sinne wherefore hast thou made me such a one If thou be the preseruer of men â—hy shouldest thou condempne me so seeing it lyeth in thée to saue me But a man may well sée that this is not the naturall meaning And such as take it so neuer knewe the intent of the Holy ghost as touching this streine and moreouer they haue ill considered yâ— which is witnessed vnto vs concerning lob how he was patient howsoeuer the world went with him What is it then that Iob ment It is as if he should say Well I confesse my fault and I cannot escape the iudgement of God why so He is the kéeper of men But this word Keeper hath bene misconstrued for men haue taken it for a preseruer of mankind for one that shieldeth them vnder his protection It is certaine that as yâ— Gréeke Translater also hath well marked which thing he is commonly wont to doe Iob ment to say that God wayteth vpon vs that he watcheth vs and that he knoweth all as if a man should watch one to spye and marke all that euer he doeth and saith We sée then in what sence Iob applyeth this title vnto God that is The kéeper of men Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 135. KILL How the intent to kill is worse then the slaughter it selfe BUt ye goe about to kill me c. ¶ We are taught by this place that the minde and purpose to do any work is accounted for the worke it selfe Yea if thou consider well the intent to doe any euill thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Better is the desire to doe good to those that are in misery then the Almes déede it selfe And the intent to kill is worse then the murther it selfe The Almes déede may be so done that it may displease God concerning the which reade the 5. of Mathew verse 42. A murderous déede may be so done that it may please God as may appeare in the Leuiticus in Phinehes in Iehu and so refused that God may be displeased for the not dooing of it as we may sée in Agag Amalech whom Saule kept alyue But the desire and intent to do good cannot displease God euen as the desire to kill cannot please him Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 317 KING How and wherefore we are called Kings and Priests AS euery perfect beléeuing man in our Sauiour Christ are called Priests of offering of spirituall Sacrifices so are they â—alled Kings of ruling and subduing the temptations and suggestions of their sinfull appetites vnto reason and to the will of God vppon the perfourmaunce of this condition Moses doeth call vs Kings and Priests saieng If ye will heare my voice and kéepe my appointment ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine ye shall be also vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy people Ric. Turnar Of the Kings of Israel and Iuda how many were good Of all the kings that reigned ouer Israel and Iuda there were no mo but Dauid Ezechias and Iosias that continued perfectly vnto the ende of their liues in the true religion of God not that these thrée were men of such perfection that they did not notably offende the lawe of God in their life time But these wer such men that they wer neuer infected with the foule sinne of Idolatrie and wicked worshipping of straunge Gods Into other sinnes in déede they fell and from the same by true repentaunce obteined mercie and forgiuenesse aâ— Gods hand So that notwithstanding both the murther adulterie of Dauid the foolish vaine glory of Ezechias that shewed all his treasure and all his secrets vnto the Ambassadours of Babilon for the which Esay the Prophet did openly reproue him to his face Yet otherwise they stoode vpright kéeping themselues pure and cleane from the most detestable sinne of Idolatry And therefore Dauid strong in the armes and amiable of countenaunce and Ezechias which by interpretation is called the health of our Lorde and Iosias Fortitudo Domini the strength of the Lord These thrée doe beare the bell away and are preferred aboue all the Kings of Iuda as we reade in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus 40. Chapter where their praises are commended to endure to the worlds ende Ric. Turnar How Kings haue to doe in matters of religion Dauid commaunded Sadoch and Abiathar the Priests and the Leuites to bring the Arke of the Lord God into the place which he had prepared for it Salomon displaced Abiathar from the high Priests office put Sadoch into his roome Heare me O you Leuites and be sanctified cleanse the house of the God of your Fathers and take awaye all vncleannesse from the Sanctuary ¶ Thâ—se are not words of entreatie but flat commaundements as Lyra saith Ezechia cupiens renouare foedus c. Ezechias desirous to renue the Couenaunt with the Lord first did commaund the Leuites to be sanctified Second by them being sanctified the Temple to be cleansed Thirdly by those which were cleansed sacrifice to be made for the offence of the people Fourthly by sacrificing God to be praised Fiftly by cleansing the holye Burnt-offerings to bée offered vp ¶ Thus were all things done by his commaundement by his constitution and at his pleasure c. I. Bridges fol. 285. Nunc mihi debio c. I iudge it saith Constantine the great that this ought before all other things to be my scope that among the most holy multitude of the Catholike Church one faith and sincere Charitie and godlynesse agréeing together towards almightie God might be conserued I. Bridges fol. 117. Quanto subditorum gloria c. How much more saith the king of Spaine called Richardus we are exalted in royall glorie ouer the subiects so much more ought we to be carefull in those matters that apperteine vnto God Either to augment our owne hope or else to looke to the profit of the people committed to vs of God And as ye sée me in very déede inflamed with the seruice of faith God hath stirred me vp to this end that the obstinacie of infidelitie béeing expelled and the furie of discorde remoued I should reuoke the people to the knowledge of faith and to the fellowship of the Catholike Church who serued errour vnder the name of religion These be the wordes of this christen king which he spake openly in the third counsel at To-let before all the Bishops there assembled S. Austen sayth that the auncient actes of the godly kings mentioned in the propheticall bookes were signes of the like factes to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the new testament I. Bridges fol. 505. Of Iosaphats supreme gouernement ¶ Looke Iosaphat Carolus Magnus commaunded that nothing should be read openly in the Church sauing onely the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture And that the faithfull people should receiue
