vnderstood by the foure Angels By these foure Angels are vnderstood noisome ministers which go about to hinder both the life doctrine of the gospell the true faith The Angell which ascended from the rising of the Sunne c. is our sauiour Christ which alwaies procureth some to further the Gospel against tyrants Antechrists Sir I. Cheek I sawe foure Angels saith S. Iohn c. These are the hypocrites with their false doctrine The Antechrists with their pestilent degrées traditions The cruel princes with their tyrannous lawes the vngodlie magistrates with their ignorance blindnesse These stand vpon yâ— foure corners of the earth they reigne in the foure quarters of yâ— world with lies in hypocrisie errours in superstition with tyrannie in power crueltie in executing humaine lawes These with-hold â—he â—oure winds of the earth The doctrine of the spirit which God hath sent to bée blowne the world ouer they withstand resist stop vexe euermore persecute least it shold blow vpon yâ— earth which is yâ— gardein of god driuing away froÌ„ thence all filth corruption Bale What is meant by the seauen Angels And I sawe the seauen Angels c. ¶ These seauen Angels bée manie Antechristes and those mightie that do harme to the faithfull hinder yâ— Gospel But Iesus Christ standeth at the Altar with the oblacion of his bodie for yâ— faithfull Sir I. Cheek Who the Angell was And shewed by his Angel ¶ Ther be yâ— think yâ— by this Angell was meant Christ but more rightlie do other vnderstand him to haue ben some one of those heauenlie spirits yâ— are called ministering spirits are sent abroad about seruice for their sake yâ— shall be heires of saluation He. 1. 14. for by this meanes Christ proued to be the Lord of Angels as by whose seruice in yâ— wonderfull administration of his kingdome he both deliuereth the godlie out of the hands of the vngodly and also punisheth the wicked from time to time Beside this we shall sée the Angell more then once refuse the worshippe that Iohn was about to yéeld vnto him in this present booke 19. 10. and. 22. 9. which thing Christ would not haue done inasmuch as he is far more excellent not onelie then man but also then all the Angels Mar. vpon the Apoc. fol. 5. Of the Angell that went downe into the poole where the sicke laie For an Angell went downe at a certeine season into the poole c. ¶ It is vncerteine when or how often the Angell came downe to the water whether once in a yeare or oftner Some thinke that he descended euerie feastiuall daie that then some one sicke person or other was healed Other-some thinke yâ— this was done vpon the daie of Pentecost Notwithstanding this is most certeine that the benefit is to bée ascribed vnto God who in working hath euer vsed the ministerie of Angels of men of Elements For that which the Angell did héere hée did it as a minister of God For it is a worke proper vnto God to cure the sicke But as he hath euer vsed the hand and worke of Angels so he hath committed these partes in charge to the Angels for the which cause the Angels are called powers or vertues not because God resigning his power vnto them sitteth himselfe idle in heauen but because he working mightelie in them mightelie declareth vnto vs his power Therefore they doe verie wickedlie which ascribe anie thing to Angels which is proper to God or which make them such mediatours betwéene God and vs that they obscure the glorie of God when as we ought rather directlie to come vnto Christ that by his conducting aide and commaundement we maie haue the Angels helpers and ministers of our saluation Mar. vpon Iohn fol. 146. ANGER What Anger is by Aristotles definition Anger is nothing els if we maie beléeue Aristotle in his Rhetorikes but a desire of reuengement because of contempt For they which perceiue themselues to be despised and contemned do straight waie thinke how they maie be reuenged and they diligentlie meditate how by some punishment they maie requite the iniurie or despite done vnto them How Anger in some respect is no sinne ANger is no sinne so that the originall thereof and the ende whether it extendeth be vertuous and procéede with charitie Moses was angrie and brake the tables of God in his zealous and godlie passion He put the idolaters to death but the ende was to destroie vice and mainteine vertue So was Dauid so was Saule so was Christ but it sprang of a loue towards God and extended to a vertuous ende the punishment of vice and commendation of vertue Whooper Be angrie and sinne not ¶ Christ was angrie at the blindnesse of the Iewes Mat. 23. and so was Moses at the idolatrie of the Israelites Exo. 32 and at the sedition of Chore Dathan and Abiram Num. 16. neuertheles this anger or wrath was but a verie zeale vnto the law of God as thou maist sée by Phinehes in Nu. 25 and by Mathathias 1. Mac. 2. As for malice vnlawfull wrath it is vtterlie forbidden as it followeth in the same chapter where he saith let not the Sunne goe downe vppon your wrath Tindale I haue bene through angrie for the Lord God of hoasts sake ¶ Anger is not héere taken for such as is betwéene enimies but such as procéedeth of seruent loue as when the Father is angrie with the sonne not bicause he would him euill but sheweth thereby that he loueth him better for in correcting him he prouideth that he fall not into worse Such an anger zeale or iealousie had Phinehes also Nu. 25. What Anger is forbidden Christ prohibiteth anger as the beginning of hatred murther and destruction For he said he that is angrie with his brother is worthie of iudgement for anger and reuengement are seperate one from an other onelie as the roote and the fruit For he that is angrie with anie man if he hurt