I coulde not hitherto write any thing partly because I was in continuall iourney and partly because there was no store of cariers But nowe when I was come to Paris whole and safe together with my companie the 9. day of September I thought nothing better than to finde meanes that you might vnderstande of these things First that the verie same day wherein wee departed from Newburge about noone we came to the Ambassador who intertained mée with so great courtesie fauour and loue as nothing coulde bee more and all the whole iourney had no lesse care of mée than if I had bin his brother or sonne and when my horse was pricked in the foote with a naile so as he became lame he gaue mée a strong and lustie ambling horse of his owne which I vsed commodiouslie till I came hither What will you say He omitted no partes which can bee looked for of a most friendly man Wherefore I thinke my selfe verie much bounde vnto him and especiallie because I perceiued that he greatly fauoureth you and our Common weale and verie much loueth the Church We seldome departed from the table during all the iourney but that there was honourable and louing mention made of you This morning wee are one seuered from another for a while For he withdrewe himselfe to his owne house out of the towne To morowe or the day following he wil méete with mée at the Court which is at S. Germans As for mée I entered into the Citie bountifully louingly and friendly intertained by the kings Treasurer in his owne house For among other faithfull men he is an earnest fauourer of the Gospell Our friend Pradella went before and certifyed the Princes in the Court of my comming who he saieth are verie glad thereof I meane the Quéene Mother the king of Nauarre the Prince of Condie and the Admirall They did all salute mee verie friendly by him and I am appointed by them that I shoulde rest at Paris all this after noone vntill night To morowe at seuen of the clocke in the morning I shall goe to the Court whither that I might bee caried the more easilie the Prince of Condie hath sent mée his Mulet which goeth very easilie He sent also vnto mee to welcome mée both his Phisitian and his Secretarie This day they haue begun the conference and they say that we must first dispute of the Authoritie of the worde of God Beza conferred once with the Cardinall of Loraine who although he be stoutely against our opinion yet did he by expresse wordes forsake Transubstantiation The conference must be had in the Frenche tongue because both the King and the Quéene and the Princes will be present and heare it Wherefore I shall not speake among them but shall counsell assist and suggest such things so my associates as shall bee thought good I shall deale as they say with the Quéene who is saide to perswade her selfe of manie thinges touching mée The plague beginneth to bee somewhat busie in the Citie but the rumor of the euill is greater than is the hurt The Cardinall of Ferrara is not yet entered into the Citie All the faithfull request of the King that they may haue frée licence graunted them to méete at their holy assemblies This as yet they haue not obtained which nowe they hope they shall obtaine albeit that in diuers partes of the kingdome they haue Churches alreadie These things haue I written to daie To morowe I will tell you more and more certaine newes when I shall haue bin at the Court. The next day after I came to the Court namely vnto S. Germans where of our brethren the Coloquutors I was very friendlie and brotherlie receiued The conference of Poyssi The conference is had at Poyssi which place is from hence a litle Frenche mile where the Bishops also doe
For you accounted him insteede of a father and he in like manner most willingly confessed you to bee vnto him in age a sonne and in dignitie a father Nowe sith that by domesticall familiaritie and continuall acquaintance you haue had full triall of his wit learning godlinesse modestie humanitie and sweete conuersation and haue also hearde of him manie thinges concerning his life for he vsed somtimes to recken vp to his friendes request those thinges which had happened to him both in Italie and else where to their great delight shall iudge best of all other of the trueth of this Historie And vnlesse I be deceiued you will rather iudge that manie thinges which belonged to his praises are either omitted of mee or else not sufficientlie expressed according to the worthinesse thereof than to affirme that I haue cōmended him aboue his desert And perhaps also those of Martyrs friendes among you will iudge no lesse diuers noble and gentle men and also reuerende Bishoppes and manie other worthie men which sometime knewe Martyr loued him wel if so be that anie of them will vouchsafe to reade this Oration of ours which I doubt not but many will in whose mindes the memorie of Martyr though hee be deade is deepelie imprinted and firmely fastened But the iudgements of these men I dare not withstand but rather I confesse a fault before iudgement and I desire pardon partlie because I thinke that I do iustly deserue pardon if I alone not being sufficiently indued with the power of wit and eloquence and therewithall let