and therefore verie manie of them in those daies were married But now that the church is increased we be not vrged with that necessitie wherfore it is iustlie decréed that onelie vnmarried men should be chosen The primitiue church had more plentie of ministers than be now 5 But I beséech you let these men consider with themselues that in the same first time when the feruentnesse of the holie Ghost did so much flourish there were a great manie more méet for the ministerie than now there be by reason of the excéeding plentie of grace and spirituall gifts Besides this the church being inlarged and spread abroad it néedeth many more ministers than it did at that time Furthermore there is a great necessitie that constreineth vs namelie bicause men at this daie are more weake than they were at that time Which also their Popes denie not for in the distinction 34. chapter Fraternitatis Pelagius iudgeth that a deacon who being in waie of preferment hath committed fornication and yet hath a wife of his owne should be the more gentlie intreated bicause in these daies not onelie bodies are become féeble but honestie and maners also If they be not ignorant of this weaknesse of our times which is farre greater than in old time it was they ought not to take from thence the remedie where they perceiue a greater necessitie Neither is it méet that they should dissemble the necessitie of this age when as they obiecting vnto vs the maner of the old church dare alledge against vs the necessitie thereof There is a necessitie in ech part and therefore if there be a consideration had of the one there must be also a consideration had of the other There be some among them which saie that ministers in the old time had wiues and sometime vsed them but they denie that it was lawfull at anie time to marrie wiues after they had taken orders They erre vndoubtedlie for in the Ancyran Synod as it is written in the decrées The Ancyran Synod the 28. distinction in the chapter Diaconi It is decréed that if a deacon while he is ordering shall refuse the purpose of continencie when the same is required of him and shall testifie that he will not liue without a wife Whether it be lawfull for a minister to marrie after he haue receiued orders if the same deacon after he haue taken orders doo contract matrimonie he shall not be hindered but maie fréelie execute his ministerie By which place we are manifestlie taught that it was lawfull to contract matrimonie after orders receiued Which Gratianus sawe well inough and therefore he writeth Gratian. that as touching that Synod there ought a due consideration to be had both to the time and place for it was held in the East church which in promoting of ministers admitted not the promise of continencie But as touching time he addeth that as yet this continencie of ministers was not then brought into the church But if thou wilt aske when that Councell was held we answer that as it also appeareth by the same decrées it was held vnder Syricius and Innocentius which liued in the time of Ierom and Augustine 6 But it is a iollie thing to sée how tyrannie hath increased How punishments dailie grew vpon the clergie men which contracted matrimonie The Councell of Neocaesaria and how vngodlinesse by little and little hath taken root At the beginning the ministers of the church which contracted matrimonies were not altogither handled so seuerelie For the Councell of Neocaesaria as it is recited in the 28. distinction in the chapter Presbyter onelie commanded such to be depriued from their office but not from their benefice for they were still mainteined and did receiue their stipends from the church Neither in the meane time will I passe ouer that that Councell did cast out of the church such priests as were adulterers and whoremoongers namelie in excommunicating them which was a verie méet and iust thing where as our men now a daies doo excéedinglie winke at those sinnes After this they began not onelie to put them out of their offices but also as they terme it to remooue them from their benefices as it is written in the 33. distinction in the chapter Eos and in the chapter Decreueruâ—t Yea and those which so married they sent them awaie either into a Monasterie or else into some strait place to doo penance but in our time they doo burne manie of them And afterward they were also in a great rage with the séelie women whome the ministers had married as we find in the 18. distinction out of a certeine Councell holden at Toledo in the chapter Quidam where it is commanded The Couâ—cell of Toledo that the women should be sold and in the 34. distinction in the chapter Eos they are appointed to be seruants in that church where the priest was which contracted with them and if perhaps the bishop could not bring them into bondage he should commit it vnto the prince or laie magistrate Sometimes also they put them into a Monasterie to doo penance as we read in the 34. distinction in the chapter Fraternitatis Neither were they content with this crueltie but they would also haue the children which were borne in such matrimonies to be seruants in that church wherein their father had béene and they depriued them of all their fathers inheritance And this is written in the fiftéenth cause question the last in the chapter Cùm multae They doo not on this sort punish their adulterous sacrificers and fornicatours neither the harlots nor yet their bastard children they exercise their cruell censure vpon the wiues of priests and their lawfull children onelie 7 At the last when they haue almost no other thing to alledge they flie vnto their vow as vnto an holie anchor they crie out that the same must in anie wise be kept and that therefore it is no more lawfull for ministers to marrie bicause when they were ordered they vowed a sole life As though it were not both by the holie scriptures and also by mans lawes prouided that a vow Vowes of vnhonest things be frustrate promise or oth hath no force if it compell vs to an vniust or vnhonest thing And who séeth not that it is a verie shamefull thing and against the lawe of God that he which burneth in lust and so burneth that he is oftentimes defiled with harlots adulterers and vnlawfull flesh should be forbidden to marrie 1. Cor. 7 9. Vndoubtedlie the holie Ghost hath commanded matrimonie to all such as cannot kéepe themselues chast Yea and the fathers perceiued this notwithstanding that they be more against vs herein than equitie would Cyprian Wherevpon Cyprian as touching holie virgins which had vnchastlie behaued themselues saith If either they will not or cannot kéepe themselues chast Ierom. let them marrie Ierom also feared not to write the same vnto Demetrias Epiphanius Epiphanius
beléeue that the ascension happened vpon a thursdaie We must not attribute ouermuch to traditions Wherefore let the Papists take héed how much credit they would haue to be giuen vnto their traditions for there be manie of them which the Papists them selues cannot denie but that they be ridiculous and vaine I knowe in déed that there be traditions which are necessarilie gathered out of the holie scriptures and for that cause they ought not to be abrogated But other traditions which be indifferent must not be augmented in number lest the church shuld be oppressed neither must they be thought so necessarie as though they may not be abolished And we must beware that the seruice of God be not thought to rest in them But as for those which are against the word of God they must not in anie wise be admitted In the distinction 76. in the first chapter Why the ember daies were inuented are added the ember daies or the foure quarterlie fasts The cause whie these haue béene distributed on this sort can hardlie be perceiued They cite Ierom vpon Zacharie who maketh mention of the fourth moneth the fift the seuenth and the tenth And they séeme to be mooued of a naughtie zeale to distribute these fasts into foure parts of the yéere And the fasts which the Iewes receiued euerie yéere for the calamities which they had suffered those also haue our men made yéerelie fasts But others haue inuented an other cause namelie bicause in those foure times of the yéere bishops are woont to promote Clerks vnto the ministerie and orders wherefore they saie that the people ought then most of all to fast and praie that God would grant them good pastors Fasting and praiers should be vsed at the time of ordering of ministers But I would demand of the bishops whie they ordeine ministers onlie at these foure times of the yéere Vndoubtedlie they can not shew anie certeine and iust cause whie 14 Augustine in his booke De haeresibus saith Augustine that Arrius contemned oblations for the dead Arrius the heretike and ordinarie times of fast bicause Christians were not vnder the lawe but vnder grace but he would that euerie man should fast at his owne pleasure when he himselfe would Certeinlie I allow not Arrius in that he was an Arrian but as concerning oblations and sacrifices for the dead he held that which is good and godlie Also touching ordinarie times of fasting I sée not whie he should be blamed vnlesse peraduenture he thought that fasts might not be proclaimed by the magistrate and by the church according as the danger of the time required The reason also which he vseth that Christians are not vnder the lawe but vnder grace is weake for we are not so deliuered from the lawe that we be fréed from all order Augustine also writeth Iouinian the heretike that Iouinian contemned abstinences and fasts as things vaine and vnprofitable wherein if he spake of bare fasts onelie and such as were appointed at certeine daies and certeine times of the yéere he iudged not ill For vnlesse they be adioined with faith and repentance and also with vehement praiers they nothing at all profit In the 58. chapter of Esaie the people complained We haue fasted verse 3. and thou hast not looked vpon vs. Which words doo shew that fasts without those circumstances which be requisite are not acceptable vnto God but if they be ioined with such things as are incident to them they be not vnprofitable Liberius By the decrée of Liberius who liued in the time of Constantius it may be perceiued that when the aire was vntemperat or when there was anie famine or pestilence or warre then they assembled togither to denounce a fast thereby to mitigate the wrath of God Augustine Augustine when he sawe his citie besieged by the Vandals gaue himselfe vnto fasting and praiers and in that siege died as Possidonius testifieth And generallie when we attempt anie great weightie matter as when we denounce war create Magistrates or ordeine Ministers of the church we haue most néed of feruent praiers for the feruentnesse whereof Matt. 4 2. fasting verie much auaileth Christ when he was to beginne his preaching went into the wildernesse and fasted A widow when hir husband is dead is left in a dangerous state therfore praiers fastings are verie méet for hir Luk. 2 36. Anna the daughter of Phanuel lead hir life in the temple where she gaue hir self to praier fasting 1. Tim. 5 5. Paule to Timothie saith A widow which is a true widow and desolate putteth hir confidence in the Lord and daie and night applieth hir selfe to praiers and fastings Acts. 10 3. Cornelius when as he was not sufficientlie instructed of Christ and was disquieted with a sorrowfull and heauie mind was in fasting and praiers at the ninth houre Acts. 3 10. to whom as we read in the Acts of the apostles the angell of the Lord appeared Whether fastings rightlie denounced must be obeied 15 But it maie be demanded that when fasts are commanded by princes and by the church whether men are bound to obey them or no Vndoubtedlie they are bound by the lawe of faith and by obedience For when fasts are set foorth which be agréeable vnto the word of God how can he that beléeueth in God refuse to doo them Assuredlie he cannot Howbeit this is to be vnderstood touching them which be of that state and condition that they be able to fast for if a man be hindred either by age or disease or labours Osc 6 6. The Gangrense councell in such a case that ought to be of force which the scripture saith I will haue mercie and not sacrifice But they which are not hindered ought to obeie In the Gangrense councell chapter 30. It is ordeined that if a man obeie not the fasts which are commanded him by the church hauing no bodilie necessitie howsoeuer he boast of perfection and proudlie contemneth the decrées of the church The canons of the apostles let him be accursed In the Canons of the apostles although they be Apocryphall conteine certeine strange things neither is the number of them sufficientlie agréed vpon I saie in the 86. Canon it is commanded that the clergie which fast not hauing no bodilie necessitie should be deposed Let infants in no wise be vrged and compelled to fast for that would be a hurt to their health Ioel. 2 16. Yet Ioel saith Sanctifie a fast gather togither old men and sucking children Iohn 3 7. And the Niniuits at the preaching of Ionas compelled beasts and infants to fast These were extraordinarie things neither are they set foorth to that end that we should imitate them 16 As for priuate fasts Augustine most men will haue them to be frée Wherefore saith Augustine to Cassulanus We knowe that we must fast when we are commanded but what daies we should fast
be only the ciuill head of the Church If thou require of Papistes they will neuer graunt that their Pope is onelie the ciuill head of the Church Nay rather they will haue them to be called spirituall fathers So as they haue two heads of one and the same kinde For they will neuer suffer themselues to bée inclosed within these boundes For they dispence against the word of God they forbid marriages they applie the merites of Christ and of the saintes they ordaine new Sacraments they sel Pardons This pertaineth not to a ciuill head Wherefore let them graunt that their Church hath two heads and that it is a monster But I will deale frankelie Admit the Pope be a ciuill head That if the Pope be a ciuil head yet the Church is double headed yet doe yée fal into the selfe same errour For seeing the Magistrate also is a ciuill head ye shall bée constrained to confesse that in the Church there be two ciuill heads both of one order and that so your Church is a monster But these men as they be importunate dreame of two heads First that the Pope is the ciuill head of his ministers and so is one head of the Church Whether the Pope be be ciuill head of his ministers Rom. 13. 1 For they will haue ministers to be exempted from the power of the ciuill Magistrate But this is a vaine conceite For Paul commaundeth that euerie soule should be subiect vnto the Ciuill power he exempteth none Yea and Chrysostome saith that neither the Apostles nor Euangelistes ought to be excepted Peter also exhorteth ministers that they should obey the ciuill power Wherefore in vaine doe they babble and ridiculouslie doe they adioyne two heads vnto their ministers Whether the magistrate may beare rule ouer preachers Ministers subiect two maner of wayes What then wilt thou saie Shall the Magistrate beare rule ouer ministers and Preachers I aunswere that the word of God and the Sacraments are subiect to no potentate But ministers are subiect two manner of waies both in respect of manners and of their function For if either they liue wickedlie or doe not their duetie they may be both reiected by the Magistrate and depriued Look part 4. pâ— 13. Act 7 6 But these men still dreame of one ciuill power that is Ecclesiasticall and of an other that is profane The one of the which they attribute vnto the Pope and the other vnto the Magistrate but all in vaine For as much as pertaineth vnto Ecclesiasticall power the ciuill Magistrate is sufficient For he as saith Aristotle in his Politikes must prouide that all men doe their duetie both lawiers Phisitians husband men Apothecaries among whom we may also recken ministers and Preachers What néede haue we here to multiplie heades Salomon Dauid Iosias being ciuill Magistrats yet did they not thinke religion to be without the compasse of their charge Constantine Theodosius and Iustinian thought vppon nothing more than to set in order the true church of God So then there was no néed that these men should raise vp a newe head vnto themselues in the Church and especiallie for the setting vp of tyrannie For the Church hath Elders who must prouide in what order all things ought to be doone and that all things be in order the Magistrate ought to prouide What the church must doe if the magistrate be vngodlie But what if the Magistrate be wicked Yet there is a Church there be Elders there be Bishops by these it must be decréed and appointed what ought to be doone in Religion And this perhaps is it Howe the king of England is called the head of his own church why the king of England would be called head of his own Church next vnto Christ For he thought that that power which the Pope vsurped to himselfe was his and in his owne kingdome pertained to him selfe The title indéed was vnwonted and displeased manie godlie men Howbeit if we consider the thing it selfe he meant nothing else but that which we haue now said 7 But they obiect that after the Pope Whether the Pope being nowe made head ought to be remoued 1. Sam. 8. 7. once became a Monarch and that we sée that christ is not therby excluded he must not rashlie be remoued For so the Israelites although they had made themselues a king without the commaundement of God he béeing once appointed they did not afterward reuolt froÌ„ him I aunswere The reason is not alike For the Israelites in creating their king had the voyce of God which thing if these men can shewe of their Pope we will confesse that the reason on both partes is alike But they cannot do it naie rather they haue the contrarie out of the holie Scriptures Wherefore we conclude first that it is not agréeable for the Church to haue a double head Secondlie that although it might be agréeable yet that one mortall man cannot rule and regard the whole world for that doth farre excéed mans strength Whether ciuill Prince that hath more prouinces than he can out-see be to be suffered But thou wilt saie If this reason be of force euen a ciuill Monarch ought not to be suffered who hath more Prouinces than he is able to take the charge of Wherefore if a king be not able to prouide for all that be his shal we reuolt from him as ye haue doone from the Pope I aunswere that these Empires larglie extended cannot be without fault For séeing the kings cannot deale in all things themselues they coÌ„mit their Prouinces vnto vnsatiable and gréedy cormorants by whom the people is miserablie drawen drie and suckt out And in auncient times when things were better seuerall cities had seuerall kings We read that Nynus first made ware vppon the nations adioining and amplified his borders So we read of so manie kinges that were in the land of Canaan being no verie great Region Indéede it is an ill thing to haue so large a dominion yet must not the people for that cause reuolt from their kings Howbeit if they wil commaund anie thing against God they must in no wise be heard Christ came not to chaunge the order of common weales For my kingdome saith he is not of this world Ioh. 18. 36. Neither did Paul at anie time perswade that there should be anie defection from Nero. So as we haue the word of God that we should obey the Magistrat whosoeeuer he be but we haue no word to obey the Pope If there be one head of the Church whether the â—…nt ought to bee at Rome 8 But admit that there maie be some one head of the Church why should he rather be at Rome than else where Because Peter saie they sat in Rome First that doth not sufficientlie appeare For by some it is denied But be it he was at Rome he was also at Antioch and Ierusalem Whie then should not the Bishops of these Cities bée
diuell and by Boniface the third brought into the Church by the Emperour Phocas the author of their Popedome But on the other side we beholding those better sort of Roman Byshops may easilie say of them that they were gospellers And we may shew that our doctrine dooth very well agree with their faith and meaning And séeing there is no newe thing ordained by vs but that we haue recourse to the welspringes and principall pointes of sincere and Apostolick doctrine we haue and doe holde fast a succession communion and fellowship with all those godly fathers and true faithfull Byshops What they meane by this their succession whether it suffice thereunto that the place by somebodie be occupied 26 Besides foorth let vs demaund of them what they vnderstand by this their succession whether they think that therevnto it be enough and enough againe that one I know not who whosoeuer finally he shall be should be placed in the seate of Rome wherein very manie godly men in times past haue sitten Assuredly the place and chayre doth not sanctify men nor yet maketh them lyke vnto their predicessors If carnall generation worke not this much lesse shall it be done by the local mutation of the seate Abraham begate of himselfe such posteritie as Christ called them not the children of Abraham Iohn 8. 44. but children of the diuell euen because they did the workes of the diuell so as the succession is of no force to warrant the power of his Popedome No man doubteth but that out of the Church of Ierusalem Acts. 15. 1. which otherwise was most holy there went false Apostles who by their legall obseruations troubled euery where the Churches of the Gentiles Paule foretold the Elders and Byshops of Ephesus Act. 20. 30. that from among themselues Woolues should goe out who would not spare the flock Wherefore if it be lawfull to flye from Woolues vndoubtedly it was lawful to withdrawe them selues from the wicked successors of the Ephesian Pastors In deede we deny not but that the Byshops of Rome in olde time were good and holy but we say that a generation of vipers did afterward succeede them Matt. 3. 7. So as it seemeth true which is spoken in the prouerbe Daungerous is the issue of nobilitie Let them prooue themselues to be the true successors of the godly fathers whom the faithfull doe iustly honour but they are not able séeing they haue nothing common with them neither lyfe nor labours nor preaching nor doctrine In olde time there was in the Roman Church plentie of light simplicitie and knowledge Now in the place of these thinges reigne darknesse deceite and ignorance That Church was highly commended by the fathers who if they might now see it as it is they would excéedingly detest the same They gaue vnto it at that time a certaine preheminence I graunt but it was a preheminence of order and not of power A preheminence of order not of power was attributed to the sea of Rome It is méete when men méete together that in sitting and declaring of opinions a beginning should be made by some one man I will not deny that that was sometime graunted to the Byshops but I cannot therefore graunt that the Roman Byshop had preheminence ouer all Byshops of Christendome It is not vnknowen that at Rome there was some one man among the number of the Senators which was called president of the Senate because he sate in the first place and first of all declared his minde whenas neuerthelesse he had no power at all ouer the rest of the Senatours And among the electors of the Empire some one is reckoned chief yet are not the rest of the electors subiect vnto him Athanasius of good right was chiefe of the Synode of Nice séeing he was Patriarch of Alexādria which had the second place next vnto Rome The Patriarch of Rome was not there although he sent his Legates And although Athanasius was there the chief yet had he not power ouer the Byshops which were present The same thing is apparant in the Trynitie where the person of the father as touching order is the first yet dooth it not thereof follow that the sonne and the holy ghost be lesse than he or subiect vnto him as though they haue not altogether as much diuinitie when as they haue one essence and equall substance with him So then we may graunt a primacie of order without a primacie of power which these men so greatly affect Doubtlesse great is the impudencie of them which tye Christ and the holy ghost vnto the chayre of Rome and to their Popes whenas neuerthelesse they themselues will be tyed within no boundes and limites but vsurpe vnto themselues an infinit libertie But we include the Church in the word of God so as the power thereof may be bound and comprehended in it as within certaine limits 27 Howbeit to vrge them somewhat further séeing they say that the Church of Rome had the Popedome of Peter that Peter receiued the same of the Lorde I will demaund of them by what place or Oracle of the scripture they can shewe that the Popedome was giuen to Peter Whether this primacie were giuen vnto Peter I know that they thunder without measure and without end that Christ sayd Mat. 16. 18. The words of Christ Thou art Peter declared Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke will I build my Church But why doe they not marke in that place that Christ demaunded the question of al his Apostles and not of Peter alone by himselfe and that Peter aunswered not onely for himselfe but for all his fellowes And therefore the words of Christ not onely belong vnto him but also vnto all the Apostles Wherefore Origen an ancient writer saith that the aunswere of Christ not onely belongeth vnto Peter and vnto the rest of the Apostles but also vnto al them which follow the faith and confession of Peter But what doe I speake of Origen Christ himselfe elsewhere gaue vnto all the Apostles that which hee séemeth in that place which they alledge to haue graunted onely vnto Peter He saide as we haue it in Iohn Ioh. 20. 21. Euen as my father sent me I sende you He breathed vpon them and saide Receiue yee the holy ghost And whose sinnes ye shall forgiue they bee forgiuen and whose sinnes yee shall retaine they be retained In these words may be noted that Christ saide I send you you I say not thée only or any other And that he gaue the kaies not to one or an other but vnto all What then hath Peter aboue the rest They aunswere This aboue the others he hath that he not onely receiued the power and kaies in generall and in common together with others but also particularly and seuerally They that thus say séeme not to haue read verie What Peter had peculiar aboue the rest attentiuelie those thinges which the Fathers haue written of
Eusebius Caesariensis As touching these things so the part of the Sacrament remaine whole it sufficeth Howbeit I iudge that must be doone which commeth most néere to the institution of Christ 12 And wheras they added To the 7. A change in the forme of baptisme Acts. 8. 16. 10. 48. that the words which are vsed at Baptisme were inuerted because we finde in the Actes of the Apostles that some were Baptised in the name of Iesus Christ there be many which graunt vnto it Because say they in the name of Iesus Christ the names of the thrée diuine persons are comprehended Of the Father I say of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost And that Irenaeus very plainelie testifieth in the 4. booke against the Valentinians Irenaeus Vnder the name saith he of Christ are the thrée persons vnderstood Because that word signifieth annointed wherein is shewed both the annointer and he that is annointed and also the oyntment He that is annointed is the Sonne the annointer is the Father the annointment is the holy Ghost whereby appeareth that in the same alteration nothing was taken away whereas these men tooke away almost the whole halfe of the Sacrament Howbeit I stand not to this aunswere because our aduersaries cauill that euen in the Communion of either kinde the whole is signified Wherefore I say that by that place of the Actes of the Apostles In the name of Iesus Christ is meant by the guiding A place in the Acts of baptizing in the name of Christ expounded commaundement will and institution of Christ Wherefore by these wordes rather it is knowen that the Apostles did altogether kéepe the forme prescribed by Christ Otherwise they would not haue baptised in the name of Christ dooing otherwise than he had commaunded Neither are we to thinke that the Apostles who spread abroad religion with so great godlynesse and indeuour reiected the forme of Baptising deliuered by Christ Neither must we passe it ouer that the Schoolemen as we reade in Thomas when they agrée that the forme of baptising was in a manner changed by the Apostles write that this was doone for a time by the dispensation of the holy Ghost to the intenâ— the name of Christ might be made the more famous and that therefore a perpetual lawe should not be drawen from thence The which these men that haue taken away the cup of the Communion from the layitie haue not obserued séeing they will haue their decrée to be perpetual and not for a time Besides this the Apostles condemned not for heretickes those which baptised after the vsuall and appointed forme But they haue not onely condemned for heretickes the layemen when they haue receaued both partes of the sacrament but they also deliuer them to the fire Neither is this doctrine to be suffered that it is put in mens authority to inuert either the matter or the wordes of the Sacraments as these men haue most impudentlie doone who not onelie haue taken away the cup from the common people but also the wordes spoken thereat the which be very comfortable and doe more largelie and significantlie expresse the mysteries of our saluation than doe the wordes which be vttered as touching the bread where it is onelie said This is my bodie Mat. 26. 26 which shall be giuen for you But at the cuppe it is said Ibid. 27. This cuppe is the newe Testament in my bloud which shall be shed for you and for many vnto the remission of sinnes Weigh how manie expositors thou hast here of the promise which was set down in the other part To the 8. Baptisme of Infants Mat. 28. 19 13 They affirme moreouer that we haue inuerted the order in Baptisme because we baptise infants before we teach theÌ„ Whereas Christ deliuered them first to be taught and afterward to be baptised I maruell that these men descend hither as though they would hold with the Anabaptistes to the intent they may be against vs and doe not consider that the saying of Christ is generallie to be vnderstood as touching the Gentils and not particularlie Verilie it is true that in the propagation of Christianity they were first to beginne with doctrine For when as a Citie a Prouince or a kingdome should be woonne vnto Christ it behooueth to vse preaching before we come to Baptisme which when they haue beléeued those of ripe age not onelie are baptised themselues but they also offer their young children to be baptised Wherefore that which was so commaunded by Christ in general they will drawe vnto the particular Baptisme of young children In Gréeke it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to make disciples and to gather them vnto Christ which in them of ripe yeares is doone both by doctrine and baptisme but in young children by Baptisme séeing they are not yet capable of doctrine The very which order is séene in Circumcision As touching AbrahaÌ„ being of perfect age Doctrine went for most afterward followed the sacrament in his sonne Isaac it came otherwise to passe And absolutelie it is true that in the Church Doctrine dooth goe before the Sacramentes as euerie man may perceiue Neither as we taught before doe they rightlie gather when as by an order of the wordes they wil gather an order of the thinges For we haue it in Marke as concerning Iohn Marke 1. 4 That he baptised and preached the baptisme of repentance when as yet there is no doubt but that he preached before he baptised 14 And as touching the time of the Lords Supper To the â— we confesse that the Church might order the same as it thought good séeing there is no commaundement had thereof There be commaundements as touching this Sacrament Take and eate ye Mat 26. 26 Ibid. 27. 1. Cor. 11. 24. Ib. ver 28. Take and drinke ye all of it Doe this in remembrance of mee Let a man examine himselfe and other such sayings No mentioÌ„ is there of time of place of garment or other such like circumstances Christ first ate the Passouer because hee would institute the newe things after the olde Neither is it commaunded vs either to kill or eate the Passouer before the Communion Why the Supper is celebrated in the morning Cyprian And the causes why the Eucharist is distributed in the morning are gathered out of Cyprian The first is because it is more easie at that houre to haue the holy assembly For in the day time there happen many affaires whereby mâ—n be ledde away from the seruice of God Further at that time men be well aduised and wee haue a minde more fit and attentiue to receiue excellent things Thirdly he addeth that the same morning tyde is a monument of the resurrection of Christ which doeth not a little further the institution of this Sacrament Neuerthelesse wee must note that the ancient fathers in the time of fasting because they did not eate meate till night had the Communion at euening
this word Missa for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For thus it is in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that perfect thāks giuing was renued straightway after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. that is It is not lawfull without the Byshop either to baptise either to offer either to make sacrifice or to end the feast And this is the Gréeke prayer of Ignatius wherein as appeareth there is no mention of Masse Leo. Also Leo is cited in the 9 Epistle to Dioscorus wherein I confesse that that father made mention of Masse but yet so as he very much repugneth priuate Masses For he was demaunded when the Church was not so great as it might containe all the people which came while the Communion was ministring An argument against priuate masses what should be doone with the rest of the multitude which taried abroad and could not be present Leo answereth when that part of the people shall be gone foorth which was presēt at the holy seruice it should be lawfull for them which succéeded to beginne againe the holy seruice But if the priuate Masses had bin in vse what néed would there haue bin to aske Leo coūsell for that matter Assuredlie this demaund is a tokē sufficient the Masse was not accustomed to be doone but once 4 They are woont also to bring Iohn Cassianus which liued in the time of Honorius Iohn Cassian and was driuen out of the Church of Ierusalem by heretikes and then he came to Massilia and was a Monke by profession He indeede maketh mention of Masse in his 3. booke the 7. and 8. Chapters but he wresteth the signification of that word far to an other purpose than to the holie communion For with him Masse is a perfection accomplishment and discharging Wherefore he saith we waite for the Masse of the congregation that is till the assemblie be discharged and dispatched And straight after Being cōtent with the sléepe which is graunted from the Masse of the watch vntill it be day Where by the Masse he vnderstandeth the time of watch wherein the watches are discharged then verilie it was lawfull for the Moonkes to sléepe vntill day light Neither are we to passe ouer that there is most manifest mention made of Masses in the exposition of the Prouerbes of Salomon the xi The exposition of the Prouerbs falselie ascribed to Ierom. Chapter which is ascribed vnto Ierom. Howbeit that booke without controuersie is none of Ieromes For Gregorie is there spoken of which liued long time after Augustine and Ierome Bruno Amerbachius in an Epistle which he put before his booke saith he saw in an olde coppy that interpretatiō to be intituled vnto Bede Which if it were it séemeth no maruell that he made mention of Masses In the time of Bede were crept in many abuses in the Church For in that age wherein Bede the Priest liued many abuses were now crept into the Church But I therefore put you in minde of this because in that place that supposed Ierome affirmeth that the soules of them that be departed are drawē out of purgatorie by the celebration of Masses Ierome is not so accustomed to speake 5 It resteth that we declare From whence Masse taketh her name from whence the name of Masse which in déede is a Latine name may seeme to bee taken The auncient fathers who so shall diligently marke their writings haue saide Remisse Remissa remissio Tertullian in stead of Remission Tertullian in his fourth Booke against Marcion page 249. We haue spoken saieth he of the Remisse of sinnes Cyprian De bono patientiae Cyprian Hee that was to giue the Remisse of sinnes in the fountaine of regeneration disdained not to be washed The same Father in the 14. Epistle the third Booke He that blasphemeth the holy Ghost hath not the Remisse of sinnes Therefore séeing in the steade of Remission they sayde Remisse they séeme also to haue vsed this worde Missa in the place of Mission And so that which was doone in the Church after the sending away of the Catechumeni Catechumeni they called Masse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to tell you that by the way is to teache and instruct especially by word of mouth and not by writings Wherfore they were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who were not yet washed with the fountaine of regeneration but were instructed as touching faith By Tertullian they were called Audients or Auditors and by Augustine Competents For before they should be Baptized at Easter they gaue their names for the space of 40. dayes before in which space of time they were instructed and by the Pastors of the Church not onely their faith but their life and manners were throughly tried But in the holie assembly when the holie Scriptures had béene recited and a sermon made the Deacon spake out with a loud voice Let the Catechumeni come foorth The Catechumeni those which would not communicate were sent away by the Deacons Cyril Gregorie and the Gretians saide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holie things to holie men according as it is gathered out of the ancient Liturgies and also out of Cyril vpon Iohn the 12. booke Chapter the 50. Yea and in the time of Gregorie as himselfe testifieth in the 2. booke Chapter the 23. of his dialogues it was said If any man communicate not let him giue place And that manner might haue séemed verie like to a certaine rite of the Ethnicks For in a certaine seruice of their Religion Fostus as Festus reporteth the officer saide Stand foorth thou vanquished Enimie and thou woman or virgin because in that diuine seruice it was forbidden vnto these kindes of persons to bée present Apuleius And Apuleius in his second booke saieth that the Priest when hee should begin the sacrifices was accustomed thus to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who is there Vnto whom it was aunswered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were saide Honest and good men when the polluted and vnworthie persons were gone foorth So was it doone in our Church for after that by the Deacon was vttered that voyce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Runnagates and penitentes went away thence Of these orders Dionysius maketh mention 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were those which were vexed with ill Spirites Perhaps they were persons excommunicated séeing those at that time I meane in the primatiue Church were deliuered vnto Sathan Wherefore as it now appeareth by those things which we haue spoken the Latine Church called the celebration of the Sacrament of the Eucharist Missa Massa as it were Missio as it were Missio a sending away For somtime Ambrose also vsed this phrase Missas facere And vndoubtedlie this opinion I better allowe than the opinion of them which iudge that the name was deriued of the Hebrue worde Masse 6 But now that we haue intreated of the name of the Masse
set foorth their matter with goodlie words and so it may be vnderstood what they saie they account breuitie a speciall praise of speaking And a little after it followeth thus The name of things doone requireth order of time to be obserued will also haue the description of countries For in matters which be great and woorthie of memorie we first looke what counsell was taken secondlie the acts that were doone and lastlie what end and successe came thereof And in counsels is signified what the writer alloweth and in the acts is declared not onelie what was doone and said but also in what maner they were executed c. By these things we may perceiue what is the nature of Annales or of historie And it séemeth we may affirme The narrations of the scriptures be rather histories than chronicles that the narrations of the holie scriptures be rather like histories than Annales For not onelie acts are there set foorth as they were doone but also the verie causes counsels and meanes are shewed Also the orations admonitions and reprehensions are otherwise set foorth with som ornaments All which rather belong vnto histories than vnto bare Chronicles 21 But since we haue heard the opinion of Cicero let vs sée also what Aulus Gellius saith Aulus Gellius opinion of chronicles and histories who in his fift booke and fift chapter writeth on this sort Some doo thinke that a historie differeth from a Chronicle in this that whereas both of them are a declaration of things that be doone yet that a historie is properlie of such things as the writer himselfe is present at the execution of those things which he intreateth of c. This distinction he himselfe dooth not followe and that for some certeine cause Which distinction neuertheles Seruius the Grammarian vsed and after him Isidorus in his first booke of Etymologies which is a maruell bicause he is not only against Tullie who said that An historie is a gathering of things doone from yéere to yéere but also contrarie to Virgil whose verse is in the first of Aeneidos And if it please you to heare the Chronicles of our labours Wherein he declareth that Chronicles also belong to such things as the writer was present at But I will speake againe of Gellius He reporteth that there were others which thought histories to be either the exposition or demonstration of things that haue béene doon and they be Annales or Chronicles when the acts of manie yéeres are afterward compiled an order of euery yéere being kept According to which iudgment the historie of the scriptures cannot be named among Chronicles séeing in the declarations of things doone in them the course of yéeres manie times is not obserued Afterward the same Gellius according to the mind of Sempronius Asellio added this much But the difference betwéene those which would leaue Chronicles behind them and others which indeuoured to discourse of the worthie acts of the Romans was this In their Chronicles they onlie shewed what déeds were doon euerie yéere but the histories not onelie shewed what was doone but also how by what order deuise and counsell the same was atchéeued And a little after the same Asellio in the same booke Chronicles can neither mooue the more couragious sort to defend the Common-weale nor yet the more cowardlie to doo amisse Wherefore since by the knowledge of the scripture men be admonished and stirred vp to the right worshipping of God to repentance of their life to put their whole confidence in God and finallie to take in hand all offices which appertaine to good life and conuersation they rather containe historie than chronicle I haue vsed manie words touching this matter but I trust not without some fâ—uit God is the authour of historie 22 But it must not be thought that historie was deuised by man séeing God himselfe is the author thereof who would that the forefathers should declare vnto their children and posteritie the maruellous things that he did in Aegypt in the red sea and in the wildernesse yea and he bad as we read in Exodus that the warre against Abimelech Exod. 17 14 the victorie which the Israelites had of him should be recorded in writing but this kind of writing began before Moses For euen he maketh mention Histories before Moses time Num. 21 15 Ios 10 13. 2. Sam. 1 18. aswell of a booke of the wars of the Lord as also of an other booke of iust men The prophets also oftentimes mingled histories with their prophesies I omit Dauid who manie times garnished his psalmes which he soong with histories of the scriptures I passe ouer our euangelists in the new testament and the Acts written by Luke wherin are large and most profitable histories Of these bookes if God be authour as we must beléeue he is euen God himselfe shal be counted the authour of historie And this is not vnbeséeming for him séeing historie is an excellent thing for as Cicero writeth in his booke De oratore it is a testimonie of times The praise of historie a light of the truth the life of memorie the maister of life and the messenger of antiquitie c. Verie singular are these commendations and not fit for euerie historie but for such onelie wherein those rules are obserued which this authour hath in the same place set downe that is to wit The rules of a true historie that there be no false thing told that there be no bashfulnes in telling the truth that there be giuen no suspicion of fauour or hatred Wherin although the Latine Historiographers were better than the Gréekes The Latine histories of more credit than the Greeke which as Quintillian saith were in these matters almost as lewd as the poets yet Augustine in his 131 epistle to one Memorius a bishop giuing no small praise to historie among other liberall disciplines and writing of the truth saith that he could not perceiue how those stories which are compiled by men can be well able to kéepe the truth séeing that writers are constrained to giue credit vnto men and oftentimes to gather rumors and reports of the multitude who neuerthelesse are to be excused if they kéepe the course that is required in a historie and write nothing of affection or set purpose to beguile men The histories of the scriptures most true But there is nothing more true than the histories reuealed and written by the inspiration of God as these histories of ours be 23 Besides the commoditie of the truth The commodities comming by histories the knowledge whereof is without doubt most excellent we obtaine other commodities also and those not small by the reading of histories By them we may gather great and abundant store and matter of most profitable arguments For as Quintillian saith histories and examples be iudgements and testimonies And the vse of examples is of two sorts at the least Two maner of vses of examples one is
the originall of euerie thing yet the diuels doo sée it For he saith that in Epyrus there is a well wherein torches lighted are put foorth and vnlight torches are lighted the principles and beginnings of that effect are in that well The diuell is no creator but a minister of nature to make things A similitude although we cannot sée them And yet we saie not here that the diuell dooth either create or make such things but onlie that he is a minister seruing vnto nature Euen so the husbandman when he tilleth and soweth the ground and the gardener when he pruneth and delueth a vine doo not create the corne or wine but onlie doo helpe nature Gen. 30 37. So Augustine saith that Iacob did not bring foorth the colour vpon the shéepe but did onlie rightlie applie the forms shapes And to take an exāple euen of spirituall things the ministers of the church doo not iustifie anie man or forgiue anie man his sinnes but are onlie ministers by whose indeuour God bringeth these things to passe I planted saith Paule and Apollo watered 1. Cor. 3 6. but God it is that gaue the increase 23 But it séemeth woonderfull how they can so spéedilie bring these things to passe How they worke these things so suddenlie For whether they haue swift bodies or no bodies at all yet to bring foorth anie naturall thing it would séeme to require a time Howbeit we must consider that these séeds or beginnings of naturall things be as it were instruments and they haue some power of their owne nature A similitude But it maketh a great matter into whose hands they doo happen for a skilfull artificer will worke anie thing both handsomlie and spéedilie but giue the same instruments vnto an ignorant and vnskilfull man and he will doo it neither redilie nor yet verie handsomelie euen so anie spirit as a skilfull artificer will bring more to pas in one minut than by the accustomed order of nature can be wrought in a long time For those chéefe originals are not to be weighed in their owne nature although that euen by nature we sée some things to be made in a manner vpon the sudden As in the summer time of a shower of raine little frogs doo suddenlie arise but yet therein indéed there is admitted some space of time though it be but short So these vagabond iuglers séeme to deuoure bread and immediatlie to spit out meale and when they haue droonke wine they séeme presentlie to powre the same againe out of the middest of their forehed And if there can be such a readines and dexteritie of dooing in man why shall it not much rather be attributed vnto spirits For in a spirit there is much more nimblenes than in a man Wherefore the spirits doo not bring foorth these things of themselues for so should they beget a kind like vnto themselues as of a man is brought foorth a man of a horse is brought foorth a horse But a spirit dooth not bring foorth a spirit but as I said dooth take the principal originals of things and applieth them vnto a matter and so bringeth woonderfull things to passe But how far the nature of things may procéed it is hard to iudge The diuell bridled two maner of waies Wherefore the diuell is bridled two waies the first is by the bounds of nature the second is by the will of God So the diuell may bring in plague famine and sores for he knoweth of what causes and beginnings these things be made For he afflicted Iob Iob. 1 2. Psal 7 49. and brought plagues and punishments by euill angels And Christ saith that the diuell bound the daughter of Abraham by the space of fortie yéeres Luk. 13 16. And this also the good angels doo sometimes for the angel of the Lord in one night ouerthrew the host of Senacherib 2. kin 19 35. and brought in a plague in the time of king Dauid 2. Sam. 25 verse 17. Dauid himselfe sawe the angel of God striking the people in the threshing flower of Areuna But those things which go altogither beyond nature as to raise the dead to change men into beasts are onelie delusions of which we are to speake afterward 24 Now as touching the other parts The diuell can driue forward som things namelie that the diuell can mooue and driue foreward some things there is no doubt thereof For séeing the soule which is tied much more vnto the bodie than a spirit is can mooue gouerne the bodie assuredlie the diuell can much rather doo it This appeareth sufficientlie by fiers and tempests so often raised by the diuell and by that ship of Claudia and by the flitting of the oliue garden and féeld of corne of which things we spake before It is said that when Ascanius had caried awaie the houshold gods from Lauinium vnto Alba they returned backe againe of themselues into their owne chappell at Lauinium Besides this spirits doo somtimes hurle stones And these magicians which séeme to ride on a cane in the aire are kept or held aloft by a secret power of diuels and by the same power Simon Magus did flie in the aire Spirits put bodies on themselues 25 Lastlie they also put bodies on themselues Neither is it to be doubted but that the diuell being a spirit can perse through the soundest and massiest bodies Looke after in the 12. ch art 5. Gen. 3 1. Num. 22 28 By this meanes he dooth oftentimes conueigh himselfe into images he spake in the serpent he loosed the toong of the asse Hée also taketh vpon him euen the bodies of men either liuing or dead he vexeth and tormenteth them How they ioine to thē selues bodies and hindereth their naturall works He obserueth oftentimes the course of the moone to the intent as Ierom saith that he may slander that planet or rather to watch for the abounding of humors whereby he may the more gréeuouslie disquiet the bodie Somtimes he putteth on an airie bodie but that he dooth not forme or quicken as the soule dooth our bodie neither dooth he make it to passe into one substance with himselfe as did the word of GOD with an humane bodie for diuels can put off those bodies when they will for they be in them as the Schoolmen speake definitelie What is to be anie where definitelie that is they be in them so that they be not anie where else God in verie déed in the old testament presented himselfe somtime to be séene in some forme but hée was not definitelie in the same for he was so present there as he notwithstanding in the meane time was euerie-where else But the diuell as saith Augustine fitteth vnto himselfe some bodie as it were a garment And Chrysostome writing of the patience of Iob saith that He which brought tidings of the fall of the house Iob. 1 18. and destruction of his familie and cattell
