Common Places, Letters · Letter 43
To the Church of ſtraungers at London. 45.
IT ſéemes that Hadrian hath dealt verie vnprofitablie, who hath diſquieted the Church in moouing of that controuerſie whereof our aduiſe of late was aſked. Further herein is he the leſſe to be allowed becauſe hee defendeth that opinion whereby the hearers are rather deſtroyed than edified in the true and right doctrine of faith. Whether obſtinate hereſie as touching the perſon of Chriſt exclude the Anabaptiſts from ſaluation.For whereas he affirmed that the peruerſe opinion touching the fleſh of Chriſt brought from heauen, and not taken of the bleſſed virgin, doeth not depriue the Anabaptiſts of ſaluation, they continuing obſtinatelie therein, but that they being yet of that opinion, belong as well vntounto Chriſt as vntounto the Church, doeth not this extenuate both the weight and miſchiefe of that hereſie? And doth it not confirme thoſe wretched men in their errours? And doth it not call backe others from the carefulneſſe to ſhunne and auoide that errour? But he ſaith, They which are touched with the feare of God, will giuegive place to thoſe which ſhewe them that they liue in a great and daungerous errour. Howbeit I would faine knowe how grieuous an errour, or how horrible a daunger that is, which plucketh not men from eternall ſaluation, but ſuffereth them ſtill to be both members of Chriſt and alſo parts of the Church. The Apoſtle, when he would exaggerate certaine ſinnes aboue others, ſaith, 1. Cor. 6. 8.They that commit ſuch things ſhall not poſſeſſe the kingdome of God. If the faithfull miniſters of Chriſt, although they by aſſured teſtimonies of the worde of God confute & earneſtly ſpeake againſt this opinion, namely, that ſuch as ſo erre ſhall periſh vnleſſe they repent, bring not to paſſe that they will yéeld vntounto the trueth, ſhall we beléeue that they will ſooner yéelde and bee healed, when they heare that their opinion though it be falſe and againſt the word of God, doth not exclude them either from ſaluation or from Chriſt? It is not likelie: nay rather, when they ſhall be taught things which bée true and contrarie vntounto their dreames, they will ſaie vntounto a ſounde teacher: thou looſeſt thy time and thy labour. I depart not from that opinion which I hauehave taken vponupon me to defend, wherof I alow, becauſe it doth not ſeparate men from eternall life. Furthermore the faithfull men will ſaie: Whie doe we ſo diligentlie ſhunne and auoide theſe men ſince to kéepe them companie is not pernitious? For if we ſhoulde bee infected with their contagion, we ſhal be in no daunger at all in the end. Hadrian who otherwiſe is againſt the Anabaptiſtes, and as we hauehave heard is commended for ſinceritie of life, did negligentlie conſider of theſe thinges, therefore he ſuppoſeth that it is anſwered by that his Dilemma: He with whom we deale either feareth God, or elſe is deſtitute of his feare. If he doe not feare, but doe rather deſpiſe him, he looſeth his labour, ſéeing through ſuch a contempt he is made blinde. But if he be indued with the feare of God, he will aſſent vntounto him yt rightlie admoniſheth. Howbeit both parts of the argumēt are eaſilie refelled. He that feareth not God, and when the puniſhment of eternal death is ſet before him procéedeth in contemning of him, procureth vntounto himſelfe a more gréeuous iudgement, & harder condemnation. But he that is indued with the feare of God, will by applying of more vehement ſpurs haſten with a ſwifter courſe vntounto the trueth. Wherefore ſuch doctrine as this hath no fruite and draweth much loſſe with it. Thoſe things in effect iudge we of the whole cauſe. Now wil we come to examine particularlie the parts and members thereof, which we are faine to doe in fewe words and briefelie, ſéeing we hauehave other buſineſſe in hande, which although we woulde we may not intermit.