tearmed the Abhomination desolation for the punishmeÌ„t yâ— ensued which punishmeÌ„t was the desolation wast of al the Iewish people ¶ Meaning by desolation that Hierusalem and the sanctuarie should be vtterlie destroied for their rebellion against God and their Idolatrie or some read that the plagues should be so great that they should all be astonied at them Geneua ABIMELECH Hovv Abimelech is put in steed of Achis IN the title of the. 34. Psalme it is said that Dauid changed his countenance before Abimelech And in the first booke of kings the. 21. Chapter the storie saith he feigned himselfe before Achis Héere séemeth to be a great contrarietie to make these two places agrée manie hath taken Ahimelech for Abimelech yet there is great difference in these two names for Ahimelech is as much to saie in latine as Frater meus Rex my brother the King and Abimelech is as much to saie in latine as Pater meus Rex my Father the King So that they cannot bée all one name But admitte it were so yet it cannot be true for though Dauid did dissemble his aduersitie and persecution before Abimelech the Priest yet he did not chaunge his chéere nor countenance before him but made good semblance as though all had bene quiet betwéene king Saule him and on the other side Dauid did intreat him friendlie and verie gentlie not roughlie But when he came before Achis he fained himselfe mad as the storie saith Therefore to make this plaine ye shall vnderstand that Abimelech which is mentioned in the title of the 34. Psal. is the selfe same person that is called in the text Achis the king of Geth So that Achis and Abimelech is all one person and all one king For like as the Emperours of Rome are called Caesars of Iulius Caesar the kings of Aegypt generallie called by the name of Pharao so all the kings of the Philistines were generallie called by the name Abimelech And so in the one place he is called by his generall name Abimelech in the other by his proper name Achis Bi. Turnar ¶ Whereas in stéede of Achis there is put Abimelech it is a likelihood that the latter name was commonlie vsed among the Philistines like as the Aegyptians called their kings Pharaoz like as the Romane Emperours haue borrowed the name of Caesar of Iulius Caesar who made himselfe the first tyrant among them And we knowe that manie hundred yeares before Dauid was borne the kings that raigned in Gerar in the time of Abraham were called by the name Abimelech wherefore it is no meruaile that this name shall passe to their successors from hand to hand so as it should become common to all the kings of Palestine Caluin Of the vices of Abimelech the sonne of Ierobaal or Gedeon First he was verie ambitious he deceiptfullie and falslie accused his bretheren vseth the corruption of briberie to worke treason is a robber of the common treasurie he wrought by open violence and at the last committed murther of his bretheren called Parricidium Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 157. ¶ Read more of his properties in Bramble ABRAHAM How Abraham is the heire of the world THere is no where by expresse words had anie such promise made to Abraham howbeit it is conteined in the promises which we haue in the Scripture For God said to him that his séede should be multiplied like the sand of the Sea the starres of heauen Wherefore heerein consisteth the promise This his séede should fill the whole world For they are not counted his séede which haue procéeded from him onelie as touching the flesh but which imitate his faith And forasmuch as such are dispersed throughout the whole world by them hath Abraham the inheritance of yâ— who le world which selfe thing is verie expreslie spoken when God made this promise to him And in thy séede shall all nations of the earth be blessed Pet. Mar. vpon the Ro. â—o 88. What is meant by Abrahams bosome Some by the bosome of Abraham doe vnderstand the faith of Abraham Other some also vnderstand it of the place where the elect and chosen that folowe the faith of Abraham do rest after their death But where that place is because the Scripture doth not expreslie determine it can we not tell And therefore maie no man be so bold as to define it W. Tindale ¶ The ecclesiasticall writers doe vnderstand by Abrahams bosome either the promise made to Abraham In thy séede shall all nations be blessed or Christ himselfe which came of the bosome and seede of Abraham or els the fellowship of them that died in the faith of Abraham Sir I. Cheeke ¶ As the Fathers in the old lawe were said to be gathered into the bosome of Abraham because they receiued the fruit of the same faith with him So in the new Testament we saie that the members of Christ are ioined to their head gathered vnto him The Bosome signifieth yâ— most blessed life which they that die in the faith yâ— Abraham did shall enioie after this world Geneua How Abrahams lie to Abimelech is excused Abraham also is obiected who said that Sara was his sister but heerein as Augustine teacheth he lied not he told that which was true but yet he spake not all the truth And that is of no man required to vtter all that is true which he knoweth He did not tell that she was his wife yet because she was his kinswoman he might according to the manner of the Hebrewes trulie saie that she was his sister but he seemeth not to be vtterlie excused for although he lied not in calling her sister yet it séemeth that therein he fell because in not opening that shée was his wife he put her in danger of léesing her chastitie for he left her naked of that aid whereby onelie she might haue bene defended from comming into strange loues Neither is it necessarie yâ— I shuld labour vtterlie to defend Abraham for he was a man by ouer much feare he might easilie fal Howbeit Augustine mentioneth yâ— Abraham was then in danger two manner of waies one least he should be killed himselfe the other was the adulterie of his wife The first daunger he might auoide by calling her sister but the other namelie least she should be defiled he was not able to repell For although he had said that he was her husband that would not haue serued to haue deliuered her from the filthie lusts of the Aegyptians Wherefore he committed vnto God that which he himselfe could not turne from him And in that which he had in his owne power he would not tempt God This séemeth to be Augustines Iudgement ¶ He said to Abimelech she is not my wife but she is my sister which was true for she was his sister by his fathers side but not by his mother the daughter of Aran his brother consequentlie of his father Forasmuch