beginning there be sundrie opinions Some thinke that men when they beheld the sundrie motions of wandering and fixed stars inuented dansing whereby the varietie of motions might be represented Other thinke that danses rather came of religion bicause among the old Ethniks there were in a maner no holie seruices wherein was not hopping and dansing For they led their danses from the left part of the altar to the right whereby they might resemble the motion of heauen from the east vnto the west Afterward they returned from the right to the left Virgil. to expresse the course of the wandering starres Which perhaps Virgil signified when he said Instaurántque choros mixt ique altaria circum that is And they being mixed togither renewed their danses compassing about the altars Yea and the dansing priests of Mars The dansing priests of Mars were had in great honour among the Romans Some there be also which refer the beginning of dansing to Hiero a tyrant of Sicilia The origiginall of dansing attributed to Hiero the tyrant For they saie that he to establish his tyrannie forbad the people to speake one to another Wherefore men in Sicilia began to expresse their meanings and thoughts by becks and gestures of the bodie And that afterward did turne to an vse and custome But whatsoeuer this thing was dansings in the old time were not against religion although afterward they were applied to publike mirth Besides there was another kind of dansing whereby yoong men were trained in warlike affaires For they were commanded to make gestures and to leape hauing their armour vpon them that afterward they might be the more nimble to fight for the publike weale when néed should require This kind of dansing was called Saltatio Pyrrhica and bicause it was exercised in armour it was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Of this dansing is mention in the ciuill lawes namelie in the Digests De poenis in the lawe Ad damnum And sometime yoong men when they had offended were not straitwaie put to death but were condemned either to hunt vpon a stage or else to danse in armor and they were called Pyrrhicarij Also there was an other kind of dansing which was instituted onelie for pleasure and wantonnesse sake Lasciuious dansing and that was called of the Graecians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But of those danses which by gestures of the bodie expressed the senses of the mind writeth Lucianus in his booke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lucianus Athenaeus and so dooth Athenaeus In this kind men so preuailed at the length that when at Rome Demetrius Cynicus derided the danse called M nnica saltatio calling it a thing vaine and nothing woorth a noble danser which then was had in honour at Rome desired him that he would onelie once behold him while he dansed and afterward to iudge and speake his fansie whatsoeuer he would He came vnto the stage the danser called Saltator Mimicus began by gestures to resemble the common fable of Mars taken in adulterie with Venus wherein he so expressed the Sunne shewing the fact and Vulcane knitting his nets and Venus ouercome with shame and Mars humblie desiring pardon The saieng of Demetrius Cynicus that Demetrius being astonished cried out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I héere O man the things that thou dooest I doo not onelie sée them for by these thy hands thou seemest to me to speake About the same time by chance came to Rome the king of Pontus and when he had séene this danser make his gestures vpon a stage being afterward willed by Nero to aske what he most desired to haue giuen him he desired to haue the same Mimus Nero maruelled séeing he might haue asked other things of much greater price and asked him the cause of that his request He answered Bicause I haue sundrie nations subiect vnto me which without an interpretour I cannot vnderstand And oftentimes it happeneth that the interpretours doo not faithfullie enough tell them what I saie nor againe what they saie vnto me but this fellowe with his gestures will expresse all things verie faithfullie 53 Plato in his third booke De legibus maketh two kinds of dansings the one called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is warlike which before we haue called Pyrrhicum the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is peaceable which he calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I omit to speake of the shamefull kind of dansing bicause it is openlie condemned by the lawes The pyrrhicall dansing and that which is doone by gestures may serue to some vses in the publike weale but they perteine not to our purpose Wherefore we must héere speake of that which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how farre it is lawfull for so much as it is exercised for mirth sake Dansing by it selfe and in his nowe nature is not euill I thinke assuredlie that this kind of dansing is not of his owne nature vicious or forbidden bicause nimblenesse and agilitie of bodie is the gift of GOD and if there be added anie art namelie that the bodie be mooued in order aptlie in number with comelinesse and decencie I doo not sée whie it ought to be reprooued so that it be doone in time moderatlie and without offense For euen as it is lawfull to sing we may vse singing to giue thanks vnto God and to celebrate his praises so likewise by a moderate dansing we may testifie the ioie and mirth of the mind For Dauid dansed openlie before the arke of the Lord 2. Sam. 16 6 1. Sam. 18. 7 and the maidens with danses and songs celebrated his victorie against Goliah Marie also the sister of Moses Exo. 15 20. when Pharao was ouerthrowne and slaine led danses with other women and soong a song of victorie Wherfore séeing godlie men and chast women haue vsed danses we cannot saie that of their owne nature they be vicious But as it is vsed in these daies Dansings of men and women togither are euill that men should danse mixed togither among women it ought not to be suffered bicause these things are nourishments and prouocations vnto lusts and wantonnesse Marie the sister of Moses dansed not with yong men but apart by hir selfe among women Neither did Dauid danse with women And the maidens which celebrated his victorie dansed among themselues and not with men And now they which loue God with all their heart and with all their strength ought not onelie to obserue his commandements but also to cut off all occasions whereby the obseruing of them might be letten Reasons against the danses of our time But our danses are most euident occasions of transgressing the lawes of GOD they be snares and offenses not onelie vnto the dansers but also to the beholders For they stirre vp and inflame the hearts of men which otherwise be euill enough euen from their beginning and that which ought with great studie and indeuour be kept vnder is stirred
by faith are vnited vnto Christ the head of the church Whereof it may be soundlie concluded that it is a peculiar gift for them which be true members of this bodie vnder the head Christ And this treatise of the remission of sinnes we will for the easier vnderstanding diuide into thrée points to be considered Three things to be considered Of which the first is that we by the grace and spirit of Christ be made partakers of the remission of our sinnes But here must we sée by what waie and means the Lord is woont to giue this grace and spirit the which we cannot otherwise define than by faith For the benefits which God offereth vnto vs are méet to be receiued of him that will inioie them And faith is nothing else but a receiuing of the mercie of GOD which is offered vnto vs by him Whervnto there be two things necessarilie required Two things necessarilie required in faith one is that that be offered to vs which is good the other that we giue our consent But to receiuing consent we haue néed of the spirit that should inwardlie persuade the mind for otherwise a man by reason of his naturall corruption would turne awaie himselfe as to whome these promises of God these mercies offered and this remission of sinnes might naturallie séeme not likelie to be true and to be of no great weight And he would be far from the through consideration of them séeing as the philosophers themselues also saie he would no lesse be blinded vnto diuine things than the mole is at the light of the sunne Whereof there is a testimonie of Paule to the Corinthians The naturall man saith he vnderstandeth not those things which be of God for they be foolishnesse vnto him that we may haue néed of that inward moouing least we should refuse the benefit which is offered vnto vs. And indéed in this moouing there be two excellent gifts The first is that we acknowledge the gift and mercie of God offered vnto vs. The second that the things which be offered should be pleasing vnto vs and that by giuing our assent we receiue and imbrace them Which for the most part is granted vnto vs none otherwise to be vsed but as it is set forth to vs by the word of God how excellent and great soeuer the mercie of God is by the which he fréelie forgiueth our sinnes Acts 10 44. Wherefore it is written in the Acts of the apostles While Peter yet spake the holie Ghost fell downe vpon them which heard him Rom. 10 17. And by Paule vnto the Romans it is said that Faith is by hearing and hearing by the word of God So as the church preaching continuallie the word of God by hir ministers and in such sort offering in hir sermons reconciliatiō by Christ it giueth remission of sinnes in that by the outward ministerie it pronounceth the same out of the words of the scripture by the which through attentiue ears as through a conduit both the grace and spirit of Christ doo slowe in euen vnto our hart Wherfore it is most firmelie concluded that the word of God by the verie same means which I haue spoken is the originall of the remission of sins Which thing séeing it is set foorth in the church onelie it followeth that the sinnes be forgiuen no where else Sacraments be visible words 45 An other consideration we will adde which concerneth the sacraments the which be visible words of this absolution For euen as the word soundeth and is heard in the voice so in a visible and euident signe a sacrament dooth speake and admonish vs vnto the which we giuing credit obteine in verie déed that which it dooth promise and signifie Neither doo we otherwise giue credit vnto the signification hereof than by the motion of the same spirit of Christ which we haue aboue declared But thinke you not that sinnes be forgiuen by the vertue of the worke that is wrought through receiuing of the sacrament seeing this we obteine by faith while we beléeue that which it visiblie teacheth vs according to the institution of Christ to wit that a sacrament may be of the same value that the word of God is The same thing is offered by the word that is doone by the sacraments For euen as this word signifieth and giueth in verie déed vnto the beléeuers whatsoeuer it dooth promise so baptisme being by faith receiued both signifieth and giueth to the beléeuer remission of sinnes the which it promiseth by a visible speaking But indéed it might be obiected vnto me If so be that sins as it hath béene said be forgiuen vnto them which beléeue the word of Christ as by preaching it is set foorth to vs how can they then againe be forgiuen by baptisme I answer that as touching God both the one and the other absolution is all one and as concerning our sinnes the remission is one and the same The which neuerthelesse is as often confirmed and renewed in vs as we giue credit vnto the words whereby the same is signified vnto vs whether it be by word of mouth or by visible signe it is all one So that how often soeuer we either heare the word or receiue the sacraments in faith the remission of sinnes is assured vnto vs whereby no small faith is inwardlie powred into vs. A benefit of the sacraments And it ought to séeme no maruell vnto anie man wherefore the sacraments be ordeined by Christ séeing that by them his pleasure is that the strength of the spirit should haue recourse into the beléeuers no lesse than by the outward word of the scripture euen as we are taught by dailie experience but yet so as neither of these can profit anie man without faith Wherefore we haue hitherto declared two meanes by which the remission of sinnes is extant in the church according to the two waies whereby the word of God is set foorth vnto them that beléeue But and if thou demand which of the sacraments by name signifieth this remission of sinnes in the church I answer that it is baptisme in the which we being washed with visible water is a signe that we by Christ obteine spirituall clensing And that is it which Paule teacheth vnto the Ephesians that God hath purged his church with the washing of water through the word of life Ephe. 5 26. 46 But now let vs sée Of excommunication what is the third meane of this remission of sinnes The church by the singular gift and grace of Christ hath right and authoritie as it hath béene alreadie said to cut off from hir by excommunication them that be obstinate The order whereof Christ hath described and taught vnto hir in the Gospell of Matthew Mat. 18 17. where he speaketh of brotherlie correction whereby men being admonished that vnlesse they did repent it should procéed euen to the vttermost punishment of separation the which so long may stand in
all these things Luk. 17 10. say that ye be vnprofitable seruants we haue doone that which was our duetie to doo we were bound therevnto by the lawes Euen Aristotle saw this for he saith We can not make iust recompense to our parents and to the gods Rom. 8 18. Paule in the 8. chapter to the Romans saith that The suffrings of this life are not woorthie of the glorie that is to come which shall be reuealed in vs and yet these men in the mean time boast of the merit of woorthines But when we speake saie they of satisfieng that particle satis betokeneth not perfect satisfaction but some portion which we are able But what doo they saie An obiection Forsooth nothing for that which we giue is none of our owne we can doo nothing vnlesse we doo it by grace Further their definition faileth to wit that recompense is according to equalitie In this there is a relation to be had not onelie our owne power must be considered but also the thing that is recompensed Further if they will that there shall be satisfactions for punishments it behooueth to weigh satisfactions that they maie haue a proportion with the punishments Who hath béene a counseller vnto God to knowe how much he will punish euerie sinne What sought Christ at the hands of the théefe Luk. 23 43. What punishments did he laie vpon the woman that was a sinner Luk. 7 48. He said vnto the adulteresse Go thy waies I will that thou sinne no more if Christ dealt in this sort why doo they deuise new waies 32 But the church saie they in old time had satisfactions What maner of satisfactions the old church had Looke before place 9. art 16. the Fathers make mention of them I denie not but what maner of satisfactions were they Euen significations of true repentance They would not in times past receiue foorthwith such as were verie great sinners their desire was that the church might be well reported of But at this daie this kind of satisfactions is abolished neither the papists themselues reteine it naie rather in their satisfactions they haue subuerted the old order In the old time these satisfactions were required before they should be absolued but these men first absolue and receiue a sinner and then they will haue him to doo I know not what Such was the order in the church in times past They which were penitent remained apart from others they hard sermons and were present at praiers but yet in the degrée of penitents at such time as sacraments were ministred they went their waies But these things are out of vse Paule in the 2. to the Corinthians the 7. chapter saith verse 11. Behold euen this thing that ye haue beene godlilie sorie what great care hath it wrought in you yea what satisfaction The Gréeke text hath 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Excusation A place of Paule expounded bicause the Corinthians being rebuked of Paule satisfied him that is they excused and approoued themselues vnto him by these actions for they abandoned incest They vrge and saie that The works of them that be penitent are said by the Fathers to satisfie God also not the church alone the which those did offend that had an ill name Let vs sée how they vnderstood this Vndoubtedlie the Fathers did not thinke How the works of penitent men do satisfie God that men receiue forgiuenesse of sinnes by these actions of penitent persons they knew that this is onelie due vnto Christ but they vnderstood that men while they thus worke by faith doo allow themselues vnto God according as they maie and that when they craue pardon of the sinnes that be past they as it were purge and satisfie themselues When one hath hurt another man he is woont to satisfie him by sorowing by making request and by offering his seruice vnto him The partie offended saith Now am I satisfied although recompense be not made of the iniurie doone But we if we shall speake of true satisfaction doo onelie attribute that vnto Christ He is the propitiation for our sinnes and not onlie for our sinnes but for the sinnes of the whole world How Christ satisfied the Father And after what sort he satisfied the Father I will in few words contriue Some haue thought that the death of Christ and that same obedience according to his humanitie is of a limited woorthines and that it did not satisfie the Father further than he accepted the same They will not grant that if the thing be considered by it selfe it was a thing of equall value They adde also that God might haue dealt by other means but that he accepted this means There is another waie which séemeth much better vnto me to wit that the obedience of Christ and his death is to be considered not as in the power of his humane nature onelie bicause they be actions as the Schoole-men terme them of subiects persons and of indiuisible things The person of Christ although it haue two natures yet is it one wherefore those be the actions of the sonne of God and not considering the humane nature apart we may say that the diuine nature wrought by the humane So did those actions trulie merit remission of sins and were condigne and of equall value But they were due saie they for Christ was a creature and did owe all his works But he was God and of one substance with the Father he had the fulnes of grace but no craued grace wherefore he satisfied and not alonelie tooke awaie the fault but the punishment also If the godlie be afflicted it is for an other cause as we shall vnderstand Wherefore we must not séeke other satisfactions this is fréelie giuen Esaie saith Esaie 52 3. Ye shall be redeemed without monie Why God promiseth manie things to our works Esai 58 7. 33 They saie But God hath promised manie things vnto our works The prophet Esaie saith Breake bread vnto the hungrie and God will giue thee rest c. God dealeth with man after the maner of man when we would inuite anie man to doo well we promise him rewards There is brought an example The father mindeth fréelie to giue a garment vnto his sonne yet to stirre him vp vnto learning he saith I will giue thée a garment if thou canst recite this or that thing without the booke Thus doth God deale when he giueth fréelie the works be not the causes of rewards nor can be compared with them in woorthines yet denie we not but that men by liuing well may mitigate the afflictions of this world bicause obedience pleaseth God 1. Cor. 11 31 Paule said If we would iudge our selues we should not then be iudged A man to iudge himselfe is no other thing than to be sorie for his sinnes committed to liue vprightlie and to change his life Teares and lamentation are vsed therewithall bicause they be the effects
the tradition of Iohn the Apostle The Romanes did otherwise and made vaunt of an olde institution of Peter their Apostle Vndoubtedlie the Canons of the Apostles if they had bin nowe sprong vp had defined this vaine question Hereby this commeth to my minde that as the selfe same Canon cyteth they make mention both of the readers singers as though in the time of the Apostles eyther readers or singers were reckoned among the holie orders these orders beléeue me were brought in after the Apostles There is neuer anie mention made of these orders in the holie Scriptures of the new Testament What orders in the Clergie mē the scriptures acknowlege Thou maiest finde Bishops Elders and Deacons The rest be put in and inuented by men not that there were not in the Apostles time those which read or recited something in the holie congregation or those which did sing somewhat but thou canst neuer shew that these things belonged to the holie orders Wherefore séeing the Apostolicall Canons haue made mention of these orders The Canōs of the Apostles are feined they bewraie themselues to be counterfeit Further I passe ouer that Zepherinus the Bishoppe of Rome in his decretall Epistle Zepherinus maketh these Canons of the Apostle to be seuentie when as there are onelie reckoned fiftie Which so great a diuersitie of number declareth them not to be of the right sort For if they had bin properlie and lawfullie set forth by the Apostles we should haue them preserued with singular diligence and there would be a certeintie of their number according as the Canonicall Epistles of the Apostles are extant neither is there anie doubt of their number The fifth Chapter Of discipline gouernment of the Church and namelie of Excommunication Of order Ecclesiasticall Of Temples and their ornaments In 1. Cor. 10. verse 9. A definition of ecclesiastical discipline Look the 18 Epistle whose beginning is Sum plané ECclesiastical discipline is nothing else but a power graūted to the Church by GOD by which the willes and actions of the faithful are made conformable to the lawe of GOD which is done by doctrine admonitions correction and finallie by punishments and also by excommunicatiō if néede require They that cannot abide this kinde of medicine speake ill of their Pastors for dooing well their office Howbeit of God whose messengers they be they are not nor euer shall bée forsaken Wherefore let vs set before our eyes what things must be obserued in brotherlie correction Two extremities in brotherlie correctiō to be auoided In 2 Sa. 12. at the beginning We must take héede that we auoide two extremities and kéepe the meane On the one part that we vse not a faire and flattering spéeche whereby we rather nourish vices than remooue them On the other part that we vse not ouer rough rawe admonition least we rather turne a man from saluation than leade him vnto it The meane must be kept which Christ will haue to be kept in the 18. Chapter of Matthew Verse 15. If thy brother trespasse against thee saieth he goe and reprooue him betweene thee and him onelie But if he shall not heare thee take yet with thee one or two And if he refuse to heare them tell the Church In 1. Sam. 2 verse 22. the which is verie necessarie aswell in the Church as in the Common weale and in euerie familie forsomuch as the same being taken awaie all goeth to wrack For euen as there shall neuer want poore folkes whom we may helpe with our liberalitie Mat. 26. 11. so there will neuer lacke vices of men Of reproouing the which by reproouing we maie heale so as reproouing is an action pertaining to discipline A definition of reproouing whereby of charitie we are earnest with them that are fallen as touching their sinnes warning them to repent according to the manner and forme set forth by Christ to the intent that euill maie be taken awaie from among vs. In this definition action is placed as the generall worde the efficient cause is charitie for that it is no iust correction if it procéede of hatred wrath or iniurie But the matter wherein it is occupied be sinnes and those grieuous sinnes séeing lighter faultes pertaine not to this kinde of correction The forme is the maner prescribed by God The ende is that euill maie be taken awaie from among the faithfull which is euerie godlie mans part to haue a care of in the Church so much as possiblie maie be Correction comprehendeth not discipline generallie Yet neuerthelesse correction containeth not discipline generallie because neither a Father neither an Ecclesiasticall Pastor nor yet a ciuill Magistrate ought to suffer sinnes to passe for that there be manie with whom brotherlie admonition is of no force Wherefore the father if his offending sonne and the Magistrate if stubborne Citizens will not amend their liues ought to punish them more sharplie than by admonitions A Pastor shall correct with the greater discipline a brother that goeth foreward in disordinate life This discipline is no inuention of man Neither is this kinde of Action inuented by men but established by the lawe of God Christ as it is written in the Gospell saieth Mat. 18. 15 If thy brother trespasse against thee reprooue him betweene thee and him alone And Paule vnto the Galathians Gal. 6. 1. If thy brother be suddenly taken in anie offence ye that be spirituall instruct him with all gentlenesse And in the 2. to the Thessalonians 2. Thess 3. 15. Yee shall not esteeme them as enemies but admonish yee them as brethren Verse 17. And in Leuiticus the xix Chapter it is written Hate not thy neighbour but beare with him correct him when he sinneth least thou beare his sinne Reuenge not nor keepe hatred against him but thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe So we are commaunded not onelie by the Gospell but also by the lawe to admonish and rebuke our brother Exod. 25. 5. And vndoubtedlie if we be commaunded to lift vp the asse of our enemie falling downe vnder his burden howe much more is it commaunded that we should helpe our brother when he falleth Leui. 19. 14 Also in an other place to wit in the 19. Chapter of Leuiticus God hath charged by the lawe that a man should not laie a stumbling block in his waie that is blinde but shoulde rather bring him into the waie againe but brethren which do sinne grieuouslie are blinded with couetousnesse and doe straie out of the waie so as they cannot be ouerpassed of vs without a fault Of Excommunication In 1. Cor. 5 at the end 2 Excommunication as concerning the Etimologie of the word is that whereby we make anie voide of the fellowship of communion The Grecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And vnder that name is signified some thing seuered from common things for Religions sake that aswell in
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
All these things being finished The distribution of the Sacrament they came to the distribution of the sacramēt While the same was a dooing or when it was finished the song of thankesgiuing was added which they called the after Communion After Communion When all this was complete finished A prayer at the end the Minister adding a comfortable prayer licenced the people to depart All these things albeit they ledde away the Christian people from that first simplicitie of hauing the Lordes Supper manie things being added as it séemed good to sundry men yet might they after a sort be abidden and not iustly be accused of superstition or idolatrie One and the same rite was not in al Churches alike The church of Millain Howbeit the same things were not in all Churches nor were not kept after one sort For as yet it was otherwise in the Church of Millaine by the constitution of Ambrose neuerthelesse afterward the Romane Antichristes corrupted all things 8 But that those things which I haue specified were by the olde ordinance kept I maie easilie shew by the most ancient writers Tertullian in Apologetico saieth Tertullian Wée come together into the congregation and assemblie that praying vnto God we may as it were hand in hand forcibly compasse him about with prayers This force is acceptable vnto God We also pray for Emperours for their ministers and men in authoritie for the state of this life for the quietnesse of things and for prolonging of the end These things doe shewe the summe of the Collects And as touching the exercise of the Scriptures he addeth Wée come together to the rehearsall of the diuine scriptures if the qualitie of times present either compelleth vs to forwarne or to call to remembrance Doubtlesse by the holy words we féede our faith we aduance our hope we fasten our confidence We neuerthelesse by often putting in mind doe strengthen the discipline of teachers There also haue we exhortations chastisements and diuine Censures For iudgement is giuen with great weight c. These be the things which were doone in the holy assemblie Whereunto these also must bee added which the same Author elsewhere sayeth namely that the Eucharist was woont to be receiued at the hand of the chiefe prelats c. In these wordes we may haue knowledge of the principall partes of the Masse which wée haue rehearsed Iustinus Martyr Iustin Martyr in his seconde Apologie writeth that vpon the Sundaie the Christians come together but of other feasts he maketh no mention There he saieth the holie scriptures were recited vnto which afterward the chiefe Prelate added his owne exhortation That saieth he being doone we rise and pray afterwarde he addeth Vnto the chiefe Prelate is brought the bread and the drinke ouer which he giueth thankes as heartily as he can To whom answere is made of all men Amen These woordes declare two things not negligently to be passed ouer First that thanks were not sleightly giuen but with all the power that might be that is with singular affection Further it is manifest that all things were spoken with an audible voyce séeing the people answered Amen Afterward saieth he the Eucharist is distributed Last of all is a generall thanksgiuing and offering of almes Dionysius 9 Dionysius in his Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie rehearseth in a manner the selfesame things namely a recitall of the Scriptures a singing of Psalmes a communion and other things which would be nowe ouerlong to declare But which séemeth the more strange he maketh no mention of offering the bodie of Christ This Dionysius was not Areopagita spoken of in the Acts. Howbeit we must not thinke that he was the same Areopagita who is spoken of in the Acts of the Apostles But whosoeuer he was there is no doubt as I thinke but that he was an auncient writer And why I should thinke that he was not Areopagita I am lead by these reasons first because the kind of writing which he vseth especiallie of diuine names and of heauenlie gouernance containeth rather a doctrine of vaine philosophie than a doctrine of pure Christianitie and it is vtterlie voide of edifying Moreouer those bookes be in a maner void of testimonies of the holy Scriptures In the Apostles time were no Monks in the Church Further in his eccleasiasticall Hierarchie he maketh Moonkes to be as a certayne meane order betwéene the clergie and laitie whereas in the Apostles time that kinde of life was not as yet in the Church Héerewithall the elder fathers in no place made mention of those bookes which is an Argument that those were none of the works of the Martyr Gregorius Romanus first of all other in a certaine homilie of his made mention of his writings But passing ouer him come we to Augustine That father in the 59. Augustine Epistle vnto Paulinus while he assoyleth the fift question he expoundeth foure wordes which are in the 1. Epistle to Timothy the 2. Verse 1. Chapter A place of Timothie expounded Supplications Praiers Intercessions Thankesgiuing And those be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And hee affirmeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is supplications doe goe before the Celebration of the Sacrament And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee maketh to bee prayers which are vsed in the verie administration of the Sacrament wherein after a sorte wée vowe our selues vnto Christ and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he thinketh to be petitions and requestes by which the minister of the Church prayeth for good things for the people which stande by And finallie he teacheth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were generall thankes giuinges I might besides these bring many other monuments of the fathers if I thought not these to be sufficient But to returne to the name of Masse I sée that there were some also which thought the same to bee deriued of this woorde Missio Masse and Missio interpreted after an other sort because those thinges which were offered by the faithfull were saide to bee sent and they thinke that the Hebrue worde Masath gaue an occasion of that name because the Iewes vsed in time of the Pentecost to offer giftes But for what cause I iudge that the name of Masse was not deriued from an Hebrue worde I haue declared before And this I now adde If the Masse tooke his name from the oblation of things which were giuen by the Godlie the Papistes should abuse that name who haue there no respect at all to the almes of Godlie men but onelie to the oblation of the bodie and bloude of Christ which they commonlie boaste and that impudentlie that they offer vnto the father for the quicke and for the dead But of those things I suppose we haue spoken enough and at large Of the Masse looke another place in the Addition at the ende of this Booke Of Sacrifice In Iud.
shall not be without fruit For words said Homer are but wind but those things which are put in writing cannot be so easilie misreported This if they will doo euen as I was then bold to deale with them by liuelie voice so will I now prepare my selfe to answer those things which they shall write In the meane time fare yee well and take this in good part Questions set downe to be disputed of question 1 In the sacrament of the Eucharist there is no transubstantiation of the bread and wine into the bodie and bloud of Christ question 2 The bodie and bloud of Christ is not carnallie and corporallie in the bread and wine nor as others speake vnder the shewes of bread and wine question 3 The bodie and bloud of Christ is sacramentallie conioined to the bread and wine The disputers were these For the one side was Doctor Peter Martyr For the other side were Doctor VVilliam Tresham Doctor VVilliam Chadse and Maister Morgan Maister of Art The disputation of the first daie which was the xxviij of Maie Anno Domini 1549. betweene D. Peter Martyr and D. VVilliam Tresham before the kings visitors among whom the worthie man D. Cox Chancellor of the Vniuersitie of Oxford before the disputation should begin spake on this wise YE that be learned men although that of verie dutie I ought to moderate disputations but especiallie diuinitie yet doo I thinke that this must now chéefelie be doone as most apperteining vnto me bicause it so pleaseth the kings maiestie and for that the authoritie is committed vnto vs by letters patents as well in other things as also in the ordeining of publike readings disputations So we haue determined not onelie to be present thereat but also to ouersée gouerne and moderate them But I would haue you which haue taken vpon you this labour of disputing to consider how hard a matter that is which ye shall doo Remember with your selues how greatlie all mens eies are bent vpon you Respect ye diligentlie and regard ye the glorie of God laieng aside contentions and wranglings I knowe that ye be graue and learned men yet in respect of mine office I though it good to admonish you And I aduise other beholders and hearers that factions laid aside if anie such be they will so quietlie and peaceablie giue eare as there may séeme to be no partaking Phil. 2 2. Doo ye according to Pauls precept that In the name of our Lord Iesu Christ ye will vnderstand all one thing iudge all one thing that in you there be no schimes but an entire bodie hauing one mind and one iudgement Set aside ill affections let there be no noise debates scornefull laughters and outcries And ye yong men speciallie I would haue you to be forewarned which haue a greater feruencie of mind than ye haue of iudgement In the greatest controuersies there are woont to be discords hatreds and enuiengs as it came to passe in the disputations of Steeuen and Paule But I would in no wise haue this to happen among you but I wish rather that ye will learne to know the truth and when ye haue knowne it to imbrase the same so shall ye doo your dutie and also that which shall be verie acceptable vnto vs and God will giue good successe to that we haue in hand The preface of Peter Martyr RIght Honourable yée that be the Kings Maiesties Commissioners if I had thought that displeasures hatreds or enimities had béen the perpetuall companions of publike disputations I doubtles had neuer béene brought vnto this place But now that I sée those things doo not alwaies insue but are ioined vnto them casuallie or as they speake accidentallie I am come to dispute And certeinlie the desire which I haue to search out and open the truth hath mooued me aboue all things But they which for the desire of contention or for the vaine glorie of this world or for gaine sake doo take this matter in hand must not be accounted Diuines but light and vaine Sophisters carnall men giuen both to their bellie to ambition But we ought to be of that mind that we willinglie and of our owne accord yeeld vnto the knowne truth manifesting it selfe in disputation Which truelie is no small or slender part of diuine worship And therefore let the troublesome motions of minds cease on all sides and let all factions be far awaie Which if it happen there will arise singular profit of this exercise For iron of it selfe is but cold and a stone is altogither senselesse but if they be knockt one against another they cause fire to come foorth Euen as clouds otherwise of a darke and grosse nature if they méet togither and be one dashed against another doo cause a bright lightening in the aire so likewise the wits and studies of learned men are slowe of themselues but in the conflict of disputation they be stirred vp and made somwhat liuelie Neither must excellent and honest things as are disputations be refused nor yet counted vnprofitable and hurtfull sith we doubt not but they be the gifts of God We are beholding vnto disputations for that excellent doctrine of Iesus Christ our sauiour which he had with the Scribes Pharisies Saduces and Herodians of the loue of our neighbour the resurrection the paieng of tribute vnto Caesar the signe of Ionas the prophet and such other like things And I thinke it is not vnknowne to you how greatlie the disputations of Paule and the rest of the apostles and fathers did profit the church No doubt but they may be doone of vs without bitternesse hatred and enuie so that the spirit of Christ be present Trulie there is a great difference betwéene disagréement and bearing of hatred For the first belongeth to iudgement the which is exercised in the vnderstanding part of the mind but the other which is hatred is a flame of the will Paule dissented from Peter and reprooued him and yet did he not hate him Thus much I thought good to speake of open disputations in generall But comming now néerer vnto these disputations of ours I confesse that I was to staie a while before I should come to this conflict bicause I sawe that I was to deale in that matter for which the church at this daie is excéedinglie disquieted And they which challenge to themselues the order of the priesthood thinke that transubstantiation and a carnall and corporall presence of Christ his bodie in the Eucharist he being taken awaie all the honour they haue would come to naught as though they had no other office but to change the substance of the bread or to close vp the verie bodie of Christ in the bread And so béesotted and doting is the common people as if a man teach anie otherwise concerning this sacrament than hitherto hath béene receiued they thinke that Christ is taken awaie from them and when we teach otherwise of the Eucharist than is beléeued in the Papasie
that men should liue in honest Mirth of heart how 2 497 b 498 a Of the dangerous Mirth that is sought for by drinking too much wine 2 499 b 500 a Miserable Who be Miserable and stande in néede of mercie 3 55 ab Miseries Vnto what Miseries this bodie of ours is subiect 1 1 ab What are most gréeuous 2 622 a Mitre The originall of Mitre or verses 3 311 b Against lewd and vnchast Mitre 3 312 a ¶ Looke Songs Mo. Mocking What maner of Mocking is lawfull and vnlawfull 2 534 a Modestie Whether for Modestie sake it bee lawfull to lie 2 547 ab 543a The Modestie of Socrates 4 21 b How men be most reclaimed with Modestie 2 547 b Monkes Whether the order of Monkes stand with Gods word 2 180 ab Whether they doe agree with the Nazarits 3 180 ab Vnder what conditions ours might haue béene suffered 4 7 a They and the Rechabits compared 3 190 ab None in the Church in the Apostles time 4 219 b Moonkes a meane order betwéene the clergie and the laitie 4 219 b The Moonkes of the Charterhouse foolish superstition 3 174 a The Charterhouse Moonks austeritie 3 190 b Monie To what ende and purpose Monie was inuented and that it is not of naturall goods 1 147 b Howe the saying of Ecclesiastes that vnto Monie all things are obedient must be vnderstood 1 149 a Mourne Whether it be lawfull to Mourne for the deade 3 315 a Mourning Of Mourning for the deade 3 179 a Faultes therein 3 315 b Two things to be considered in the same 3 315 b Of Mourning and teares in diuerse respects 3 245. 246. 247 a What kinde is most acceptable vnto God 3 247 a Whether all kinde be allowed of God 3 247 a Mormolyciae Of the Mormolyciae which were diuelish delusions 1 89 b 90 a ¶ Looke Spirits Moses Howe God shewed himselfe to Moses face to face 1 27 b 28 b Who that Angell was that spake to him in the bush 1 28 a Mortification Two kinds of Mortification 3 276 a Two principall points thereof 3 272 b By what meanes wee attaine thereto 2 629 a 620 a Mortification of the bodie must not be excessiue 3 273 a Motion The scriptures doe oftentimes feigne Motion and sense to thinges without life 2 251 b Diuerse properties incident to the same whie pleasure is no motion 1 135 b Sometime it taketh name of that end wherto it tēdeth 2 568 a Discontinued is not the same in number that it was at first 3 330 b Of the nimble Motion of our bodies at our resurrection 3 359 a Local Motion proper to man beast and other creatures 1 189 b It cannot be without place 3 364 b The propertie thereof 3 359 a Whether Motion shall cease if time haue an end 3 394b Motions The first Motions to euill are sin 2 575 b 570 a 275 a 274 ab 363 b 364 a 365 b 572 a 552 ab 553 ab 607 b 608 a 3 41 a Vnto what kinde of sinne they bee referred 2 272 ab 273 a Comprehended vnder the word sinne 2 241b They hinder vs from fulfilling the lawe 2 242 a From whence they doe spring 2 272 b Ierom calleth thē 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and why 2 573 a That they are no sin 2 571 ab nor crimes 3 298 a Of themselues neither good nor euill 2 565 ab The first Motions vnto euill are in their owne nature mortall 2 272 b Whether the corrupt Motions which remaine in the regenerate be sinnes 2 271 a 272 a The Motions of Augustines mind before his conuersion to Christ 2 265 b Corrupt in infants and accused for sinnes 2 272 a Augustines iudgement touching the Motions of mans minde either to good or euill 1 178 b Of the heart not in our owne power 2 293 b Euill euen in the regenerate 2 563 b How Adam fel not hauing naughtie Motions 2 570 b 571 a Sudden and hastie are voide of making choise 2 294 ab After what manner the Motions of our minde depende of God 1 188 b Why God séeing he knoweth that wicked men will abuse good Motions doth suggest them 1 186 a God is the bringer foorth of all things yea euen of the euill Motions of the will 1 188 b The affectes are Motions of the heart and what manner of motions 2 407 a Howe euen the good Motions of the minde are occasions of sinning and be turned into sinne ◠185 b 186 a Contrarie Motions in one will of the Godly 2 400 ab 401 a Mu. Multitude Whether Multitude bee any true note of the Church 4 93 a Murther How Murther being a sinne is neither murther nor sinne 2 475 a In what cases it was not punishable by Gods law 4 328 a What the ciuil lawes determine of the will in a case of Murther 2 385b 366 a What is forbidden vnder the name of Murther 2 552 b 553 a The note thereof is anger 2 517 a Why it was granted to Elias to destroy with fire from heauen the captaines of fiftie and their soldiers and the same denyed to the Apostles this concerneth Murther 2 387 a Selfe murther A briefe catalogue of causes that oftentimes mooue men to selfe Murther 2 392 b 397 a Two alledged by Plato why none should Murther themselues 2 392 b Whether for the honour of god it be lawful for himselfe 2 396 b Certaine mitigations of punishments made by Emperours in such cases 2 392 a 393 a What is determined touching such as Murther thēselues through madnesse 2 391 a Selfe murther committed for visitations sake of friends departed 3 317 a It is not lawfull for a man to Murther himselfe 2 391 b 392 a why 3 316 a Whether for kéeping of chastitie it is to be committed 2 395 b Augustines opinion thereof 2 392 a 396 a and of Lucretia 2 394 a The seuere law of the Athenians in such cases 2 393 a Penalties appointed by the ciuil lawes 2 392 b 393 a Of certaine Philosophers which did Murther themselues 2 392 b The Circumcellious guiltie thereof 3 282 b 238 b And the Donatists desirous with their reasons for the fact 2 395 ab And the virgins of Lemnos without cause by what means they ceased at length so to doe 2 394 a Why Cato did Murther himselfe 2 393 ab In what torments Virgu placeth all such 2 392 b How the Hebrues excuse Saul in that he did Murther himselfe 2 396 b Ionas obiected for an example as of one that will willing to Murther himselfe 2 395 a Iudas guiltie of Murther both in respect of Christ and himselfe also 2 392a ¶ Looke Manslaughter Murtherer Samuel was no Murtherer in killing Agag 2 388 b Murtherers Who be Murtherers by the decrée of the ciuill law 2 385 b The Apostolicall Canons cal such Murtherers as gelde themselues 2 392 ab Chrysostome counteth them worse than Murtherers that kill themselues 2 392 a Musicke From