This firſt of all we cannot chooſe but maruell at that the Anabaptiſts are affirmed to hauehave a true mediatour although they beléeue that his fleſh was brought from heauen, Whether the Anabaptiſts doe acknowledge the true mediator.not taken of the virgin. Vndoubtedlie a mediator he cannot be, vnleſſe he both be, and be comprehended by faith according as God hath ordained him, and reuealed him in his promiſes. But he decreed that he ſhoulde hauehave fleſh of men: and this he teſtified by euident and plaine wordes in the holie ſcriptures. So as they, which attribute vntounto him a heauenly fleſh, hauehave not the mediatour promiſed by God, but him whom they hauehave inuented to themſelues and imagined of their owne braine. It is obiected, that thoſe men doe not ſée nor perceiue that ſuch a mediator is ſet foorth and promiſed by God, as ought to hauehave taken fleſh of Marie. What they can ſée, or what they cannot ſée, it maketh little or nothing to the matter. This doubtleſſe are they driuen to beléeue, that in the holie Oracles it is left vntounto vsus for a moſt certaintie, we doe not affirme, that they doe ſée theſe things. But this be we aſſured of, that not to ſée nor profeſſe thoſe things, but with full mouth to denie them, remooueth them from ſaluation. A iudgemēt as touching the Iewes.As touching the Iewes of our times which crie out that they cannot finde by the holie ſcriptures that Meſſias is yet come, but ſay that they do beléeue in him as did the Patriarches & Prophets, and as their forefathers beléeued: what will Hadrian iudge? Will he ſaie that they be not out of the kingdome of heauen? Let him ſaie what he will, we will ſaie with Iohn that they be antichriſts which ſay that Chriſt is not come in the fleſh. 1. Iohn. 4. 3.A blindneſſe in thoſe thinges which the ſcripture teacheth concerning the mediatour remooueth not damnation from the vnfaithfull. That blindneſſe is laide vponupon vsus as a iuſt puniſhment of former ſinnes which when it tranſgeſſeth the lawe and bounds of faith, it taketh not eternall damnation away, They that denie the conſequent, denie alſo the Antecedent.but rather procureth the ſame.
Neither is it truely ſayde, that it comes oftentimes to paſſe that they which denie the conſequent doe not denie the antecedent; for they in déede doe denie this, although in words they ſéeme ſo much to graunt it: For the ouerthrowing of the conſequent is ſo repugnant to the antecedent, as they can not ſtande together. But thou wilt ſay, that vnawares they take away [the antecedent of Chriſtes humanitie]. I graunt it: but ignorance as touching naturall & prophane thinges is counted but a light matter, but in articles of the faith it bringeth the extremeſt and chiefeſt loſſe. And it is not nowe called ignorance but incredulitie. Matt. 1. 25. Luke. 2. 7.But that Chriſt was borne of the virgine Marie, no man of ſounde religion doubteth but that the ſame doth belong to the chiefe pointes of faith. And for man to be borne of a mother, is not onelie to paſſe through the wombe of her, and this euen children themſelues doe knowe. Further we confeſſe that he was not onlie borne of a virgin, but that hee was alſo conceiued of her. And who I beſéech you will ſay, that thoſe things which paſſe through the wombe are conceiued? Howbeit we are not nowe about to bring foorth teſtimonies of the ſcriptures, whereby the Anabaptiſts may bee conuinced, & that it may be ſhewed to them that the fleſh of Chriſt was receiued of his mother, but to the intent wee may prooue, that they which denie this which truelie belongeth to a mediatour, doe vtterlie take awaie the mediatour himſelfe, although by mouth and wordes they profeſſe that they beléeue and confeſſe him. A ſimilitudeIf in anie kingdome a man ſhould teach that we ſhould not for anie cauſe obey a king: and yet neuertheleſſe would confeſſe him to be lawefull king, and that he holdeth the ſame kingdome by right of inheritance, hee ſhould as I thinke be puniſhed by death, neither ſhould it anie thing auaile him to crie that he ſéeth not the dependencie or connection betwéene the conſequent and the antecedent. But they which were wiſe or had anie knowledge at all of politike gouernement, would ſay vntounto him either thou ſéeſt or ſéeſt not this knitting together, by denying this yt is the conſequēt thou ouerthroweſt alſo the antecedent. Neither are the papiſtes deliuered from the curſe and euerlaſting deſtruction in this reſpect that they thinke themſelues to preach no other goſpell than that which the Apoſtles taught, and they themſelues moreouer denie, that they doe ſée a iuſt and effectuall coniunction betwéene their doctrine and that which is accurſed. Yet for all that, theſe thinges muſt not in ſuch ſort be vnderſtoode, as though we do not thinke that they ſinne more gréeuouſlie who reiect and oppreſſe the trueth which they verie well knowe than they of whome conſequentes are denied and antecedentes by wordes and falſe opinion affirmed, but in vaine, ſince theſe may not conſiſt with the contraries of the conſequent. Theſe men in déede doe ſinne ſomewhat leſſe, yet ſo gréeuouſlie notwithſtanding, as vnleſſe they at the length repent them, That the Anabaptiſts hauehave no true mediator.they ſhal periſh eternally, ſéeing they hauehave no true mediatour but ſuch a one as they themſelues hauehave forged.