voice should bée hearde neither yet so softlie that hée should onelie thinke in minde the things which heâ— desired but in such sort as wée reade that Hanna praied in the first booke of Samuel where it is sayde that shée moued hir lippes onelie neither spake shée anie thing that could be heard Then was the Oracle giuen on this manner vnto the Priest By the power of the holie Ghost certeine letters appeared aboue the other in the brest plate and that either in place or in brightnesse wherein the Priest read the Oracle and will of God And these things are those Vrim and Thumim which the Priest bare in his breast lappe This is Kimhies opinion vnto whom what faith is to be giuen I cannot tell for it might be that the spirit of God did without letters giue Oracles by the voice of the high Priest whose heart he inspired with prophesie c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. 272 Of whom we ought to aske our petition Uerily verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye aske yâ— father in my name he wil giue it vnto you ¶ He saith not whatsoeuer ye aske the Father in the name of Saint Peter Saint Paule or other Saints but in my name Let vs aske therefore helpe in the name of him which is able to obteine for vs of his Father whatsoeuer we aske least peraduenture héereafter in the end of the world at the straight iudgement we shall heare Hitherto in my name yée haue asked nothing Bilney in the booke of Mar. fol. 1139. How Christ asked what men did saie of him He asked of his Disciples saieng whom do men saie that I the sonne of man am ¶ If anie man saith Origen be a Bishop or a Magistrate let him hardlie aske this question what doe men saie of mee but this they must aske of them that will tell the truth without flatterie Cheeke ASSVR How the people of Assiria tooke their name of him THe Assirians which is a part of Asia came of Assur the second sonne of Sem which Assur as Lyra saith would not rebell against God with Nemroth in the building of the towre of Babilon but fled out of the land of Senhar into a nother farre countrie where he first inhabited by reason wherof the countrie tooke his name and was called Assiria In the which countrie he builded a citie that in processe was called Niniue which citie was so great that it was thrée daies iourney to goe through it Lyra. What is meant by Assur in this place following Assur also shall be slaine with the sword not with a mans sword ¶ The Prophet should héere séeme to prophesie of the great destruction that happened vnto Sennacherib 2. Par. 32. 21. And Esaie 37. 36. which was done by the sword of the Angell not by the sword of man as ye maie there sée Sennacherib was the king of Assiria and therefore is the destruction of the Assirians which happened vnder him signified by this word Assur Some because the Prophet a little before in the Textâ— moueth the people to forsake Idols expound it thus not by our Idols not by our strength not by mannes helpe which all maie be called the sword of man shall our spirituall enimie which is signified by Assur perish but by the power of God and the inuisible sword that cannot bée séene with which the Angell slewe an hundred foure score and fiue thousand in one night T. M. ASTHAROTH What manner of Idoll it was THis Idoll Astharoth was so called because it stoode to be worshipped in the forme of a Shéepe For a shéepe in Hebrue is called Aschtor And as it appeareth by the fourth booke of kings Cap. 23. 13. it was an Idoll of the Sidonians wherevnto Salomon by the instigation of his wiues builded sometime a Cappell c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 68. â— ASTROLOGIE What Astrologie is AStrologie is the knowledge of the naturall order and disposition that God hath set in the starres and planets to iudge of the office propertie and vertue and to bring all to their end and vse Caluine The Astrologer is he that knoweth the course and motions of the heauens and teacheth the same which is a vertue if it passe not his bondes and he become of an Astrologer an Astronomer Who taketh vpon him to giue iudgement and censure of those motions and course of the heauens what they prognosticate and destinie vnto the creatures of the earth man beast and other what shall be the temperature of the aire the condition of the earth the state successe of such fruite as it bringeth foorth By this knowledge they forespeake of pestilence and other discases and séeth the death of great men to come such commotions and warres as shall followe betwéene the Princes of the world And thus they saie they knowe by the course of the heauens Whereas they sée the coniunctions of manie planets of figures and fatall disposition and qualitie concurre by reason of whose influence into these inferiour partes all those calamities must happen Heere they abuse not onelie the name of God and the naturall discourse of reason which hath comprehended the motions and course of heauens but also heauen it selfe and attribute vnto the heauens the thing that onelie apperteineth to God To saie the health of man the sickenesse of man the plentie of the earth and scarcitie of the same the regument of common and the life death of gouernours thereof Their knowledge and practise in those things is nothing at all For almightie God hath not made the heauens to that end and purpose that man shold learne of them good fortune or ill as it is plaine Gen. 1. In the second daie God made the Firmament and superiour Starres which the text calleth Rakiah to this end that it should seperate the waters that be vnder the Firmament from those that be aboue the Firmament and God called the Firmament heauen In the fourth daye GOD made the Sunne the Moone and the Starâ—es And sheweth to what purpose and ende he made them the one to haue dominion in the daie the other in the night and God put them in the Firmament of heauen to giue light vnto the earth These rule in the daie and night and put difference betwéene light and darknesse to diuide the yeare into his portes the Spring Sommer Autume and Winter They are in signes likewise saith the Text. The which the Husbandman that tilleth and soweth the ground obserueth without superstition to sowe and reape his corne Hée casteth it into the ground in the Winter and receiueth it againe in the Summer So doth the Marriner make the reuolution of the Moone his decrease and increase whereby he knoweth the tides the ebbes and flowe of the same And the latter Phisitions Auicene and Auerrois hath likewise assigned their vse in mans bodie therefore they appoint diuersitie of daies in the practise of Phisicke one to bée more apt for letting of bloude then other