places of the fourth part ALbeit that the holie Ghost be the onelie bond that we haue with Christ and the most assured pledge of our saluation and an vndoubted preseruer of all things yet vseth he thervnto diuers and those externall instruments for into the church he gathereth the elect and by the ministerie of the word and sacraments and also by the bond and helpe of discipline he begetteth vs vnto Christ and he feedeth and preserueth vs vnto eternall life And herewithall he raiseth vp and vseth magistrates as well for the preseruation of mans societie and publike honestie as also for the maintenance of pietie and seruice of God so then this last part comprehendeth an explication of these places THE CHAPTERS AND COMMON PLACES OF THE FOVRTH PART chapter I OF the catholike church pag. 1. Of sundrie ministers of the church 3. Of calling to the ministerie pag. 9. Of the dignitie and contempt of the ministers pag. 15. Of the office of pastors pag. 16. Of the efficacie of the ministerie 21. Of the mightie simplenes of the ministerie pag. 25. chapter II Of receiuing or refusing of rewards gifts and offices especiallie by ministers of the Church pag. 28. Of the immunitie of ecclesiasticall men pag. 32. chapter III Whether there may be two heads of the church one visible and an other inuisible pag. 35. chapter IIII Of ecclesiasticall lawes pag. 41. An exposition of the place To obeie is better than sacrifice expounded pag. 44. Of traditions pag. 45. Of discerning of spirits Ibidem Of the authoritie of the Councels Fathers and Canons pag. 46. chapter V Of ecclesiasticall discipline pag. 56. Of excommunication pag. 57. Of order and comlinesse in the church pag. 65. Of temples and their ornaments Ibid. chapter VI Of schisme and whether the professors of the Gospell be schismatikes pag. 68. What is become of them which in times past died in the Popes religion 91. chapter VII Of sacraments in generall pag. 96. Of circumcision pag. 107. chapter VIII Of baptisme baptising of infants and holines of them pag. 120. chapter IX Of the dedication of temples the baptising of bels of oile salt spittle wax and other papisticall corruptions about baptisme pag. 123. Of papisticall holie water pag. 138. chapter X A treatise of the Lords supper with a preface before the same pag. 147. An epitome of the disputation of the Eucharist against Steeuen Gardiner 198. chapter XI Of the communion vnder one kinde pag. 204. chapter XII Of the Masse pag. 215. Of sacrifice pag. 220. Another Cōmon place of sacrifice 223. Of altars pag. 225 chapter XIII Of a magistrate of the difference betweene ciuill ecclesiasticall power 226. Of tenthes pag. 235. chapter XIIII Of the office of magistrates especiallie in exercising of iudgement pag. 245. That the charge of religion belongeth to princes pag. 246. Of the clemencie of princes pag. 248. Whether it be lawfull for magistrates to let the giltie go vnpunished Ibidem Whether the excuse of Dauid in not punishing of Ioab may be allowed 256. Whether it be lawfull to release iust punishments which are inioined by lawes pag. 260. Of executions and hangmen pag. 264. Of sanctuaries pag. 265. chapter XV Of exile or banishment pag. 270. chapter XVI Whether it be lawfull for a christian man to go to lawe pag. 275. chapter XVII Of warre or battell pag. 280. Whether vnto a iust warre the authoritie of the magistrate be alwaies required pag. 284. Whether it be lawfull for the godlie to haue peace with the vngodlie pag. 294. Of fenses and of spials pag. 296. Of treason pag. 297. chapter XVIII Whether captiues ought to be put to death or saued pag. 300. Of things which be taken by the right of warre pag. 303. chapter XIX Of a seuerall combat hand to hand 308. chapter XX Of nobilitie pag. 311. Of bondage pag. 313. Of debtors pag. 315. Of occupieng of merchandize 317. chapter XXI Of troubles and sedition pag. 319. Whether it be lawfull for subiects to rise against their prince pag. 324. Whether Iehoiadah did right in putting Athalia from the kingdome pag. 325. Of induring of tyrannie by godlie men pag. 328. The contents of those things which be added to this booke of Common places are set downe at the end of the foure parts Certaine faults escaped THere is no garden so well trimmed but hath some weeds no siluer so well tried but hath some drosse no wine so well fined but hath some leeze no honie so well clarified but hath some dregs finallie no humane action but hath some defect meruell not then good Readers that in so huge a volume consisting of so manie leaues lines and letters oftentimes varied both in forme and matter a fault or two doo escape were the Correctors care neuer so great his diligence neuer so earnest his labour neuer so continuall his eies neuer so quicke his iudgement neuer so sound his memorie neuer so firme breeflie all his senses neuer so actiue and liuelie Such faults therefore as are passed being but few in number if it please you in reading fauourablie to amend according as they be here corrected your selues shall be profited and I satisfied Fault Correction Part. Page Colum. Line They Men. 1 143 2 19 anger pride 2 529 2 49 fathers father 2 600 1 25 renewed remoued 4 59 1 58 whordome idolatrie 4 245 1 11 Lord my my Lord. in the additions 113 2 10 These are thought necessarie to be noted others if anie be I refer vnto your owne selues that shall take paines to peruse the whole booke aduisedlie THE Common Places of the famous and renowmed diuine Peter Martyr Vermilius a Florentine selected into foure parts out of his bookes and Commentaries HONI SOIT MAL Y PENSE E R The first part wherein is principallie intreated of the knowledge of God the Creator Of the ends of good and euill among the Christians The first Chapter Out of the Epistle to the Rom. Chap. 8 verse 25. AVGVSTINE in his 19. booke De Ciuitate Dei the fourth Chapter very wel declareth how Christian hope is caried vnto those good things Hope is caried to inuisible things which cannot be séen For if thou askest saith hée a faithfull man what he maketh to be the end of good and euill things he will answere Life and death euerlasting The ends that a faithfull man putteth which things can not be séene nor comprehended by mans reason And therefore the wise men among the Ethnikes being puffed vp with pride would not settle their hope vpon those things For which cause some held that the ends of good things are the goods of the mind some the goods of the bodie and some either vertue pleasure or both ioined togither But GOD laughed them to scorne and sawe how vaine their cogitations were For they would rather account those things for the chéefe good which be tempered with manie miseries and calamities than to receiue those sincere perfect and most firme
not rehearsed all persons or degrées in whom marriages are forbidden For there is no mention made of grandmother when as neuerthelesse all men will confesse it to be most shamefull if anie man should take his grandmother to wife who is so far aboue him in yéeres The wise also of the grandfather is not mentioned And though the wife of the vncle by the fathers side be spoken of yet is there nothing spoken concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side Yea and that we more maruell at there is no prohibition for the father to marie his daughter when as all men confesse that those marriages be most incestuous So as it is to be thought that in that place are set foorth by the holie Ghost certeine degrées prohibited and those not manie but yet such that by them as by certeine exquisite and manifest rules we may iudge of the like Wherefore we must thinke that whatsoeuer is spoken as touching the mother is also commanded as touching the grandfather or grandmother séeing that all these are reckoned to be parents Those things also which are spoken as touching the wife of the vncle by the fathers side doo manifestlie shew what is to be doone as concerning the wife of the vncle by the mothers side forsomuch as these affinities or degrées haue by the same space or distance relation one to another So that I am of this mind that I thinke the prohibitions mentioned in the lawe are therefore set foorth that by them we might euidentlie vnderstand what is méet to doo in the like degrées Who more than others offend against the degree forbidden I grant neuerthelesse concerning Paulus Burgensis reason that they much more breake the lawe which doo contract matrimonies with persons forbidden and that they also peruert the order of kindreds For vnto me he séemeth to doo farre woorsse which marrieth his grandmother than he which marrieth his néece of his brothers side although I thinke that both these matrimonies are vnlawfull What the Hebrues of our time doo I passe not much yea I much doubt of that which Paulus Burgensis assureth himselfe as a thing plaine and manifest namelie that the Iewes at this daie are most diligent in obseruing of their outward lawes For me thinketh I should doo well in not giuing to them more dignitie or religion than to Christians Wherefore as it is manifest enough that we haue for mens traditions straied verie much from the right obseruation of the commandements of GOD and also from the right knowledge of the scriptures so is it also likelie that the same hath happened to the Iewes especiallie in this our age So as I am not iniurious against them when I will not yéeld more vnto them than vnto our selues Vnto the degrees expressed by God the Iewes haue added manie more Neuerthelesse I will not let to declare that their Rabbins haue added to the degrées forbidden in the lawe manie more as well in descending as ascending which thing I vnderstand the great learned man Paulus Phagius hath declared in his annotations on Leuiticus Neither can I be persuaded that they were added by them for anie other cause but onelie for that they thought that those degrées were comprehended in the degrées expressed by God Wherfore that as I thinke will not be sufficient for iudging of lawfull marriages if the degrée wherein they are contracted shall not by manifest and proper words in the lawe be forbidden nor yet the order of kindred peruerted for it may be that the like degrée and of the same distance is forbidden by authoritie of the lawe Neither dooth the scripture so far as I can sée alledge in anie place such a reason as belongeth to the peruerting of order although as I haue said before I will not vtterlie reiect the same 41 Some man peraduenture will saie What matter is it for vs of this age either to knowe or to marke those precepts which are conteined in the 18. and 20. chapters of Leuiticus séeing that we after the comming of Christ are no more bound to the ciuill laws of the Iewes I grant that the Christians are not bound to the ciuill precepts of the lawe but yet I ascribe those precepts which are there giuen for marriages not to ciuill lawes but rather to morall And I thinke that I may bring a reason out of the same place to confirme my saieng For God when he gaue those lawes added these words therevnto Leuit. 18 2◠20. 23. Take heed therefore that ye defile not your selues with whooredoms and such incests as the Gentils haue doone whom I haue driuen out of those lands which I haue now giuen vnto you for seeing those nations haue beene polluted with so greeuous wicked acts I haue therefore so destroied them and will doo the like vnto you except you shall diligentlie shunne those things which I command you as touching these euils I thinke no man will doubt but that the Chanaanits which receiued not the lawe by Moses neither were citizens of the publike weale of the Israelits could not by that lawe be condemned bicause they obeied not the lawes of the Hebrues They were subiect onelie to the lawe which is called morall Séeing then God reproueth them for that cause that they were so defiled with such filthie lusts and incests and affirmeth that for the same cause he depriued them both of their land and life it is manifest that these laws must be ioined not to ciuill precepts but to morall which all men are bound to obserue Neuerthelesse it séemeth at the first sight to be against this doctrine Gen. 20 12. in that Abraham a man otherwise most holie is thought to haue married his brothers daughter namelie Sara Amram had also Iochabed his aunt to wife of whom he begat Moses Aaron and Marie And it séemeth Exod. 6 20 that so godlie and holie men would not haue doone this if the morall lawe as we haue said had béene against it To this we answer first The lawe of nature was darkened through sinne that the lawe of nature was much blotted by corruption and wickednesse which ouerwhelmed all mankind soone after sinne and for that cause they which contracted such matrimonies thought peraduenture that the same was lawfull And therefore although they cannot altogither be excused by that ignorance yet it is to be thought that they committed lesse sinne than those which durst doo such things after the lawe was giuen I adde moreouer that among the facts of the fathers certeine things are now and then spoken of by which other men must not take example séeing they are sometimes to be interpreted as prerogatiues or certeine priuiledges giuen them But how so euer it be we must not as I thinke much labour to excuse the fathers in all things Although I knowe there be which saie The fathers must not in all things be excused from sinne that Sara was not the daughter of Abrahams brother
also For he so long as he liueth shall be full of ignominie thou as well when thou art liuing as when thou art dead shalt alwaies be noted of shamefull lust c. Therefore it hath béene ordeined by lawes that bastards should not be admitted to the inheritance of their fathers 15 The father when he dieth may giue somwhat vnto naturall children yea they inherit though the father die intestate when there are no other children yet they succéed not in the whole but onelie in two twelue parts as appéereth in the Code De naturalibus liberis in the lawe Licet patri But the bastard was so far from inheriting to his father as he might not so much as demand food of him as it is in the Code De incestis nuptijs in the lawe Ex complexu The canons Ecclesiasticall Howbeit the Ecclesiasticall canons deale somewhat more gentlie for they permit that a bastard should haue somewhat giuen him to find him withall as may be séene in the Extrauagants of him that married hir whom before he had polluted with adulterie in the chapter Cùm haberet And thus both the lawes of GOD and man doo agrée Neither as I haue said before were those lawes made for hatred or crueltie against bastards but that at the least by this meanes the shamefull lusts of men should be restreined Notwithstanding I will not ouerpasse this that by the lawes of Rome a bastard might succéed his mother as we haue in the Digests Ad senatusconsultum Tertullian lib. 1. He may also complaine of his mother if she leaue him out of hir will as we haue in the Digests De mofficioso testamento in the lawe 29. where this is to be vnderstood Except the mother be a noble woman And why bastards are not reputed in the place of children and are depriued of their fathers inheritance Augustine Augustine besides these reasons which I haue brought bringeth also another reason out of the holie scripture In the 22. of Leuiticus it is written verse 20. He that commeth to the wife of his vncle shall die without children But saith he manie are borne also of incest whose parents are not childlesse He answereth that the Lord so speaketh in the lawe bicause such are not counted for children wherefore their fathers are iustlie said to be without children although they haue children bicause it is all one as if they had none And bicause such children are contemned of their father neither are they rightlie brought vp nor chastised oftentimes they prooue woorse than the other Chrysost Chrysostome vpon the epistle to the Hebrues the twelfe chapter in his 29. homilie exhorteth the people to thinke that God dooth like a father when he chastiseth vs. For the father neglecteth vnlawfull begotten children and bastards therfore God when he chastiseth dooth the part of a true and lawfull father Plutarch Plutarch in his Problems the 130. Probleme saith that The Romans had foure surnames so that some were called Cnaei and other some Caij and those names they noted by two letters onelie or by thrée Wherefore he demandeth why Spurius that is A bastard was written by these two letters Sp. Bicause saith he the first letter S. signifieth Sine that is Without and P. Patre that is A father bicause he was borne of an vnknowen father although the same may also be applied vnto those that are borne after their father is dead But to them it was no reproch to be called bastards for Sp. Melius Sp. Cassius and other of that name were noble citizens We haue heard the lawe of God and also the ciuill lawe now it remaineth that we search the canons 16 In the Decrées What the canons haue dâ—creed touching bastards the distinction 56. in the chapter Presbyterorum they suffer not bastards to be admitted to holie orders vnlesse they haue béene first brought vp in Monasteries as though by this meanes they might be amended But the canons which afterward followe be somwhat milder Chrysostome vpon Matthew Chrysost in his 4. homilie as it is in the same place recited in the chapter Nunquam teacheth that such maner of births ought not to be hurtfull vnto the children For if a man haue béene a théefe a whooremonger or a murtherer and then be repentant his former life shall not be hurtfull vnto him Much lesse ought the sinne of the father to be hurtfull vnto the child naie rather if the child behaue himselfe well he shall be so much the more notable and woorthie of more praise in that he hath not followed the steps of his father Ierom Ierom. in his epistle vnto Pammachius against Iohn bishop of Ierusalem as in the same decrées appéereth in the chapter Nascitur Bastards saith he are not to be contemned for they had God the worker of them neither did God disdaine to make them and to giue them a soule c. Gregorie also in the same place Gregorie in the chapter Satis peruersum saith that It would be an vnméet thing that the child should so be punished for the pleasure of his father as he might not be preferred to the holie ministerie Ierom in the same place in the chapter Dominus If Christ vouchsafed that bastards be reckoned in his genealogie why shall not we then admit them to the ministerie c After these canons which be more fauourable vnto bastards is brought a strong argument on the contrarie part What harm is brought by parents vnto the bastards Whoormongers saie they doo séeme to powre in a certeine force into the séed which passeth also into the children whereof followe euill inclinations and thereby are they iudged to be woorse than other especiallie when they be not corrected in their childhood Wherefore if they be promoted vnto the holie ministerie the church shall be indamaged Yet at the last it is added in the chapter Cenomanensis If there be anie that are notable they may be admitted vnto holie orders but yet not that it should be a generall rule for all but a priuilege onelie And these things be written in the Decrées But in the Decretals De filijs presbyterorum we read that Bastards if they be made moonkes may come into orders yet so neuerthelesse as they may not be promoted vnto dignities nor be made either abbats or priors Howbeit if they liue without the monasterie the bishop may giue them orders and bestow small benefices vpon them but that is by interposing his owne authoritie as they commonlie call it by dispensation But the ecclesiasticall dignities shall not be giuen them of anie other than of the Pope for that power he kéepeth to himselfe alone albeit such dispensations of Popes and bishops haue respect to gaine onelie The iudgement of these things should haue béene left vnto the church which héerein ought to haue regard vnto two things namelie to the necessitie of the church and to the excellent vertues of him whom it would
the tenth booke of Titus Liuius that one Fabius Gurges which was Censor had condemned manie matrons of adulterie The amercement that they paid was monie of the which monie he afterward builded a temple vnto Venus Out of the oration of M. Cato which is rehearsed by Aulus Gellius in the tenth booke Aulus Gellius and the title is De dote we may perceiue that before the lawe Iulia was made it was lawfull to slaie both the adulterer and the adulteresse Augustine in the third booke and fift chapter De ciuitate Dei saith Women buried quicke for whooredome that The ancient Romans vsed to burie the vestall virgins aliue if they had committed whooredome but that they did not deale so seuearelie in punishing of adulterers He saith that they rather protected the temples of their idols than their owne wedlocke And no maruell it is for they worshipped adulterous gods Iupiter Mars and Venus After that time was the lawe Iulia made whereof there is mention in the Digests and in the Code Manie did falselie imagine that the same lawe had béene made by Iulius Caesar It was made by Augustus who was also called Iulius for so much as he was the adopted sonne and heire of Iulius Caesar Suetonius saith that he made this lawe and he made it vpon iust cause for his daughter Iulia and a néece that he had were most licentious monsters The emperour vsed to call them his rotten impostems When he had made the lawe there was brought vnto him a yong man taken in adulterie with his daughter Iulia. The which the emperour tooke in so euill part as he flue at him with his fists The yong man with a lowd voice cried out Thou Caesar onelie hast set downe this lawe Caesar for that he was blamed as if he had béene an inconstant man would not eate his supper for sorrowe By this Iulian lawe where first When the power of killing the adulterers was taken from the husband in the time of Cato it had bin lawfull to thrust through both the adulterer and the adulteresse then was this power taken from the husband and it was lawfull to kill the adulterer onelie In the Digests Ad legem Iuliam in the lawe Marito and in the Code in the same title in the lawe Gracchus Yet I read in Suetonius that Claudius Caesar killed Messalina vnder the name of adulterie but for so much as he was an emperour he did what he would It was lawfull for an husband to kill the adulterer although not absolutelie but when he should be taken with the maner and in his owne house Neither might he doo it to euerie one but to one of the common sort for if it had béene a noble man vnto whom he ought a reuerence it was not lawfull yet might he kéepe him shut vp in his house 24. houres vntill he did bring witnesses We sée that there was some exception of persons Why leaue was taken awaie from the husband to kill his wife a reason may be giuen Husbands doo somtime beare hatred vnto their wiues when they be contentious or deformed They might couet to gaine a dowrie and to marrie an other woman therefore the lawe would not condescend that the wife should be slaine Howbeit it was lawfull for the father of the adulteresse to slaie both as well in his owne house as in the house of his sonne in lawe as may be séene in the Digests Ad legem Iuliam But it was not lawfull for him to kill the adulterer vnlesse he also killed his daughter the reason was this that Nature teacheth the parents to loue their children hartilie whereby it is probable that he would not slaie his daughter vnlesse she were taken in adulterie 25 Seneca in his first Declamation Seneca séemeth to affirme that it should be lawfull to kill them both For he put this case A certeine soldier which had lost his hands in war found his wife to haue fellowship with an adulterer euen while the act was committed he called his sonne to slaie them The sonne refused to obeie wherefore the father reiected his sonne it is demanded whether he did this iustlie or no But perhaps Seneca had respect vnto the time of Cato But if so be the husband when he was in a furie had killed his wife being an adulteresse he by the Romane lawes should haue easier punishment than if he had béen an absolute murtherâ—e For he fell not into the danger of the lawe Cornelia of murtherers his punishment was erile Which is to be séene in the Pandects Ad legem Corneliam de sicarijs in the first and third lawes Whervpon when it is said by the Canonists the 33. cause question the second in the chapter Inter haec that Sometime it was lawfull by the Romane lawes to kill a wife being taken in adulterie not by the Ecclesiasticall lawes ye must vnderstand that the matter is not altogither so but bicause the punishment was light after a sort it was said to be lawfull Or else perhaps they which made those canons had respect vnto the lawes of Lombardie in the which that was lawfull Let vs also adde that the husband might by the Romane lawes slaie the adulterer not onelie when he tooke him at home with the maner so as he could not denie it but also out of the house when the case were so that he was suspected and that the husband could bring testimonie that he had giuen him warning once twise thrise that he should not haue communication with his wife Howbeit if he had found them talking familiarlie togither in the temple or place of praier then it was not lawfull so to doo but they were deliuered vnto the bishop or defender of the church But the bishops were manie waies against the putting of them to death neither would they giue licence to kill them It séemeth that those first Canonists were led with a desire of sauing soules that they should not die vpon the sudden without repentance The latter Canonists fauoured this matter perhaps bicause they more than others laie in wait for the chastitie of other mens wiues Wherefore there were manie punishments for adulterie prouided by this lawe Iulia. The effect of the lawe Iulia touching adulterie First the crime was brought before publike assemblie the accusation was admitted not rashlie forsooth but by a certeine order The wife if she accused hir husband of adulterie was not heard but she hir selfe was accused The first place was giuen to the husband the second to the father brethren and vncles also might accuse and afterward at certeine times place was giuen vnto strangers Diuorsement was ordeined betwéene them they lest the dowrie and donation which came by marriage Both the adulterer and adulteresse became infamous but after sundrie fashions the adulterer not vnlesse he were condemned the adulteresse so soone as she was attached And there was some certeine peculiar thing in the crime it selfe It was not
their parents they might imitate their sinnes or else reuenge their death the which in daughters is not to be feared But yet it must not therefore be concluded that there is a difference as touching the crimes Bréeflie I allow well inough that distinction of the Schoolmen that if the faith of matrimonie be considered the sinne is of like equalitie both in the adulterer and adulteresse If the state of the parties be considered the man sinneth more gréeuouslie but if we regard the harme that is doone vnto the familie it is to be laid to the womans charge And that man sinneth more gréeuouslie in respect of that which belongeth to his state and degrée it is manifest not onelie by this that he is of a greater iudgement but we may also perceiue it euen by the holie historie Nathan was not sent vnto Bethsabe but vnto Dauid Punishment of death for adulterie is not well intermitted 36 And thus much haue we said concerning the second question Now let vs come to the third namelie what we are to determine of these punishments intermitted Verelie if I should speake fréelie what I thinke it is not well ordered that the punishment of death is not in vse séeing the same agréeth with the woord of God and with diuine lawes which ought to be of great importance with vs. In Leuiticus and in Deuteronomie Leui. 20 10. Deut. 22 22 God ordeined that both the adulterer adulteresse should be slaine Secondlie I proue this by the verie order it selfe of the commandement of God Let vs laie before our eies the ten commandements As touching the worshipping of the true God it perteineth to the first commandement he that should doo otherwise was to suffer death Of taking the name of the Lord in vaine it is said If there be anie blasphemer let him die the death Of kéeping holie the sabboth daie we read that he which did gather stickes on the sabboth daie was commanded to be slaine Of the fift precept it is decréed that if any man were rebellious against his parents he should be brought to the iudges and slaine Of the sixt precept He that hath slaine an other man let him perish and let him be plucked euen from the altar Then followeth the precept of adulterie there the sword staieth his execution and procéedeth no further Vnto stealing and false-witnesse-bearing there is no punishment of death appointed Neither hath concupiscence any punishment of bloud belonging therevnto Séeing the order is on this wise I would know why the men of our time inuert the same But they saie that the Common-weale is more disturbed by théeues than by adulterers for we must haue a consideration vnto the commoditie of the Common-weale But I denie that théeues doo more disturbe the Common-weale If they robbe and slaie by the high waie in the night and lie in wait for mens liues I might easilie grant it but absolutelie of stealing I cannot say so Doubtles if our iudgement be right who had not rather loose somewhat of his goods and substance than that his wife should be dishonested Howbeit such a couetousnesse there is at this daie ingraffed in men that they make more accompt of their monie than of their wiues honestie Wherefore I saie that there is some iniurie doone vnto théeues in so much as they be hanged and adulterers who sinne more gréeuouslie are suffered to liue The fourth reason is that in suffering adulterers to liue they intricate vs with verie hard questions First there is brought in by the papists a diuorse from the marriage bed but not from the bond of matrimonie Moreouer there is disputation whether the innocent partie may contract matrimonie while the other partie liueth And there is a controuersie whether the adulteresse which suruiueth may marrie againe with an other Further they dispute of reconciliation betwéene adulterers and by this easie meanes cities are filled with vncleannesse and adulteries and men would after a sort be more pitifull than God himselfe 37 It is obiected The historie of the adulteresse in the 8. of Iohn ver 6. that Christ suffered not the adulterous woman to be stoned The eight of Iohn Wherby they gather that the Lord would not haue this to be doone in the state of the Gospell and therefore adulterers are to be spared in these daies They saie also that Ioseph being accused of this crime was not put to death To these two examples we must answer First I am not ignorant that the same storie in the eight chapter of Iohn hath béen reiected by some bicause it rather séemed to be put in of others than to be written by Iohn Ierom in his second booke against Pelagius writeth of this matter The same dooth Eusebius Caesariensis touch in his third booke who saith that he did thinke it to be taken out of the gospell of the Nazarits Augustine in his second booke De adulterinâ—s coniugijs ad Pollentium thinketh that It was the verie storie of Iohn in déed but deuised by cruell husbands to be wiped out to the intent that adulterous wiues might be put to death Héereby it commeth to passe that in some copies it is found and in some not How likelie a thing this is let other men iudge What so euer it be whether it be of Iohns writing or no the matter is not great for it conteineth nothing against the sentence which I haue proposed which thing I will somewhat more largelie declare Ye must thinke with your selues that the Pharisies did not bring the adulteresse vnto Christ as vnto a iudge or king for they neuer acknowledged him to be such a one Neither did Christ euer vsurpe such an office vnto himselfe Iohn 6. 15. he withdrue himselfe when they would haue made him a king neither would he diuide the heritage Luke 12 13 and he pronounced his kingdome not to be of this world Whie then doo they bring hir to him Iohn 18 36 Euen to laie a bait for him and as they saie to take him in a trip He was praised among the common sort for his clemencie he was loued of the people Then did these Pharisies deuise among themselues If he shall saie that she must be put to death this fauour of the people will fall from him as being one that would bring in againe the rigor of the lawe but if he saie that she must be let go he shall doo against the lawe of Moses yea of God himselfe But Christ verie well repelled their wilinesse He did neither of both which they hoped he would doo yet in the meane time he did his part verie woorthilie He was no ciuill magistrate but the minister of the church It was his office to preach the Gospell and repentance both which he did Wherefore he said to the Pharisies Hee that among you is free from sinne let him throwe the first stone at hir He said not Let hir not be put to death but Take héed what ye
vnproperlie according to the common prouerbe A straieng toong telleth truth He was the child of death for they were capitall faults which he had committed and he should restore eight fold that is he should paie much Trulie it séemeth verie hard to punish theft with death The lawe in some case staieth a theefe Exod. 22 2. Neuerthelesse we must consider that in that lawe of Exodus this was ordeined that if a théefe had come armed in the night with intent to steale anie thing awaie it should be lawfull to kill him and that without danger In this case when it is said that the rich man dooth take awaie from the poore man his one onlie lambe there séemeth to be a violence vsed and not a fraud It is no maruell therefore if the punishment be augmented and he iudged woorthie of death Foure fold restitution And as for the restoring of foure fold we haue not onelie a lawe but also the example of Zachaeus Luke 19 8. in the 19. of Luke If I haue taken ought from anie man by deceit he saith to Christ I restore him foure fold Seuen fold restitution He saith not I restore him double but to shew his dutie the more he chose to himselfe the straiter punishment Againe there is a place in the sixt of the Prouerbs verse 30. where Salomon saith that A theefe which is taken shall restore seuen fold In which place it may be gathered as it séemeth that it was in the power of iudges to increase the punishment for at this time théeues did restore seuen fold Some answer that it was not there meant of anie precise number in the restitution of things taken awaie but that a théefe should be compelled to make a perfect restitution In that place he compareth the sinne of theft and adulterie togither and would shew and declare adulterie to be the greater If a théefe haue no other intent but to satisfie hunger it redoundeth not to his shame If he be taken he is compelled to yéeld againe that which he hath taken awaie If he be taken in adulterie he is punished with death Whether Dauid were punished aboue foure fold 2. Sam. 16 22. 2. Sam. 12 18. 13 28. 18 14. and 1. Kin. 2 25. Touching the restitution of foure fold it maie séeme that Dauid was punished not onelie to the proportion of foure fold but of aboue eight fold For his ten concubines were defiled by Absalom And although himselfe was not slaine yet was he reserued to great afflictions For foure of his sonnes were consumed first he whom he had by Bethsaba then Amnon afterward Absalom lastlie Adonias 3 The crime of stealing awaie of seruants In Gen. 37 verse 25. The crime of stealing awaie of seruants punished by death Deut. 24 7. Exo. 21 16. Gen. 37 28. Matt. 27 5. or children and selling of them was by the ciuill lawe punished with death as it is in the 48. booke of the Digests and in Deuteronomie the 24. chapter The punishment which God appointed for the same doth yet declare the grieuousnes of the crime For this fault the Hebrues confesse that they were manie yeares togither vexed by Pharao in Aegypt Assuredlie the selling of Christ draue Iudas to hang himselfe and in the end wrought confusion both to those that bought him and to the whole kingdome In the booke Zahor wherein be praiers which the Iewes repeat in the daie of Purification when they fast for the satisfaction of their sinnes there is mention made of ten Rabbins of great name the which were slaine by Caesar Adrianus For Caesar demanded of them what punishment their lawe tooke of such as should be found guiltie of stealing frée men awaie and selling them Who wiselie answered out of Deuteronomie 24 7. that they were woorthie of death Wherevpon the Emperor put them to death laieng to their charge that they were guiltie of this crime But what frée man it was that he charged them to haue sold it is not there expressed Yet in their Thalmud to the end to slander Christ when they make a declaration of this fact they saie it was Ioseph And least they should séeme to speake against all reason or likeliehood that after so manie ages these men should be punished for a wickednesse so long before committed they speake more absurdlie that soules remooue from one to another and therefore that the soules of the ten brethren of Ioseph did remooue into these ten Rabbins and that for this cause they were punished after such a manner Of well dooing and Hospitalitie 4 There is a notable place in the first to the In 1. Cor. 16. verse 4. Corinthians The communitie of things among the Anabaptists is confited Looke in the booke De votis pag. 79. put foorth at Basil the 16. chapter wherein we be taught beneficence and liberalitie By the which and by such like the Anabaptists which declare that among christians all things ought to be common be confuted For if their opinion were true there had béene no néed to exhort the faithfull to distribute almes vnto the poore for euerie one might take from whom he would But forsomuch as the holie scriptures commend almes vnto vs they shew plainlie that euerie one is a possessor of his owne goods although he be bound to communicate with his néedie neighbour of the fruit and profit which commeth of the same We sée also in the same place that the church of Corinth resisted not Paule in saieng What tellest thou vs of the Ierosolomits Haue not we poore people of our owne with vs whom we ought to find and reléeue Suffer vs to distribute our owne goods among our owne poore But when they had heard Paule determine that it was not inough that euerie church should find their owne poore but is also bound to reléeue the brethren of other churches if their abilitie serue they were readie to giue their consent Charitie must be doone in order yet not to be too strait laced For although that charitie ought to be doone in due order yet must it not be so strait laced as it should haue respect onelie vnto them that be hir owne In déed we ought to begin with such as be our owne but we are not there to make a staie Furthermore in distributing of almes there must be a consideration had of the honestie of those that be in néed Wherefore Paule said vnto the Galathians Gal. 6 10. Let vs doo well vnto all men especiallie vnto those which be of the houshold of faith Besides this there must be a speciall consideration had of them touching whom the word of GOD hath giuen expresse commandement as are the father the mother the wife the children and the ministers of the church Thirdlie necessitie must be regarded for otherwise there happen cases sometimes wherein our helpe cannot be deferred with a safe conscience in which time both father mother and the rest vnto whom we are
honour or of priuate commoditie All the rest of the yeare is spent in walking vp and downe the churches in chaunting singing and sounding of instuments In all which things not so much as the least word is vnderstood that might serue for edifieng of the people At which time those chéefe priests bishops and other prelats are occupied as they saie in great affaires as to take vpon them the administration of the common weale to examine accounts to search out the yéerelie reuenues of lands and manie times to find out new waies of gouernment I passe ouer those things that be more outragious not bicause it gréeueth them to heare such things but partlie for that I am ashamed of them and partlie bicause those things are sufficientlie knowne and manifest to euerie one If they be apostles it perteineth vnto their office to preach if they be pastors to féed if they be schoole-masters of the church to teach if they be dispensors of the treasures of Christ they ought to inrich their shéepe therewith I meane not with their pardons bulles and blessings but with the word of God with continuall admonitions and corrections by which meanes the infidels are conuerted vnto God the faithfull are stirred vp from their sloth and idlenesse and receiue comfort in the fornace of afflictions 42 These be those exquisite arts whereby the bodie of Christ is preserued vnto the which must be added the vse of the sacraments but yet whole and throughlie clensed from the deuises of men Oh thou that holie supper of the Lord how manie waies art thou here miserablie dishonoured and polluted Oh masse masse masse what remaineth sound in thée But here will I forbeare my stile séeing I write a Catechisme and not a full treatise of the sacraments which neuerthelesse I hope shortlie if the Lord lend me life to bring to passe These few things I haue written onelie to this end that I may shew how ill these things haue béene handled which did make for the increase and profit of the church I will speake nothing of baptisme séeing by the mercie of God the same hath béene somewhat lesse polluted with foule abuses And although it be not purelie and soundlie vsed yet there is lesse cause for thée to complaâ—ne herein The vse of the sacraments Wherefore the vse of the sacraments is most profitable vnto the church séeing they be as it were visible words the which consist in those euident signes of water bread and wine By which signes as it were by words all the promises of Gods mercie are effectuallie represented vnto vs. And here not onelie the promises are giuen vs but we be assuredlie partakers of the thing it selfe and therefore those sacraments are verie necessarie vnto vs and further vs not a litle vnto saluation Brotherlie correction Vnto which sacraments must be ioined brotherlie correction which in these daies is so neglected as no man will applie it either to another mans vse or will submit himselfe therevnto such profit haue we taken in the schoole of Christ Yea which is more those which are carefull but of their owne matters are counted godlie yea and in a maner holie which neuerthelesse is so vndecent and dishonest as it is not allowed no not of the heathen philosophers séeing they fréelie confesse that Man is not borne onelie to himselfe Yea and verie oxen or shéepe or asses if they be fallen downe by the waie will helpe one another And shall not we haue a care of our brethren that when they faint vnder the burdens of their sinnes to reléeue them with the helpe of holie correction But if that doo not preuaile it behoueth that excommunication follow which God hath left vs as the last remedie against obstinate persons Ecclesiasticall lawes 43 To conclude that holie bodie is preserued by equall and iust lawes by the which it must be ruled and gouerned so farre as concerneth those outward exercises Of which sort be the comming togither vnto publike praiers at places and times conuenient to sing praises vnto God to giue thanks vnto Christ and to come vnto the administration of the sacraments All which things must be doone in order decentlie and honestlie euen as Paule teacheth in the first epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 14 14 These lawes must not be appointed by the will and discretion of one man neither yet must they be accounted of so great authoritie as those things which the Lord hath reuealed to vs in the holie scriptures And they must be so ordeined as they cannot be repealed and changed by one mans consent but by the consent of the whole church if anie detriment come to the church by them Moreouer let no man setle his hope vpon those things as though they can bring righteousnesse or saluation but let him remember that they be ordinances of men further that they haue not to doo with yéerelie rents with gaine or with the priuate commoditie of anie man but that they must wholie haue a respect to the glorie of God and to the profit of our neighbour Let not their number be so augmented as either they may be naughtilie comprised or else that they should oppresse the people with a more gréeuous burden Let them not despoile the people of that libertie which is giuen in Christ let them not bind mens consciences with the terror of eternall death With these conditions I saie if lawes be appointed by the church let christians imbrace them let them obeie reuerentlie submit themselues to them Where the matter so standeth that lawes be after this order appointed they cannot be contemned or little set by without gréeuous offense Hitherto we haue largelie enough disputed what that holie bodie of the church is how it may be ioined togither in one what head it hath by what meanes it is nourished augmented preserued And if so be that I haue béene induced to stand longer vpon this matter than my maner is to doo it must altogither be imputed not to anie superfiuitie of speach but vnto the nature and state of the cause which aboundeth with such plentie store of matter as I haue rather touched the principall points of things than sufficientlie expressed it according to the woorthines thereof But that which may be wanting at this time we will prosecute more largelie in another place The remission of sinnes 44 Vnto the former article of the coniunction and vnion of the faithfull into one bodie of the church now is aptlie added the doctrine of faith and remission of sinnes which is no where else to be hoped for but in the church The remission of sins is onelie incident to the church For although the same be granted vnto vs by the onelie liberalitie and grace of GOD yet can we not obteine the same but onelie in the name of Christ Whosoeuer therefore shall not come into this fellowship can by no meanes be partaker thereof séeing it is onelie granted vnto them which
Augustine In the old lawe fasting was commanded to be onelie one daie once in a yeare wherein nothing should be tasted vntill night in which place it is not described with what kind of meat they should sup And in Augustines confessions we read that the eating of flesh made not godlie men anie thing the lesse acceptable vnto God 1. Kin. 17 6. And he maketh mention of Elias who being hidden was fed by the rauens with flesh Mat. 3 4. And Iohn Baptist in the wildernes did eate locusts But on the other side Gen. 25 32. Esau being beguiled with the most simple food of pottage sold his birth-right 20 Among the Fathers they continuallie alledge Gregorie What is to be thought of Gregory of whom I make no verie great account for he was the first that brought in manie superstitious things Touching the Fathers that went before him I thinke it hath been spoken sufficient Albeit the same Gregorie bishop of Rome as we find in the decrée the 4. distinction and in the chapter Denique writeth vnto Augustine bishop in England that The laie men were woont euen in the time of Lent to be verie desirous of flesh to fill themselues immoderatelie with the same and he iudgeth Gregories opinion of eating in Lent that the priests and deacons at the least ought to refraine But vnto others he durst not appoint anie commandement or lawe least peraduenture anie worse thing should happen They vrge vs also with Councels whose decrées neuerthelesse haue not alwaies béene firme and how little the bishops of Rome haue regarded them it may appéere in that verie manie both publikelie and priuatelie doo obteine licence for monie to eat egges butter and milke Licence for mony granted by the Pope to eat certeine kinds of meats vpon their fasting daies when as it was otherwise ordeined by those decrées The latter Popes of Rome haue made most seuere lawes concerning these things as they that made it but a small matter to laie manie snares to catch the simple people All these things were ordeined but yet there is no cause why we should therefore grant them to haue beene iust These traditions of men are pernicious bicause as Christ taught at length they make the commandements of God to be of none effect Mat. 15. 3. The Lord commanded How the traditions of men doo violate the commandements of God that we should haue one God and that we should not admit anie besides him at this daie the worshipping and inuocation of saints is confirmed by traditions God forbad images at this daie they be receiued into churches by the decrées of bishops God commanded that parents should be had in honour the tradition causeth that children setting light by that authoritie doo flie vnto monasteries God willeth that our neighbours should be holpen but through these traditions men go from helping of the liuing to helping of the dead The holie scriptures declare that there is but one mediator Christ Iesus who hath procured God to be mercifull towards all our wickednes but by tradition we are taught at this daie that he suffered for originall sinne and for those sinnes which were committed before baptisme but that it is necessarie for vs concerning sinnes done after regeneration to redéeme them by our owne works Thus are the commandements of God made frustrate by the traditions of men Whether the church haue power to make lawes 21 They saie the church hath power to make lawes Which thing I denie not for we are men and it is néedfull euen in those works which apperteine vnto the worship of GOD to haue good order established for which cause we grant that there may be other decrées established in the church But then there be certeine conditions strictlie to be obserued First and foremost Vnder what conditions ecclesiasticall lawes must be reteined that such kind of iustice be not contrarie to the word of God Secondlie we must prouide that we place not the worship of God iustification and remission of sinnes in them Besides this they must not be ouer manie in number least they ouercharge and pester the church Neither must they be decréed in such wise as though they ought to be of necessitie and that they must not by anie means be changed when the saluation of the faithfull shall so require Neither ought they in such sort to be made that if a man without offense and contempt doo not obserue them he sinneth deadlie Wherefore séeing that these lawes about the choise of meats as we haue declared are against the word of God which hath ordeined meats to be frée it is cléere that they are pernicious Moreouer in this decrée of theirs for making choise of meats they repose holines and the worship of God so as they account such as absteine not from the meats which they haue appointed to be neither good nor holie nor religious In processe of time those decrées of theirs haue growne innumerable neither is there anie end of them Augustine Augustine long since complained that All things in his time were full of presumptions so as now the state of the christians was woorse than the bondage of the Iewes Séeing he spake this of the time wherein he liued The sâ—ate of the christians at this day in more bondage than the Iewes what I beséech you would he haue said of our times wherein the church is pressed with infinit burdens First they would haue an abstinence for the Lent time then afterward they added fridaie and saturdaie and in some places wednesdaie euerie wéeke Foure ember wéekes they brought in last of all eues of a number of saints Which times Gregorie the seuenth of that name added that they which will not fast doo sinne as he termeth it deadlie Wherfore seing these traditions be so gréeuous to the church that they may be called burdens intollerable the which Christ did find falt with to be laid on men by the Scribes and Pharisies they ought in no wise to be suffered Finallie thou maist adde that they would haue such choise of meats to be so necessarie and inuiolable that the church could not stand without them And such account they make of their owne traditions that they punish the transgressors more gréeuouslie for them than those which haue broken the commandements of God as théeues adulterers church-robbers and such like 22 They alledge the Rechabites Ierem. 35 2. which are commended in Ieremie An obiection touching the Rechabits for their obedience vnto their father who commanded them to drinke no wine and to enioie no certeine possessions but to wander to and fro and dwell in no citie Vnto whom God bicause they faithfullie performed these things promised a liuelie posteritie and a long induring séed Here they saie that those things which Ionadab the sonne of Rechab commanded to his children make for the choise of meats wherefore the church by commanding of these things dooth not séeme
