What a Proselite is IEwes and Proselites ¶ By the Iewes he meaneth them that were both Iewes by birth and Iewes by profession of Religion though they were borne in other places And they were Proselites which were Gentiles borne and embraced the Iewes religion Theo. Beza And Proselites ¶ To wit such as were conuerted to the Iewes Religion which were before Panims Idolaters Ge. PROTESTANTS How the name of Protestants came vp THe originall of the name of Protestants began in Germany about a decrée that was made at Speres against y◠Gospell Anno. Dom. 1529. which Decrée the Princes electours of Germany resisted vnto whose protestation certain of the chiefe Cities to the number of 14. did subscribe with them The number of the Protestants 7. Princes 24. Cities Sledane PROVIDENCE Of the prouidence of God what it is PRouidence is not onely that vnspeakable power whereby it commeth to passe that God hath foreséene all things from euerlasting and most wisely prouided for al things before hand But also that eternall decree or ordinaunce of the most wise righteous God whereby that euery thing that hath bene hath bene and euery thing that is is and euery thing that shall be shall be according as it liked him to appoint from euerlasting Beza We meane by the prouidence of God that euen as he is creator of all things he is also the conseruer which doth by his eternall power and wisedome guide and gouerne them and by his souereigne goodnesse in such sort that nothing commeth by aduenture neither in heauen nor in earth without his counsell and ordinaunce and his most iust will be it in generall or in perticular Peter Viret No good or euill doth happen without a cause or by fortune without Gods prouidence but all things doth happen after his iudgement Hierom. vpon Eze. Prouidence is Gods appointed vnmoueable and perpetuall administration of all things Pet. Mar. Prouidence is sometime as much to say as knowledge and foreknowledge of things to come Sometime it signifieth an ablenesse to foresee for others of things necessary so it is sayde that God in heauen doth foresee and care for all Againe some doe define the prouidence of God after this wise Prouidence is the euerlasting and vnchaungeable kingdome and administration of all things They doe meane saith Musculus by the word of kingdome dominion and power and by the word of administration the temperature of the dominion which they added because of the finding and giuing of all things vnto vs which séemeth in shewe to be a condition of ministery as well as of dominion Musc. fol. 425. and. 426. Gods prouidence we call that souereigne Empire and supreme dominion which God alwaies kéepeth in the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth contained And these two that is prescience prouidence we so attribute vnto God that with the Apostle we feare not to affirme that in him wée haue our beeing mouing and life We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his own power but that his foot-steps are directed by the eternall God That the sorts lots which appeare most subiect to fortune goe so soorth by his prouidence that a Sparrow falleth not on the ground without our heauenly Father And thus we giue not to God any prescience by an idle sight and a prouidence by a generall mouing of his creatures as not onely some Philosophers but also moe then is to be wished in our dayes doe but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge prouidence as is extended to euerye one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tende incline to the ende to the which they are appointed by him c. Knox. fol. 21. Because we knowe not all things saith S. Austen which God doth concerning vs in most good order that therefore in only good will we do according to the law because his prouidence is an vnchaungeable law Therefore sith God doe claime vnto himselfe the poore to rule the world which is to vs vnknown Let this be a lawe to vs of sobernesse and modestie quietly to obay his souereigne authoritie that his wil may be vnto vs the onely rule of Iustice as the most iust cause of all things I meane not that absolute will of which the Sophisters doe babble seperating by wicked prophane disagreement his Iustice from his power but I meane that prouidence which is the gouernesse of all things from which proceedeth nothing but right although the causes be hidden from vs. Caluine 1. booke chapt 17. Sect. 3. PROOVING What proouing and examining of a mans selfe is THis proouing and examining of a mans selfe is first to think with him with what lust desire he commeth to the Maundie and will eate that bread Whether he be sure that he is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs body was broken for him And whether the lust that he hath to prayse God and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middes of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether he doe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better he were away For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye that as it is sayde before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted and putteth no difference betwéene his eating and other eating for other eating doe onely serue the belly but this eating was instituted and ordeined to serue the soule and inward man And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh eateth drinketh his owne damnation c. I. Frith ¶ Looke Trye Examine PTOLOMEVS Of this mans hereticall opinions PTolomeus of whom Ptolomei are called taught the hereticall opinions of the Gnostici and of Valentinus adding therevnto of his owne certaine heathenish doctrine out of Homer He wrote vnto Flora a woman of his faith and indeuoured to peruert hir Epiph. haere 33. PVBLICAN What the Publicans were The Publicans bought in great the Emperours Tribute and to make their most aduauntage did ouerset the people Tind Of their receiuing before the Iewes The Publicans and Harlots shall come into the kingdome of God before you ¶ The Harlots and Publicans repenting truly and with amendement of life submitting themselues to the mercie of God are more acceptable vnto God then the proud workmongers that trust in their owne righteousnesse S I. Ch. PVNISHMENT How the punishment of the law doth not satisfie for sinnes MOses in the law commaunded that such should be stoned ¶ They recite the law out of the. 20. chap. of Leuit. where it is said the man that commiteth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbors wife the adulterer the adultresse shal both dye the death But the law doth not therefore punish
iudge the world thether shall all gather together vnto him Tindale ¶ That is according to S. Paules interpretation when Christ commeth to Iudgement we shall betaken vp to méete him in the aire and so we shall be with him for euer ¶ That is the faithfull that beléeue the Gospell will repaire vnto him as rauenous birdes to the carion The Bible note And how I caried you vpon Eagles wings ¶ For the Eagles by flieng high is out of daunger And in carieng hir Birdes rather on her wings then in hir talents declareth hir loue Geneua ¶ The Eagle carieth hir young ones vpon hir wings fearing onelie mans violence which rather then they should take harme she would receiue the harme in hir owne bodie In stéed thereof serued the cloud that kept of the Aegyptians force The Bible note ELAM What is signified by Elam I Will breake the bowe of Elam 〈…〉 ¶ By Elam is signified Persia so called of Elam the sonne of Sem. And because the Persians were good Archers he sheweth that the thing wherein they put their trust should not profit them Geneua ¶ The Elamites were good bowe men in battaile and therefore is their bowe prophecied to be broken c. By which is meant that they should be ouercome in battaile of their Enimies and scattered abroad vnto the foure coastes of the earth T. M. ELDAD AND MEDAD ¶ Looke Moses ELDERS Why he nameth them Elders and not Priests IN the olde Testament the temporal heads rulers of the Iewes which had the gouernaunce ouer the laie or common people are called Elders as ye maie see in the foure Euangelists Out of which custome Paule in his Epistle and also Peter call the Prelates and spirituall Gouernours which are Bishops and Priests Elders Now whether ye call them Elders or Priests it is all one to me so that ye vnderstande they be officers and Seruaunts of the word of God vnto the which all men both high and lowe that will not rebel against Christ must obaie as long as they preach and rule trulie and no farther Tindale fol. 38. ELEAZER The meaning of this place that followeth THe childe of the stewardshippe of my house is this Eleazer of Damasco ¶ Eleazer was then Steward of Abrahams house which Eleazer had a sonne called Damascus which child because Sara was barren Abraham had thought to haue adopted for his sonne Of this Damascus tooke the Citie of Damasco his name Lyra. ELECTION What the cause of our Election is and how it is defined ELection is the frée mercie and grace of God in his owne will through faith in Christ his sonne chusing and preferring to life such as pleaseth him Bradford in the booke of Mar. The onelie good pleasure of the will and franke mercie of God by Iesus Christ without respect of anie works either present or for to come is the cause of the diuine Election F. N. B. the Italian The cause of our election is onelie the will of God And to proue