him not that chaunceth bicause either he cannot or els feareth the punishment of the lawes He that hateth his brother saith Iohn is a murtherer But among those which are counted verie angrie kings aboue other are numbered when they perceiue that they are despised of their subiects Wherefore Homere saith Great is the anger of a kings displeasure Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 166. How anger or wrath is in God God is said to be angrie kisse the sonne least the Lord bée angrie when we breake his commaundements despise his threatnings set light by his promise and follow our owne corrupt appetites God is said to be angrie and chaunged but the chaunge is in vs and not in him for he is immutable with whom saith S. Iames is no variablenesse neither is he chaunged The Psalmist saith 101. He chaungeth all things as a vesture but he himselfe is immutable vnchaungeable Lactantius in the booke which he writeth of the anger of
healing that a man maie be saued by another mans faith for this man was healed by the faith of the men and not by his owne because he could not heare for faith commeth by hearing To this it maie be said there is a difference betwéene corporall benefites and euerlasting saluation But no mans faith can stand in steed for another touching saluation Now Christ loosed the tongue of the deafe and then being called vpon of him hée gaue him faith and so the dumbe man was healed by his owne faith DENIENG OF GOD. How and when men doe denie God ANd denie God which is the onelie Lord c. ¶ Men truly denie God when they ascribe their iustification or forgiuenesse of sinnes to anie creature or to anie worke by the might and power of the worke to anie Indulgence or Pardon to Masses to holie Bread to kissing of Images and such like and not to Christ Iesus and to his bloud shed for vs to obtaine vs remission of sinnes by whose bloud onelie we were washed from â—ur sinnes as S. Iohn saith Apoc. 1. 5. He hath washed vs in his owne bloud from our sinnes They denie the Lord which ascribe remission of sinnes to anie other thing then vnto Christ and his bloud which thing false Prophettes doth denieng their Master Bibliander DEEPE What the Deepe signifieth OUt of the Déepe call I vnto thée O Lord c. ¶ By the Déepe is vnderstood the aduersitie wherein the people of Israel was when they were scattered among the Chaldes Unto vs christen it signifieth the aduersitie trouble miserie which hapneth to vs for our offences and sinnes T. M. DESPERATION What an offence Desperation is SAint Hierom affirmeth the offence of Iudas to be greater in dispairing of the mercie of God then in betraieng Christ. And that Cain stirred God more to anger through desperation of pardon then by the slaughter of his brothers bloud Manie which haue persecuted Christ being conuerted beléeuing in him haue obtained pardon and are made examples to man that he ought not to distrust the remission of his wickednes seing the death of our sauiour is forgiuen to the penitent Let no man dispaire of Gods mercie and goodnesse Let him that is weake and cannot do that he would faine doe not dispaire but turne to him that is strong and hath promised to giue strength to all that aske of him in Christs name and complaine to God and desire him to fulfill his promise to God cominit himselfe And he shall of his mercie and truth strengthen him and make him féele with what loue he is beloued for Christs sake though he be neuer so weake Tindale The meanes to keepe vs from Despaire in time of afflictions To knowe Gods righteousnesse and to be fullie perswaded of it is a meane to bring vs to patience Howbeit that wée must match another Article with it that is to wit wée must alwaies thinke that GOD in afflicting vs doth not cease to loue vs yea that he will procure our saluation what rigour soeuer he vse towards vs so as all our afflictions shall bee asswaged through his grace and he will giue them a gladsome ende Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 139. DESTINIE SAint Augustine in Opusculo 82. questionum quest 45. Confuting soundlie the destinies of Planets among other his reasons saith The conceiuing of Twinnes in the mothers wombe because it is made in one and the same act as the Phisitians testifie whose discipline is farre more certaine and manifest then that of the Astrologers doth happen in so small a moment of time that ther is not so much time as two minutes of a minute betwixt the conceiuing of the one and the other How therefore commeth it that in Twinnes of one burden there is so great a diuersitie of déedes wills and chaunces considering that they of necessitie must needes haue one the same Planet in their conception and that the Mathematicalls doe giue the constellation of them both as it it were but of one man To these wordes of Saint Augustine saith Bullinger great light maie be aded if you annexe to them and examine narrowlie the example of Esau and Iacobs birth and sundrie dispositions The same Augustine writing to Boniface against two Epistles of the Pelâ—gians li. 2. cap. 6. saith They which affirme that Destinie doth rule will haue not onelie our déedes and euents but also our verie wills to depend vpon the placing of the starres as the time wherein euerie man is either conceiued or borne which placing they are wont to call Constellations but the grace of God doth not onelie goe aboue all starres and heauens but also aboue the verie Angells themselues Bullinger fol. 480. ¶ Looke Astrologie Fortune Chaunce DESTROIE NOT. The meaning of this place DEstroie not ¶ Or thou shalt not destroie or make awaie as some will By this he signifieth after the mind of Kimhi that he twice withstood