another place The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost And in Saint Lukes Gospell concerning the conuersion of Zacheus The Sonne of man is come to séeke and to saue that which was lost Therefore it ought to be no discomfort vnto vs to confesse that wée are vtterlye lost séeing thereby that we are assured that wée appertaine vnto Christ who came of purpose to séeke and to saue that which was lost O the wonderfull wisedome power and mercie of GOD shewed vs in CHRIST that euen then when we feele our selues lost we are founde when we sée our selues destroied we are saued when we heare our selues condemned we are iustified onely in beléeuing these words The sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost Let vs therefore with inuincible courage of faith take holde of these generall promises of God and apply them vnto our selues as the poore woman of Canany did and we shall finde it to be true which our Sauiour Christ saith vnto vs There is nothing impossible to him that beléeueth Doct. Fulke LOTTES How they may be vsed lawfully TO speake of lottes how farre foorth they are lawfull is a light question First to vse them for the breaking of sâ—riâ—e as when partners their goods as equally deuided as they can take euery man his part by lotte to auoid all suspition of deceiptfulnesse And as the Apostles in the first of the Actes when they sought another to succéede Iudas the Traitour and two persons were presented then to breake strife and to satisfie all parties did cast lottes whether should be admitted desiring God to temper them and to take whom he knewe most meete séeing they wist not whether to preferre or happely could not all agrée either is lawfull and in all like cases But to abuse them vnto the tempting of God to compell him therewith to vtter things whereof we stand in doubt when we haue no commaundement of him so to doe as these Heathen héere did though God tourned it to his glorye cannot bée but euill Tindale fol. 27. ¶ Which declareth that the matter was in great extremitie and doubt which thing was Gods motion in them for the tryall of the cause and this maye not be done but in matters of great importaunce Geneua LOVE Of the order of Loue. SOme in seeking for an order in loue doe determine by the authoritie of S. Austine that first we must loue God secondly our selues thirdly our neighbours and bretheren and fourthly our owne body and our neighbours But there is nothing in Scripture touching any such order Indéed Christ doth saye that the first Commaundement doth stand in the loue of God but he doth not giue the seconde place to the loue of our selues but vnto the loue of our neighbour where as he saith in Mathew the second is like the first So that there is a double error committed héere by them which doe vncircumspectly and vnadâ—isedly follow Augustine One in that they do recken the loue of our selues amongst the kindes of loue commaunded vs whereas there is no Commaundement touching the same for it is naturally giuen to vs all to loue our selues and that there is no néede to giue any commaundement concerning this manner of loue And whereas the same is corrupted by the sin that dwelleth within vs in our flesh that corruption is not reformed by commaunding vs to loue our selues but by the loue of God of our neighbour and bretheren which is prescribed vnto vs by expresse precepts to reforme the naturall affections of loue in vs and to direct them after a good order wherefore it is not to be feared that he which doth loue God his neighbour and bretheren aright can neglect and cast away himselfe albeit that he doe wholly denie and refuse himselfe and be addicted full and whole to the glorie of God and the saluation of his neighbours The other errour standeth in that they place the loue of our selues next vnto the loue of God whereas Christ doth assigne the second place expressely to the loue of our neighbour Musculus fol. 471. How Loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Paule Rom. 13. affirmeth that loue is the fulfilling of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accord all that the law requireth And first Tim. 1. 5. he saith that the loue of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained is the ende fulfilling of the lawe For faith vnfained in Christs bloud causeth thée to loue for Christs sake which loue is the pure loue onely and the onely cause of a good conscience for then is the conscience pure when the eyes looketh to Christ in all hir deedes to doe them for his sake not for hir owne singular aduauntage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in his Gospell and also Epistles spoaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one another purely Affirming that we haue God himselfe dwelling in vs and all that God desireth if we loue one another Tindale fol. 36. Againe Loue of hir owne nature bestoweth all that she hath and euen hir owne selfe of that which is loued Thou néedest not to bidde a kinde mother to be louing to hir onely sonne Much lesse spirituall Loue which hath eyes giuen hir of God néedeth mans lawe to teach hir to doe hir dutie And as in the beginning he did put foorth Christ as the cause and Authour of our righteousnesse euen so héere setteth he him foorth as an example to counterfaite that as he hath done to vs euen so should we doe one to another Tindale fol. 49. How we ought to loue God This doe and thou shalt liue ¶ That is to say Loue thy Lord God with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde thy neighbour as thy selfe as who should say if thou doe this or though canst not doe it yet if thou féelest lust therevnto and thy spirit stirreth and mourneth longeth after strength to doe it take a signe euident token thereby that the spirit of life is in thee that thou art elect to life euerlasting by Christs bloud whose gift and purchase is thy faith and that spirit that worketh the will of God in thée whose gifte also are thy déedes or rather the déedes of the spirit of Christ and not thine and whose gifte is the reward of eternall life which followeth good workes Tindale fol. 78. ¶ Ye haue not the loue of God in you ¶ The loue of God is héere taken for the whole féeling of godlinesse For no man can loue God but he must also honour him and must submitte himselfe wholly vnto him euen as where is no loue of God there is no obedience in consideration Moses maketh this the summe of the lawe that we loue God with our whole heart c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 181. Why Loue hath the chiefe place aboue Faith and Hope Now abideth Faith Hope Loue but
himselfe and in his owne minde being made priuie to euerie thing that he either hath committed or not committed doe either condemne or acquite himself And this reason procéedeth frō God who is both prompt writeth his iudgements in the hearts and mindes of men Bullinger What Saint Paules meaning is by this Hauing the conscience seared with an hot yron ¶ Their dull consciences first waxed hard then after canker and corruption bred therein Last of all it was burnt with an hotte yron so that he meaneth such as haue no conscience Geneua ¶ Whose conscience waxed so hard that there grew an hard fleshlinesse ouer it and so became to haue a Canker in it and now at length required of verie necessitie to be burned with an hot yron ¶ Tindale applieth this place to false Teachers whose consciences being seared be witnesses vnto themselues that for their bellie sake and desire of filthie lucre they hide the truth and stablish lies Tindale CONSECRATION What Consecration is GIuing of thanks vnto God for y◠death of his onlie begotten Son Iesus Christ is the true Consecration Sir I. Cheeke Consecration signifieth the whole action of the Supper and not the turning of the Elements Booke of Mar. fol. 1538. Doctor Redman being sicke at Westminster was among other things asked this question by one Master Wilkes what Consecratio was it is quoth Doctor Redman tota actio in ministring the Sacrament as Christ did institute it All the whole thing done in the mysterie as Christ ordeined it that is Consecatio Thus farre D. Redman CONTEMPT How Contempt is defined COntempt consisteth chiefelie in thrée things for either wée contemne onelie in minde when we despise anie man and their goods or when we doe them anie discommoditie not thereby to séeke our owne gaine but onlie to reioice at their discommoditie or lastlie when we adde words or déedes which haue ignominie or contumelie ioined with them Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 166. CONTENTION Of the Contention betweene Paule and Barnabas ¶ Looke Paule CONTINENCIE What Continencie is COntinencie is a vertue or power of the mind receiued from the spirit of God which suppresseth affections and doth not in anie wise permit vnlawfull pleasures This is conuersant and doth shew it selfe in the common and vsuall talke of men in pleasures that are allowed in apparell in buildings and dwelling houses in meate and drinke and in other things also c. Bullinger fol. 237. CORNELIVS How Cornelius was iustified by faith and not by workes COrnelius thy praiers and thine almes are come vp into remembraunce before God c. ¶ The praiers and almes of Cornelius pleased God before he was baptised but without faith God cannot be pleased Cornelius therefore as Bede trulie noteth had faith whereby his praiers and almes pleased God for saith he he came not to faith through workes but to workes through faith The Bible note ¶ Inasmuch as by workes no man can be saued as the psalmist openlie affirmeth In thy sight none that liueth can be iustified And againe If thou looke on our iniquities Lord who shall be able to beare them No christen conscience dare be so hardie as to attribute saluation of this man Cornelius to his praier and fasting for first ye see he was a Gentile vncircumcised not kéeping the lawe nor once thinking thereon and therefore must be iustified by faith that came by hearing the glad tidings preached in Christ and therefore must we looke to the words of Luke in the beginning of this Chapter where he saith that he feared God which thing he could not haue done neither yet haue praied nor giuen almes except he had beléeued For how should he haue called on him on whom he beléeued not Thus are we compelled to ascribe his calling vnto faith out of which these fruites of praier and fasting procéeded speciallie séeing that Saint Paule affirmeth that whatsoeuer is not done of faith the same is sinne The christen then and such as will the Scriptures to be true in all places to expound one texte that another maie agrée with it do right well know that his calling our saluation is fréelie giuen of God for his son Christs sake and not for the deseruing of our workes And because faith can receiue this great and free benefite of God and beléeue it to be true and workes neither can beléeue it neither discerne it therfore it is ascribed vnto faith and not to workes If praier or fasting or the holiest worke vnder heauen could saue Christ had neuer néeded to haue suffered such gréeuous paines but vtterly died in vaine Neither should God fréelie chuse vs but our workes should chuse him Understande therefore that by his workes was he not called but by Faith out of which his workes sprong which faith God freelie gaue him as he calleth and saueth vs all Good workes must we do as this man did and that with all loue and earnestnesse and thereto are we bound and without them can it not be knowen whether we be verie christen or no no more then we can knowe a good Trée to be good and neuer felte his fruite But we maie in no condition ascribe iustification or saluation to them for as saith Christ When ye haue done all ye can doe 〈…〉 ye are vnprofitable seruaunts but to faith which onelie can receiue the benefites of Christ and beléeue that he alone hath deserued forgiuenesse for the sinnes of all the world The Apostles were héere first taught and certified by the holie Ghost of the conuersion of the Gentiles Tindale CORNER STONE ¶ Looke Stone CORRVPTION From whence our corruption commeth ADam was not created in the corruption which is spoken off héere but he purchased it of himselfe For God found all the things to be good which he had made Man therefore who is the excellentest of all creatures was not marred after that fashion till he had withdrawen himselfe from God But when he had once seperated himselfe from the Fountaine of righteousnesse what coulde remaine vnto him but naughtinesse and corruption Thus wée sée from whence all our naughtinesse procéedeth that we ought not to blame God for the vices wherevnto we be subiect and vnder which we be helde prisoners according to the Scripture which saith that wee bée solde vnder simie and become the bonde slaues of Satan Wée must not blame God for this but we must learne to knowe that it is the heritage which we haue from our father Adam and therefore we must take the whole blame to our selues before God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 274. COVETOVSNES What Couetousnesse maketh men to doe COuetousnesse is the roote of all euill 1. Tim. 6. 10. Couetousnesse is Image seruice Col. 3. 5. It maketh men to erre from the faith 1. Tim. 6. 10. It hath no part of the kingdome of Christ and God Ephe. 5. 5. It hardened the heart of Pharao that the faith of the miracles of God could not
is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs bodie was broken for him and whether the lust he hath to praise GOD and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middest of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether hee dooe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better that he were awaie For he that eateth or drinketh vnworthelie eateth drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lords bodie Frith ¶ Looke Weake and Sicke ¶ We must marke that in this examination he sendeth no man to another but euerie man to himselfe The Papists bid thée goe to an auricular Confessour there to confesse thy selfe to receiue absolution and to make satisfaction for thy sinnes according to the forme that is commaunded thée But Paule the Doctour of the Gentiles and the vessell of election speaketh not a word of these things but saith simplie Let a man examine himselfe and so let him eate of that bread and drinke of that Cup for like as God is the searcher of the hearts and requireth the inward affection of the minde and hateth hipocrisie so none knoweth what is in the heart of man or what affections we beare to Godward but we our selues doe therefore he willeth vs our selues to examine euerie thing in our selues That is to saie he willeth euerie man to descend into himselfe and to examine himselfe Bullinger fol. 1109. ¶ Looke Prouing EXCOMMVNICATION What Excommunication is IT is the separation and reiection from the holie assemblie of our Lord Iesus Christ the which is done by the Church against open and obstinate sinners Tindale ¶ Excommunication is a censure of the Eldership whereby he that is guiltie of some most grieuous crime is without anie certaine prescription of time shut from the sacraments and banished the companie of the faithfull This is the sorest punishment of the Church which also is called of Saint Paule a deliuering vp to Satan of Christ to be as an Ethnike and Publicane which aunswereth the Iewes cutting them off from the Couenaunt so often repeated to the people of God by Moses Héereof is oft mention made in the new Testament Iohn 9. 18. And 1. Cor. 5. 4. 2. The. 3. 15. and in other places mo Now wheras it is so grieuous a punishment it is executed on none but on him that is guiltie of some heinous trespasse which kind of sinnes are rehearsed by Saint Paule 1. Cor. 5. 11. and 2. Thessa. 3. 14. Yet count him not as an Enimie but warne him as a Brother ¶ The ende of Excommunication is not to driue from the Church such as haue fallen but to winne them to the Church by amendement Geneua They shall excommunicate you ¶ In that he saith they shall be excommunicated his meaning is this They shall cast you out of their Sinagogues they shall condemne you of impietie and heresie they will refraine you of water and fire and such necessaries They will banish you and sell your goods and they will account you not for Israelites but for Gentiles and Atheists For the good as subiect not onelie to persecution but also to ignomie and reproach euen as saith the Apostle Paule Be thinketh that God hath set foorth vs which are the last Apostles as it were men appointed to death for we are made a gasing stocke vnto the world and to the Angells and to men Christ notwithstanding commaundeth to stande firme and stedfast against this temptation because though they bée thrust out of Synagogues yet neuerthelesse they shall abide in the kingdome of God Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 527. What S. Paule meant by the excommunicating of Alexander And Alexander which I haue deliuered to Satan ¶ Wheras Saint Paule saith that he did deliuer Alexander and Himeneus vnto Satan he meaneth none other thing therby but that he did excommunicate them openlie as no true Christians and that he did threaten them if they would not repent and tourne that GOD woulde punish them euerlastinglie by Satan and his Angells Sir I. Cheeke Saint Austen saith What is a man the worse if the ignoraunce of a man strike him out of the booke of the Church if his conscience strike him not out of the booke of life In this case saith Saint Austen it commeth sometimes to passe that there be manie Sheepe without the Church manie Wolues within the Church EXORCISTES What the Office of an Exorcist was THe Exorcists office was by a speciall gift of God seruing onelie for that time to call foorth foule spirites out of the bodies of them that were possessed Iewel fol. 98. EXTREMEVNCTION ¶ Looke Oile Face What the Face of Christ is IN the Face of Iesus Christ. ¶ That is to saie in the knowledge of Iesus Christ not in the Face of Moses which is the knowledge of the Lawe for by Christ came we to the knowledge of God Tindale What the Face of God is ¶ The face of God is the knowledge of his diuine nature of the which it is written Shew vs the light of thy countenaunce and we shall be whole that is graunt vs to knowe thée Otherwise Gods face doth signifie the inuisible nature of Christs Diuinitie Exo. 33. 23. You shall sée my hinder parts but my Face you cannot sée that is You shall sée Christs humanitie but his diuinitie cannot be séene The Face of God is that which is described in the 26. of Leuiticus I will tourne my face to you I will make you fruitfull I will giue you raine in season and peace in the earth the sword shall not come in the Land if ye wil walke in my statutes and kéepe my precepts c. Plenteousnesse and goodnesse and all Gods benefites that is Gods face T. Drant What is the Face or countenaunce of God It is not a shape like vnto a mans visage which hath nose eies mouth but the Face of God is the recorde which he giueth vs when we knowe his will God therefore sheweth vs his Face when he telleth vs why he doth this thing or that and it is all one as if wée sawe him before our Eies Contrariwise hée hideth his face from vs when hée afflicteth vs when things séeme straunge vnto vs and when we knowe no reason why he worketh after that sort Therefore when God holdeth vs in ignoraunce it is an hiding of his Face from vs. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 629. ¶ Thou maist not sée my face for there shall no man see me aliue ¶ There shall no man see my face liue not that the face of God which is the face of life is the cause of death to them y◠see it for the Saints that are in heauen do indeed sée it but none that liueth in the bodie can sée neither comprehend the maiestie of his face but must be first purified by death as Paule declareth it 1.
