the mercy of God and it would not be grieuous vnto me to be tormented in the pit of Hell many Millions of yeares so that I might haue any hope of deliuerance Whereupon Doctor Gribaldus said Oh Francis I am not desperate of thy deliuerance Happily it pleaseth God to make thee feele his wrath in this life and in the life to come to shew thee his mercy Hee answered I doe certainly know that I am a Reprobate Gribaldus asked him whither he would kill himselfe if a knife were deliuered vnto him seeing he desired so earnestly to die he said lend me one and you shall see what I will doe Notso said Gribaldus but declare thy minde wholy vnto vs He answered I know not the reason of my will or minde Vergerius the Bishop spent much labour in vaine to comfort him and could hardly draw him to call vpon God in the Lords prayer wherein though at length he assented vnto him yet it was not done with the like earnest zeale as before but he confessed that his minde was so alienated from God that he could not call him Father Hee entreated all that were present that they would no longer spend their labour in vaine in comforting him for that all hope of obtayning Faith and Mercy at Gods hands was cut off So that it was more likely that a Craine of Mustardseed should fill vp the whole world then that God should giue him Faith and Grace As hee was carried into a Horselitter to be transported to Citadell casting about his eyes in a furious manner by chance he espied a knife whereon he laid hold and had slaine himselfe therewith had not two of his Sonnes who were about him wrested it perforce out of his hands Soone after he died at Citadella This is the fearefull History of Francis Spiera which I present to the consideration of all such who thinke it a small matter to dally with Religion I doe not say that hee was damned neither doe I say that he was saued howsoeuer hee standeth or hath fallen to his Rom. 14. owne Master I will not presume to iudge another mans seruant But I will take heede to my selfe and aduise all my brethren to the same least that while wee thinke that wee stand we should fall Let vs not be high minded but feare 1. Cor. 11. Rom. 11. If he perished through vnbeliefe was hee broken off Tu autem fide sta Stand thou fast by faith if thou doest stand fast it is Gods mercy not thy merit for thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee Lastly I will conclude with a consolation to all such tender consciences who are rapt into despaire by giuing ouermuch eare to the Soule slaughtering Doctrine of the austere Nouatians and furious brainsicke Anabaptists of our time Who would perswade that Repentance is not auaileable to those who fall into any notorious Sinne after Baptisme Aepin Sup. Psal 9. and hearty conuersion vnto GOD as if hee would by no meanes pardon the Repentant Soule when as the Scriptures confirme in Doctrine and examples the contrary As is manifest in Dauid notwithstanding his Adulterie 1. Sam. 12. Math. 9. Luk. 19. Gal. 1. Math. 26. 2. Chron. 33. and Murther in Mathew and Zacheus though Vsurers and Extortioners In St. Paul though he persecuted the Church In St. Peter though he denied Christ with Imprecations and Oathes and aboue all in Manasses though he fell away from God and followed all the abominations of the Heathen and vsed Witchcraft and Charming and Sorcerie and familiar Spirits and Southsayers Yet when hee humbled himselfe and prayed vnto the Lord The Lord was entreated by him and heard his prayer and forgaue him his sinne Heare the Lord himselfe As I liue saith hee I desire not the death of the wicked but that hee turne from his way Ezech. 33. and liue If thy Sinne be Great his Mercie and Goodnesse is Greater If thy Sinnes be Many according to the Multitude of Psal 51. his mercies he will doe away thine affences Were thy Sin more weighty thē the heauē thē the earth then the Sea hee who created these can peize thy Sinne and Rom. 5. where Sin hath abounded cause grace much more to abound Though thou fall backe neuer so often through infirmity yet he is Almighty and both can will raise thee vp againe if thou put thy trust in him For who so putteth his trust in the Lord mercy embraceth him on euery side Psal 31. Excellently spake Chrysostome against the Nouatians Apud Chytr Sup cap. 2. Apccalyps 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Though thou fall backe neuer so often through Infirmity yet vpon hearty Repentance thou shalt be receiued and no lesse comfortably