would not this mistery shoulde be hidden from you brethren lest ye should be wyse in youre owne conceites for asmuch as blindnes is partly happened in Israell tyl the fulnes of the Gentyles be come in Of these places it appeareth that Iacobs saying I am Esau thi eldest sonne is as much to say as the last shall be fyrst and the first last which is a true saying and no ly because it is a mistery For if we count misteries to be lyes we must couÌ„t likewise al parables and metaphores all tropes and fygures to be no lesse in which y e meaning is to be coÌ„sidered and not the proper signification of y e worde Christ is called a Lion a rocke a dore a Lambe the children of the kingdome are called good seed and the wycked tares The father of heaueÌ„ is named a husbandman Gods word a sweard a hamer a key Mannes lyfe is called a span a shadowe c. These maner of speaches be no lyes but playne demonstrations of hard matters in easy common termes We be taught by y e lion rocke and dore which we know what Christ is whom we know not and by the husbandman we learne what God y e father is By the sword the hammer the streÌ„gth of Gods work by the key howe it is to be expounded by the spanne the shadowe the shortnes of mans lyfe which be frutefull matters In seÌ„blable maner in this story we learn of Esau the blindnes of y e Iewes and of Iacob y e yonger the fulnes of y e Gentiles Now to speake of y e midwyues of Egipt and of Rahab God dyd not reward them for their lye but for their mercye because they dealte kyndly wyth his people for whych also he forgaue them their ly wherein theye sinned vndoutedly greuously For the mouth which lyeth kylleth the soule If those midwyues had ben perfect womeÌ„ they wold haue refused that office wherunto Pharao apointed them for it was to murder the infantes of the Israelites and Rahab had don better if she had not lyed but answered I know where they be but because I feare God I wil neuer shewe it They could haue lost nothing by this aunswer although thei had suffred death therfore For blessed be y e dead that dy in the Lord. By the other way they gat them houses vpoÌ„ the earth but this way they might haue purchast that house of whych it is wrytten blessed be they which dwell in thy house they shal prayse the euermore Stories make mentioÌ„ of one Firmius bishop of Tagasta who makyng this answer in such a case lost naught therby WheÌ„ the Emperour sent his officers to search after a certeine man whome he had hidden he beyng enquyred for him said he would not deny but that he had hidden him because of lying but that he would neuer betray him for which aunswere he was greuously pained but no pain could cause him to disclose where the man was The Emperour marueling at his stedfastnes deliuered him Iehu in his lying is no more to be folowed then in the sinne of IeroboaÌ„ the sonne of Nabat which made Israel sinne with the golden calfes in Bethel Dan. For it is written of him that he forced not him self to walke in y e law of the Lord God of Israell with all his heart S. Paul made no lie for he was in dead a citezin of Rome because his father was fre as at London the children of fre men be citezeÌ„s and fre Nowe as concerning our sauiour Iesus Christ God forbid that we should say he lyed in whose mouth no gyle could be found who speaketh of him self I am the way the truth His pretending to go further was no lying but a true meaning for he went further afterward when he ascended vp into the heaueÌ„ in the sight of his Apostles which thing only was meÌ„t by his pâ—etending to go further for it is a mistery No man therfore can affirme y â— Christ lyed but he that denieth him to haue ascended many false thinges are fained to signifie and teach true thinges which be no lies for they be not spoken as thinges true as thinges done but to teach vs what we should do as the narration of Lazarus and the rich man the parable of him which had two sonnes of the whiche one abode at home wyth his father the other went into far countries the parable of trees in the booke of Iudges which spake one to another the parable of the vineyard of the virgins of ten grotes of the shepe of the vnrightuous iudge of mustardsede and of the Pharisie and the Publicane If all these be lies Christ is a great and notable her who spake alwaies in parables to y e people the Prophetes are lyers yea all the scripture is ful of lies not only the scripture but all heathen wryters vse this maner of teaching as Horatius making the litle mouse to speake and Esopus geuing language to foules fishes and four foted beastes and yet no any wyse man slaundred them at any time of lying Thus it is euideÌ„t that they which mainteine lying rack the scripturs and open them not with Peters key but with a pielock and that the examples brought