and heresies PArricide and murder of parents in old tyme vvas deemed so hainous an offence so vnvvorthy a facte as being not only contrarie to reason but also repugnaunt vnto nature that Solon the famouse lavv-maker decreed no lavve against it not for that he thought it not vvorthy punishment but bicause â—ee counted it more barbarouse and inhumain then could be by man comitted And in deed mans nature so much abhorred this vn naturall fact that vntill six hundred yeares after Rome vvas built no man euer is read of so vnkiÌ„de as vvho could finde in his hart to imbrevv his haÌ„des in his pareÌ„tes bloud Cic. pro Roscio Lucius Ostius as some do think vvas the first vvho laying aside all humanitie against natures propension and naturall affection layed violent hands vppon his father depriued him of being of vvhom he had receiued being Vvhich facte vvas no sooner committed but nature abhorred it the Romaines then the most ciuill people to represent the enormitie of the offence diuised a punishmeÌ„t vvhich should not only be a iust payne but also an embleme of the fault Cic supra Iuuen Saâ—yr â— Plut. in vi â—a Ostij They decreed first of all that the murderer should be sevved vp in a lether sack SecoÌ„dly that sacked he should be cast into the vvater thirdly vvith him vvere included a cock a viper an ape and a dogge to acompanie him at his death vvhose natures he had imitated in his life he vvas inclosed in a sack and so cast into the riuer that so at one tyme he should lose the light of the sonne vvhich he could not see of the fyer vv ch he could not feele of the aire in vv ch he vvas not permitted to breath of the vvater in vv ch he svvimming vvas not refreshed of the earth vv ch he touched not and so he vvas depriued at one tyme of the benefit of the sonne and the fovvre elemeÌ„tes of vvhich all vvere produced bicause he had been vnkind and vnnaturall to him of vvhom he vvas begotten His companions at his death vvere a Cocke bicause as this byrd fighteth vvith his fire and treadeth the heÌ„ne vvhich hatched him so he hath been iniuriouse to him that begotte him A viper bicause as this beast eateth him selfe out of his damnes belly so he ruineth him vvho gaue him being an ape bicause as he imitateth man in his actions and some vvhat resembles him in forme of body yet is in deed no man but a beast so this vnnaturall murderer caryeth the shape of a man but in conditions is noe man bicause he hath cast of all humanitie And lastly a dogg that this creaturs faythfull seruice to his master vvho only feeds him may confound this monster and coÌ„demne his treacherie vvho hath been so false to his pareÌ„t vvho hath not only fedd him but begotten him This kinde of death in myne opinion vvere a punishment not vnfitly to be layed on heretikes especially the most mallicious for vvith theÌ„ vvho erre not of mallice I vvishe more geÌ„tle dealiÌ„g vvho are so vnnaturall children to Christ their father as shall appear in the third booke vvho so reuile miscall the ancieÌ„t fathers of vvhom they receiued fayth and religion and are so vnkind vnto the Catholique Church their mother vvhich by the Sacrament of Baptisme regenerated them and gaue them their spiritual being For they deserue to be depriued at one tyme of the heauens and elemeÌ„tes of vvhich all thiÌ„gs are in some sorte produced vvho coÌ„temne the Churche the councells the fathers and cheef pastours of vvhom and by vvhome they receiued their supernaturall being by vvhich they are Christianes They deserue a cock at their death bicause as the cocke fighteth often tymes vvith his sire and abuseth the henne that hatched him so they contend vvith ancient fathers and as much as in them lyeth deflovver their mother the Churche vv ch bare them spiritually a viper also ought to dye vvith them bicause like vipers by schismes and heresies they eare them selues out of the vvombe of the Church an ape must also suffer vvith them bicause as he resembleth man but is in deede a beast so they like apes imitate true Christians bearing the name of Christe as they do admitting certayne scriptures and Sacramentes as they do deuising superintendeÌ„tes for the bishops of the Church ministers for preestes tables for aultars a prophane Cene and supper for the sacred Eucharist and yet in deed are no true christianes but monstrouse infidells and vvorse then Ievves and Paganes Th. â— 2 q. 