St. Augustine Toties apparet opus Dei Ibid. miserentis quoties fit confessio poenitentis God doth as often take compassion as the penitent Sinner maketh his confession Magnitudinem morbi vides Medici potentiam non vides If thou art terrified by the greatnesse of thy Sinne yet August Sup. Psal 55. be comforted by the power of the Physitian When thou art in greatest despaire Grata superueriet quae Psal 68. non sperabitur hora God will come vnto thee in an houre when thou lookest not for him hee will bring thee from the deepe of the Sea Hee calleth as well in the last houre as in the first I will iudge no man I will despaire of no man I will pray for all men while Gods patience in this life leadeth them to repentance A man saith Augustine may be a Pagan to day an vnbeleeuing Iew to day an Haereticke to day a Schismaticke to day Quid si cras amplectatur Catholicam fidem c. What if the next day hee doth embrace the Catholick faith Aug. apud Lumb 1. Sent. dist 43. and follow the Catholicke truth What if so be those whom thou doest see tainted with any kinde of Error and doest condemne them as most desperate fellowes should repent before they end this life and finde true rest and life in the world to come Iudge no man before the time therefore I know not why any man should despaire seeing God is louing true and powerfull but that we may be confident in him with the holy Father because of the Truth of his promise Bernard the loue of his Adoption and the Ability of his performance Pater eligit filius diligit Spiritus Sanctus coniungit et vnit The Father hath chosen vs the Sonne loueth vs the Cyprian Ser. de Baptisma Christi tom 2. Holy Ghost ioyneth and knitteth vs vnto God who then shall be able to separate vs from the loue of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities Rom. 8. nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. I conclude the whole with the words of our Sauiour All sinnes shall be forgiuen vnto the children of men and Blasphemies wherewith they blaspheme But he that blasphemeth Mark 3. against the Holy Ghost shall neuer haue forgiuenesse but is culpable of eternall damnation from the which Sinne God keepe vs in Iesus Christ our onely Lord and Sauiour To whom with the Father and the Holy Ghost be ascribed praise and glory and wisedome and thankes and honor and power and might for euermore Amen FINIS
Well then art thou Baptized art thou signed with the Idem de Cataclysmate c. 9. Kings Seale beginnest thou to feede at the Table of thy King * Idem Epla ad Arment et Paulin Noli esse Desertor become not a flincher Remember thy Couenant * Quia iam vouisti iam te astrinxisti the vowe hath bound thee wretched art thou if thou break thy vowe to God The Heathen neuer forsake their Gods but feare reuerence and mainly defend them lest by changing their rights they should be taxed with error Illi perseuerant in falso tiâ— non perseuâ—ras in vero Shall they persist in falshood and * Chrysost homil de Ierâ—m Prophet wilt not thou abide in the truth Socrates though a Pagan hauing denied sacrifice to Apollo which was death among the Athenians being aduised by Plato to saue his life by flight said * Bonauent in Luminar Ecclesiae Serm. 5. Absit vt veritatem negem quam asserui farre be it from me to denie that truth which before I professed and therefore Plato hauing pondered with himselfe the basenesse of his Counsaile was ashamed thereof and absented himselfe from his death Who but a mad man would cast away the Anchor of his ship in a tempest who but a desperate wretch would reiect his pardon being before condemned to death or will any pitty him who knowing himselfe vnrecouerably sicke yet would cast off that Physitian who with his owne life hauing purchased a soueraigne Alexetery proffereth him certaine recouery freely if he will vse it and trust vnto him whereas otherwise except he beleeue he must dye because he despiseth the sole meanes of his preseruation Saint * Homil. 