there was an other booke opened which is the Booke of life ¶ This is the booke wherein the chosen are reported to be written before the beginning of the world by reason of the certaintie of their Predestination whereof thou readest thus either forgiue them this offence or if thou wilt not doe it wipe out of the booke of life which thou hast written Exodus 32. 32. Also be glad for your names are written in heauen Luk. 10. 20 Also whose name are in the booke of life Phil. 4. 3. Moreouer it is a similitude borrowed of the custome of men who in taking musters are wont to write the choicer sort and to call them by name So is God said to take view of his seruaunts by name and to call them by name Exo. 33. 12. and Iohn 10. 3. Mar. vpon the Apoc. fol. 281. ¶ After this was an other booke opened of a farre diuerse nature from the other bookes for it was the swéete booke of life wherein were registred all that were predestinate to be saued from the worlds beginning And this booke is the eternall predestination of God Bale Who be written or wiped out of the booke of life And I will not wipe him out of the booke of life ¶ To bée wiped out of the booke of life is as much as not to be reckoned among the liuing blessed and happie sort For the booke of life is nothing els but the register of the righteous which are fore ordeined to life according as Moses saith Exo. 32. 32. And as it is written in Psal. 69. 27. and in Dan. 12. 2. This regester saith Gasper Megander doth God reserue in his owne kéeping And therefore it is nothing els but his eternall dteermination fore purposed in his brest In like manner Dauid saith let them be wiped out of the booke of the liuing Psal. 69. 27. that is to saie let them not be reckoned among Gods chosen whom he allotteth to the possession of his church and kingdome In this booke of life that is to saie in this election or choice determination purpose knowledge or predestination of God there is not registred ante misbeléeuing Turke anie wicked Iewe anie vnâ—epentant noughtie packe nor anie stubborne hypocrite vnlesse they turne to the Lord acknowledge Christ the onelie sonne of God For none be written in it but such as beléeue aright in Christ. And that we maie read this booke we need not to climbe vp into heauen with the worldlie wise men to search out Gods secrets but must come to the plaine Shepheard to the Dxe â—all where Christ laie Luke 2. 16. We must looke vpon Christ who is become man and was crucified and put to death for vs and if we finde our selues in Christ then doe we reade our name written in the booke of life For he that beléeueth in the sonne of God hath euerlasting life Iohn 3. 36. And he shall not come to damnation but is passed from death to life Iohn 5. 24. And in this place Christs meaning is that he which ouercommeth not but like a weakling and coward shrinketh in this incounter by consenting to wicked errour shall be cast awaie with shame haue his name striken out of the booke of life Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 59. And the Bookes were opened◠¶ These bookes séeme to be the consciences of all men be they good or bad which shall be then laied open according as the Apostle witnesseth Rom. 2. 15. 1. Cor. 4â—5 by reason that Christ shall bring all the things to light which were couered before Other some take these bookes to be the olde and newe Testaments that forasmuch as there is shewed in them what God had commanded it shuld appeare also by them what euerie man had done or not done But the first exposition is the truer Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 280. Of what credit the bookes of Machabees be in the scripture Saint Austen receiued it for Canonicall But first of what sure credite did he receiue it The Iewes saith he estéeme not the writings of the Machabees as they doe the Lawe the Prophets and the Psalmes of which the Lord himselfe hath witnessed as of his witnesses saieng It was necessarie that all things should be fulfilled that are writen in the Lawe and the Psalmes and Prophets concerning me But it hath bene receiued of the Church not vnprofitablie if it be sobâ—rlie read or heard And Hierome teacheth without anie doubting that the Authoritie thereof is of no force to the prouing of Doctrines And it euidentlie appeareth by that olde booke which is intituled vnder the name of Cipriane concerning the exposition of the Crede that it had no place at all in the olde Church But why do I héere striue without cause as though the Authour himselfe did not sufficientlie shewe how much he is to be credited when in the ende he craueth pardon if he haue spoken anie thing not well Truelie he that confesseth his writing to néede pardon saith plainlie that they are not the Oracles of the Holie Ghost Beside all that the godlinesse of Iudas is praised for none other cause but for that he had an assured hope of the last resurrection when he sent an offering for the dead to Hierusalem Neither doth the writer of that historie referre that which Iudas did to be a price of redemption but that they might be partakers of the eternall life with the other faithfull that had died for their Countrey and Religion This doing was indéed not without superstition and preposterous zeale but they are more then fooles that drawe a Sacrifice of the Lawe so farre as vnto vs forasmuch as we knowe that things doe cease by the comming of Christ that then were in vse Caluine in his institutions 3. li. chap. 5. Sect. 8. Of certeine bookes of holie scripture lost Whereof it shall be spoken in the booke of the Battailes of the Lord. ¶ Which séemeth to be the Booke of the Iudges or as some thinke a Booke which is lost Geneua Is it not written in the booke of Iasher ¶ Some read in the booke of the righteous meaning Moses The Chaldes text readeth in the Booke of the Lawe but it is like that it was a booke thus named which is now lost Geneua In the Booke of Nathan the Prophet in the Booke of Gad ¶ The Booke of Nathan the Prophet and the Booke of Gad are thought to haue bene lost in the Captiuitie Geneua Written in the Booke of Chronicles of the Kings of Iuda ¶ Which Bookes are called the Bookes of Semeia and Iddo the Prophets 2. Par. 12. 15. Geneua Of the booke of the Lawe found I haue found the Booke of the Law of the Lord. ¶ This was the copie that Moses left them as appeareth 2. Par. 34â— 14. which either by the negligence of the Priests had bene lost or els by the wickednesse of idolatrous Kings had bene abolished Geneua BORDERS Wherefore