Cor. 15. 52. Tindale How this place following is vnderstood Because his face shall be so deformed and not as mans face ¶ That is his face shall be more deformed then other mens his beautie fouler then the beautie of the sonnes of men The whole sentence meaneth that manie men shall be estonied wheÌ„ they shall sée Christ our sauiour which was excéeding beautifull before all the sonnes of men Psal. 45. 2. so wickedly and violently intreated of the Iewes spit vpon scourged crowned with thorne all be blouded yea greatlier humbled contemned and despised then euer was anie mortall man T. M. FAITH What Faith is FAith is a sure confidence of things which are hoped for and a certeintie of things which are not seene ¶ Faith trust in Christ onelie is the life and quietnesse of the conscience not trust in works how holie so euer they be or appere Works caÌ„not set the heart at rest because we euer think they be not inough nor yet good inough but to few and so fal we to mistrusting after which followeth despairing and so damnation if we leaue not the confidence in them and sticke to faith which canne receiue and beléeue without mistrust that Christs workes on the crosse hath full purged cleansed and loosed vs from our sinnes Againe Faith is a liuely and stedfast trust in the fauour of God wherewith we commit our selues altogether vnto God and that trust is so surelie grounded and sticketh so fast in our hearts that a man wold not once doubt of it though he should die a thousand times therfore and such trust wrought by the holie Ghost through faith maketh a man gladde lustie chéerefull and true hearted vnto God and all creatures by the meanes whereof willingly and without compulsion he is glad and readie to do good to euerie man to suffer all things that God maie beloued and praised which hath giuen him such grace so that it is impossiblâ— to separate good works from faith euen as it is impossible to separate heate and burning from fire Therefore take heede and beware of thine owne fantasies which to iudge of faith good workes will seâ—me wise when indéede they are starke blinde and of all things most foolish Praie God that hée will vouthsafe to worke faith in thine heart or else thou shalt remaine euermore faithlesse faine thou imagine thou enforce thou wrastle with thy selfe and doe what thou wilt Againe Faith is the beléeuing of Gods promises a sure trust in the goodnesse and truth of God which faith iustified Abrahamâ— Gen. 15. was the mother of al his good works which he afterward did for faith is the goodnesse of all workes in the sight of God Good works are things of Gods coÌ„maundement wrought in faith And to shew a show at the commandement of God to do thy neighbour seruice with all with faith to be saued by Christ as God promiseth vsâ— is much better theÌ„ to build an Abbeie of their own imagination trusting to be saued by yâ— fained works of hypocrits Iacob robbed Laban his vnckle Moses robbed the Aegiptians Abraham is about to sley burne his own son al are holy works because they are wrought in faith at Gods commandement To steale rob murther are no holy works before worldly people but vnto theÌ„ the haue their trust in God they are holie when God commandeth them What God commaundeth not getteth no reward with God Holy works of mens imagination receiue their reward héere as Christ testifieth Math. 6. 2. Tindale Faith is an vndoubted beliefe most firmelie grounded in the minde Bullinger fo 30. Againe True faith is the wel-spring root of all vertues good works first of al it satisfieth the minde and desire of man and maketh it quiet and ioyfull Bullinger fol. 54. How Faith is the ground of all good works As a good trée in the time of the yeare bringeth foorth good apples not to make him good for he is good before nor yet this apple is to his owne profit but vnto other mens notwithstanding the good nature the is in him must needs bring it forth So like wise yâ— iust man must needs do good works not by them to be iustified but alonelie in them to serue his brother for he hath no néed of theÌ„ concerning iustification This is the verie true way maner of doing good works how the no man can do goods workes but a iustified man as our sauiour Christ saith either make yâ— trée good and then his fruit must be good or els the tree euill and his fruit also euil for a good trée must néedes bring forth good fruite and a bad euill fruite D. Barnes How Faith iustifieth The faith of true beleeuers is the God iustifieth or forgiueth Christ deserueth it the faith trust in Christs bloud receiueth it certifieth the conscience thereof saueth deliuereth from feare of death dampnation this is it the we meane when we saie faith iustifieth the faith I meane in Christ not in our own works certifieth the conscience the our sins are forgiuen vs for Christs bloud sake Tindale fol. 187. Againe when I saie the faith iustifieth the vnderstanding is the faith receiueth the iustifieng God promiseth to forgiue our sinnes to impute vs for full righteous And God doth iustifie vs actiuely yâ— is to saie forgiueth vs for ful righteous Christs bloud deserueth it saith in the promiser receiueth it certifieth the conscience therof Faith chalengeth it for Christs sake which hath deserued all that is promised cleaueth euer to the promise truth of the promiser pretendeth not the goodnes of the worke but knowledgeth that our works deserue it not but are crowned and rewarded with the deseruinges of Christ. Take an example of young children when the Father promiseth them a good thing for dooing of some trifle and when they come for their reward dalyeth with them saieng What that thou hast done is not worth halfe so much Should I giue thée so great a thing for so little a trifle Ye did promise mée ye said I should haue it why did you promise and whieâ— did you saye so And let him saie what he will to driue them off they will euen saie againe you did promise me so yée did you said I should haue it so ye did But hirelings will pretend their worke and saie I haue deserued it I haue done so much my worke is worthie it c. Tindale fol. 225. That faith the mother of all good workes iustifieth before wée can bring forth anie good worke as the husbaÌ„d marrieth his wife before he can haue anie lawfull children by her Furthermore as yâ— husbaÌ„d marieth not his wife the she shuld coÌ„tinue vnfruitful as before as she was in the state of virginity wherein it was impossible for her to heare fruit but contrariwise to make her fruitfull euen so faith iustifieth
vs not that is to saie marrieth vs not vnto God that we shuld continue vnfruitfull as before but the he should put his séed of his holie spirit in vs as S. Iohn in his first Epistle calleth it to make vs fruitfull For saith Paule Ephe. 2. 8. For by grace are ye made safe through faith that not of our selues for it is the gift of God and commeth not of works least anie man should boast himselfe For we are his workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordeined that we should walke in them Tin fol 59. But who shall glorie of his owne righteousnesse when hee heareth God by his Prophet saieng That all your righteousnes is lyke a most filthy defiled cloath The onely true glorieng therefore is in the faith of the crosse of Christ which excludeth all that glorieng which descendeth of the workes of the lawe Origen in his 13. booke ad Rom. We thinke that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the lawe For because there is one God which iustifieth circumcision of the law and vncircumcision of faith It manifestly sheweth that righteousnesse is not in the merit of man but in the grace of God who without the workes of the law accepteth the faith of them that beleeue Againe In liâ—â— contra Ecudem he saith thus â—unc ergo iusti sumus c. Therefore we are then righteous when we confesse our selues sinners And our righteousnesse standeth not vpon our owne merit but vpon the merit of God Hicrome li. 2. contra Pelag. We be not iustified by works but by faith For the weaknes of the flesh is a let vnto workes but the brightnesse of faith shadoweth the errour of déedes which desâ—rueth pardon of sinnes S. Ambrose â—de Iacobo Cap. 21. For the théefe beléeued and was iustified by the most mercifull God And héere saie not vnto me that he lacked time to liue vprightlie and to doe good workes for I contend not about that but this onelie I stedfastly affirme that onelye faith by it selfe saued him Chrisostome de fide lege How faith is the worke of God Faith is the worke of God and it commeth of God as Saint Iohn saith This is the work of God then you should beléeue in him Saint Paule witnesseth the same saieng Philip. 1 â—9 Not onlie it is giuen to you that ye should beléeue in God but also yâ— ye should suffer for hiâ— sake Of this it is an euident saieug liuing or dead not to haue had faith of theÌ„selues or of their owne might â— power but to haue receiued it of God which giueth faith to whome he wil when he will although S. Paule saith Faith to come by hearing of the worde of God which worde although manie maie heare it yet no man shall beléeue but he to whom God giueth faith and in whom God worketh faith and loue Bibliander vpon the expos of â—ude What faith is without workes What auaileth it my brethren yâ— man say he hath faith wheÌ„ he hath no deeds Can faith saue him ¶ Can faith saue him S. Iames speketh not héere of true faith which by loue is mightie in operation but of the vaine imagination opinion yâ— the vnthankfull people haue of faith and therefore he doth call it dead faith because ther follow no good works of it as there do of the faith that iustifieth in the sight of God To be iustified heere in all the Chapter ouer is to be counted iust that before the world as in Luke 10. 29 and 16. 15. and not to bee made iust in the sight of God So that when he saith was not Abraham our Father iustified through works c. signifieth thus much was not Abraham our Father by his workes declared iust That is did not his workes declare and shew that he was iust and were sure tokens or his righteousnesse it signifieth that Abraham was by his workes made iust before God reputed righteous obteined remission of sinnes for by Faith he came thereby not by workes as witnesseth S. Paule Rom. 4â—2 Tindale Wilt thou vnderstand D thou vaine man that faith without déeds is vaine was not our Father Abraham iustified of his déedes when he offered his son Isaac on the Alter c. ¶ Wheras Saint Iames bringeth that Abraham was iustified by offering his sonne Iâ—â—ac that is cleane contrarie as manie as doe take it First vnto Moses whereas the verie originall is For it is openlie declared Gen. 15. 6. where these wordes were spoken of Abraham Abraham did beléeue and it was reputed vnto him for iustification where there is no word of Isaac for hée was neither yet â—orn nor promised yet must Abraham néeds be iustified for the holie Ghost saith it And when the wordes were spoken vnto him he was at the most but 86. yeares olde as it is declared in the. 16. Chapter verse 16. But when Isaac was promised him by name then was Abraham 99. years olde as it is open in the. 17. Chapter and the yeare after was Isaac borne And when Isaac was borne was Abraham 100. yeare olde as it is plaine in the. 21. 5. Now would I knowe that where that Abraham was iustified from that he was 86. yeare olde till he was an hundred yeare olde you cannot say by offering vp of Isaac for you sée he is not borne D. Barnes Therefore by faith is the inheritaunce giuen that it might come of fauour and the promise might be sure to all the séede ¶ Therefore by faith c. Therefore are ye pronounced righteous by faith by which vnderstand euen the mercie of God receiued by faith that the conscience might be surelie certified of the wil of God and of the promises of the Gospel that is of remission of sinnes of reconciliation or reputation of righteousnesse of the gift of euerlasting life that these things cléerelye be performed which were not possible if the promise shoulde depende and hang on our workes For then shall the conscience be vnsure doubting whether we had works inough whether God would be mercifull whether the law which we haue trangressed would condemne vs c. Now when doubtfulnesse remaineth in vs ther remaineth also fearefulnes by which commeth desperation death for so long as the law sheweth vs the anger of God feare of death cannot be ouercome Therfore must we néeds sticke onelie to faith in the mercifull promises of God surelie certified and they shall be fulfilled although our works haue not deserued the fulfilling of them Tindale Of faith and deeds And how Saint Paule and Iames doe agree therein Ye sée then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onelie ¶ Ye sée then the a man is iustified c. That is is declared iust is openlie knowne to be righteous like as by the fruites the good tree is knowne to be good otherwise maie not
