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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A02916	The epistle of the blessed apostle Saint Paule which he, in the time of his trouble and imprisonment, sent in writting from Rome to the Ephesians. Faithfully expounded, both for the benefite of the learned and vnlearned, by Nicholas Hemming ... Familiarlie translated out of Latine into English, by Abraham Fleming. Heerein are handled the high mysteries of our saluation, as maie appeare by the table of commonplaces necessarilie annexed by the same A.F. Perused and authorised.; Commentarius in epistolam Pauli ad Ephesios. English	Hemmingsen, Niels, 1513-1600.; Fleming, Abraham, 1552?-1607.	1580 (1580)	STC 13057.8; ESTC S102723	176,886	270

their disobedience Against this froward and wilfull wicked world maie be set as flat contrarie as well the examples of holie Angels and other Gods good creatures in heauen as also of Saints and holie people which estéemed nothing more pleasant nothing more precious and nothing better in their life than to be obedient vnto God by faith The sixt cause of sins ouerrunning the world is The Prince that ruleth in the aire that is to saie the Diuell For he as the holie historie beareth witnesse of traiterous Iudas entreth into mens hearts and pulleth them forward into diuers sinnes and offenses that they should not be saued Against him as flat contrarie maie be set the Prince that ruleth in the Church Christ Iesus who giueth his holie spirit to them that aske it And he is the first and chiefest author yea the cause of causes of all godlie purposes and exercises whatsoeuer in them that are turned and become new creatures Hetherto we haue shewed what be the causes of trespasses and sinnes ouerspreading the world against all which the onelie souereigne remedie is Faith in Iesus Christ This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world euen your faith In this are conteined the causes of doing good déedes which causes I haue alreadie rehearsed in this is Christ the conquerour of the kingdome of darkenesse possessed in this we are made new men and regenerated by this a new spirit wherewith we withstand the flesh is obteined finallie by this the whole bodie of sinne is striken dead and mortified Verses 4. 5. 6. 7. 4 But God vvhich is rich in mercie through his great loue vvherevvith he loued vs 5 Euen vvhen vve vvere dead by sinnes hath quickened vs together in Christ by vvhose grace ye are saued 6 And hath raised vs vp together made vs sit together in the heauenlie places in Christ Iesus 7 That he might shew in the ages to come the exceeding riches of his grace through his kindnesse tovvards vs in Christ Iesus But God which is rich in mercie for the great loue sake wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead by sinne hath quickened vs together with Christ For by grace are ye saued and hath made vs sit together in heauenlie things in Christ Iesus that he might shew in times to come the abundant riches of his grace in kindenesse to vs ward in Christ Iesu THis is an amplification or enlargement and an Antithesis or opposition whereby the common state of the Iewes and Gentiles vnder grace is declared Before the Apostle spake seuerallie of them both now he comprehendeth and putteth them both together that he might shew the equall condition and state of them both The summe of the sentence is this As God made the Iewes partakers of heauenlie glorie euen thorough his méere grace goodnesse so did he also the Gentiles But the Apostle to the ende he might enlarge his speach amplifieth the same according to his manner by the place of causes and effects rehearsing the selfe same things here which he spake in the first Chapter touching this mysterie For in the first place he setteth downe the principall ground or chiefe cause of our restitution and recouerie to wit the méere mercie of God wherewith he loued vs in Christ After that he maketh mention of the fruites of this mercie which is of thrée sorts namelie of life of resurrection and of heauenlie grace in Christ For the life of Christ his resurrection and his sitting in heauenlie places is a certeine assurance a pledge and merit of our life our resurrection and heauenlie grace For seeing we are the members of Christ we shall be partakers of the same happinesse and glorie with our head And as the Apostle maketh Christ the meane by whom these so great benefits are conueied vnto vs so he maketh the declaring of Gods grace towards men the end of these benefits giuen and bestowed vpon vs. Neither is this a declaring of Gods temporall goodnesse but an vnspeakable token and signe of his perpetuall goodnesse For that which Christ once did that remaineth for euer as an assured warrant of Gods goodnesse towards vs. Now touching that which is inclosed in a Parenthesis By grace ye are saued it is indéed a verie short saieng howbeit the same conteineth the whole summe and cause of all Gods good graces powred vpon vs through Christ the benefit it selfe is Saluation the cause is Grace that is the honour of God which is grounded in Christ and from him conueied vnto vs as from the head to the members Héere againe is commended vnto vs a generall doctrine of the Church of God to wit that vnto God alone for Christ his sonnes sake our redemption is to be ascribed By which doctrine their vanitie is disproued who referre the benefit of our saluation to mens workes merits either going before or following after or ioined with iustification But this doctrine is treated vpon more at large in the point or discourse following and it is amplified by it owne proper causes vnproper causes put apart Verses 8. 