and stilled his Souldiers which moued him to destroie and kill Saule Ezra thinketh it to be a certaine tune and manner of singing T. M. DEATH What Death is by the minde of Secundus the Philosopher WHen Adrian the Emperour had heard Secundus the Philosopher in the seuerall Oration he made of a noble Romane Matron a kinswoman of the Emperours he asked of him what death was to whom the philosopher answered thus Death is an eternall sléepe a dissolution of the bodie a terror of the rich a desire of yâ— poore a thing inheritable a pilgrimage vncertaine a théefe of man a kinde of sléeping a seperation of the liuing a companie of the dead a resolution of all a rest of trauailes an end of all idle desires Finallie death is yâ— scourge of all euill and the chiefe reward of the good ¶ We call death the loosing asunder and departing of two things the soule from the bodie yâ— which departing no man can escape but necessarilie die all we must that be borne in this world When the bodie by anie violence looseth his senses is spoiled from the quicke vse of his principall parts theâ—â— departeth the soule from him in manner the bodie leaueth yâ— soule before the soule leaueth the bodie For it is not yâ— soule by himselfe yâ— goeth from the bodie but it is the bodie by himselfe sorsaking life that causeth the soule to depart c. Lupset How the Diuell hath power of Death The Diuell hath yâ— power of death that is â—he is the authour of it by his malitious nature he brought it into the worlde for God made it not nor hath anie delight in it neither is it good in his eies nor was neuer mentioned among yâ— works of his hands but from the Diuell and of the Diuell and in the Diuell it began and is and videth And therfore in the Apocalips his name is giuen him Abaddon that is the destroier and as death is of him so for this cause also he is said to haue the power of it
that Paule was the seruant of Iesus Christ onelie and so not the seruant of God the Father nor of the Holie Ghost Or these wordes that Paule spake vnto the Kéeper Beléeue in the Lord Iesu doe discharge him from beleeuing in the other two persons of the holie Trinitie Of the Baptime of Infants Note héere that the Fathers made a league with God not onelie for themselues but also for their posteritie as God againe for his part promised them that he would be the God not onelie of them but also of their séede and post eritie wherefore it was lawfull for them to circumcise their children béeing yet Infants And in like manner it is lawfull for vs to baptise our little ones being yet Infants forasmuch also as they are comprehended in the league For they which haue now the thing it selfe there is nothing that can let but that they maie receiue the signe It is manifestlie written in the. 29. Chapter of Deu. That the league was made not onelie with them which was present but also with them which was absent and not yet borne Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 75. Concerning young children because their faith is vnknowen to vs it is requisite that they be partakers of yâ— fruites of the sacraments and it is not verie likelie that they haue faith because they haue not the vse of vnderstanding except God doe worke in them extraordinarilie the which appeareth not to vsâ— neuerthelesse we cease not to communicate to them Baptime First forasmuch as there is now the same cause in Baptime which was sometime in Circumcision which is called by Saint Paule the seale of righteousnesse which is by faith and also by expresse commaundement of God the male children were marked the eight daie Secondlie there is a speciall regard to be had to the Infants of the faithfull For although they haue not faith in effect such as those haue that be of age yet so it is that they haue the séede and the spring in vertue of the promise which was receiued and apprehended by the Elders For God promiseth not vs onelie to be our God if we beleeue in him but also that he will be the God of our ofspring and séed yea vnto a thousand degrees that is to the last end Therfore said Saint Paule that the children of the faithful be sanctified from their mothers wombe By what right or title then doe they refuse to giue them the marke ratification of that thing which they haue possesse alreadie And if they alleadge yet further that although they come of faithful Elders or parents it followeth not yâ— they be of the number of the elect by consequent they be sanctified For God hath not chosen all the children of Abraham and Isaac The aunswere is easie to be made that it is true all those be not of the kingdome of God which be borne of faithfull parents but of good right we leaue this secret to GOD for to iudge which onelie knoweth it yet notwithstanding wée presume â—â—stlie to be the children of God all those which be issued descended from faithfull parents according to the promise Forasmuch as it appeareth not to vs the contrarie According to the same we baptise the young children of the faithful as they haue vsed and done from the Apostles time in the Church of God we doubt not but God by this marke ioined with the praiers of the church which is their assistaunt doth seale the adoption election in those which he hath predestmate eternallie whether they die before they come to age of discretion or whether they liue to bring foorth the fruites of their faith in due time and according to the meanes which God hath ordeined Beza The place alleadged of the Anâ—baptists is in the Actes where the Eunuche was not permitted to be baptised before confession made of his faith ¶ The aunswere is made thus that that was done to the Eunuche must not be drawen to the Infants of