also against the Puritans saith It is better for them which cannot kéepe themselues chast to marrie wiues and to sinne but once onelie rather than dailie to wound their minds with corrupt actions But I would not herein allow the opinion of this father bicause he affirmeth that those doo sinne which hauing made a vow of chastitie doo contract matrimonie for so long as they obeie the voice of God they intangle not themselues with sinne Neither doo I anie more allow of that his reason wherein he saith that One sinne may be committed for auoiding of another sinne which is greater than that But my purpose onelie was to shew by his words that matrimonie is verie necessarie vnto such as cannot kéepe themselues chast 8 Wherefore I returne to that which is obiected vnto vs out of the words of the apostle in the first epistle to the Corinthians the seuenth chapter In 1. Cor 7. verse 5. Whether matrimony through these words of Paule be taken away from ministers Séeing that ministers of the church ought continuallie to be occupied in praier it is necessarie that they lead a sole life otherwise they shuld not be able to execute the ministerie We answere that the ministers of the church as touching their liuing and other functions which haue respect to the life of man are in the same state that the common people be Wherefore if they be in matrimonie let them in the more solemne fasts and praiers absteine as well as other men in such sort as the apostle hath giuen counsell and in other things which be common and vsuall they are not forbidden to vse matrimonie Otherwise thou mightest inferre that they should euermore fast bicause Paule granteth abstinence for a time from the dutie of matrimonie not onelie for praiers sake but that they may also giue themselues vnto fasting I grant indéed that Ambrose The sentence of Ambrose is discussed vpon the first epistle vnto Timothie the fourth chapter affirmeth this to be the cause of the sole life of ministers that they ought alwaie to be in a redinesse to minister baptisme vnto such as should be in extremitie of their life or else to distribute the holie mysteries which he saith was accustomed to be doone once in a wéeke vnlesse that otherwhile by reason of strangers it was vsed more often And small was the number of ministers in those daies In that great citie of Milan there was but one bishop seuen decons a verie few elders or priests namelie two in euerie particular church He saith that priests in the old lawe might haue wiues bicause they were not constrained to minister continuallie They were distributed into many companies namelie into 24. and into manie turnes as appéereth in the booke of the Chronicles 1. Chron. 23 24 and 25. Luk. 1 8. the which thing Luke also testifieth when he maketh mention of Zacharie the father of Iohn Baptist 9 In these words of Ambrose two things must be well examined First how strong the difference is which he bringeth betwéene the ministers of the old lawe and also the ministers of the new lawe Afterward let vs sée whether the worke of matrimonie as he affirmeth saith haue polluted the ministers of the church and the priests of the old lawe Touching the first I knowe there were those companies and turnes of priests which he reherseth but so in like manner doo I knowe Before Dâ—uids time and at the first there was no distinction of priests by companies and turnes Exo. 29 38. that they were instituted by Dauid Salomon Iosias and such other But how was it before Dauid and from the beginning Certeinelie we read in Exodus that it was the office of the high priest euerie daie morning and euening to offer incense and to minister in the temple Which if afterward it were otherwise ordered The remisnes thereof afterward was not onlie for the worke of marriage that dooth not more respect the work of mariage than some certeine rest otherwhile to be granted vnto the priests Furthermore Augustine sawe that this appointment of companies and turnes is not inough to prooue this matter For in his questions vpon Leuiticus the 82. question he disputeth singularlie of this how the high priest was able euerie daie both morning and euening to offer a swéet sauour If the question be saith he of sicknes and impediments of health a man may saie that he might haue béene preserued by the fauour of God from being sicke But what shall we saie of procreation of children For séeing hée was made vnpure by meanes of the act of generation he might not haue accesse vnto the ministerie And that he absteined from the companie of his wife that were a hard saieng forsomuch as the high priests both married wiues and also begat children How the high priest in old time might indeuor to haue children Either saith he the incense offered was sometime intermitted which thing the sense of the scripture séemeth not to beare séeing this kind of ceremonie was commanded to be doone continuallie and euerie daie or else he saith it might be attributed to a certeine peculiar holines of the priest that he should not be defiled by the worke of matrimonie as if so be that he chéeflie aboue other men enioied that prerogatiue Augustine Howbeit Augustine in the second book of his Retractations séemeth to haue found out another solution to himselfe and saith The lawe commandeth that after the act of generation the man should be vnpure vntill the euening then hauing washed his garments hée shall become cleane at the euening when as all the whole daie he had béene vnpure Wherefore the high priest in the morning after he had ministred might indeuour to haue children and then was he vncleane vntill the euening at which time his garments being washed and purification being vsed he was become pure and in the euening might minister Thou séest here that Augustine flieth not vnto that distribution of the priests into turnes and courses bicause such kind of orders were nâ—t alwaies distinguished yet he agréeth with Ambrose that the worke of matrimonie did defile the husbands But in the time of Ambrose as he himselfe writeth there were but a few ministers and they were to minister euerie daie In these daies when as the multitude is so great and that there be found an infinite number which scarselie thrée or foure times in the yéere execute their holie function and doo in a maner neuer baptise or administer the sacrament what hinderance haue they by this rule of Ambrose but that they may marrie wiues when they burne and haunt the companie of harlots Epiphanius Epiphanius against the Valesian heretiks confesseth that There was a canon and tradition touching the sole life of ministers but he himselfe confesseth that it was not obserued in his time when as in the ministerie there were manie which begat children in matrimonie whom neither he condemneth nor yet iudgeth
bicause the Lord is slacke to forgiue him that is truelie penitent but men vnderstand not this he is to be receiued into the church they knowe not well whether he be penitent or no a temporall probation is prescribed How they should be handled by the people at such time as they vsed solemne repentance I noted in Augustines treatise vpon the 61 psalme toward the end He describeth a certeine man which being a christian inclined himselfe vnto magicall arts this man saith he so fell from the church as he now said that it is not man which committeth adulterie but the starre of Venus that man cōmitteth not murther but the starre of Mars this man deceiueth manie he now returneth vnto the church and desireth reconciliation A long time saith he did he knocke before Easter and as yet is not receiued marke him well and consider of his actions and as you find him so tell me They which had doone solemne repentance were excluded from the holie ministerie and why But wherefore they would not admit them to holie orders which had doone solemne repentance the reason is alledged If so be that they should be afterward in the ministerie their wickednes being called to mind they should be of no reputation when as it behooueth the ministers of the church to be had in reuerence Furthermore with what face can they chasten wickednes in others when they them selues be guiltie of the same In this small outward ceremonie they will séeme to be wise carefull but in giuing them orders they neuer thinke of anie such thing Why doo they giue orders vnto such as be wicked and who as yet haue not repented Albeit Ierom against the Luciferians affirmeth Ierom. that solemne repentance in bishops ought to be receiued The Luciferians which the Luciferians denied Certeinlie we reade it to be oftentimes doone that the bishops which came from the Donatists were receiued againe into their owne dignities Onelie hands were laid vpon them so that the canons touching solemne repentance are not kept and now at this time are cleane growne out of vse 9 There followeth an other distinction A fift distinction of repentance They saie that one repentance is a vertue and an other is a sacrament for they saie that the vertue it selfe of repentance dooth abide in men for euer and that the sacrament is receiued for certeine times And this vertue being morall they saie must be referred vnto some one of those foure capitall vertues namelie vnto iustice for the honor is reserued vnto God euen vnto a reuenging iustice bicause they séeme to punish in them selues the wicked acts which they haue committed Repentance is not properlie a reuenging iustice Howbeit it is not properlie a reuenging iustice as they teach for oftentimes he taketh reuenge against his will vpon those things which he suffreth but against these he dooth it willinglie and of his owne accord Moreouer that same reuenging iustice hath respect onelie vnto the hurt or damage which is doone and would haue the same to be punished but herein the offending of God is regarded Such reuengments and restitutions we denie not but yet they must not be appointed as a reward wherwith we deserue remission of sinnes as they ordeine them to be For when they compare the vertue of repentance with a sacrament they saie that after a sort it is the cause of forgiuenes of sinnes which the Master of the sentences testifieth in the place before alledged Against this A sacramentall repentance three parts assigned thereof they set a sacramentall repentance whereof they make thrée parts Contrition Confession and Satisfaction Albeit Pighius dissenteth from them saieng that it is not properlie a part but a sequele perhaps bicause he sawe the parish priest absolue the penitent sinner before he did that which he was inioined to doo But where leaue these men absolution which thus diuide repentance into parts séeing the same neuerthelesse is the principall thing Thomas Aquinas in a certeine place saith that the same may séeme to be the forme and the other parts to be as the matter Absolution what it is Absolution is the preaching of forgiuenesse of sinnes it is that keie whereby the beléeuers are loosed The keie which bindeth is that whereby they saie that vnbeléeuers doo remaine in their sinnes It is certeine that that preaching of forgiuenesse of sinnes is comprehended in faith Christ said Beleeue my sonne thy sinnes are forgiuen thee 10 As concerning this distinction of repentance there is a doubt Whether repentance be a sacrament that it appéereth not plainlie whether repentance be a sacrament all they saie that it is one For the easier vnderstanding of it let vs sée what a sacrament is What a sacrament signifieth A sacrament signifieth a secret and hidden thing for when sacraments are propounded vnto the people all men knowe not what they meane They are plaine vnto such onelie as be well entered into religion that is to saie vnto beléeuers Let the Ethnike come he shall sée water bread and wine but what the same is he shall not perceiue the faithfull man shall vnderstand what they mean The Graecians call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A mysterie the Latines Sacramentum A sacrament a signe or oth And this which we call Sacramentum came first from warriers and was a bond betwéene the soldier and the capteine and againe betwéene the capteine and the soldier Sacraments what they be Sacraments are tokens whereby God is bound vnto vs and we vnto him Thus much of the names As touching the definition some saie that a sacrament is the signe of a holie thing But after this maner we shuld haue infinite sacraments The definition of a sacrament for all good actions are significations of an holie thing that is of faith hope and charitie which are hidden in vs séeing in the Papasie they haue manie crossings gestures and vestiments all should be sacraments Wherfore they haue contriued the matter in an other definition said that it is a visible signe of an inuisible grace that it is a visible signe and hath not relation to euerie holie thing but to inuisible grace onelie Furthermore they and especiallie the Maister of the sentences haue added a wicked saieng that they be not onelie signes and representations but also the verie causes of grace If they would saie that they were certeine visible instruments which God vseth as he vseth the outward woord for the stirring vp of faith they should not speake amisse but to saie that it is the cause of grace they speake not well Besides what would they doo with matrimonie They will haue it to be a sacrament Of the number of sacraments Looke part 4. place 7. art 4. and yet they saie that there is no grace giuen vnto men thereby They would haue the sacraments to be seuen in number but from whence they haue them they are not able to declare by
signifieth howbeit if they be all sacraments which represent Christ we haue an infinite number Matt. 13 33 Leuen betokeneth the kingdome of heauen shall it therefore be a sacrament So doth a graine of mustard séed A vine a doore shepeherds Ibidem 31. Iohn 15 1. Iohn 10 7. and such like doo represent Christ shall they therefore be sacraments By this means there would be as manie sacraments as there can be brought similitudes which betoken Christ But Paule vnto the Ephesians Eph. 5 32. calleth a sacrament a mysterie In verie déed that which is signified in matrimonie is a secret thing In sacraments the thing that is hidden partlie is the thing signified partlie it is in the visible signs bicause it hath the power of signifieng giuen to it by God In matrimonie the mysterie is referred vnto that which is signified namelie the coniunction of Christ and his church The Apostle oftentimes vseth this word mysterie In the 11. to the Romans Brethren verse 35. I tell you a mysterie be not wise in your owne selues c. In the first epistle to the Corinthians the 15. chapter intreating of the resurrection verse 15. I shew you a mysterie we shall not all die In the thir◠to the Ephesians he nameth the calling of the Gentiles a mysterie verse 3. In the first chapter to the Colossians he speaketh of a mysterie hid from the beginning of the world verse 26. In the first vnto Timothie the 3. chapter verse 16. Trulie great is the mysterie that God is made manifest in the flesh He speaketh not of sacraments as we now speake of them But let these things passe what promises hath matrimonie Euen the procreation of children and that it is a remedie for fornication Here is no mention made of the remission Furthermore that promise was not onlie vnder the gospell but vnder the lawe also and before the lawe How then doo they call it a sacrament of the new lawe Euen in the same sort may they speake of repentance Repentance was in time of the lawe and before the lawe why then doo they call it a sacrament of the new lawe 16 They be not all of one mind Gratianus in the first cause the first question in the chapter Arianos at the end of the chapter séemeth to denie repentance to be a sacrament He alledgeth a reason namelie bicause it is often renewed The reason appeareth to be fond for by that means the action of the Lords supper should be no sacrament bicause it is often repeated But if thou diligently examine his words he séemeth to compare the repentance of priuate men with that solemne repentance we speake of the which onlie he séemeth to ordeine as a sacrament and the other not for solemne repentance was not renewed Dionysius But let Gratian go Verelie Dionysius which of some is thought to be Areopagita acknowledgeth but thrée sacraments namelie Baptisme Sundrie opinions of the number of sacraments Gregorie The supper of the Lord and Chrisme He seemeth to grant Annoiling in his Hierarchie the minister is brought which annointeth a dead bodie Gregorie in the first cause question the first in the decrées in the chapter Multi séemeth to acknowledge but thrée sacraments namelie Baptisme The supper of the Lord and Annointing Barnard Barnard added another that is the washing of féet yea and in his sermon De coena Domini he saith that this sacrament must be reteined in the church The sacrificing priests which consecrate salt doo adde one In the name of the holie Trinitie be thou a healthfull sacrament to chase awaie the diuell But why séeke we so manie things They which appoint seuen sacraments distinguish the holie order into seuen namelie doore-kéepers readers acolythes exorcists subdeacons deacons and priests others haue added the office of a bishop and the office of singing psalmes so that the number of sacraments among them is vncerteine Let them not complaine of vs that we diminish the number we rather ought to complaine of them for increasing the number 17 Repentance was diuided into that which should be a sacrament and that which should be a vertue perteining to iustice We haue said that it is no sacrament now let vs consider of the other member to wit that it is no vertue That in the holie scriptures is not acknowledged Whether repentance be a vertue as a certeine vertue the which is a qualitie of the mind and is a great while idle They deuised the same bicause it is the commandement of the Lord that we should repent but repent we cannot alwaies Wherefore they said it is a vertue in the mind Matt. 4 17. which in due time doth that which belongeth therevnto These things are not prooued by the scriptures nor by the fathers nor by the canons Christ said Repent ye there is required an action not a certeine habit Iob saith that The life of man is a warfare vpon the earth Iob. 7 1. it is no habit but an action Barnard said He that goeth not forward in the waie of the Lord and profiteth not such a one goeth backeward The same Father said When thou forsakest the desire to become better then thou ceasest to be good The life of godlie men is said to be a certeine way a path a race there must be a going not a standing still In the 2. to the Corinthians the 3 chapter verse 18. it is writen that We be transformed into the image of Christ from glorie to glorie bicause this is a hard thing he addeth Euen as it were from the spirit of the Lord. Wherefore they which thinke vpon those things that concerne their calling are said to repent bicause they do absteine from sinne as for anie thing that they doo in the meane time if their meaning be to go forward in their vocation they are trulie penitent But they saie it séemeth this cannot be In repentance there is sorrowe vnto God-ward 2. Cor. 7 9. but we ought sometimes to reioise with them that reioise Those things cannot be doone togither Whether we sorrowe and reioise both at one time These things are not repugnant bicause they haue sundrie obiects We may reioise in God and sorrowe in our selues We haue lamenting mingled with reioising and reioising with lamenting They saie that sometimes we must sléepe and then our actions are broken off And Aristotle said that During the time of our sléep How our actions are broken off although we be happie we differ not from miserable men Let vs call to mind the saieng of Paule He that eateth eateth vnto the Lord Rom. 14 6. and he that eateth not eateth not vnto the Lord c. Also Whether we liue or whether we die Ibidem 8. we be the Lords In like maner we may saie He that sléepeth sléepeth vnto the Lord. And Paule said Whether ye eate or whether ye drinke 1. Co. 10 31 or whatsoeuer
may doo without anie acknowledgement of particular sinnes either of this person or of that a commandement they haue to forgiue sinnes but not to take knowledge of them Otherwise the whole state of saluation would be made vncerteine no man should be sure of a full confession Christ saith Iohn 5. 22. that All iudgement is giuen vnto him whie then will they iudge of particular facts as to ordeine certeine yéeres and penance for particular faults and for deadlie sinne seuen yéeres penance So great account they make of their owne decrées as for the breach of them they exclude men out of the church and consequentlie from euerlasting saluation God saith in the prophet Esaie Esaie 43 verse 11. 43. I am he who doo forgiue sinnes and besides me there is none other Wherefore séeing this matter is so intricate and as it were a certeine tyrannie it is not frée to take the vse of it from such men bicause some thinke that they doo verie well if they doo make themselues subiect vnto such tyrannie 26 As concerning their argument of the lepres we saie that it is most féeble A confutation of the arguments of the aduersaries and it séemeth maruellous that at this day they claime not to them selues the knowledge of outward leprosie séeing the priests in old time had the knowledge thereof by the commandement of God But they saie that it is an allegorie and that the sinne of the mind is called leprosie But an allegoricall argument is not of strength in allegories euerie man dallieth as it séemeth best vnto him Howbeit let them knowe Heb. 7 8. 9 and 10. The priesthood translated vnto Christ that the priesthood is translated vnto Christ he is now our high priest to him therefore doo we confes our sinnes The same was a certeine ciuill action of those times it bindeth not vs in this age Christ sent them vnto the priests bicause at that time the lawe of Moses was in force Christ would not be ill reported of as though he had taken awaie the same leprosie by his miracles Much lesse doo they conclude by the other place out of the historie of Lazarus Iohn 11 44. Christ raised him vp from the dead he commanded that his graue cloths should be vndone Whom commanded he so to doo Those which stood by therefore the confession should be made to all others and not to the sacrificing priests onelie Christ raised vp Lazarus to him therefore let vs confesse our sinnes he would haue him to be loosed and least they should thinke the matter to be counterfeit he would haue him to be knowen with open face Matt. 3 6. They came vnto Iohn Baptist confessing their sinnes and no maruell bicause baptisme is an outward token of repentance In baptisme men are dipped in rise out againe the old man is laied awaie and the new man is taken to vs. They confest that they had sinned but the confession was openlie doone not whispered in the eare When there is a speaking of confession before baptisme what is this to auricular confession For the papists iudge not that men should confesse themselues before baptisme wherefore this place is impertinent Acts. 19 18. In the Acts the Ephesians came they shewed their dooings how they were beguiled by satan they brought foorth their superstitious bookes that they might be burned The bearing witnes was publike what maketh this vnto auricular confession Iam. 5 6. Iames saith Confesse your faults one to another and praie one for another that you may be preserued Two things he would first that men should powre out their infirmities into the bosome of some good men by whom they might receiue consolation counsell and helpe of praiers Further if one man had hurt another they should forgiue one another acknowledging their owne infirmitie and should not iustifie themselues So Christ teacheth in the fift chapter of Matthew Matth. 5 23. that if a man had offended the whole church he should doo in like maner If Iames had spoken of auricular confession it should behooue the priests also to confesse themselues to laie men Touching the keies Matt. 18 18 Whatsoeuer ye shall bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen we might saie that they themselues should first agrée as touching those keies and afterward let them dispute with vs. For of the keies euerie man feineth what he will some appoint them to be the keies of knowledge others of power others of iurisdiction Vnto vs they be nothing else but the preaching of the Gospell whereby the ministers promise forgiuenesse of sinnes vnto them that repent What will they saie which confes manie of their ministers to be vnlearned who knowe not how to vse the keies rightlie What shall they doo which repaire vnto them and doubt whether they vse well the keies of knowledge Pro. 27 23. In knowing thou shalt knowe the face of thy cattell This commandement is profitable bicause it teacheth how men should order their substance after the right forme of a good house-kéeping If God haue giuen wealth let them not suffer it to perish let them vse their owne goods let them absteine from other mens And séeing these temporall goods which be granted vnto vs are so vnstable and that the crowne that is to saie the glorie of works dooth not alwaies indure there had néed some care and diligence be applied These men passe it ouer vnto priests that they should knowe the face of their flocke that is to saie that they should examine all their acts by priuie confession After what maner are these things obserued The bishops doo scarselie heare anie confessions they referre them ouer vnto the order of begging friers while they in the meane time will be pastors and enioie the wealth They heare no confessions naie rather they hire verie abiect men to heare them for a péece of bread wherefore they giue an ill interpretation Further they doo not obserue things according to their owne interpretation In the 28. chapter of the Prouerbes it is written He that hideth his sinnes verse 13. shall not prosper in the land but who so acknowledgeth them and forsaketh them he shall obteine mercie According to the interpretation of these men that confession should haue béene in the old testament for if they will prooue such a confession by these places of necessitie the same must haue béene at that time But it is spoken of that confession whereby we confesse our sinnes before God and desire pardon the which in that place is promised 27 They said that in the church there hath béene a continuall vse of confession The antiquitie of confession confuted whereby they concluded that the same sproong frō Christ This is false In ancient time there was a kind of confession in the church but the same was the confession of wicked men it perteined nothing vnto this kind It was lawfull for the bishops to receiue the penitent persons and
his right hand But in that he is said to praie that is not to be taken properlie To praie is not heere taken properlie as though he maketh supplication vnto the Father but the scripture saith he speaketh in that sort to shew the good-will of the sonne towards vs. Otherwise trulie he hath all things in his owne hand and as the father giueth life euen so dooth the sonne giue life and as the father raiseth vp the dead so dooth also the sonne raise vp the dead wherefore he néedeth to vse no praiers vnto him And séeing he was able by himselfe to quicken the dead to redéeme the damned and to iustifie the wicked which works are most excellent and most great whie can he not also by himselfe and without praier bring all other things to passe Moreouer he citeth out of the latter epistle to the Corinthians the fift chapter 1. Cor. 5 20. We are ambassadors for Christ as though God did beseech you through vs we praie you in Christ his steed God is said to beseech vs. to be reconciled vnto God Behold saith he God is héere said to beséech men whereas we ought not so much as to thinke that he is inferior vnto them But sauing the authoritie of these fathers The sonne praieth vnto God not is he is God but as he is man I would iudge that the Arrians may be answered an other waie For I would saie that the sonne praieth vnto God not as being God but in that he is man and a creature But the place alledged out of the epistle to the Corinthians is not of anie great force for Paule expresselie putteth this note of similitude 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as though neither ment he anie thing else but that the apostles with great affection procured and as it were beséeched men to returne vnto God The apostles in praieng dealt more 〈◊〉 than did the prophets Of which words can not be gathered that God maketh supplication vnto men The apostls in the new testament dealt towards men with a great deale more lenitie than did the lawe and the prophets in the old testament where all things are in a maner fraited with threatenings and punishments And that these words of Paule must be referred vnto the humanitie of Christ those things which were spoken before doo sufficientlie declare But Paule had written before that Christ died rose againe and was carried vp into heauen to the right hand of God all which things agrée not with the diuine nature of Christ Wherefore it is méet that that particle also which followeth should be referred vnto the humane nature of Christ as concerning the which Christ himselfe confesseth himselfe to be inferior to the father for he saith The father is greater than I. Iohn 14 28. And so long as he was vpon the earth bicause he was a man he obeied the magistrates Luke 2 51. Esai 61 1. and his parents for as Luke declareth he was subiect vnto them And in Esaie he confesseth that he was annointed by the holie Ghost Heb. 4 14. to giue vs to vnderstand that his humane nature was not onelie lesse than the father but also lesse than the holie Ghost 15 Moreouer it can not be denied Two sorts of ministeries of Christ as he is priest but that he is our bishop priest but the office of a bishop is both to offer sacrifice and also to praie for the people Christ hath offered himselfe vpon the crosse and when he had performed that ministerie there remained an other ministerie which he should perpetuallie exercise namelie to make intercession for vs vnlesse we will peraduenture affirme that he is no more the bishop of the church But God himselfe hath promised the contrarie saieng Psal 110 4. Thou art for euer a priest after the order of Melchisedech And yet still by the priesthood of Christ our sinnes are forgiuen vs and we are reconciled vnto God We haue a high priest as it is written vnto the Hebrues which hath entred into the most holie place not made with hands Heb. 9 11. but hath passed through into heauen it selfe and which can suffer togither with our infirmities being tempted in all things like vnto vs. Wherefore we ought with boldnes to come vnto the throne of grace for there is offered for vs a most acceptable sacrifice By the resurrection of Christ death is vanquished also hell In the kingdome of Christ which he most mightilie exerciseth at the right hand of his father all things are gouerned And the praiers which he continuallie powreth out for vs are most thankfull and verie acceptable vnto the father We read also Rom. 8 21. that The holie Ghost dooth make intercession for vs the verie which thing is héere affirmed of the sonne If these two intercessions be compared togither we shall find that the intercession of the sonne is the cause of the intercession of the holie Ghost For he promised to go vnto the father and to send the holie Ghost vnto vs. He stirreth vp our minds to praie feruentlie with sighings and gronings Christ maketh intercession vnto the father bicause he is alwaies at hand with him Therefore the father is perpetuallie put in mind of the sacrifice by him once offered and he smelleth the same as a swéet sauour and thereby is made mercifull vnto vs. Wherefore Christ is called our mediatour and aduocate And for this cause Christ is called our mediator and aduocate and his praiers are not onelie acceptable vnto God but they haue also satisfaction ioined with them Wherefore séeing they are both iust and acceptable vnto God they cannot take anie repulse 16 Indéed we so long as we liue here doo continuallie praie one for another and that by the prescript of the word of God The difference betweene Christs praiers and ours Howbeit betwéene our praiers and the praiers of Christ there is a great difference for his praiers as we haue said haue satisfaction ioined with them but so haue not ours For there is none of vs that can make satisfaction vnto God either for himselfe or for another man But that the saints departed from hence doo make intercession for vs we cannot prooue it by anie part of the canonicall scripture wherefore we ought to haue Christ onelie for our mediator and aduocate Neither must we admit things vncerteine for certeine Although I will easilie grant that the saints in the heauenlie habitation doo with most feruent desires wish the saluation of the elect yet dare I not saie that they praie for them especiallie séeing the scriptures no where teach anie such thing Although the saints did pray for vs yet must not we call vpon them And although I would grant this yet should it not thereof followe that we ought to call vpon the saints departed for we are not certeine out of the word of God that they can heare our praiers And thus they gréeuouslie
to nothing So then through the power of God they might be made againe aswell of the matter as of the elements Rom. 4 1◠For God as it is written to the Romans calleth those things which be not as though they were neither is there anie thing that may resist his word For euen as by the word of God althings be made so by the verie same althings may be restored And these things shall suffice concerning naturall reasons the which as it hath béene said are probable but not demonstratiue Those things which a man beleeueth he cannot naturallie know yet by faith we knowe that there is one God And that which is vouched hereof may also be iudged of other articles of the faith for those things which are beléeued of anie man cannot by him naturallie be knowne But will some saie We beléeue that there is one God who neuerthelesse by naturall reason is concluded to be Herevnto we answer that the philosophers indéed in serching out of naturall things learned that there is one principall beginning which the Graecians called ΘΕΟΠand the Latines DEVM that is GOD. But that is not he whom christian faith professeth for we doo not simplie and nakedlie beléeue one God but beléeue in him that created heauen and earth and that hath a sonne and the holie Ghost These appurtenances doubtles the philosophers perceiued not Wherby that appeareth most true Heb. 11 2. which the apostle taught the Hebrues namelie that Faith is an argument of things which are not seene 20 Now seeing thus it is reason requireth that we should come to an other point of the question and by the testimonies of the word of God confirme resurrection which indéed cannot be trulie shewed by naturall reasons Resurrection is prooued by testimonies of the scripture verse 6. Which testimonies being comprehended in the old and new testament according to the order of time we will héere beginne with the old testament and first with that which we read in the third chapter of Exodus I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob This place did Christ vse when he was tempted by the Saduces Matt. 1◠3◠The name of Saduces is deriued from the word Tsedec that is to saie from Iustice for they were iusticiarie men who besides the lawe giuen by Moses admitted no other scripture they strictlie vrged the verie bare word not admitting as it appeareth anie interpretation And further bicause they beléeued not the resurrection of the dead they thought in like maner that there were no angels Acts. 23 8. euen as we read in the acts of the apostles Also among the Hebrues in those daies to touch that by the waie were Pharisies Whence the name of Pharisies of the verbe Pharasch which signifieth To distinguish interpret and extend These men not onelie allowed the lawe but also the prophets as interpretors therof also they did expound and interpret the holie scriptures Besides these also Thence the name of Essei there were certeine called Essees which were so called of the verb Ascha which is To doo They were verie iust and wrought with their owne hands that thereby they might liue and helpe the poore in like maner as if we should call them labourers And no doubt but they deceiue themselues which iudge that they were so called of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Holie for the Etymologies of Hebrue names must not be sought for in the Gréeke tong Whence the name of Gaulonites Among the Iewes also there were Gaulonits so called of a certeine principall man of the Iewish faction these in all respects held with the Pharisies sauing that they held opinion that tribute should not be giuen to forreine nations For they would that the children of Abraham to wit the people of God should be altogither frée All these things are plainelie set foorth by Iosephus aswell in his booke of the Iewes warre as in his antiquities But now I returne vnto the Saduces By them all things in a maner were attributed vnto fréewill they liued rigorouslie vsing homelie and rusticall maners so as they might séeme to be the Stoiks of the Hebrues sauing that the Stoiks yéelded almost althings to the prouidence of God and to destinie where as these men were of farre contrarie opinion And albeit that the sects of the Pharisies and Saduces disagréed one with an other yet did they agrée togither to withstand Christ So as the Saduces bicause they would iest at the resurrection of the dead said Among vs there was a woman whom seuen brethren seeing they departed without children tooke to wife according to the prescript rule of Moses law the which is written in the 25. chapter of Deuteronomie In the resurrection of the dead Deut. 25 5. whose wife of the seuen brethren shall she be The scope of this question was that the resurrection should not be admitted bicause absurdities thereof might followe which would be against the lawe of God neither could those things consist without impeachement thereof Christ answered Ye are deceiued And yet are we not to beléeue that the ignorance wherewith they were infected did discharge them of fault for therfore did they erre bicause they would not vnderstand nor heare them which rightlie admonished them And of their error he sheweth two heads The error of the Saduces had two fountaines or two fountaines first bicause they vnderstood not the scriptures secondlie for that they had no consideration of the power of God There be manie waies wherein men maie be deceiued about the scriptures Diuers waies to be deceiued about the scriptures either for lacke of knowledge in the toongs or bicause that proper spéeches are not distinguished from those which be spoken figuratiuelie or when a hard place is not expounded by an other place that is plainer or when we doo not marke that sometime those things which belong vnto the things signified are attributed vnto the signes and contrariwise the properties of the signes ascribed vnto the things signified And he that would more plentifullie knowe of these things let him peruse the books of Augustine which he profitablie wrote of christian doctrine But about the power of God there is a double error the first Errors about the power of God when all things are assigned vnto him without anie maner of exception the other when too little is attributed to him And with this latter kind of error were the Saduces infected for when as they heard that the dead should liue againe after this world they considered not that there may be another life from this in which we now liue and haue néed of meate drinke and procreation of children Wherefore they hauing ouer-slender an opinion of the power of God did not thinke that he is able to translate men after they be raised vp vnto a heauenlie life which should be néere vnto the state of angels But how they did erre Christ as we
we will not graunt them to be the members of Christ vnlesse we shall iudge according to the forme and outward shewe Neither doe we for this cause say Euill men must not be excluded frō the Church at euery mans priuate iudgement that euill men at euerie mans iudgement should be separated or excluded from the Church when they haue secretlie sinned and haue not bin as yet cut off by excommunication from the body of Christ Nay rather while they be permitted if so be they administer the word of God or Sacraments vnto the people diuine things are not polluted by their wickednesse but this onelie we affirme now that such maner of men in verie déede and before God are not members of the Church Thou maiest perhappes doubt how Paul might trulie call the Church of the Corinthians How amōg the Corinthians was the Church of God the Church of God the which was infected with so many vices But it must be vnderstoode that all they which were there were not vtterlie corrupted manie good men remained Further they were as yet instructed with pure doctrine and they retained the Sacramentes whole and perfect neither were they altogether without discipline and those things that were wanting were not laide aside without regard nay rather the godlie laboured much about the correcting of them For we know that Paul was admonished by them which were at Cloas 1. Cor. 1. 11 that he should preuent the euils that were breaking forth Acts. 16. 9. Besides this Paul had a respect to the testimonie of God who had said vnto him that in the same citie he had much people Ouer this thou must vnderstand that the Church of God doth not so fall away for euerie blemish as that it should no more be called the Church of God It is not presently without spot or wrinkle but in the day of Iesus Christ it shal be 2 But they excéedinglie erre which account onelie the Romish Church for the Church In 1. Cor. 1. 2. We denie not but that there is an order among Churches but we graunt it not to be the same which dependeth of the wealth and dignities of this world An order in Churches and which must be taken for the better Looke after p. 6. Art 6. c. Wherefore among Churches that must be taken for the better which doeth most florish in spirit doctrine and holinesse But at this day onelie successions and Cathedrall seats are had in great estimation whereas notwithstanding Christ hath not tied his grace vnto these things And if so be that at Rome or Constantinople doctrine be polluted the Sacraments mangled and discipline corrupted how can we aske counsell of those Churches as more excellent than the rest Verilie this should be nothing else but to seek grapes of thornes and figges of thistles Matt. 7. 16. In auncient time the Apostolicall Churches were Ierusalem Antioch Alexandria Ephesus Corinth and other such like but what is there at this daie Alas there be manie errours and superstitions and there is little wanting but that they degenerate into Turkish wickednes Let the Church be Catholike for places do not separate beléeuers euen as the place in like maner Chrysost as saieth Chrysostome although it be one doth not ioine thē togither For if in one the same place there be two Lordes which command things repugnant doubtlesse their seruantes will be diuided for as Christ hath taught Matt. 6. 24. We cannot in one and the selfe same worke serue two 3 But it is perpetuallie obiected against vs by Hosius and Staphylus In 2. Sam. 21. vers 15. and other persecuters of the Gospell that we agrée not among our selues as touching the matter of the Sacrament Frée wil and other things We cannot denie it but shal we therfore say That we haue the true Church though there be dissentions among vs. that the reformed Church is no Church Indéede the spirit of the Lord is the spirit of peace It would possesse vs all whollie if we were whollie regenerate howbeit as yet we are not so The Church is instituted Ephe. 5. 27. that it may be without wrinckle hereafter now it is not one day it shal be when Christ shall haue ouercome all his enimies I thinke there be none but do like of a consenting together but yet sauing the truth otherwhile it cannot be had Dissentions in the Church are neuer forthwith rooted out These men when they declare these things do séeme to set forth mere wonders as though that there hath neuer béene dissentions in the Church But I beséech you let them consider the beginnings The people of Israell Exod. 7. 4. Num. 14. 10 which was the Church of God would often times haue killed Moses in the wildernesse Num. 16. 1. Core Dathan Dissentions in the Church of Israel and Abiram raised a tumult and contended for the Priesthoode which by the expresse worde of God was assigned to Aaron What turmoils were there betwéene Dauid and Saule 1. Sam. 18. c. yet was there an expresse worde of God as touching the kingdome The house of Iuda had the kingdome at the handes of God 1. Kings 12 1. Kings 13 11. and yet there became a schisme vnder Roboam After that age the Prophets succéeded 1. Kings 22 11. 17. on the one side they were true on the other side they were false they spake thinges that were repugnant That which one affirmed Iere. 21. 26. the other denied The Israelites being returned out of captiuitie were rent into sundrie sorts into the sectes of the Essei Pharesees Saduces Who wil saie that a church was not there And so it is no new thing where the Church of God is there dissentions to be If they shall denie this to be doone in the newe Testament I knowe not whether they erre wittingly or vnwittingly What happened betwéene Peter and Paul in the time of the Apostles Gal. 2. 14. Dissentions in the Church of the Apostles Act. 15. 39. Peter followed the Iewish custome to the hinderaunce of the Ethnickes which were conuerted Paul reprooued him Paul and Barnabas whom the holie Ghost had ioyned together in the ministerie so disagréed as they departed one from an other The time of contention for the retayning or not retayning of Iudaisme continued a long time The contention was past ouer vnto Augustine Ierome The one would that euen in the holie Scriptures certenties might be grounded by dispensation the other earnestlie denied it In the time of the Apostles a litle after the Christians had manie sectaries among them namelie the Cerinthians the Marcionites the Gnostickes the Carpocratians Admit that the Ethnickes had taken our Argument and had saide You cannot agrée as touching your Christ We haue holie ordinances of our Gods Which shal I beléeue these or those They al say that they be Christians I beséech you let vs consider of the Church