this Saint Paule saith which sawe as farre in mens deseruings as we can doe bringeth in an euident example of Iacob and Esau how Iacob was elected and Esau reproued before they were borne or had done either good or bad To the which some will saie that God sawe afore that Iacob should bée good and therefore chose him and that Esau should doe no good and therefore repelled him But to those that will iudge of that that God sawe it maie be demaunded how they knowe that GOD sawe that and if he sawe it yet how knowe they that that was the cause of Iacobs election Saint Paule knoweth none other cause but the will of God whatsoeuer other discusse And if they should saie the cause whie God sawe before that Iacob shoulde doe good was because that God would giue him his grace therfore God sawe that he should doe good and so shoulde also the other haue done if God would haue giuen him that same grace Saint Paule concluding with these Scriptures saith I will shewe mercie to whome I shew mercie and will haue compassion on whome I haue compassion So lyeth it not in mans will and running but in the mercie of God He saith not I will haue mercie on him that I sée shall do good but I will shew mercie to whom I will He sayth not I will haue compassion on him that shall deserue it De congrua but of him of whom I will haue compassion This doth Austen wel proue in these wordes The disputation of them is vaine the which do defend the prescience of God against the grace of God and therfore saie that we were chosen before the making of the world because that God knew afore that we shuld bée good because he shoulde make vs good But he that saith you haue not chosen me saith not so for if he did therefore choose vs because that before he knew that we should be good then must hée also haue knowne before that we should first haue chosen him Héere it is plaine that the election of God is not because he saw afore that we should doe well But onelie the cause of the election is his mercie and the cause of our dooing well is his election And therefore Saint Paule saith not of workes but of calling I. Veron So then election is not of the willer but of God that taketh mercie ¶ It is euident by this Text that our works or merites doe not iustifie vs but that our saluation doth wholie depend vpon the frée election of GOD which béeing righteousnesse it selfe doth choose whome it pleaseth him vnto lyfe euerlasting Sir I. Cheeke Blessed are the people whome the Lorde hath chosen to bée his inheritaunce c. ¶ Of the Lordes frée election and choosing of his Citizens whome he hath predestinate and appointed to be saued the Scripture both in the olde and newe Testament speaketh much In the 20. of Saint Mathew verse 16. our sauiour saith Multi vocati pauci vero electi◠Manie bée called but fewe bée chosen All they bée called which haue had the word of GOD preached vnto them And they onelie are elect which finallie and eternallie shall be saued and inherit the euerlasting kingdome with Iesus Christ the first begotten and the onelie purchaser of lyfe eternall The elect haue these properties and blessings of GOD following them Though they doe fall and sinne of tentimes yea and peraduenture verie gréeuouslie as Dauid did or committing as Saint Peter did with his denieng and forswearing of CHRIST As Marie Magdalene and the woman of Samarie did with their fraile and foolish yéelding vnto the pleasure of the flesh yet they neuer fall from GOD but their grose and naturall falles doe cast them into such a shame of themselues and abhorring of sinnes that by their falling they rise vp the more stronger So that the elect cannot finallie bée seduced nor carried awaie from GOD. For whome Christ loueth In finem diligit hée
pledge and then he glorieth with Paule and reioiceth saieng Now it is not I that liue but it is Christ that liueth within me These things be practised and vsed among faithfull people and to pure mindes the eating of his flesh is no horrour but honour and the spirite deliteth in the drinking of the holie and sanctified bloud and dooing this we whet not our teeth to bite but with pure faith we breake the holie Bread These be the words of Cipriane De coena Domini The Word saith Origen was made flesh verie meate which who so eateth shall surelie liue for euer which no euill man can eate For if it could be that he that continueth ill might eate the Word made flesh séeing that he is the Word and Bread of life it should haue bene written Whosoeuer eateth this Bread shall liue for euer Origen in Mathew chapter 15. The Authour of this tradition Saint Cypriane said that except we eate his flesh and drinke his bloud we should haue no life in vs instructing vs with a spirituall lesson and opening to vs a waie to vnderstand so priuie a thing that we shuld know that the eating is our dwelling in him our drinking is as it were an incorporation in him beeing subiect vnto him in obaieng ioined vnto him in our wills and vnited in our affections the eating therefore of this flesh is a certaine hunger and desire to dwell in him S. Austen saith vpon the Gospell of Iohn that he that doth not eate his flesh and drinke his bloud hath not in him euerlasting life and he that eateth his flesh and drinketh his bloud hath euerlasting life But it is not so in those meates which we take to sustaine our bodies for although without them we cannot liue yet it is not necessarie that whosouer receiueth them shall liue for they maie die by age sicknesse and other chaunces But in this meate and drinke of the bodie and bloud of our Lord it is otherwise for both they that eate and drinke them not haue not euerlasting life And contrariwise whosoeuer eate drinke them haue euerlasting life Who doe eate and drinke the bodie and flesh of Christ. They which doe beléeue in Christ and doe assuredlie perswade themselues that he died for their sakes they I saie doth both eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud to which vse the Simboles or fignes for that they stirre vp the senses are verie much profitable not that the flesh bleud of Christ are powred into the bread wine or are by any means included in those Elements but because these things are of the true beléeuers receiued with a true faith For they are an inuisible norishment which is receiued onelie in the minde as Augustine hath faithfullie admonished saieng Why preparest thou the téeth and the bellie beléeue and thou hast eaten Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 212. What it is to eate God To eate God is to haue the fruition of the diuine nature to be incorporate into God But the Maiestie of God so farre surmounteth the capacitie of man that as he is in himselfe in nature and Godhead no naturall creature is able ot conceiue him but onelie in the face and sight of Iesus Christ the sonne of God Therefore S. Paule saith Christ is the brightnesse of the glorie and the expresse Image of the substaunce of God Iewel fol. 240. Of the true sacramentall eating and of the true eating of Christs bodie The Sacrament that is to saie the Bread is corporallie eaten and chawed with the téeth in the mouth The verie bodie is eaten and chawed with faith in the spirite Ungodlie men when they receiue the sacrament they chaw in their mouths like vnto Iudas the sacramentall bread but they eate not the celestiall bread which is Christ. Faithfull christian people such as bée Christs true disciples continuallie from time to time record in their minde the beneficiall death of our Sauiour Christ chawing it by faith in the cud of their spirit and digesting it in their hearts féeding and comforting themselues with that heauenlie meat Also they dailie receiue not the sacrament therof so they eate Christs bodie spirituallie although not the sacrament therof But when such men for their more comfort confirmation of eternal life giuen vnto thē by Christs death come vnto the Lords holie Table then as before they fedde spirituallie vpon Christ so now they féede corporallie also vpon the sacramentall bread By which sacramentall féeding in Christs promises their former spirituall feeding is increased and they growe and waxe continuallie more strong in Christ vntill at the last they shall come to the full measure and perfection in Christ. This is the teaching of the true Catholike Church as it is taught by Gods word And therefore Saint Paule speaking of them that vnworthelie eate saith that they eate the bread but not that they eate the bodie of Christ but their owne damnation Cranmer fol. 79. ETERNALL LIFE How Eternall life is sometime called a reward ETernall life is sometimes in the holie Scriptures called a reward but then it is not that reward which Paule writeth to be giuen according to debt but is all one as if it shuld be called a recompensation Gods will and pleasure was that there should be this coniunction that after good workes should followe blessednesse but not yet as the effect followeth the cause but as a thing ioined with them by the appointment of God Therefore we maie not trust vnto workes for they are feeble and weake and doe alwaies wauer stagger Wherfore the promises of God depend not vpon them neither haue they in themselues as they come from vs that they can mooue God to make vs blessed We saie therefore that God iudgeth according because according as they are either good or euill we shall obtaine either eternall life or eternall damation But thereby it followeth not that workes are the cause of our saluation Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 39. EVANGELISTS Who be Euangelists EUangelists were next vnto Apostles and had their Office much like them sauing that they were beneath them in degrée of dignitie These gaue themselues chiefelie to instructing of the people and preaching the Gospell to them as plainlie and simplie as might be of which sort was Timothie and such like For although Paule match Timothie with him in dooing commendations yet doth he not make him his followe in Apostleship but kéepeth that name peculiarlie to himselfe 2. Cor. 1. 1. Col. 1. 1. And in writing to him he saith thus Be watchfull in all things harden thy selfe in afflictions go through with the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim. 4. 5. EVER How this word Euer is taken ANd to thy séede for euer ¶ Euer is not héere taken for a time without ende but for a long season that hath not his ende appointed T. M. ¶ Meaning a long time and till the comming of Christ. And spirituallie this is