Neither doth Hadrians ſimilitude belong anie thing vntounto this matter. Whether the Anabaptiſts doe beléeue in Chriſt. Mat. 26. 27The Hebrewes (ſaieth hee) of a falſe opinion doe thinke that our Lorde Ieſus was nothing elſe but a méere man, and that a ſeditious and naughtie man. Wherefore they being deceiued by this errour did naile him to the croſſe, which iniurie of theirs, although it procéeded of a falſe opinion, yet did it breake out againſt verie Chriſt, not againſt a fained Chriſt. So the Anabaptiſtes when they beléeue and call vponupon Chriſt which ſuffered for vsus, which roſe againe, and by whome ſinnes are fréely forgiuen, although they thinke that he brought his fleſh out of heauen, yet doe they not ſtray farre from a true mediatour. Héere doe we ſay that vnleſſe a man doe diligentlie examine ſimilitudes, he ſhall eaſilie be deceiued by them. True in déede it is, that the errours of men doe not change thinges: for the nature of God is not peruerted by the falſe opinions of men, as being that which alwaies abideth the ſelfe ſame, firme, and vnſhaken. A diſtinctiō of mens actions.But yet the actions of men muſt be diſtinguiſhed. Some are ſo conuerſant about their ſubiectes as they imprint nothing at all in them, they change or innouate nothing: ſuch is the action of knowing or beléeuing. For thinges which be knowen and beléeued, ſuffer nothing at all of them that beléeue and knowe. But there be other workes which doe deforme and alter ſometime to the better and ſometime to the worſe the matter about which they are conuerſant: So the true Chriſt by the Iewes, although they were deceiued, was ſcourged woonded and ſlaine. But in the firſt kinde of actions, if there happen to be an errour, the thinges themſelues are not comprehended, but certaine other thinges farre differing from thē. This will I declare by examples: Similitudes.If anie man that exerciſeth his wit in mathematical figures would iudge that a triangle hath foure corners, he ſhould not comprehende in his minde a very triangle, but a quadrangle: vndoubtedly he ſhould erre and by that error it would come to paſſe, that he ſhould not attaine to the thing which he had thought to doe, but vnſkilfully be occupied about other thinges. So in naturall thinges they which affirme that mans ſoule is a vaniſhing blaſt of winde or a flame that ſhall be ſoone quenched, ſhould not comprehende in their minde the true ſoule of man, but either a vaniſhing blaſt, or a litle fire to periſh within a while: ſo as they that erre are commonlie ſaide to take one for an other. Therefore the Anabaptiſts while they dreame that Chriſt tooke not fleſh of the virgin, ſince they erre ſo gréeuouſlie in yt ſame, now do they not beléeue in the true mediatour, neither doe they attaine vntounto him by faith, but are caried to one whome they themſelues hauehave forged, not yt their error hath changed the true Chriſt, but becauſe they are not occupied with their faith about him. And he whō they hauehave feigned did neither die nor ſuffer, nor yet is anie where extant. Indéed they take the actions & properties of verie Chriſt, and faſten them to their Chriſt whom they imagine, but all in vaine: for ſince this is doone by their onelie imagination, 1. kings. 12. 28.all this is a monſter but not true Chriſt. Ieroboam alſo and his complices ſaide, that they in that figure and viſible ſigne worſhipped not calues but god. But ye ſcripture in Paralipomenon teſtifieth that their imagination was made fruſtrate becauſe they did theſe ſeruices not to Iehoua, 2. Chron. 11. 15.but vntounto diuels. Neither ought anie to ſtirre vp hatred againſt vsus for Luthers cauſe. As touching him we decree nothing, ſéeing God at the laſt or while he was dying might lighten him as I am perſwaded was doone vntounto Cyprian, when he ſhedde his bloulde for Chriſt his ſake. Of aboundant greatneſſe is the merciemercy of God: God doth not forſake thē yt be his, & thoſe which he ſéemeth to hauehave forſaken he helpeth being at the point of death. Howbeit we doe here ſpeake of them which be obſtinate and doe not repent. And vndoubtedlie the ſelfe ſame queſtion might bee mooued as touching Tertullian, and Origen, and ſuch like fathers, which erred from the trueth in verie weightie matters, when as in diuerſe other thinges they wrote verie agréeably to the right faith, Howbeit we iudge not here of men which perhaps by the benefit of God repented them before their death, but of them onelie which of an obſtinate minde continue in their error vntill the laſt end. Moreouer we affirme that the weight and hurt of this error is ſo great, as it damneth euerlaſtinglie thoſe which abide and indure therin vntil the end. Further this belongeth little or nothing to our matter. For yt which is brought as touching Luther belongeth vntounto the fact, but we reaſon of the lawe. Now we hauehave no other right than that which the holie Ghoſt hath appointed in ye ſcriptures of God: where Iohn ſaith, 1. Iohn. 4. 3.that they which confeſſe not Chriſt to hauehave come in the fleſh, are Antichriſtes.