kinde of gouernments in the Church yet to confesse the truth this me thinketh is most fitlie to be vnderstoode of Elders not in verie deede of them which had the charge of the word and of doctrine but of those which were appointed as assistantes vnto the Pastors They as being the discréeter sort and indued with a greater zeale and godlinesse were chosen out from among the laitie The office of the Elders Their office was chiefelie to attend vnto discipline and to take héede what euerie man did and in euerie house and familie to sée what néede euerie one had as touching that which belonged to the soule or to the bodie For the Church had hir ancients or if I may so saie hir Senate which according to the time prouided for profitable things Paul describeth this kinde of Ministerie not onelie in this place but also in the first to Timothie For thus he writeth The Elders are worthie of double honour 1. Tim. 5. 17. especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine In which wordes he séemeth to signifie that there be some Elders which teach and set forth the word of God Two sortes of Elders and there are others which although they doe not this yet as ancients and Elders they doe gouerne in the Church This did not Ambrose leaue vntouched when he did expound that place Yea he complaineth that euen then either through pride or through the slouthfulnesse of the Priestes they were in a maner worne awaie For while they which haue the gouernment of the Church séeke to drawe all things vnto themselues they prouide as diligentlie as they can that they maie haue no fellowe officers ioyned with them in that roome Rom. 12. 8 Wherefore Paul willeth that they which haue this charge should doe their indeuour and remoue slouth and sluggishnesse Further he addeth He that sheweth mercie let him doe it with cheerefulnesse The office of widowes and of old men And this séemeth to haue bin the office of widowes and of olde men which were to that ende maintained by the Church that they shoulde take care of strangers and of them that were sicke For good cause he commandeth these to haue chéerefulnesse For men that be weake and afflicted are much reléeued if they sée their necessities are ministred vnto with chéerefulnesse For they which with a frowning countenance and heauie chéere do these things séeme to adde sorow vnto them that be sorowfull for thereby they misdoubt that they be chargeable and troublesome to their brethren By meanes whereof they are oftentimes brought to that point as they count death much better than such a life Thus much spake Paul concerning the publike ministeries of the Church which he vpon iust cause calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit frée gifts For al these things Why these ministeres be called free gifts although it séemeth that they maie be gotten by humane arte and industrie yet shall we neuer bring to passe any thing in that kinde by our owne labour vnlesse we be holpen by the grace of God wherby those things which we doe are made profitable and effectuall For they which are occupied in these offices maie in déede without the helpe of God obtaine the praise of men and well liking of the people but they cannot further the saluation of soules commoditie of the Church And as touching this matter they oftentimes haue God fauourable and gratious vnto them which neuerthelesse obey him not with a syncere wil. But this is to be excéedingly lamented that this gouernance of the Church is so miserablie decaied that at this daie not so much as the names of these functions are anie where extant In the stead of these they haue put Taperbearers and I knowe not what Acoluthes and Subdeacons which serue for trifling and vaine actions about that superstitious Aultar of theirs In 1. Cor. 16. verse 5. 12 And in the first Epistle to the Corinthiās the 16 Chapter we haue a notable place as concerning the visitation of Churches For Paul for the same cause would returne to the Corinthians first suruey the Churches of Macedonia because he could not straight waie trauell to Corinth he deuised to send thither Timothie Of the visitation of Churches And howe necessarie the visitation of Churches is the state of humane things doeth declare by the which we easilie perceiue that things do oftentimes decaie and fall to ruine vnlesse they be nowe and then reuoked to their first order and institution Wherefore wée are not to doubt that this is no humane but an apostolicall inuention What maner of men the visitors of Churches should be But it behooueth that they which visite shoulde be men of great authoritie of honest and godlie life and also wel instructed in the holie Scriptures For if so bée they shall not by the worde of GOD perceiue those things to be peruerse which they woulde amende they shall bring nothing to passe Peraduenture thou wilt saie séeing al Churches haue their owne Pastors what néede is there that other men shoulde come vnto them to visite Wée aunswere that it oftentimes happeneth that the men of anie Church do not so greatlie estéeme their owne Pastors being otherwise good men because through continuall conuersation they grow in contempt but when they shall come before thrée or foure which bée of other Churches beeing men of great name and authoritie they may be a great deale more easilie corrected and the ordinances of the Pastors if they bée good ordinances maie bée maintained by the authoritie of these men if they bée not good they maie bée amended Now it is growne to an vse that this office of visiting is assigned vnto Primates and Archbishops because those men which were indued with the more ample giftes of God and which did excel others in learning holines were woont to bée preferred to the higher places to the chéefe seas and more notable Cities But forasmuch as we sée that in the most places at this daie such high degrées are by the fauour of princes and by peruerse election commended vnto vnméete men what profite can these men bring by their visitation Verilie not a whit but oftentimes no small inconuenience Of calling and especiallie vnto the Ministerie 13 Verie ill doe they gather In 2. Sam. 2 v. 8. A calling must not be condemned by a hard successe which thus saie Things happen not to this or that man according to his minde therefore his calling is not of God For who suffered either more or more gréeuous things than did our Sauiour Christ And yet was his calling most lawfull Wherefore a great comfort is héere offered to the ministers of the Church and to lawfull magistrates that although they sée manie troubles laid before them yet that they should not despaire for those things procéed of the Diuell Hée verilie hateth all lawfull calling For hée séeth that God wil blesse it and that his strength
shall bée diminished by the same Hinderances to our callinges layd in our way by the Diuel And séeing such maner of impediments be of two sorts some in the mindes of men and some which happen outwardlie both kindes are laide in our waie by the Diuell For in the minds hée worketh that men maie despaire and become of faint courage and thinke that they shall not bée able to beare so great a charge so to become negligent But if hée prosper not this waie hée from elsewhere offereth enmities hatreds seditions troubles But if there be some which are neither lawfullie called nor yet doe their duetie the Diuell doth nothing at all disquiet thē for he suffereth thē safelie and soundlie to sléepe on both sides But God putteth himselfe among these troubles and manie waies comforteth them that bée his First by his word Helpe against these impedimentes For hée foresheweth that they are to suffer manie things Secondlie also he layeth before thē the examples of such as suffered manie things in the following of their vocation Furthermore against the first impediment he giueth strength and stablenesse of mindes And if anie man do withstande him he discourageth him and maketh him féeble Thus the kingdome of Christ standeth and shall stande for euer Thus the kingdome of Dauid though it bée shaken with manie violences yet it shall stand Wherefore euerie man ought to abide in his calling and not to despaire and become afraid of aduersities 14 First ye must vnderstande that God doth oftentimes immediatly as they speake by his owne selfe choose and call some men and that sometime he doth the same by men And that immediate calling of God Two maner of callings is either generall as vnto iustification life saluation or else particular as to teach to marrie a wife to beare an office But whatsoeuer it bée wée ought streight waies to obaie after wée vnderstande that we be called of GOD. Howbeit euerie man must bée assured of his calling For oftentimes the Diuell shifteth in himselfe and deceiueth men vnder the shew of God But in that other calling which is doone by men manie things must be diligentlie considered The causes of that calling which is done by men And especiallie these foure causes the Matter the Forme the Efficient cause and the End The matter is the nature it selfe of the function the same must be iust and honest and agréeing to the worde of God And therefore mercenarie souldiers and bawdes cannot bée saide to haue a lawfull calling In the forme must be taken héed that monie ambition or affection of the flesh be no meane therein In the efficient we are to sée that it bée doone by them to whom it belongeth to wit by the magistrate or people or elders of the Church But by force nothing at all must bée attempted And as touching the ende because it is a voluntarie taking on him it doth behooue that the will haue respect to some good thing Namelie that the kingdome of God be holpen that no man séeke his owne gaines or commodities or other meanes against iustice and goodnes and the woorde of God What they must regard which chuse They which choose must regarde not onelie that hée which is chosen be willing but also that hée haue skil and bée able For what shall he doe if he bée ignorant And he must not onelie haue skill but also haue strength to bée able And these thinges doubtles ought men haue a respect vnto But God when he calleth anie man inquireth not after these things for hée can bring them al to passe and giue them But he which is chosen must not iudge of his owne strength For manie being most vnméete thinke themselues fit and many on the other side when they be sufficientlie furnished and apt What they are to doe which are chosen yet béeing led by some shamefastnesse or modestie do thinke themselues vnfit Wherfore the iudgement ought to rest in the common weale or in the Church Howbeit if hée perceiue himselfe to bée altogether vnfit for that function hée must make protestation what hée iudgeth of himselfe But yet at the last if they will not chaunge their minde hée ought to giue place In. 1. Cor. 16. vers 15. Wherupon there ariseth a doubt howe in the first to the Cor. the 16. Chapter Howe they which were of the houshold of Steuen ordayned themselues they which were of the familie of Stephana can be said to haue ordained them selues séeing the same maketh a shewe of Ambition and disorder For by this meanes perhappes ordinarie meanes woulde be contemned and each one at his owne pleasure might vsurpe ecclesiastical offices Of which opinion are the Anabaptistes The Anabaptists And this place amōg others they cite Howbeit if we weigh those wordes which be written vnto Timothie these men are soone discharged from the suspect of ambition 1. Tim. 3. 1. He that desireth a Bishopricke desireth a good worke But whatsoeuer he be that desireth a Bishopricke let him throughlie weie whether he séeke for riches and honours rather than for the functions and labors of a Bishop Chrysost Neither doth Chrysostome otherwise vnderstand it when it is said that these men ordeined themselues but that they chose this kinde of life wholie addicted themselues to the ministerie of the Saints But against the furie of the Anabaptists we are confirmed by manie places taken out of the Scriptures That in the Church should be ordinary callings that wee should obserue an order in Ecclesiasticall callings and that euerie man at his owne pleasure shoulde not breake out and make the offices of the Church common vnto all men Paul béeing desirous to haue credite giuen to his Apostleship The 1. reason confirmeth the same by his vocation In the beginning of euery epistle and mentioneth euerie where that hée is called to bée an Apostle And what néed had it béene for him in the Epistles vnto Timothie and vnto Titus to haue reckened vp with so great diligence the properties of a Bishop Elder and Deacon The 2. 3. reason 1. Tim. 3. 2. Tit. 2. 6. if euerie man might obtrude himselfe at his owne will Those things declare The 4 reason 1. Tim. 5. 22. that there ought in any wise to be had some choise of men Yea and the Apostle writeth vnto Timothie That he should not soudenlie laie hands on anie man Where thou séest that to the ordeining of a minister is required to haue handes laide on Which because he woulde not haue to bée doone rashlie he teacheth that there bée some which maie bée chosen before others Neither will it easilie stande which we read vnto the Ephesians Eph. 4. 11. that God placed in the Church some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists c. Of which thing there is mention made both in the Epistle to the Romanes Rom. 12. 6. and in the Epistle
to the Corinthians For if a man intrude himself and vsurpe Ecclesiasticall offices hée is not appointed by GOD but he appointeth himselfe to bée both Pastor and teacher Furthermore the Apostles haue lefte vnto vs a forme and example Matthias was chosen The 5 reason Paul and Barnabas by the commaundement of the holie Ghost were put apart to bee sent vnto the Gentiles Acts. 1. 23. Acts. 13. 2. And when they had trauelled ouer diuers Cities and Regions as we be taught in the Actes that they ordeined Elders in the Churches The 6. reason And also we reade of Aaron in the Epistle to the Hebrewes that hée did not intrude himselfe but was called by GOD whom others also should imitate At length the Church would fall to ruine and be ouercharged with expenses The 7. reason For such is the ambition and temeritie of men as an innumerable sort would take the ministerie vppon them The 8. reason And whereas by the lawe of God sustenance is due vnto them that labour in the word it were not possible to haue sufficiencie for all that should labour And whereas all thinges according to the commaundement of the Apostle ought to bée doone in order these men would mingle and confound all thinges which is the onelie indeuour of the Diuell who misliketh not anie thing so much especiallie in diuine things as a right and wel ordered institution 1. Cor. 15. 16. Arguments of them which confound orders vocations in the Church The 1. reason The 2. reason 1. Pet. 2. 9. The 3. reason Ioh. 10. 23. Mat. 16. 19. The 4 reason Matt. 23. 8 The 5. reason Matt. 18. 5. 15 But let vs sée now what reasons they bring for themselues First of all is that place which we haue cited Secondlie they alledge out of the first Epistle of Peter namelie that we are now a kingdome and priesthoode to set foorth the vertues of God Furthermore they saie that the keies are not giueÌ„ vnto one or to an other but vnto the whole Church and so each one maie vse them Besides they laie blame vnto vs as though we obserue not the commandement of Christ in preferring pastors to the gouernment of the Church because Christ for bad that wée should be called masters chief rulers or Rabbi And it appeareth plainlie enough that brotherlie correction belongeth vnto al men which is not doone without the administration of the word of God The 6. reason Tit. 2. Deut. 6. 7. Moreouer Parents and householders are bound to instruct their Children and householde seruauntes in the feare of the Lord which is nothing else but to preach and publish the Gospell Nor doth it make anie matter whether this bée doone within the walles of a priuate house The 7. reason or else openlie abroade For the Apostles did not alwaies preach in the stréetes Act. 20. 20 but they did it also in priuate houses The lame the blind and léepors obteined health of Christ The 8. reason they went their waies publishing his name without expecting to bée appointed by order Also women haue otherwhile exercised the holie ministerie of preaching The 9. reason and yet were they not instructed before Mark 1. 45. Matt. 28. 7. Mar. 16. 10 Iohn 4. 29. And Magdalen declared the resurrection of Christ vnto the Apostles And the woman of Samaria preached him vnto her Citizens The Daughters of Philip were Prophetisses Exo. â—5 20. And in the old Testament Debora Marie the sister of Moses and Anna the mother of Samuel openlie sang thankes vnto God 1. Sam. 2. 1. Martyrs being called vnto the Tribunall seate openlie confessed Christ and set him foorth with all the power they had The 10. reason 1. Cor. 14. 29. Ouer this Paul in the first Epistle to the Corinthians saide that two or three should Prophesie so as if it were reueiled to anie one that stoode by he that spake should holde his peace and giue place to the other Where it appeareth that it sufficeth to receiue a reuelation to exercise the office of preaching The 11. reason 2. Cor. 14. 29. And finallie Paul woulde That while anie doeth prophesie the standers by shoulde iudge vnto whom séeing iudgement is attributed there séemeth also power to bée giuen that they them selues in like maner maie preach séeing to iudge is more than to speake 16 For answere vnto these things The consideration is diuerse of the Church not yet placed when it is planted first consider we that it is one thing when a Church is not yet setled and another when the same is now ordained and planted For when it is not as yet builded and that men be ignorant of Christian religion whosoeuer by chaunce and fortune shall be there which knowe Christ they are bound to set him forth and to winne men vnto him Neither must ordaining be expected when as it cannot be had For then he which is heard and doeth preach Christ hath of his election the secret voyces of them which doe come and consent Nor is hee vncalled of God séeing he is bound by commandement to doe that which he doeth so that as we haue said he well vnderstand Christ and his religion Which must be vnderstoode If he can in no wise attaine vnto them which should ordaine him For if he maie haue accesse vnto anie which maie ordaine him after the vsuall maner by laying on of handes he ought not to neglect that ordinance But where the Church is now instituted bicause all things by the admonition of the holy Ghost must be done in order therefore expresse and manifest voices of election and laying on of handes are required for the auoiding of disorder and confusion of things Besides these we affirme that there is a certaine ordinarie function Function extraordinary and ordinary and a certaine function extraordinarie Elias Elizeus Esaie Ieremie and those kinde of Prophetes were extraordinarilie sent of God They neither were of the stocke of Leui nor yet Priestes wherefore they should neuer haue bin put into the ministerie by the high Priestes neuerthelesse they were sent from God when all things were corrupted and marred and might not be restored by the ordinarie Ministers And of these vocations God was sometimes author by him selfe as it came to passe in Moses and in manie of the Prophets Exod 3. 20. 1. Kings 19 19. sometimes they were called by man as Elizeus was annointed by Elias And we at this present deale not otherwise than by ordinarie function of the ministerie For those things that be done extraordinarilie by God we are to woonder at them but not alwaies to followe them For there be lawes prescribed vnto vs which we ought to obey Lastly we would haue it testified and and confirmed that there is a certaine generall vocation which is common vnto all A generall vocation and a priuate vocation and hath place in all those things whereof there be
of sinnes it cannot be denyed but that they are of God For they haue a respect of Iustice For so doth God oftentimes for the sinnes of the people raise vp an vngodlie Prince But although he be vngodlie he must be obeyed After what sort wicked kings must be obeyed howbeit so farre forth as Religion shall permit And if he shall command vngodlie things he must not be heard Neither is it lawfull with silence to dissemble anie thing that the King doeth peruerslie and vngodlie We ought to warne counsell reprooue chasten and amend him for so did the Prophetes Also for defence of the common weale we must obey without exception Therefore Cicero Cato Pompeius and others must not be blamed who tooke warres in hand against Caesar But when he had once attained to the Empire no priuate man ought to haue takē armes against him Therefore when Augustus Caesar had heard railing wordes to be spoken against Marcus Cato being nowe dead because he dealt tyrannouslie against Iulius answered that Cato was a good Citizen in that he would not haue the present state of the common weale to be changed So that God raigneth together with kings whether they be good or euill Kings be the heads of the common weale Psal 18. 44. And kings maie be called the heads of the Common weale For so Dauid writeth of himselfe Thou hast set mee to be the head of the Nations Yet are they not properlie but Metaphoricallie called heads For euen as from the head is deriued all the sense and motion into the bodie so the senses by good lawes and motions by edictes and commandements are deriued from the prince vnto the people And this strength excéedeth not the naturall power 2 Now as touching the other question none may after this maner be called the head of the Church No mortall man may be called the head of the Church for heere the consideration is farre otherwise than in a common weale For the Church is a celestial diuine and spirituall bodie Sense can be giuen vnto hir by no mortall man For those things which pertaine to the sense of the Church be of such sort as neither eare hath heard Esa 64. 4. 2. Cor. 2. 9. nor eye hath séene neither haue they ascended into the heart of man for all quickening of the Church procéedeth from the holie Ghost So as they which will raise vp vnto vs a newe head of the Church are not wel aduised what they saie For regeneration and remission of sinnes doe flowe from the spirite of Christ and not from man Onely Christ is head of the Church Ephe. 4. 15 Also the Scriptures doe sufficientlie testifie that Christ alone is giuen to be head of the Church Paul vnto the Ephesians saith Christ is the head of the Church by whom all the members by order of assistance make increase of the bodie And vnto the Colossians Col. 2. 19. speaking of hypocrites They hould not saith he the head whereby all the bodie is knit together by synowes ioyntes And againe vnto the Ephesians Let vs therefore growe vp in him which is the head Ephe. 4. 15 namelie Christ So that euerie sense and mouing of the Church floweth from Christ alone not from anie mortall man But thou wilt obiect An obiection that Princes vndoubtedly cannot ingender ciuill vertues in the mindes of their people Wherefore the reason on both partes is a like The consideration of the Church and cōmon weale is diuerse Yes verilie they can for that doth not excéede the power of nature For vertue springeth of frequented Actions So when as princes by lawes and edictes driue their subiects vnto actions they also driue them vnto vertues But the spirit of God and regeneration is not attained by manie actions but onelie by the blessings of God For these gifts of God flowe vnto the Church by ioyntes and synowes that is by preachers and ministers For their part is to teache the people to minister the Sacraments to excommunicate offenders and to reconcile the penitent For albeit that Christ is the onelie head of the Church yet doth he vse the ministerie of these men Whether in the Church may be an outward head that should gouerne the ministers The order instituted by Christ must not be changed Aristocratia 3 But thou wilt saie that although the inward senses and mouings of the Church be of Christ yet there maie be an outwarde head to rule ministers and to kéepe them all in their duetie There maie not be neither vndoubtedlie is it lawfull to change the order appointed by God For God would that in the Church there should be a gouernment of the best men that Bishops shoulde take the charge of all these things should choose Ministers yet so as the voyces of the people should not be excluded That Byshops are to choose ministers But euen as the Israelites cast awaie the gouernment of God that they might make themselues a king euen so they that would haue the Pope to be the Head of the Church haue cast awaie Christ the true head of the Church Paul vnto the Ephesians saieth Eph. 4 11. that Christ Gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists some Pastors some Teachers for edifying of the Church neither addeth he that he set one ouer al these persons Who commāded these men to alter this order Further when Matthias was to be substituted in the place of Iudas Acts. 1. 15. Acts. 6. 3. and when Deacons should be created the matter was referred not vnto the Pope but vnto the people Besides this That the Pope cannot be the vniuersall Byshop if the Pope were head of the Church he should be the bishop of bishops or the vniuersal bishop which thing no reason would beare But least that the Papists should thinke that there is smal weight in my words let them heare Gregorie the cheife of all Popes Arguments of Pope Gregorie touching this matter Hée in the fourth book of the register in the Epistles vnto Mauricius the Emperour vnto Constantia the Empresse vnto the Patriarch of Ierusalem Alexandria Antioch and vnto Iohn of Constantinople writeth at large of this matter I will comprise his arguments in as fewe words as I can There cannot saith he bée one head of the whole Church For if paraduenture that head should fall into anie heresie it would of necessitie bée that the whole Church should be corrupted And that the same head maie bée corrupted Nestorius and Macedonius may be a tryall who sometimes gouerned the Church of Constantinople The one of these affirmed distinct persons to be in Christ the other denied the holie Ghost to be God Furthermore if there might bée one onelie head of the Church he saith it would of necessitie be that the authoritie of all other Bishops should be deriued vnto him But that would be absurde Therefore Cyprian saith that there is one Bishopricke whereof
third vnto Emperours And of this mind be the Schoolemen as Thomas in Secunda Secundae de Ieiuni saith that the Church cannot decrée at what time and in what manner we shoulde fast For euen as saith he ciuill Magistrates maie declare and ratifie those things which be confusedly and obscurely shadowed in the lawe of nature so the Church may define determine those things which be confusedlie taught in the holie Scriptures Ostiensis And Ostiensis de vi Constitutionum saith that such decrées ought to be of that force that he which coÌ„tenmeth them should be excommunicated And wee reade in the histories that Victor would haue excoÌ„municated al the East part for no other cause but for that they did not solemnise the feast of Easter after the Roman vse Albeit that matter was somewhat repressed by the Counsell of Ireneus The reasons that are brought for the contrarie An answere to the reasons denying this power vnto Byshops they thinke that they be able easilie to refell For whereas it is saide that the Bishops receaued not authoritie of Christ to make lawes they aunswere that that is nothing For they saie that lawes doe belong vnto doctrine Cicero What the Lawe is For the lawe as Cicero saith is a commaunding of honest things and a repelling of things shamefull So that séeing the Church hath the authoritie to teach if hath also saie they authoritie to make Lawes 1. Pet. 5. 3. And albeit Peter saith that a Bishop ought not to beare rule yet that he ought to haue ouersight in the Church and to haue the power of the keies And whereas it is alleaged that the Church hath no right to punish they say it is false for the Church may bind lose excommunicate And whereas Paule writeth that he wil not cast any man into a snare 1. Cor. 7. 37 they say he writeth this particularly of virgins because chastitie is not commonlie giuen vnto al men And that it is a weake argument for a man thus to gather It is not lawfull to make a lawe of virginitie therefore it is not lawfull for any cause And that whereas Esaie saith Esa 33. 22. Thou art our lawmaker and king that is true as touching the last iudgement eternall damnation Or by the figure * Antonomasia is when in the place of a proper name an other name is put Antonomasia bicause whatsoeuer is is of him For otherwise by the same reason euerie ciuil magistrate should be taken away 3 But whether these bee Lawes or or no I will not contend bicause it maketh not much to purpose Wherefore let it bée set downe that it is lawfull for the Church to make to it selfe either Canons or lawes or decrees or statutes or call them by what name thou wilt For the Church is a companie and must be ruled by the word of God especially bicause it belongeth to the saluation thereof and to the worshiping of God But there be other things which belong onelie vnto outward discipline For there is néede of certaine outward bondes to the end that the fellowship of the people maie be retained 1. Cor. 11. 5 So the Apostle decréed that women ought to praie with the head couered and men vncouered Acts. 15. 29 And the Apostles in the Actes decréede that we should abstaine from bloud from strangled and from things dedicated vnto Idols And alwaies in Councels after they had done with doctrine they began to intreate of discipline Finallie so did all the Fathers as Tertullian Origen Basill Augustine and Ierom. The ende of these lawes must be edefying and good order But for so much as they be not of neessitie they maie be changed according to the times and places as in Baptisme concerning the thrée times dipping of sprinkling of them that are diseased of the time of Easter and Penticost at which times onely Baptisme was woont to be giuen Of the Eucharist in what place at what time after what manner whether we ought to communicate standing or sitting in the morning or at euening vnlesse that these things shal be determined of there will neuer be any tranquillitie of the Church For one man will heare a Sermon at one time and an other at an other time one in this place and an other in that So as it is lawfull to appoint such decrées if it be done with the peace of the Church Others reason thus The people is vnlearned and vnskilfull therefore to be held in Ceremonies But this difference is betwéene vs and them of old time They had many Ceremonies we as saith Augustine haue verie fewe And Christ saith that God will haue a people of whom hee shall bee called vpon in spirit and in truth 1. Co. 14. 40 Yet Paule teacheth the Corinthians that it behoueth that there should be some things which maie serue vnto order and comelinesse Howbeit this order consisteth not in great pompe in apparell in songs in the noyse of bels and organs but in that which may serue vnto modestie and grauitie which may remoue lightnesse confusion and barbarousnesse 4 Now that we maie vnderstand What maner of laws ought to be of the Church of what sort such lawes should be we ought to remeÌ„ber that some there bée which pertaine to doctrine and some to gouernaunce Vnto doctrines nothing ought to be thought necessary but that which is gathered either expressely or by manifest and sound reason out of the holy Scriptures such as is of the baptising of Infantes and of Homonsion that is that Christ is of one substance with his father For God expressely commaunded in Deuteronomie Deut. 12. 32 that there shoulde not any thing be added vnto his lawe Againe those things which pertaine to gouernance are distinguished two manner of waies For some be necessarie and serue vnto saluation of which sort none must be thought vnlesse they be taught in the holie Scriptures Others there be indifferent in their owne nature the which we may vse either well or ill Lawes toâ—ching thâ—… indifferent Vnto this part onely belongeth all this discourse In this kind we must speciallie take héede that nothing be thought to be done to the worshipping of God For diuine worshiping dependeth not of the will of men but of the counsell of God Therefore Christ in Matthew saieth out of Esay Matt. 15. 9. In vaine do they worship mee teaching doctrines being preceptes of men For the worshipping of God must remaine simple and pure Esa 29. 23. Ibid. v. 14. Therefore God saieth in Esay that he would send furie and madnesse vpon them of whom he is worshipped according to the preceptes of men And in déede so we sée it commonly come to passe that they which are wholie occupied in this are after a sort giuen vp to a reprobate sense they dote they are mad and they cannot sée euen those things that bée most cleare Col. 2. 10. Paul vnto the Colossians saieth If
not euerie where receiued So as if a due consent ought to be preserued in the Church it is necessarie that we firmelie and constantlie staie our selues in the holie Scriptures Of discerning of Spirites 9 But the discerning of spirits is a gift In 1. Cor. 12. ver 10. How Spirits may be discerned by which the difference of thē which are moued by an euill spirit is knowen from them which are inspired with the holy ghost Which how necessarie it is Christ admonished when he said Matt. 7. 15. Beware of false Prophets which come vnto you in sheepes clothing but inwardlie they be rauening wolues 1. Thess 5. 21. And Paul vnto the Thessalonians Prooue all things and keepe that which is good But how spirites are to be knowen Iohn teacheth in his first Epistle when he saith 1. Iohn 4. 2. If a man confesse that the Lord Iesus is come in the fleshe he is of God and he that denieth that the Lord Iesus is come in the flesh is not of the Lord but is of Antichrist Augustine treating on these wordes Augustine maruelleth that manie Heretikes be verie pernitious which confesse the Lord Iesus to haue come in the flesh who neuertheles be not of God but he aunswereth to this effect that they confesse the Lord Iesus to be come in flesh which with a sound faith receiue all those doctrines which either goe before or follow this article If Christ come in the flesh he was before his comming he tooke verie fleshe vppon him to this end that he should verilie die and that afterward hée should rise againe whereby he might also giue vs the hope of resurrection And manie other things are knit vnto that principle the which aswell heretikes as infidels doe refuse either in whole or in part Wherfore Iohn would not distinctlie recken vp euerie thing which we ought to confesse vnto saluation to the end that our spirite might be approoued but he onelie spake of that which was the chiefe vnto which in a manner all other things necessarie to saluation are adioyned Looke part 1. pl 3. Art 8 Euery one that holdeth right opinions is not therefore saide to be of Christ Two sorts of confessiō But if thou wilt saie Admit there be some which rightlie and faithfullie hold al those opinions is he therfore thought to haue the spirit of Christ if he liue vnpurelie Augustine aunswereth that there is a certaine confession which is in outward words onelie and an other which is true and hath good workes with it And this he prooueth out of the Epistle vnto Titus Tit. 1. 16. They confesse that they know God but in deedes they denie him Therefore by contraries he saith there be some which in déeds confesse God him selfe therefore he affirmeth that confession of which Iohn speaketh is no vulgare confession but such a one as hath déeds But through these things which are spoken by this godlie man we haue as yet no certaine rule by the which spirites are discerned Many heretiks haue liued godlie in shewe For there be manie Heretikes which in outward shew haue had their life garnished with workes notable enough but the same in the meane time was contaminated with the indeuour of humane glorie and we being ignorant of the purpose of their mind can iudge nothing of the goodnes of the workes which they make semblance of for this iudgment pertaineth onelie to the conscience Wherefore Iohn in the same Epistle writeth 1. Ioh. 3. 20. And if so be our heart accuse vs God is greater than our heart and knoweth all things As if he had said Although thou shalt behaue thy selfe notablie in outward shew and shalt haue an euill minde thinke not that thou art hidden for God also vnderstandeth the peruersenesse of thy minde séeing he is greater than our heart So as to God must be left the secrete iudgement of perfect vprightnesse of workes because he being the iudge it maie be that he which shall giue his bodie to be burned 1. Cor. 13. 3. séeing hée is without charitie it is nothing and that those things which he séemeth to doe verie well are condemned Onelie we can iudge of those thinges which appeare manifestlie Two rules for the trying of spirits 1. Ioh. 4. 2. The confession of opinions must be examined according to the scriptures Before the new Testament was written opinions were examined by the Apostles sayings 1. Iohn 4. 6. 10 Wherefore there remaineth two rules for to iudge of spirites One is if the opinions as touching faith be retained perfect and pure And this meant Iohn when he said If anie man confesse the Lord Iesus c. And this confession of opinions must be examined by the holie Scriptures the which seeing they had not in the Church at the beginning as concerning the new Testament they were examined by the words and doctrine of the Apostles Therefore Iohn a little after saith He that is of God heareth vs and he that heareth not vs is not of God Then he addeth that thus we doe prooue the spirit An other rule is of maners and life This did Christ expresse when hée said By their fruites ye shall knowe them And as opinions are knowen by examining of them with the Scriptures Life and maners must be tryed by discipline so life and maners should be tried by the discipline of the Church Howbeit either rule of examination is at this daie waxen cold For the life of the faithfull is not looked vppon but the shéepe of Christ doe miserablie perish and are neglected Further the holie Scripture is lesse red than méet it should neither is it carefullie and diligentlie handled And the Papistes will that the opinions should bée examined not by the Scriptures but by the councels and fathers Thereof it commeth to passe that the Church hath these manie yeares béene deceiued In the Primatiue Church a gift was extant whereby it might easilie be knowen with what spirite they which did speake were ledde By these meanes Satan was resisted when he transformed himselfe into an Angel of light Of Councels 11 Wherfore let them take héed which in diuers places boast of the Councels In 1. Cor. 2. verse 14. in which it hath bin iudged as touching religion what men it behooued there to bée namelie spirituall for somuch as the iudgement onelie of diuine things is brought to thē But at this daie the greatest part of a Councell Out of this place is gathered an argument against Councels is so ouerfraught with grosse imperfections as in verie déede it is not lawfull to take meat with them They saie that they be the Church howbeit although they be baptised and haue taken orders in the Church Looke after pl. 6. Act. 9. 17 c. Looke part 1. pl. 6. Act. 11. yet doe they not therefore prooue themselues to be spiritual séeing it is prooued that they do the workes of the flesh and not
the good as in the euill part For euen great offenders be called Anathemata or accursed Rom. 9. 3. And in this sense Paule would haue bin accursed from Christ for his brethrens sake Among the Hebrewes it is called Cherem that is perdition prohibition or a thing prohibited And it maie be also defined by those things which are taught of the Apostle A definition of excommunication after this maner Excommunication is the casting out of a godlesse man from the fellowship of the faithfull by the iudgement of them which be chiefe and the whole Church consenting by the authoritie of Christ and rule of the holie Scripture to the saluation both of him that is cast out and of the people of God An order of the Treatise Now let vs sée how necessarie this punishment is Secondlie what things ought to goe before Afterward who is to bee excommunicated Further from whence he should be cast whither he shoulde be cast by what degrées by whom when why and by what motion or inspiration and what we should at the length doe with him that is excommunicate How necessarie a thing excommunication is Mat. 18. 17 3 By the Gospell we easilie knowe how necessarie this ought to be accounted in the Church In the 18. of Matthew when Christ had taught as concerning brotherlie correction he added But and if he shall not heare the Church let him be vnto thee as an Ethnick and Publicane Ibid. ver 18 Againe Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth shall be bound also in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose vppon the earth shall also bee loosed in heauen Wherefore séeing it is the Gospell of Christ as touching all the parts it ought to be receiued of the Church credite euerie where to bee giuen vnto it So as they are to bee woondered at which would professe the Gospell and yet doe exclude this particle Wée reade in the 13. of Deuteronomie Verse 5. Ier. 51. 6. Take away the euil from among you And in Ieremie it is written concerning Babylon Flie you from the middest of her Esa 52. 11. Moreouer the Israelites were forbidden to touch vnpure things and if they had perhaps touched those things they became so vncleane as they were seuered from the companie of others Leui. 13. 46 The lepers were banished from the Campe. And the Lord expelled out of the garden of pleasure Gen. 3. 23. the first parents when they had sinned Gen. 4. 14. Caine also after the killing of his brother went as a runnagate from the sight of his parents Finallie if there were no other testimonie extant 1. Cor. 5. 3. 2. Thes 3. 14 that which we haue out of Paule to the Corinthians to the Thessalonians and else where ought to be sufficient Also Iohn in the second Epistle Irenaeus 2. Ioh. ver 10. The second Epistle of Iohn whose it is the which Irenaeus in his first booke confirmeth to be the Apostles although some thinke the same to be the Epistle of one Iohn a Priest saieth If any man come and bring not this doctrine him receiue ye not into your house neither say ye vnto him God speede and doe not ye communicate with euill workes In like maner doeth the Apostle séeme to haue written vnto the Ephesians Ephe. 5. 11. Haue no fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse 4 Before excommunication Correction goeth before excommunication Mat. 10. 15. goeth brotherlie correction For Christ saide If thy brother shall haue sinned against thee Neither is he to be thought that he sinneth not against vs which sinneth against God séeing we be his children the members of Christ yea verilie the Saints are so prepared as they easilie neglect that which is committed against themselues and soone forgiue their owne iniuries except so much as they perceiue them to redound against God What maner of corrections ought to be But and if the sinne be common and knowen to all men shall it haue néede of brotherly correction No verilie let it be brought and made manifest vnto the Church But it shall bée néedefull that the minde of the sinner be searched out whether he haue minded to repent and returne into the waie This being purposed he which sinneth openlie must be exhorted and admonished Whereby it appeareth that in al sinne aswell secret as publike there is néede of brotherlie correction The which behooueth not to be doone softlie and slacklie but verie earnestly must be layde before the eyes of the sinner the weight of his transgression the wrath of God kindled and stirred vp against him the punishment that remaineth for him finally the offence wherby he hath hurt the Church But let the rebuke be gentle as procéeding from a frendly minde Otherwise if he shall thinke thée to bée his enemie thou shalt rebuke him without any fruite This vnto the Galathians is commended Gal. 6. 1. You that be spirituall rebuke your brother in the spirite of gentlenesse Excommunication must not be rash Let space be giuen to the sinner to thinke with himselfe that he maie the easelier repent A Phisitian doth gently handle sores he doth not straightwaie prepare an Iron fire And all waies and meanes must bée attempted if it be possible without impairing the word of God to retaine him that hath sinned in the Church before that excommunicatiō be vsed If he which was fallen giue place to admonitions promise faithfully that he will change his life and with teares and confession of sinne doe testifie a repentance and sorrow of minde and doe take awaie the offences and occasions of sinnes there let admonition cease For now the brother is wun vnto Christ But if he shall dispise to heare being warned twise or thrise before witnesses let him be brought to the rulers of the Church of whom also he shal be admonished But if he shall make light of them let the Elders referre the matter vnto the people of Christ and by the institution of the Apostle vnlesse he shall first repent let him with the consent of the whole Church be excommunicated These things ought to goe before this iudgement Who is to be excommunicated 5 Nowe remaineth to sée who he is that must be excommunicated He must be as Paul taught among the number of the brethren 1. Cor. 5. 11 who although he confesse Christ in wordes yet in déedes as it is written vnto Titus denieth him Tit. 1. 16. Augustine Neither is the exposition of Augustine allowed that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the partie named to be excommunicate should be referred to an adulterer a drunkard and to other great crimes which follow after For sinnes also which be not so publike and knowen vnto all men when they shall be stirred vp through brotherlie correction How priuat sins become publike are by accusing to the Church made publike Also they that be infected with ill doctrine are excommunicated As
Christ and his disciples Iohn 9. 21. and as manie as followed him to bee cast foorth of the Synagogue But excommunications of this kinde Vniust excōmunications are no harme to innocents séeing they be wicked and vnwise are not preiudiciall vnto the godlie and innocent but they doe excéedinglie hurt the Ministers and executors of them who in doing peruerslie doe harme vnto God to Christ to the Church and to themselues and at length so farre as in them lyeth they murder the little flocke of Christ For although God be present with him that is vniustlie excommunicated yet the authors of this vnrighteousnesse for their part driue him out of the Church being oppressed with slaunders and cast him foorth to bee deuoured of wolues for whom Christ died But against the crueltie of these men Christ comforteth vs when he saith Feare yee not them which kill the bodie Mat. 10. 28 seeing they cannot kill the soule Let these men excommunicate as much as they wil they shall not separate vs from GOD from Christ and from the Church A certaine foolish Suffragan An exāple disgraded as they speake a certaine Priest after a while to be bounde because he preached the Gospell and said that he did separate him from the Church of Christ militant and triumphant Vnto whom that prudent and constant Martyr answered What shewest thou me of the triumphant and militant Church of Christ No creature can plucke me from thence Rom. 8. 37. And thou hauing the roome of a Bishop in vaine attemptest to cut me off from the bodie of Christ against the word of God 18 Lastlie it shall not bee hard by these things which we haue spoken to sée how we ought to behaue our selues towardes him Howe we ought to behaue our selues towards an excommunicate which is already excommunicate The familiar conuersation which is doone for affection sake must be withdrawne from him yet so as children wife and subiects be not exempted from their due obedience towardes the Magistrat least al things be confounded But in the meane time let héed be takē least in this conuersatiō they giue assent vnto the same crime But as to others let the excommunicates be auoided let not meat be eaten with them let it not be said vnto them God spéede but let them be accounted as Ethnicks and Publicans Yet must we not cease from admonishing teaching and reproouing neither from giuing meat and drinke if necessitie shall vrge Because excommunication can no further be extended than charitie and other holie commaundements of God will suffer We néede not to feare the hatred of him that is excommunicate For if he wil iustlie weigh what is doone towards him he shall perceiue that the faithfull are stirred vp against him not through enuie but through charitie Theodosius Theodosius being corrected by Ambrose ceased not to loue him to honour him and to commend him And againe they which be excommunicate ought not for that cause to steppe backe from the Gospell or to desist from the faith thereof Further when they shall repent he which was separated from the Church let him be reconciled as Paul exhorteth in the seconde Epistle to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 2. 8. which thing should be doone mildlie with great good will and charitie These things I ment to saie as touching excommunication being alwaies readie to heare better matter For I perceiue that manie things herein be obscure which do oftentimes trouble the weake And for this am I very sorie that it séemeth to me I haue spoken of Vtopia and the common weale of Plato the which although of manie they be praised as goodlie things yet are they no where to be found Of Comelinesse and order in the Church In 1. Co. 14 at the end 19 But Paule in the first to the Corinthians the 14. Chapter added a verie excellent conclusion to wit That all things be done decently and in order But that particle Decently must be rightly vnderstood least we should thinke that this comelinesse consisteth in instruments of silke in vessels of golde and siluer in cuppes set with precious stones in the ringing of Bels in swéete perfumes in the shining of lights They which boast of these things as decent fall into the false argument which Aristotle calleth A secundum quid ad simpliciter A false argument that is From that which is in some respect to that which is absolute Comelie we graunt these things to be howbeit vnto the eyes of the bodie vnto the sense of the flesh and to the iudgement of the world which things we must rather denie than follow What comelinesse is required in the seruice of God The comelinesse which in these things is required consisteth in mortification holines modestie contempt of the world and especially in edification Let it not be obiected vnto vs Exod. 25. that God in the old Testament required of vs these outward ornaments The ornaments of gold siluer c. were conuenient for the olde law why as golde siluer precious stones c. For these things were conuenient for that time and age when the people of God was vnskilfull and were detained as infants vnder the rudiments of this world Nowe hath Christ brought a more perfect state therefore in his Church we must retaine those things which of themselues be decent not those which for some certaine time were méete for the people of God being newlie sprong vp Also he willeth that all things should be done in order that is without confusion For it is order where some things doe fitlie goe before and follow one another A definition of order by Augustine For Augustine De Ciuitate Dei defined it Order is a disposing of things that be like and vnlike giuing to euerie one their proper places In a Church let there be Doctors Disciples People a Pastor Elders And in rites let some things be set before and other things follow after so that in euery place nothing be done vnorderly or confusedlie Of Temples or Churches 20 Dauid although he be commended to be an acceptable and godlie King In 1. Cor. 3 verse 16. yet is he forbidden by God that he should not builde a Temple vnto him because he was exercised in warlike affaires and had put his handes to the bloud and slaughter of manie men Let vs further consider that God shewed marueilous vengeance vpon the Philistians 1. Sam. 5. in vexing them with most foule diseases for that they toke awaie the Arcke of the couenant Neither did it well happen vnto the Chaldeans at the length for that they burned the Temple and tooke away the holie vessels into captiuitie forsomuch as their Monarchie not long after was ouerthrowen The Macedonians also who most contemptuouslie violated the temple repaired had an euill ende And that we passe not ouer the holie houses of the Christians Augustine Augustine giueth warning who declareth in the first Booke