9. 10 8 For by grace are ye saued through faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God 9 Not of vvorkes least anie man should boast himselfe 10 For we are his vvorkemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that vve should vvalke in them By grace are ye saued through faith and this is not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes least anie man should boast For we are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God ordein'd or prepared before that we should walke in them HEere the Apostle gathereth as it were into one Aphorisme the whole matter which hetherto he hath handeled to the ende it maie the better be séene and that the circumstances and causes also being placed together might the easier be borne in remembraunce and vnderstood First therefore he setteth downe Grace whereby God taketh vs againe vnto him of his meere mercie for Christs sake who is the matter of our saluation The effect of this grace he maketh to be Saluation that is our iustification and our glorification He addeth the instrument whereby the same is receiued euen Faith For by faith we receiue the promise of saluation which the Gospell doth present and offer vnto vs. But bicause false Apostles sworne enimies to grace haue for the most part attributed the benefit of saluation to the works of men the Apostle disproueth them taking his reason from the contrarie cause Saluation saith he is the gift of God Ergo it is not of workes For these two can agrée in no case To haue somwhat of frée gift and To obteine the same by desart of workes This is auouched by S. Paule saieng Si ex gratia c. If it be of grace it is no more of workes or else were grace no more grace but if it be of workes it is no more grace or else were worke no more worke How often soeuer therefore our saluation is said to be either the gift of

euerlasting and how it abased it selfe 134. Word of God and what it instructeth and teacheth 173. Word of God ought to be the rule of life to the godlie 173. Word of God and how the ministers thereof must handle it 235. Word of God and how it frameth the iudgement c. 152. Word of God and what they which preach teach it must looke for 235. Word of God preached contemned by the Anabaptists 234. Word of God the sword of the spirit 231. Word of God weapon of a Christian souldier against Sathan 231. 232. Word of God and how it must be vsed against the diuell 232. Word of God abused and ill applied by the Papists 2●2 Word of God and when it is the spirituall sword 232. Word of God and of the malice of Antichrist to suppresse it 232. Words Words vaine and the danger of them 170. Words vaine and of such as delight in them 170. Workes Workes necessarie and conuenient to be done 85. Workes excluded from the mysterie of our saluation 84. Works of darknes what they are 173. Workes of darknes must be rebuked and how 173. 174. FINIS ¶ The Argument vpon the Epistle of the Apostle Saint Paule to the Ephesians THat we may the more fully perceiue and vnderstand the argument of this most holy Epistle written to the Ephesians out of the prison at Rome wée must make declaration of those foure points which I am wont to touch in the beginning of mine expositions vpon the holy Scriptures The foure pointes are these First Who was the Author of this Epistle For to knowe this maketh very much for the winning of worthinesse and authoritie to this Epistle Secondly What was the occasion why the same was written For the marking héereof maketh very much both to vnderstand the perfect discourse of the whole matter and also to declare the order of the questions Thirdly What is the state or principall question whereby the kinde of the cause is knowne the ende or scope of him which speaketh is vnderstoode Fourthly What is the order of handling which being not vnderstoode the weight importaunce of things cannot be obserued To conclude it often times falleth out that the methode or manner of speaking béeing not marked circumstances contrarie beside the meaning of the writer are heaped vp together and many things are wrested of heretikes for the confirmation of their wicked erronious opinions as is to be sene in their writings who in iudging vse not the rule of Logicke but handle all and euery seuerall part or parcell as it were members plucked off from the bodie Of these foure points therfore we will orderly intreat to the intent that we may the more easily attaine to the vnderstanding of this diuine Epistle Of the