by Salt for as Salt maketh meates sauorie so godly wisdome causeth our communication and talke to be allowable and haue a grace we ought to take héede with whom and before whom we do talke according to the audience to moderate and rule our communication Sir I. Cheeke Let your speach be alwaies gratious c. ¶ Perteining to edification and mixt with no vanitie Geneua How the nature of Christ is set out by the ceremonie of salt Upon all thine offering thou shalt bring Salt ¶ By this ceremonie is the nature of Christ set forth which is figured in all sacrifices For Christ is the true and heauenly Salt by whoÌ„ all that beleeue in him be made sauorie and pleasant vnto God the father so that they shall neuer so putrifie that they shall Perish The Bible note How salt in Baptime is not Christs ordinaunce The vse of Salt in the olde Testament was appointed to the Iewes by the law prescribed by Moses to them that were vnder the lawe If it had bene Christs pleasure yâ— his ministers should haue looked backe vnto the rites of Moses taken out of them such as they listed he would rather haue had declared the same or els the Apostle wold haue done it wherefore our opinion is saith Musâ—ulus that this vse of Salt also in Baptime is to be attributed vnto yâ— wil worship of the Bishops Mus. fo 290 Of the salted couenant Let it be a salted couenant for euer ¶ Like as Salt doth preserue flesh from corruption so this couenant shuld be sure stable and incorruptible The Bible note Neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the couenant of thy God to be lacking ¶ All offerings must be salted with Salt signifieng that al our works must be directed after the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets and then shall they be acceptable in the sight of the Lord if they sauour of the Salt thereof or else not T. M. What the sowing of Salt meaneth Destroied the citie and sowed Salt in the place ¶ He sowed Salt there to make it barren for euer for Salt maketh the â—round vnapt to bring forth any thing as saith Plinie in hisâ— 13. booke the. 17. chapter Abimelech after he had destroied the citie of Sichem soweâ— Salt therein which was a token of a wildernesse and desart For Salt drieth the ground and maketh it vnfruitfull In Hebrew Malach signifieth Salt Thereof commeth the Uerbe Malach which is to Salt but in the Coniâ—gation Niphal Niuilah is a Uerbe which signifâ—eth to destroy to breake downe to wast That word leremy vsed in his 14. chapter And Dauid in his 107. Psalme God turneth a fruitfull land into a saâ—â—ish ground that is maketh it wast desart In the yeare 1165. Frederike Oenobarbus the Emperour ouerthrew Millaine sowed Salt there For that citie tooke part with Alexander the third being Pope against Caesar which thing Frederike tooke in ill part Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 170. SALVATION A firme Argument for the certeintie of our saluation ANd seeing it is sayd that faith shall be imputed vnto vs vnto righteousnesse as it was in times past imputed vnto Abraham we haue a most firme argument of the certeintie of saluation For as Abraham behaued himselfe towardes the promise of God as touching that he should haue issue So must we behaue our selues towardes the promises of the remission of sinnes But he was certeine neither doubted hée whereof we ought to be certeine of the saluation promised vnto vs and by no meanes to doubt thereof This reason let vs holde fast and not suffer it to slip from vs. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 96. As the holy Scriptures teacheth vs we ought to hope such is the nature of hope not to confound we may manifestly infer that we ought not to doubt of our saluation There are which pretend the their doubt héereof springeth for yâ— they are vncertein whether they shal perseuer vnto yâ— end or no. But these meÌ„ shuld coÌ„sider yâ— we ought alwais to pray for perseueraÌ„ce For as saith Cipriane whom Augustine followeth in all the things which we aske in the Lords prayer is included perseueraÌ„ce And as Iames teacheth we must aske without doubting wherfore it is manifest yâ— we must by no meanes doubt of perseuerance especially seeing we haue in our hearts the holy Ghost alwayes bearing an excellent testimonie vnto vs thereof For as Saint Paule saith in this Epistle It is the spirit that beareth witnesse to our spirit that we are the sonnes of God and â—e which hath not the spirit of Christ is none of his And Paul writeth of himselfe that he is sure that neither life nor death nor principalitie nor power can pluck him from yâ— loue of God namely from the loue wherewith God loued him Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 967. How without the Church is no light or saluation S. Cipriane De simplicitate praelatorum saith Whosoeuer is separated from the Church is ioyned to an adulterous church yâ— same man is separated from the promises of the church neither perteineth he to Christs merits which hath left yâ— church of Christ. He is a strauÌ„ger he is vncleane he is an enimy He cannot now haue God his father who hath not the church his mother If he may scape that was out of the Arke of Noe he may also escape that is abroad out of the church He must néeds be a most wicked man whosoeuer he be that leaueth his owne country the fellowship of very good men and falleth away to the enimies Lactantius therefore most truely sayd It is onely the catholike church which receiueth true religion Héere is the fountaine of truth This is the household of faith This is yâ— temple of God into the which if one enter not or out of the which if any depart he is excluded from the hope of saluation life euerlasting for our sauiour said that out of the sheepfolde life is not to be sound Bullinger fo 843. The causes of our saluation The speciall cause why we obteine euerlasting life is yâ— voluntarie frée will of God And the second cause are yâ— merits of Christ for he died for the saluation of mankinde but this is also a frée gift of the good will of God The third cause is our faith by the which we embrace receiue this good wil of God and the merits of Christ. Marl. vpon Mat. fol. 373. It is most true that the eternall election of God in Iesus Christ is the onely and sole cause of saluation vnto vs miserable and mortall men And holy faith imbracing the mercie of God in Iesus Christ by the testimonie of the holye Ghost in our heartes is that which doth assure vs that it is so Moreouer I say vnto thée that if any man should goe about to take from thée this assurednes and to make thée doubtfull of thy saluation he goeth about
of Abraham of whom it is written 30. yeares before he offered his sonne Isaac Abraham beléeued it was reckoned vnto him for righteousnesse Gen. 15. 6. wherby we doe euidently sée that Saint Iames meaning is that Abrahams fayth was no idle fayth but such faith as made him obedient to God which thing he did well declare when he did so willingly offer his sonne at Gods commaundement All that S. Iames goeth about then is to proue that faith cannot be without good works And as by fayth onely we are iustified before God so by good workes procéeding from a liuely fayth wée are iustified before men Heere wée learne also that where no good workes be there is no true iustifieng fayth but a lyght vnprofitable beléeue such as is in diuels and yet we must beware that we ascribe no parte of our iustification before God vnto our good works Sir I. Cheeke Ther can be no good work reckoned to be in any man but in him alone whose sinnes God hath forgiuen Forasmuch as our best déeds are lame and corrupt Therefore they are héere called the doers of good works whom Paule calleth zelous and louers of good works But this estimation and iudgement dependeth vpon the fatherly clemency and acceptation of our God who alloweth that freely for good which deserueth to be reiected as euill and vnperfect c. Marl. fol. 170. Indéede works doe iustifie taking iustifie to be to declare iust Euen as white haires do make a man olde because they be a signe of age But works doe this before men not before God Nor they cannot take hold of forgiuenesse of sins deliuerance from their deserued condemnation For then it should be false that the Apostle saith we be iustified fréely by his grace for to him that worketh the reward is imputed vnto him