with sorrow and heauinesse coulde not in speach comprehend all the praises of that man whose vertues alone manie ages before haue not had the like comparable vnto his and partly because I thinke that not onelie the successe but also my purpose and will of taking the worke in hande ought to be regarded For I meant for this cause speciallie to publish those things which I had learned of my friends and gathered by some reasonable studie to the intent that notable and eloquent men fauouring and louing Martyr as I know many both Italians and English men and also Germans and French men did stirred vp by my example might easilie performe that which I for manie causes could not doe namelie to celebrate the praises of Martyr by an excellent eloquent and well furnished Oration And this office vndoubtedly now that Martyr is deade manie Godly men wish it had beene performed of you which knewe both what you are able to doe in eloquence and are also full assured how greatly you loued Martyr And they thinke that such kinde of Orations are not repugnant to your office and dignitie since that with such kind of funerall Orations both Nazianzene honoured Basil and Athanasius and Ambrose Valentinian and Theodosius his brother Satyrus and other Bishops other excellent men And that they doe not require this of you right reuerend Father they are mooued by this reason namelie that they thinke there wants not in you anie good will but leasure and time For how great labours you indure in inlarging the kingdome of Christ and with how great studie and diligence you execute the office of a Bishop we also are not ignorant though wee be farre distant from you But in the meane time if by this my Oration I may prouoke you to describe the prayses and life of Martyr euen as cunning musitians are oftentimes prouoked by the rude playing of others that as it were of a certaine indignation they which before would not doe afterward plaie most excellentlie I shall receiue sufficient fruit of my labour but if you lacke time and to others willingnesse to doe it yet at the leastwise I wish that this my Oration may be extant not for a memorie of him which he by his owne writings and labours hath procured to himselfe to be eternall but that they which are mindfull of his name may yet at the leastwise haue this hystorie such as it is of his life wherein they may see both the beginnings and proceedings of his studies and from thence fetch examples both of manifolde and rare vertues Nowe I craue of you right reuerende Father that you will take in good part this token of my dutifull goodwill towards you and in the considering of this Oration not to haue so much respect to me as to Martyr himselfe whom the whole hystorie doth concerne Indeede your loue towards me required that I should giue some greater and more notable testimonie of my obseruation towards you but since my habilitie serueth not therefore I beseech you rather haue respect to my good will and continue your accustomed loue and good liking of me Fare you well right reuerend Father Dated at Zurick the principall Citie of Swicherland the 4. Calendi of Ianuarie 1562. ⧠AN ORATION OF the life and death of that worthie man and excellent Diuine D. Peter Martyr Vermillius professor of Diuinitie in the Schoole of Zuricke O That it had seemed good vnto God right honorable Fathers and welbeloued Auditorie that out of this place we might often a long time yet haue heard speake that excellent man and most graue Diuine our generall teacher Peter Martyr But for so much as God the Father who gouerneth all things most excellently hath thought good to take him awaie from vs being vnwoorthie perhaps of the presence of such a man and to call him into the euerlasting kingdome seeing now we cannot heare him as we desire to doe yet I at the leastwise will speake vnto you that which the present time and consideration of mine office doeth require Notwithstanding I am not ignoraunt that my speech cannot be equiualent to the vertues of Peter Martyr whereby he so excelled all others as they can verie hardlie be celebrated according to their woorthinesse euen by the best Oratour of the world But in mee there is scarce a meane wit welneere no exercise of speaking but so great a sorrowe as it may diminish the wit euen of an excellent Orator For I lament deare Auditorie for my owne sake I lament for his sake and I lament for the schooles sake and for all your sakes which haue loued and honored Martyr For mine owne sake because truelie I haue lost a fellowe in office but in verie deede a most faithfull Maister in age and loue a most deare father who loued mee entirely and that euen at such time as I least of all thought it For his owne sake not so much for that he is dead for he hath alwayes this long time wisht to bee loosed and to be with Christ and who will denie but that it happened well to him that he is deliuered from diseases from labours from cares and sorowes which he did infinitelie take for the calamities of the godly and dispoyling of the Church and that he heareth not seeth not and knoweth not of the sacking of Cities or of the bloudie battels captiuities and slaughters of good men all which