25. in oper Imperf in Math. Chrysostome expresseth the state of such persons in a familiar similitude As the house saith he that hath a firme foundation suffereth no great ruine if part of the wall or roofe do fall because it may be repaired againe but if the foundation fall then the ruine is great because the whole tumbleth down So if a Christian commit fornication adultery or manslaughter his fall is not great and vnrecouerable because hee may rise againe by repentance as Dauid did But if the foundation of his faith faile that he turne Pagan and become vnbeleeuer then his ruine is great and vnrecouerable for the whole perisheth And such sinne more heinously then those who neuer knew him or beleeued in him and Christ is more offended at them Truly spake the * Poet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sophocles There can be no greater sore then a false friend whom a man can neither fugere neque fugare shunne nor banish So Christ complaineth that if an enemie had dishonourea him he Bern. Psalm 55. could haue bare it but his companion and familiar friend to betray him made it execrable He was grieued at the Infidels vnder the Law of Nature but more at the Iewes vnder the Law of Moses because his loue was greater vnto them But most against Iudas vnder the Law of Grace for betraying him it appeareth by the diuersity of their punishments The first he drowned which was an easie death The second Gen. 7. Num. 15. he stoned which was a more greeuous death But Iudas the Traytor hung himselfe which was a most shamefull death and accursed and the rather because hee Math. 27. was of the number of those to whom he had said yee are my Ioh. 15. friends We doe worthily detest Cains iniquity Lamech his cruelty Chams subsannation Ismaelsferity Esaw his pertinacie Absalon his malice the peruersity of Ioseph his brethren But all these are nothing to that incomparable villany of Iudas in betraying his Lord and Master whom he beleeued to be the sonne of the euer-liuing God and the Sauiour of mankind this impiety was aboue all other of an Apostle who should haue bin one of the 12. Iudges sitting in glory to iudge the 12. Tribes of Israell to become a Traytor against him who called him to this high dignity and therefore because of his monstrous ingratitude the diuell entred into his heart and carried him headlong to the acting of his Treason and from thence despairing of pardon to hang himselfe where he brast asunder and his bowels gushed out Surely Iudas committed that Sinne against the Holy Ghost for so great was his malice against Christ that if it had beene possible he would haue had not his flesh onely but his soule and Diuinity also to be destroyed hee betrayed him to death whom he beleeued to be the Lord of life yet such was his most indurate malice that nothing could withhold him from his purpose though Christ vsed many meanes and admonitions vnto him Loue in washing his feete Ioh. 13. Feare when he said woe vnto him by whom the Sonne Luc. 22. of man is betrayed Sorrow when he foretold his betraying Ioh. 13. Math. 26. Shame when he said vnto Iudas Thou hast said Yea so great that he seemed after a sort to doe wrong vnto his Iustice in vsing so great mercy toward him yet hee would not be saued and because he would not he was damned yea if a man may so speake against Christs will Their Sinne who hauing once giuen their names vnto Christ entertained the truth of his Gospell and resolued their consciences thereof yet shall after fall away from the same is like vnto that which Iudas the Traytor committed for such Crucifie to themselues againe the Sonne of God and make a mocke of him and are said to despite the Spirit of Grace which is the true sinne against the Holy Ghost By faith we are made the sonnes of God which faith is wrought in our hearts by the Holy Ghost and is called in this respect the Spirit of Adoption whereby we crie Abba Father bearing Rom. 8. witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God by this Spirit wee are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Ephes 4. Some Translations haue it in the day of Redemption the Fathers expound it in the day of Baptisme and the reading and exposition is good for the Holy Ghost sealeth vs in Baptisme by faith and maketh vs to be de Regio grego nor suffereth Théophylact vs to stand among the guilty and damned and hath seperated vs to Redemption Noli ergo Signaculum illud dissoluere If thou fall away from thy faith thou doest despite the Holy Ghost who did worke this in thee thou haddest receiued a Benefit and reiectest it after thou despisest the giuer he made thee the Sonne of God thou wilt be the Seruant of the Diuell he came to saue thy Soule and thou doest thrust him out of dores and seeke to bring him to confusion thou doest herein resist plainely and persecute the Holy Ghost and like Iudas art a Traytor vnto him The Second Circumstance IT sufficeth not a Christian to haue Faith to Beleeue but hee must haue Vnderstanding and Knowledge ioyned to his