first THe Authour of this Epistle is the Apostle Paule that great Doctor or teacher of the Gentiles who as he was called to the office and ministerie of an Apostle by the reuelation of Iesus Christ so was he instructed and taught the mysterie of saluation by the same Iesus Christ This Apostle like a valiaunt souldier of Christ being adorned and deckt with souldierlike ensignes and armes of the field to wit with sundry sorts of tribulations and persecutions with whippings stonings buffetings reuilings c. by the space of fiue and thirtie yeres almost wrote this Epistle in Prison at Rome to y e Ephesians drawing to an end of his life Forsomuch therefore as the Authour of this Epistle is a man of such accompt it is not lawfull to call in doubt either the weightinesse of the matter or the authoritie of the writer Wherfore whatsoeuer things are deliuered vnto vs in this Epistle we ought no lesse to reuerence and consider than the verie things themselues which God by his owne mouth hath vttered and spoken from Heauen And therefore as the doctrine conteined in this Epistle is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say by inspiration from God so hath it verie great weight force to confirme the articles of our religion and to confute errours and that in such sort as that no man vnlesse he be altogether godlesse and a professed or sworne enimie to Christ will set himselfe against the worthinesse and authoritie of this most holie Epistle Many more things touching this our Apostle may be read in the Actes of the Apostles in his owne Epistles to the Galathians the Corinthians and others Of the second AN offence taken at the crosse ministred an occasion to the Apostle of writing this Epistle For at such time as Paule hauing finished his course of preaching was cast into prison at Rome and that the godlie euerie where were afflicted not onely by Tyrants but also of false Apostles he thought it a part of his charge and calling to confirme the Ephesians by writing to them whom bicause of his absence he could not teach least that either for his owne crosse or for the persecutions of the Church which at that time were excéeding great they should fall from that grace wherof they were made partakers by the preaching of the Gospell As therefore the offence of the crosse moued this most holie Apostle of Christ to write so the ende of his writing was to arme the Ephesians that they might inuincibly stand persist in that doctrine of Christ which they had learned of him Of the third BEcause the speciall part of this Epistle consisteth in exposition the full scope thereof doth lesse shew it selfe than if it were reasoned and disputed vpon which notwithstanding shall easilie be atteined when the ende of his writing is perceiued Out of the first second third Chapters therefore is this principall scope or summe gathered namelie That the doctrine concerning the grace of God and his mercie through Iesus Christ is no newlie vpstart doctrine neither belongeth to one sort or sect of men onelie but that the same euen from before the world was created vntill this day was in such order stablished by God himselfe y t so manie should be saued in Christ as beléeued in him not onelie Iewes but also Gentiles among whom were the Ephesians This scope or summe is declared in a large exposition trimlie set out or deckt with weightie words and sentences and this is done in the thrée first Chapters Héereby most euidentlie apeareth how necessarie the doctrine is which is deliuered in this Epistle In the thrée last Chapters diuers exhortations are interlaced and duties also as well common to all estates as peculiar to some are commended to the godlie Of the fourth THe occasion the full scope or summe and the ende why this Epistle was written béeing knowne the order or method of handling the same may the more easily be declared and also vnderstoode There are besides the title the gréeting and the knitting vp or farewell of this Epistle two principall parts namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Doctrine and Exhortation wherof

Ephesians and that he might awake them to wonder at this so great a treasure least béeing vnthankefull to God they should fall againe into their olde superstition that is to saie least forgetting Christs benefits they should slide backe from the Gospell being deceiued with the wilie slights of Sathan and the world This is the summe of all Nowe to touch the circumstances of the text particularlie which néedeth both expounding and aduise we will thus procéede First hée willeth the Ephesians to Remember And whie so Because when men are aduaunced from a lowe degrée to a higher they quicklie easilie God wot forget their former state By this aduise therefore or warning it is the Apostles minde to humble the Ephesians to admonish them of constancie of continuance of thankesgiuing that they might discharge themselues by their duetifulnesse and giue God the glorie to whom it doth of right belong for powring vpon them so manie great benefits and that of his frée goodnesse and liberalitie Héerehence