In that hée became their Captaine it séemeth hée sinned in receiuing such as Abimelech receiued the needie and vagabonds assembling them vnto him as is contained Iudi. 9. We must saie that he gathered them not to slaie the innocent as did Abimelech to slaie his bretheren neither to spoile the faithfull For we read not that he spoiled the people of Israel but rather kept their goods as is conteined afterward 1. Reg. 25. of Nabal but he gathered them to persecute the Infidells as is contained afterward in manie places to kéepe his owne bodie from the ambushment of Saule The which he might doe in such a necessitie chiefelie when he was now anointed King By reason whereof in such a case he might prolong the paiment of the debtes and in manie the forfeifure is released in the case aforesaid I. Bridges How Dauids adulterie was punished When God minded to punish Dauid for rauishing Bethsabe he said vnto him Thou hast done this thing priuelie but I will make the Sunne to beare witnesse of it How was that What was that God would doe vnto Dauid It was that Absalom should rauish his fathers wiues and defile them in the presence of all the people in the sight of the Sunne Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 22. How Dauid is said to be righteous Dauid did that which was right in the sight of God and turned from nothing that he commaunded him all the daies of his life saue onelie in the matter of Vrias the Hethite ¶ This séemeth not to be true for it is said in another place that he did sinne in numbring his people in the sentence he gaue againe Mephiboseth But it is to be vnderstood that these sinnes were nothing in respect of that he had committed against Vrias therfore were not reputed vnto him Lyra. How Dauid numbred the people and whereof it came Whereof came it that Dauid numbred the people the text reporteth how it was the Diuel that stirred vp all the mischife when Dauid numbred so the people of God Dauid then being one of Gods children was notwithstanding sometimes deliuered vnto the power of Satan to be beguiled by him Now when we sée this we haue good cause to praie vnto God and to come and shrowd our selues vnder the shadow of his wings and there to hide vs. For if such things befell vnto Dauid what shall become of vs c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 22. Why Dauid and Abraham are first rehearsed in the Genealogie The sonne of Dauid the sonne of Abraham ¶ These two are first rehearsed in the booke of the Genealogie of Christ because Christ was first promised vnto them For vnto Abraham it was said In thy séede that is to saie in Iesus Christ All Nations shall be blessed And Dauid in the mysticall Psal. saith Of the fruite of thy wombe shall I set vpon thy seate Geneua Where Dauid laied vp the Armour of Golias Dauid in the first booke of Kings Chapter 17. 54. saith that he put the Armour of Golias into his owne Tent. But Lyra saith that he laied it vp in the Tabernacle of the Lord. For so it appeareth saith he in the 21. 9. where it is said The sword of Goliah the Philistine whome thou slewest c. Behold it is wrapt in a Cloath behinde the â—phod Lyra DAVGHTERS OF MEN. ¶ Looke Sonnes of God Daughters of Sion ¶ Looke Sion DAVNCING How Dauncing is a cursed mirth THe wicked runne after the Tabor and the Flute c. ¶ It is true that the Flute and the Tabor and such other like things are not to be condemned simplie of their owne nature but onelie in respect of mens abusing of them for most commonlie they peruerte the good vse of them For certainlie the Tabor doth not sooner sound to make men merrie but there is alwaies lightlie some vanitie I saie not supersticious but beastlie For behodle men are so caried awaie as they cannot sport themselues with moderate mirth but they fling themselues into the aire as though they would leape out of themselues This then Iob ment to note héere a cursed mirth a mirth that God condemned Wherby we ought to take warning to restrain our selues from such loose wanton pastimes but let vs rather aduisedlie restraine our selues and set God alwaies before our eies to the ende that he maie blesse our mirth and we so vse his benefites as we maie neuer cease to trauell vp to heauen ward Thus you sée it behooueth vs to applie all our mirth to this ende namelie that there maie be a melodie founding in vs whereby the name of God maie be blessed and glorified in our Lord Iesus Christ c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 373. Against Dauncing vsed in these daies As it is lawfull to sing and we vse singing to giue thankes vnto God to celebrate the praises so also by a moderate dauncing we maie testifie the ioie and mirth of the minde For Dauid publikelie daunced before the Arke of the Lorde and the Maidens with daunces and songs celebrated his victorie against Goliah Maria also sister of Moses when Pharâ—o was oâ—erthrowen and slaine led daunces with other women sung a song of victorie Wherefore seeing holie men and chaft women vsed daunces we cannot saie that of their owne nature they be vicious But as it is vsed in these daies that men should daunce mingled together with women ought not to be suffered because that those things are nourishments and prouokers of wantonnesse lusts Maria the sister of Moses daunced not with young men but apart by hir selfe among women Neither Dauid daunced with women and maidens which celebrated his victorie daunced among themselues and not with men Per. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 286. What Daunces are honest and what euill Let vs remember that although honest Matrimonies are sometimes brought to passe by dauncing yet much more are adulteries and fornications wont to followe of their spectacles We ought to followe the examples of godlie fathers who now and then vsed daunces but yet such as wer moderate and chast so that the men daunced by themselues and the women aparte by themselues by such kinde of daunces they shewed forth the gladnesse of their mindes they sang praises vnto God and gaue him thankes for some notable beneâ—ite which they had receiued But we read not in holie Scripture of mingled daunces of men and women together But our men saie who can daunce after that sort In saieng so they vtter themselues what they séeke for in dauncing Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 287. Augustine against Petilianus the 6. chapter The Bishops saith he were alwaies wont to restraine idle and wantonne dauncings But now a daies there are some Bishoppes which are present at daunces and doe daunce together with women so farre are they off to restraine this vice The same Augustine vpon the 32. Psal. when he expoundeth these wordes of the Psalter Of ten strings I will sing vnto thée