this sentence be interpreted For there could nothing be more foolish then this saieng of Iames if a man would thus interpret it that no man obteineth remission of sinneâ— but because his works are worthie of so great a benefit This interpretation who so sticketh frowardlie by vnderstandeth not what remissioÌ„ of sinnes is or how the coÌ„science ought to be comforted when it seeth that it bringeth no good works to God which are sufficient to please him And this interpretation is cleane contrarie to other open saiengs of the Scripture which teach yâ— remission of sins commeth fréely as yâ— Psalmist saith I said I wil acknowledge mine offence accuse my selfe vnto the Lord thou forgauest me yâ— wickednes of my sin And Ro. 4. 5. To him the worketh not but beleeueth on him yâ— iustifieth yâ— vngodly his faith is couÌ„â—ed for righteousnes What can be more plainlie then yâ— sinnes are forgiue to a wicked vngodly man yâ— worketh not yâ— is not for anie of his works but fréely To conclude if the gospel forgiue not sins but for our good works sake for our worthines it diffe reth not froÌ„ yâ— law it saueth no more theÌ„ yâ— law this I trust wil suffice yâ— good wise For as touching them yâ— bring nothing to this cause but a will to brawle chide wil neuer suffer themselues to be satisfied And yet if we would contend by the number of authorities this one place of Iames is ouerthrowne with many witnesses of Paule if men wil vnderstand by iustificatioÌ„ al one thing in theÌ„ both Therefore Paule saith Faith iustifieth vnderstand thereby yâ— faith causeth yâ— we be counted iust reputed righteous that our sins are not imputed vnto vs but forgiuen vs for Christs sake When Iames saith works iustifie he meaneth thus Works declare vs iust and shew euidentlye that we are righteous Thus shalt thou make them agree Tindale Ye shall vnderstand yâ— S. Paule S. Iames be not contrarie in this matter For Paule to yâ— Romanes Galathians disputeth against them which attributeth iustification to good works And Iames reasoneth against them which vtterlie condemne works Therefore Paule sheweth the cause of our iustification Iames the effects In Paule is declared how we are iustified in Iames how we are knowne to be iustified In Paule works are excluded as not yâ— cause of our iustification in Iames they are approued as effects procéeding thereof In Paule they are denied to go before them that be iustified in Iames they are said to followe them that are iustified Geneua Ioine yâ— liuâ—ly faith of S. Paule with the good works of S. Iames bring both these into one life and then hast thou reconciled them both and so shalt thou be sure to be iustified both before God by Paules faith before men by S. Iames works I. Fox How Faith is nourished If Faith as it is written come by hearing that is as it is added by the worde of God then followeth it of necessitie that there is nothing whereby faith is more nourished mainteined and confirmed then by conâ—tinuall reading and repeating of the worde of GOD. This thiâ—â— testified Tertulian in his Apologie where he saith That to this end holie assemblies are gathered together to heare the word of God The Philosophers saie that if faith be by the word of God then by the same also it is nourished We know moreouer that of workes often repeated are confirmed habits or qualities as contrariwise if a man cease off from actioÌ„s they waxe weake wherfore if a man cease to reade to heare or to repeate the holie Scriptures faith will waxe feeble mâ—him And they which thinke that a liuelie pure faith maie continue in Churches wouâ— often preaching doe excéedinglie erre Chrifostome hath a verie apt similitude of a light or Lamp that burneth which easilie goeth out vnlesse there bee stillâ— Oyle powred into it By the Lampe or Light he vnderstandth Faith and by Oyle the worde of Godâ— and this he there writeth of the Parable of the wise and foolish virgins Pet. Maâ— vpon the Rom fol 326. Faith is nourished by hearing the word of God for the word of God is the foote of Faith according to Saint Paules saieng Rom. 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing Hemmyng How Faith without Charitie is nothing worth If I had all Faith so that I could moue mountaines out of their places 〈…〉 had no charitie I were nothing ¶ Of this do some gaâ—her that â—aith without charitie cannot iustifie But this cannot be gathered of Saint Paule for it is open that hee speaketh not of this thing whereby that men maie be iustified but only he teâ—heth how they yâ— be iustified must work with charitie It is 〈…〉 that he speaketh not of faith that doth iustifie 〈…〉 but of that faith that doth worke out wardlie the which is called the gift of the holy Ghost as the gift of tongues the gift of prophesies the gift of healing the gift of interpretation as it is open in the Chapter before now is this Faith not giuen to iustifie but onelie to do myracles wonders and signes by And therefore saith Paule If I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines c. Saint Paule deserâ—â—eth this faith calling it faith that worketh by charitie not that it iustifieth by charitie for he saith ther plainly it is neither circumcisioÌ„ nor vncircumcision yâ— is of valure in Christ Iesu but faith He doth heere plainlie exclude from iustification the highest worke of the lawe Circumcision setteth faith alone not the gift of faith that doth miracles but the gift of faith that worketh by charitie D. Barnes ¶ Faith is héere taken for the gift of doing miracles which the wicked may haue Mat. 7. 22. also for that faith called historicall which beléeueth the mightie power of Christ but caÌ„not apprehend Gods mercie through him this diuels haue Iames 2. 19. therefore is separated from charitie but the faith yâ— iustifieth in effect cannot As. 1. Iohn 2. 9. Mat. 17. 20. Geneua How faith â—gendereth charitie That which the schoole-men teacheth yâ— charitie is before faith hope is a madnesse It is faith yâ— first ingendereth charitie in vs how more rightlie doth Barnard teach I beléeue saith he yâ— the testimonie of conscience which Paul calleth the glorie of yâ— godly coÌ„sisteth in thrée things For first of al it is necessarie to beléeue yâ— thou canst not haue forgiuenes of sins but by yâ— pardoÌ„ of god Then yâ— thou canst haue no good workes at all vnlesse he also giue it last of all that thou canst by no workes deserue eternall life vnles it be giuen thée also fréely A little after be addeth yâ— these things suffice not but yâ— there be a certeine beginning of faith because in beléeuing yâ— sinnes cannot be forgiuen but of God we ought also beléeue yâ— they are not forgiuen vs till also we be perswaded by the testimonie of the
holy Ghost yâ— saluation is laid vp in store for vs because God forgiueth sins he himselfe giueth merits and he himselfe giueth rewards that we may not â—aie still in this beginning Cal. in his Insti 3. b. chap. 2. Sect. 4. From faith to faith what it is For by it the righteousnesse of God is knowne from faith to faith ¶ From faith to faith yâ— is from an vnperfect faith to a perfect faith from a weake faith to a strong faith or from one battel of faith to an other For as we haue escaped one ieoperdie through faith an other inuadeth vs through which we must wade by the helpe of faith also Tindale How the faith that saued the olde fathers shall saue vs. Looke Abraham How Faith is a worke Faith is a worke therefore will some saie we be iustified by works but yâ— answere of the which so say auaileth not because loue also other vertues be the works of God yet are we not iustified by them The maior is not so to be vnderstood we be not iustified by faith because it is a worke or qualitie in vs but because it leaneth vpon mercie receiueth mercie And this saieng we be iustified with faith must be vnderstoode by the waie of a comparison that is to saye by mercie we bée pronounced iust but it must bée receiued with faith Although then faith be a worke or new qualitie in vs yet we bée not iustified by the worthinesse thereof for this faith is as yet vnperfect like as other vertues be but we be iustified by that thing wherevpon faith leaneth and the which faith receiueth that is to saye for Christs sake Out of a booke called the Summe of Diuinitie Of Faith before workes ¶ Looke Cornelius How Faith is perfect Faith is perfect when it receiueth and taketh holde of Christ perfect And yet it hath néede of increasement to the intent it maie become full in all his partes The man that saide Lorde I beléeue had perfect faith and yet was it greatâ—â—e increased afterward Likewise Peter had a perfect faith when he saide Lorde whether shall I goe c. Which faith of Peter was much more increased after he had receiued the holie Ghost at Whitsontide c. How Faith ouercommeth the world Faith is not an idle assent or thought but it is a stoute Gyaunt which as Saint Iohn saith ouercommeth the world but how Euen through the conquerour Christ which it possesseth How Faith and inuocation are inseparable No man commeth to Christ as to a Sauiour nor calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth vppon him for like as no man beléeueth but he that heareth so no man calleth vppon him but hée that beléeueth Rom. 10. 17. Faith and inuocation are so knitte together that ye maie sooner separate the heate from the fire then plucke them asunder one from an other Hemmyng How Faith is called the marriage Garment Faith in Christes bloud maketh the marriage betweene our soules and Christ and is properlie called the marriage garment or the signe Thau Tindale Of Faith Loue and Hope Obiection If Faith Loue and Hope be thrée vertues inseparable then faith onelie iustifieth not Aunswere Though Faith Hope and Loue be thrée vertues inseparable in this lyfe yet haue they separable and sundrie offices in effectes As heate and drieth bée inseparable in the fire haue yet their separable operations for the drieth onelye expelleth the moistnesse of all that is consumed in the fire and heat onelye destroieth all coldenesse for drieth and colde maie stande together and so maie heate and moistnesse It is not all one to say the drieth onelie and the drieth that is alone Nor all one to saie Faith onelie and Faith that is alone The office of Faith Faith onelie which is a sure and vndoubted trust in Christ and in the father through him certifieth the conscience that the sinne is forgiuen and the dampnation and imposibilitie of the lawe taken awaye c. And with such perswasions mollifieth the heart and maketh her loue GOD againe and his lawe And as oft as we sinne Faith onelie keepeth vs that we forsake not our profession and that loue vtterlie quench not and hope faile and onelie maketh the peace againe For a true beleeuer trusteth in Christ onelie not in his own merits or works or ought els for the remission of sins Tindale What one mans faith doth profit in other Obiection When as Christ by the faith of the hearers healed the man sicke of the palsie it is demaunded of some in this place of Mathew what one manâ— faith doth profit an other Aunswere First of all we know for certeine that the faith of Abraham did profit his posteritie wheÌ„ as he embraced yâ— couenant promise made to him and his séede The like we ought to iudge in all the faithfull because by their faith they spread out the grace of God to their children posteritie and that before they bée borne And also the same taketh place in children young infants who for want of age are not apt to haue faith But they which are ripe of yeares whose faith is insufficient whether they be straungers or of yâ— same line or kinred an other mans faith in respect of the eternall saluation of the soule doth nothing profit them but onelie mediate Marl. fol. 173. And when Iesus sawe the faith of them ¶ And also his faith the had the palsie for except we haue faith our sinnes cannot be forgiuen Geneua ¶ That the faithfull maie praie for me offer me vnto God with their faithfull praiers yet vnles I haue faith my selfe I cannot be saued for the righteous liueth with his owne faith Abac. 2. 4. Rom. 1. 17. Sir I. Cheeke The Centurion beléeued his seruant was healed ¶ Of this we may learne yâ— the godly by their faith maie obteine corporal benfits for other but to be saued with eternall saluation by an other mans faith it caÌ„not be for no man can be saued without his owne faith Hemmyng ¶ Againe As one man by his wisdome may make an other man proue wise so he yâ— beléeueth may by his faith obtein faith for other men But as no man is wise by another mans wisdome but by his owne so is no man saued by an other mans faith but by his owne Hemmyng How faith is taken in these places following If I had all faith so that c. ¶ Héere faith is taken for the power to do myracles For when faith is taken for that assured trust in God through the bloud of Iesus Christ it can in no wise be without charitie and loue Sir I. Cheeke Faith is héere takeÌ„ for yâ— vse of doing miracles which the wicked may haue as Mat. 7. 22. also for yâ— faith called historical which beléeueth yâ— mighty power of Christ but caÌ„not apprehend gods mercy wtout him And this diuels haue Iames. 2. 19. therefore is separate from charitie but
the faith that iustifieth in effect cannot As. 1. Iohn 2. 9. Geneua Hast thou faith haue it with thy selfe before God ¶ He speaketh to him saith Origen which knoweth beléeueth that all kinde of meats are now frée through Christ. Let him vse this his faith towards God giue thanks to him And let him not by reason of his faith campell an other man to eate with a wauering resisting conscience And let the same man haue his â—aith with himselfe let him not boast of it to the hurt of his neighbour Neither let him with ouermuch licenciousnesse vse what meats he list Paule seemeth by a certein preuencion to answere to those which said they would liue freelie and defend the faith which they had receiued Paule aunswereth haue thou this faith before God kéep it to thy selfe Pet. Mar. vpoÌ„ the Rom. foâ— 441 ¶ Faith héere is taken for a full perswasion of the christian libertie in things indifferent as the Apostle interpreteth it in the 14. verse where he saith I know and am perswaded through the Lord Iesus that ther is nothing vncleane of it selfe but vnto him that iudgeth anie thing to be vncleane to him it is vncleane Geneua If ye haue saith like â—graine of mustard séed c. ¶ But least anie man should by by gather as certeine peruerse men do that whosoeuer hath faith as a graine of mustard séed maie remoue mountaines doe all things else say we beléeue therefore that we are able 〈…〉 all things yea if néed be to remoue mountains also to cast out euill spirits we must note of what faith the Lord speaketh heere let vs vnderstand therefore yâ— ther are thrée kindes of faith The first is that by the which certeine things are beléeued to be such as they are declared to be in the Scriptures As in Scripture we heere yâ— ther is one God being omnipotent the creatour of all things this faith is called an historicall faith The second is yâ— which we beléeue the promises of God apprehend yâ— mercy grace of God in Christ Iesu this faith is said to be a iustifieng faith The third is that by the which a man doth firmeliâ— beléeue that ther is nothing impossible vnto God the minde armed by a certeine inspiration of the spirit to doe meruailous things this is called the faith of myracles The first kinde of faith is most general insomuch yâ— it perâ—eâ—eth euen to the wicked with the which faith also Satan is indued as appeareth by the words of the Apostle Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou dost well the diuels also beleeue tremble The second kinde of faith perâ—eineith onlie to the elect chosen of God as witnesseth the Apostle Paule in his Epistle to Titus by the which faith we are made members of Christs bodâ— are saued Of this â—aith Christ speaketh not heere neither doe al they the haue the same wâ—â—â— miracles straight way The third kind of â—aith perleineth so certein christians that not at all times but it hath a certeine consideratioÌ„ also This faith maie also be called a perticular of speciall faith it is no doubt a singuler gift of the holie Ghost as S. Paule teacheth saieng To some faith is giuen by the same spirit the which truly cannot be said of the iustifieng faith which perteineth not to a certeine onely but vnto all the elect and chosen of God This faith saueth no man neither doth it change the hearts of men therfore it is such a faith as is also giuen vnto the wicked therfore we haue alredie heard in the 7. chapter going before how the wicked at the day of iudgement shall say vnto Christ Lord Lord haue we not prophesied in thy name by thy name cast out diuels done manie miracles in thy name To whom it shall be answered I neuer knew you depart froÌ„me ye the worke iniquitie And in an other place the Apostle saith If I had all faith so the I could remoue mountains haue no loue it is nothing Of this faith Christ speaketh héere wher he saith If ye haue faith like a graine of mustard seed Mar. fo 387. Of the faith of lnfants Indéed saith S. Austen albeit the faith which doth consist in the will