〈◊〉 ar 6. a dogge also to make vp the number they vvorthily deserue to put them in mynd that dogges may teach them fidelitie for dogges though they receiue some tymes blovves and neuer any greater benefit then crustes and bones yet are so faythfull to their masters that they vvill not leaue theÌ„ todeath vvheras the heretike is so vngratefull and vnfaythfull to Christe and his spouse the Churche that for no other cause then an itching humour of pride and self love hee vvill ronne after euery sectmaster that can only dropp a fevv textes of scripture interpreted by his ovvne spirit leauing the Churche ancieÌ„t fathers and consequently Christ him selfe bicause they ever vvent together and vvho heareth one heareth the other But least I condemne them to the punishmeÌ„t of parricides for conteÌ„pt of ancieÌ„t fathers before I proue them to bee guiltie of the fault I vvill sett dovvne vvord by voord their ovvne sayings and assertions by vvhich shall appear vvhat respect they beare and vvhat kindnes they shevv tovvards their ancient forfathers Ex Epiph. her Basilides an infamous heretike vaunted that he and his only knevve the truth and that all his forfathers vvere sues canes hogges and dogges not vvorthy of the margarites of his doctrine Lib. s.c. â—0 The Valentinians sayeth Ireneus if you vrge them vvith scriptures vvhich they can not ansvver vvill denye them if you prouoke them to be tryed by tradition deliuered vnto vs by a succession of preestes and fathers aduersantur traditioni dicentes se non solum presbyteris sed etiam apostolis existentes sapientiores sinceram inuenisse veritatem they oppose against tradition saying that they being vviser then the preests and apostles 〈◊〉 3. haue found out the sincere veritie Arius as before I haue rehearsed thought none of the fathers comparable vnto him Nestorius disdained to read their vvorks and our reformers of this age shevv by their vnreuerent and rayling speeches against the fathers that they are descended of the same race of parricides and reuilers of their ancient fathers To beginne therfore vvith the first patriarch of this nevv religion Martin Luther that man of God although by his ovvne confession he vvas so familiar vvith the deuill that he hathe eateÌ„ a bushell of salte vvith him in his book against the king of England hauing called him blokhead l. â— cont Reg. Axgl. fol. 348 beetlehead grossehead
from nothing to some thing and so euer vvas of necessitie nether can it bee brought frō some thing to nothing and so euer shal be and that of necessitie If it haue a necessarie independent being it hathe an infinite essence bicause it is not limited by anye and soe exceedeth the bounds of a creature therfore if the vvorlde vvas of it selfe it is a God vvhich perfectiō not vvithstāding it can not haue bicause the vvorlds materiall substance mutabilitie visibilitie and determinate quantitie arguethe a creatur not a God vvho is immaterial inuisible and infinite in his immensitie Vvho thē vvas it that created this goodly pallace so huge a building as is this vvorlde Not it selfe as is proued not any Angel or other creature bicause creation of nothing argueth infinit povver and vvhere is infinite povver ther is an infinite essence and so God only vvas hee that could create it And if thou vvilt obstinately defend that an Angell or some other creature created it I vvill thus argevve against thee ether that creature vvhich thou imaginest to haue created the vvorlde vvas of it selfe or it vvas created of another If it vvas of it selfe it vvas God and so thou grauntest vvhich I endeuour to vvrest from thee by force of argument if it vvas created of another creature I aske vvho created that other and so at the lengthe I vvill leade thee to the first cause vvhich created all and vvas created of none vvhich is the God vvhom vvee seek for Secondly not only the vvholle vvorld but also euery parte of it vvill make a plain remonstraunce of a God-head And to begin vvith man vvho though hee bee a litle vvorld yet is but a parte of the great vvorld vvho I pray you vvas it that gaue the first