Nature was fit to bee offered for Man who had offended Secondly because it was passible and Mortall and therefore was fit for Immolation Thirdly because it was without Sinne. Fourthly because it was the Flesh of him that offered it it was therefore acceptable vnto God because of his vnspeakeable Charity that offred his owne Flesh Which Augustine obserued Quid tam Congruentur ab Lib. 4. de Triâ—â— Cap. 14. hominibus Sumeretur quod pro eis offeretur quam humana caro What could be taken so fitly by Men to bee offered vp for men as the Flesh of Man and what was so fit for Sacrifice as Mortall flesh and what so cleane to purifie the Sinnes of mortall Men as Flesh voyde of the contagion of carnall concupiscence borne of the wombe of a Virgine and what could bee so thankefully offred and accepted as the flesh of our Sacrifice being made the Flesh of our Priest Hee was that Priest by whome wee are reconciled hee was that Temple in which wee are reconciled hee was that God vnto whom wee are reconciled Behold the man who hath giuen himselfe an Offering and Ephes 5. a Sacrifice of a sweete smelling sauour vnto God for vs. This is that Sacrifice for Sinne with which God is pacified God will not bee pacified without Christ for without the shedding of Blood there is no Remission Heb. 9. By this meanes the Soule wrapped in Sinne must appeare before God firmely beleeuing that his Sinnes are purged by the Blood of Christ in the multitude of the mercies of God as hee himselfe hath said Though your Sinnes were as red as Esay 1. Scarlet I will wash them as white as Snow All the waters of Iordan cannot cleanse our Leprosie but the Blood of IESVS onely hath that abstersiue facultie to purifie our Soules of the foyles of Sinne. * Chrysost hom 13. in Cap. 7. ad Heb. Non est aliud Sacrificium there is no other Sacrifice this One hath purged vs if this fayle Ignis Gehenna Hell fire followeth Nullius Martyris sanguis saith Augustine The blood of no Martyr was shed to this end Miserable therefore is their case who trust to the Supererogation of their Saintes in their passions exceeding their owne Sinnes whereas they are taught by their own School-man that the merites of the Saintes were * Dom. Soto sup 4. Sent. dist 19. Vltra condignum remunerata a Deo exhausta rewarded aboue their desert by God and exhaust on themselues But wee are Sanctified euen by the Offering of the Body of Iesus Christ once made and with this one Offering hath Heb. 10. hee Consecrated for euer them that are sanctified Behold the vertue of Christ his Sacrifice * Haymo in cap. 7. ad Heb. Vnum enim fuit semel oblatum sufficit in sempiternum ad tollenda omnia peccata Credentium This one Sacrifice once offered sufficed for euer to take away all the Sinnes of the faithfull Wherefore seeing that * Isych lib. 5. Sup. Leuit. Perfectio omnimoda nostra salus c. That the Sonne of God by Sacrificing himselfe hath fully accomplished our saluation and that there can be no satisfaction for Sinne Nisi in vertute passionis Christi but onely in the vertue of Christ his Passion It remaineth that whosoeuer renounceth the same reiecteth the sole meanes of his Saluation and must consequently perish euerlastingly This is that chiefe Corner stone Elect and precious In 1. Pet. 2. which whosoeuer Beleeueth shall not bee confounded But vnto the Disobedient hee is a Stone whereat they stumble and stumbling fall and falling loose their liues and winne Death and purchase to themselues damnation Whosoeuer therefore cleaueth vnto Christ with a firme Affection is quit from all Sinne and fully reconciled vnto God but whosoeuer despiseth him finally perisheth euerlastingly for the Wrath of God abideth vpon him for euer Hence it appeareth that wilfull and malicious Apostacy from Christ and his Gospell before professed Zealously and according to knowledge is that Sinne against the Holy Ghost which our Sauiour saith shall neuer bee forgiuen and the reason of the Irremissibility thereof is made manifest viz. Adesertion and malitious Impugning of the onely meanes of Remission the Sacrifice of our Redemption Christ Iesus our Sauiour and his Gospell And heere is the error of the Noâ—atians made apparant who Interpreted this Scripture of those who through feare of Death or paines of torture denyed or Blasphemed Christ How or whither Sinne against the Holy Ghost is Irremissible BVt let vs without prÄ™sumption more curiously examine this point which hitherto by any Diuine which I haue read hath