of the beléeuers do not make the childe faithfull yet the sacrament of the faith doth make him â—aithfull for it is answered that he doth beléeue so he is called also faithful not by censenting in minde to the matters itselfe but by receiuing the sacrament of the verie same matter effect And in an other place he saith This word of saith is of so great strength in the church of Christ the it doth cleanse the infant by him that doth beléeue offer blesse and wâ—â—h him neuer so little although he 〈…〉 not yet able to beléeue in heart to righteousnesse and to confesse in mouth vnto saluatâ—â— Thus â—â—saith he Epi. 2â— ad ques Bonifacâ—â— Whaâ— the faith of hypocrits is The faith of hipocrits is yâ— god forgiueth works deserueth and the same false faith in their owne works raineth the mercy promised to the merits of their own works so is Christ vtterlie excluded Tindale fol. 187. Of two manner of faithsâ— There be two manner of faiths an historicall faith a feeling â—aith The historicall faith hangeth of the truth and honestie of the telâ—er or of the common fame and consent of manie As if one had tolde me the Turke had wonne a cidie I beléeued â—o moued with the honestie of thelmâ—n Now if â—here come another yâ— seemeth more honest or that hath better 〈…〉 that it is not so I thinke immediatlie the he lied so loose my faith againe And a feeling faith is as if a man wer ther present when it wer won there were wounded had ther lost all yâ— he had were taken prisoner there alsoâ— that man should so beléeue that all the world could not turne him from his faith Tindale fol. â—66 A comparison betweene Faith and Incrudelitie Faith is the root of all good Incrudelitie is the root of al euil Faith maketh God man friends Incrudelitie maketh them foes Faith bringeth god man togethers Incrudelitie sundreth theÌ„ All the faith doth pleaseth God All the incrudelitie both disuleseth God Faith onely maketh a man god 〈…〉 〈…〉 only maketh him vniust euil Faith maketh a maÌ„ a meÌ„ber of Christ Incrudelitie maketh him a meÌ„ber of yâ— diuel Faith maketh a man yâ— inheritour of heauen Incrudelitie maketh him yâ— inheritour of hel faith maketh a man yâ— servant of God Incrudelitie maketh him yâ— seruant of yâ— diuell Faith sheweth 〈…〉 God to be a sweet father Incrudelitie sheweth him to be a terrible Iudge Faith holdeth 〈…〉 by yâ— word of God Incrudelitie wauereth here there faith counteth boldeth God to be true Incrudelitie holdeth him false
his help but goe about without him to helpe them selues by ther owne workes and wisedome or are impatient in their troubles them doth he forsake vtterlie in the middes of their afflictions Sir I. Cheeke What Gods curse is Gods curse is the taking awaie of his benefites As God cursed the earth and made it barren so now hunger dearth warre pestilence and such like are yet right curses and signes of the wrath of God vnto the vnbeléeuers but vnto them that know Christ they are verie blessings and that wholsome crosse and true Purâ—â—torie oâ— our flesh through which all must go that will liue godlie and be saued As thou readest Math. 5. 10. Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake c. And Heb. 12. 6. The Lord chasteneth whom he loueth and scorgeth all the children that he receiueth Tindale What God appointeth and no more Whatsoeuer thy hand and thy counsell determined before to be done ¶ Héere we doe learne that the enimies of Christ can goâ— no farther then God hath appointed them Therefore let the Preacher of the truth be of good comfort though Satan with all his legion of diuells the world all the mightie Princes thereof doe arise and conspire against them yet they can doe no more then the Lords hand and counsell hath appointed before Sir I. Cheeke How all things come to passe by Gods will ¶ Looke Will Of two wills in God ¶ Looke Will. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the author of sinne ¶ Looke Sinne. Of the God of this world Iâ— whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes of them which beléeue not ¶ Satan is Gods minister and can doe no more then he appointeth him to doe Neuertheles Christ calleth him the Prince of this world Iohn 16. 11. And héere the Apostle calleth him the God of this world because the worlde doth most commonlie forsake the true God and serueth him For vnto whom soeuer we obaie we make him our God As S. Paule calleth the bellie their God that are earthlie minded serue their owne bellies Phil. 3. 19. What is meant by the God of Iacob ¶ Looke Iacob What the seate of God is ¶ Looke Seate GODHEAD IN CHRIST How Christs Godhead is vnderstood FOr in him dwelleth all the fulnesse of the Godhead bodelie ¶ We must beware that we doe not with the Antropomorphiâ—es think that God hath a bodilie shape because the Apostle saith that the Godhead dwelleth in Christ bodelie for that is as much to saie that the Godhead doth dwell trulie and naturallie in Christ being a 〈…〉 and◠〈…〉 God and that therefore he is a sufficient treasure of all 〈…〉 riched Sir I. Cheeke ¶ In saieng that the Godhead is reallie in Christ he sheweth that he is verie God Also saieng In him he declareth two distinct natures And by this word Dwelleth he proueth that he is there foreuer Geneua How Christ in his Godhead is euerie where How maie Christ be called a straunger is he departed into a straunge countrie Séeing he is with vs vnto the worlds end and is among them that he gathered in his name Aunâ—were Christ is both God and man hauing in him two natures and as man he is not with vs vnto the worldes ende nor is present with his faithfull gathered together in his name But his diuine power and spirite is euer with vs. Paule saith he was absent from the Corinthians in bodie but he was present with them in spirite So is Christ gone hence saith he and absent in his humanitie which his diuine nature is euerie where And in these saiengs we reserue to both his natures their owne properties Origen in Math. homil 33. GODS MERCIE Of such as presume too much thereof MAnie doe presume so much of Gods mercie that they sinne at pleasure and repent at leasure But be not seduced saith S. Paule for God is not mocked whatsoeuer a man soweth that shall he reape Hemmyng How the Magistrates are called Gods ¶ Looke Iuâ—ges What the nature of Gods word is ¶ Looke Word Nature GODLIE SORROVV What godlie sorrow bringeth to a man FOr godlie sorrow causeth repentaunâ—â— c. ¶ There be two manners of sorrow The one commeth of God and ingendereth repentaunâ—e 〈…〉 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 of Iudas was fleshlie and carnall and therefore being without godlie comâ—ort it did driue them to desperation Whereas Dauid and Peter in their godlie sorrow did flie vnto the father of mercies with a true repentant heart and were receiued againe into the fauour of God Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Whose heart Gods spirite doth touch he is sorie for his sinnes committed against so mercifull a father and these are the fruites of his repentaunce as witnesse Dauids and Peters teares Others which are sorie for their sinnes onelie for feare of punishment and Gods vengeaunce fall into desperation as Cain Saule Achitophel and Iudas Geneua GODLINESSE What Godlinesse is GOdlinesse is not made of words as wood is made of Trées but it is an earnest loue procéeding from a pure heart and a good conscience and an vnfained faith in which we maie glorifie God and doe good to his people Paule was godlie when he gloried in nothing but in the crosse of Iesus Christ by which the world was crucified vnto him and he vnto the world They are godlesse hypocrites which in word confesse they know God but in deede doe denie him They are Christs which haue crucified the flesh with the affections and concupiscence of it They are of their father the Diuell that in wickednesse doe the desire of the Diuell c. M. Deering GOG AND MAGOG What they were and what they doe signifie SAint Austen in his 20. booke De ciuitate Dei willeth by Gog to be signified the glorious hypocrites of the world by Magog the open enimies of righteousnesse pretending the contrarie As testifieth Berosus the Chaldean in the first booke of his histories 5. chapter Gog was a mightie gouernour in the land of Sabea Arabia the rich vnder Nimroth the great king of Babilon and there ruled with Sabâ—s his Father in the 18. yeare of his raigne In the 38. Chapter of Ezechielâ— Prophecie ver 2. he is called the chiefe Prince of Mosoch and Tâ—â—bal whom some Expositours taketh for Capadoce and Spaine But after the opinion of S. Hierom and Isidorus which was a Spaniard the Hebrue taketh this Thubal for Italy which is much more agréeable to the purpose Magog was the seconde sonne of Iaphet which was the third sonne vnto Noe. This Magog as witnesseth Iosephus in the first booke of his Antiquities the 11. chapter was the first beginner of the Magogites whom the Greekes called the Scythians and we now the Tartarians And all the chiefe
for of iust is deriued Iustice. And to say briefely to be iust is to be cleare sound and vpright according to the degrée condition office person which euery man beareth and to aunswere the same in all pointes without blame Each degrée condition estate and person hath his order and Iustite c. Musc. in his Com. pla fo 421. IVSTIFICATION What is vnderstood by Iustification BY iustifieng vnderstande none other thing then to be reconciled to God and to be restored into his fauour and to haue thy sinnes forgiuen thee As when I say God iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that God for Christs sake merites and deseruings onely receiueth vs vnto his mercie fauour and grace and forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Christ iustifieth vs vnderstand thereby that Christ onely hath redéemed vs bought vs deliuered vs out of the wrath of God and damnation and hath with his works onely purchased vs the mercie fauour and grace of God and the forgiuenesse of our sinnes And when I say Faith onely iustifieth vnderstand thereby that Faith and trust in the trueth of God and in the mercie promised vs for Christs sake and for his deseruings workes onely doth quiet the conscience and certefie hir that our sinnes be forgiuen and we in the fauour of God Tindale in his Prologue to the Romanes To iustifie is nothing els then to acquite him that was accused from all filthinesse as allowing his innocencie sith therefore God iustifieth vs by the intercession of Christ he doeth acquite vs not by allowaunce of our innocencie but by imputation of righteousnesse that we maye be counted for righteous in Christ which are not righteous in our selues Cal. 3. bo chap. 11. sect 3. This word iustifie in the Latine mens eares is as much to say as to make iust lyke as magnifie to make great and sanctifie to make holy And this sence of this word the Diuine schoolemen like well which they that doe followe them doe yet earnestly stand vnto Augustine also doth in diuers places still expound this word of iustifieng in this sence when he saith Beléeuing in him which iustifieth the wicked that is to say of the wicked doth make godly The Apostle Paule out of whose writings this entraunce of Iustification is principally taken vsed the word of iustifieng not in the sence that the Latine eares doe like but in that sence which the holy Scripture vseth it according to the custome of the holy language in which he was born brought vp and instructed in from his childhood In that language to iustifie is as as much to say as to quite a man of his offence and to pronounce him iust The contrary of it is to condemne a man of naughtinesse and wickednesse c. This word iustifie is not to make one iust which is vniust and wicked but is vsed in euery place for to quite a man of his fault and to pronounce and declare him iust Musc. fol. 222. How we are iustified freely and by Faith onely It is also the cause why Faith is plainly called by S. Paule the Faith of the chosen and for the which Iustification is attributed vnto it that honour is giuen vnto it forsomuch as many doth acknowledge himselfe by the same such as he is of his owne nature to wit a poore and miserable sinner the childe of wrath subiect to death and eternall damnation therefore spoyling himselfe of his owne Iustice and of all trust in his owne workes and merites he doth imbrace Iesus Christ to be cladde with his Iustice to the ende that by it his sinnes may be couered in such sort that they come not to count at the iudgement of God and so that the poore sinner by reputed iust as though he had neuer offended and that because the Iustice of Christ is allowed vnto him Faith as though the same were proper to the man to whom it is allowed Pet. Viret All men are sinners and want the glory of God but they are iustified fréely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ. ¶ Héere Paule saith We are iustified fréely If there bée any deseruing lesse or more then it is not freely He saith also Of grace if it be any part of workes then it is not of grace for as S. Paule saith Then grace were no grace S. Ambrose saith vpon this place of S. Paule All men are sinners c. They are iustified fréely saith S. Ambrose for they doing nothing nor nothing deseruing alonely by Faith are iustified by the gifte of God Héere Saint Ambrose saith Men working nothing nor nothing deseruing are iustified by Faith onely D. Barnes ¶ Origen vpon the same tâ—xt saith That the Iustification of Faith is alonely sufficient so that a man do beleeue onely he is iustified though there be no woâ—â—â—es â—oke of him at al. By Faith was the théefe iustified without yâ— workes of y◠〈…〉 for yâ— Lord did not aske him what he had done nor looke for any works of him but did accept him onely for confessing of Christ. Wherefore saith Origen a man is iustified by Faith vnto whome as concerning Iustification the works of the law help nothing ¶ Héere it is plaine by Origen that workes doe helpe nothing to Iustification but Faith onely D. Barnes What thing doth purchase Iustification The same thing that purchaseth remission of our sinnes doth also purchase Iustification For Iustification is nothing els but remission of sinnes Now Faith purchaseth vs remission of sinnes Ergo by Faith we are iustified Now that Faith purchaseth remission of sinnes is well proued by the Article of our Faith Credo remissionem peccatorum I beléeue remission of sinnes Now if I haue not this remission for Faith then Faith deceiueth me For I doe beleeue onely because I would haue remission of sinnes What néede we to beléeue remission of sinnes if I may deserue it by workes D. Barnes What the true way of Iustification is The very true way of Iustification is this First commeth God for the loue of Christ Iesus alonely of his méere mercie and giueth vs fréely the gifte of Faith whereby we doe beléeue God and his holy word sticke fast vnto the promises of God and beléeue that though heauen and earth and all that is in them should perish and come to naught yet God shall be founde true in his promise For this faith sake be we the children of God This is not such a Faith as men dreame when they beléeue that there is one God and beléeue that he is eternall beléeue also that he made the world of naught yea and beléeue that the Gospell is true and all things that God speaketh must be true and fulfilled with other such things This is not the Faith that we be iustified by for Diuells and Infidells haue this faith and also we may atteine to these things by the strength of reasonâ— But the Faithâ— that shall iustifie vs must be of another manner