man his being Vvee see by experience that men breed not as flyes and vvormes doe of the corruptiō of other liuing creatures nether do they spring out of the earthe like hearbes or toadstooles as Iulius Caesar sayd of the first inhabitauntes of England nether are they begotten of beasts of another kinde as mules and chickins are but rather as vve see by experience man only begetteth man and of no other liuing creatur no not of an Angel can he bee begotten Vvho then vvas it that gaue the first man his being of him selfe man could not bee bicause then had hee been a God of another man hee could not be begotten bicause no man could bee before the first man no other creature could beget him as is already proued ergô some thing that vvas no creature created him And vvhat is that but God Another part of the vvorld that the most noble is an angell And vvhoe I pray you created those spirits and immateriall substāces One Angell could not beget another bicause that vvould argewe thē to be materiall substāces corruptible creaturs and so no spirits To say that men can produce Angelles or that any other creature extant could do the same is farre lesse probable bicause they are the highest creatures in perfection and so could not bee produced of their inferiours It follovveth therfore that some cause not included vvithin the ranke of creaturs created them and vvhat can that bee but the Creatour l. 12. met c. 9. s. l. 1. de cas◠c. 9. To denye all Angells and spirits is against Philosophie and all the best Philosophers For Aristotle the Prince of Philosophers affirmeth that the heauens are not moued by their ovvne proper formes and faculties but by Angelles vvhich he calleth intelligences In Plyt ad Tyrannum in Sympo sio Zenoc l. de morte Mercur in Pymā dro Plato and the Platonists make often mention both of good an euill Angells So doth Plutarche also and diuers others and vvho hathe not read of Socrates familiare vvhich vvas called demonium that is a good or euil spirit Yea experience proueth that ther are deuils vvhich are spirits and differ only from the good Angells in mallice For if vvee behold the straunge effectes vvhich are to bee seene in those vv ch vvee call possessed persons vvee can not vvith any probabilitie ascribe all to a melancholike humour for those pullinges and conuulsions straunge motions and operations can not proceed from any humour or naturall and materiall cause Bicause vvee see them some tymes lifted vp from the ground some tymes they hovvle like dogges some tymes they yell like vvolues some tymes they tell secrets and speake in straunge languages The manifolde and straunge operations of vvitches their meetinges and voyages vvhich they make in the ayre the straunge apparitions vvhich all the vvorld talketh of and therfore can not lye bicause the voice of the people is the voice of God demonstrateth that ther are angelles and immaterial spirits And seing that these creaturs can nether produce one another nor bee produced of any create cause vvee must needes confesse a God and an increated spirit vvho created them The like proofe for a diuine povver the heauens do also yeeld vs for seing that noe creature nor second cause could create those huge and incorruptible bodyes vvee must needs confesse a God and first cause vvhoe extended and framed them Thirdly the goodly order and disposition of things vvhich vve see argueth a nature of intelligence not conteined vvithin the ranke of creaturs vvhich ruleth guidethe directeth all and appointeth euerie creatur his taske and place Vvee see hovv the Elements are disposed of and appointed euerie one to his natutall place The fier as moste noble and of a most light and aspiring nature taketh the highest place the aire and vvater take the middle roome bicause they participate of tvvoe extremes the one aggreeing vvith the fier in heat and ligthnesse the other vvith the earth in cold and heauynes And the earth being of a heauy and lumpish nature is vvorthilie thrust dovvn to the lovvest place Vve see hovve the heauens and planets moue in order and distinguishe the tymes and seasons neuer altering their course since they vvere created in so much that by their vniforme motion the Astrologers can tell most certainly the