Christians rashlie to kéepe them from Baptime which onelie is to be obserued in straâ—ngers to religion those that are of full age For we affirme that such as are strangers from the Church of Christ as sometimes were the Iewes and Gentiles and as are at this daie the Iewes and Turkes and other such like ought not to be baptised vntill they haue made profession of their faith But the reason of Infants borne of Christians is of a farre other sort and case for they are accounted among the children and household of the Church by reason of the lawe of Couenaunt They be holie and Christ commaundeth them to be brought vnto him It is manifest they please God because their Angels alwaies sée the face of the father And although our capacitie cannot conceiue their state and condition yet Christ testifieth they haue faith and that they haue the Holie Ghost the examples of Iohn Baptist and others teach vs. Gualter fol. 385. How baptime is no baptime but to the childe Christ bidde the Church to baptise in the name of the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost If a Priest saie these words ouer the water and there be no child to be baptised these words onelie pronounced doe not make Baptime And againe Baptime is onelie Baptime to such as be baptised and not to anie other standing by As Baptime is no Baptime but to the childe that is baptised and not to the standers by so the Sacrament of the bodie is no Sacrament but to them that worthelie receiue Whereas Saint Austen saith that Infants are baptised In Fide Susceptorum in the faith of their Godfathers yet in so saieng hée meaneth of the faith of Christ which the Godfathers doe or ought to beléeue and none otherwise Iohn Philpot in the booke of Martirs Significations of baptime As the people of God in the time of Iosua were conueied through the water of Iordane into the Land of promise following the Arke of God which the Priest bare before them euen so are all we that beléeue in Christ conueied out of the Kingdome of Satan into the Kingdome of God by Baptime following our Arke Christ which is gone before vs. The passing of Helias through the water of Iordane and so lifte vp into Heauen doth signifie in a shadow to vs that our passage into Heauen should be made by Baptime The cleansing of Naaman the Sirian in the Water of Iordane from the filthie Leprosie at the commaundement of Helias doth prefigure vnto vs the spirituall cleansing from sinnes to be made by Baptime through the inwarde working of the holie Spirit That Baptime should be a figure of Christs death buriall and resurrection is proued by that he termed his passion by the name of Baptime when he aunswered the children of Zebedy on this wise Can ye be baptised with the Baptime that I am baptised withall Hemmyng Considerations of baptime We must be fullie resolued that
spoken of in the same that in the flame they felt no heate and in the fire they felt no consumption And I constantlie beléeue that howsoeuer the stubble of this my bodie shall be wasted by it yet my soule spirit shall be purged thereby A paine for a time whereon nowithstanding followeth ioie vnspeakable And he much intreated of this place of Scripture Noli timere c. Feare not for I haue redéemed thée and called thée by name Thou art mine owne when thou goest through the water I will bée with thée and the strong floud shall not ouerthrow thée when thou walkest in the fire it shall not burne thée and the flame shall not kindle vpon thée for I am the Lord thy God the holie one of Israel Which he did most comfortablie intreat off as well in respect of himselfe as appling it to the perticular vse of his friendes there present Of whom some tooke such swéet fruit therein that they caused the whole sayd sentence to be faire written in tables and some in their bookes the comfort whereof in diuerse of them was neuer taken from them to their dieng daie In the booke of Mar. fol 1131. His aunswere to a proude Papist BIlney béeing demaunded in dirision by a proud Papist when hée went to his death whie hée wrought no Myraâ—les béeing so holy a man as he was accompted aunswered with milde voice and countenance God onely sayd he worketh myracles wonders he it is that hath wrought this one wonder in your eies that I being wroÌ„gfullie accused falslie belied opprobriouslie and spitefullie handled imprisonned buffeted and condmned to the fire yet hitherto haue I not once opened my mouth with one ill word against anie of you This passeth the worke of nature and is therefore the manifest miracle of God who will by my suffering and death be glorified and haue his truth enhaunced Of the Bill of diuorcement ¶ Looke Diuorcement BINDING AND LOOSING What is meant heereby TO binde and loose is to preach the lawe of God and the Gospel or promises as thou maist sée in the third chapter of the second epistle to the Corinthians wher Paule calleth the preaching of the lawe the ministration of death and damnation and the preaching of the promises the ministring of the spirit and of righteousnesse For when the lawe is preached al men are found sinners and therefore dampned And when the Gospell of glad tidings are preached then are all that repent and beléeue found righteous in Christ c. Tindale fol. 150. Whatsoeuer ye binde on earth c. ¶ That is whatsoeuer ye condemne by my word in earth the same is condempned in heauen And that ye allow by my word in earth is allowed in heauen Tindale In the. 16. Chapter verse 19. he meant this of doctrine and héere of Ecclesiasticall discipline which dependeth of the doctrine Geneua ¶ To binde is to banish the stifnecked and vnrepentant sinner from the congregation of the Saints to loose is when