But Hadrian which earneſtlie trauelleth in the Anabatiſtes behalfe, aunſwereth, that they with open mouth confeſſe that Chriſt came in the fleſhe, although they denie that the ſame was taken of the virgin. Howbeit it behooueth to vnderſtande the oracle of Iohn according to his owne meaning and ſenſe. But he when he maketh mention of fleſhe, vnderſtandeth no other than yt which the diuine promiſes hauehave expreſſed: Namelie which ſhoulde be the ſéede of Eue, the ſéede of Abraham, the ſéede of Dauid, and the infant of Marie. The holie Ghoſt is not contrarie to him ſelfe. Wherefore that which he ſpake by Iohn, is al one thing with yt which ye diuine promiſes hauehave ſhewed in other Canonicall bookes. Wee knowe as thou doeſt, (O Hadrian) that Chriſt to hauehave come in the fleſh, & to hauehave taken the ſame of the virgin, are two thinges, and are in ſuch ſort two, as the one maie be beléeued without the other: as at this daie we ſée it come to paſſe in the Anabaptiſtes. Howbeit we ought not to hauehave reſpect what they do, but what God requireth of Chriſtian men. He aſſuredlie wil hauehave thoſe two to be ioyned together in one article, whereby the benefit exhibited by the promiſes which were made before as touching him ſhoulde not be ſeuerall.
Who moreouer wil not maruell that the Anabaptiſtes are reckened among them which (Chriſt the true foundation beeing preſerued,) build vppon him hay, 1. Cor. 3. 11ſtrawe and ſtubble, which thinges although they ſhal be burned, yet they that hauehave builded ſhall be ſaued becauſe of the foundations. In what reſpect Chriſt is the foundation of the Church. Gen. 4. 15. Gen. 17. 7. Pſal. 132. 11Aſſuredlie Chriſt is not the foundation of ſaluation, except ſo farre foorth as it is laid by God: for he, as the ſcriptures moſt plainely teſtifie, gaue and promiſed him, as touching the humane nature, to bee the ſéede of Eue, the ſéede of Abraham, the ſéede of Dauid, and the ſonne of man, that is of Marie. Why do we not rather by hay, ſtubble, and ſtraw, vnderſtande to bee noted infinite genealogies vaine bablings, vnwritten verities, vnſeaſonable viſions, allegories, and diuers traditions of men which maie or maie not bee beléeued. All theſe thinges although they bée not plaine repugnaunt againſt Chriſt, yet becauſe they builde not, they ſhall be burned with the fire of the diuine iudgement, although that the authors becauſe of the ſound foundation from which they departed not ſhall not periſh euerlaſtinglie. But to beléeue that the fleſhe of the Lorde was not taken of the virgin, muſt not be accounted among thoſe trifles before rehearſed.
That the ſubſtance of Chriſts fleſh was taken of the Virgin.Neither ſhall it in anie wiſe be graunted, that the fleſh taken of the virgin is not the ſubſtance of Chriſt, but rather (as it is called) a light circumſtance, ſéeing the verie ſubſtance of the bodie of Chriſt was fleſhe receiued of the Virgin: For from thence was drawen the bodilie matter and ſubſtance of Ieſus the mediator of God and men, whereby comes to paſſe, that it ought in no wiſe to be referred vntounto the circumſtance. Whervnto is to bee added that the generation of man doth rather belong vntounto the efficient cauſe thereof than vntounto the circumſtance. Wée are not ignorant that among the Logitians and Rhetoricians, Parentes are placed among circumſtances, but this is not doone in reſpect of their bodilie ſubſtance, but for their properties and conditions ſake, to wit, that from thence may bee deriued probable arguments either of praiſe or diſpraiſe of Children. For if a man hauehave had noble parentes, excellent and valiant, hee is therefore commended, and as touching him that he will become ſuch a one, a verie likelie argument is gathered. Alſo ſuch craftes men hauehave béene accuſtomed to put the manner in the number of the circumſtances. But fleſhe taken of the Virgin belongeth neither vntounto the meaſure nor yet vntounto the qualitie of Chriſt, but is, (as we hauehave ſaide) the ſubſtance as touching his humanitie. Luke. 1. 35.But the manner of his generation maie be thus ſaid to be, namelie, that he was begotten without the ſéed of man: becauſe not the ſtrength of her huſband but the power of the holie Ghoſt formed and faſhioned out the childe borne of the bleſſed Virgin. Theſe in verie déede I might graunt to be circumſtaunces, but yet ſo neceſſarie to be beléeued, as he that confeſſeth not that Chriſt was conceiued without the ſéede of man, and made by the power of the holie Ghoſt, and alſo formed of the fleſhe of the Virgin, is both eſtraunged from the Church and from ſaluation. Wherfore we ſay, that the fleſhe taken of the Virgin is no circumſtance of Chriſt as he is man but that it belongeth to his ſubſtance. Againe if we ſhoulde alſo graunt that the ſame doeth belong vntounto circumſtances, yet it is not gathered thereof that that is not neceſſarie to be beléeued, ſince to ſuffer, to die, to be buried, to riſe againe, and to reigne in heauen, being the actions of Chriſt, are vndoubtedly reckened among his circūſtances: which whoſoeuer doth not faithfully beléeue, and confeſſe, doeth vtterlie fall from the hope of ſaluation vnleſſe he repent.