tyme yea minute of the chaung of the moone of the sonnes setting and rising and of the sonnes and moones Eclipses Vvee see the order and diuersitie of partes and members in plantes beasts and men vvhich are so furnished of all partes and faculties belonging vnto nature that there is noe parte vvanting none superfluouse not so much as a veine sinevv or litle bone as vve see by experience vvhen vve vvant the least of them The eyes are placed in the head vvhich is also made to turne about that vvee may looke about vs and therfore are called the guides of the body The eares are the organes of discipline bicause by them vvee heare vvhat others say vvithout the vvhich mans life vvere noe life at all bicause it should bee deuoid of conuersation The nose smelleth a farre of all odours vvhich are good or bad for the
bodyes healthe and besides it is the trompet of the voice The sence of feeling is dispersed throughe out all partes of the bodye vvhose office is to feele vvhatsoeuer approcheth or toucheth the body therby to fly it if it bee hurtefull as fier is or to take commoditie of it if it bee conuenient The mouthe receueth the sustenaunce and meare vvhich is necessarie for the bodye the toungue besides that it is the instrument of speaking and the interpretour of the mynd is to taste this meate and to iudge of it before it passe any farther vvhich iudgement beinge giuen the throate svvallovveth it dovvne The sto make boyleth and disgesteth it the liuer makes blood of it the veines coÌ„ueighe this blood to all partes of the body and nothing ther is not necessarie or expedient not so much as the guttes vvhose office as it is base bicause they are as it vvere the sinkes of the Kitchin to passe the filthe and excrementes so is it so necessarie that othervvise the body vvould bee poisoned and infected Tell me novv ô godless Atheist vvho it is that hathe sett dovvne this order vvho is he that so rulethe the motion of the heauens that they moue at the same tyme from East to vvest and backvvard againe and one vvithin another and one more slovvly then another and yet so that they hinder not one another Vvho hathe established a perpetuall peace amongest the fovvre elementes vvhich yet by reason of their contrarie qualities are of a iarring nature And vvho hathe so placed them as they may best aggree for the aire aggreethe vvith the fier in heat and therfore is placed nexte vnto him the vvater in moysture aggreeth vvith the ayre and in cold vvith the earthe and therfore is lodged betvvixte them vvheras if the vvater vvere placed next the fier and the ayr next vnto the earthe they vvould make vvarre coÌ„tinually one vppon another and neuer vvould bee satisfied vvithout the ruine of one another bicause they disagree in bothe qualities the fier being hoate and drye the vvater cold and most the aire hoat and moyst and the earthe cold and drye Vvho hathe so ordered the partes of the bodyes of liuing and mouing creaturs as they may best serue their turnes and by their proportion and disposition bee the greatest ornament Vvho sorteth all beasts vvith their kinde and placeth them in roomes fittest for their nature some in the vvater as fishes some in the aire as birds some on the earthe as beastes and plantes some in the fier as the Crekit and Salamandre Vvho setteth the plantes and hearbes and giues them a roote as a mouthe to receiue their conueniente nourriture and veines to conueighe it eueÌ„ from the roote to the highest bovves yea leaues and frutes and giues to euery one of them a seed or some other thing in steed of seed by vvhich they propagate them selues and retain a posteritie Vvho I pray thee ô vngodly Impe considering this goodly order and disposition vvhoe I pray thee beholding this goodly Pallace of God and men I mean the vvorlde in vvhich is all this furniture prouision order and disposition vvill not thinke of an artificer of intelligence vvhoe builded it and of a hovvs-keper most vvise and prouident vvho ruleth and disposeth of all in the same Thou vvilt say vvith Epicure and such gracelesse godlesse and vvitlesse companions that all this goodly order happened by a chaunce and that by the like chaunce this goodlye pallace vvith all the partes and vvorkmanship therof