he repenteth and submitteth himselfe to receiue him againe into the fellowship of the elect and chosen people of God Sir I. Chee ¶ God in promising men the forgiuenesse of their sinnes giueth charge and commission to the ministers of his worde to drawe them from death according as it is expreslie saide that the keies of the kingdome of heauen are coÌ„mitted so those which preach the gospell to what end To forgiue sinnes not of their owne authoritie but to the intent that the wretched man bée the better assured of their saluation and not doubt but God receiueth them to mercie Cal. â—pon Iob. fol. 592. BISHOP What a Bishop and his office is IF a man couet the office of a Bishoppe he desireth a good worke c. ¶ Bishop is as much to say as séer to or an ouer séer Which when he desireth to féede Christs flocke with the foode of health that is with his holie word as the Bishops did in Paules time desireth a good work and the verie office of a Bishop But he that desireth honour gapeth for lucre thirsteth great rentes séeketh preheminence pompe dominion coueteth abundance of al things without want rest and hearts ease castles parkes Lordships Earledomes c. desireth not a worke much lesse a good worke and is nothing lesse then a Bishop as Saint Paule héere vnderstandeth a Bishop Tind How Bishops were chosen In choosing of Bishops the people had their libertie long preserued that none should be thrust in that were not accepted of all This therfore was forbidden in the counsell at Antioch that none should be thrust in to them against their wil Which thing also Leo the first doth diligentlie confirme Héerevpon came these saiengs Let him be chosen whom the Clergie and the people or the greater number shal require Againe let him that shall beare the rule ouer all be chosen of all For it must needs be the he that is made a ruler being vnknowne and not examined is thrust in by violence Againe let him be chosen by the Clarks and desired by the people and let him be consecrate by them of that prouince with the iudgemeÌ„t of the Metropolitane The holy Fathers tooke so great héed that the libertie of the people should by no meanes be diminished that when the generall Synode gathered together at Constantinople did ordeine Nectarius they would not doe it without the allowance of the whole Clergy and people As they testified by thrée Epistles to the Synode at Rome Therfore when anie Bishop did appoint a successor to himselfeâ— it was none otherwise stablished vnlesse yâ— who le people did confirme it Whereof you haue not onely an example but also yâ— verie forme in Augustine in the naming of Gradius And Theodorâ—te when he reheraseth that Peter was named by Athanasius to bée his successor by by addeth yâ— the elders of Priests confirmed it the magistrate nobility the people approued it with their allowing shoute Caluine in his insti 4. â— Chap. 4. Sect. 11. Of the ordination of Bishops and Ministers The ordination of Bishops hath nothing proper or peculiar besides fruits commodities that necessarilie depend therof for it is the decrée of the Lord that of them to whome they minister the secrets and mysteries of the heauenlie life they receiue the things that belong to the necessarie vses and maintenaunce of this lyfe As Saint Paule plainlie proueth to the Corinthians 1. Chapter 9. from the. 4. verse to the. 15. And the 1. to Timothie 5. 17. 18. And to the Gal. 6. 6. which thing also Christ teacheth Mat. 10. 10. Luke 10. 17. So the this is the iust right lawe of God that the Bishoppes or ministers are to bée mainteined of the Churches and such a measure is to be kept the they be neither pressed with ouer great néed nor runne riot with too much excesse for in either of them a regard is to bée had to the calling of a
intent that we should followe him and thereby haue purgation for our sinnes For beside that it is impossible to followe him without an especiall worke of the spirit either in that he fasted fortie daies or in that he was neuer hungrie This were a plaine deniall of the benefits of his passion and the setting vp of our owne worke which is vnperfect For what great matter is it to eate meate but once euerie daie to drink two or thrée times many haue so liued in old yâ— time And what holines is it to eat fish onelie do not Cormerants and such as liue by the sea side liue so like wise Christ hath commaunded vs to followe him in loue peace mercie such like But in this example as a thing impossible we haue no such commaundement except we be drawne into wildernesse by the spirit as Christ was or by anie other worke of God we be destitute of food the comfort of creatures Then loe yâ— example of Christ may strength vs teach that not by bread onelie doe we liue but by euerie word that procéed out of the mouth of God A. G. fol. 187. Why Christ is called holie ¶ Looke Holie Why Christ is called true ¶ Looke True Why Christ was borne of a woman Whie was Christ borno of a woman truelie because â—nne and death ouerflowed the world through the first woman hee worketh the mysterie of life and righteousnesse by an other woman that the blame of sinne should not be imputed to the creature which is good but to the will by which Eue sinned R. Hutehynson Why Christ died for vs. And I was dead ¶ This cannot be verified of the Angels because they be inuisible and immortall spirits But Christ to obeie his Father and to wash awaye the sinnes of mankinde was contented to yéeld himself to death for a time to the intent that he might at length by death destroie him that had yâ— power of death that is to wit the diuell and set them at libertie which for feare of death were subiect to bondage all their lyfe long Heb. 2. 