And it is a woonderfull thing to determine as Hadrian doeth, that the taking of the fleſh of the virgin Marie was a thing neceſſarie vntounto our ſaluation, and that yet afterwarde the thing ſhould be ſo extenuated, as they which beléeue the contrarie are ſaide to bee partakers of ſaluation. And I doe not much maruell at this, becauſe he after a ſort qualifying a thing of it ſelfe ſo harde, ſaieth, that hee doeth not vtterly condemne them but commit them to the iudgement of God. This is not rightly to diuide the worde of trueth in religion and holie doctrine. 1. Tim. 1. 19.Why did Paul pronounce them to hauehave made a ſhipwracke of the faith, which ſaide that the Reſurrection was alreadie paſt? Whether I beſéeche you appeareth it more manifeſtly out of the holy ſcriptures that the Reſurrection ſhall be, or that Chriſt is the true ſéede of Eue, the ſonne of Abrahā, the ſonne of Dauid, & that he was the ſéede of them? The ſcriptures plainely and manifeſtly affirme both, and both of them belong to the articles of ye faith. For wee confeſſe, that wee beléeue in Ieſus Chriſt the ſonne of God, conceiued and borne of the virgin Marie, not in him which paſſed through her as through a Conduite. Paule ſaieth not that he leaueth them to the iudgement of God, but he openly pronounceth that they were fallen from the faith: and ſhall not wée account theſe men woorthie of condemnation? Alſo the Churche did not leaue the Arrians, Neſtorians, Eutichians, Ebionites and ſuch like peſtilent ſectes to the iudgement of God, but by manifeſt and open iudgement condemned them, who neuertheleſſe ceaſed not to crie out, that they ſawe not the conſequentes and collections betwéene the wordes of the holie ſcriptures, and the opinions which the right beléeuers defended. Therefore let vsus meaſure things not according as they ſéeme good vntounto Heretikes, but according as they bee expreſſed in the holie ſcriptures.
Neither doeth Hadrian a thing méete for his profeſſion, who therefore putteth vsus to buſineſſe, becauſe that children and madde men hauehave ſaluation without faith, whereas notwithſtanding ye holie ſcriptures affirme, Hebr. 11. 5.that by faith men are ſaued and doe pleaſe God: for theſe things doe belong to the ſtate and condition of the Anabaptiſtes, ſéeing they be both of full age, and hauehave their right wittes, who likewiſe hauehave leaſure to reade the ſcriptures and holie ſermons, and they may alſo heare the anſweres of godly men. We iudge it alſo to be a ſuperfluous queſtion touching faith, why God hath required the ſame at our handes, ſéeing if it had pleaſed him he coulde hauehave made men bleſſed without it. For what néede hauehave we to diſpute of the will of God, ſéeing that the ſame manifeſtly ynough appeareth in the holie ſcriptures? This rather we ought to labour and earneſtly indeuour that wee may by prayers vntounto God attaine to the ſame and to the daily increaſe thereof, & that thoſe things which we beléeue wée may through the perſwaſion of faith, expreſſe in our life & déedes, [and ſhewe] howe great power is placed in vsus by GOD. Wee ought not to be ſuch as would knowe the cauſes and reaſons of the diuine counſels.