for a duety and not vpon grace and fauour Wherfore the errours of those men is too grose to deceiue any of them which hath looked ouer the holy Scriptures neuer so slightly Nor it doth not agrée with the sense neither when they will haue iustifie to be as much as to make iust For works doe not go before him that is to bée iustified â—but doe followe him which is alreadye iustified witnesse Augustine and workes doe come of grace and not grace of workes witnesse the same Augustine de fide opere cap. 14. Musculus fol. 227. Of workes done before faith Saint Austen condemneth all our good workes before faith as vaine and nothing worth Read him In probo Psal. 31. That worketh not how it is vnderstood To him that worketh not but beleeueth ¶ That dependeth not on his workes neither thinketh to merit by them Gene. That is which meaneth not to obteine saluation through the worthinesse of his works The Bible note How workes are not the causes of felicitie Works indeed are to be had but not as causes wherfore Christ admonished vs saieng When ye haue done al these things say we are vnprofitable seruants we haue done but the thing which we ought to doe Neither passe we any thing vpon their caueling which say yâ— therfore we are vnprofitable seruaÌ„ts because our good works being no coÌ„modity vnto God forasmuch as God néedeth none of our good works but say they it caÌ„not be denied but yâ— we are by good works profitable vnto our selues Wée graunt indéed that it is profitable vnto vs to liue well But that vtilitie is not to be attributed vnto our workes that they should be the causes of our blessednesse to come Wee haue nothing in vs whereby we can make God obstruct or bound vnto vs. For whatsoeuer we doe the same doe we wholy owe vnto God and a great deale more then we are able to performe Wherfore as Christ admonisheth The Lord giueth not thanks vnto his seruant when he hath done his duetie And if the seruant by wel doing cannot binde his Lord to giue him thanks how shal he binde him to render vnto him great rewards Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 29. Of workes loue and faith Works are the outward righteousnesse before the world may be called the righteousnesse of the members and spring of inward loue Loue is the righteousnesse of the hart springeth of faith Faith is the trust in Christs bloud and is the gift of God Ephe. 2. 8. Tindale How our good workes are the workes of God Although it be written that God will render to euery man according to his works yet is yâ— so to be vnderstood yâ— if they be good works they are for none other cause caled any maÌ„s works but for that they are wrought in him namely by the power of the spirit of God whereby they are in very déede the workes of God S. Austen most truely saith that God crowneth in vs his owne gifts for as touching vs we deserue nothing but death Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 367. How we deserue nothing by our good workes Wo be to all our iustice saith S. Austen if it be iudged setting mercy a part Therefore this is a christen sentence worthy to be beaten in al mens heads Let not thy left hand know what the right hand doth Let our right hand worke those things which be good and pleasant vnto God And in the meane season let our heartes depend vpon the grace of Gods goodnesse onely not thy left hand write into thy kalender those things which be somewhat well done by the right hand Let the note of our owne good works be in Gods hand not in our owne Whatsoeuer he doth reward vs either in this life either in the life to come let vs thanke his grace for it and not our deserts Musculus fol. 234. Of the vnablenesse of our workes If the séeking of righteousnesse and forgiuenesse of sinnes by the kéeping of the law which God gaue vpon mount Sinai with so great glory and maiestie by the denyeng of Christ of his grace what shall we say to those yâ— will néeds iustifie themselues afore God by their owne laws and obseruances I wold wish that such folks should a little compare the one with the other and afterward giue iudgement themselues God minded not to do that honour nor to giue that glorye vnto his owne law yet they wil haue him to giue it to mens laws ordinaÌ„ces But that honour is giuen onely to his onely begotten son who alone by the sacrifice of his death passion hath made ful amends for all our sinnes past present and to come as saith S. Paule Heb. 7. 25. The meaning of this place following Work out your own saluatioÌ„ with fere trembling ¶ S. Paul saith we must work out our saluation with feare trembling But this feare riseth in consideration of our weaknesse and vnworthinesse not of any distrust or doubt in Gods mercy but rather the lesse cause we haue to trust in our selues the morâ— cause we haue to trust in God Iewel fol. 76.
As manie as I loue I rebuke and chasten ¶ To chastice saith Gasper Megander is to correct one to his behoose And therfore héere is to be noted the difference betwéene the afflictions of the godlie the vngodlie for the godlie are afflictted to their owne profit namelie that they maie be nurtured to patience holde fast in the feare of the Lord according as you maie sée in Iob. 5. 17. lere 31. 18. and. 47. 28. Pro. 3. 11. Heb. 12. 6. But the correction of the vngodlie is called a consuming of them Ieremie 30. 23. 24. and 46. 10. And therefore the chosen doe amend at the Lords chatisement as did Dauid 3. Reg. 12. 13. but the reprobates are hardened the more by Gods scourge as Pharao was Exo. 9. 7. 35. Marlo vpon the Apo. fol. 69. Whie the iust be afflicted There are two principall causes whie God doth yéelde the iust men to be punished of the vngodlie and vniust The one is for their exercise the other for a speciall example For exercise that they maie thereby be trained in faith hope praier and praise of his name Such a matter Paule expressed saieng We will not haue you ignorant brethren of our trouble which betided vs in Asia c. The other is the elect and godlie persons be made examples of faith and patience when they doe with constant faith and sufferaunce beare the struglings of their afflictions in this world and so doe shine as bright as starres in the Church of the faithfull c. Musculus fol. 511. How our afflictions suffered for the truth shall be witnesses against our enimies And this shall turne to you for a testimoniall ¶ This shall be the end of your troubles and afflictions They shall be witnesse both before God and man as well of the trecherous and cruell dealing of your enimies as also of your constancie A notable saieng that the afflictions of the godlie and holie men perteine to the witnesse of the truth Beza ¶ This their sufferance shall both be a great confirmation of the Gospell and also by their constancie the tyrannie of their enimies shall at length be manifest before God and man Chapter 12. 12. Mathew 10. 19. Marke 13. 11. Geneua How afflictions are called light things For our light afflictions which is but for a moment ¶ Afflictions are not called light as though they were light of themselues but because they passe awaie quicklie when as indeede our whole life is of no great continuaunce Beza Light afflictions which is so called in respect of the euerlasting life Geneua How the rest of Christs afflictions are fulfilled And fulfill the rest of Christs afflictions c. ¶ The afflictions of the Church are said to bée Christes afflictions by reason of that fellowshippe and knitting together that the bodie and the head haue the one with the other not that there is anie more néede to haue the Church redéemed but that Christ sheweth his power in the dailie weaknesse of his and that for the comfort of the whole bodie As Christ hath once suffered in himselfe to redéeme his Church to sanctifie it so doth he dailie suffer in his members as partakers of their infirmities and therefore a reuenger of their iniuries Geneua Looke passion AGAINST Who is against Christ and who not WHosoeuer is not against vs is on our side ¶ Hée that doth not withstand the Gospell nor let the preaching of it but rather doth fauour it and willeth it to bée set foorth suffering himselfe to bée taught and rebuked by it though that he doe not followe Christ in all things yet ought wée not to count him for an enimie but much rather for a friend Christ saith in the. 12. Chapter of Mathew He that is not with me is against me but that saieng is nothing contrarie to this where he saith Hée that is not against vs is with vs. For in the twelfe of Mathew he speaketh of open blasphemies and haters of the truth Sir I. Cheeke Although he shew not himselfe to be mine yet in that he beareth reuerence to my name it is inough for vs. Geneua He that is not with mée is against me ¶ Hée declareth to the Pharesies that they were in two sorts his enimies not onelie because they did forsake him but also make open war against him Geneua AGONIE Whie Christ was in such an agonie BUT being in an agonie he praied more earnestlie ¶ This agonie sheweth that Christ stroue much was in great distresse for Christ stroue not onelie with the feare of death as other men vse to doe for so manie martyrs might séeme more constant then Christ but with the fearfull iudgement of his angrie Father which is the fearefullest thing in the world and the matter was for that he tooke the burthen of all our sinnes vpon himselfe Beza ¶ The word signifieth the honour that Christ had