for lying ether be no lies but iestes as Nasica or misteries as Iacobs Christes or true sayings as Abrahams Isaac Paul or els if they be lies as Ennius mayd Sara the midwiues Raab Iehu they are earnestly to be eschued for no lie is of the truth and whatsoeuer is not of y e truth is naught seing God is truth The .x. Chapter ¶ God is ful of compassion HE is also ful of mercy letting the sunne shine vpoÌ„ good and euil sending rain to both sortes Thou most gracious Lord bringest forth grasse herbes for cattel and fode out of the earth thou geuest vs wine to make our harts glad and oyl to chere our couÌ„tenauÌ„ce bread to strengtheÌ„ y e hert thou satisfiest al meÌ„s desires w t good things specially of those that be mercifull as y e only begotten sonne maketh proclamacion in y e mountain blessed are y e merciful for they shall receiue mercy The erth is ful of thi mercies it O lord reacheth vnto y e heaueÌ„ no place is empty of thy mercies The Origenistes defend that Gods mercie perceth into hel that al men the deuils also shal at leÌ„gth be saued alledging this scripture His mercy be vpon al his workes and the mercy of God is vpon all flesh They bring also Gods righteousnes in iudgemeÌ„t which thei deny to punish sinne euerlastingly for then the punishment should be greater then y e fault which is teÌ„poral and hath an end This is a merciful heresie but God sheweth no mercie against his truth His truth saith depart froÌ„ me ye cursed into euerlasting fier which is prepared for the deuil his aungels No maÌ„ can
it is 5 Left hand of God 9 Logyck necessary 17 Lying hated of God Folio 36 Loue suffereth al thinges 86 Lybertines errour 111 Lawe is an axe 126 M Mouth of God what Folio 9 Man made after the Image of God 13 Mans soul what ther is in 14 Malachie maketh nothinge for y e masse is plainly declared 32. Fol. 34 Man that was wounded 35 Ministers haue no sacrifice but common with the laitie 36 Marchaunt man 37 Mydwyues of Egipt Folio 37 Mans soule is bothe mortal and immortall 47 Man maketh himselfe euill 51 Mens knowledge vnperfect 73 Mary Magdalen 76 Ministers howe they do forgeue retaine synne 79 Manichies confuted Fol. 148 N Nose of God what it signifieth 8 No sacrament is a sacrifice 35 No perfect difinition can be made of God Folio 99 O Only God is to be sworne by 10 Our lyfe a shadow in this world 16 Obiections answered Folio 29.42.44 Origenistes belefe 42 Oppression what mischief cometh therof 55 Our life a warfar 134 One God who ruleth all 147 One name 156 〈◊〉 grace 159 Our thoughtes miserable 179 P Picture none can be made of God 1.2 Papistes will haue their gloses 4 Papistes seke al meanes possible to driue vs from scripture 4 Phylosophy the true vse therof 18 Papistes saye here is Christ and there is Christ. 22 Pyghius calleth gods word a nose of waâ— Picklock 23 Pyghius argument answered 32 Peters vision 33 Papistes haue made seuen orders 36 Perfit causes 67 Peters keye what it is Folio 81 Pope cannot shew Peters last will 87 Proceading of the holy ghost 104 Parsonally 108 Papistes stubburn in their doings 116 Prophetes neuer prayed to no creaturs 121 Pithagoras 150 Perminides idem PreachiÌ„g a work â–ª 173 Papistes would be called to geue an auns to their faith 174 Peter prayeth to the holy spirit 175 R Right had of god 9 Reasons to proue thre persons 102.103 Resurrection 115 RaueÌ„s and not doues who 131 Reasons against praiyng to saynctes 146 S Symonides aunswer what god is 2 Spirit of god teacheth what god is 2 Straunge doctrine what it is 3 Samaritanes 3.2 Scripture is the power of god 4 Scripture ought to be studied 4 Scripture is the immortal sede 5 Shoulders of God what is ment 9 Synne seperateth vs from god 20 Substaunce of bread remayneth 24 Substaunce or natural propertie 26 Substaunce of bread not chaunged 27 Sacramentes of the new testament beter then the olde 27 SacrameÌ„tal receiuing necessary 30 Sacrifice of thaÌ„kes offred in all places 33 Scripture vseth to cal al thinges new 34 Scriptur ful of tropes and figures 39 Synne the cause of barones 49 Serpentes flyes and wormes why they were made 51 Syt in the temple of god what is signifieth 90 Samosathan an arch-heretike 109 Spirit is euery wher Folio 112 T Touchstone 3 Tong of god 9 This is my body expounded 24 Thre similitudes in y e sacrament idem Thankes ought to be geuen for the death of Christ. 50 Theues that robbed y e wouÌ„ded man 35 Thorder of ministers â–ª only 36 To affirme y t is false is to lye 38 The mouth that lieth killeth the soule 40 Trouble maketh vs to leran to know god 43 The cause in vs of coÌ„dempnation 45 The holy spirit is the maker of y e world 48 To maiÌ„tein a king 55 Thre opinions 66 To wash Christ. 