That moreouer ſéemes more than marueilous that this is decreed by Hadrian, to bée a thing neceſſarie to bee beléeued vntounto ſaluation, without which may not bee beléeued that ſinnes are fréely forgiuen vsus by Chriſt. That in verie déede is the chiefe ſum and principall point of the Goſpell: but ſée I beſéeche you that if a man ſay he beléeueth this and in the meane time denieth the Reſurrection of the dead, whether may he bée ſaide to embrace the true Goſpell of Chriſt? I ſuppoſe he doeth not, nay rather I affirme that he, while he is thus perſwaded is not partaker of eternall ſaluation. Alſo another will ſay, that he doeth imbrace that article as a thing out of doubt: who notwithſtanding on the other part will denie that the ſonne of God is equall and of one ſubſtance with the father, and will holde opinion that the holie Ghoſt is a creature. What ſhall héere be doone? Shall wee allowe them ſaluation and reſt according to this rule? And ſhall we embrace them as the members of Chriſt and partes of the Church, ſo as they beléeue that ſinnes are fréely forgiuen them by the Mediatour?
Nowe let vsus come to the knowen *He meaneth the principall points of Religion Whether it be of neceſſitie to vnderſtand all the opiniōs as touching Chriſt.demonſtrations and properties. Séeing (ſayeth he) there hauehave bin many; if a man conſent vntounto all, onelyonly one excepted, vndoubtedly it is abſurde and vncharitable to exclude him from eternall ſaluation, becauſe he reiecteth onelyonly one of thoſe principles. Yea (ſaieth he) there muſt rather be a conſideration had of the number which he admitteth, than of that one which he refuſeth and is againſt. Herevnto we anſwere, that all the words of God, ſo farre foorth as they hauehave flowed from him, are of like weight and authoritie, and therefore it is not lawful for any man at his owne pleaſure to receiue one thing, and to confute another thing, and to reiect it as falſe. Iame. 2. 10.Iames boldlie ſaieth: He that ſinneth in one is made guiltie of all. If this hauehave place as touching the obedience of the commaundements, it ſhall alſo be true as touching things which muſt bee beléeued. And doeth not Hadrian ſée, that this reaſon of his being allowed, euen Arrius himſelfe muſt bee acknowledged as a member of Chriſt? For he will ſay: I admit all other demonſtrations, properties and markes, which other faithful men doe beleeue, onelie one excepted, namelie that I affirme the ſonne of God to bee a creature. And not onelie Arrius, but innumerable other Heretickes alſo, by this mild and remiſſe cenſure will fill ye Church with their Hereſies, and in the bodie of Chriſt there will be ſuch a foule ſincke of ſects that in the ende all will become moſt ſhamefull and vncleane.
Neither is this true, that the Anabaptiſts when they affirme that the ſonne of God brought fleſh with him out of heauen, and that he tooke not the ſame of the virgin doe onelyonly ſtande againſt one demonſtration, propertie, or note of the Chriſtian faith: ſith this errour of theirs doth drawe with it verie manie other. For all at once they denie that Chriſt as touching the humane nature, was the ſéede of Eue: For vntounto his ſubſtance doth her ſéede belong, neither is it of an heauenlie nature. Alſo they denie it to be the ſéede of Abraham wherein all nations of the earth ſhould receiue bleſſing. Neither can it appeare vntounto him that Meſsias is the ſonne of Dauid which the ſcripture euerie where teſtifieth ſhould verilie be: neither can they admit that the virgin conceiued her ſonne and brought him foorth, as the Prophets and Euangeliſts doe confirme. Howe moreouer will they ſaie with the ſcriptures that Marie was the mother of Ieſus? Or howe will they confeſſe him to bee the ſonne of man? If their ſaying were true, he ſhalbe none of our brother, neither hath he béene partaker with his brethren, Heb. 2. 14.as vntounto the Hebrues it is written that he was.
I coulde eaſilie alſo gather other things, whereby I might declare that not onelyonly one demonſtration or principall article of the right Chriſtian faith but verie manie are taken away of the Anabaptiſts through this their wicked opiniō. But foraſmuch as I thinke thoſe to bee ſufficient which I hauehave alledged, I will ſurceaſe: & nowe touch that wherein we are ſaide to deale not logicallie but rather ſophiſticallie, That Chriſt is no mediator vnleſſe he be alſo a man.when we affirme Chriſt to be no mediatour, if he tooke not fleſh of the virgin Marie. For (as Hadrian ſaith) this is concluded of vsus *Non ſimpliciter, led lecundum quid.not abſolutely but in ſome reſpect, namelie as touching the Anabaptiſts, but their opinion tranſformeth not ye nature of things. I cannot ſufficiently maruell what this deuiſe can make to the confuting of thoſe arguments which be excéeding good & plaine. It is none of our minde there to ſhewe that Chriſt is not the true mediator (for they affirme that ſame for a moſt certaine and vndoubted docttrine:) but this point wée hauehave to prooue that by the receiued opinion of the Anabaptiſts, that thing doth plainelie followe. Neither do they thus arguing depart from the fathers vſuall forme of diſputing. The way to confute falſe opinions.For the Eccleſiaſticall teachers while they diſpute with heretikes are woont to bring foorth a ſentence, which not onelie is true but common vntounto both parts. For they drawe the ſame out of the holie ſcriptures, afterwarde they adde the falſe opinion of them againſt whom they diſpute: thereof they gather ſome groſſe and odious abſurditie. But ſince this cannot be gathered of the common propoſition which is verie euident & is true, it remaineth that it follow by the aduerſaries owne propoſition. It is no rare but a vſuall kinde of argument, whereby thoſe men whom we preſſe in diſputing are driuen to confeſſe abſurdities. So likewiſe doth Ariſtotle diſpute againſt Parmenides Meliſſus and others of the olde writers: That he firſt taketh as graunted which is both verie manifeſt and moſt true, then hée addeth the opinion of thoſe olde writers: whereof he concludeth moſt abſurde ſentences, not being ſuch doubtleſſe, as he himſelfe will holde but whereby he may ſhewe vntounto them which allowed the opinions of the olde writers into what follies and abſurdities they did headlong caſt themſelues. For not all demonſtrations or arguments can be direct and abſolute, wherefore manie there be and are founde, which are aſcribed vntounto ſome certaine men or their errours, and doe refell onelyonly them particularly and not all others generallie.