14. 15 for euen from the beginning God purposed vpon the sacrifice wherin Christ the true shepheard of all men gaue his life for his sheepe Iohn 10. 15. 17. And like as Christ the head of the Church entered into his glorie by death Luke 24. 26. So becommeth it all the godlie to die with him that they maie be glorified together with him according as Paule teacheth Rom. 8. 17. 2. Timo. 2. 12. 13. and Acts. 14. 22. Marl. fol. 27. Christ died for vs. ¶ They alleadge also that Christ died for vs all and thereof they inferre that his benefits is common to all men which thing we also will easilie graunt if onelie the worthinesse of the death of Christ be considered for as touching it it might be sufficient for al the sinnes of the world but although in it selfe it bée sufficient yet it neither had nor hath nor shall haue effect in all men which thing the schoolemen also confesse when they affirme that Christ hath redéemed all men sufficientlie but not effectuallie for there vnto it is necessarie that the death of Christ be healthfull vnto vs that we take holde of it which cannot otherwise be done then by â—aith which faith is the gift of God and not giuen to all men Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 305 Obiection why did Christ choose to die vpon the crosse before other kinde of death Aunsvvere Truly because this kinde of death is accursed all that die on it as it is written Cursed is euerie one that hangeth on tree for so it commeth to passe that Christ was accursed for vs to deliuer vs from Gods curse as Paule saith Christ hath deliuered vs from the curse of the law in that he was made accursed for vs. R. Hutchynson The time and houre of Christs crucifieng One of the Euangellsts saith yâ— Christ was crucified the third houre the other the sixt houre Augustine affirmeth both to be true for yâ— Iews at the third houre cried Crucifie crucifie wherefore as touching them they slue the Lord then who yet was afterward at the sixt houre crucified by the souldiers of Pilate Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 166. Of Christs calling vpon God in his passion My God my God whâ—e hast thou forsaken me ¶ NotwithstaÌ„nding yâ— he feeleth himselfe as it were wounded with Gods wrath forsaken for our sinnes yet he ceaseth not to put his confidence in God and call vpon him which is written to teach vs in all afflictions fo trust still in God be the assalts neuer so greeuous vnto the flesh Geneua How Christ baptised and baptised not Though that Iesus himselfe baptised not but his disciples ¶ It is said in the 22. verse of the chapter going before yâ— Christ was in Iewrie that he there baptised the which Saint Iohn heere expoundeth saieng that he baptised by his disciples Therefore the Lord baptised baptised not For he baptised because it was he yâ— cleansed washed purified the sinne He baptised not bicause he vsed not the outward sacrament of dipping or ducking in the water The Disciples vsed the ministerie of the bodie And he ioyned therewith his maiestie grace Therfore the Lord baptised by the ministerie of his Disciples Marl. fol. 10â— Of Christs humanitie The Marin Vigilius saith Dei filius secundu humanitatem c. The sonne of God according to his manhood is departed from vs according to his Godhead he is euer with vs. Vigilius li 2. contra Euti Cyrillus saith Secundum carnem c. according to the flesh onelie he would depart but by the presence of his Godhead he is euer present Cyrillus in Iohn li. 9. cap. 21. Gregorie saith Verlium incarnatâ—m manet recaedet c. The word incarnate both abâ—deth with vs and departeth from vs. It abideth with vs by the Godhead it departeth from vs by the bodie or manhood â— Gregorie de pasc homi 30. Augustin saith Ibat per id quod home erat c. Christ departed by yâ— he was maÌ„ abode by yâ— he was God He departed by that yâ— he was in one place he abod by yâ— yâ— he was in al places The heauens saith Saint Peter must containe and holde him vntill the time that all things bée restored Act. 3. 21. Cyrillus saith Christus non poterat c. Christ could not be conuersant with his Apostles in his flesh after he ascended vnto the Father Cyril in Iohn li. 11. chap. 3. Of Christs descending into hell three opinions Lyra saith yâ— Christs soule was 39. houres in Lymbo sanctoru patrum In yâ— place wher yâ— soules of yâ— holie Patriarks wer reserued kept till Christs coÌ„ming he saith yâ— Christs soule was 39. houres in yâ— place which he calleth Lymbus yâ— is to saie froÌ„ yâ— 9. houre
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
foorth the truth Ridley Teaching you vaine speculations as worshipping of Angells of blinde ceremonies and beggerlye traditions for nowe they haue no vse séeing that Christ is come Geneua PHISICKE By whom it was first inuented AESculapius the sonne of Apollo was the first inuenter and practiser of Phisick who for that science the antiquitie honoured as a God And such as recouered from anye disease did sacrifice vnto Aesculapius a liue Cock But the Poets do fable that he was slaine with lightening of Iupiter because he had with cunning of Phisick restored Hippolitus the sonne of Theseus to lyfe Vdal Of the woman that had spent all her goods in Phisicke Had suffered many things of many Phisitions and had spent al that she had ¶ Heere the woman is not blamed because shée had spent and bestowed much substaunce vpon Phisitions but rather we doe learne that Phisicke ministred without God is vnprofitable Let vs not then despise Phisicke which the highest did create from the earth but let vs resigne put our whole wil into the hands of God whether he wil heale vs by phisick or bring vs to our graue