76 To be renewed 96 the word substaÌ„ce 108 Thre bodies 109 The holy spirit forgeueth sinne 113 Two sortes of resurrections 115 The Godhead is vndefileable 125 The doâ—e a scholemaster vnto vs. 132 The workes of the .iii persons be vnseperated 139 Thaâ—es Milesius 149 Temples are to be dedicate to God only Fol. 176 V Uoice of God must be harkened vnto 1.2 Unwritten verities Folio 104 W What God is 1 WeapoÌ„s of our warfare 3 Worldly wisdom folyshnes 5 What is ment by these wordes he y â— is 7 Wombe of God 9 What stained red clothes be 11 Winges of God what they signifie 12 We shall see God face to face 16 Wickednes coueteth y e darke 2â— We caÌ„not escape gods hand 21 We must receiue the sacrament why 31 Wounded man what is signified 35 Wicked shal haue endles paine 42 Why god doth punish the Godly aferd 43 World is the workemanship of the whole trinitie 47 Why Christ is named a worde 48 World the workmanship of y e trinitie 49 Workes of God in beastes be not vnprofitable 51 Worlde gouerned by Gods prouidence 54 Why good men are afflicted 58 Why starres appeared at the birth of Christ Folio 64 Who is forgeuen and when 80 Who is the rock 83 Why Peter was named Sephas 84 Why Christ byddeth Peter thrise fede my shepe 85 What is most necessary in a preacher 86 Whether God can sin or lye or not 92 Word person 108 Why christ was born of a woman 120 Who are the brethren of Christ. 124 Why christ was born of a virgin espoused and maried 125 Why all men ar borne babes not able men Folio 126 We are the sonnes of God by adoption Fol. 126 Why Christ came in thende of the world Fol. 125 Why Christ was baptised 127 Why Christ suffered death 128 Why he died on the Crosse. 128 Why Christ toke our nature 128 Why the holy ghoste apered 130 Why the spirit is named oyle 167 FINIS AN OTHER TABLE TO finde harde textes and suche as haue bene abused for euill purposes plainly and truly expounded GEne 1. In y e begynninge God created heauen and earth 48 Gene. 1. The spirit of the Lorde was borne vpon the waters 49 Gene. 1. God saide let ther be light God said let there be a firmameÌ„t Folio 49 Gene. 1. Let vs make man to our similitude and after our likenes fol. 13. cha 27. fol. 138 Gene. 1. God behelde all that he had made â—o they were exceading good 49.50 Gen. 2. God rested the seuenth daye from all his workes 71.72 Gene. 3. Adam where art thou 73 Gene. 3. Cursed be the earth in thy worke in sorowe shalt thou â—ate therof 50 Gen. 3. The sede of the woman shal grinde the serpentes head 123 Gene. 4. Where is Abel thy brother 73 Gene. 6. I repent me y t I made man 73 Gene. 12. AbrahaÌ„ said to Sara his wyfe say I pray thee that thou art my sister 38.39 Gene. 18. And the lord appeared vnto AbrahaÌ„ and he lift vp his eies and loked and lo three men stoode not far froÌ„ him 103.104 Gen. 18. And ther came two angels to Sodom at euen 104 Gene. 24. You shall bring my hoare heares w t sorow vnto hel 43 Gen. 26. Isaac dwelled in Gerat the men of the place asked him of his wife he said that she was his sister 38 Gene. 27. Isaac sayde vnto Iacob art thou my son Esau and he said I am Esau thy eldest son 38 Exod. 1. And the mydwyues answered Pharao y e Hebrues womeÌ„ are sturdy women deliuered before we come at them God therfore
this was no audible voyce no sounding or transitory noyse commyng from the lightes but God said be there light fyrmament c. that is to saye God made these thinges by his saying â–ª by his word by his voice which is christ as it is writteÌ„ In y e beginniÌ„g was y e word that is in y e father was christ al thiÌ„gs were made by it and nothing was made without iâ— as Moises teacheth very wel repeting these wordes Deus dixit God sayd in y e creatioÌ„ of euery thiÌ„g And why is Christ called his fathers word Truly bicause he is his image and no man cometh to the knowledge of the father but by the sonne And as we do open manifest and declare our mindes one to another by our words and communication so God is disclosed opened and discouered by Christ. No man hath sene God at any time thonly begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him in his sermons he is sincerely published and plainly painted and portraied For this cause he is surnamed y e saying of God and an audible and a traÌ„sitory word not properly but by a metaphore and borowed spech And this traÌ„sitory word made al thinges vpholdeth al thinges gouerneth al things Nowe touching the holy spirit we read in the first Chapter of generation spiritus domini ferebatur the spirit of y e Lord was born vpoÌ„ the waters Many do expouÌ„d by the spirit in this text the wynd but it can not be taken so for many causes First the wynd is the exhalatioÌ„ or spirit of the waters this was y e spirit of God as the text doth say Moreouer y e wind then was vncreat vnmade For I think no man wil defend that the wind was made before the first day which is made