of the letters but the Gospell is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures This sentence approueth Saint Paule saieng thus The kingdome of God is not in worde but in vertue and Dauid saith The voice of the Lorde that is his worde is in vertue And after Dauid saith Through the worde of God the heauens were made And in the spirit of his mouth is all the vertue of them In the booke of Mar. fol. 644. An exposition of this place following For I am not ashamed of the Gospell ¶ The Gospell is that heauenly message which declareth vnto vs yâ— Iesus Christ is the power of God in whom and by whom God doth set foorth vnto the world all his heauenlie treasures that whosoeuer doth beléeue in him whether he be a Romaine or a Iew Gréeke or other he should not perish but haue lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Saint Bede affirmeth that in his time and almost a thousand yeares after Christ héere in Britaine Easter was kept after the manner of the East church in the full moone what daie in the wéeke so euer it fell on and not on the Sundaie as wée doe now whereby it is to be collected that the first preachers in this land haue come out froÌ„ the East part of yâ— world where it was so vsed rather then from Rome Petrus Cluniacensis writing to Barnard affirmeth that the Scottes in his time did celebrate their Easter not after the Romaine manner but after the Gréeks And as the sayd Britaines were not vnder the Romaines in the time of this Abbot of Cluniake So neither were they nor would bee vnder the Romaine Legate in the time of Gregorie nor woulde admit anie primacie of the Bishop of Rome to be aboue them Ghildas saith that Ioseph of Aramathia that tooke downe Christ from the crosse béeing sent hether by Philip the Apostle out of Fraunce he beganne to preach the Gospell first in this Realme in the time of Tiberius the Emperour Nicephorus saith that Symon Zelottes about the same time came into this land and did the like Theodoretus sayth that Saint Paule immediatly after his first deliuerie in Rome vnder the Emperour Nero preched the Gospell in this Ilande and in other Countries of the West Tertulian saith of his time that the countries of Britaiâ—e which the Romaines could neuer attaine vnto are now subiâ—ct to Christ. Origen saith the same GOATE How this Goate doth figure Christ. PUtting them vpon the head of the Goat ¶ Héere this Goat is a true signe of Iesus Christ who beareth the sinnes of the people Esay 53. 5. Geneua Why it is called the scape Goate And the other for a scape Goate ¶ In the Hebrew it is called Azazel which some saie is a mountaine néere Sinai whether this Goate was sent but rather is called scape Goate because it was not offered but sent into the desart as verse 21. Geneua GRACE What Grace is BY grace vnderstand the fauour of God and also the gifte of working of the spirit in vs as loue kindnesse patience obedience mercifulnesse despising of worldlie thinges peace concord and such like Tindale The true definition of grace The true definition of Grace and agréeing to the holy scriptures is the free beneuolence of God whereby he counteth vs déere in Christ Iesus and forgiueth vs our sinnes giueth the holie Ghost an vpright life and eternall felicitie by this definition is séene not onlie what we call grace but also by whom we haue it and with all the principall effects thereof Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 140. Receiued grace of all Apostleship ¶ Grace is throughout all the Epistles of Paule taken for the fauour and frée mercie of God whereby he saueth vs fréelie without anie desertes or workes of the lawe In like maner peace is taken for the tranquilitie of the conscience being fullie perswaded that through the merites of Christs death and bloud-shedding there is an attonement and peace made betwéene God and vs so that God will no more impute our sinnes vnto vs nor yet condemne vs. Sir I. Cheeke What it is to reiect grace To reiect and refuse the grace of God is to séeke righteousnesse by the law or to deserue grace by our owne righteousnes What difference is betweene grace and gift Grace properlie is Gods fauour beneuolence or kind mind which of his owne selfe without deseruing of vs he beareth vnto vs wherby he was moued inclined to giue Christ vnto vs with all his other gifts of grace Gift is the holie Ghost his working whom he powreth into the hearts of theÌ„ on whom he hath mercie whom he fauoureth Though the gifts of yâ— spirit increase in vs dailie haue not yet the full perfection yea though there remaine in vs yet euill lusts sinne which fight against the spirit as he saith héere in the seauenth Chapter and in the fift to the Galathians and as it was spoken before in the third Chapter of Genesis of the debate betwéene the womans seede and the séede of the Serpent yet neuerthelesse GODS fauour is so greate and so strong ouer vs for Christs sake that wee are counted for full whole and perfect before God For Gods fauour towardes vs diuideth not her selfe increasing a lyttle and little as doe the giftes but receyueth vs whole and altogether in full loue for Christes sake our intercessour and Mediatour And because the giftes of the spirite and the battell betwéene the spirite and euill lustes are begunne in vs alreadie Of this nowe vnderstande thou the. 7. Chapter where Paule accuseth himselfe as a sinner and yet in the 8. Chapter sayth There is no dampnation to them that are in Christ and that because of the spirite and because the gifts of the spirite are begunne Sinners wée are because the flesh is not full killed and mortified Neuerthelesse in as much as we beléeue in Christ and haue the earnest and beginning of the spirite and woulde faine bée perfect GOD is so louing and fauourable vnto vs that he will not looke on such sin neither will count it as sinne but will deale with vs according to our beliefe in Christ and according to his promises which hée hath sworne to vs vntill the sinne bée full slaine in vs and mortified by death Tindale in his Prol. to the Rom. The difference betweene grace and the Lawe Chrisostome noteth certeine diefferences betwéene the Lawe and Grace The Lawe sayth hée setteth â—oorth a Crowne but first requireth workes and battailes Grace first crowneth and afterwarde bringeth vnto the battayle By this hée teacheth that the righteousnesse which is set forth the Lawe is obteined by workes for wée cannot bée iustified by the lawe vnlesse wée haue accomplished all the thinges which are commaunded in the lawe But that other righteousnesse which wée haue by grace through fayth doth first crowne vs with a newe generation and adoption to be the children of