vvas framed and effectuated By chaunce sayest thou o man or rather no man but some monster of mankinde Considerest thou vvell vvhat it is vvhich thou auerrest to haue been effectuated by chaunce The printer shall neuer bee able to set his printe by casting his letters together at all aduentures the painter by a careles casting of his colours vppon a clothe or table shall neuer dravve his intended picture The mason by throvving of stones one at another shall neuer builde his goodly pallace And canst thou thinke that all this goodly order vvhich is set dovvne in the vvorlde that this curiouse peece of vvorke of the vvorlde at vvhich men and Angells stande astonished vvas framed and established by chaunce meddlie If thou shouldst enter into a vvestminster-Halle a Non-Such or Royall exchaunge in Ingland into a Louver in Paris or a Scurial in Spaine vvhere thou shouldst see statelie building aspiringe turrets loftie roofes vvittie conueighauÌ„ce of Roomes and chambers and orderly disposition of vvindovves pillers chimnies vvouldest thou or couldest thou imagin these artificiall vvorkes and buildinges to haue beene vvrought by a chauncing flight of stones froÌ„ the Quarrie and not rather by the arte and skill of some ingenious Artificer And canst thou entering into the sumptuouse building and pallace of the vvorld vvhose pauement is the earth paued vvith so ritche stones and metalls and rushed vvith the greenes of all hearbes and plantes vvhose foundation is the ceÌ„ter vvhich stayeth all vvhose roofe are the heauens siled so ritchely vvith so many bright and glittering starres vvhose vvalles are the same heaueÌ„s vvhich do not only couer but also compasse all aboat vvhose diuers roomes and lodgings are the fovvre elements in vvhich diuers creaturs according to their diuers naturs are diuersly lodged vvhole indvveller and inhabitaunt is man vvho vnder God also is Lord ouer all vvhose prouisioÌ„s and moueables are the goodes and fruites of the sea and lande layed vp in store for mans prouision Vvho I say entering into this Princely pallace so vvell ordered and gouerned can imagin all this to proceed from chaunce and not rather from an intelligent Artificer vvho vvorkes these vvonders and miracles of nature and a prouident prince vvho gouerneth and ruleth all so vvisely and like a pilot sitteth at the sterne guiding and directing the course of this vvorlde and of euerye creaturs actions l. 2. de natura deâ—rum For as Cicero that famouse Oratour and Philosopher auoucheth nothing is so open and so euident vvhen vvee looke vppon the heauens and the celestial bodies as that there is some diuine povver of most excellent vnderstanding by vvhome these thinges as they vvere first framed so are they still conserued and gouerned Fourthly against these vvitlesse Atheistes the very brute beastes shall argue for their Creatoure vvhose operations are so vvittye and agreable to the ende vvhich is to them by God and nature prescribed as if thy had discourse and vvere indevved vvith reasoÌ„ They feare those thinges vvhich are contrarie to their good and distinguishe the good from badd as if they had the science of good and badde The sheepe yea the younge lambe eueÌ„ at the first discerneth the vvoolfe from the dogge and quaketh at the very sight of him althoughe hee differeth litle froÌ„ the dogge vvhich hee ferreth not The chicken can put a difference betvvixe the kite and the Peacocke and feareth that litle caring for this althoughe in body bigger The byrdes feare the sparavv havvke
Mat. 2â— heauen is the common vvage of all Gods seruauntes a gole to runne at 1. Cor. 9. a crovvne to fight for In like manner to make vs to refrain from sinne for feare of hell Vide Bel. 