receiued not onelie for feare of death but of his Fathers iudgement and wrath against sinne Geneua AGRIPPA For what cause Agrippa was so willing to heare Paule I Would also heare the man my selfe ¶ Agrippa will heare Paule not for to learne the truth whereof he was nothing desirous but that he might heare some new thing beeing in this matter like vnto manie which now a daies goe to sermons not to learne how to amend their liues but to heare newes Sir I. Cheeke Agrippa said vnto Paule somewhat thou perswadest me to be a Christian. ¶ He sawe a little light but it was soone out much like vnto those that hearing a Sermon are for the time well minded but after returne to their olde trade The Bible note ALABASTER What the propertie of Alabaster is SAuing an Alabaster bore ¶ This was a verie fine and delicate boxe being made of Alabaster which was a kinde of glasse verie necessarie to preserue ointment in it was so called of the Grecians and of taking the primatiue A because for the smoothnesse thereof it could not be held Plâ—ie in his 36. booke and viij Chapter maketh mention of the Alabaster stone For when he had spolien in the. 35. Chapter of the Onix stone he goeth forward thus Some men saith he call this the Alabaster stone the which they make holowe to put in ointment bicause it is said to preserue the same verie well These things agrée with that which Homere writeth saieng the little Onir will drawe vnto it a pipe of the Oile Spiknard or Nardus ointment Marl. vpon Mathew fol. 620. ALBANENSES The opinions that these heretiâ—es held THis sect began about the yeare of our Lord. 1120. which held sundrie heresies One was that the soule of man after his death was put into an other bodie An other that Baptisme was of no efficacie The third that there were two Gods one good and an other euill And that of the good God procéeded good thinges and of the euill God euill things The fourth that in hell were
defused in all things to the which he hath bene accustomed to be made lesse to walke the narrow way whereby he shal finde such an heape of temptations and so continuall that it shall bée impossible to endure or to stande but by prayer and stronge faith Tindale ¶ Looke Straite gate NATVRE What Nature is NAture saith Plato is that thing that God will His meaning is that nature is subiect and obedient ot God and that there is neither chaunge nor necessitie in the course of nature but al things are ordred by Gods omnipotencie natural causes are onely the instruments of Gods will It was Gods will that Christ should take the natural substance of mans body that in al things he shuld be like vnto his brethren that his body should be a creature And as S. Austen saith should be in one place This is Gods knowne and expresse will Therfore by Platos iudgement this is nature Nature is sundrie waies defined Some doe take it to be a certeine strength voide of reson stirring vp necessarie motions in our bodies Againe some doe iudge it to be a strength which hath reson order as procéeding some certein way declaring what the cause of euery thing worketh what followeth the quicknes actiuitie Wherof no art nor hand neither workmaÌ„ is able to attaine vnto by immitation or following it Epicure doth call all thinges by the name of nature Augustine defineth it after this manner Nature saith he is a certein strength power put into things created by God which giueth to each that which belongeth vnto it Surely the very word séemeth to signifie that nature is called to be the same which is proper vnto euery thing that as grafted bred in it at the verye beginning so yâ— whatsoeuer any thing is of the birth as it were yâ— is the nature therof Lactantius saith yâ— nature is termed of the latin word Nascendo which is of birth My opinion saith Lactantius is not yâ— nature is the thing it selfe but the proper peculiar strength of the thing naturally giuen vnto it straight way froÌ„ the beginning therof whereby it receiueth yâ— qualitie which it hath not only of being but also of doing bearing begetting c. What the nature of Gods word is The nature of Gods word is yâ— whosoeuer readeth it or heareth it reasoned disputed before him it will begin immediatly to make him euery day better better till he be growne to a perfect man in the knowledge of Christ loue of the lawe of God or else make him worse worse till he be hardned yâ— he openly resist the spirit of God and then blaspheme after the example of Pharao Coran Abirâ—on Balam Iudas Symon Magus such other Tindale What the nature of God is Of the nature of God Augustine writeth on this wise All natures either is God who hath no beginning or is not God because he is the beginner therof As for yâ— which hath God for yâ— beginner of it by whoÌ„ it is some is not made some is made That which is not made yet for all that is of him either is begotten of him either procéedeth froÌ„ him That which is born is the onely sonne That which procéedeth is the holy spirit and this trinitie is of one and selfe same nature For these three be one each of them is God altogether one God immutable euerlasting without any beginning or end of time But nature which is made is called a creature God is called a creator I meane the Trinitie Musculus How the nature of any creature in it selfe is not euill howsoeuer it be vsed When Hierico was destroied all things accursed not lawfull for the Israelites to touch any thing therof yet was the gold the siluer their brasse yron vessels carried into the tresure house of the Lord and consecrated vnto him Gedeon was commaunded to take sacrifice that Oxe of his Fathers to God which his Father had sed brought vp to be sacrificed vnto Baal yea to burne that Oxe with yâ— selfe same wood that was consecreated and dedicated vnto the Idoll Bucer saith yâ— for any thing to be a note of Antichrist is not in the nature of any creature in it selfe for to yâ— end nothing was made of God but it hangeth altogether of consenting to Antichrists religion and the professing therof the which consent and professing beeing chaunged into the consent and professing Christianitie there can sticke in the things themselues no note or marke of Antichristes religion The vse of Bells was a marke of Antichristianitie in our Churches when the people by them were called to Masses and when they were ronge against tempests Now they are a token of Christianitie when the people by theÌ„ are gathered together to the Gospel of Christ and other holy actions c. Of three natures of men There are thrée natures of men One altogether beastly which in no wise receiue the law writteÌ„ in their harts but rise against Princes and rulers whensoeuer they are able to make their partie good These are signified by them that worshipped the golden Calâ—e for Moses brake the table of the lawe ere hée came at them The second are not so beastly but receiue yâ— law and vnto them the lawe commeth but they looke not Moses in the face for his countenaunce is too bright for them that is they vnderstand not that the lawe is spirituall and requireth the heart they looke on the pleasure profit and promotion that followeth the kéeping of the law and in respect of the reward kéepe the lawe outwardly with workes but not in the heart For if they might obteine like honour glory promotion dignitie and also auoide all inconueniences if they breake the lawe so would they also break the law and follow their lusts The third are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face and are as Paule saith a lawe vnto themselues and haue the lawe written in their hearts by the spirit of God These néed neither of king nor officer to driue them neither that any profer them any reward for to kéepe the lawe for they doe it naturally The first work for feare of the swoord The second for reward The third worke for loue Tindale Of two natures in Christ. ¶ Looke Christ. NAVEL What the Nauell doth signifie IN the day of thy birth when thou wast borne the string of thy Nauell was not cut off c. ¶ The Nauell signifieth the desires and delectations of man which are healed by the worde and feare of God as it is sayd Prouerbs 3. 8. But feary yâ— Lord and depart from euill so shall thy Nauell be whole The learned expound this whole sentence of the tribulation that Israel suffered in Aegypt and after among the Chaldes After the death of Ioseph when Pharao knew them not Exo. 1. wer they most abiect and vile and no man