after these wordes And others do read for ferebatur super aquas fouebat vel exclu debat aquas the spirit did bring forth or hatch the waters so in dede the word signifieth in the Sirian tonge wherfore was borne vpon the waters is no blast of wind but a metaphore of the hen and a borowed speach The hen is borne of her egs and sittteth vpon them and so hatcheth her yong and so the holy ghost was borne vpoÌ„ the waters sat vpon theÌ„ brought forth and hatched all creatures which there are called waters For as it is wrytten when thou lettest thy spirit go forth they are made Basil who for his great learning was surnamed magnus expoundeth this text thus sayth that his predecessors toke it so and S. Austen is of the same mind and Philip MelancthoÌ„ aloweth their interpretatioÌ„ Thus it is euident y t the vniuersal world is the workmaÌ„ship of the whole trinitie whose workes be inseperable as they be inseperable and one almighty euerlasting inuisible vnsercheable god of one substaunce and nature power and maiestie who gathered the waters together as it werin a bottel who maketh y e cloudes his chariot and goeth vpoÌ„ the winges of the wind and who spreadeth out heauen like vnto a curteyn After that he had finished al his workes he beheld theÌ„ and â—o they were exceading good Now there be many thinges not good vnprofitable vnfrutful perilouse for thornes and thistels prick vs the gout greueth vs the pocks the canker consumeth vs the sciatica payneth vs spasmes palsies feuers noy vs serpentes doe poysen vs flies do bite vs cats do scrat vs flees do eat vs mouÌ„taines weary vs snow doth let vs thonders do fear vs the cocodrils do kil our bodies the deuyl our souls God made not these thinges for al that he made was good and if he made not these he made not al thinges The earth bringeth forth thornes and thistels and other venemous herbes not by nature but thorow the synne of man vnto whoÌ„ God speaketh Because thou hast obeyed the voyce of thy wyfe and hast eaten of the tree of which I commaunded the not to eat Cursed be the earth in thy worke In sorow shalt thou eat therof al the daies of thy lyfe and it shall beare thornes and thistels vnto thee and thou shalt eat the herbes of the field in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread Before sinne we read not that the earth brought forth thistels bushes vnfruitful trees but grene gras fruitful trees herbes bearing holsome sedes The fal of Adam also caused al maner of griefs panges sicknes disease which then began to torment man when God had said In sorow shalt thou eat therof all the daies of thy life By this word sorow al such thinges be ment and signified If you aske me why God suffred the earth to bring forth thornes and vnfruitful trees my answer is not to pain the earth with theÌ„ which feleth no pain but to admonish vs of our synne to put vs in remeÌ„braunce of our fault to be a warning vnto vs as often as we se theÌ„ to take hede that we synne no more For if he punish the earth for our sinnes how much more will he punishe vs Wherfore this memory shall continue vntyll the sting of death which is sinne be taken away vntil that be brought to passe that is written death is consumed into victory death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory by vnfruitful trees he warneth vs y t we be not vnfruitful For as husbandmen forsake their trees not doÌ„ging not watring theÌ„ when they be baren but to burn them euen so God ceaseth to poure his blessinges vpon the vnfruitfull for he is a husbandman herken what his only son saith whom we are coÌ„maunded to hear I am the true vine and my father is the husbandmaÌ„ He that abideth not in me is cast forth as a braunch and is widdered and men gather it and cast it into the fier and it burneth This fruit we may gather and learn of the vnfruitfull tree By siknes partly he scurgeth vs for our sinne partly he trieth vs and lerneth vs his will as it is wrytten the ouen proueth the potters vessell so doth temptation of trouble try rightuous meÌ„ Now we are come to those whiche demaund who made serpentes Cocodriles flies wormes c. Of which much harm and no profite coÌ„meth Verely he who made al thinges Although they be hurtful vnto vs for our disobedience yet be they exceading good in their own nature and profite vnto the furnishing of the whole world no lesse then the other which we recount more profitable and preciouse If an ignoraunt man chaunce to go into a conning mans shop and happen to see many â—oles there that he knoweth not he thinketh them either to be vnprofitable or not necessary Euen so we in almightie Gods shop which is the world do iudge many thinges to be naught because we are ignoraunt The Cocodrill the litle flie the small flee haue their coÌ„moditie albeit we know it not Our