〈◊〉 l. 4. de Christo c. 10. Auihorem Resolut Angl l. 1. p. 1. holy Scripture giues hell very terrible names and paints it forthe in terrible formes It is called in Greeke and Latin by names vvhich signifie a lovve deepe place vnder the ground in Hebrevve by a name vvhich signifieth a great goulfe The Prophet Malachie calles it a fornace c. 11 14. for the kindling of vvhich the vvicked must be the stravv and fevvel Apoc. 14.21 S. Ihon calles it the lake of Gods ire bicause the anger of God is as it vvere all gathered to that place and there especially is manifested in those exceeding torments yea he termes it also a standing poole replenished vvith fier and Brimston Christe him selfe giues it the name of outvvard Darkeness vvhere shal be vveeping and gnashing of teath Mat. 22. Iob saieth that in that place is noe order but sempiternall horrour 〈…〉 And vvhy dothe scripture so liuely set forthe these tvvo things heauen and hell but bicause God the autour of scripture vvould haue vs hope for the one and feare the other knovving that nothinge beareth greater svvay in the rule and good discipline of a coÌ„mon vvelthe then hope of revvard and feare of punishement For if the hope of temporall honours fame ritches giueth such courage to the harts of men that they vvill ronne thoroughe fier and vvater for the attaining of the same hovve shall the hope of heaueÌ„ and the immortall crovvnes vvhich there are layed vp for vs in store incite vs and egge vs for vvard vnto all laudable actions If Mutius could haue the courage to holde his hande in the fier for hope of temporall renovvne and glorie for such fortitude vvhat fiers and vvaters heat and cold shall not a Christian armed vvith hope of heauen bee able to endure couragiously Shall the souldiour ronne thoroughe the pikes and passe by the cannon mouthe for hope of a spoile or victorie and shall not Christians deuoure all difficulties for hope of heauen And looke hovv much hope eggeth for vvard to laudable actioÌ„s soe much and no less dothe feare restrayne vs from euil and is no lesse necessarie to bridle the licentiouse then hope to animate the vertuouse Vvherefore the ancients so esteemed feare that the citie of Spartha made it a God and dedicated a Temple vnto it as to the preseruer of their common vvelthe But bicause there are diuers kindes of feare it shal be necessarie to distinguish them that vvee may see vvhich is that feare vvhich is so commendable First therfore there is a vvordly and humain feare vvhich is conceued for some temporall euil or humaine respecte and this sometymes is good and sometimes also bad As for example if for feare of the princes displeasure or torment or deathe vvhich hee threatenethe vvee offende God in transgressing his lavv or doing against our conscience this feare is euil and no lesse euil then the sinne of vvhich it is the cause Mat. 2â— c. â—0 This feare made sainct Peter to deny his master vvhich also our Sauiour forbiddeth saying feare not them vvho kill the body that is offend not God for feare of them that can only kill the body but rather feare God vvho can cast bothe body and soule into the fier of hell But if for feare of the magistrate vvee absteine from sinne this feare is not euil and therfore S. Paule bidds vs feare the magistrate Rom. 15. bicause sayethe hee not vvithout cause he caryeth the svvord bicause he is the minister of God Th. 2. â— q. 1â— The second feare is called a reuerentiall feare vvhich proceedeth from a highe conceite of the diuine maiestie Psal 12. and remaineth as Dauid sayeth and that for euer also euen in the blessed For althoughe they be assured that they shall neuer suffer any euil and therfore feare no euil at Gods hands yet vvhen they behold the soueraigne Maiestie of God vvho punisheth the damned and could annihilatethe blessed if hee vvould they conceue a great reuerence vvhich is called reuerentiall feare much like as childreÌ„ vvho are assured that their father vvill not touch them yet conceue a reuerentiall feare at the very sight of him especially if they see him sharpe and seuere vvith his seruauntes The third feare is called filial or childrens feare vvhich maketh vs afrayed to sinne not for feare of punishment but for feare of offending and this feare they haue vvhoe thoughe they vvere sure neuer to suffer punishment nether in this life nor the nexte yet vvould not commit a sinne bicause it is an offence of God vvhich feare is called filial bicause good children are afrayed to do any thing vvhich shall offend their parentes thoughe they vvere sure they should not be punished Of vvhich feare saint Austin discoursing saieth in Psal 113. that othervvise dothe the adulteresse feare her husband othervvise the chaste Spouse she feareth least he come and