called the friend of God Thus wée sée S. Paule Lames reconciled both teach Iustification by faith in the sight of God I. Gough How God is iustified in vs. To the end saith S. Paule that all months might be stopped and all the world acknowledge it selfe to be indebted vnto God and that he onely should be iustified ¶ After what sorte is it that God shall be iustified in vs according to S. Paule To wit when all of vs condemne our selues and haue not the boldnesse to striue against God but doe willingly confesse that all of vs are indaungered vnto him if we be once come to that point then is God iustified yâ— is to say his righteousnes is commended by vs with such praise as he deserueth But contrariwise if men exalt themselues and acknowledge not that they be indaungered vnto God so as may condemne them nor confesse the bonde of debt which they haue forfeited vnto him although they protest that they minde to iustifie him that is to say to confesse that he is righteous yet neuerthelesse they condemne him Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 562. ¶ Looke in Workes in Faith that iustifieth How wisedome is iustified ¶ Looke Wisedome Obiection Men will waxe remisse in doing good workes if Faith alone iustifie Aunswere In Iustification a pardon is graunted for sinnes past and not of sinnes to come And if any man liue wickedly after Iustification without doubt he dispiseth the grace of iustification For who doth digge about the roote of a trée to the ende it shuld onely be a trée and not rather that it should be a good trée and bring foorth fruite Origen A liuely comparison for Iustification The iustifieng Faith is as it were a flame of fire which cannot but cast foorth brightnes And lyke as yâ— flame burneth the wood without the helpe of the light and yet the flame cannot be without the light so is it assuredly true that Faith alone consumeth and burneth away sinne without the helpe of workes and yet that the same Faith cannot be without good workes Wherefore lyke as we sée a flame of fire that giueth no lyght we know by by that it is but vaine and painted even so when we see not some light of good workes in a man it is a token that hée hath not the true inspired Faith which God giueth to his elect and chosen to iustifie and glorifie them withall And hold it for a certeintie that S. Iames meant so when he said Shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thée my faith by my workes Bar. Traheron IVSTINVS How he suffered martirdome for the defence of Christes Religion THis man in learning and Philosophie was excellent and a great defender of Christian Religion He exhibited vnto the Emperour and to the Senate a Booke or Apologie in defence of the Christians and afterward himselfe also died a Martir He suffered martirdome in the yeare of our Lord. 154. vndeâ— Antonius Pius as the Chronicles doe witnesse Abb. Vesperg and Eusebius in his Chronicle in the 13. yeare of the Emperour Antonius In the bo of Mar. fo 58. What moued him to imbrace the faith of Christ. This Iustinus Martir when he was an Heathen Philosopher as he confesseth of himselfe was moued to imbrace the Faith and Religion of Christ in beholding the constant patience of the Martirs which suffered for Christ in his time Keye What a Keye is after the minde of S. Austen SAint Austen saith that must be called a Keye whereby the hardnesse of our hearts are opened vnto faithâ— and whereby the secretnes of minds are made manifest A keye is it saith he the which doth both open the conscience to yâ— knowledge of sinne also including grace vnto the whole sonnes of euerlasting mystery This is the definition of this keye we speake off after S. Austen D. Barnes fo 258. ¶ The Law in hir right vnderstanding is the keye or at the lest way the first and principall keye to open the â—ore of the Scripture Tindale fo 184. ¶ What keye had the Doctors of the lawe sauing the exposition of the lawe Tert. cont Marcion lib. 4. The Captaines of the Church haue the keyes of knowledge to open the Scriptures vnto the people to them committed Therefore Commaundement is giuen that the Minister shuld open and the scholer should enter Hier. in Esa. li. 6. ca. 24. ¶ The keye is the knowledge of the scriptures whereby is opened the gate of turth Chrisostome in Math. homil 44. How the word of God is the right keye The word of God is the very keye in that is all the might and power to looke our sinnes and a man is but a minister and a seruaunt vnto this word This may be proued by our Master Christs words where he saith Goe your wayes into all the world and preach the Gospell vnto all creatures and hée that doeth beleeue and is baptised shall be saued but hée that doeth not beléeue shall be damned Heere maye you plainely sée that the Apostles be but ministers and seruaunts and haue no power but all onely ministration c. D. Barnes fol. 259. How the keyes were giuen vnto the Church Christ say they appointed Peter Prince of the whole Church when he promised that he would giue him the keyes But that which he then promised to one in another place he gaue it also to all the rest and deliuered it as it were into their hands If the same power were graunted to all which was promised to one wherein shall he be aboue his fellowes Héerein say they he excelleth because he receiued it both in common What if I aunswere with Cipriane and Augustine that Christ did it not for this purpose to preferre one man before other but so to settâ— out the vnitie of the Church for thus saith Cipriane that God in the person of one gaue the keyes to all to signifie the vnitie of all and that the rest were the same thing that Peter was endued with like partaking both of honour and power but the beginning is taken at vnitie that the Church of Christ maye bée shewed to be one Augustine saith If there were not in Peter a mysterie of the Church the Lord would not say vnto him I will giue thée the keyes for if this wer said to Peter the Church hath them not but if the Church hath them then Peter when he receiued them betokened the whole Church And in another place when they were all asked onely Peter aunswered Thou art Christ and it is said to him I will giue thée the keyes as though he alone had receiued the power of binding and loosing whereas he being one said the one for all and he receiued the other withall as hearing the person of vnitie Therefore one for all because there is vnitie in all Cal. 4. book chap. 6. sect 4. How the Dunce men interpreteth the keyes Dunce and all his
therefore she doth willingly submit her self to them in all things for God For she knoweth verie well that God would that euerie man should be subiect vnto them in all things which are of their charge And that they which doe resist the same resist the ordinance of God and do set vp themselues against him Ro. 13. 1. 1. Pet. 2. 13. Pet. Viret How the Ecclesiasticall person is subiect to the ciuill Magistrate It perteineth to ecclesiasticall persons to iudge in spirituall causes but if anie of them swarue from the right rule of iustice he is subiect to the correction and punishment of the ciuill magistrate As Aaron had his authoritie of iudgement in spiritual causes yet was he reproued by Moses And the high Priest was deposed by Salomon and Sadoc set in his place And so shuld Ahas if he had ben a goodly prince haue deposed Vriah for making the prophane Altar How Magistrates that doe not perswade the people to Gods worde are not to be obeied in cause of conscience The. xxi Princes that were sent to explorate and search the priuitie and conditions of the land of Canaan two of them perswaded the people to beleeue Gods promises and not to feare the people that dwell in the lande Unto these godlye Princes was no faith nor eredence giuen of the people The Princes that perswaded the thing contrarie vnto God were beleeued of the people and their counsell admitted By this we learne that such Magistrates as perswade the people to Gods word should be beléeued and obeied the other not in cause of conscience ther must God onely be heard Act. 5 29. Math. 10. 28. Or els people shall faile of a right faith For he that knoweth not what his duetie is to God and his lawes will beléeue rather a lye with his fore-fathers then the truth with yâ— worde of God And this man is no méet auditor nor disciple of the word of God 1. North. MAGNIFIE What it is to Magnifie THis day will I begin to magnifie thée ¶ To magnifie properly is to aduaunce and set forth excéedingly and to bring him in estimation as it is sayde Gen. 12. and often in the Psalmes T. M. MAHOMET Of the rising vp of this false Prophet MAhomet of Arabia as most men saye of the mother side descended from Abraham by the linage of Ismael his son which he had by Agar his seruaunt which was a Iew béeing fatherlesse and motherlesse He was by the Scenites solde to a great rich Merchaunt who loued him so greatly for his fauour and wit that he made him ruler of all his merchaundise and businesse and was verie diligent in his maisters affayres and gained much by occupieng with the Iewes Christians and in vsing their company learned many things both of the one lawe and of the other His Maister chaunced to dye without heyre leauing his wise verie rich who being about the age of 50. yeares liked the younge man Mahomet so well that shée tooke him to husband and made him of a poore man very rich At the same time it chaunced a Monke named Sergius a man of verie euill nature and verie subtile who fled Constantinople for heresie to fall into familiaritie with Mahomet by whose instruction he increased so in Magicall arte that by his counsell and aide hée tooke vppon him to make the people beléeue that he was a Prophet and shewing some points of Magike he first perswaded his wife and his householde He had also an infirmitie called the falling sicknesse And when his wife being sore afraide thereof would aske him what it was hée made her beléeue that it was the Angell of God which came oftentimes to speake vnto him and forasmuch as he coulde not abide as man the diuine presence he fell into such agonie and alteration of spirit After this his wife died and left him meruailous riches who then what for the riches yâ— constaÌ„t report that went on Mahomet the Prophet he became in greate reputation amonge the Gentiles And so by the counsell of Sergius he called himselfe the greate Prophet of God and shortly after when his name was published and of great authoritie he deuised a lawe or kinde of religion called Alcaron In the which he toke some part well neere of all the heresies that had ben before his time With the Sabellians he diuided the trinitie with yâ— Maniches he affirmed to be but two persoÌ„s in the deitie he denied the equalitie of the father the son with Eâ—nonius and sayd with Macedone the holy Ghost was a creature and approued the multitude of wiues with yâ— Nicholaâ—tes he borrowed of the Iewes circumcision and of the Gentiles much superstition and somewhat he toke of the Christian veritie beside many diuelish fantasies inuented of his own braine Those that obeied his lawes be called Saraseâ—s When he had liued fortie yeares he died of the falling sicknesse which he had of long time saieng that when he was taken therewith yâ— the Angell Gabriel appeared vnto him whose brightnesse he could not behold He was buried at Medina thrée daies iourney from the red sea an hundred miles from Mecha where is now the chiefe temple of his law He was after yâ— incarnation of Christ 600. yeares Of the faire shew of holynesse in the kingdome of Mahomet In outward pretence of religion euen the common sorte of their people excell the Popish Monksâ— Yeaâ— euen they that are best reformed For not onely their Clergie Monks but also their communaltie say the coÌ„mon praiers together fiue times euerie day Namely at the Sun rising at noone at after noone at the Sun setting and after supper when they goe to bed At which time or they go to pray they wash themselues they make themselues bare foote they knéele downe vpon the ground and the noble men and commons intermedling themselues altogether with the King accomplish their ordinarye praiers with certeine bowing and falling flatte downe without some lawfull let no man may neglect the ordinary praiers vnpunished They keepe their ordinarie holydayes and fasting daies with great deuotion and reuerence They make often exhortation to holynesse of lyfe to the people-ward To dealing of doles To making of pilgrimages in remembraunce of their Saints and specially of the Prophet Mahomet They haue many Hospitals as well in their high waies as in their cities for the receiuing and succouring of poore folke Pilgrimes They haue Monkes of such spare and staied behauiour as neuer was heard of both in diet in apparell in forsaking of al things and in withdrawing themselues from the company of the common multitude So as they maye seeme to resemble rather Iohn Baptist yea or the very Apostles for the straitnesse of their lyfe Some of them haue visions rauishments traunces and some of them are renowmed for myracles as well in their life as after their death Moreouer ther is wonderfull honestie and behauiour among them