are continually preserued after one order as though they may in no wise be chaunged where neuerthelesse it may be and daylie commeth to passe that those things which in olde time were good doe vtterly degenerate The Church of the Hebrues in the olde time was verie acceptable vnto God 1. King 9. 2 Mat. 21. 13. Ier. 7. 11. so long as right religion florished therein but when that was afterward polluted that which was the temple of God was turned into a denne of theenes which they not considering trusted vnto it more than was méet always crying on this wise The Temple of the Lorde Verse 4. c. as though their common wealth shoulde not perish so long as the Temple remained Euen so our aduersaries thinke so that the name of the bishops church and the outward pompe and shewe of the ministerie bée at Rome there the Church is when as they haue subuerted all things which make to the nature of the Church of Christ It is a grieuous crime to depart from the Church but when that is called the Church which is not who will disallow the departing from thence The Hebrues in the time of the Apostles bosted that they had the Church but séeing they refused the Gospell of the sonne of God the Apostles vpon iust cause departed from theÌ„ And this did Ezechiel beforehand declare in the tenth Chapter Verse 18. when he saw the maiestie of God lifting it selfe vp into heauen and forsaking the Temple of Ierusalem Besides this Iosephus testifieth that when the Roman warre was at hand there were voices heard from the secret places of the Oracle who oftentimes repeted Let vs depart from hence And the ecclesiastical historie bewraieth that the Christian Church which was at Ierusalem was translated to Pella when the war was at hand Againe into Chaldea the Church of the Iewes remooued vnder Nabuchad-nazar So as ther is no cause why these men should assure themselues that the continuance of the Roman Church is vnchangeable 39 But some of them say that among the people of Israel changes were easily made but after the comming of Christ and that the seate of Peter was setled in the Citie of Rome it is not to be thought that these alterations would at any time happen But let them tell vs what assurance they haue aboue other Churches Whether the Roman Church shall neuer change his place If they goe about openly to perswade that the Churches of Constantinople Alexandria and Antioch are subuerted wherfore be they exempted from the like mutations Assuredly Paul did not so thinke For vnto the Romanes speaking vnto the nations conuerted vnto God he saith Ro. 11. 21. that they shoulde diligently take héede to themselues because God who spared not the naturall braunches would in like manner not spare them Wherefore they erre as farre as heauen is wide if they affirme that Christ and the holy ghost are so bounde to the seate of Rome as they will neuer go from thence So long they tarried there as that Church did leane vnto the true foundation But when it began to be founded vpon the sand of mans traditions it was subuerted Neither can it be saide that it is of God séeing Christ prescribed a rule that they be of God which heare the worde of God Rom. 8. 47. And afterwarde of them which boasted themselues to be the Church he boldly pronounced yee heare not those things because ye be not of God And what congregation can there be of the Church if it be not of God And the cause why the Romanists admit not the worde of God is for that they perceiue it to be woonderfully against them Furthermore what Church I pray you can that bâ— which iudgeth not it selfe to stande safely vnlesse that Christ and his word be driuen away He that beléeueth not those things let him more narrowly behold their dealings They haue transformed the Church into a court or place of iudgement for so they speake among themselues and these words they vse euerie where and moreouer a farre greater labour is vsed in the stile of Chauncerie which consisteth altogether of frauds and guiles than in any studies of diuine things Gregorie in the register the 4. booke in the epistle 251 and 55 writing of the holy ministerie faith that séeing it is fallen within it cannot long stand without This did he iudge 800. yeares past And shall we thinke that that Church hath truely stoode hitherto Malachie in the second Chapter saith Verse 8. Because ye haue gone out of the way and haue caused manie to fall therefore haue I made you to be despised Wherefore in going from the Romanists we haue not forsaken the Church but haue fledde from an intollerable yoke and from the conspiracie against the Euangelicall doctrine It is a woonder that these men would perswade Christians that it should be permitted them by God without any limit yea continually to wast the vineyard of the Lord to yéelde no fruite for it but to murder the seruants of the Lorde which are sent vnto them to demaund any fruite Vndoubtedly they be much more foolish than the Hebrues which answered Christ when he had put foorth the parable of the vineyard He will cruelly destroy those wicked men Mat. 21. 41 and wil let out his vineyearde vnto other husbandmen Why doe not these men remember that it was said of the verie trueth it selfe vnto the Iewes Ibid. ve 43 The kingdome of God shal be taken from you Séeing then they be in the same faultes séeing the cause is all one séeing he is the sonne of God I sée no cause why wée should doubt but that the power dignitie and true nature of the Church is taken away from them But to disprooue this our departure they bring a place out of the epistle of Iude which blameth the wicked because then haue separated themselues But the answere is readie A place of Iude expounded because it ought not to bée ascribed vnto vs that wee haue departed from the Pope God hath seuered vs from him as it hath béene shewed by his Oracles and precepts Acts. 4. 19. neither could we forget the saying of the Apostle that we must rather obey God than men Euen as when there is a iust diuorce for adulterie Matt. 19. 6. man diuideth not them whom God coupled together but God himselfe by his word and law seuereth man and wife in that case 40 Also they inforce against vs as they thinke a verie strong reason Whether al that hitherto haue liued vnder the Pope haue perished in demanding whether all men that were before vs and haue liued vnder the obedience of Rome are perished yee say they are nâ—we men and lately spruÌ„g vp séeing yée were scarsly to be séene 30. yeares past or thereabouts But there be aboue 900. yeares past since Boniface the 3. whom ye make author of the Popedome It were most absurde to be said
which come from them to our Churches and we reuerence and reade the selfe same holy bookes which they vse Antichrist in the temple of God 2. Thes 2. 4 And by this reason we vnderstand Antichrist to fit in the temple of God because vndoubtedly such a one he was in times past and so by many he is estéemed and called because he stil retaineth as I haue sayd some steppes of the Church 42 When they vrge vs as touching a visible Church Howe the Church is visible we answere that iustifyed men which truely beléeue in Christ be bodily and visible albeit that those differences namely Faith and Hypocrisie by which the true members of the Church differ from the wicked caÌ„not be discerned with eye Whereof it comes to passe that the partes of the Church can not in sense be discerned from hypocrites But as to that precept Mat. 18. 17. How farre foorth that precept â—eâ— the Church bindeth Tell it the Church we say that the same is in the order of affirmatiues Which kinde as the Schoolemen say dooth in déede binde men perpetually but not so as it requireth an execution in euery place moment and case but then onely it ought to be when it is possible and profitable They that are corrupted must be shewed to the Church where and when there is a Church which may he come vnto Euen as we iudge of Baptisme For it must be prouided that euery faithfull man if it be possible may be baptised but when he cannot haue a minister he is excused When in the time of Constantius welneare all the Churches in the East were gouerned by the Arrians vnto what Church should it haue bin tolde If thou aunswere vnto the West Church I reply that all men could not goe thither neither would the Tyrant haue permitted it I wil adde moreouer that godly men so long as they were constrayned to be in the Popedome and could not haue their assemblies else where if they had thought that they should haue profited any thing in correcting of manners and in procuring any way the glory of God or saluation of others they should haue shewed that which was requisite vnto the Byshops and Pastors for that time giuen if they might not doe it among their owne But now whenas it hath séemed good vnto God to rayse vp famous men such as were Luther and Zuinglius The famous meâ— Luther and Zuinglius raysed by God to restore Churches who haue planted innumerable Churches it was méete that godly men setting aside the relickes and remnantes and slender steppes of the Church should repayre thither where they might both deale and liue according to the word of God by that meanes they should continue in themselues through succession the faith Apostolical life conioyning themselues with their forefathers which liued rightlie sincerely in the primatiue Church 43 Nor would I haue them ignorant that the further they haue gone the woorse alwayes are their dealinges become which we may gather not onely by the former similitude of the decayed building but also by an other namely of wine An exceâ—… similitude the which at the first being of it selfe mightie and strong is praysed of all men wherwith if there be any water mingled afterward the wine in déede remaineth stil although more vnperfect and the more that it is stil delayed the lesse it retaineth of the purenesse of the wine And if might be brought to such a passe that in the end the wine would be ouercome by the water so as of the wine onely the colour after a sorte might be perceiued and some token although but small of the first taste Thus vndoubtedly is it come to passe in the Church with the puritie of the worde of God and administration of the sacramentes since the traditions of men were begunne to be blended which as they haue dayly more and more increased so haue they made féeble the purenesse of doctrine and mysteries And at the last it is come to passe that those thinges which most of al doe establish a Church haue after a sort vanished away So as whether the Church of Rome haue ceased to be the Church or else be so infected corrupted as nothing in a maner remaineth sound therin we being separated froÌ„ thence are not worthie of blame but rather of prayse especially when we goe vnto the Catholike and Apostolike Church because the Church from which we separate our selues wanteth both For it is no more Catholick because it hath transformed the vniuersall Church into the Roman Church And Apostolick it is not séeing it differeth most far from the doctrine and ordinances of the Apostles We haue departed from them which will be built vppon Peter and his successours be come to that Church which leaneth only vnto Christ the surest foundation We haue departed froÌ„ theÌ„ which build chaffe haye stubble that vpon a strange foundatioÌ„ we are come thither wheras siluer gold precious stones are for the most part builded vpon Christ himselfe An obiectioÌ„ touching the multitude cleauing to the Pope confuted 44 They presse vs much with multitude and boast that Fraunce Spaine and Italie make on their side but herein they are dubble deceaued and deceaue others First of all the greater part of Christendome haue departed from them or take not part with them Secondly the multitude is no certain note of the Church In the most populous countrie of the Israelites God saith vnto Elias 1. King 19. 18. that he had kept onely seuen thowsand vnto himselfe which bowed not their knée vnto Baal And of the séede that was cast vppon the ground Matt. 13. 8. onely the fourth part fell vppon the good ground And it was said by Christ Luk. 12. 32. Feare not thou flocke because thou art but little This Nazianzene vnderstanding in Sermone de seipso aduersus Arrianos saith Where are they now which defended the Church by multitude and despised the small flock He therefore spake these thinges because the Arrians by fauour of the Monarches had possessed the greatest part of Christendome mocked the right beléeuers as being most few Nor must the Church be measured by nobilitie or worldlie honor Luk. 14. 21. For Christ warned vs that it would come to passe that the blinde the lame and the poore should be called out of the stréetes and should be compelled to enter when as others which were bidden had denyed to come Paul also in the first Epistle to the Corinthians testified that not many mightie men noble men 1. Cor. 1. 26. and wise men are called Yea Ierom in his proheme to the Galathians the 3 booke writeth that the Church is gathered out of the poore people 45 And we must take héede that we suffer not our selues to be deceaued by the glorious tytles which our aduersaries abuse Titles of the Papists For they call themselues Apostolick Catholick the
promises to a kindred or to things of this worlde but that it maie be lawfull for him sometime to temper them according to his prouidence For it somtimes happeneth that he indueth with greater grace the children of ill parents than others which were borne of the séede of the godlie The diuine couenant is not powred from the flesh into the children And we must not thinke that this couenant of God made with Abraham and with his posteritie and ours is deriued from the flesh to the children but that such promise is preserued onlie by the power and efficacie of Gods mercie 12 And least thou shouldest thinke This prepertie is agréeable to God to saue and deliuer his Gen. 17. 7. that the promise made vnto Abraham is onelie a thing temporall consider this specially I will be thy God and the God of thy seede They vndoubtedly vnto whom God is manifested are deliuered from sinne death and damnation For so much as this propertie is agréeable vnto God that he will saue and deliuer them that be his Mat. 22. 32. By which reason Christ prooued that the dead doe liue and shal rise againe because in the Scriptures we reade I am the God of Abraham of Isaac Exod. 3. 6. The couenant made vnto Abraham belongeth also vnto our children and of Iacob Neither are we to doubt but that the same couenant is applied vnto our children vnlesse we will account God to be lesse pitifull and mercifull vnto vs than he was vnto the Hebrewes although his grace were diminished by the comming of Christ In the Epistle to the Colossians circumcisioÌ„ is most manifestly compared with our baptisme Col 2. 11. For it is said A comparison between circumcisioÌ„ baptisme In whom ye be circumcised with a circumcisioÌ„ not made with hands by putting off the sinfull bodie of the flesh in that ye are buried with him through Baptisme Wherefore our baptisme is of no lesse account than was Circumcision for it did seale the couenant and promise in the young children of the Hebrewes The which we must iudge to bée doone by Baptisme This if we doe well must be obserued while the Sacraments be giuen that the thing which is sealed with the outward signe be had The thing that is sealed by the sacraments ought to be present and be there present Those that be of rype age declare that they holde the promise by faith when they confesse the trueth of Christian doctrine and then is applied the sealing and they are baptized And in the young children of the Christians when they are declared by the wordes of God to haue the promise of the couenant and to be in the church this communion and promise no doubt is sealed by baptism Somtime in déede by an ouerthwart order it happeneth that the thing followeth the applying of the sacrament and then the promise or the gift of the promise which in very déede is not there is not sealed as appeareth in them which be vnbeléeuers and come to baptisme with a feigned minde Those men assuredlie belong not vnto the Church neither haue they the iustification or communioÌ„ of Christ onely they carrie a signe about with them Howbeit it maie be that if they be conuerted vnto Christ they maie afterwarde obtaine these things neither must baptisme be therefore renued But this waie of receiuing the sacraments is not allowed And as touching the ryper age there is no doubt when they faithfullie receiue baptisme but that they haue first entered into the couenant of God For so soone as euer a man beléeueth in Christ he both hath saluation and is also iustified And albeit some haue doubted as touching the children of the faithfull yet must we iudge the selfe same of them And vndoubtedly vnlesse that the children of the Hebrewes had bin contented with this couenant before circumcision A reason why the Hebrewe children were in the couenant before circumcision receiued if they had died the fifth or sixt before they had come to the eight daie they should haue bin thought to be damned and circumcision differred would haue beguiled them which as an absurditie may not be graÌ„ted séeing they were destitute of the circumcision not through contempt of the sacrament but by reason of obedience to the lawe of God And by that reason our young children which die before Baptisme should be damned The reason is all one both as touching the Hebrewe children and ouâ—s Which although Augustine admitted yet is it amisse and is not necessarilie gathered out of the Scriptures But and if so be that they maie be saued the children also of the Hebrewes which died before the eight daie might be saued Furthermore it is necessarie that they belonged vnto Christ and to the church séeing out of it there is no saluation And that the state of our infants and the Hebrewes is all one we haue alreadie declared before because through Christ is broken downe the wall of the olde ceremonies which séemed to be a stop Ephe. 2. 24. and he being made the head corner stone Mat. 22. 42. hath ioined together in one the two walles of the Ethnick and of the Hebrew people So as now there is but one fold and one shepheard Ioh. 10. 16. Ro. 11. 17. and manie bowes are broken off and we grafted in their place so as it is now one and the selfe same trée which beareth aswell the Ethnickes as the Iewes that beléeue in Christ 13 And that it may be the more plainly vnderstood howe they pertaine to the couenant of Christ which either were sealed with circumcision or now be washed with baptisme it behooueth to repeate that which is written in the historie of the booke of Genesis the 17. Chapter whereas God did first enter into couenant not onely with Abraham but with his whole familie and would that not all onely AbrahaÌ„ but all his houshold seruants those that were bought with mony should pertaine to that couenant among which no doubt but there were many yong childreÌ„ Afterward there followed circumcision A proofe why childreÌ„ belong to the couenaÌ„t before they be sealed Whereby it appeareth that the promise agrement or couenant was not brought in by circumcision but that it went before it The very which thing must be vnderstood of baptisme For first the word was preached to Citizens or to housholders and the couenant to be made by Christ was set foorth Wherewithall when they were kindled by faith that they had submitted themselues to the couenant there followed baptisme not onely touching themselues but touching their yong children who were acknowledged to bée within the compasse of that couenant S. Paul saith 1. Cor. 1. 16 Acts. 16. 33 that he baptised the house of Stephanas And in the Actes of the Apostles as we said a little before not onely the maister of the prison but also all they which belonged vnto him receiued baptisme And that doe they
because the souldiers were constrained otherwhile to watch about the Churches and Temples of the Idols Also in his Booke De Anima the last Chapter but one he teacheth that vncleane spirites did oftentimes deceiue men The diuels fame themselues to be the soules of men departed and made lies vnto them namelie when they fayned themselues to be the soules of men departed which wandred in the shape of mens bodies For the Diuell woulde not that it should be thought of the Christians that the soules after this life should be detained in hell To some was graunted the frée gift of adiuration And he addeth that at the last they were conuicted and constrained by adiurations to confesse the trueth to wit that they were no soules of men but ill spirites Further in his Booke De Praescriptionibus aduersus Haereticos page 111. saith that the women among the Hereticks were woont to vse Exorcismes 12 But it must be considered that what hath hitherto bin brought as concerning Exorcismes must not bee vnderstoode of the Exorcismes in baptisme In ancient time there was no mention of Exorcisme about Baptisme but of those whereby the possessed with ill spirites were healed by the Christians Yea and Iustinus Martyr in the former Apologie while he is earnestly occupied about baptisme maketh no mention of Exorcisme Neither did that Dionysius whatsoeuer he were that wrote the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchie make any mention of such Exorcismes In déed he hath certaine things I cannot tell what of thrée times breathing out and thrée renouncings Which neuerthelesse must be done as he teacheth by a mā that is to be baptized and not by an exorcist or minister of the sacrament Of renouncing also Tertullian made mention in his Booke De Corona militis but hee writeth that the same was woont to be vsed vnder the hands of the chiefe Prelate But at this day there be no Bishops present when the sacrament of baptisme is administred But they were present in those dayes and also in the time of Ambrose as he himselfe testifieth in the first booke De Sacramentis in the first and seconde Chapters And also in the Booke of them which were entered into orders euen from the beginning Yea and Basill in his Booke De spiritu sancto in the 27. Chapter made mention of Renouncing lykewise annointing and holy water and also of thrice dipping in the water but he speaketh nothing of Exorcisme But the consent of Colen to prooue their trifles as touching fault and annoynting alledge Origen in the 6 and 7 Homilies vppon Ezechiel But if a man diligentlie weigh his sayinges he hath nothing which serueth to that purpose Eusebius Caesariensis in his 6. booke 43. Chapter maketh mention of an Epistle of Cornelius the Byshop of Rome vnto Fabius the prelate of Antioche in which he describeth the manners and life of Nouatus making mention among other thinges that at the beginning when he was possessed with a diuell he was remedied by exorcismes which was an occasion that he was conuerted to Christ where notwithstanding he was afterward baptised lying beddered And Cyprian in the 4 booke and 7 Epistle writeth vnto Magnus that the vncleane spirites doe sometime deceaue the seruantes of God while they bee adiured by them and do faine that they go their waies whereas neuerthelesse they depart not But he saith that when they come vnto the water that is to wit vnto Baptisme there the diuel cannot staie he vtterlie departeth neither is hee able to abide the Sacramentes While I diligentlie consider with my selfe this place it séemeth to me that I haue found the fountaine head and beginning of Exorcisme ioyned together with Baptisme For that Father séemeth to signifie that if deliuerance succéeded not after Exorcismes men in those daies fled vnto Baptisme and that men folowed this way in the curing of them which were possessed with ill spirits Wherefore the age that followed would imitate this that Exorcismes should bee vsed before Baptisme euen though the possessed were not to be baptized least they should séeme to haue any thing lesse than the former church in which they which could not bee cured by Exorcismes were brought to the receiuing of baptisme And afterward it followed that although the power of casting out deuils bée not nowadayes had yet doe the Papists vse Exorcismes But to returne vnto Cyprian He in his treatise De Baptismo Christi manifestatione Trinitatis Acts. 19. 13 calleth those children of Sceua of whom we made mention before gainefull Exorcists as though they solde those adiurations and made a market of them Also Gregorie Nazianzene in his Oration De Luminaribus or in his third Oration ad Sanctum Lauacrum made mention of Exorcismes and also many other Fathers But this must be considered that the latter age vsed Exorcismes as being ioyned with baptisme and as though they belonged vnto a certaine order of Clergie men Whether Exorcists are still to be retained in the Church Arguments for retaining of thē 13 Wherefore I will now come to the second point of the question proposed wherein we must trie whether at this day Exorcists should be retained and so retayned as in the Church should be a certaine peculiar order of Exorcists It hath séemed good vnto many that such an order should be had in the Church Epiphanius For Epiphanius in his third booke and second Tome when he reckoneth the holie orders among others nameth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is adiurers Indéede after a sort he altereth the word but yet indéede he meaneth the selfe same thing Isidorus Also Isidorus in his book De Officijs Ecclesiasticis Chap. 13. citeth the place of Esdras where in the second Chapter Verse 55. the sonnes of the childrē of Salomon are reckoned together with the children of Nathan The Hebrewes were declared to bee those seruants of Salomon for the reparations of the Temple namely that they should prouide to kéepe it safe from winde and water But Isidorus saith that they were Exorcists But howe truelie let others iudge In the decrées Gratian Distinct 77. in the Canon Monachus Exorcists are called defenders as if in my iudgement they should defend bodies and soules from the diuell In the Laodicene Councell in the Chapter 26. it is forbidden that none should exorcise vnlesse he be ordained by the Byshop as though the Byshoppe bee able by his imposition of hands to giue power to driue away ill spirits This also we haue in the decrées in the distinct the 69. in the Canon Non oportet c. Againe in the fourth Councel of Carthage it is decréed that whē an Exorcist is ordained the Booke of Exorcismes is deliuered vnto him and he is commanded to learne them by heart that he may vse them when oportunitie shall serue Arguments on the contrarie part But at this day the Papists in their Churches haue onlie the titles names but they performe nothing of those things which they
decrées of the Gospell wee will nothing regard the boldnesse and impudencie of corrupt men which teach otherwise of the Sacraments than Christ taught Paule in the 11. of the 1. to the Corinthians testifieth Verse 23. that he receiued of the Lorde that which he deliuered And he out of doubt rehearsed both kindes So as wee may thinke that they which otherwise define haue not receiued of the Lord but rather of his aduersarie wherfore they must not be heard The 3. reason Gal. 3. 15. And vnto the Galathians Paule hath Vnto a Testament although it be mans the same being cōfirmed nothing is added or ordained besides howe much lesse should men be rash in adding any thing to the Testament of Christ Men which be fraile and weake do only bequeath earthly things by their Testaments But Christ which is God and omnipotent hath bequeathed to his Church sacraments which belong vnto eternall life Wherefore none ought at any time to haue bin so hardie as to inuert his Testament Verse 1. In Deuteronomie the fourth Chapter the Lord commandeth Israel That he should heare his Law The 4. reason specially he mentioneth Chukim which word signifieth Ceremonies he commaundeth that they should neither adde nor take any thing from them which commaundement of God is of great force to beate downe our pride For so proud are we that wee would alwayes haue our owne deuises not onely to be in estimation but also to be preferred aboue the wordes of the Lord Verse 3 8. The 5. reasō And in the Booke of Numbers the 15. Chapter it is written That the children of Israel should haue rybands of blew silke in the borders of their garments that in seeing of them they might call to remembrance the cōmaundements of God that they might not doe that which was pleasing to their owne heart or liking to their owne eyes And vnto the Romans Rom. 1. 21. Paul grieuously reprooued it that the Gentils were infatuated with their owne vaine disputations that they would not worship God simplie as they knewe him by his creatures The 6 reasō whereupon he sayeth that they were giuen ouer vnto wicked lustes And there is no doubt but that this mayming of the Supper of the Lorde belongeth vnto this kinde of vice The 7. reasō And moreouer to this institution of the Lorde concerning the administration of the Sacrament the vniuersall Church both in the most auncient and best times hath alwaies consented The 8. reasō 4 Also the fathers haue greatlie feared to leaue the Lords order in this Sacrament There is extant a Canon of Gelasius Gelasius which is in the Title De Consecratione distinct 2. in the Chapter Comperimus wherein certaine men are blamed because they hauing receiued the Lords bodie abstained from the cuppe of the bloud Which he saith is superstitious And he commaundeth them that either they should receiue the whole Sacraments or else be driuen from the whole Also he saith it is sacriledge that they should in such sort bee diuided This doe they indeuour to auoide and to restraine it to massing Priestes while they consecrate For them saie they it is necessarie to receaue both kindes Howbeit this they haue not out of the wordes of the Bishop Nay rather there is mention there of the participants and of them which are to be driuen from the sacraments the which agrée fitlie vnto them to whom they be distributed Moreouer it is written in the decrée that the iniurie is done not vnto the oblation or sacrifice but vnto the Sacrament For he saith that a diuision of one and the selfesame mysterie cannot bee doone without great sacriledge Therefore séeing they distribute the communion vnto the laitie vnder one kind and make diuision of the Sacrament they cannot denie but that they commit sacriledge Chrysost Chrysostome in the 18. homilie vpon the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians saith that there be some things wherin a Priest differeth not from a laye man I say in receiuing of the dreadful mysteries it is not with vs as it was in the old law where some parts of the sacrifices were giuen vnto the Priests others went vnto them that offered but vnto all vs is set forth one and the selfesame bodie of Christ the selfesame cup. 5 Cyprian Cyprian in his seconde Booke and 3. Epistle earnestly affirmeth that in this Sacrament of the Eucharist wee must by no meanes varie from the institution of Christ And there when hee intreateth at large of this matter he setteth downe these speciall pointes namelie That Christ in this matter must be heard further that we ought not to regard what others haue doone before vs but what Christ did before all Moreouer he that doth not as he did doth in vaine worship God with the commaundements and doctrines of men And such precepts of the Sacrament he maketh not light but saith they be great And the same Martyr in an Epistle to Pompeius against Stephen Bishop of the Citie of Rome writeth Where any doubt is we must alwais resort to the Tradition of the Lord to the Gospell and the Apostles The aduersaries say that Cyprian speaketh not of this which we nowe intreate of He disputed against the heretiks called Aquarij The Aquarij who vsed not wine vnto the cuppe of the Lord but water This say they he reprooued and not the taking away of a part of the Eucharist from the laitie I graunt it but I say that these men sinne more gréeuously against the institutiō of the Lord than did the Aquarij Because they although they put water in the stead of wine yet did they not vtterly remooue the other part of the sacrament They vsed the selfsame wordes which we speake in deliuering of the Cup onely they did change the Element But these men take awaie from the people both the whole Cup and the wordes thereof Further I graunt the disputation of Cyprian to be particular whereby he confuteth the Aquarij but the Argument and reason which he vseth is vniuersall namely that in the Sacrament of the Eucharist wee must not flie from the institution of the Lord. For this cause also we argue that we as it were by handes doe receaue the same from him to the intent we may shewe that it was not lawfull to take away the cup from the Communion They haue also other subtill shifts and they say that Cyprian wrote these things onelie of them that offer and that therefore the place serueth nothing vnto Communion But it is a wonder that these so wittie men perceiued not that they in times past and speciallie in the time of Cyprian had no oblation that differed from the Cōmunion Priuate Masses There was no place among them for priuate masses Those sproong vp manie yeares after to the greate hurt of Religion Moreouer if the Epistle be read from the beginning thou shalt heare Cyprian say that these men
same opinion was Ierom vppon Malachie But the cause why the Prophet maketh mention of Minchah before other Sacrifices is for that the same was vniuersall and was adioyned to all Sacrifices and so might it easilie be offered by pooore and simple men 16 In lyke manner it is but weake that is obiected out of the Councell of Nice The Councel of Nice An vnbloudie sacrifice that therein is mention made of an vnbloudie hoste or Sacrifice which we deny not if thou wilt referre it to a memoriall and thankesgiuing But vnto them it is no vnbloudie Sacrifice séeing they boast that they haue true and as they terme it reall bloud in the Sacrament In what respect the communicants are saide to sacrifice Further according to this opinion not onelie the minister but the faithful so many as doe eate and drinke of the Table of the Lord doe Sacrifice although as we haue said we should not vse this word séeing the holy scriptures speake not so of the Eucharist Neither may they speake ill of vs as though we take away from Ministers their dignitie Wherein the dignitie of ministers consisteth For they haue their honor still for ought that we say Let them teach all nations let them baptise let them administer the Sacramentes and let them retaine discipline in the Church and let them not thinke that they haue lost their degrée if it be denyed that they offer Christ vnto God the Father What more excellent and honorable thing can they haue than to be the Ambassadors of Christ and to reconcile the world vnto God by their preaching as we reade in the 2. Epistle to the Corinthians 2. Cor. 5. 20 In the Actes of the Apostles we haue Acts. 13. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A place in the Acts made plaine Which place although Erasmus translateth Whiles they were Sacrificing and fasting yet in his annotations he saith that he vnderstandeth by the Sacrifice the preaching of the Gospel What 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth Neither is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properlie to sacrifice but to execute a publike office and action The Gréeke expositions also in that place referre that vnto the preaching of the Gospell It is blasphemie to say that they offer vp Christ And let these men sée how they can be otherwise counted than blasphemous séeing they brag that they offer Christ vnto God the father because it followeth hereuppon that they make themselues better and more woorthie than Christ For he that offereth cannot be vnwoorthier than the thing offered Whereuppon Irenaeus when he vseth the word of offering Irenaeus plainelie speaketh it of the oblation which he referreth vnto the bread and vnto the wine That which is offered receiueth dignitie of him that offereth because it receiueth the dignitie from him that offereth and is therefore acceptable vnto God because he that offereth it is acceptable vnto him And thereby it is most manifest that be cannot vnderstand these thinges of Christ For Christ is not acceptable vnto God for the Sacrifice sake but contrariwise rather we be acceptable vnto God for Christs sake And I maruell that some would obiect against this our Argument the Baptisme ministred vnto Christ by Iohn Baptist séeing that was a Sacrament not a Sacrifice And we doubt not but that Sacraments may be ministred by them that are vnwoorthie vnto them that shall be better woorthie So then this instance is but vaine séeing a Sacrament hath not dignitie by the Minister But a sacrifice as saith Irenaeus getteth honor vnto it selfe by him that offereth And euen this doe we read in Esay in the Psalmes in Micheas the Prophet and elsewhere that God detesteth those Sacrifices which were offred without faith charitie and a good conscience Of the sacrifice of Melchisedeck Gen. 14. 18 Looke in Gen. 14. 18. 17 Manie also are woont to say of the sacrifice of Melchisedeck that now there is a priesthoode according to that order extant in the Church Wherefore say they euen as he offered bread and wine vnto God so we in the forme of bread and wine offer the sonne of God whereby the thing signified and shadowed may excell the figures and shadowes thereof But as touching this the historie of the booke of Genesis hath not that Melchisedeck offered bread wine vnto God but vnto Abraham and his hoste being wearied So Rabbi Salomon interpreteth that Neither can this hebrew word Iatsa in the coniugation Hiphil otherwise signifie than either to bring foorth or to bring out Onelie Rabbi Salomon added that therein might be a figure Rabbi Salomon because in that place namelie in Ierusalem it behooued them in olde time to offer an oblation of wine and Mincha But as touching the historie he affirmeth Why Melchisedeck went to méete Abraham that those thinges were offered vnto Abraham and to his hoste And that Melchisedeck would by this gift declare that he tooke it not in ill part that his posteritie was cut off by Abraham For he maketh this Melchisedeck as other Hebrewes doe to be Sem the sonne of Noah And therefore went he out to gratifie him with bread and wine that thereby Abraham and his hoste which were wearie Ambrose might be refreshed Ambrose also in his Treatise of the Sacramēts plainlie saith that these things were offered vnto Abraham Augustine And Augustine in his booke of Questions of the olde Testament writeth that the Eucharist of the bodie and bloud of Christ was offred vnto Abraham Now then vnto the Fathers which say that Melchisedeck offered vnto God we obiect the trueth of the Hebrew and other fathers which wée haue now cited But admit that he offered vnto God what is this vnto the Masse They shall haue no other than an allegoricall Argument which in verie déede is most weake Further we deny not An Allegoricall argument concludeth not It is not denyed but that bread and wine are offered vnto God but that bread in the supper of the Lord is after a sort offered vnto God to be sanctified that it is made a sacrament by him The difficultie matter in debate is whether Christ himselfe is offered vnto God the father by massing priests y◠which as it hath bin said these men doe not prooue That the Priesthoode according to the order of Melchisedeck remaineth in the Church And that a priesthood remaineth in the Church according to the order of Melchisedeck we deny not by reason of Christ who being our high priest is entred into heauen and for vs maketh intercession to the Father Of the which matter it is sufficientlie written in the Epistle to the Hebrewes Of the Masse peruse an other place at the end of this woorke Another Common Place of Sacrifice 18 And in Sacrifices it is to be obserued In Iud. 13. 22. That the offerer is more acceptable vnto God than the sacrifice Irenaeus Gen. 4. that God accepteth better of him
trouble or sedition is a voluntarie action whereby there is contention among manie aswell touching ciuill thinges as matters of Religion And there is brought in a priuation aswell of order as of vnitie by reason of the inclination of the minde to the making of strife or for anger for receauing of an offēce or for desire of glorie or of pleasures or of gayne and most of all for the diuersitie of faith or else for too much plentie or pouertie and that to the ouerthrowe of good ordinances and that godly men may shine more and more by the occasion thereof This is a verie full definition I am not ignorant that other descriptions are commonlie vsed as when it is said that sedition is the violence and wrath of the people But here onelie is touched the cause enforcing It is also said to be sedition when the people disagréeing come to hand strokes whereby is shewed that the same is no light motion but a vehement which draweth the matter vnto a conflict Which Virgill séemeth to haue laid before our eyes when he saith And lyke as in a people stout when oft it dooth betide The common sort to make a fray of witte which are full wide Now flyes the stones and fierie flames and furie feedes the fight But that which we brought is a full definition and comprehendeth the whole matter The subiect of sedition Hypostasis Subiectum Concretū There remaineth that we consider of the ground or subiect or concrete as the Legitians speake séeing we haue spoken of the nature it selfe He is a seditious person saith Isidorus in his Etymologies which causeth a dissention of mindes and maketh discordes Yet neuerthelesse not onelie the Authors and heades of that wickednesse are to be accounted seditious but they also which followe them which helpe them nourish and defend them Albeit that they which are the captaines and disturbers of the peace doe sinne much more gréeuously than doe others 9 But the greatnesse or greeuousnesse of this crime dependeth of the excellencie of good thinges which be taken away by it How great a crime sedition is What woorser thing can happen vnto a multitude than if order and vnitie be subuerted Plato in Sophista saith that sedition is the corrupting of naturall knowledge Which that it may yet be more plainelie vnderstood I will bring the saying of Augustine which we haue in the 9. Chapter De Ciuitate Dei where he said that wise men prescribed not euerie companie of men to be a people but that which was ioyned by consent of lawe and mutual participatiō of profit But since that sedition peruerteth lawe and common profit the fault is much more gréeuous than brawling in which the strife is for the benefite of one or two and yet is not common lawe ouerthrowne nor publike benefite taken away Also the greatnesse of this sinne is gathered by the punishmentes as Paul said to the Galathians Gal. 5. 12. I would they were cut off which trouble you Wherefore trouble is méete to be cut off In like manner the Apostle said in the same Epistle to the Galathians Ib. ver 10. Numb 16. 32. 2. Sam. 18. 21. 2. Sam. 20. 25. They which trouble you shal beare their iudgement The sedition of Core Dathan and Abiram was punished by death So was the sedition of Absolon Likewise was Seba the sonne of Kichri stirred vp against Dauid The lawes of men haue reckoned his haynous crime among the offences of death as we may sée in the Digestes De Poenis in the lawe Si aliquis aliquid ex metallo in Paragraphe Authores or Fautores For both those titles are read Of them it is there pronounced on this wise Either let them be hanged on a gibbet or be cast vnto the beastes or else be caried vnto the Iland Euen so is it written in the same title in the lawe Capitalium the Paragraph Solet in the Code De seditiosis the first and second lawes And sometimes they haue the same punishmentes laid vppon them which they haue that be guiltie of treason as we haue it Ad legem Iuliam Maiestatem the first lawe The Canons of the Church haue oftentimes decréed that those which were seditious should not receaue orders And thus much of the punishment and greatnesse of the crime All which contend in sedition must not be accused 10 It is further to be vnderstood that they must not be all accused which contend in sedition For whereas there be two partes of which the one striueth against the other it is of necessitie that séeing they contend about contradictions in thinges repugnant the cause of the one part is good and the cause of the other is euill they which defend a iust cause good lawes and common profit are not to be accounted seditious Contrariwise they which striue against these thinges must be punished Elias and Achab were both in one cōtentiō We must consider which part of those troublers is guiltie By the things which we haue spoken we may discerne the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Yet is it better to gather this by the wordes of the Prophet 1. kings 18. 18. Thon leadest the Israelites from the true God vnto Baal and takest away the lawe of the true God therefore art thou thy selfe a troubler But I call backe the people vnto Iehouah the God of their Fathers and I contend in behalfe of the lawes made vppon mount Sinai and receaued by our forefathers therefore I am no troubler nor seditious man Thou I follow thinges contrarie but seeing I defend and maintaine the sound opinion and the better side I am not to be accused of troubling and making sedition And euen this may be lawfull for vs to returne vppon the Papistes when they count vs troublers and seditious men We maintaine the true woorshipping of God and the glorie of Christ we receaue the Scriptures of God we vse the Sacramentes sincerelie as they were instituted by Christ we receaue thrée Créedes we will not woorship Creatures Images or Idols therfore we are no troublers Iustlie are they accused of so great wickednesse which doe all thinges contrarie Happie is that Common-weale or Church which is ruled and gouerned by the word of God And contrariwise vnhappie is the same which followeth the inuentions of men reiecting the Oracles of God Psal 44. 15. Happie is that people said Dauid whose God is Iehouah Whereuppon is concluded on the contrarie part that vnhappie is the people which hath not Iehouah for their God And in that historie of Achab and Helias we sée that that kingdome of the x. 1. king 17. ◠tribes was gréeued with famine and had heauen closed vp And albeit the Papistes be not troubled with famine of outward meate yet are they pined with great penurie of gods word and the light of heauen is most manifestlie shut from them A verie strong Argument it was of the Prophet and by that meanes
elect the superiour power and by certaine lawes doe gouerne the CommoÌ„weale as at this day we sée doone by the Electors of the Empire And perhaps the same is doone in other kingdomes To these vndoubtedly if the Prince perfourme not his couenaunts and promises it is lawfull to constraine and bring him into order and by force to compell him to perfourme the conditions and couenaunts which he had promised and that by warre when it cannot otherwise be doone By this meanes the Romanes sometime compelled the Consul whom they themselues had created to goe foorth of his office The Danes in our time did depose their king and held him long in prison Polidore Virgil. Polidorus Virgilius writeth that English men sometimes compelled their Kings to render account of the monie which they had misspent Neither are wée ignorant that Tarquinius the proud was by the Romanes for his ouer much crueltie and arrogancie throwen out of his Kingdome Of Brutus Cassius I will not speake of Brutus and Cassius which slue Caesar But whether they did it iustlie or otherwise most graue men vary in their opinions And I in examining their enterprise by the rule of the Scriptures doe not allowe it For they gaue not vnto him the gouernement or Empire of Rome but he vsurped the same himselfe by violence and power And God as testifieth Daniel translateth Empires and kingdoms Dan. 2. 37. Though also it be lawfull to resist Tirantes which assaile a Kingdome yet when they haue obtained the same and doe beare rule When tyrants haue obtained kingdoms priuate men must not seeke to put them down it séemeth not to belong vnto priuate men to put them downe Wherefore séeing that the Kingdome of the Iewes was such a Kingdome as in it all men depended of the King For they were not chosen by noble men but the posteritie of that familie which God had appointed did gouerne by succession Deu. 17. 15. 1. Sam. 8. 11 Therefore in the lawes of Deuteronomie and in the 1. booke of Samuell wherein is ordained the right of Princes there is no libertie graunted vnto any man to disturbe them Yea and sometimes it hath happened that some of them were killed yet wée neuer reade that God allowed the murdering of them nay rather he punished the murtherers When God at any time would displace the Kings of Iuda he did it by the Babylonians Assyrians and Aegyptians but not by the Iewes 2. king 9. 1. He onelie armed Iehu against his Lord which as it was peculiar so must we not take example by it He destroyed Saule also by the handes of the Philistians and not by Dauid 1. Sam. 31. 2 And I am not ignoraunt howe manie things of this matter are decréed in the Code and in the Digests Ad legem Iuliam Maiestatis But endeuoring to be bréefe I doe of purpose passe them ouer And although I knowe right well that the Ethnickes in the olde time appointed rewards for such as killed Tyrants yet I haue aunswered that godlinesse and the holie Scriptures allowe not the same Assuredlie if it bée lawfull for the people to cast out of a Kingdome those that vniustlie beare Rule there shall neuer bée anie Princes or Kinges in safetie For although they liue iustlie and godlie yet doe they not satisfie the people VVhether Jehoiada did right in putting Athalia from the kingdome 14 But there be many reasons In 2. kings â—1 at the beginning whereby it may be shewed that Iehoiada did well and rightly conspire against Athalia First he was not altogether a priuate man but was the high Priest in the common weale vnto whom belonged to iudge not onely Ecclesiasticall and sacred but also ciuill causes For the Iewes had no other Bookes of lawe but the holy Byble Further there conspired with him the Leuites and Priests and also the Princes of families and the most noble men of the kingdom and the captaines of the souldiers By which kinde of men it was méete that the Common weale or kingdome of Iuda shoulde be deliuered from that womans Tyrannie Moreouer than this were the promises of God which he had made vnto the familie of Dauid which promises it was the high Priests part to defende Also the lawe of Deuteronomie was to be obserued namely that the kingdome shoulde not fall vnto straungers Besides Iehoiada was ioyned in affinitie with the kings familie forsomuch as he had to wife the sister of Achazias departed Wherefore it was his part to prouide that a confused order shoulde be rid out of the kingdome of Iuda But perhaps some man will reprooue this indeuour of Iehoiada First because he did not rightly and orderly in dispossessing of that person which was alreadie in office Méete in déede it is for good men to trauell and indeuour to their power that the state of thinges present should not be changed but when it is changed and that some one hath gotten the soueraintie and is entered into the gouernment it is not lawfull to cast him out Furthermore although that some conspiracie maie otherwhile be good yet it séemeth in his owne nature to haue the shewe of euill wherefore men ought iustly to flie the same especially Priests whose part it is with all diligence to kéepe innocencie Besides this Iehoiada might on this behalfe séeme to séeke his own For séeing the childe was verie young he after a sort did intrude himselfe to be gouernour in his stéede Moreouer it might seeme that God was displeased therewith which in this respect may be prooued 2. Chron. 24. 21. in that Ioas wheÌ„ Iehoiada was dead killed his sonne as though God would reuenge the sinne of his father Adde herewithall that this was doone by the Leuites and Priestes by force and armes which the holie ministerie ought to eschue Furthermore because he set forth the holy place to be violated with slaughter and bloud which is thought to be contrarie to all godlinesse To all these things we will aunswere in order 15 To the first reason thus we answere that indéede it is not the part of a priuate man to put out of place a Magistrate already constituted or a Prince which is in possessioÌ„ of a kingdome But we denie that Iehoiada was a priuate person séeing in the common weale he was the next person to the king iudged and sometime exercised both the sacred and ciuill affaires and was the kéeper of the lawes Deu. 17. 15. And in Deuteronomie there is a lawe for instituting of the king which now by Athalia was violated and the promises made vnto Dauid and his posteritie were hindered by Athalia Besides this it happened that she not onelie was a stranger but an Idolatres and that incurable wherfore she was worthie to be deposed by the primates and péeres of the kingdome And whereas in the second place it was said that not onelie euill must be taken héede of but also the shewe of euill