punish but the other feareth least hee be offended and forsake her The fourthe is called seruile feare vvhich maketh vs to absteine from sinne for feare of hell and damnation vvhich is called seruile bicause it is proper to seruauntes to do their dutie for feare of punishment and this feare in expresse termes the reformers condemne as I shall relate the other feares their doctrine disallovveth But least I may seeme to charge them vvith more then they say I vvill make them speake in their ovvne vvordes their opinion of hope and feare l. â— Inst c. 15. § â— And first of Hope Caluin sayeth plainly that God is not delighted vvith that obedience vvhich the hope of revvard in heauen beateth out of vs in Antid sess 6. Can. â—â— for God sayeth hee louethe a chearfull giuer and forbiddeth any thing to be giuen as it vvere of heauinesse or necessitie So that according to Caluin it is sinne to giue almes or to fulfill the commaundements for hope of revvard in heauen But Caluins reason is as bad as his doctrine For hee proueâ—h it to bee vnlavvfull to bee obedient to God for hope of revvard bicause that is to giue God his devve vvith heauines and yet vvee see that hope is so farre froÌ„ making vs to do thinges heauilie and vvith an euil vvill that it encourageth vs and pricketh vs forvvard vvith a vvilling mynde as is all ready proued experience maye vvitnesse And as for feare of hell â— â— aepud Roff ser 3. pâ—â—nitent Luther coÌ„demnes it euen vnto hell saying that it maketh a man an hypocrite and a greater sinner And as coÌ„cerning the other kindes of feare their doctrine in a manner abolisheth them all They affirme as is before mentioned that noe lavves bynde in conscience vvhence follovve these
a vvaye his agevve to bee sicke noe more and if vve vvould hee vvould counte vs but fooles for our labours bicause these thinges are not in his choice Vvee are also vvary in our actions and heed-full least vvee erre or banger vvhich argueth that vvee maye do ill or vvell and consequently are not enforced by necessitie ether to the one or the other Vvee are angrye also vvith our subiectes for doinge certaine thinges and they meruaile not and yet if vvee vvould bee angrye vvith them for not mouing a mountayne or not carying a greater burdē they a mā is able to beare they vvould thinke vs mad if vve bee but angrie Vvee are angrye vvith our selues also blame and repent our selues for ouer shooting our selues in vvordes for making an euil bargaine for eating or drinking to much for stealing or such like actions vvhich is a signe that vve might haue doone other vvise else I demaund a reason vvhy vve repent not our selues that vve did not soare vp into the ayre vvhen our enemye pursued vs or the theefe robbed vs vve prayse and disprayse men for vertuous or vitious actions as for liberalitie and nigardnes and yet vve praise them not for grovving and vvaxing tall and bigge nether doe vvee disprayse them for litle stature or for not putinge forthe their limmes And vvhy but bicause those thinges are in their povver these are not and therfore vvorthy nether prayse nor dispraise vve aske also and enquire of men vvhy they did this vvhy they did not that As God asked Cain vvhy his countenaunce vvas fallen Gen. 〈◊〉 Vvhich argueth that they might haue done other vvise Or if Caluin vvill saye that vvee make enquirie of necessarie thinges then let him demaund of the Lion vvhy hee roareth of the asse vvhy hee brayeth of the sheep vvhy hee bleateth and of ye sicke man vvhy hee vvilbe sicke and the blinde mā vvhy hee seeth not But to leaue experience vvhich cōmonly is called the mistresse of fooles bicause it teacheth euen fooles to bee vviser and might persuade Luther Caluin also that man hathe freevvill vvere they not vvorse then fooles and as vvitlesse in this point as mad men I vvill demonstrate the same by reason also And first of al I demaūde vvhy revvardes are proposed not only by Princes but by God also for them that embrace vertuouse and heroicall actions Certes noe God a mercie to him that dothe vvell if hee could not do othervvise And vvhy do they prescribe punishmētes against transgressours of their lavves if ther bee noe free vvill Certainly hee that necessarilie is euill is rather