Sir I. Cheeke How God must be sought before the Phisition He sought not the Lord but Phisitions ¶ He sheweth that it is in vain to séeke to phisitions except first we séeke to God to purge our sinnes which are the chiefe cause of all our diseases and after vse the helpe of the Phisition as a meane by whom God worketh Geneua PHOTINVS Of his heresie PHotinus Bishoppe of Sirmium mainteined the heresie of Sabellius Paulus Samosatenus that Christ was not God before Marie bare him He said the worde was at the beginning with the Father but not the Sonne Socrates li. 2. cap. 24. Epiphan heraes 71. PIETIE What Pietie is PIetie is a true worshipping of God a soundnesse of doctrine and a pure lyâ—e which things follow hope and fayth Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 279. Lactantius calleth it iustice and deuout worshipping and knowledge of God godlinesse godly affection naturall loue towards the parents and kinsfolke naturalnesse naturall zeale or affection PILATE Of the Acts and death of this man THis man being ordeined President of Iudea at his first entrie to flatter Tiberius caused the Image of Caesar to be brought into the Temple of Hierusalem whereby rose a great sedition forsomuch as the Iewes being therewith grieuously offended offred themselues rather to the death theÌ„ they wold suffer any Image in yâ— temple Pilate in like manner vsed the treasure called Corbona contrarie to the custome and lawe of the Iewes and because diuerse of the Iewes shewed themselues to be gréeued therewith he beate and slew a great number of them And after the death of Christ as witnesseth Tertulian Pilate wrote to Tiberius the Emperour of the death vertue and miracles of Christ who after he had published the same in the Senate would haue had Christ to be ascribed and numbred among the Gods of the Romanes but the Senatours woulde not consent thereto in anye wise because that Pilate wrote to the Emperour and not to them But Tiberius continued in his sentence defeÌ„ded on pain of death that no man should persecute the christen people Pilate at the last was commanded by Vitellius prouost of Surrey to goe to Rome there to aunswere to certeine complaints which should be layde to his charge by the Iewes for which accusations hée was after deposed and banished to Lions in Fraunce where as Eusebius saith he slew himselfe ¶ Of Pilate Iosephus writeth hée succéeded Valerius Graccus vnder Tiberius and was deputie of Iudea ten yeares About the eight yeare of his gouernment he crucified Christ. And two yeares after that being expired he was put out of his office by Vitellius deputie of Siria for the innocent Samaritanes that were slaine an other béeing put in his place and he constrained to go to Rome to purge himselfe in the iudgement of Caesar against the accusation of the Samaritanes But before he came to Rome Tiberius was dead and Gaius appointed in his roome Under this Gaius as Eusebius maketh mention in his ecclesticall historie Pilate slew himselfe Marl. vpon Math. fol. 685. Of Pilates wife His wyfe sent to him sayeng Haue thou nothing to doe with this iust man for I haue suffered manye thinges this daie in my sléepe because of him ¶ Onely Mathew maketh mention of this thing concerning the wife of Pilate which was done when Pilate was sitting downe on his Tribunall seate to giue iudgement of death against the Lorde Haue nothing to doe with that iust man As touching the Gréeke text it is sayde Thou hast nothing to doe with that iust man But the Hebrew text hath Haue thou nothing to doe with that iust man Beholde and note héere how the innocency of Christ deserued testimonie of euery one namely of Iudas of Pilate of Pilates wife of Anna of the false witnesse of the wise men of the Cananites of the Samaritanes of the Centurion and lastlye of the theese hanging on the Crosse. For I haue suffered manie thinges although the meditation and studie in the daye time might be occasion of this dreame yet notwithstanding it is without al doubt that the wife of Pilate suffered those torments not naturally as many doe at this daie oftentimes but rather by singular instinct and motion of God Many haue thought that the Diuell suborned this woman and craftely couloured the matter in her that hée might staye the redemption of mankinde the which is verye vnlikely in all pointes when as by the motion prouocation of the Diuell the chiefe Priests and Scribes did so greatly séeke and desire to destroye Christ. Therefore we must this rather thinke of it that the innocencie of Christ was proued by manye meanes of God the Father to the end that it might appeare that he died not for his owne but for others sakes And for that cause he thought good to be absolued so oftentimes by the mouth of Pilate before hée was condempned that in his innocent dampnation there might appeare a lawfull satisfaction for our sinnes But Mathew very expresly and plainely setteth forth the matter least any man shoulde meruayle why Pilate was so carefull and diligent to defend and contende in the tumult of the people for the lyfe of a contemned man And truely God constrained him by the terrour of the dreame which his wife suffered to defend the innocencie of his sonne not that he might deliuer him from death but onely to declare that he was punished for other mens faultes c. Mar. fol. 702. Why the priests deliuered Iesus to Pilate And deliuered him to Pilate ¶ It was not lawfull for them to put anye man to death For all causes of lyfe and death were taken awaye from them first by Herode the great and afterward by the Romanes about fortie yeares before the destruction of the temple and therefore they deliuered Iesus to Pilate Theo.