chastitie Let euery man for auoyding of fornication haue his wife and euery woman haue hir husband ¶ Héere S. Paule commaundeth that where as any daunger of fornication is yâ— euery man in auoiding of vicious lyuing should take a wife héere is no man excepted for the text saith euery man and specially to them that cannot liue sole The occasion that S. Paule had to write this text to the Corinthians there were certaine men among them that reckoned it an holinesse and a perfection as certaine men do now for Priests that Christen men should liue sole without wiues as the text declareth it is good for a man not to touch a woman To this their holy hypocrisie S. Paule doth aunswere in this manner To auoyd fornication saith he let euery man marrie a wife marke how he biddeth them to marrie he biddeth them not to fast nor to labour nor yet to weare haire to chasten their bodyes but alonely to marry As who should saye God had ordained and approued a lawfull and lawdable remedie for euery man that had not the gifte of chastitie D. Barnes Against condemners of marriage The spirit speaketh euidently that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith and shall giue héede vnto spirites of errour and doctrines of diuells which speake false through hypocrisie and haue their conscience burned with an hot yron forbidding to marry c. ¶ S. Paule hauing the spirite of God did prophecie that there should come men in the latter dayes which should forbid mariage and these men shall speake lyes through hyprocrisie Now marke the text Men shall forbid mariage and that in the latter daies The truth is that no man hath forbidden any certaine state of men to marrie but the Pope onely wherefore this text must néedes touch his kingdome seeing that he is also in the latter dayes There were certaine Heretikes called Taciani which did condemne fully and wholy all manner of marriage And though S. Paule speaketh against them yet in very deede the Popes doctrine is not excepted séeing it is contained in these latter dayes For though there were twentie heresies more then â—aciam yet must the text be applied against them all that doth condemne or els dispise marriage in the whole or in part for the text is against them all that doth condemne marriage specially in the latter daies But he that doth forbid his Priests to marry doth forsomuch forbid marriage Ergo the texte is against the Pope Note also that these men which forbid marriage shall haue an holy colour of hypocrisie Now hath the Pope forbidden the Priests to marry vnder the coulour of holynesse because as he saith his Priests must be pure and cleane As who should saye that marriage were vncleane and vnpure for Priests to vse What can be holy hypocrisie if this be not hypocrisie Heere is the holy and pure institution of God condemned as a thing vncleane for his Priests to vse Moreouer the Tacians did not forbid marriage vnder the coulour of holinesse but they said it was fully and wholly an vnlawfull thing the which doctrine had no manner of colour But the Pope saith Mariage is good and laudable in it selfe but his Priests be too pure and too holy for to vse that simple thing for it is not a thing saith he that doeth become the state of perfect men but it belongeth to weake and vnperfect men Now iudge whether the Taciani or the Papiani doth pretend the greatest colour of holinesse Heretikes saith S. Hierome and all such as pretend that they loue chastitie doe very seldome loue it indéede as Manicheus Arrius Marâ—ion Tacianus the renuers of the olde heresie They promise honny with a poysoned mouth but according to the saieng of the Apostle It is a filthy thing to vtter what they doe in secret Eph. 5. 12. ¶ Saint Hierome in this place inueigheth against the old heretiks which wold not marrie themselues nor allow marriage in other but pretended such a hollinesse with a shewe of virginitie and hatred of marriage that with their holy lookes and swéete wordes they deceiued the people Doct. Ponet How marriage is no hinderaunce to godlinesse Notwithstanding marriage haue much trouble in it selfe yet may it be so taken and vsed that it shall be no hinderance to perfect lyfe Againe he sayth excuse not thy selfe by thy marriage thy Lorde was at the marriage feast be honoured marriage with his presence And yet doest thou blame marriage And saist thou that marriage is an hinderance vnto godlines I tell thee marriage is no manner hinderance vnto godlinesse Wilt thou know that it hindereth not to haue wife children Had not Moses wife and children Behold Peter a piller of the Church he had a wife therefore finde no fault with marriage Againe writing vpon the words of the Prophet Esay Vidi dominum c. He sayth who speaketh these words Esaias the beholder of the celestial Seraphins Who not withstanding he had company with his wife yet he quenched not the grace of God Againe Esay had a sonne and a wife that thou maist vnderstand that marriage is not euill but that fornication is ill Againe what did marriage hinder thee No thy wife is giuen thee to be thy helper and not to deceiue thée Iewel fol. 178. and. 179. Proues for the marriage of Priests For this is the will of God euen that ye should be holy and that ye should absteine from fornication that euery one of you should knowe to kéepe his own vessell in holynesse and honour ¶ Héere Saint Paule saith that it is the wil of God that euery man should abhorre fornication who will then resist the wil of God and not regard the thing that God will haue done Furthermore the will of God is sayth S. Paule yâ— euery man should kéepe his vessell in honour Now if Priestes be men haue not the gift of chastitie then are they bound to regard this commaundement for he saith euery man Marke how S. Paule also calleth the vessell of married men honourable sanctified wherefore then shuld it be vnlawfull for a Priest to vse a sanctified and an holy vessell How can man now for anie occasion curse that thing that God hath sanctified or make it vncleane that God hath purified but Saint paule prophesied of such men D. Barnes Haue we not power to lead about a wife béeing a sister as well as other Apostles as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas ¶ This text doth cleerly proue that Peter other Apostles had wiues And wherefore then shoulde it be vnlawfull for Priests to marrie they are no better nor no holyer then the Apostles were But heere will some say that the Apostles hadde wiues before that Christ did choose them but afterwarde they forsooke their wiues and followed Christ which thinge is not true that they forsooke their wiues for that hadde beene plainely against the doctrine of their Maister
vp any in heauen earth or hell to be equall or partner with him but beléeuing confessing him to be all in all things The onely Creator and maker the onelye frée giuer of all goodnesse and the onely peace maker between God and vs. The other kinde of meriting is by Satan the world and the flesh contrary in all points to this that is to say taking all cares vpon our selues séeking wayes to crucifie and offer vp Christ againe refusing to crucifie our selues hauing all trust in our owne workes and other creatures merites making the dead Saints obteiners of merits through their prayers and merits yea making them mediatours and peace makers betwéene God and vs. Rob. Crowley MESECH AND KEDAR What manner of people these were MEsech and Kedar were two sorts of people inhabiting néere vnto the Iews of which yâ— first came of Iâ—pheth as Moses teacheth and the second of Ismael Both of them were barbarous cruell and without all humanitie dwelling in tents To these cruell people Dauid compareth the Israelites which were no lesse cruell and spitefull against Gods people then they Luther vpon the Psal. fol. 18. ¶ These were people of Arabia which came of Iapheth Gen. 10. 2. Geneua MESSENGER The meaning of these places following WHo is so blinde as my messengers ¶ By messengers he meaneth the high Priestes and those that had cure of the people Those shuld haue taught the other but they were blindest of all as Christ declareth in the Gospell Such there be at all times and shall be vnto the worlds ende T. M. ¶ By the seruaunt messenger and the perfect man he meaneth the Iewes and their Priests who ought of all other people to haue had knowledge and so haue serued God perfectly The Bible note What the messenger of Satan meaneth The messenger of Satan to buffet me ¶ The messenger of Satan which he calleth the vnquietnesse of the flesh Paule doth vnderstand the enimies of the truth false Prophets and persecuters of Gods word with all kinde of aduersities and troubles wherewith the flesh is disquieted and vexed And those things did by the diuine prouidence of God happen vnto Saint Paule least he should be puft vp aboue measure because of his reuealations Ambrosius Erasmus ¶ Looke Flesh. MESSIAH How the word Christ in Hebrue is called Messiah THat is called Christ. ¶ In Hebrue Messiah It signifieth annoynted Iesus Christ then is the earnest and pledge of Gods promise by whom the grace and fauour of God is promised to vs with the Holy ghost which illumineth lighteth and renueth our hearts to fulfill the same Tindale We haue found Messiah ¶ That which is in the Hebrue text Messiah is in the Greeke Christos in the Latin text Vnctus which thrée words haue all one sense But these wordes We haue found Messiah séemeth to be spoken with great Emphasis or force and doe note that Symon also to whome Andrew tolde the newes burned meruailously in desire toward Christ for his words are thus much in effect reioyce brother for him whom both of vs haue sought so carefully we haue found euen the Sauiour Christ. He spake not doubtfully as did the woman of Samaria which said Is not hée Christ But as one fully certified Andrew saith we haue found Messiah Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 36. MEASVRE Of the spirite of God giuen by measure FOr God giueth not the spirit by measure ¶ Some extend this place to the common dispensation because God which is the bottomlesse wel of all goodnesse doth nothing at all emptie himselfe when largly and plentifully he powreth his giftes vpon men They which powre water out of any vessel or draw a Well come at the length to the bottome of the same but we neede not feare to doubt of the lyke to be in God For the more his gifts are bestowed vpon vs the more plentifull they abound This exposition seemeth to haue some colour because the sentence is somewhat intricate and obscure Notwithstanding their opinion séemeth more probable which interpret this to be spoken concerning Christ and so the sence and meaning is that the spirite is not giuen by measure to Christ as though the grace in him were to be measured euen as as the Apostle Paule teacheth that to euery one is distributed according to the measure of the gift so that no one man aboundeth at the ful And verely the spirit must rest vpon Christ without measure to the end we might all receiue of the fulnesse of the same c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 97. MEATE What the meate is that Christ said he had to eate I Haue meate to eate that ye knowe not of ¶ His meate is to doe the will of his father and the chiefe thing of his fathers will is to preach the Gospell to all the world which thing was euen now at hand to be done as when the corne is ripe men must fall to haruest Tindale How we ought not to hurt our weake brother with our meat Cause not your treasure to be euill spoken of ¶ We cause our treasure that is to say yâ— Gospell to be euill spoken of when we without any respect of the weake S. Paule calleth them weake which be nothing strong in the faith and for lacke of instruction yet make conscience of this meate or that meate doe eate indifferently all kinde of meates giuing therein to these weake persons an occasion to thinke to say that we séeke nothing els in the Gospel but yâ— pampring vp of our bellies S. I. Ch. ¶ Which is the benefit of Christs libertie by abusing whereof ye cause yâ— weaklings to blaspheme the Gospell which might séeme to them contrary to Gods will and the doctrine of the Lawe Geneua How meate defileth not a man There is nothing without a man that can defile him ¶ Meate defileth not if it be taken and receiued with faith And if anye man make this Obiection saieng Doth not meate and drinke defile them that surfet and are dronken Aunswere that surfetting and dronkennesse ought not to be imputed to the meate but to the inordinate lust of the heart S. I. Cheeke ¶ There is no outward or corporall thing which entereth into man that can defile him meaning chiefly of meates which if they be taken excessiuely it commeth of the inordinate lust of the heart and so the lust is euill Geneua The meaning of this place following Come eate of my meate and drinke of yâ— wine that I haue drawen ¶ By the meate drinke is meant the word of God the ministration of the Sacraments whereby God nourisheth his seruaunts in his house which is the Church Geneua MICHAEL The meaning of this place following MIchael the Archangell when he stroue against the diuell disputed about the body of Moses c. ¶ Of Moses it is writtten the last of Deut. That he died in the land of Moab was buried and
heresie of Nouacius concerning the peruerse doctrine of penance For he taught that they which had receiued Baptime and fell into sinne could not come againe to saluation And with this errour brought he many to desperation and spoyled the concord of the Church or Congregation Carion Obedience The definition of Obedience WE may make a definition of Obedience by yâ— very word it selfe which is called in Gréeke Lakai And is nothing els but a faithfull submission of minde wherby the word will of the commaunder is obeyed when both the heart and eares be attent vnto his words and will those things which be commaunded according to their abilitie be accomplished without any gain-saieng For true obedience must haue not onely an obedient hand but a following will also Wherefore they cannot be counted for obedient in whom the definition of true obedience taketh not place such as they be which doe obey in fact onely without the redy wil of minde or els in word or eare onely without doing it when they may For when the thing cannot be done the will to obey is reputed for the doing And so we say most commonly that God accepteth our good wil in steede of the fact Musculus fol. 479. What is ment by obeing in this place following To obey is better then Offering c. ¶ To obey what Mans inuention mans dreames or traditions Nay verely but GODS holy wordes his blessed Commaundements yea and to obey them is better then to offer Sacrifices which yet was ordeined and appointed by God himselfe How much better then is it then our Offerings which are inuented without any of Gods word or any mention theroff made the whole Scripture through Ioseph de antiq li. 6. cap. 9. expresseth Samuels saieng in lyke manner but his wordes are too long to rehearse T. M. OBSERVING OF DAIES How the obseruing of daies are reproued how they may be obserued YE obserue daies and months and times and yeares ¶ By the daies he vnderstandeth Sabboths and new Moones by the months the first seuenth month by the times Whitsontide Easter and the feast of Tabernacles by the yeres he vnderstandeth the yeares of Iubely or of forgiuenesse It is not ment but that we may well kéepe certaine daies not that one is holier then another but that we may haue time to come together both to preach and to heare the worde of God offering with one accord our common supplications vnto him Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Ye obserue daies as Sabboths and new Moones ye obserue months as the first and seuenth month ye obserue times as Easter Whitsontide the feast of Tabernacles ye obserue yeares as the Iubely or yeare of forgiuenesse which beggarly Ceremonies are most pernitious to them which haue receiued the swéete libertie of the Gospell and thrust them back into superstitious slauery Geneua ¶ Daies are obserued least the rude multitude should diminish their faith And certaine daies are appointed for vs to come together in Not to the intent the day should be more solemne or high in which we gather together but that great ioye maye rise to vs of our beholding one another D. Heynes OFFENCE Of three manner of offences SOme kinde of offences are to be