to make thee an Infidell and not to beléeue in Christ. Yea he séeketh as much as lyeth him to make God a lyar in whom not in thée is the certeintie of thy faith grounded F. N. B. the Italian How our saluation is neerer now then when we beleeued For now is our saluation néerer then when we beléeued ¶ The farther we go the néerer are we to the end now therefore our perfect and full saluation is néerer vnto vs then when we began first to beléeue The Bible note ¶ Before we beléeued it had ben in vaine to tell vs these things But now seeing our saluation is néere let vs take héede that we neglect not this occasion Geneua To worke out our saluation what it meaneth Worke out your owne saluation ¶ Our health hangeth not of our works yet are they said to worke out their health who doe runne in the race of iustice for although we be saued fréely in Christ by faith yet must we walk by the way of iustice vnto our health The Bible note ¶ Runne forward in that race of righteousnesse wherin God hath fréely placed you through Iesus Christ conducteth you his children by his spirit to walke in good workes so make your vocation sure Geneua SALVTE The meaning of these places following SAlute no man by the way ¶ This is spoken after the manner of a figure which men vse when they put downe more in words then is meant vsually among the Hebrues when they coÌ„maund a thing to be done spéedely without delay As Reg. 4. 29. For otherwise curteous and gentle salutations are pointes of christen duetie as for this calling it was but for a season Beza He willeth that they should dispatch this iourney with diligence not occupieng themselues about other dueties Math. 10. 12. Mar. 6. 10. Geneua When Heliah sent Gehazi his seruaunt to the Sunamite he charged him saieng If thou meete any salute him not and if any salute thée answere him not as though he shuld say Make spéed as nothing may let thée by the way Geneua SAMARITANES Of their opinions THE Samaritanes as Iosephus Antiq. li. 11. cap. vlt. denye the Iewes in aduersitie in prosperitie they call them cosins deriuing their pedigrées from Ioseph Ephraim Manasses c. They onely receiue the fiue bookes of Moses denieng all the prophesies after him They reteine all the Iewish ceremonies except the abhorring of the Gentiles They denie moreouer the resurrection of the dead Epiphan Praefae li. 1. de heraes SAMVEL How these words of Samuel in this place are to be vnderstood HOw can this be true that Samuel sayd to Saule I will not returne with thée and yet he went with him It is to bée vnderstood that Samuel spake it for the time present and not for the time following As our Sauiour Christ in the 7. of Iohn sayth I will not goe vp to the feast yet afterward he went priuely So Samuel intending not at that time to returne with Saulâ—â— but after his minde being chaunged for certeine causes went with Saule Lyâ—a Of the raising vp of Samuel And Saule perceiued that it was Samuel ¶ To his imagination albeit it was Satan indéed who to blinde his eies toke vpon him the forme of Samuel as he can doe an Angell of light Geneua SANCTA SANCTORVM What the meaning of these words are THis bread and this cup are the holy things of the holy You sée that he saith not onely they are holy things but he addeth beside of the holy As if he would say This bread is not common to all men nor euery vnworthie but it is the bread of the holy How much more may we saye the same of Gods worde This worde is not of men or of euery body but of the holy There S. Chrisostome saith that the Priest was wont to shew forth the bread in the time of the holy mysteries and say Sancta sanctis holy things for the holy And this is the meaning of Sancta sanctorum SANCTIFIE What it is to Sanctifie SAnctifie to cleanse and purifie to appoint a thing to holy vses and to separate from vncleane and vngodly vses Tindale And for their sakes sanctifie I my selfe ¶ To sanctifie is to separate to diuine vses I sanctifie my selfe that is I dye for them that they by my death may bée filled with the spirit of sanctification and may bee made the holye vessels of God by the reuealed spirit of the Gospell Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 568. Sanctifie them with thy truth ¶ To sanctifie is to select and choose out a thing from a prophane vse to the true worshipping of God the faithfull then are by the truth of Gods worde sanctified that is to saye selected and chosen out from the stocke of Adam béeing cleansed by the bloud of Iesus Christ from the filthinesse of this world Christ doth sanctifie himselfe when he offereth himselfe vpon the crosse for vs. Heere we must note that Christ doth in this place pray as a very natural man and not as God Blessed the seauenth day and sanctified it ¶ Sanctifie in this place is as much to say as to dedicate and ordeine a thing to his owne vse As Exo. 13. 2. Tindale The meaning of this place following For both he that sanctifieth and they which are sanctified are all one ¶ That is to saie as well Christ that doth sanctifie as we that are sanctified be all of one Father which is Abraham whose seede Christ tooke vpon him and not Angels that so by offering of his body and shedding of his bloud he might sanctifie vs for euer Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The head and the members are of one nature So Christ which sanctifieth vs and wee that are sanctified are all one by the vnion of our flesh Geneua How our meates are sanctified For it is sanctified by the word of God and praier ¶ We confesse and acknowledge that God is the maker and giuer of these creatures which we vse Secondly that we are of yâ— number of those who through Christs benefits haue receiued that right ouer all creatures that Adam lost by his fall Thirdly by our praier we craue of the Lord that we may vse those meats with a good conscience which we receiue at his hands Fourthly we make an ende of our eating and drinking with thankes giuing and praier so are our meates sanctified vnto vs. Beza SANCTVARIE Of the praiers made in the Sanctuary MIttat tibi auxilium de sancto de Syon tueatur te The Lord send thée helpe from the Sanctuary and strengthen thée out of Syon ¶ This is a praier for the King and the second verse of the. 20 Psalme And albeit the power of God is as ready and as able to helpe vs calling vnto him in the broade fields or in the wilde woods with seruent faith as if wee make our prayers in the Sanctuary that is the holy place