determine of the goodnesse and naughtinesse of humane actions those eate the fruit of the trée of good and euill forbidden to our first parents Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 THe commandement of the sabboth is partlie morall Thou shalt keepe holie the sabboth daie and partlie ceremoniall wherevpon some thing conteined therein is eternall and some thing but for a time proposition 2 The christian church erred not when in the place of the Iewes sabboth it appointed the Lords day to be kept whereof there is mention made in the holie scriptures although there is no commandement there extant as touching the obseruation thereof proposition 3 The magistrate ought to compell strangers although they be of an other maner of religion that they doo nothing openlie against the religion of the citie proposition 4 Those works were not forbidden to be doone on the sabboth daie which might neither be deferred nor preuented without the losse of life proposition 5 The works of charitie which we are bound necessarilie to doo vnto our neighbour must be preferred before holie ceremonies proposition 6 The commandements of God haue an order among themselues therefore when two of them méet togither at one time which cannot be performed both at once we must applie our selues to the former not indéed neglecting the latter but deferring it till an other time proposition 7 Those works must be doone vpon holie daies which by the word of God it is manifest doo belong to the worship of God proposition 8 It is lawfull for the church to adde vnto the ceremonies deliuered to vs by the word of God both time maner place yea and some ceremonie as well for ornament as for edifieng of the faithfull who neuerthelesse are not permitted to change the substance of them as the Papists haue doone in their Masse which now cannot be doone with a safe conscience proposition 9 The Monkes which drawe awaie children from their parents and make them Monkes Honor thy parents sinne more gréeuouslie than did the Scribes and Pharises whom Christ reprooued bicause they transgressed the commandement of honouring parents proposition 10 In the promises of temporall things God includeth spirituall promises proposition 11 Temporall things although they sometime séeme vile yet are they conteined in the promises of God to the intent we may be taught that the prouidence of God extendeth it selfe vnto all things and to let vs knowe that good things although they be neuer so small must be asked from God Probable proposition 1 IN the word Parents are comprehended schoole-maisters maisters ministers of the church bicause in old time when there were but few men the good man of the house performed all these duties proposition 2 In the table of the ten commandements parents are not expreslie commanded concerning dutie towards their children bicause they haue by nature more vehement affections ingraffed therevnto than children haue towards their parents proposition 3 The precept of honouring parents is chéefelie in the promise as Paule saith namelie in the particular promise for that promise which is in the second precept is generall Propositions out of the xx chapter of the booke of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 WHen God commandeth that we should not kill he by the testimonie of Christ Thou shalt not kill forbiddeth anger which must not be vnderstood of euerie anger but of that onelie which is against charitie proposition 2 Reuenge belongeth not to priuate men séeing it is a worke of the magistrate proposition 3 They which saie that the commandement of not reuenging is a counsell and not of necessitie to saluation doo greatlie erre proposition 4 It is lawfull for euerie man against them that be priuate to repell violence by violence so it be not doone of hatred or desire to reuenge and onelie when an extreame necessitie forceth wherein we cannot vse the helpe of lawfull defenders proposition 5 The mishap of those that are punished with death is to be lamented but yet the execution of a iust iudgement against them must not be hindered by our defenses or by the intercessions of others proposition 6 It is not lawfull for a man to kill himselfe Wherefore Peâ—llianus is iustlie condemned for iudging them to be martyrs who when they were fallen into gréeuous mischéefes killed themselues vnder pretense of repentance proposition 7 Neither are those to be heard which grant the same when chastitie is put in danger proposition 8 The death of Samson excuseth not them which of their owne will doo kill themselues proposition 9 In the precept wherein adulterie is forbidden Thou shalt not commit adulterie matrimonie which is the contrarie is commended for that it is a lawfull â—oming togither of man and wife into one flesh by the institution of God for the procreating of children and godlie education of them and that fornication may be auoided proposition 10 The lawfull vse of matrimonie is not as manie thinke a veniall sinne proposition 11 They which saie that matrimonie is not good but in comparison of whooredome and adulterie are of an ill iudgement proposition 12 Matrimonie is violated when man and wife being lawfullie ioined togither into one flesh there is mingled a strange flesh not onlie in the grose and outward fact but with the hart with words beckes and other dispute actions proposition 13 Also matrimonie is violated by a diuorse admitted without lawfull causes proposition 14 It is not in the power of man and wife that the one should grant to the other the vse of their bodies vnto others out of matrimonie proposition 15 In a well ordered Common-weale the crime of adulterie ought to be punished with death proposition 16 Christ released not the seueritie of the lawe of God in that respect that he condemned not that woman which was taken in adulterie Propositions out of the xx chapter of Exodus Necessarie proposition 1 BY that precept Thou shalt not steale the Israelites could not be reprooued of theft when they robbed Aegypt Thou shalt not steale since to vsurpe other mens goods against the will of the Lord belongeth vnto the nature of theft But they carried not out other mens goods but their own to wit being giuen them by God proposition 2 By this precept are established priuate possessions of things so as there must be no communitie brought in as touching the possession of all our goods but onlie as touching a participation of the vse and fruits proposition 3 The entercourse of merchants if it be iustlie ordered is not to be condemned but it ought rather to be accounted as a bond of humane societie proposition 4 They which deceiue the magistrate of tributes are guiltie of theft no lesse guiltie are prâ—…ces when they exact greater tributes than reason would or else when they grant not vnto the subiects those things for the which they paie tributes proposition 5 They which deâ—…aâ—… ministers yoong students and the poore of the
men that they may see your good works and glorifie your father which is in heauen to whome be all glorie for euer and euer Amen A praier of D. Peter Martyr against false worshipping of God and all maner of superstition COme we beseech thee at the length O heauenlie father illuminate the harts and minds of all thy Christians with the spirit of Iesus Christ thy Sonne that they forsaking idols and superstitions may conuert to thee alone who oughtest to be purelie sincerelie serued honored called vpon And suffer thou no longer the honour which onelie is due vnto thee to be impiouslie and lewdlie giuen vnto bread wine images and dead mens bones Thy holie name hath now beene long enough dishonoured with reproches the purenesse of thy Gospell hath now beene long enough polluted enough a great deale too much haue men abused the institution of thy sonnes supper vnto most vnpure idolatrie Stop at the length O Lord these furies of men which are mad and doo most miserablie ouerthrowe themselues Let them not anie longer with bread and wine vnder the name of the sacrament of thy sonne so shameleslie and desperatelie vpon euerie hill vnder euerie tree in all high waies streets temples and chappels commit fornication and so horriblie and detestablie defile thy holie religion Vnlesse thou O omnipotent God by thy mightie hand doo rid and turne awaie these things there is no more hope of mans saluation and cleansing againe of thy church Helpe O God helpe thy people whom thou hast redeemed with the bloud of thy sonne And thou Iesus Christ the true and eternall God confirme this worke which thou hast begun and bring the same to a desired end or else if there be no hope of recouerie and that there shall be no more in thy church anie publike and open place for thy truth come quicklie and hasten thy iudgement and for the glorie of thy name turne awaie so shamefull contumelie from thy holie supper which thou of thine incredible mercie and singular goodnesse hast instituted who with the Father and the holie Ghost liuest and reignest world without end Amen A SERMON OF CHRISTES DEATH out of the second Chapter of Saint Paul to the Philippians THey dearely beloued in Christ which behold the powers of the minde and they which haue writtē any thing of the same do for this cause commende and extoll memorie that it is an incomparable treasure of things that be past and a most faithfull preseruer of the same Further because great héede must bée taken lest those excellent things giuen vnto men by nature be not violated through our default therefore must not euerie thing but those things which bee most excellent and most profitable be committed vnto memory And among the workes of almightie God there is nothing in the worlde that doth either profite vs more or is worthie of greater admiration Wherefore he that most of all loueth vs and all thinges belonging to vs hath often commanded vs by his lawes that we should continually without ceasing beare in minde the woonderfull acts which he hath wrought for our saluation He not onelie would haue the people to beare in mind that he euen at the beginning made the workemanship of the world for our profite but he also commaunded straitlie that by obseruation of the Sabbaoth among them Exod. 20. 8. the same should be perpetually remembred He commanded those which were brought into freedome to shewe continually how he had deliuered the Israelites from the tyrannie of Pharao Exod. 12. 1. 26. and that the remembrance might be helped by an outward signe he tooke order to renew euerie yeare the feast and sacrifice of the Passouer And he doth not take it in good part that at any time his Church shoulde forget that in the last age of the world he deliuered his onely begotten sonne to the death and to the Crosse for the redemption of the world Esa 53. 3. c. Wherefore he not only prouided that the death of Christ should bée recorded in the bookes of the holie scriptures both of the new and olde testament but also when he should goe out of the world vnto the father Matt. 26. hée left vnto his disciples an institution of the Sacrament of the Eucharist to be continuallie exercised among the faithfull Now then séeing this is the chiefe and principall benefite which euer God bestowed vpon mankinde let vs neuer suffer obliuion to blot the same out of our remembrance And that this may not happen the yearely reuolution of the dayes of the world which haue nowe passed since the time wherin we beléeue that Christ was crucified doe perswade me to expound◠vnto you in such sort as I can his infinite loue whereby he refused not for our sakes to suffer death But because there is laide before me a huge heape of thinges to speake of least my spéech through the violence of the waues and heape of the flouds should either stray from the right course or fall into the depth of confusion we must chuse some place of the scriptures which as a certaine and stedfast lodestone may direct both you in your hearing and me in my speaking And this we will take out of the second chapter to the Philippians Let the same minde be in you that was in Christ Iesu who being in the forme of God Phil. 2. 5. thought it no robbery to be equal with God but made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruant and made in the likenesse of men and was found in habite as a man He humbled himselfe being made obedient vnto the death euē the death of the crosse for the which also God exalted him and gaue him a name which is aboue euerie name that in the name of Iesus euerie knee should bowe both of things in heauen and things in earth things vnder the earth and that euerie tongue shoulde confesse that the Lord is Iesus Christ to the glorie of God the father And that God may further the purpose which we haue begun let vs according to the accustomed manner craue his assistance by prayer They which iudge of the nature of the waters A similitude doe by taste make a triall of their swéetenesse by sight do trie their clearenesse they diligently examine their weight and finally they mark from what fountaine they spring Euen so in expounding the sentences of the scriptures not onely the signification of the words the sense of the sentences the things that went before and the things which followe must be considered but also with a speciall héede taking we must sée with what minde or to what purpose are spoken those things which were set foorth Remember at the beginning of this Chapter the words of the Apostle His minde is to exhort vnto charitie and vnto vnitie one with another The two plagues of these vertues are contention and vaineglorie The two rootes of them submission and
Fraunce and of other regions woulde be diminished and scattered if so many should flie away and that therefore they shoulde doe better if they tarie that the Churches may be preserued and increase Verie wel in déede doe these men admonish if they which tarie in the Churches would afterward abide constant but since that manie doe fall into abiuration they doe more hurt to the Church thereby than if they had fled away for in flying after such a manner as I haue saide they giue some testimonie vnto the trueth declaring by the selfe same thing that superstitions and Idolatries are in no wise to be suffered for neither would they flie if with a safe conscience they might consent vnto the Papisticall rites But they which take a false othe first doubtlesse doe cast themselues into destruction secondly by their ill examples they make desolate and subuert the Churches If these two I meane flying awaie and abiuration should be compared together many perhaps will graunt that flying is the lesse euill But I answere these men as I did also before that to denie the knowen trueth is a most grieuous sinne but to flie vppon iust causes is a good thing pleaseth GOD and is allowed by the holie Scriptures Moreouer what manner of Churches these men feigne to themselues in Italie in Fraunce What maner of Churches were in Fraunce Italie c. in the lowe Countries and other Regions I knowe not This in déede I will not denie that in those places are founde manie brethren which be true members of Christ and are of his Church but that in those Regions bee appointed visible Churches founded with good ordinaunces wherein is set foorth the pure doctrine of Christ the Sacraments rightly ministered and some forme of discipline had I sée not why I shoulde graunt it For the brethren doe verie seldome méete together doe in a manner neuer minister the Sacraments in such sort as they ought to be Ordinarie Pastors they haue not Sects doe there increase without measure The obstinate are not punished by any forme of Euangelicall Censure Wherefore rightlier may we say that they which flie from thence doe ioyne themselues to Churches than doe forsake Churches For they which for religion sake doe flie goe for the most part thither where preaching is dayly had where Sacraments in their due times are ministred where GOD by the faithfull congregation is praised where good Pastors be placed where by order it is lawfull to liue with other of the faithfull finallie where they that bee well disposed cannot pretend that the way of liuing well is denied them Wherefore they must néedes laie all the blame vppon themselues But wée sée will some say many brethren which remaine not yet fully instructed in those places which we by flying away forsake who being feeble and weake might by vs be instructed confirmed and established in the waie of the Lorde but if we flie away wee forsake these brethren and omit the duties of charitie towardes them These I thinke ought to bee helped as much as may be aswell with doctrine as with good Counsell Howbeit if we our selues afterwarde be in ieopardie wee in flying away cannot properly be saide to forsake them because we first warned them by our spéeche afterwarde by our example of flying we declare what they also should doe to wit shun idolatrie as much as is possible Sometimes moreouer the Lorde hath certaine of his in those places whom he so strengtheneth with his spirit as they without feare defende the trueth of the Gospell being by him assured that there is no daunger of taking a false othe by which persons they that be weake in faith and of the ignoraunter sort may be lifted vp and strengthened by comfortable spéeches For the precept of flying away doeth onely belong vnto them which are in daunger which haue proofe of their owne infirmitie which by inwarde motion of the spirit are not mooued to tarie perceiuing in the meane time a waie to escape and being not yet brought into the handes of the Magistrates Neither in verie déede is it to be feared that they will al wholie goe their waies there shall not want at any time some which will remaine But it is the part of them that flie awaie to pray for those which tarrie at home For they haue for the most part vnfortunate successe Of vocation not to be forsaken From this let vs go to them which thinke that no man may forsake his owne vocation for they will haue euery man to continue still in his owne calling Whose opinion if it shoulde be admitted certainely it should not be lawfull for any man to depart from his owne natiue country which would be counted for a certaine intollerable seruitude For séeing that all lawes doe permit citizens about many honest causes to trauell into straunge countries I knowe not whie it ought so generally be denied vnto Christian men But if it be lawfull vnto them for manie iust causes to depart out of their natiue countrie why shall it not also be lawfull for the better preseruation of faith Isaac being compelled by hunger became a stranger in an other countrie Gen. 26. 1. Noemi also for the same cause left her countrie Ruth 1. 1. Dauid for the safegard of his life fledde from the persecutions of Saul 1. Sam. 19. c. Exod. 2. 15. So Moses from the persecution of Pharao went into the land of Madian And all these were onely in perill of their bodilie life and yet were they neuer accused as forsakers of their vocation Further it séemes not to be true which these men put for a sure principle that no man is so frée and at libertie but that hee is tyed to some vocation which suffereth him not to flie What vocation I beséech you doe they follow which lead their life in a monasterie where they may in no wise remaine vnlesse they pollute themselues with a thousande superstitions their own conscience continually striuing against them If these men flie away they leaue no other but the deuils vocation neither doe I sée what shoulde kéepe them backe What shall let a widow which hath no familie but that she may goe thither where shee shal be better instructed inioy the sacraments and liue in Churches well ordered After this sort many honest matrons in olde time followed Christ when he preached the Gospell through the regions of Iudaea Luke 8. 2. neither was their enterprise euer condemned by any Nay rather as it is reported many other women being drawne by their example followed the Apostles What an innumerable sort of Citizens Craftesmen and noble men are there founde cléere at libertie which liue either of their hādie works or of their rents What should let these men but that they together with their families may repaire thither where the trueth of the Gospel doth florish and is published of all men It liked the Quéene of Saba to come from the
building I beséech you take héede that you pluck vp by the rootes naughty and false opinions which I therefore admonish you of That superstitions must not be pared away but rooted out because I haue otherwhile séene some which haue onely pared away the leaues flowers and fruites of superstitions but haue spared the rootes which haue afterward sproong vp againe to the great detriment of the Lordes vineyeard Let the euill seedes and rotten rootes be cut off euen at the verie beginning for if they be neglected at the first I know what I say they are with much more difficultie taken away afterward and it must be prouided that this be most sincerelie doone in the Sacramentes and especiallie in the Eucharist For there beléeue me there are most pestilent séedes of Idolatrie which vndoubtedlie except they be taken away the Church of Christ shall neuer be indued with pure and sincere woorshipping Neither more nor lesse must be attributed vnto sacraments than is due Let not Sacramentes be contemned as vnprofitable and vaine signes And againe let not men attribute more vnto them than the institution of them wil suffer He that distinguished not the Sacramentes from the thinges signified he shamefullie not without his owne destruction cleaueth to the Elements of this world and dooth carnallie prophane the ordinances of God The whole dignitie of the sacramentall Elementes is hereby to be measured that the holie ghost hath chosen them vnto himselfe as instruments whereby he may further our saluation and by this reason therefore they differ from the signes inuented by the cogitation of man But they differ also from the thinges signified séeing as the nature and definition of them requireth they be the signes of them For bread properlie is not the bodie of Christ but in his certaine manner namelie because it is a Sacrament of the bodie of Christ But shall we denie especiallie that the faithfull doe receaue the bodie and the bloud of Christ No verilie But with what mouth doe they receaue these thinges With the mouth of the bodie No. For euen as a Sacrament consisteth of the signe and of the thing signified so he which receaueth the Sacrament with the mouth of the bodie is also indued with the mouth of the minde And euen as the beléeuers doe with the mouth of the bodie eate drink the bread wine so their minde being stirred vp by the wordes of God and by the outward signes is by the benefit of the holy ghost caryed vp into heauen attaineth by the mouth of faith euen vnto Christ We receiue whole Christ in the supper yet by faith apprehendeth and receaueth his flesh and bloud euen as it was deliuered vppon the crosse féedeth thereuppon as vppon wholsome and liuelie meate and verilie hath and possesseth Christ all wholie with all his fruites merites and giftes Neither is the profite of this meate onelie shut vp in the minde but by the same spirit also it redowndeth to the bodie and maketh it capable of the blessed immortalitie and a fit instrument of the holy ghost to worke well and godlie This is the propertie of the sacraments of God that by thē he may giue the thinges which he promiseth but yet after such a way and manner as may be agréeable to the thinges promised For it is not agréeable to the bodie of Christ that it should be at one time in heauen and in earth yea rather in infinite places and much lesse that it should be included in that sacramentall bread that it should be torne and eaten with the téeth that it should be receaued of the wicked which be altogether without faith Neither am I minded at this time to rehearse all thinges which serue to this purpose Ye be wise I beséech you that ye be not deceaued by that corporall fleshlie or as they terme it naturall presence Neither must we for the right confirming of anie opinion or doctrine be contented with foure bare wordes brought out of the holie scriptures but we ought also to weigh diligentlie manie other places which haue relation vnto this no lesse than we doe those foure wordes drawne out of the holie scriptures But as I haue said the place now serueth not Many places that haue relation to one thing must be compared together to handle and expound this matter at large This one thing I desire that you will most diligentlie trie all thinges For so I hope it will come to passe that you will retaine that which is good This neuerthelesse I wil not omit in the meane time to repeate that hereof I am most assured that the Church of Christ shall neuer haue a quiet and peaceable consent of doctrine The peace of the Church dependeth much vpon a pure communicating of the Eucharist or a sure peace betwéene the brethren and a sincere purenesse from superstitions vnlesse the Sacrament of the Eucharist be deliuered after this or the like manner And what sure reasons I haue for this foresight I will not now stand to declare The plainer that rites be in Sacraments the better they be But in the rite of administring the sacramentes that maner is most to be imbraced which shall be most plaine and most remooued from the Papisticall trifles and ceremonies and which shall come néerest to the purenesse which Christ vsed with his Apostles Christian mindes ought not to be occupied much in outward rites ceremonies but to be fed by the word to be instructed by the Sacramentes to be inflamed vnto prayers to be confirmed in good woorke and excellent examples of life How necessary a thing discipline is Moreouer I counsel you that in anie wise ye bring in discipline into your Churches so soone as possiblie ye can for if it be not receaued at the beginning when men are verie desirous of the Gospell it will not soone be admitted afterward when as it happeneth some coldnesse shall créepe in And how vainelie you shall labour without it verie manie Churches may be an example vnto you who since they would not at their verie first reformations take vppon them this healthfull yoke coulde neuer afterwarde as touching manners and life be brought into order by any iust rule whereof it happeneth which I speake with great griefe that all things in a manner haue small assuraunce and do threaten ruine on euerie side Therefore it is a grieuous losse and a certaine destruction of Churches to want strength of discipline Neither can it be truely soundly said that they haue and doe professe the Gospell which either be without discipline or doe contemne it or be not delighted therewith Certainlie since in the Euangelistes and in the Apostolicall Epistles it is taught with so great diligence it must bee confessed not to be the least part of Christian Religion Whereby it comes to passe that the Gospell séemes to be despised of them which haue banished from themselues so notable a portion thereof Vnder what pretence
things were spoken in the Frenche tongue For so it was agréed vppon because the Quéene the King and the noble Personages might vnderstande Wherefore since I cannot speake that language although I vnderstande the same I spake nothing neither was I requested to speake But yet in the ende at the instance of my brethren and associates I desired of the Quéene that leaue might be giuē me to speake hereafter which courteouslie and most gentlie shee graunted mée Moreouer I demanded in what tongue shée would haue mée to speake She answered In Italian that shée also might not bée ignorant what shoulde bee doone The 26. day of September we mette together againe We were warned by the Quéene the Prince of Condie and the Admirall who were desirous that the conference shoulde not be broken of that we shoulde forbeare to speake in the first place of the Article as touching the presence of the bodie and bloud of Christ in the Supper For they saw it would come to passe before wee shoulde come to that point that they should be conuinced of most grieuous abuses and errours Wherefore we presented a supplication to the Quéene wherein two things speciallie were contained first that our men shoulde by the sentence of the Cardinall vppon no iust causes be dispoyled of their ministerie whereas yet if we woulde vrge them touching their institution according to the lawfull Canons and the holie scriptures wee might easilie shewe the same to bee voide and that they are verily straungers from the true Church of God Secondly we complained that we are in a manner compelled by force to receyue the confession of Augusta and to subscribe to the prescpipt wordes thereof otherwise that the appointed conference shall not goe forward We shewing that it belonged vnto the maiestie royall to decrée as touching the manner and order of disputing the Quéene at that time made no answere to the supplication There the Cardinall began againe to deale as touching our vocation affirming that the same is voide Further he complained that we reprooued both him and other bishoppes as though they had no iust calling in the Church of Christ laying to our charge that we woulde goe about to ouerthrowe the kinges authoritie whereby they were created Bishoppes which in his iudgement were a most seditious thing After this he turned his spéech to the Eucharist affirming that the wordes of the suppper to wit This is my bodie must bee vnderstoode euen as they be spoken There I tooke him at his worde and first of all I defended the ministerie of our Churches It would now be ouer long to write the reasons Also I aunswered to the false accusation wherein he slaundered vs to be seditious as we that woulde not haue the appointment of Bishops to be in the Kinges power I added moreouer that I did verie much maruel that the Cardinall saide yesterdaie that there were onely thrée Councels before Augustin séeing hee himselfe maketh mention of the Councell of Ariminum and the Syrmian Councell helde in the time of Constantius which councels since that they gréeuously erred they were afterwarde amended I obiected moreouer that he was excéedinglie deceiued insomuch as he was bolde to affirme that in the commaundementes of God in the holie histories in the Testamentes and Sacramentes there be no tropes or figuratiue spéeches and I made it euident by the scriptures that there were figures founde and that therefore it might not be concluded of him that the words of the Lord which they call the wordes of consecration shoulde bee vnderstoode absolutelie There a Spaniarde the Prince of the Iesuites which came thither with the Popes Legate sodenly tooke holde of my wordes and made a sharpe oration where he reprooued the Quéenes Maiestie that shee hath taken vppon her the iudgement of these causes seeing it did not belong vnto her but vnto the Pope the Cardinals and Bishops and that it is not méete while the Councell of Trent is helde to celebrate here such a priuate conference This Oration of the arrogant man greatly offended the Quéene and had it not beene for the Cardinall of Ferrara shee woulde haue taught the Iesuite modestie The Cardinal turned his talke to mee yet so neuerthelesse as all men might perceiue that he refused to incounter with me Hée beganne to alledge that he vnderstoode not my language Whereas notwithstanding it is reported that hee vnderstandeth it verie well Hee said that he had rather dispute with a man of his owne language But I excused my selfe that I spake on this wise by the commaundement of the Quéene and that otherwise I was readie to dispute in Latine Therefore he beganne to aunswere me after a sort in the French tongue which hee coulde not haue doone vnlesse he had vnderstoode what I saide Yet neuerthelesse he aunswered not to all the obiections And when I was to confute his arguments the Quéene aduised me to vse the Latine tongue to the intent that all the prelates and Doctors which stood by might vnderstande I obeyed and those thinges I spake which were conuenient for the time Therewithall came Beza and in fewe wordes aunswered the iangling Spaniarde And then he beganne to deale with the Cardinal himselfe about the supper of the Lord and to dispute somewhat as touching Transubstantiation And the Cardinall of Loraine woulde not haue it to be founde in the scriptures that breade was giuen by Christ in the holie supper There did I bring in the expresse wordes of the Euangelist who saith that the Lorde tooke breake blessed it The cardinall of Loraine set to schoole by Peter Martyr brake it and gaue it to his disciples and I shewed that these verbes haue no other accusatiue case than Bread In vaine did he indeuour to vnwinde himselfe D. Depensius beganne to speake somwhat in the matter But when he coulde not refraine from the lowde and clamorous spéech of the Sorbonistes the matter brake foorth into an action of tumult insomuch as neither the Cardinall himselfe abstained from excéeding great noyse Wherefore at the commaundement of the Quéene the night being now come the assembly was disolued The manner of that action séemed vnworthy of a kinglie presence wherefore the Quéene determined to bee no more present neither would she afterward that the matter should be tryed betwéene so manie but she assigned fiue colloquutors on the aduersaries part and fiue also on our part Of the aduersaries were chosen the Bishoppe of Valence the Bishop of Sagensis Doctor Bottiller Doctor Salignacus and Doctor Depensius and of our sort these be the names Beza Galasius Marlorate Spina and my self For both partes there were appointed Notaries But being without Iudges and other witnesses we talke friendlie and quietly enough For so farre as I can perceiue wee haue aduersaries méeke enough and which disagrée not much from vs. Wee haue béene nowe thrise with them and to conclude we haue onelie dealt as touching the presence of the bodie in the supper I am called but
exercised himselfe day and night in the meditation of all the sciences and therefore he was woont many times to say that whatsoeuer he knewe in Philosophie and those knowledges which belong as they say to humanitie which he himselfe saide was but small but I with manie moe iudged alwaies to be great in him this for the most part he ascribed to the studies which he had at Padwaie For he had then plentie of leasure all which he spent in learning He heard notable Philosophers For at that time the famous Philosophers Branda Genua Confalionerius did then teache in that vniuersitie and therewithall in himselfe was an excellent wit and singular diligence For he daylie exercised himselfe in reading meditating writing and chiefelie in disputing wherein euen those most learned Philosophers which I haue nowe named allowed his diligence and sharpenesse of wit in such wise that oftentimes in publike meetings Branda challenged his Florentine for so he named Martyr vnto disputation At that time in all vniuersities was taught Aristotles Philosophie This did he embrace not so much that it alone florished but as he testifieth in his Commentaries which he began once to write vppon Aristotles Morall Philosophie he most of all loued and esteemed Aristotles Philosophie by reason of the Methode that it had lesse error therein thā the other sectes of the Philosophers And nowe because that there were in deede Latine Bookes of Aristotle but yet in such wise translated as they did not aptly ynough in euerie place expresse Aristotles sense and meaning for albeit that verie learned men had laboured in translating of Aristotle yet were there fewe that coulde in all things imitate and expresse Aristotles breuitie and elegant kinde of stile Since therefore the Latine Bookes did not euerie where faithfullie and plainelie expresse Aristotles meaning he determined to learne the Greeke tongue that he might once heare Aristotle speake in his owne language And in this matter he bestowed great studie and paines For he wanted fitte Maisters which could plainelie and diligently teache the reason and vse of the tongue therefore it behooued him by his owne priuate studie and great diligence to ouercome all difficulties I haue heard of his familiar friendes that in the librarie which was verie ample in that monasterie he sate vp oftentimes in a manner whole nightes together with Benedictus Cusanus which was a companion to him in al his studies so as the one interpreted to the other interchangeably by course some Greeke Author By this diligence he so greatly profited that he perfectly vnderstoode without any interpreter not onely the Greeke Orators and Philosophers but also all the Poets who neuerthelesse haue another kinde of speaking In this place also should I rehearse his studies in Diuinitie for he heard three Diuines at Padwaie one Heremit and two of the Dominican order Howbeit because he followed afterward another and a more exact kinde of Diuinitie ye shal be content if I passe ouer this mere Scholastical diuinitie and proceede vnto other and greater matters When he was nowe come to the age of xxvj yeares it seemed good to the fellowes of the Colledge to commit vnto him the office of preaching in open audience to the intent that his studies which hitherto were hidden betweene the Schoole and the assemblie of the Colledge might at the length come foorth into light and vnto a publike vse of the Church and to doe the seruice belonging to their order and might winne vnto himselfe fame and authoritie For in Italie the Priests preach not as they doe among the Germans but all this whole charge is appointed vnto the Monkes out of whose number the fellowes of the Dominican familie are woont to preach euerie Sunday and thereupon they haue gotten the name of preachers But they which be of other families those for the most part preach to the people in Aduent and Lent as they terme them But the more rare that Sermons be the greater and more frequent is the concurse of people especiallie in great and populous Cities Wherefore out of all the families of Monkes are chosen those which seeme most to excell in learning and eloquence who if they shall cause themselues to be well liked of the people great is their glorie and their name much spoken of Ouer and besides this the familie of Canons of Saint Augustine is adorned with peculiar priuiledges of the Romane Bishops so that all they of this familie which haue at any time executed this publike office of preaching doe inioy honours tytles dignities and priuiledges which are giuen vnto them whom the Vniuersities after a solemne manner haue pronounced Doctors And with these Tytles which others hardlie deserue when they growe nowe into olde age Martyr as wee haue nowe saide was honored at the age of xxvj yeares and so honored as he had not onelie a vaine name as manie haue but he had also great and incomparable learning procured by inuincible studie and he ioyned the office and labour of publike teaching together with the verie name of a Doctor And first he began to teach at Bressa in the Temple of S. Afra and afterward he taught in the most populous Cities of Italie and Gallia Cisalpina at Rome Bononie Firmum Pisa Venis Mantua Bergomo and Montferrat And whatsoeuer leasure he got from preaching all that he bestowed in studies of the holy scriptures and Philosophie And he not only preached publikelie but he interpreted in the Colleges of his familie both Phylosophie and the holy Scriptures at Padwaie Rauenna Bononie and Vercellis in which Citie to the intent he might confirme by teaching those thinges which he had learned in the Greeke tongue hee interpreted Homer at the earnest request of Benedictus Cusanus of Vercellis whome we named before to be a companion with him in all his studies At the same time he beeing stirred vp thorow the continual exercise of preaching who hitherto according to the custome of the scholes had exercised himselfe cheefely in the schoole diuines speciallie Thomas and Ariminensis in the meane time was acquainted with the fathers writinges he beganne more diligentlie than before to search out the verie fountaines of diuinitie euen the holy scriptures of both the Testamentes And because he had founde by experience that the knowledge of the Hebrewe tongue shoulde be necessarie thereunto he applyed his minde vnto it and at Bononie in which Citie he was Deputie to the Prior for so the Presidents of Colleges are called of them he gaue his indeuour thereunto procuring one Isaake an Hebrewe who was Phisitian to be his Maister But with what labour for the most part this tongue is learned of the Hebrewes they knowe which haue vsed those kindes of teachers For the most of them want faithfulnesse in teaching but they be all without methode and therefore they cannot proceed in right order and they enuie that our men should haue the knowledge of their tongue the holie language is not learned of them
without great trauell and charges for whatsoeuer good thing they teach they doe it vppon hope of reward But all these difficulties did Martyr with singular patience and inuincible studie ouercome so earnest a desire had he to learne the holie scriptures Whome when I consider I cannot woonder enough at the proceeding and order whereby it seemed good vnto the heauenlie father to bring him vnto the knowledge of the heauenly trueth For first he stirred vp his will in the beginning of his age that he might indeuour to his power to please and serue God albeit he suffered him in the meane time to erre in the manner of worshipping of him Afterwarde hee so instructed his minde that he inclined the same to innocencie of life and vnto righteousnesse whereby although he coulde not deserue thankes of God yet he shewed himselfe vnblamable before men Lastlie he inflamed and kindled him with an incredible loue of the holie scriptures whereof while he for a good space of time followed the letter at the length by the reuelation of the spirit of God he comfortably knewe the hidden and spirituall mysteries In this matter I might iustlie compare him to Saint Paul the teacher of the Gentiles in whose life before his conuersion there was an indeuour of worshipping GOD and of righteousnesse which is according to the lawe wherein he was vnblameable and moreouer hee vsed to reade the lawe although as yet couered with the vaile but leauing these thinges the desire of breuitie cals me backe to other narrations The principall men of his societie liked well his diligence in preaching and teaching Nowe was his name become famous in the greatest Cities of Italie wherfore they determined to aduance him according as his excellent vertues deserued to a greater dignitie and therfore by a cōmon consent they made him Abbot of Spoletū Which office when he had taken in hand to exercise he behaued himselfe so singularly wel as al men maruelled that the man being vntill that time trained in learning only could so excel in al his gouernment with wisdom dexteritie For to say nothing of other matters his singular vertue appeared in two things which no Abbots before him were able to bring to passe At Spoletū were two Colleges of Virgins and the third wherein he himself liued was of Canons of that same regular familie as they terme it of Augustine the discipline of al these by the negligence of the former Abbots was so decayed as through the wanton and filthie life of them the whole familie of this order was greatly hated of all men This when Martyr sawe he by his authoritie and office what with teaching admonishing exhorting and eke with some seuere chastening brought them all into such order as he not onelie wanne to himselfe great praise but also to the whole familie singular good will And this in verie deede was a thing proper and as it were the bounden duetie of his order and institution But that other thing which I will nowe speake of is farre more excellent and as it were pertaining to the whole Common weale The Common weale of Spoletum euen as also many other Commonweales in Italie was diuided into certaine factions among which there were alwaies contentions the which oftentimes proceeded euen to frayes and slaughters and albeit that the former Abbots had oftentimes indeuoured to doe it yet coulde they neuer make attonements and reduce the Citie vnto Concorde This when Martyr perceiued and that he thought with himselfe that nothing should be more agreeable to his office than to bring home into concorde those that were at dissension and to winne them in mutuall charitie which Christ so often commended he thought that he shoulde rather laie downe his life than to see the Citie any longer to perish so miserablie with her owne discord and therefore he neuer ceased to exhort all men publikelie and priuatelie vnto vnitie to teache the dueties of a Christian man and to laie before their eyes the calamitie of their Countrie and the particular daungers of euerie one vntill he had brought that to passe which he earnestlie desired For so greatly did his authoritie wisedome and eloquence preuaile as all the time afterward that he liued in that Citie not onelie there were no slaughters nor frayes committed but there also appeared no tokens of factions so much was the vertue and indeuour of one excellent man able to doe Of this man haue all Abbots an example which if they woulde followe wee might perhaps hope for some amendment of the Church by them but nowe when as they correct not euen the most manifest abuses and that they breath out continual slaughters and warres I beseeche you what goodnesse can we promise to our selues concerning them Three yeare was Martyr at Spoletum and then in the publike assemblie of the fathers of the whole familie he was made gouernour of the Neapolitane College of S. Peter at the Altar which benefice for the pleasantnesse of the place and for the ample reuenew thereof is a great dignitie In this Citie did the grace of the heauenly light begin to shine more notablie and clearelie vnto him For when he had bin hitherto long and much exercised in Scholasticall Diuinitie and also in the fathers and at length had betaken himselfe altogether to the fountaines themselues and that he was daylie more and more lightened by the spirit he began to acknowledge errours and abuses in the Church and therefore he beganne whereof some make a scruple of conscience to giue his minde also to the vnderstanding of our mens writings and taking in hand the Commentaries of Bucer vpon the Euangelistes and his annotations vpon the Psalmes which he set foorth vnder the name of Aretius Felinus he diligently perused them ouer Also he read Zuinglius Booke Of the true and false Religion and another booke of the same man concerning the prouidence of God and he also read some Bookes of Erasmus he francklie confessed oftentimes that he profited much by the reading of all these And in the meane time he reasoned in a maner euerie day of some thing out of the holie scriptures with those his friendes which were studious of the pure Religion so that on both sides they were much edified in the true Religion by such kinde of talke And among those with whom he conferred touching Religion were chiefely Benedictus Cusanus of whom we also made mention before M. Antonius Flaminius and Iohannes Valdesius a Spaniarde This latter man was borne in Spaine of a noble kindred and was honored with Knighthood by Charles the Emperour who after that he was endued by God with the knowledge of true Religion he led his life in Italie but especiallie at Neapolis In which place by his learning and most godly example of life he wanne verie manie especially noble men vnto Christ And at that time there was no meane Church of godlie men in the Citie of Neapolis For in that congregation there were many