his Crosse and in mortifieng the peruerse and crooked disposition of the flesh We ought alwaies to beare in minde the saieng of our Sauiour Christ If any man will follow me let him deny him selfe and take vp his Crosse and follow me c. Marl. fo 432. How mans perfection is vnperfect Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy power Ye shall not turne neither to the right hand nor to the lefte Accursed is he that standeth not in euery thing that is written in the law to performs the same And S. Iames saith Who so offendeth in one commaundement is guiltie in all And Christ saith Be ye perfect not meaning your selues by your owne abilitie but as your father is perfect which is in heauen And yet héerby he meaneth not the perfection that is in God and his Angells but onely the perfection that is required in man I beseech you saith S. Hierom hath God commaunded me that I should be the same that God is that there should be no difference in perfection betwéene me and my Lord the Creator that I should be aboue the highnesse of Angells or that I shuld haue that the Angells haue not I sayd it is possible that a man maye be without sinne if he want not will the power of God assisting him And yet I finde that besides Christ in whom all men shall be quicknesse to life there was neuer man nor neuer shall be who being in this life shall haue this perfection Wherefore doth Christ say Be ye perfect wherefore doeth Paule say As many of vs as be perfect c. Heereto S. Hierom aunswereth thus What then doe we think or what ought we to thinke that be not perfect We ought to confesse that we are vnperfect and that we haue not yet gotten nor taken that perfection that is required This is the true wisedome of a man to know himselfe to be vnperfect And as I might say the perfection of all iust men liuing in the flesh is vnperfect He hath much profited in this life that by his profiting hath learned how farre he is from the perfection of righteousnesse Our very righteousnesse it selfe is so great in this life that it standeth rather in forgiuenesse of our sinnes then in perfection of righteousnesse Iewel fo 316. 317. 318. ¶ Looke Sound PERGAMVS What Pergamus was CHurch which is at Pergamus ¶ Pergamus was the name of a famous Citie in olde time in Asia where the kings of the Atalians were alwaies resident The faith of them of Pergamus is much cōmended because they remained constant euen in the very heate of persecution Theo. Beza PEARLE What a Pearle in Scripture doth signifie NEither cast ye your Pearles before swine ¶ A Pearle hath his name among the Grecians for the orient brightnesse that is in it And a Pearle in auncient time was in great estimation among the Latines for a Pearle that Cleopatra had was valued at two hundred and fiftie thousand Crownes and the word is now borrowed from that to signifie the most precious heauenly doctrine Theo. Beza PERIVRIE How periury is made lawfull by the Popes law YE shal vnderstand that these two worthy Martirs of Iesus Christ Iohn Hus and Hierom of Prage were called to the generall Councell holden at Constaunce and faith was made to them that by safe conduct they should come safe and returne safe and yet were they contrary to the faith taken and burned And least that holy Councell should séeme to doe anye thing wherein all their sect did not consent they made this Antichristian lawe in the 19. Session Presens sancta Synadus c. This present holy Counsell doth publish and declare that there can no preiudice hurt or hinderaunce come to the Catholike faith or to the Ecclesiastical iurisdiction by reason of any safe conduct graunted by the Emperour by Kings or other Princes of the earth to any which either be heretikes or defamed of heresie for what bond or promise soeuer the same Princes haue made vnto them their safe conduct notwithstanding it is lawfull for any compitent Ecclesiasticall Iudge to enquire of the errours yea although they come to y◠place of iudgement trusting vpon their safe conduct so that otherwise they would not haue come Neither he that maketh any such promise any whit bound to performe it if he haue done that that lay in him otherwise I. Pon. PERMISSION Of Gods permission or suffering WE must note that when either the Scriptures or Fathers doe séeme God to be the cause of sinne this word permission is not there so to be added as though he only suffered men to sinne and by his prouidence or gouernment wrought nothing as concerning sinnes Indéede he letteth them not though he can but vseth them and sheweth in them his might and not onely his patience which thing Augustin vnderstood right wel and disputed against Iulianus he confuted that sentence wher it is sayd that God suffereth sinne onely according to patience and proueth that his might is also therevnto to be added by the words of Paule who wrote vnto the Romanes If God by much patience haue suffered vessells of wrath prepared for destruction to shewe forth his anger and to make knowen his might And vndoubtedly there are many things in the holy scripture which cannot alwaies be dissolued by the word of permission or patience For the heart of the King is said to be in the hand of the Lord so that he inclineth it whether soeuer it pleaseth him And Iob testifieth that it was so done as God would But as touching the sinne of the first man when yet nature was not viciated corrupted we graunt y◠the cause therof came from the will of Adam suggestion of the Diuell we saye that God permitted it because when hée might haue withstood and letted it he would not doe it but decreed to vse that sinne to declare his Iustice and goodnesse Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic fol. 167. PERSECVTION What persecution is PErsecution is an obstinate pursuing to destroy by the which there is no place of rest and quietnesse giuen but the destruction of Innocents is sought with all kinde of violence and deceits Mar. vpon Math. fol. 81. They which doe follow vpon any man for to be reuenged so that they make no ende of pursuing of him nor leaue from that which they had begun withal be rightly called persecuters although that at length they be compelled to leaue off contrary to their determination and purpose as it betideth to all persecuters which are at the last constrained whether they will or not to breake off the race and course of their persecution Some doe take the word of persecuting or pursuing to be a ful following or pursuing in all poynts As when an Hound followeth the Deare a drye foote vp hill and downe through thick and thinne c. Both senses be applyed
confusion superstition Idolatry impietie as Babilon the first Monarch was destroid so shal this wicked kingdome of Antichrist haue a miserable ruine though it hée great and séemeth to extend throughout all Europa Geneua And their corps shall lye in the stréets of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt where our Lord was crucified ¶ Meaning the whole iurisdiction of the Pope which is compared to Sodome and to Aegypt because the true libertie to serue God is taken away from the faithfull and Christ was condemned by Pilate who represented the Romane power which should be enimie to the godly Obiection What impudencie is it to affirme that Christ was crucified at Rome and all the worlde knoweth he suffered death at Hierusalem Aunswere Rome béeing vnderstood for the Regiment c. As is aforesaid the proofe is euidently made that our Sauiour Christ suffered and was crucified at Rome Reasons to proue that Christ suffered at Rome By whom was he condemned was it not by Pilate the deputie or lieuetenant of the Romane Empire c For what cause or crime was he iudged to dye Was it not for treason pretended to be committed against the Romane Empire With what kinds of execution was he put to death Was it not such as was vsuall by the lawes of the Romanes for such hainous offences as were vniustlye layde to his charge Finally was not the place where he suffered within the circuite of the Romane Empire May not then iustly affirme that he was crucified at Rome when by the Romane Iudge he was condemned for a crime against the Romane state executed by a kinde of death appointed by the Romane lawes in a place of the Romane dominion As for the Iewes they had at that time no authoritie to put any man to death as they confesse themselues when Pilatâ— had them take him iudge him according to their owne lawe meaning they shuld decree some light punishment against him they aunswered It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death he hath defeâ—ued to die As touching to cause although they accused him of blasphemy because he made himselfe the son of God yet could he not be condemned for that because Pilate wild admit no accusation but such as conteined a crime against the Romane lawes And as for the death of the crosse it is manifest to be propeâ— to the Romanes for the Iewes would haue stoned him if they might haue condemned him for blaphemie according to yâ— lawâ— of Moses And that the Angell in that place by no meanes can vnderstand Hierusalem it is manifest by these reasons First that he calleth it the greate Citie which tearme coulde neuer bée spoken of Hierusalem Also vs calleth it Sodoma and Aegypt which was the Sea of the monsterons beast Antichrist which in other places is often called Babylon c. Adde héerevnto that Hierusalem the place where Christ suffered was vtterly destroyed in Saint Iohns time which wrote this reuelation For the second proofe sée the. 13. Chapter of this Reuelation and the. 17. chapter where this euill shapen beast is described with 7. heads 10 hornes Also sée Daniel the 7. Chapter describing the foure beastes especially the fourth beast which all men must confesse to be the Monarch of Rome which is the fourth Monarch The third Argument or proofe is taken out of the 17. chapter verse 9. of this Reuelation Where the Angell expounding to Saint Iohn the mysterie of the beast with seauen heads declareth in verye plaine wordes that the seauen heads do signifie seauen hills wherevpon the woman sitteth which al writers Poets historiers cosmographers with one consent do confesse to be Rome which is builded vpon 7. hills whose names are these Palatinus Capitolinus Auentinus Exquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis Caelius The Poet Virgil describeth Rome with this Periphrasis in his Georgikes Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces Which hath compassed 7. hils within her walls The fourth and last proofe is taken out of the. 17. chapter of this Reuelation the last verse where the Angell expoundeth that the woman which Saint Iohn sawe which was the great whoore Babylon is that great Citie which hath cominion ouer the kings of the earth And what man is so impudent as to saye that anie other Citie in Saint Iohns time had dominion ouer the kings of the earth but Rome How Babylon is proued to bee Rome by the Doctours Ireneus one of the most auncient and autenticall writers that the Church hath in the fift booke of his treatise against all hereliks speking of the sea of Antichrist vpon the last verse vppon the. 13. chap. of this Reuelation where it is said yâ— the number of the beasts name is sixe hundred sixtie and sixe sheweth that the opinion of many in his time was that séeing this name Lateinos which is in English the Latin man or Romane in the numerall Gréeke letters conteineth this number that Antichrist must be sought at Rome his words are these Sed a Lateinos nomen fex centorum sexaginta sex numerorum c. Et valde verisimile est quoniam verissim regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant Also saith he this name Lateinos conteining the number of 666. is thought to be the name of Antichrist it is very like so to be for that which most vndoubtedly is a kingdom hath that name for they be Latines which now doe reigne Tertulianus a verye auncient writer in his third booke against Marcion which denied that Christ had a true bodye wherefore Tertulian vseth this reason against him That thing which hath a figure in it might bée a thing of truth so discoursing of many things figured and the figures of them commeth to theseâ— wordes Siâ— Babylon apud Iohannem nostrum c. Euen so doth Babylon in the Apocalipsis of our Saint Iohn beare the figure of the Citie of Rome which is altogether as great and as proude in reigneâ— and as great a persecuter of the Saintes as Babylon was Chrisostome in his Commentaries vppon the seconde Epistle to the Thessaloâ—â—ans Capter 2. in his fourth Homelye where as Paule speaketh of the manifestation of Antichrist sayth they knewe what was the cause that hée was not presentlye reuealed â— but when that staye is taken awaye hée shoulde bee râ—â—â—â—led in his due time Chrisostome 〈…〉 deth this staye too bee the Romane Empire which must giue place to Antichrist that like as the Persians came in place of the Chaldeans the Grecians in the place of the Persians and the Romanes in the place of the Grecians Euen so our Antichrist should inuade the Empire of the Romanes Vacantem imperiâ— principatum inuadit tentabit ad se capere hominum Deâ— imperium Antichrist saith he shal inuade the vacant principalitie of the Empire and shall assay to drawe vnto
of them which beléeue in the name of Christ and doe receiue the right of the adoption of the sonnes of God they which are such are not borne of flesh bloud but of God flesh bloud begetteth not the children of God That which is of the flesh is flesh that which is of the spirit is spirit By these words the Euangelist meaneth nothing els but the carnall birth For he maketh a comparison of the generation of the flesh and the spirit reiecting the one and allowing the other c. They which beléeue in Christ being before vncleane Gentiles are not borne the sonnes of God out of the wombe or by flesh and bloud but are brought therevnto by the workmanship of the holy Ghost And although properly he hath respect vnto the Iewes which were proud in the flesh yet notwithstanding of this place a generall doctrine maye be gathered namely that whereas we are counted the sonnes of God it commeth not by the propertie of our nature neither of our selues but because the Lord hath begotten vs of his owne frée will singular loue Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 19. That we should be called the sonnes of God ¶ Being made the sons of God in Christ he sheweth what qualities we must haue to be discerned from bastards Geneua SOPHIST What a Sophist was at the beginning and what it is now SOphists at the first beginning were men that professed to be teachers of wisdome and eloquence And the name of Sophists was had in honour and price and they were of the same estimation and of the verie same facultie science that afterward wer called Rhetores that is Rethoritians yea also Logitians For when the Sophists fell to cauilling brawling and triâ—ling by little and little the estimation decayed So that or the time that Socrates liued in a Sophist was a name of contempt and hatred and so it is yet still at this day Vdal SORROVV Of godly sorrow and worldly sorrow FOR godly sorrow causeth repentaunce vnto saluation Godly sorrow is when we are not terrified with the feare of punishment but because we féele we haue offended God our most mercifull Father Contrarye to this there is an other sorrow that onely feareth punishment or when a men is vexed for the losse of some worldly goods the fruite of the first is repentaunce the fruite of the second is desperation vnlesse the Lord helpe spéedely Beza ¶ Ther be two manner of sorrowes The one commeth of God and engendereth repentaunce vnto life The other commeth of the flesh and bréedeth desperation vnto death We haue examples of both in Cain and Dauid in Iudas and Peter for they all sorrowed but the sorrow of Cain and Iudas was fleshly carnall and therfore being without godly comfort it did driue them to desperation Whereas Dauid and Peter in their godly sorrow did flye vnto the father of mercie with a true repentaunt heart and were receiued againe into the fauour of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Whose heart Gods spirit doth teach he is sorrie for his sinnes committed against so mercifull a God these are the fruites of his repentaunce as witnesse Dauids and Peters teares Other which are sorrie for their sinnes onely for feare of punishment and Gods vengeance fall into desperation As Cain Saule Iudas Achitophel c. Geneua How Christ ouercame the sorrowes of death And loosed the sorrowes of death ¶ The death that was full of sorrowe both of body and minde Therfore when death appeared conquerour and victour ouer those sorrows Christ is rightly sayd to haue ouercome those sorrowes of death when as being dead he ouercame death to liue for euer with his father Beza ¶ Both as touching the paine and also the horrour of Gods wrath and curse Geneua SOVLDIER What the profession of a souldier is TO professe a souldier is of it selfe saith Erasmus to confesse the puddle and sinke of all mischiefe The meaning of this place following Thou therfore suffer afflictioÌ„ as a good soldier of Iesus Christ. No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with the affaires of this lyfe because he woulde please him that hath chosen him to be a souldier ¶ The latter sentence is generall and perteyneth to all men The meaning is this Whosoeuer would be a souldier vnto Christ must leaue all worldly things and follow him And what Saint Paule meaneth by the affaires of this lyfe Heare Maister Caluines iudgement by the affaires of this life the Apostles vnderstandeth the care of gouerning his family and other ordinary businesse He also applieth the place on this wise Now this comparison saith he is to be applied to the present purpose that whosoeuer will playe tho warrier vnder Christ leauing all worldly matters and impediments must giue himselfe wholy vnto him SOVLE The diuerse taking of this word Soule THe soules of them that were put to death c. ¶ The worde soule is put somtime for the life because the soule is yâ— cause of lyfe and because the life consisteth in the soule as in yâ— Psal. 119. 109. and in Iob. 16. 4. Also it is taken for will minde or desire because it is the seate of the will and desire In which sense the soule of Ionathas is sayd to be linked to the soule of Dauid 1. Re. 18. 1. And the soule of Sichem is saide to haue cleued to Dina the daughter of Iacob Ge. 24. 8. And Luke saith that the multitude that beléeued were of one heart and of one soule Act. 4. 32. Many times it is taken for the whole liuing man as when it is saide that thréescore sixtéene soules went with Iacob into Aegypt Ge. 46. 27. Also the soule that sinneth the same shall dye Eze. 18. 20. And the soule that steppeth aside to witches and southsayers shall dye the death c. Leuit. 20. 6. And again eight soules wer saued by water â— Pet. 3. 20. Somtime it is taken for the breath which men doe breath in out wherein consisteth the liuely mouing of the body like as when it is said perplexity hath caught hold of me although my whole soule be still within mâ—â— 2. Reg. 1. 9. And his soule is in him Act. 20. 10. Also let the soule of the child returne into his bowels 3. Reg. 17. 21. And like as in the Latin phrase of speach they be commonly wont to say that the soule is puffed or breathed out so also doth the scripture say that the soule passeth or goeth out as it is said in Rachel And as her soule was passing or going out for she was then vieng she called the child Benony Gen. 35. 18. But most often the soule is taken for the immortall spirit of man lyke as it is sayd feare not them that kill the bodye but cannot kill the soule Math. 10. 28. In this sense doth Iohn say héere that he sawe the soules of them that were put to death c. Marl. vpon the Apoc.