confusion superstition Idolatry impietie as Babilon the first Monarch was destroid so shal this wicked kingdome of Antichrist haue a miserable ruine though it hée great and séemeth to extend throughout all Europa Geneua And their corps shall lye in the stréets of the great citie which spiritually is called Sodome and Aegypt where our Lord was crucified ¶ Meaning the whole iurisdiction of the Pope which is compared to Sodome and to Aegypt because the true libertie to serue God is taken away from the faithfull and Christ was condemned by Pilate who represented the Romane power which should be enimie to the godly Obiection What impudencie is it to affirme that Christ was crucified at Rome and all the worlde knoweth he suffered death at Hierusalem Aunswere Rome béeing vnderstood for the Regiment c. As is aforesaid the proofe is euidently made that our Sauiour Christ suffered and was crucified at Rome Reasons to proue that Christ suffered at Rome By whom was he condemned was it not by Pilate the deputie or lieuetenant of the Romane Empire c For what cause or crime was he iudged to dye Was it not for treason pretended to be committed against the Romane Empire With what kinds of execution was he put to death Was it not such as was vsuall by the lawes of the Romanes for such hainous offences as were vniustlye layde to his charge Finally was not the place where he suffered within the circuite of the Romane Empire May not then iustly affirme that he was crucified at Rome when by the Romane Iudge he was condemned for a crime against the Romane state executed by a kinde of death appointed by the Romane lawes in a place of the Romane dominion As for the Iewes they had at that time no authoritie to put any man to death as they confesse themselues when Pilatâ— had them take him iudge him according to their owne lawe meaning they shuld decree some light punishment against him they aunswered It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death he hath defeâ—ued to die As touching to cause although they accused him of blasphemy because he made himselfe the son of God yet could he not be condemned for that because Pilate wild admit no accusation but such as conteined a crime against the Romane lawes And as for the death of the crosse it is manifest to be propeâ— to the Romanes for the Iewes would haue stoned him if they might haue condemned him for blaphemie according to yâ— lawâ— of Moses And that the Angell in that place by no meanes can vnderstand Hierusalem it is manifest by these reasons First that he calleth it the greate Citie which tearme coulde neuer bée spoken of Hierusalem Also vs calleth it Sodoma and Aegypt which was the Sea of the monsterons beast Antichrist which in other places is often called Babylon c. Adde héerevnto that Hierusalem the place where Christ suffered was vtterly destroyed in Saint Iohns time which wrote this reuelation For the second proofe sée the. 13. Chapter of this Reuelation and the. 17. chapter where this euill shapen beast is described with 7. heads 10 hornes Also sée Daniel the 7. Chapter describing the foure beastes especially the fourth beast which all men must confesse to be the Monarch of Rome which is the fourth Monarch The third Argument or proofe is taken out of the 17. chapter verse 9. of this Reuelation Where the Angell expounding to Saint Iohn the mysterie of the beast with seauen heads declareth in verye plaine wordes that the seauen heads do signifie seauen hills wherevpon the woman sitteth which al writers Poets historiers cosmographers with one consent do confesse to be Rome which is builded vpon 7. hills whose names are these Palatinus Capitolinus Auentinus Exquilinus Viminalis Quirinalis Caelius The Poet Virgil describeth Rome with this Periphrasis in his Georgikes Septem quae vna sibi muro circundedit arces Which hath compassed 7. hils within her walls The fourth and last proofe is taken out of the. 17. chapter of this Reuelation the last verse where the Angell expoundeth that the woman which Saint Iohn sawe which was the great whoore Babylon is that great Citie which hath cominion ouer the kings of the earth And what man is so impudent as to saye that anie other Citie in Saint Iohns time had dominion ouer the kings of the earth but Rome How Babylon is proued to bee Rome by the Doctours Ireneus one of the most auncient and autenticall writers that the Church hath in the fift booke of his treatise against all hereliks speking of the sea of Antichrist vpon the last verse vppon the. 13. chap. of this Reuelation where it is said yâ— the number of the beasts name is sixe hundred sixtie and sixe sheweth that the opinion of many in his time was that séeing this name Lateinos which is in English the Latin man or Romane in the numerall Gréeke letters conteineth this number that Antichrist must be sought at Rome his words are these Sed a Lateinos nomen fex centorum sexaginta sex numerorum c. Et valde verisimile est quoniam verissim regnum hoc habet vocabulum Latini enim sunt qui nunc regnant Also saith he this name Lateinos conteining the number of 666. is thought to be the name of Antichrist it is very like so to be for that which most vndoubtedly is a kingdom hath that name for they be Latines which now doe reigne Tertulianus a verye auncient writer in his third booke against Marcion which denied that Christ had a true bodye wherefore Tertulian vseth this reason against him That thing which hath a figure in it might bée a thing of truth so discoursing of many things figured and the figures of them commeth to theseâ— wordes Siâ— Babylon apud Iohannem nostrum c. Euen so doth Babylon in the Apocalipsis of our Saint Iohn beare the figure of the Citie of Rome which is altogether as great and as proude in reigneâ— and as great a persecuter of the Saintes as Babylon was Chrisostome in his Commentaries vppon the seconde Epistle to the Thessaloâ—â—ans Capter 2. in his fourth Homelye where as Paule speaketh of the manifestation of Antichrist sayth they knewe what was the cause that hée was not presentlye reuealed â— but when that staye is taken awaye hée shoulde bee râ—â—â—â—led in his due time Chrisostome 〈…〉 deth this staye too bee the Romane Empire which must giue place to Antichrist that like as the Persians came in place of the Chaldeans the Grecians in the place of the Persians and the Romanes in the place of the Grecians Euen so our Antichrist should inuade the Empire of the Romanes Vacantem imperiâ— principatum inuadit tentabit ad se capere hominum Deâ— imperium Antichrist saith he shal inuade the vacant principalitie of the Empire and shall assay to drawe vnto