Further there ſéemes but ſmall conſideration in them to require of vsus, that we ſhould ſhewe a place certaine and euident in the holie ſcriptures, That errors are not particularly condemned in ye ſcriptures.wherein they are declared both to be damned and to be voide of ſaluation, which beléeue not that Chriſt tooke his fleſh of the virgin. For it is ſufficient that we are generally commaunded, to giuegive credite vntounto all thoſe things which the ſonne of God and the holie ghoſt by himſelfe, by the Prophets and Apoſtles hath ſpoken: This is my ſonne, Matt. 17. 5.heare him. Neither did it ſéeme good vntounto God, to make particular mention in the holie ſcriptures of all the errours which in time to come ſhould iſſue out of the braine of hereticks, it was ſuffitient there to teach thoſe things which were to be beléeued. Vndoubtedlie (as it is ſaid in the ſchooles by the learned) A thing that is ſtraight or right is iudge both of it ſelfe and of that which is crooked. That expreſſing had béene ouer labourſome, and in a manner infinite, if I ſhoulde ſtraie almoſt innumerable wayes from the ſcope which can be attained but one waie. What ende I beſéech you ſhould there be of writing, if all the peruerſe opinions of them that erre ſhoulde in expreſſe words bée diſcourſed together with their condemnation? It is generallie ynough ſpoken by Paul: He that ſhall preach anie other Goſpel than we hauehave preached, let him be accurſed. Gal. 1. 8.Which ſaying I doe not thinke ſhould bée ſo ſtraitlie driuen as Hadrian thinketh: as though the ſame ought onelie to be vnderſtoode touching that rule wherein it is ſaide that Sinnes are freelie forgiuen vsus through Chriſt. Indéede the ſame is the moſt happieſt meſſage of all other: but yet it is the Goſpell alſo which the Apoſtles taught in like manner of other principall articles. Whereupon Paul in the 2. Epiſtle to Timothie the 2. Verſe. 8.chapter ſaith, Remember that Ieſus Chriſt made of the ſeede of Dauid was raiſed againe from the deade according to my Goſpel. Beholde nowe in the ſame place, vnderunder the name of the Goſpell is comprehended the doctrine which teacheth that both Chriſt is riſen from the deade, and is borne of the ſéede of Dauid. And to preach the Goſpell otherwiſe, is nothing elſe with the Apoſtle than that which he ſaide in the firſt Epiſtle to Timothie the 6. chapter foreign yt is to ſay otherwiſe to teach. Wherefore it muſt not be ſuffered that that ſame ſaying of the Apoſtle ſhoulde be reſtrained to one Article onelie. Neither can there be anie reaſon aſſigned, whie that cannot iuſtlie be called a good meſſage and gladſome preaching whereby it is teſtified and declared vntounto the worlde that God ſtoode vntounto the promiſes who ſent his ſonne to take fleſh of the ſéede of Eue, of Abraham and of Dauid, euen as in old time he promiſed by his Prophets to doe. Therefore ſince we hauehave theſe generall ſayings, it is not to be looked for that we ſhould ſhewe this or that errour to be condemned and ſuppreſſed by name and in expreſſe words in the ſcriptures. For where ſhall we finde there that they be condemned and are eſtraunged from God, which doe not receiue the bookes of the olde teſtament? which opinion neuertheleſſe was common vntounto the Marcionites Manichees and manie other heretikes. Neither are they at anie time condemned by expreſſe words which denie that the ſoules after the death of the bodie do liue, but thinke, that they die together with the fleſh, and that as touching life euerlaſting, they about the end of the world ſhalbe raiſed vp againe together with their bodies. Alſo they which woulde not that pardon and reconciliation ſhould be giuen vntounto the brethren that be fallen, are neuer ſaide in the holie Oracles to be either condemned, or to be out of the way of ſaluation. Wherefore when Hadrian requireth this at our hands, concerning the errour of the Anabaptiſts, both he dealeth fondlie, and whileſt he taketh away one or two errours, he openeth a verie wide gappe vntounto manie. For of verie fewe doeth the ſcripture ſpeake in that forme and phraſe which he nowe requireth of vsus.