vvorthy compassiō then payne or punishment Or vvhy doe God and Princes sette dovvne lavves and preceptes for their subiectes to obserue If they haue noe free vvill they may as vvell prescribe lavves to sheepe that they grase not vppon other mens groundes or to horses that they breake not their masters Hedges to ronne into their neighbours corne or vvolues that they vvorrye not the innocēt lambes or to foxes that they liue not vppon the spoile of the Poulterers hens and capons Vvhy are not mad men punished for the euil vvordes vv ch they speake or euil deedes vvhich they doe in their madnesse seing that thy haue as much free vvill as men haue vvhē their vvittes are freshest Secondly man is endevved vvhich reason to vnderstand not only vvhat the end is but also vvhat are the meanes to attaine vnto the same hee seeth that there are many particuler endes to vvhich hee may apply him selfe he seeth also many meanes to attaine vnto the end vvhich hee proposeth vnto him selfe as if he propose health hee perceues that this hee may attaine ether by purging or letting blood or exercise or diet And seing that the vvill follovvethe the vnderstanding vvhich is her eye vvithout vvhich shee is blinde and can nether loue nor hate nether desire nor feare it must needs follovve that as the vnderstanding proposeth many meanes and apprehendeth none of them in particuler necessarie bicause if one bee not vsed another vvill serue so the vvill hathe freedom to vse vvhich meanes shee vvill bicause the vnderstanding iudgeth none in particuler necessarie and therfore by preiudicate opinion enforceth her to none And in this may be seen a difference betvvixte men and brute beastes bicause thoughe they chaunge their imaginations and imagin one vvhile vvater to bee conuenient another vvhile meate yet that vvhich they first apprehend caryeth a vvay their appetites by a svvaye of necessitie Lastly ther vvas neuer yet any nation so barbarouse vvhich confessed not vertue to bee in some of our actions vice in others and therfore they prayse the one and dispraise the other and yet if vvee haue noe free vvill it must needes follovve that ther is noe more vice vertue in our actions then in operations of beastes as I shall in another chapter proue most manisestly But they vvill say as commonly they say vvhen they knovv not vvhat to saye that in reasons may be sophistrie and deceite and that therfore against all the experience and reason alleaged for free vvill vvee must beleeue the holy vvord of Scripture vvhich reiecteth free vvill Is it soe and are scriptures contrarie to reason I vvill not deny but scripture teacheth many thinges aboue reason but that it teacheth any thinge against reason is moste vntrue For as grace perfiteth nature in eleuating it to a higher being and to more heroicall actions then of it selfe it can attain vnto and in noe vvise destroyeth it so scripture vvhich is the booke of faithe leadeth reason farther then of her selfe shee could goe but induceth her not to any thing vvhich is against reason for so God vvhich is the autour of reason and faithe in ruinating reason by faith and scripture should denye him selfe bicause he should be contrary to him selfe Yea if Scripture should deny freevvill it should be contrarie to it selfe bicause it giueth as plaine testimony for it as for any thing Eccl. 6 1◠dothe not Ecclesiasticus affirme that God from the beginning created man and lefte him in the hand of his ovvn counsail dothe hee not saye in the same place if thou vvilt keep the commaundemētes they shall keepe thee dothe he not againe inculcate free vvill vnto vs saying God hath set before thee vvater and fier to vvhich thou vvilte put thy hande To vvhat end doth God saye to man if thou vvilte if man haue noe freevvill vvere it not ridiculous if one should say to a blinde má that can not see if thou vvilte looke and thou shalte finde or to a lame mā if thou vvilte follovve mee thou shalt not lose thy paynes Is c. 1. ◠30. The like vvordes to the former hathe Esaie the Prophete If you vvill and shall heare me you shall eate the goods of the earth Ang againe this sayeth our Lord God of Israel if you retourne and cesse from sinne you shall be saued The like speeches vseth allmightie