not beene exactly discussed nor certainly determined that it may bee said of those who haue entred vpon it Quot capita tot sententiae St. * Lib. 1. Retract Cap. Augustine saith wee may not despaire of such a one while hee liueth Of the same opinion is St. * Ambrose Sup. cap. 3. ad Gal. St. * Hierome seemeth to holde it Irremissible for hee saith That if Peter had committed this Sinne hee had not Epist de trina negat Petri. beene forgiuen St. Hillarie saith that CHRIST denyeth Blasphemiae Can. 17. Sup. Math. spiritus Iudulgentiam pardon to the Blasphemy of the Spirit Hugo de Sancto victore saith that No man can giue a Quest 55. Sup. pist ad Rom. certaine Definition of this Sinne yet this is knowne Quod si quis sic peccarit num quam consequetur veniam that if any man commit it hee shall â—eder be pardoned And expounding the 4. 5. and 6. Verses of the sixt Chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrewes hee saith It seemeth to vs that in this place and in the Tenth Chapter of this Epistle the Author describeth the Sinne against the Holy Ghost In cuius barathbrum quiounque semel inciderit Impossible est quod paenitentiam consequatur aut Salutem Into the Gulfe whereof whosoeuer once falleth it is impossible that hee should euer attaine Repentance or Saluation Richardus de Sancto victore saith That if some bee Eternally Tract de Spir. Blasphem guilty of a Temporall Sinne in regard of Gods Iustice wee may beleeue that other may bee Temporally guilty of an Eternall Sinne in regard of his Mercy The School-men for the most part say Vix raro difficulter Sup. 2. Sent. dist 43. SuÌ„mistae Sup. Aquin. 2. 2. quest 14. Ientac 8. cap. 1. remittitur it is scarce seldome hardly forgiuen neuer read to haue beene forgiuen Caeietan saith that God hath denyed to such remission and repentance and to speake regularly it is neuer forgiuen Almayne saith it may bee forgiuen because a man may repent of it before his Death Moral cap. 28. But Armachanus saith It is one of those heynous Sinnes Lib. 9. de quest Armen cap. 27. for which a Man cannot obtaine pardon though hee should repent neuer so heartily These are the Opinions
abridged in this Translation of it THE HISTORIE FOLLOWING IS RELATED OVT OF THE EPISTLE OF THAT FAMOVS DOCTOR MATHEVV GRIBALDVS Professour of the Lawes in the Vniuersitie of Padua who himselfe was a Spectator of this lamentable accident 1548. THere is in the Territories of Venice neere vnto Padua a place called Citadella wherein dwelt a Lawyer of good Iudgement and great experience named Francis Spiera about fifty yeares of age married vnto a vertuous wife by whom he had eleuen children a man famous for his wealth and dignity This man began to embrace the Doctrine of the reformed Church with incredible zeale acknowledging Iesus Christ to be the onely Redeemer of mankinde and professed publikely with great constancie that righteousnesse and Saluation was purchased by him alone and that all mans workes and Merites were in that respect vaine and vnprofitable For which cause he was accused to the Popes Legate at Venice by whom he was cited to make his appearance before him and menaced with death and the confiscation of his substance which was great wherewith he was so terrified that he renounced that truth which he had professed and abiured it also promising moreouer that hee would make publike Recantation thereof assoone as hee returned home and so was dismissed by the Legate In his iourney homeward hee was ouerwhelmed with a grieuous perturbation of minde whither he should embrace the Truth againe or persist in his deniall yea he often confessed that in his iourney he felt the Holy Ghost vrge him to professe the truth constantly But the flesh riches and vaine pompe of this world ouerswayed him The day before he was to make his Recantation a Popish Priest brought the forme thereof vnto him wherein hee should publickly in the open audience of the people renounce and condemne the Doctrine of the Protestants That whole night this wretched man spent without sleepe The morning following being Sunday after Masse in the presence of his friends of the Magistrates of the Towne and in the assembly of the people who were in number about 2000. He publikely renounced that truth which he had before openly taught and was fined 30. Duckets which hee presently payed downe But suddainly after hee felt the dreadfull Iudgement of God in his heart hee was depriued of all the Guifts of the Holy Ghost Christ departed