foreordeined to grace For touching themselues they did that God would not but touching the omnipotencie of God they could no way doe it For euen in this that they did against Gods will Gods will was fulfilled vpon them or touching them for therefore great and exquisite are the Lords workes throughout all his will that after a meruailous and vnspeakable manner that is not done beside Gods will that is done against Gods will Nothing is done that procéedeth not out of the inward and intelligible Court of the souereigne Emperour according to his vnspeakable Iustice. For where doth not the wisedome of almightie God worke that he will which reacheth from ende to ende strongly and disposeth all things sweetely Againe S. Austen hath these wordss It is than his will only froÌ„ which is sprong whatsoeuer is Also nothing set in mans frée will ouercoÌ„meth the wil of God And though man be against Gods will yet against his will which is himselfe we ought to think nothing to be so done as though he wold haue it to be done it is not done or yâ— he would not haue to be done it is done For yâ— will is euer fulfilled either touching vs or of vs. Touching vs it is fulfilled but we fulfil it not when we sin Of vs it is fulfilled when we do good Item so of man also God euer fulfilleth his will for man doth wherof God worketh not that he will Item Gods will is the necessitie of all things It is then in the power of the naughtie men to sin but yâ— in sinning the same naughtinesse shall doe this or this it is not in their power but in the power of God who diuideth darknesse ordereth it that of this also that they do against Gods wil there is nothing fulfilled but Gods will Aug. in the 1. bo of the Predest of Saints cha 16. Which holy scripture if it be diligently looked into sheweth that not only the good wils of men which he made of euil wils and being made good by him guideth to good acts but also those wils yâ— continue the creation of the world be so in Gods power that he maketh them to be bowed whether he will when hée wil either to do good to some or to punish some as he himself declareth by his most hidden indéede but vndoubtedly most iust iudgmeÌ„t For we find some sins to be punishmeÌ„ts euen of other sins As in yâ— hardening of Pharao the cause wherof is also declared to shew Gods power in him Wherefore the Lord saith to Iosua The Children of Israel shall not be able to stand What is this they shall not be able to stand why did they not stand by their free-will but fled their will being troubled through feare sauing that God ruleth ouer the wills of men when he is angry turneth whom he wil into feare Did not the shameles man that son of Iemini raile vpon king Dauid by his own wil Neuertheles what saith Dauid suffer him to raile for yâ— Lord hath coÌ„maunded him to raile vpon Dauid Lo how it is proued yâ—â—od vseth the hearts euen of euill men to yâ— praise aid of good men Who should not tremble saith he at these iudgements of God whereby he worketh euen in yâ— hearts of euill men whatsoeuer he will rendring yet to them according to their deserts And againe by these such testimonies of the holy scripture it is made manifest inough that God worketh in yâ— hearts of men to boow their wills whether soeuer he will either to good things according to his mercie and to euill according to their deserts through his own iudgement without doubt sometimes open sometimes hidden but euer iust Some will babble say if all things come to passe according to Gods â—oresight prouidence certain vnmouable vnchangeable ordiuaunce then they will make no prouision for meate to satisfie their hunger they will vse no medicine in their sicknes they will not procure to auoide any daunger c. for the good things yâ— God hath ordeined for them they shall haue the euill yâ— God hath appointed they cannot eschew So that either it shall not néede or it shall not boote to labor â—or the obtaining of yâ— one or auoiding of the other sith al must be as it is alredy decréed determined wtout alteratioÌ„ or change Aunswere O rude rabble what if God will vse your labour the wisdome and gifts wherewith he hath furnished you to serue his prouidence will ye refuse to be his instruments with all yâ— ye haue of him if it be his ordinaÌ„ce to feed you through your trauel wil you lye gaping till meat fal into your mouths froÌ„ yâ— clouds which you perceiue he hath not appointed If it plese him to hele you by yâ— vertue he hath giueÌ„ to herbs or other simples you wil not be healed I wold ye shuld be sick still If he wil haue you to escape daungers through yâ— wisedome yâ— he hath planted in your harts you will not vse theÌ„ you are worthy to perish in them and so God will vse your folly to your owne destruction The godly euer lyke that well that pleaseth God neither will they shew themselues so vnthankfull or so foolish as to despise or refuse the meanes that he hath appointed and though they know that nothing can come to passe otherwise then he hath ordeined yet they know not whether this way or yâ— way by this meanes or that meanes he will bring his purpose to passe and therefore they vse the meane with thankes that seemeth most lykely according to the wisedome that God hath giuen them For whether God worke things by him or by those meanes and instruments that he hath appointed all is one to them and they acknowledge his wisedome and goodnesse as well in the one as in the other c. B. Traheron How there is two wills in God The will of God is two manner of wayes considered in the Scripture It doth ascribe vnto God an absolute will which is hidden from vs and can in no wise be resisted for whatsoeuer God hath determined by his absolute will it can neuer be altered Secondly Scripture doth speake of the diuine and blessed will of God as it is set forth vnto vs in Gods holy word wherby we doe learne what God will haue vs to doe and what hee will haue vs to leaue vndone we do all contrary to this will when we do breake his commaundement And so Adam doing contrary to Gods will brought himselfe to naught and to vtter destruction I. Veron The meaning of this place following I will shew mercie to whom I will shew mercie will haue compassion on whom I haue compassion That is as much as if he should say that nothing doth moue him to mercie but only that he will shew mercie that is to say that the only thing that moueth him to be mercifull or to