Laſtlie remaineth, that wee ſhould examine the ſyllogiſmes which Hadrian brought in againſt vsus as our men had doone againſt him, that thoſe as he thinketh he might cō fute the more euidentlie: but theſe I hauehave thought good for two cauſes to paſſe ouer. Firſt becauſe it ſéemeth not verie lawefull for godlie men to be childiſhlie ſubtile, eſpecially in defending of an opinion, the which (as at the beginning hath béene ſayde) edifieth no man and may hurt verie manie. Secondlie becauſe we iudge that in this queſtion thoſe thinges are to be written which are vnderſtoode of the greateſt part of the holie congregation, and that there be verie fewe which hauehave exerciſed themſelues in the quirkes and ſubtilties of Logicke and ſophiſtrie. The trueth it ſelfe, eſpecially that which is euangelicall is plaine, & is taught and made euident by the apoſtolicall light and ſimplicitie. Furthermore thoſe thinges be alreadie before alleadged, whereby is plainelie and manifeſtly diſcouered whatſoeuer deceite is in theſe trifeling argumentes.
Nowe for the finiſhing of this that wee hauehave written, let vsus adde this: namelie, let vsus celebrate with high prayſes the moſt ample merciemercy of God: that in all thinges he diſcouereth himſelfe with maruelous brightneſſe and (as Dauid ſingeth in the burden of his Pſalme) florriſheth for euer, that is eternallie. Howe farre foorth the praiſes of God muſt be celebrated.But yet ought we ſo to celebrate his praiſes, as on the other ſide the iudgementes of God towardes vnbeléeuers and heretikes be not thereby cancelled. This is therefore written becauſe Hadrian ſaith, that he was verie much driuen to defende theſe thinges which hee defendeth for that they greatlie auailed to the worthineſſe & greatneſſe of Gods merciemercy. Howebeit after this manner they alſo perhappes did excuſe themſelues, which reckened Caine and Iudas among the number of the ſaintes and bleſſed men. Alſo Origen and his fauorers, hadde vnmeaſurable reſpect vntounto the clemencie of God when as they taught that the puniſhmentes of the godlie ſhould one daie at the laſt be finiſhed, and in verie déede the fires of hell ſhould not be euerlaſting, and ſince they wrote that euen to the diuelles themſelues, after a multitude of ages ſhalbe geuen pardon and ſaluation. No iuſt prayſes of the merciemercy of God are thoſe which ouermuch obſcure the ſeueritie & iuſtice of God. Wherefore letting this newneſſe of doctrine goe, let vsus thinke with ourſelues that we muſt by al meanes ſéeke the peace and quietneſſe of the church. Of intricate and vaine queſtions vndoubtedlie there is ſtore enough. Wherefore it ſhall be your parte that kéeping the trueth ſafe and ſounde, ye ſpéedilie returne into amitie thinking this diligentlie with your ſelues, that it is a ſingular benefite vntounto you to hauehave there where you are, both the french and flemiſh Church. This cannot the diuell abide, and for that cauſe ſtirreth vppe diſcordes and contentions among you, to the intent that ſtrangers may be more and more hatefull to Engliſh men, Wherefore watch yee with ſingular care and diligence that the euill ſpirit hauehave not his owne deſire, and that the Church of the ſonne of God receiue no loſſe. He that is reprooued, let him beare it with no leſſe patient minde than Peter did when he was reprehended by Paule. And contrariwiſe they that hauehave taken vponupon them the defence of the trueth, if their brother which hath turned from the right waie, not of mallice as it ſhould ſéeme, but rather of a certaine errour, giuegive eare vntounto them that admoniſh him well, let them account him no leſſe than before in the place of the miniſter of God and of a moſt louing fellowe in office. Fare you well my verie good brethren, aſſiſt vsus with your prayers, vſing your indeuour to maintaine peace among you as much as yée can. From Zurick the 15. of Februarie, 1561.