from him His heart was enflamed with meere hatred enuie and Blasphemy against God The Diuell Death and eternall despaire seased on him After hee had beene thus tormented by the space of sixe Moneths he remoued with his Wife and Children to Padua where his misery encreased He kept his bed being not sicke his reason and vnderstanding alike as before his fall he consumed in his whole body and all his Members beside his tongue languished He would admit no foode but what was enforced he kindly admitted all those who came to visite him and conferred very prudently with them he affirmed that he was damned by the iust iudgement of God That hee was already in Hell and was tormented with perpetuall paines that hee had sinned against the Holy Ghost that his sinne could neuer be forgiuen hee said that Christ his Merits and Gods mercy was for euer shut vp from him and that this dreadfull end was brought vpon him by the iust iudgement of GOD to bee an Example to all the Elect. At length diuers learned and graue Diuines repaired vnto him propounding all meanes of Consolation especially the greatnesse of Gods Mercy And though said he I beleeue all that you haue rehearsed yet but as the Diuels who beleeue and tremble Hee said his Sinne was vnpardonable that God secluded his mercy from him that all faith was taken from him that though he vttered the Lords prayer after them yet his heart was full of hatred malediction and blasphemy against God for he knew how execrable he was with God and that hee had taken away all his graces from him The next day they found his misery augmented and demanding how long his Conscience had beene so tortured he readily answered That gnawing worme and vnquenchable fire was sent by GOD into his heart since that day whereon he recanted the truth of the Gospell which before he professed So that now his condition was farre worse then Cayns or Iudas and that he had rather die and be damned then to be tormented in this life with such anguishes adding farther that he was already haunted with dreadfull apparitions and hellish visions Renewing their Consolations they intreated him to call vpon God in the Lords Prayer which he performed with such aboundance of teares with such sighes and so great deuotion of minde that hee mooued the whole presence to weepe vpon which sight Doctor Gribaldus told him that his teares argued no totall desertion by God He answered that he had not that faith and trust in God which they supposed for such was the gift of God whereof he was destitute Oh said hee that GOD would vouchsafe mee this one gift that I might feele in my heart but the least hope of his mercy which is as vnpossible as to vnlade all the water in the Ocean with a Spoone This I certainly know that neuer mortall creature on the earth felt the wrath of God more manifestly then I doe Oh that I might supply the roome of some other damned creature whatsoeuer So that all their comforts were vaine They enforced Broathes into his mouth to preserue his life his onely desire was to die and to be caried into Hell Three dayes after when among other learned men Antonius Fontanine the Pryest of Citadell who bare him company to Venice when hee went vp to make his appearance before the Popes Legate came to visite him and asked him whether hee knew him presently vpon the remembrance thereof with redoubled sighes and groones he cryed out Oh execrable day oh cursed day I wish I had neuer seene Venice or that I had dyed when I first intended my iourney thither Then they commended the Merites of Christ vnto him He said he neuer truly acknowledged the benefits of Christ but abused them and trusted too much to his carnall faith and turning to the Students he said Oh my Sonnes I will not detract from the Gospell I acknowledge it to be the Truth but take heede yee ascribe not too much vnto faith and neglect works beseeming faithfull Christians Faith requireth this of vs that wee be not Christians in word onely Giue credit vnto me as vnto him who hath truly tried the matter Vpon this he commended the Epistle of St. Peter wherein he admonisheth the faithfull to Plety Chastity and Sanctity vpon which occasion they who were present disputed comfortably out of Gods word and he listned as attentiuely He was demanded whither he receiued any comfort by that godly conference he answered that he was damned to euerlasting death neither was there any hope of Redemption left for him Oh said hee that I could put the least hope and trust in