eschewed which take their differences of their causes There is one kinde of offence that riseth of euill doctrine corrupting the doctrine of the Church He yâ— after this manner is an offence vnto others followeth the steps of the Diuell his father who ouerthrew the first man and woman with this kinde of stumbling block Gen. 3. Another kinde of offence is that which springeth of euil manners that is to wit when other folkes regarding thée do counterfaite thy euill conditions He that on this wise is an offence to man buildeth vp the kingdome of Satan and ouerthroweth the kingdome of Christ. The third kinde of offence riseth of the abuse of things which of their owne nature are indifferent which must be shunned yâ— the weak be not offended The wilfull and vngodly are to be despised and for warrant thereof we haue Christs example Of an offence giuen and an offence taken An offence is giuen then when by thy fault by thy importunitie I say thy lightnesse thou either dost or saist a thing for which thy brother hath a cause to be offended The other offence is not giuen but taken or picked out not by thy faults but by the works or wickednesse of another man As for example when thou doest sinne neither in worde nor déede when thy déedes are nothing insolent nor thy words vnseasonable when thou saist or doest the thing that is frée and lawfull for thée to say do and yet another taketh Pepper in nose and is offended with that libertie of thine Which is all one as if a man that walketh in a plaine path should â—ap to trip or stumble and presently quarrell with his companion as though he had laide a blocke in his way Bullinger fo 451. ¶ To giue offence is a great sinne For Christ doth saye Woe vnto the world because of offences It must néedes be that offences come but woe to the man by whom the offence commeth Whosoeuer offendeth one of these little ones c. Saint Paule also speaking to the bretheren that giue offence saith Through thy giuing of offence perisheth thy brother for whom Christ died and so ye sinning against your bretheren and wounding their weake consciences doe sinne against Christ himselfe Bullinger fol. 452. What it is to be offended in Christ. Happy is he that is not offended by me ¶ To be offended in Christ is to will neither to knowe Christ nor yet to beleeue in him And not to bée offended in him is to receiue him and knowledge by a perfect faith that he is our Sauiour ¶ Happy is he c. That take no occasion by Christ to be hindered from the Gospell Geneua How a man may offend God and not his owne conscience When Paule and Barnabas men elect to be Apostles by the reuealation of the holy Ghost as it is written in the second of the Acts fell out one with another for Iohn Marke as it is in the 15. of the Acts insomuch as the one forsooke the others company it cannot be denied but either Paule or Barnabas or both were in a great fault to fall out for such a trifle and yet there was neither of them both but he thought in his conscience that he did well and did contend for the glory of God So vndoubtedly the most circumspect men in their liuing and most studious to doe all their workes and to vtter all their words to the glory of God yet oftentimes they shall conceiue in theyr thoughts wish in their hearts and also speake and doe such things as shall be very great sinnes in the sight of God and yet they shall not offend their conscience nor think they doe amisse And therefore the Prophet Dauid desireth almightie God not onely
shoulde in countenaunce and iesture make an outward shew of righteousnesse whereas inwardly he is full of all iniquitie rapine and filthy couetousnesse Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Saint Paule doth not curse the high Priest but denounce sharply the punishment of God which should light vpon him in the way of prophesieng Geneua Of the painting of the virgin Mary and of Christ. Some saye that Saint Luke did paint first the Image of the virgin Mary and did sette it foorth with liuely couloures and that Nichodemus who came vnto our Sauiour Christ by night hadde the Image of Christ béeing crucified And that also Agbarus the king of Edessenes did send a Painter to Christ to bring his Image to him and when hée coulde not doe it because of the exceeding great brightnesse of his face Christ himselfe tooke his cloth that he would haue painted him on and did wipe his face therewith and so gaue him in the cloth a liuely Image or resemblaunce of his face sending it to Agbarus who was desirous of it The lyke say they did happen vnto the Veronike when she did reach her fine cloth vnto our sauiour Christ to drie his face with all that did runne full of sweate All these things they father vpon Athanasius which is most false and vntrue First as touching S. Luke it is not in Scripture that euer he was a Painter but that he was a Phisition Scripture maketh mention And béeing a Phisition for the body he was afterward called to be a Phisition for the soule And because that Luke of all other the Euangelists did sette forth most liuely the strong fayth humilitie and lowlinesse al other heauenly vertues of the blessed virgin Mary Some did affirme that Luke painted out the virgin Marie And as for the storie of Agbarus and of the Veronike if any such things had bene done or wrought the Euangelists would as well haue set that forth as they did other things of smaller importaunce They wrote of the Hem of Christs garment but not a word of this meruailous Image of Christs face Therefore such vaine and fond histories ought in no wise to be credited I. Veron PARADISE The meaning of this place following HOw that he was taken vp into Paradise ¶ So the Grecians name that which we call a Parke that is to say a place wher trées are planted and wilde beasts kept By which name they that translated the olde Testament out of Hebrue into Greeke called the Garden whereinto Adam was put straight after his creation as a most delâ—â—able and pleasaunt place And héervpon grew it that the blessed seate of the glory of God is called by that name Beza The felicitie of Paradise described by Saint Austen Man liued in Paradise as he would so long as he willed that God commaunded he liued hauing the fruition of God of whome came his gooddesse He liued wanting nothing hauing in his powâ—r withall to liue continually Meate was euer redy and at hand because he should not be hungrie and drinke for that he should not thirst And tree of lyfe that age should not â—onsume and end his lyfe No corruption was thereâ— neither in his bodie or came of his bodyâ— which was to the loathsomenesse and 〈…〉 He feared neitheâ— inward disease nor outward 〈…〉 〈…〉 his flesh was perfect health and in euerie part of his soule no lesse tranquilitie and quietnesse As in Paradise no griefe was felt through heate or colde So lykewise to the inhabiters ther of happened there nothing through vnlawfull destra or feare that might be vnto the impeachment of his good and godâ—yâ—â—â— liued 〈…〉 In him was ther no foâ—â— coâ—fulneâ—â—â— at 〈…〉 nor yet anie 〈…〉 gladnesse true ioye was in him continued by Godâ— toward whom ther issued a burning 〈…〉 not of a pâ—â—e heart a good conscience and an vnfeiâ—ed 〈…〉 the â—anâ—â— the woman there was 〈…〉 proceeding of vertuous and 〈…〉 watching of minde and body and finally kéeping of Gods 〈…〉 without griefe or grudging 〈…〉 wit yâ— of all yâ— trees in paradise he might lawfully eate so that he absteined from the tree of the knowledge of good and built He therto Saint Austen PARADOX What Paradox iâ— PAradox is a straunge sentence contrarie to the opinion of the most partâ— Or thusâ— It is a straunge sentence not easely to be conceiued of the common sort Pet. Mar. fo 284. PARAPHRASE What Paraphrase is PAraphrase is a plaine setting forth of a text or sentence more at large with suchâ— circumstaunce of moe or other wordes as may make the sentence open cléere plaine familyar which other wise should perchaunce séeme bare vnfruitfull hard straunge rough obscure and darke to be vnderstood of any that were either vnlearned or but meanely letteredâ— Vdal PARDONS Of the Bishop of Romes forged Pardons THe Papists call the treasure of the Church the merites of Christ and of the holyâ— Apostles and Martirs The priâ—câ—â—all custodie of this â—arne as I haue alreadyâ— touched they â—aine to be deliuered to the Bishoppe of Rome that he shoulde haue the distributioâ— of so greatâ— giftes that he might both giue them himselfe and also graunt iurisdiction to other to giue them Héere vpon proceede 〈…〉 the Pope some time pleuâ—rie pardons some pardons 〈…〉 certeine yeares From the Cardinals pardons for an hundred daies from Bishops pardons for fortie daies But they â—e as I â—ay naturally describe theÌ„ the prophaning of the bloud of Christ Satans mockerie to 〈…〉 away the Christen people from she grace of God from the lyfe that is in Christ and to 〈…〉 from the true way of saluation for how could the bloud of Christ be more filthely prophaned then when it is deuied to suffice to the remission of sinnes to reconciliation and satisfaction vnlesse the want therof as being withered 〈…〉 wasted shoulde be other wise supplyed and profited The Lawe and the Prophts sayth Peter beare witnesse of 〈…〉 I ◠〈…〉 thatâ— by him for giuenesse of sinnes is to bee receiued 〈…〉 giue remission of sinnes by Peter Paule and the Martirs The bloud of Christ sayth Iohn cleanseth vs from sinne Pardons doe make the bloud of Martirs the washing awaye of sinnes Christ saith Paule which knewe not sinne was made sinne for vs that is the satisfaction of sinne that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God by him Pardons doe sette the satisfaction of sinnes in the bloud of Martirs Paule cried out and testified to the Corinthians that onelye Christ was crucified and dyed for vs Pardons pronounce that Paule and other dyed for vs. In an other place he sayth That Christ purchased the Church with his bloude The Pardons appoint an other price of purchase in the bloud of Martyrs The Apostle sayth that Christ with one oblation made perfect for euer them that were sanctified The Pardons crye out to the contrarie and saye that satifaction is made perfectly the bloude of Martyrs which otherwise were not sufficient Iohn sayth that all
mortifie his body for to liue according to the doctrine yâ— he himselfe did teach least be should be reproued of men when they should sée him doe contrary or contemne yâ— thing which he taught other to doe Ric. Turnar Of Paules vnquietnesse of the flesh ¶ Looke Flesh. How Paule wrought with his hands He abode with them wrought Their craft was to make tents ¶ How doe they followe Paules example which neither giue themselues to the studie of holy Scriptures to feede the flocke of Christ nor yet will labour with their hands but liue idly with the sweate of other mens browes there was a lawe among the Massilians that if any man did go about to liue idly vnder the pretence of some kind of religion he shuld in no wise be receiued into their citie Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Thus he vsed where euer he came but principally at Corinthus because of the false Apostles which preached without wages to winne the peoples fauour His craft was to make tents or pauilions which were made of skinnes Geneua Wherefore Paule wished himselfe to be seperate from Christ. For I haue wished my selfe to be seperated from Christ for my bretheren c. ¶ The Apostle loued his bretheren so entirely that if it had bene possible he would haue bene ready to haue redeemed the casting away of the Israelites with the losse of his owne soule for euer For this word seperate betokeneth as much in this place Beza ¶ He sawe the losse and destruction of his whole nation falling so farre from Gods true religion he considered how far God should be dishonoured when his wonderfull benefits and blessings bestowed vpon his people should take none effect but vtterly be defaced which so mightely moued him the he wished rather to be cut off from Christ then those things should come to passe The Bible note ¶ He would redéeme the reiection of the Iewes with his owne dampnation which declareth his zeale towardes Gods glorie Read Exo. 32. 32. Geneua How Paule had a wife Paule wished that all men were as he was That is hée wished that all the Corinthians which aduaunced themselues of virginitie widowhood could liue chast without a woman as he did which left his wife in an other place then where hée preached that all men were without care as he was which thing commonly followeth marriage ¶ Looke Apostles had wiues what Erasmus saith thereof ¶ Ignatius and also Clemens Alexandrinus which were verie nigh the Apostles time doth plainely affirme that S. Paule had a wife Ecclesiast histo li. 3. cap. 30. What Paule calleth the infirmitie of the flesh Paule calleth the infirmity of the flesh no disease of yâ— body or temptation of the flesh but his suffering and affliction which he suffered in his bodie So that he setteth the same against the vertue and power of the spirit But least we should séeme to wrast and peruert Paules words let vs heare himselfe speaking in the. 2. Cor. 12. 10. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities in reproches in necessities in persecutions and anguish for Christs sake for when I am weake then am I stronge And in the. 11. chapt 13. In labours more abundant in stripes aboue measure in prisons more plenteous in death oft of the Iewes fiue times receiued I fortie stripes saue one I was thrise beaten with roddes I was once stoned I suffered thrise shipwracke c. These afflictions which hée suffred in his body he calleth infirmities of the flesh and not corporall diseases Of Paules voice Looke Voice PAVLVS SAMOSATENVS Of the heresie that this man taught THis man was Bishop of Antioch He denied the trinitie He taught that Christ tooke his beginning of our lady And was a man onely of our common nature which heresâ—e was condemned by a generall Councell Paulus excommunicated He was about the yeare of our Lord. 267. PEACE How Christ came not to send peace on earth but debate SUppose ye that I am come to send peace on earth I tell you nay but rather debate ¶ So the peace as this world loueth which is then at peace when mens appetites and desires are satisfied and when the euill agrée with the euill came I not to send on earth but therfore came I with yâ— words of very peace to destroy the peace of this world For sith the doctrine of the Gospell which teacheth all peace shal be enuied of many it cannot be but debate must arise euen amongest greatest friends while they that loue this world will sooner exercise cruelty towards them yâ— they loue best then leaue yâ— vices which they haue bene accustomed vnto And againe those whome the fire of the charitie belonging to the Gospell hath touched will by no meanes suffer themselues to be deuided from that which they haue begun to cleaue to Betwixt these two am I not come to set peace but debate Tindale What it is to be at peace with God Because therefore that we are iustified by faith we are at peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ. ¶ To be at peace with God is none other thing then to haue tranquility rest in our hearts to Godward knowing assuredly the we be accepted of him do please him which thing we finde by fayth onely in that it receiueth forgiuenesse of sinnes newnesse of life euerlasting by mercy obteined at Christs hands Our own workes can bring no such tranquilitie because they be vnsure and engender doubt of which followeth desperation and of it dampnation we are not ashamed of our hope for we are sure by the death of Christ that God loueth vs and will bring our hope to passe ¶ By peace héere is meant that incredible and most constant ioye of minde when we are deliuered from all terrour of conscience and fully perswaded of the fauour of God this peace is the fruit of faith Geneua ¶ By peace which is the fruite of faith is ment the incredible and most constant ioy of minde our conscience being quiet and established in Gods grace The Bible note How peace makers be blessed Blessed be the peace makers c. ¶ To inherit this blessing it is not onely required that thou haue peace in thy selfe and that thou take all to the best and be not offended lightly and for euery small trifle alway ready to forgiue nor sowe â—o discord nor auenge thine owne wrong But also that thou be feruent and diligent to make peace go betwéene person persoÌ„ that thou leaue nothing vnsought to set theÌ„ at one Tin ¶ Cursed be the peace breakers pikequarrellers whispers backebiters sowers of discord dispraisers of them that be good stirrers vp of Princes to battell bée-liers of the true preachers of Gods word c. Tindale What peace offering is To offer peace offering of Oxen vnto the Lorde ¶ Peace offering is to reconcile God towards men to be at peace with them to forgiue