from vanitie and taught to obey thy will Geneua VVALKE What it is to walke with God TO walke with God is to liue godly and to walke in his commaundements Enoch walked with God and was no more séene he liued godly and dyed God tooke him away that is hidde his body as he did Moses and Aaron least haply they should haue made an Idoll of him for he was a great preacher and an holy man Tindale This walking with God importeth that a man so giueth himselfe to the seruice of God as he thinketh continually to giue an account acknowledgeth in himselfe after this manner he that hath created formed gouerneth guideth me I cannot shun his hand nor scape his iudgemeÌ„t therfore I must be present before his eyes so as he shall sée not onely all my works but also my thoughts lo what it is to walk with God c. It is said that Enoch walked with God why Because he was not peruerted and although the whole worlde was at that time as corrupt as might be yet notwithstanding Enoch continued vncorrupted wherof came that Because he gathered his wits to him and gaue not himselfe the bridle to deale disorderly but although iniquity was a waterflud vpon the earth yet he knew that it behoued him to walke as in the presence of God Caluine vpon Iob. How God is sayd to walke God is said to goe and walke not by chaunging of places for he filleth all places but by occupieng the minds of the faithfull as in the Prophet I will dwell among them and walke among them and be their God where dwelling walking and to be their God meane one thing VVALL What this wall was HAth broken downe the wall that was a stop betwéene vs. ¶ Moses lawe that was the wall cause of hate betwéene the Iewes and Gentiles is taken away in whose stéed is loue come to loue one another as Christ loued vs. Tindale Broken downe the wall c. ¶ That is the cause of diuision that was betwéene the Iewes and the Gentiles Geneua VVARRES What manner of warres is iust SUch a warre is counted iust which is taken in hand at the commaâ—ndement of the magistrate either to demaund things again or els to put away iniuries or to reueng theÌ„ as it is had in the 23. quest the 2. chap. iustum they are the words of Isidorus For first we must beware yâ— war be not taken in hand by the authoritie of a priuate maÌ„ But the causes wherfore war may iustly be made are these To require things taken away or else to repulse iniurie wherevnto is agréeable that which Augustine writeth in the same place in the chapter Dominus Iust warre is that which is taken to reuenge iniuryes After this manner warres is proclaimed against Cities when they will not either render things taken away or amend those things which of theirs was vniustly done For if they will not punish the guiltie it is lawfull for other to make warre against them So all Israel tooke warre against the Beniamites that a most wicked crime should not remaine vnpunished But Augustine addeth that those warres also do especially séeme iust which are taken in hand by the commandement of God as are many which are done in the olde Testament For if God once commaund to make warre we maye not seeke any other cause of iustice for God knoweth very wel what is best to be rendered to euery man For then both Captaine and souldiers are not so much to be counted authours of the warre as ministers of God and of his lawe And therefore when the people are after this manner called to warre they ought not neglect the commaundement Wherefore the same Augustin in his 205. Epistle to Bonifacius the Earle a man of war which at that time gouerned Affrick vnder Caesar. Thou oughtest not saith he to thinke yâ— they which with weapons serue the publik wealth cannot please God This was his propositioÌ„ wherof afterward he bringeth resons For Dauid saith he mode many wars yet was he dearely beloued of God Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 186. What things are to be taken heed of in iust warres In making of iust warres saith Augustine many things are to be taken héed of For it is not sufficient that the war be iust except also the world be iustly handled wherefore he admonisheth his Earle when saith he thou puttest on thine armour remember that thy strength is the gift of God and determine with thy selfe not to abuse that gift against God yea rather doe this fight for his lawes and name let promises be kept euen with enimies but much more with friends for whome thou makest warre by which wordes he reprehendeth those souldiers which are more grieuous in Cities then the very enimies Of which we sée in our daies a greate many moe then we wold which when they are in their places where they winter it is wonderfull to see how they handle the citizens and the men of the country it is horrible to sée what filthy and abhominable things they commit He addeth also the third Cantion Thinke with thy selfe that warre must not bée made but for necessitie wherefore let thy minde alwaye be enclined vnto peace Make warre because thou canst not otherwise doe but if thou canst make peace refuse it not Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 187. The Anabaptists reasons against warre These be their reasons Mine is the vengeaunce and I will requite thée the Lord. Christs kingdome say they is like the waters of Siloh which waters doe runne quietly and without hurly burly Their speares shall bée turned to shares and swoords into Mattocks If a man giue thée a blow on the right side turne thou thy left side He that smiteth with the sworde shall perish with the swoorde Let not the Cockle be pulled out till the haruest time Our weapons are not carnall but spirituall Who that will reade S. Austen to Marcellinus in the first Epistle and to Faustus Manichaeus the 22 booke in Chrisostome vpon these words Do not resist the euill shall haue all these places answered Reasons for warre A time of warre a time of peace Eccles. 3. 8. Dauid saith in 144. Psalme Blessed is God which teacheth my hands to fight and my fingers to battell Dauids fingers were fighting fingers yet Dauids fingers were holy fingers In the booke of Kings Dauid saith thus to Saule Thou fightest the Lordes battailes And Abigal sayth to Dauid Thou fightest the Lords battailes If some warres be Gods warres then all warres are not forbidden The Baptist doth séeme to allow of Souldiers for he giueth them rules of life as that they should hurt no man and that they should be content with their owne wages Paule wold haue himselfe lead to Caesaria by strength of souldiers Our Sauiour doth say giue vnto Caesar that which is Caesars That which was giuen to Caesar was tribute