noble and learned men also manie women of excellent vertue Among whom to let passe other excellent and true noble women yet must I not passe ouer in silence the most honorable Dame Isabella Manricha who for Christs cause is nowe banished her Countrie In this congregation of the godlie there was one Galeazzius Caracciolus the Marques of Vicus other noble men which I neede not now to rehearse banished for the name of Christ And albeit that the first praise of this Church is due vnto Valdesius yet notwithstanding is Martyrs vertue also to be remēbred who after that he had giuen him by the Lorde a greater light of Gods trueth and had ioyned himselfe to the congregation of the godlie that doctrine which he knewe to be true he would straightwaie preache it also vnto others For he began openly to interprete the first Epistle of S. Paul to the Corinthians and that with great fruite For not onelie the fellowes of that College hearde him but also some Bishops and manie noble men For as ye know that Citie hath bin alwaies an habitation of noble and excellent men But after that the wordes of Paul which are in the third Chapter of the same Epistle The fire shall trie euerie mans worke what it is if any mans worke which he hath built doe abide he shall receiue wages if any mans worke burne he shall suffer losse but he himselfe shall be saued yet neuerthelesse as it were by fire These wordes I say when he had interpreted against the receiued opinion he procured to himselfe many aduersaries and enemies For the common sort are perswaded that by these wordes is the fire of Purgatorie decreed and confirmed by Paul than the which the Papisticall sacrifices scarcelie haue any thing more auailable But Martyr although he did not yet openly oppugne that fire of Purgatorie which the Monkes made as a prison for soules yet did he shewe and that out of the auncient fathers that Paul did not here meane of the fire of Purgatorie since he made it to bee such a fire as both good and euill builders haue triall of but that he rather saieth this that they which doe not rightly build may in deede be saued but yet so as it were by fire For euen as he that passeth through flaming fire leapeth out halfe naked so these men their doctrine being confuted and condemned doe acknowledge that they haue lost their labour and so their sinne being discouered by the iudgement of God doe feele the grief and great sorrowe of repentance This sound right interpretation of this place certaine bondslaues of the Pope and of their owne bellie could not abide For they saw that if this foundatiō of Purgatorie which is their storehouse shoulde be ouerthrowen the same in his owne weakenesse woulde fall by it selfe though no man shoulde afterwarde inforce it Further they knowe that vppon the fall of Purgatorie there will necessarilie followe the destruction of the trentals and Masses for their auncestors soules and also indulgences whereof they had hitherto made a profitable gaine Wherefore since they decreed that those thinges were not to be borne they accused Martyr whome they feared woulde be an author of those thinges and at length they brought to passe that it was forbidden him to reade Howbeit Martyr woulde not obey this prohibition as being vnequall and vniust and hauing affiaunce in the goodnesse of his cause appealed to Rome vnto the Pope At that time he had in the Citie mightie and fauorable friends namelie Hercules Gonzaga Cardinall of Mantua Casper Contarenus Reignalde Pole Peter Bembo and Fridericke Fregose all learned men and in fauour with the Pope and who then seemed to be desirous of some reformation of the Church By staying himselfe vppon the fauor and power of these men he easilie obtained that the same prohibition of his aduersaries was taken awaie and that his former libertie of teaching was graunted vnto him the which neuerthelesse hee could not long inioy For he had not yet liued full three yeares in Neapolis but that he fel into a greeuous and deadly disease together with the perpetual Companion of his studies his intyre friend Benedictus Cusanus who in verie deed dyed there but Martyr by the singular benefite of God and diligent care of good Phisitians escaped hardly Wherefore to the intent that the chiefe men of the familie might prouide for his health since they sawe that hee coulde not brooke the Neapolitan ayre they in publike assembly declared him the generall visitor of the whole order And in this office he so behaued himselfe as the good men greatlie commended his integritie stedfastnesse and grauitie the residue did feare him and albeit they hated him yet they dissembled the same There were at that time manie which in that order did exercise a certaine tyrannie and when by the vitiousnesse and vnpurenesse of their life they had procured exceeding hatred to the whole familie they coulde not till this time by anie reasons and admonitions be called home to amendement Martyr thinking it meete that these men shoulde be reduced into order after hee had made the Cardinall of Mantua priuie to the matter who was protector of the whole Familie by his helpe hee depriued manie of their dignities and condemned the generall Rector of the whole familie to perpetuall prison in the Ilande Diomedea And as by this seueritie of discipline hee procured fauour to the whole order and great glorie to his owne selfe so by the selfe same fact he wan himselfe hatred and enuie Wherefore at Mantua in an assemblie that came together of the principall persons of the familie he was assigned Prior of Saint Fridian at Luca the which in verie deede though it be an auncient dignitie in this familie for the Prior of Saint Fridrian hath the Episcopall iurisdiction ouer halfe of the Citie yet was there some that for honor sake promoted Martyr vnto it but the most part because they had hated him or enuied him and iudged that for his countrie sake hee shoulde be hated of all men For the inhabitants of Luca haue a great and certayne old inueterat hatred against the Florentines because they thinke that they lie in waite to bereaue them of their libertie Howbeit Martyr did by his excellent learning and vertue so winne vnto him the heartes of the people of Luca as contrarie to the opinion and hope of the aduersaries and them which hated him he being a Florentine was no lesse welcome and beloued of the Citizens than if he had bin a Citizen of Luca so that afterward by an Embassade sent vnto the chiefe of the familie they desired earnestlie that Martyr shoulde not be taken from them And nowe when Martyr liued in Luca and had in his College diuers learned men and also young men of excellent towardnesse he appointed such a discipline as thereby he might as much as in him laie further good maners Religion and the desire of learning For first
profitable and necessarie vnto saluation Wherefore since that God woulde that wee shoulde both with faith imbrace and with mouth confesse al his whole doctrine he declared that he might not with a safe conscience holde this condition wherein hee nowe stoode vnlesse the thinges which hee desired by writing might bee graunted him and that this was a reasonable request that so much might be lawful for him as others of his degree would haue free vnto them both in their sermons and in the schooles He shewed moreouer that there appeared no light of reconciliatiō with him either by conferēce or anie other way but if there should be anie order taken he would not faile of his due tie though hee were called any other whither The Senate which loued Martyr and vnder certaine conditions were desirous to keepe him stil when they perceiued that he stood stedfast in this opinion and that it was no safe waie for them at this time to graunt him the libertie of teaching disputing and writing they against their wils gaue him leaue to depart Wherefore hee departed from Strasborough the xiii of Iulie in the yeare of our Lorde 1556. to the great griefe and lamentation of all good men of whome he was fauored loued and honoured aswell for his noble vertues excellent wit and singular learning as also for his courteous behauiour and great agreement which he perpetually maintained with all godlie and learned men When he was come to Zuricke together with that excellent man Iohn Iewell an English man now by the grace of God bishop of Salisburie he was very ioyfully receaued both of the Senate of the schoole and of the ministers of the Church of all the godlie And forasmuch as he lodged with Bullinger his old friend vntil such time as his household to wit Iulius with his wife and child had folowed him either made somuch of the other at that time as although there had bin before time a verie neere friendship betwen them yet was the same by this familiarity exceeding much increased and so confirmed as euen vntil death they kept and increased the same without the verie least suspicion of offence And those friendships are most assured which a resemblance of vertues and studies doe ioyne together which being very like betwene them both such as either of them both loued and honored other it is no maruell their friendships were also most neerely knit together And that hee loued the preachers and the rest of his Collegues and held them as it were brethren and in like-manner that hee alwayes imbraced the youngermen as children since it is knowen vnto all men there is no neede that I shoulde nowe spende anie time in declaring of this matter And they which haue not so throughly considered of these thinges maie hereby coniecture the pleasantnesse that hee had in ioyning vnto him the heartes of men that not onely his Collegues in the schoole and ministers of Churches and others which heard him euerie day teach loued him but also among the Senate and people euerie good man which neither hearde him teach nor coulde vnderstande him when hee spake yet they so honoured him as scarcely they did anie other of the cheefest in the commonweale And this did the assemblie of all states of men testifie whome yesterday yee sawe at his funerall The noble Senate also declared their good will towardes him when for honours sake they made him free of the Citie For albeit they had prouided by a lawe that because of the infinite number of Citizens none shoulde bee receaued into the Citie that yeare and the next yet woulde they not obserue that lawe in so notable a man as hee because they rightlie iudged that iniurie shoulde be doone not to the Lawe but rather to our citie if such a man should remaine among vs as it were a straunger and foreiner and not bee reckened among the Citizens Martyr at that time when hee came to Zuricke was vnmaried but at the length being perswaded by his friendes since hee himselfe was verie desirous of children and that the rather because hee alone was left of the familie of the Vermillii which sometime florished did determine to take an other wife sixe yeares after his first wiues death There was in the Italian Church at Geneua a maide borne at Bressa of an honest stocke whose name was Catherine Merenda which was come thither for religion sake This woman did Martyr take to wife being commended by the testimonie of good men and of the whole Church Of her did hee beget a sonne called Eliperius and at an other byrth Gerodora both of which neuerthelesse died in their first infancie He hath left the same wife great with child who I beseech the Lorde may be deliuered of a sonne which liuing may one day represent his father in learning and godlinesse Howe greatlie hee loued and esteemed this commonweale Church hereby yee maie gather that when he knewe hee shoulde leaue his wife great with childe hee tooke order by his testament that if a sonne were brought foorth after his death if it liued it shoulde not be brought vp else where than among vs. And the same his good will and affection yee may coniecture by this also that I shall nowe recite The next yeare after that hee came vnto vs there dyed at Geneua the noble man Maximilianus Celsus Count of Martinengo which did gouerne the Italian Church in that Citie Nowe there bee manie excellent men which hauing forsaken Italie are come to Geneua as to the sanctuarie and safest hauen of godlie men and among these are manie of the Citizens of Luca of the principall sort of that Common weale of whome manie were the scholers of Martyr in Italie and by his teaching came to the knowledge of Christ So nowe when an other was to bee substituted in the place of Maximilian which was deade Martyr by the generall will and consent and with most heartie wishes was chosen and the Elders of the Church sending letters vnto him about the same matter not onelie requested but also earnestly besought him that hee woulde confirme that calling The selfe same did the English men which were his olde friends of whom many excellent men liued thē in banishment at Geneua for Religion The selfe same did Iohn Caluin the ornament not onelie of Geneua but also of the vniuersall Church They saide that in that Citie and Church there was a good number of the better sort of Italians and many of his scholers which expected his comming and moe that made themselues readie in the way to meete him They shewed an excellent manner of choosing him I meane the verie notable consent by holding vp of hands so often allowed by the holy Ghost the most orderly distributions of their voyces wherein all thinges were doone with very good order and aduise Heerewithall they added that so great and ardent desire there was of the whole Church to obtaine this man for their guide
should it be doone to Images 2 346 b A shift of the aduersaries for the auouching of the woorshipping of them 2 347 b They are Gods Ministers and of their seuerall offices 2 357 b 558 a Appearing in mens bodies they were not men 1 117 a They did eate not for néede but to procure conuersation and familiaritie with men saith Augustin 1 118 ab Why they were worshipped in the old testament of holie men and the same not admitted in the newe 2 347a What manner of meat it is that they do eat 1 118b Why there is no mention of the creation of them in the olde testament 1 111 ab Tertullians iudgement that they are verie bodies 1 28 b Proued by examples that they haue sometimes appeared 1 27 ab God by their ministerie gouerneth natural things 2 â—58 a They represent the ministers of Churches 2 358 a The may be pictured how farfoorth 2 341 a How they did assume bodies 2 604 b They are not predestinate 3 8 b Defined out of them our of Augustine 1 113 a They doe seruice vnto men and of their gouernement 2 249 b Orders of them and their seueral offices 1 1â—0 b It is a thing worthie to be noted that in the holie Scriptures verie fewe things are mentioned of them 1 121a How they and spirites doe eate which proueth them to haue bodies consisting of vitall paâ—tes 1 88 a They can call things backe from the memorie to the sense 1 89 a Whether teares are beseeming for them 3 284 a While they appeared and seemed to bee men and were not they did not lie 1 113 b Whether we ought to offer prayers vnto theÌ„ 3 284 a 308 b Proofes that there be Angels 3 383 a Howe it is meant that Enoch was a Legat vnto them 3 148 b 149 a Why they are called spirites 1 103 a The heauens turned about by them 1 111a b Bernard and the schoolemens opinions that they haue bodies 1 113 a Whether they be bodies or but méere phantasies 1 87 b 88 a ¶ Looke Spirites Archangels Betwéene Archangels and Angels there is a difference saith Augustine 1 118b Anger Aristotles opinion of Anger and how he defineth it 1 109 b How the power thereof doth resist the desiring part 2 410 a It is a cause of confirmelie 2 529 b It is no simple but a compounded afteer 2 406 a It is a wherstone to fortitude 2 408 a 3 296 b It is the roote of murder 2 517 a Whether the power of desire and of it bee all one 2 409 b 410 a How contrarie it is to desire 2 4â—0 a The Philosophers say it maketh the actions of men not voluntarie 2 289 b A definition thereof and that to Achilles it was like honie melting vnder his tongue 2 290 b Things done therein do not excuse the dooer 2 292 b The scripture commendeth it in whome and in what cases 2 293 b It doth seruice vnto Fortitude 3 272 a It hath sorrowe and pleasure ioyned with it 3 â—46 a It commeth néerer vnto reason than desire doth 2 410 a It pertaineth not to choise sayth Aristotle and why 2 295 b In what cases and against whome Aristotle admitteth it in men 2 290 b What Heraclitus Plato and other say of it and that it is not subduable 2 289 b No refuge against Gods Anger 4 295 b 296 a ¶ Looke Affects Angrie Why the Scriptures say that GOD when he doeth reuenge is angrie 1 207 a How we must vnderstand God to be angrie and to repent 1 109 a Annoynted Why we are sayde to be annointed 2 606 b Some called so who receiued not the outward vnction 4 14 ab Annoynting The signe of outward Annoynting 4 14a Vnder what pretence it was brought into the Church 4 15b To what end it serued 2 577 b It hath not beene long in the Christian Church 4 14 b 15 a.b The originall thereof about Princes 4 236 b What is signified thereby being done to the Byshops heade 4 â—5 a Why it was proper to Prophets Priests and Kings 2 605 b Whether it be rightlie transferred vnto Christian Princes 4 14 b 15 a.b Whether it be necessarie that it be obserued still 2 606a 6. The twise annoynting of all Christians 4 15 a Of the papisticall and superstitious rite thereof 2 â—06 a What the worde signifieth 4 4 b Or the sicke and that it is no Sacrament 3 211 a Of men readie to die 4 15 b The carcases of dead 3 244 a Interpreted to be an aboundance of the Spirit 2 605 b 606a Reckened among traditions 4. 99 b ¶ Looke Oyle and Vnction Antichrist Of Antichrist prophesied by Daniell 3 351 b The Pope prooued to be the same 4 36 b In Gods Temple 4 92 a Of the myracles doone by him and that they be méerelies 1 65 a Antiquitie No Antiquitie can prescribe against Gods worde 3 244 a Of the Scriptures and howe the Papists and Protestants dissent about the same 1 99a Ap. Apostles The Apostles gaue more Epistles to the Church than we haue at this day 1 52 b They are to the Byshops as the Prophets were to the hie Priestes 4 4a Both Christ and they may be foundations of the Church 4 83 b 84 a Difference betwéene their Gospell and the Papists 4 87a They liued at the charges of the godlie 4 29b Forged Canons ascribed to them 4 55 ab 56 a Whether they were Byshops any where 4 79a To what end they were chosen 4 3 b Whether Peter were chiefe of them 4 80 a Difference betwéene them and Byshops 4 3 b 4 a They were not alwayes able by their auctoritie to cast our diuels 4 130 a Their diligence in preaching the Gospell 4 5b In their time the Church had not two swords 4 234 b Whether they were Priestes 4 212 b By what instruments they vsed outward punishments 4 233 a Apostleship The office of Apostleship was but temporall 4 78 b A difference betwéene the Apostleship of Peter and the apostleship of Paul 4 79 b Apparell Of the costlie and sumptuous Apparell of women 2 507 ab Whether Apparel be any impeachment to the ministerie 4 16 b A fonde imitation of Elias and Iohn Baptist in Apparell 1 20b Touching Apparell reade diuerse points page 506 b 507 a ¶ Looke Garments Appeale To whom the libertie of Appeale is denied by the ciuill lawes 2 438 b Paules Appeale from the luietenant of Iurie to Cesar 4 276 a Appeales Of Appeales made to the Romane sea by inferiour byshops and what is thereby prooued 4 39. 40. From Councels and fathers to the scriptures 4 47 a From the Pope to the Emperour in matters of religion 4 244 b None from Scriptures to the fathers admitted 4 48 b 49 ab Appearing Gods Appearing vnto men in the likenesse of straungers denyed by Plato and what the Scripture saith of the same 1 200 a Of the Appearing of Samuel when he was deade reade the iudgement
word and the spirit 4 49 b Whether the be visible 2 630b 4 92 ab She consisteth of good bad 4 92 a Whether a strange tongue is to be vsed in the same 3 309 b 310. 311. The Pope oppresseth it 4 93 b 94 a The papists and we define to diuersly 4 92 a She hath not now the gift of trying of spirits 4 59 a Howe God worketh together with the iudgement thereof 4 60 a Of what manner of gouernement she is 4 60 b Why she is called Catholike 2 630 b 631 a To what ends she hath respect 3 78 b She standeth firme and fast 2 631 b What kinde of bodie she is 4 91 b 92 a 69b Dissentions therein are no â—ist proofes that it is not the true 4 2 b 95 b Pressed with infinite burdens 3 172a Whether her authoritie excel the scriptures 4 74 a 4 71 b 72 a 1 42 a 3 59 a 1 43 b 4 47 ab 48a 54 ab 72 b Ours much more vnhappie than that of the Iewes 4 94 a Augustines Church or temple had no images in it 2 352 a What nations vncircumcised were perpetuallie and what nations but for a time excluded from the Church of the Iewes 2 443 a Whether multitude bee any true note of the Church 4 93 a Where she was before reformation 4 91 b Diuerse functions of the same 4 4. 5. 6. 8. The thrée societies thereof 4 17a 1 42 ab Whether women may teach openlie therein 4 7 ab 8 a Whether shee haue power to make lawes 3 172 a 4 41 b 42 a Why the publike ministeries thereof are called frée giftes 4 8 b Whether abuses therein must bee borne withall 3 164 ab Of the vnity whereby Christ and shee are coupled 4 144. Thrée kindes of things in the same 4 70 a There arguments that confounde callings therein 4 11a b Why that of Ierusalem was not preferred to the primasie 4 71 ab Vnderstoode vnder the name of the kingdome of heauen 3 392 a What is to be doone at the Dedication thereof 4 66 a Gouerned by the holy Ghost 2 63â— ab Whether we must dissemble for the preseruation of the same 2 32â— b The state thereof in the Apostles time 4 50a Comforts for her being afflicted â— 351 b 352 a Vniuersall cannot bee ruled by one man 4 37 b 36 a Primitiue had all thinges necessarie to be 〈…〉 3 23b Marks whereby to know 〈…〉 6. Howe long the giftes of healing c. were therein 4 13â— b Two famous witnesses of the same in the last age 3 382 b Infants belong thereto 4 120 b 114b 115 a What her keyes be 4 108a 3 218 a 116 b 2 636 a 4 237 a Whether shée may erre 4 72 b 73 ab 207 b False notes of discerning the same 4 93 ab The state thereof in the latter time prophessed 3 351 b 352 a A meane to restore her to her first institution 4 55 a A prophesie thereof 3 305b Shée hath her resting places of receipt 2 429 b How she is the piller of the truth 4 54 a 1 40 a Why the Pope must obey her 4 40 b Latter than the word 4 72 b At the beginning among the Iewes 2 430 b How she oftentimes plaied the harlot 2 496 a What it was to enter into the Church of the Iewes 2 447 ab The rich ornameÌ„ts of the Church of Ments 4 66 b The Church had no dowrie to offer vnto Christ 2 456 b Shée discerueth the true scriptures from not canonicall â— â—2 b Which is Catholike and which not 4 70 b 71 a Whether the expositioÌ„ of scriptures beloÌ„g to her 4 74 b 86b 87. 88. 89 Vniustly slandered with troubles seditions 4 319. 320 How Christ remaineth with her though hee bée ascended â— 39 b 40 a In what state shee was before Christ matched with her 2 610 b The outward gouernement thereof altereth not her forme 1 99 b Whether we or the Papistes haue broken the vnitie of the same 4 96a One Nilus a bishop counselleth him that buildeth a Church to beautifie it with pictures images 2 352 a How God maintaineth her against wicked tyrants 3 285 b An vnméete spouse of Christ 2 610b 3 92a Her great authoritie 2 634. 635. 636. Remission of sinnes no where to be hoped for but there 2 634 b Whether the whole Church shall at any time faile 3 64 a Of the spirituall communion thereof 2 631 b Shée hath power to iudge the Pope 4 237 b 238a Her dutie is to preach and publish the worde 1 42 b In the Apostles time shee had not two swords 4 234 b Of a Church planted and not yet planted the consideration is diuerse 4 11 b Why God would not gouerne his Church without ministers 4 23 b Whether that of Corinth were the Church of God 4 2 a Her libertie is to be redéemed 4 33 a Whether Peters confession may be called the foundation thereof 4 83 b Of comlinesse order therein 4 65ab How shee is ruled and prouided for 4 40 a That therein should be ordinarie callings 4 10 b 11 a Shee would bee a monster if it had two heads 4 37 b 38 a Shee vsed an Ethnicke magistrate 4 228 b How to know that shee erreth not 3 59 a Whether shee were a long time cast into error by God 4 187a Shee hath borrowed certeine wordes of the Hebrewes 4 215 a What wée must do if the magistrate be vngodly 4 38b Of her coniunction with Christ 3 78. 79 The care of her belongeth to Princes 4 247b 248 a In what things shée hath authoritie in what not 3 63 a Two great lightes feined in the same 4 246 b Of certeine things which the primitiue Church did commaunde and for how long 1 9 b 10a Who is the head of the Church who is not 2 632a b In what things she hath not liberty 3 310 b The Church of the Hebrues when good and when bad 4 89 b 90a Whether the consent of the Church must be expected in reforming of religion 4 242 ab Whether Christ instituted one head in the same 4 37 a What is the roote thereof 2 629 b 630 a What be her weapons 2 632 a Many abuses crept thereinto in Bedes time 4 2â—6 b How shee preserueth the holy scriptures 4 74 a 1 42 ab 43 a Whether therin may be an outward head to gouerne ministers 4 36a What gouernement Christ instituted in the same 4 36 b What is to be done when the greater part therof is infected with one vice 4 62 a How this saying of Christ that the Church must be heard is to be meant 4 75 ab A place of the Apocalyps touching the twelue foundations thereof 4 84a The old Iewish Church erred and how 4 73 ab Her state at Christs first comming 4 187 a The same shewed by comparisons 4 290 b 291a Whether she hath two swordes that is two distinct powers
4 233 b How Christ is the foundation thereof 4 83 b Church malignant The Romish Church is not the true Church 4 90 ab 2 b Whether shee is to be called Catholike 4 70 b 71 a 2 631 b 632 a What they that haue departed from her must do Full of superstitions 2 631a b 632 a Malignant 4 95 a Markes and notes thereof 4 94 ab 95 a Degrees of orders therein 4 132 a Neither Catholike nor Apostolike 4 93 a Greatly annoyed the Church of Christ 4 77 b ¶ Looke Papistes Pope Rome Church triumphant The triumphant Church vsed no strange language 3 311 a Churches Churches be publike places and not the possessions of priuate men 2 353 b Manie doe still reteine circumcision 4 110a Why they vsed lightes in them in times past 4 127 b Howe necessarie the visitation of them is 4 9a An order therein and which must bee taken for the better 4 2 b The vnitie of the dispersed described 4 82 a All be catholike and equall 4 71 b Papisticall consecration of them 4 124 b 125 a 66a Of the Churches of Adrian and why they were so called 2 352 b Schooles and Cathedrall Churches commonly went together 4 7 a What workes become Christian Churches 4 66 a Why golde was giuen vnto them 3 323 a They had seruice in their mother tongue 3 310b What reuerence ought to bee had of them 4 65 b Howe they must be adorned 4 66 a The beginning of superfluous expenses in them 4 67b Diuers particular haue fallen 3 64 b That Images are not to bee set vp therein 2 35â— b 351 ab Churchgoods Whether the vse of Churchgoods is to be inuerted 4 31b 32 ab 33 a Whether Churchgoods be at any priuate mans giuing 4 33 a For what vses they may be deliuered to princes c. 4 32 b 33 a Ci. Cicero Cicero wisheth that he had neuer béene wise 1 11 b Circumcision Circumcision still reteined in manie Christian Churches 4 110 a Baptisme and it compared 4 118 b Whether it tooke away originall sinne 4 102 a 104 a Why it bound men to obserue the whole lawe 4 110 a The manner thereof vsed among the Iewes 4 111 a The couenant of the same was before the thing it selfe 4 201 a Whether it profited vnto saluation 4 102 a 104 b What was confirmed thereby 4 98 a How it is saide to haue had remission of sinnes 4 108 a Of what things it did put in minde 4 108 b 109 a Before it there were some signes of the sacrament 4 110 a Whether baptisme and it differ not c. 4 104 a Doctrines thereabout disâ—enting 4 102 a Of women among the Aegyptians 4 111 a Why it was commaunded to be doone the eight day 4 109 ab What is to bée iudged of infants dying without it 4 110 ab Whether the knife seruing for it were of stone 4 111 a Why it might be reteined in the primitiue Church for a time 4 109. What thing therein is temporal and what perpetuall 2 375 b It was the sacrameÌ„t of regeneration among the Iewes 2 594. Cauils against it 4 111 b It was no bare signe 4 102 ab Paul speaketh both honourably and contemptuously thereof why 2 589 a At what time it was not vsed of the Iewes 2 577a It was spred among forten nations 4 111 a Why it was commanded of the part of generation 4 109 a The promises which it sealed 4 108 b 109a How it is meant that the soule which receiued it not the eight day should be cut off 4 110 ab 122 ab Why it is nowe néedelesse among Christians 4 112 a Why god wold haue the Iewes receiue it being yet infants 4 111 b Why they were in the couenant before it was receiued 4 119 a Which is the true spirituall Circumcision 4 108 b ¶ Looke sacrament Circumstances Of what force Circumstances be in actions 2 514 b 5â—5 a How they do aggrauate or attenuate sins 2 554 ab 414 b How they dispense with actions and make them excusable prooued 2 288 a They do somtimes restraine the commoÌ„ vse of things 3 108 b Actions are to be iudged by them 3 264a b Eight which be conuersant in actions 2 287 b Howe the scriptures determine touching them 2 292 b Circumstances for the which Dauid augmented the punishment of theft 2 517 b 518 a ¶ Looke Actions Occasions Cities Whether the destruction of Cities belong to the seruice of God 2 403 ab Two Cities the one of God the other of the diuell 3 32 a To what end the Cities of refuge among the Iewes serued 4 110a Citizens The part of good Citizens taught by a contrarie doing to Cato 2 393 b 394 a Why Citizens must be sworne to defende their magistrates 4 298 a Effeminate 3 188 b Cl. Cleane This worde Cleane diuerslie vnderstoode 3 116 ab God maketh meÌ„ Cleane and how they are saide to make themselues cleane 3 13 b ¶ Looke Sanctified Clemencie A definition of Clemencie and in whome it is an ornament 2 415 a 248 b Noted in diuers Princes 4 302 b 303 a Of Augustus Cesar 4 262 b 263 a The obiect effectes and extremities of the same 2 415 ab Howe it doeth diminish punishmentes 4 262 a Méete for Princes 4 248a Great vse thereof euen in the Iewish lawes 4 262 b When it must be vsed 4 248 b ¶ Looke Mercie and Pitie Cleargie men Whether Clergiemen may got to warre 4 286. 287. 327. Why they be exempted from tributes and customes 4 34 a Diuerslie punished for marrying 3 194 b To be admonished corrected of Princes 4 235 b Whether it were lawfull for Princes to exempt them from their subiection 4 239 a bound to obey higher powers 3 34 b In case of adulterie they admit no reconciliation of their wife 2 488 b 489 a Diuers orders of them acknowledge by scripture 4 55 b Married by decree of the Canons 3 193 b From what burthens or charges they are exempted 4 239 b 240 ab Deposed by Iustinian for vsurie 1 525 b Their loose life in these daies noted 2 526 b Prohibited to play at dice or to bee present thereat 2 525 b What titles they vsurpe nowe a dayes 2 381 a Popish charged with singular negligence 3 193 a ¶ Looke Priestes Ministers and Prelates Co. Cogitation What affectes doe spring from the Cogitation 2 405 b The force thereof 2 565 ab ¶ Looke Imagination Colleges The vse of schooles and Colleges 4 7 a Of colouring the face Reade at large 2 507. v. 508. 509. c. ¶ Looke Face and Painting Combate Whether a Combate betwéene twain be lawful 4 308 a Whether it maie be for safetie of a whole armie 4 31â— b The difference betwéene it and warre 4 308 ab The inconuenience and offence thereof 4 309 a The finall causes why some thinke it sufferable 4 308 b 309 a Whether for oftentation of
The doctrine thereof verie comfortable 3 4a b Augustines reasons touching the defence of his treatises of it 3 3. 2 b The doctrine thereof is not against the vse of preaching 3 3a Howe it is obscure and not obscure 3 4a Their reasons which would not haue it disputed of 3 2 a It is certaine 3 3 a and cannot be deceiued 34 b 35 ab 4 117 b That it is a part of the Gospell 3 5 a What things are to be taken heed of in preaching it 3 â— b Neuer any man openlie denied it 3 3 b 5 a Whether there bee any and to whom it belongeth and belongeth not 3 5 ab 8 b Some children of the Saints belong not to it 2 233 b Whether by the doctrine thereof a fatall necessitie be confirmed 3 4 b 5 a 34 b 35 ab Cauils about it and proofes for the same 1 208 b 209 a Whether the predestination of God touching Dauid were the cause why Saule was cast out of the kingdome 1 208b 209 a Predestination and grace may be called lots as saieth Augustine and why 1 60 a Howe Gods predestination and his prouidence doe agree differ 3 8 b How his foreknoweledge and predestination doe agree and differ 3 8b His loue election and predestination ioined together 3 9 a ¶ Looke Prouidence Predicaments The ten commandements and the ten predicaments haue a likely respect 2 427 b 553 a 4 83 b Priest Wherein a prophet and a priest doe differ 1 18 a A popish priest serued in stead of a Sanctuarie 4 268 b High priest The definition of an high priest 4 22 a Whether hee might endeuour to haue children 3 195 b 196 a Priests Of the distinction of priests by companies turnes in the time of the Lawe 3 195 b Forbidden to drinke wine 3 â—97 b Beautie required in them that should serue in the Sanctuarie 1 149 a What is meant by that they were saide to eate the sinnes of the people 4 169 a Whether the Machabees being priests did well in taking the kingdome vpon them 4 232b 233 a In what maner we be all priests and kings 4 12ab Ministers no where called priests in scripture 4 222 a Of Baals priests howe guilefully Iehu dealt with them 2 539 b 540 ab They bored themselues with small pikes 1 21 b Massing priests described and how they erre from the trueth of the ministerie 4 20 a The maner of their consecrating 4 13 b 14 a In their anticular confession they sinne two manner of wayes 3 236 b They might erre and did erre 1 18a Priuiledged from tributes and taxations 4 34 ab Howe contrarie they be to the priests of the lawe whom they would seeme to imitate 3 â—97 b Of woodden priests and golden vessels and contrarie 3 239 b Priesthood The Priesthood of Melchisedech more excellent than the Priesthood of Aaron 2 245 a Both that of Leui and that of Melchisedech represented Christ 4 236 a Melchisedechs order remaineth in the Church 4 223b Contention for the priesthood in Dauids time 4 247 b Why in olde time the kingdome and it were committed to one man 4 327 b Aarons and Christs distinguished 4 83 a Christs had two ministeries 3 307b Preparation Of Preparation to saluation 3 108 b 109 a Whether that of the heart be in mans power 3 111 b 112 a Prerogatiues What prerogatiues the lawes of Ethnikes and the ciuill lawes gaue such as had many childreÌ„ 2 431a They must not be drawne to common examples 2 429 a ¶ Looke Priuilege Presence Of the presence of God howe the same is to be meant 1 25 ab It striketh a feare in the godly as for example 1 31 a Diuerse signes and tokens thereof 1 25 b How the flesh of man is terrified thereat 1 21 b ¶ Looke God Of Christes Reall presence in the Eucharist 4 189. 190. 191. 192. 193. 194. 195. 200 b 156. 157 144. 145 146. Presence totally and definitiuely what it is 4 188 b Present What it is to bee present definitely in a place 1 87 a Prescription What is required vnto the law of prescription 1 96 b 97a Howe ignorance may be may not be a let vnto it 1 97 a Of the difference betweene it and Vsucapio when the same difference first began 1 96 b A decree of lawe that fraude shal be no let vnto it 1 97 a Why it was introduced or brought in 1 96 b Custome hath some affinitie therewith 1 97a Vsed of Ieptha against the Ammonites 1 96 b The time thereof in things moueable and vnmoueable how long it is 1 97 a Of the right the antiquitie and the author thereof 1 96 ab How and by what meanes custome and it is broken 1 98 b A definition of the same out of the Digestes 1 96 b The Ecclesiasticall rules touching it doe differ from the ciuill lawes and why 1 97 a No prescription against the worde of God though neuer so ancient 1 97 ab 3 244 a Presumption Presumption worketh an ouerthrowe 3 285 a Pride Pride a cause of contumely 2 529 b A cause of painting the face 2 508 b The effects thereof and that the same proceedeth froÌ„ the will 1 156 a Of the vngodly noted 3 321 b 322 a Of Philosophers noted through their knowledge of naturall things 1 2 a The diuell deceiued through his owne pride 1 83 b The scope of Paule to pul down the pride of women 2 513 b 514 a ¶ Looke Ambition Princes Princes must flie from idlenesse 4 245 b Gods Vicars vppon earth 4 248a b Clemencie is meete for them 4 248 ab Whether matters or religion belong to them 4 244 b 246 b 247a b In what respects they are to bee obeyed 4 285 a Obedience to them limited 4 308 b Whether they may defend their owne persons by warre 4 285 b 286 a Deposed from their dominions by their subiects 4 325a They may send priuie searches and offer rewardes for finding out of conspiracies 4 299 b Whether they and great men are to haue Church goods giuen them 4 31 b 32 ab 33 a Whether they can ingender ciuill vertues in their peoples mindes 4 36 a Of the annointing of them 4 14 b 15 ab What maner of ones the Iewes had 3 161 b Whether they hauing more prouinces thaÌ„ they can ouersee may be suffered 4 38 b 39 a A lesson for them touching gouernment 2 616 a Their charge touching Gods seruice what it is 2 324 a 325 It is their part to admonish and correct Clergiemen 4 235b In what cases they haue not power ouer heretikes though they be in their dominion 2 538 b Why they weare the signe of the Rose vppon their crownes â— 349b They sinne more grieuously than the common sort and why 2 554 a The originall of their annointing 4 236 b Called Pastors and why 4 227 a Their office and charge 4 231b The care of the Church belongeth to
87 a Who are said to haue fallen from it 133 b The want thereof is the cause that we commit manie things foolishlie 10 a It is more holpen by our sacraments than by those of the fathers and why 247 b 248 a b By what kind Christ must be receiued 87 a The force thereof in the Eucharist 244 a The profit that commeth by the exercise of the same 126 b Whether where it is more abundant the sacrament should be more excellent 248 a Of that which commeth by hearing and how fruitfull it is 86 a Of that which iustifieth and what assent the same is 149 b Not without repentance 170 b No necessarie affinitie betwéene prophesie and it 151 a Abrahams and theirs of the new testament 248 a b Of the théefs on the crosse with Christ woonderfull 6 b Faithfull and vnfaithfull differ and differ not and how 108 b Fall of saints and what it dooth teach vs 149 a In persecution 139 b 140 The difference betwéene the predestinate and the reprobat after the same 143 b What we haue to note in that of the fathers 156 a b. Fathers and what they ment in taking wiues of their owne kindred 152 b The time of generation more late in them than in vs 147 a What we haue to note touching their actions in diuers respects 152 b 153 a And their fals 156 a b. Fathers of the church otherwhile doo greatlie disagrée 34 a b Their authoritie is not alike 214 a How and in what order they are to be read 34 b 35 a Not to relie or leane too much to them 249 They must be tried by the holie scriptures 35 a b What is to be doone and what hath béene when there haue happened hard places in them 33 b How they are to be regarded 210 b That their books must not lightlie be refused 180 a Feare why it is profitable to godlie men 155 a What religion it is in the scriptures 158 a How death alwaies bringeth it 67 a Within what bounds it must be restreined 67 b How considered it is sin 66 b How it is not of it selfe faultie 73 a b By what kind we bring to passe that we auoid manie euils 72 a How it is a worke of God and wherevnto by him directed 66 b Whether in a christian it may be sinne 65 b Whether there be a faultinesse in the same 66 a Two maner of faults therein 65 b 66 a A definition thereof 65 b What Feare by it selfe is not euill 66 b Feasts of the natiuitie of Christ of his resurrection c. 118 b Felicitie the chéefest good and in what two things it consisteth 28 a b True began in the faithfull vnder the crosse 153 a Euerlasting described euen by earthlie names 153 a Figure is of a true not of a phantasticall thing 202 a b Figures whereby the Cardinall of Loren is conuinced for saieng that in the scriptures there be none 155 b Flesh and why the eating therof was not dispensed withall before the floud 145 a Flight in persecution 154 b A wise prouision 140 For religion in England 93 a Why they that condemne it doo it 80 b 81 a Whether it be against brotherlie charitie 79 b 80 a In what cases of danger it is lawfull 78 b 64 a b 65 a How far foorth it may be lawfull for ministers 73 a Hard cases touching the same resolued 77 a b How it is no sin 67 b How it is a kind of confessin 70 a That the precept of Christ touching the same is perpetuall 69 a b 73 b Whether is were vniuersall 71 a For whom it is lawfull and not lawfull 77 a b 78 a 80 a b Tertullians opinion touching it 71 a Obiections and answers 72 a b 73 a b c. Whether that which hath the feare of death ioined therewith can please God 72 a Of Dauid and what we are taught thereby 74 a Of the apostles 71 a A praier to be said in the time of persecution when Flight is intended 70 a 73 b Floud a figure of the last iudgement 147 b Foreknowledge and diuers points to be marked touching it 130 b Whether things are not appointed with God but in respect thereof 130 b Forme adorneth and perfecteth the matter 108 b What that of Christ dooth signifie 2 b Freedome of thrée sorts in the will 125 b That and the captiuitie of the same 105 a b 106 a b 107 a b In spitituall things denied vs 107 b Freewill defined and the office of the same 101 b 126 a To doo well ariseth not of vs how then 123 b Not granted to all men alike 104 a The obiects thereof of two sorts 102 a 126 a Touching supernaturall things abolished 108 b 109 b Whether the fulfilling of Gods lawe consist therein 119a b How far foorth it followeth the precepts of the lawe 103 a Augustine attributeth more than is meet therto as touching things heauenlie and supernaturall 120 a No where found in the scripture 101 a Peter Martyrs meaning in so saieng 106 b 107 a b How it is communed with when anie thing is commanded 103 b what profits are gathered by the extenuating thereof 106 a The Pelagians abuse scripture for the affirming thereof 107 a b Whether Paule in his conuersion were drawne thereby 118 a b The difficulties which are a let vnto it 126 b 127 a How man which therein was euill in the same is become good 124 b what absurdities followe in giuing there vnto so much as of some is required 126 a How the fathers attributing anie thing to the same in spirituall things are to be ment 128 b In what things it is and is not to be granted vnto man 117 a b 118 a 103b 120 a What power it is 163 b The state thereof in the regenerate 124 a b 125 a 129 a How men not regenerate haue it 102 a b 126 127 a 163 b How it may be attributed vnto God 101 a G. GArments and why they were inuented 146 b Regeneration signified by the washing of them 163 a Genealogies and whervnto they that are set foorth in scriptures doo serue 156 a The vtilitie which commeth by the description of them 147 a Generation and what is first formed therin 97 b The time thereof more late in the old fathers than in vs 147 a God cannot be defined and whereby he is knowne 164 a How he is said to come or descend to a place 163 a Of his reuealing of himselfe with other points touching his nature 159 a 160 a Why he is said to remember 147 b What it is to sée him and that not to be able to sée him is a punishment of sinne 155 a How it is ment that he would not sinne to be 119 b How it is ment that he repented him 147b Craesus demand of Thales what he was 41 b How hée was séene on mount Sina 163 b What things the Schoole-diuines saie he cannot doo 163 a Gods a multitude
for the power of the Tribunes The displeasures which the common people suffered by the Nobilitie were temporall and belonged to the maintenaunce and safetie of the bodie but those thinges which the Papistes bring in vppon vs haue respect vnto eternall saluation But letting passe the example of Ethnickes another thing commeth to minde which is mencioned in the Ecclesiasticall Historie The example of Paphnutius Paphnutius a Bishoppe of Egypt and a verie noble confessour of the Lord whose right eye the Emperour Maximianus put out and hockst his left ham whereby he might liue halfe blind lame when he was in the Synode of Tyrus where also sate Maximus a worthie Bishop of Ierusalem and he himselfe a confessour of Christ and perceiued that nothing else was sought by his fellow Bishoppes but that Athanasius might be oppressed by deceites ill reports and naughtie practises rose vp and taking Maximus by the hand which sat in the middest of the rest said It is not lawfull for thee to sit among these men And hauing spoken these wordes he led him awaie with him Also Christ admonished Mat. 16. 6. that we should beware of the Leauen of the Pharisees And Paul saide 1. Cor. 5. 6. A little leauen marreth the whole lumpe Yea and experience it selfe teacheth that they which hauing knowledge of the truth are withheld through an affection to their friends or kinne loue of their countrie couetousnes of riches and goods they become colder euerie daie more than other as touching godlinesse and are so frosen together at the length as the féele of religion is extinguished in them and sometime of friendes and brethren they become most cruell enemies And it is founde to be most true which the wise man said Eccle. 13. He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled therewith Neither can it otherwise be but as the Apostle said out of Menander 1. Co. 15. 23 yâ— ill spéech wil corrupt good maners 37 Let vs sée what happened vnto the Israelites in the time of Ieroboam when Idolatrie was erected 2. Chro. 11 13. Verilie they which had but a crum of godlines leauing the confines of the kingdome of Israel ioyned theÌ„selues to the house of Iuda to the intent they might not sacrifice vnto the Idols which were erected but that they might worshippe the true God according to the prescript of the Lawe in the place which he had chosen vnto himselfe Which whoso did not they not onelie contaminated themselues with Idolatrie but together with the wâ—…ed they were afflicted with manifolde and gréeuous punishments There was euen at the beginning of the world a separation made betwéene the posteritie of Seth and Caine for these had departed from the true worshippe of God wherein they soundlie continued Gen. 4. 17. 5. 1. And assuredlie the punishment of the floud was so long differred as that holie posteritie continued frée from Idolatrie but whenas afterward the sons of God being allured with the beawtie of women had ioyned themselues with the vngodlie all things went to confusion and horrible shame wherefore God destroyed the worlde by a floud of water Gen. 6. In which destruction neither Noah himselfe with his familie had béene saued vnlesse by going into the Arke he had seuered himselfe from the vngodlie Lot likewise escaped the fire because he was led foorth from the fellowship of wicked men Gen. 19. The Lord also commanded as we haue it in the booke of Numerie Num. 16. 21 that the Israelites should separate themselues from Dathan and Abiram vnlesse they were more willing to perish together with them He also called foorth the Israelites which were remaining in Babylon after the libertie giuen vnto them by Cyrus and Darius Esa 52. ver 11. for that gréeuous punishments were at hande vnto the Babylonians by reason of their Idolatrie and shamefull wickednesse In fine if the first Adam by the instinct of Gods spirite truelie saide of his wife Gen. 2. 23. For this cause shal man leaue his father and mother and shall cleaue vnto his wife why also were not all things to be left of vs for retaining the truth of Christ seeing that euen the wife her selfe the children must be left for religion sake But if we séeme not to our aduersaries to haue doone well let them declare the cause why they haue separated themselues from al other Churches being the greater part of the world They are not able in verie déede to shewe such iust and euident causes as ours be which we haue before alleadged Let not their slaunders terrifie vs especiallie those which they haue always in their mouth saying that we are disturbers These bee no newe things They haue béene oftentimes vpbraided to the seruaunts of God Did not Achab the king of Samaria rebuke Elias the man of God 2. King 17. 18. and said Art thou Elias which troublest Israell But the Prophet constantlie returned the rebuke vpon him I trouble not Israell thou rather doest altogether with thy wife Iezabell The Iewes also accused Christ before Pilate Luke 23. 5. that he troubled all Iurie beginning at Galile Of the Apostles also as it is in the Actes it is saide Acts. 17. 6. Acts. 24. 5. that they troubled men Yea and Tertullus the Orator thus spake vnto Portius Festus that hée shoulde punish Paul because that they might by his conduct and gouernment inioy excellent peace and tranquillitie if onelie Paul were not a let who troubled all things by peruerse and new doctrine But now I cease to vrge anie more the seconde point namely that we might not otherwise doe but depart from the Popedome Thrée special causes of departing from the Papists For thrée sortes of necessitie vrged vs namelie of obaying the commaundements of GOD of shunning sinnes and flying Idolatrie and also for the escaping of paines and punishments which remaine for the wicked Neither must it séeme anie maruell that these necessities are laide vppon vs séeing that in the ciuill lawes the companies and assemblie which vnlawfullie assemble together are condemned to gréeuous punishments as it is in the Title de Collegijs corporibus illicitis the which are not onelie forbidden by the Commonweale or Emperour but they which frequent the same are accounted of euen as if they had occupied the publike place or temple with armed men For they are thought to abuse such corporations and fellowships for the working of their naughtines Wherfore God doeth rightlie and in order when by his commaundements he reconcileth vs from such assemblies 38 But nowe I come to the third member of this treatise wherein I will shew that we departed not from the Church but are rather come vnto it That they which haue left the Pope haue not departeâ— from the Church but rather returned to the same Which that it may euidently appeare we must consider that our aduersaries are verie much deceiued forsomuch as they thinke that things