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
2. 31. Ro. 10. 13. Now they that forsake the truth blaspheming Christ taking part against the Holy ghost cannot repent For if sinners would conuert call vpon God they should be sure of remission Tindale Christ himselfe said vnto the Pharesies Euery blasphemiâ— shall be forgiuen but the blasphemie against the Holy ghost which Iohn calleth a sinne vnto death shall neuer be forgiuen but is guiltie vnto euerlasting damnation What sinne or blasphemie is this Uerely that declareth S. Marke saieng They said he had an vncleane spirite that was the sinne vnto death euerlasting that was the sinne that should neuer be foruen He proueth so euidently vnto them that his miracles wer done by the spirit of God that they could not denie it and yet of an hard and obstinate hart euen knowing the contrary they said that he had a Diuell within him These Pharesies dyed not forthwith but lyued peraduenture many yeares after Notwithstanding if all the Apostles had praied for these Pharesies while they were yet liuing for all that their sinne shoulde not haue bene forgiuen them And truth is that after they dyed in impatiencie and desperation which was the fruit of their sin but not the sinne it selfe Now see ye the meaning of this text and what the sinne vnto death or against the Holy ghost is If any man perceiue his brother to sinne a sinne not vnto death that is not against the Holy ghost let him aske he shall giue him life that is let him pray vnto God for his brother and his sinne shall be forgiuen him But if he see his brother sinne a sinne vnto death that is against the Holy ghost let him neuer pray for him for it booteth not and so is not the text vnderstood of prayer after this lyfe as Master Moore imagineth but euen of prayer for our brother which is lyuing with vs. I. Frith How our sinne is made Christs sinne Longe a salute mea ¶ Séeing that this is most true that S. Paule saith of Christ that he neuer did sinne neither was there any guile or deceipt found in his mouth how then can these words be verified in the person of Christ Longe á salute mea verba delictorum meorum The words of my sinnes or my sinfull words are â—arre from my health Uerely they cannot bée applyed to Christ for his owne person Neuerthelesse after the minde of S. Austen these words are therefore spoken by Christ the head because they be only verefied in Christs members So that the Prophet maketh Christ in this place to speake in his owne person that thing which is verefied of vs that be sinners for whose sake he suffered his death passion that in this place is so lyuely touched Yea this is S. Austens saiengs these be his words Christ did wel say My sinful words are far from my health not for any of his owne sinne Sed nostra delicta sua delicta fecit vt suam iustitiam nostram iustitiam facerit But hée hath made our sinnes to be his sinnes that he might make his righteousnesse to be our righteousnesse That is he is contented to be reputed and deemed as a sinner because that in his vniust suffering he might iustly saue sinners that beleeue in him The most part of the learned Expositours be of this minde Ric. Turnar How sinne is forgiuen in Baptime Saintâ— Austen saith that all sinne is forgiuen in Baptime not that it should not be at all but that it should not be reckoned for sinne Sinne offering what was ment thereby They that offered a Sinne offering must lay their hand vppon it meaning that they themselues had deserued that death also that they did consecrate it to God therby to be sanctified Sold vnder sinne ¶ Looke Solde SION What Sion is AS many as haue euill will at Sion ¶ Sion in the Scripture signifieth the whole Church and Congregation of God and euery faithfull soule that hath his whole intent affection desire towards God T. M. What the daughters of Sion signifieth Therefore shall the Lord shane the heads of the daughters of Sion ¶ To shaue the heads of women is to make them confounded and ashamed for it is a shame for a woman to be shauen 1. Cor. 11. 5. So that the Prophet héereby signifieth by a borrowed speach that the Lord shall make the daughters of Sion by which vnderstand the women of Iewrie confounded and ashamed and bring them to extreme aduersitie and pouertie and euen to naught Iosephus maketh mention that Hierusalem which was the chiefe Citie thereof was once so famished that a certaine woman of the Citie eate hir owne childe Albeit some vnderstand euen heere also by the daughters of Sion the townes villages and castells of Sion as it doth indéed oftentimes in the Scripture Because the daughters of Sion are hautie c. ¶ He meaneth the people because of the pride and arrogancie of their women which gaue themselues to all wantonnes dissolution Geneu SIR How men of countenaunce may be called Sir SIr we would faine sée Iesus ¶ These Greekes call Philip Sir and he refuseth not the same It was the custome of those Countries to call men of wealth and countenaunce by that name Wherevpon also Mary Magdalen called Christ at the Sepulcher after he was risen Sir when as notwithstanding she tooke him to be a gardener The Apostles did not gainsay this custome neither were they serupulous in the same as we sée the Anabaptists to be Mar. vpon Iohn fol. 434. SIRTES What the Sirtes were LEast we should haue fallen into the Sirtes ¶ Sirtes are periâ—lous sundry places in the Sea about the coasts of Affrica of the nature of Whirlepooles Tindale SISTER How Abraham made his wife to say she was his sister SAy I pray thée that thou art my Sister ¶ By this we maye learne not to vse vnlawful meanes nor to put other in danger to saue our selues Read ver 20. Albeit it may appeare that Abraham feared not so much death as that if he should dye with out issue Gods promise should not haue taken place wherein appeared a weake faith Geneua ¶ Looke Abraham SIT What it is to sit in the Temple of God SHall sit as Godin the Temple of God ¶ To sit in the Temple of Ged is to rule in the consciences to commaund wher God onely hath place ought onely to raigne which is as much as to be exalted aboue God Tindale Who sitteth in the Temple of God Compare the commaundements of God with the constitutions of men and you shall easely vnderstand that the Bishop of Rome whom they call the Pope to sit in the Temple of God as God and to be exalted aboue all that is called God It is written The Temple of the Lord is holy which is you Therfore the conscience of man is the Temple of the Holy ghost in which Temple I will proue the Pope to
Both for their wicked marriages vnnaturall copulations Idolatry of spirituall whoredome with Moloch and such lyke abhominations Geneua What is called spirituall whoredome Offering to diuells after whom they haue gone a whoring ¶ Idolatry is spirituall whoredome because faith toward God is broken Geneua Soothsaiers to goe a whoring after them ¶ To estéeme sorcerers or coniurers is spirituall whoredome or Idolatry Gen. VVICKED What it is to be wicked I And my people are wicked ¶ The wicked confesse their sinnes to their condemnation but they cannot beléeue to obtaine remission Geneua ¶ To be wicked is to be without the knowledge and féeling of the goodnesse of God and without hope to receiue any goodnesse at his hand so that we cannot patiently heare any of his truths nor beléeue theÌ„ neither suffer them to be taught to other as it appeareth in all Psalmes and in Esay 57. Tindale The wicked are lyke the raging Sea yâ— cannot rest Their euill conscience doth euer torment them and therefore they can neuer haue rest Geneua Ther is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked ¶ Thus he speaketh that the wicked hypocrites should not abuse Gods name in whom was neither faith nor repentaunce Geneua How the wicked are punished for dooing wrong to the wicked As I haue done saith Adonibesech so God hath done to me againe ¶ Heere note that the Gentiles had the knowledge of God as saith Paule Rom. 1. and that they knew the law righteousnesse naturall of which Moses Deut. 19. d. and Exo. 21. c. But in the punishment of Adonibesech is this chiefely to bée obserued that God not onely auengeth the wrong that the wicked doe to the good but also that which the wicked doe to the wicked The 70. Kings whose thumbes and great toes hée cut off were wicked men yet he is punished for the iniurie and crueltie done vnto them Such an example haue ye also Amos. 2. What punishment shall they haue then that cruelly slaye the good Not small be ye sure T. M. How the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs body hath euerlasting life Ergo then the wicked eate not Christs body He that eateth Christs flesh and drinketh his bloud abideth in Christ and Christ in him but the wicked abideth not in Christ nor Christ in them Ergo the wicked eate not his flesh nor drinke his bloud I. Frith VVIDOVVES Obiection of the Papists PAule say they blameth the widowes which after the olde Iewes manner chosen to serue yâ— Congregation when they were found of the common pursse had list afterward to marry Aunswere This place saith Melanctâ—â—on many of the Papistike votaries wrast it for their vowes because that there they are said to reiect their first faith which faith some of them interpret it of the breaking of their vowe But I will aunswere theretâ— simply and plainly That which they call their first faith in that place ought not to be vnderstood of such vowes but of their first and principall faith in Christ as a little before he saith If any man careth not for his owne and chiefly for his owne houshold he denieth to be a faithfull and is worse then an infidell For Paule blameth those women which so long as they wer néedie they would be sad and modest seruing them faithfully but afterward when they wer found of yâ— common charge they began to waxe wanton and light and to neglect their office For these euill manners saith he that they reiected their chiefe faith or principall promise to God casting off their faith whereby they should haue pleased God For their very faith is reiected when their conscience is defiled Beside this if they contend to be spoken of vowes then are their owne selues condempned with the same text commaunding them to put back young persons from such vowes to receiue none before 60. yeares old and why then call they it a lawfull vowe at 21. yeares Also if there had bene in those daies any such common vowes surely they had bene made without any superstition Wherefore these new found vowes of Monkes and Priests are tangled with full many wicked perswasions c. ¶ Looke Vowe First VVIFE What a commoditie she is to hir husband ANtipater an Heathen writer In sermone de Nuptijs hath these words Whosoeuer saith he hath not had triall of a wife and children he is vtterly ignoraunt of true mutuall good will Loue in wedlocke is mutually shewed when man and wife do not communicate wealth children and hearts alone as friends are wont â—o doe but haue their bodies in common also which friends cannot doe And therefore Euripides saieng aâ—â—de the deadly hate he bare vnto women writ these verses in commendation of marriage The wife that gads not giglot wise with euery flirting gill But honestly doth keepe at home not set to gossip still Is to hir husband in his cares a passing sweete delight She heales his sicknesse all and cals againe his dieng sprite By fawning on his angry lookes she turnes them intâ— smiles And keepes hir husbands secrets close when friend worke wâ—ly guilâ—s Bullinger fol. 224. How this place following is vnderstood Come not at your wiues That is when ye will serue the Lord you shall put from you all lust and fleshlye concupiscense giuing your selues wholly to prayer and abstinence as Paule teacheth 1. Cor. 7. 29. That they that had wiues shoulde bée as though they had none T. M. But giue your selues to praier and abstinence that you may at that time attende onely vppon the Lord. 1. Cor. 7 5. Geneua The difference betweene a Wife and a Concubine Looke Concubine VVILDE BEASTS What is signified heere by wilde beasts THe wilde beasts shall worship me Under the name of the beasts signifieth he also the heathen which were wilde rude and beastly concerning godly knowledge these saith he that hee will tame by the preaching of the Gospell which thing he signifieth by waters and streames so that they shall not héereafter doe hurt in the Church but shall put their shoulders vnder the yoke of faith and be ruled with the law of charitie T. M. They shall haue such abundaunce of all things as they returne home euen in the drye and barraine place that the verie beasts shall feele my benefits shall acknowledge them much more men ought to be thankfull for the same Geneua VVILL OF GOD. How all things come to passe by Gods will THese be the great and most exquisite workes of God that whereas the nature of man and Angell had sinned that is to say had done not that he would but that it would euen by the same will of the creature whereby that was done that the creator would not he fulfilled that he would vsing wel euen euill things as good himselfe in the highest degree to the damnation of them whom he iustly fore-ordeined to punishment and to the saluation of them whom he mercifully