haue we also which liue at this daie to be warned and well aduised that because God hath vouchsafed of his méere goodnesse to call vs out of the darkenesse of Poperie into the cléere light of the Gospell that we liue worthie of so greate grace and by the hainousnesse of our sinnes prouoke not Gods wrath against vs least he iustlie and deseruedlie take that from vs againe béeing vnthankfull which before he gaue vs of his good grace when we were vnworthie That is a verie euill vnthankfulnesse when men vouchsafe not to giue men thanks for their good turnes but farre worse more abhominable is that whereby we shew our selues vnthankfull vnto God who would that his déere son should die for vs that we might liue Besides this when the Apostle saith thus Gentiles in the flesh and called vncircumcision of them which are called circumcision in the flesh made with hands he noteth two things First that the Iewes called the Gentiles by the reprochfull name of vncircumcision which Iewes indéed bragged much more than they néeded of that outward marke in their skinne or flesh Of this bragging and bosting there is an example in Genesis Non possumus c. We cannot saie the sonnes of Iacob doe this thing to giue our sister to an vncircumcised man Againe Dauid being full of Gods spirit speaketh of Goliath in this manner Et quid c. Who is this vncircumcised Philistine that hee should reuile the hoast of the liuing God This vncircumcised Philistine shall bee as one of th●m seeing he hath railed on the hoast of the liuing God Againe S. Paule in this place maketh two sorts of Iewes and two sorts of Gentiles For some of the Iewes were circumcised in the flesh and in the spirit as Moses Aaron Iosue Phinees Abraham Isaach Iacob Ioseph Dauid Iosias Daniel Simeon Nathanael c. to be short all that receiued the outward circumcision of the flesh with faithfulnes of heart in the Messias promised Some were circumcised in the flesh onlie to wit they which had the outward marke without the spirit such were manie yea the most of y e Iewes speciallie at the time of y e Lords cōming the first are called The children of promise the last The children of the flesh which names the Apostle giueth to them both In like manner Paule maketh two sorts of Gentiles Some were Gentiles onelie in y e flesh hauing vncircumcision the badge of their Gentilisme howbeit in spirit they were circumcised namelie which had the vncircumcision of the flesh with a liuelie faithfulnesse in and vpon the frée promise of saluation In the number of these were Iob Melchisedech Iethro the thrée Wisemen all as manie as trulie beléeued in the Messias Othersome were Gentiles both in the flesh in the spirit namelie they who by the outward badge in their flesh declared y e vncircumcision vncleanes of their hart Furthermore where he addeth Yee were without Christ ye were aliants from the Commonwealth of Israel and ye were strangers from the couenants of promise these words are ment must be vnderstood by comparison For the Gentiles in respect of the people of Israel y e certein time are said to be without Christ Now in saieng They were without Christ he meaneth that they had not such cléere knowledge of Christ as the Iews had And aliants from the Commonwealth of Israel that is to saie Straungers from the couenants of promise by these words he noteth that the Israelites had their Commonwealth diuided parted from the Gentiles as one houshold is set asunder from an other For the Iewes had their couenants their ordinances and seruice of God their promises their kingdome and their Priesthood c. of which S. Paule speaketh to the Romans Of this difference in like maner the Psalme maketh mention saieng Qui annunciat c. He sheweth his word vnto Iacob his statutes and his iudgements vnto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with euerie nation neither haue they knowne his iudgementes The words which folowe And had no hope were without God in the world are concluded vpon y e words which went before For whosoeuer is without Christ how is it possible he should haue hope Whosoeuer is without Christ he indéed is without God for all that abide not in y e doctrine of Christ haue not God Contrariwise he alone is said to haue God he I saie y t is in Christ by faith Herto serueth the saieng of S. Iohn Omnis qui c. Whosoeuer trangresseth abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not God Hee that continueth in the doctrine of Christ hee hath both the Father and the Sonne The comparison which followeth Yee which once were farre off are made neere by the bloud of Christ doth signifie the Ephesians which were before out of the Church but now through grace receiued and brought into the Church and reconciled vnto God by the bloud of Iesus Christ All these things tend herevnto as I haue said alreadie that we remembring so great a benefit of heauenlie grace should walke in the feare of God being mindfull that this our state requireth new maners and a new life to wit That we should liue holilie and honestlie godlie and vnblameablie in this world looking for that blessed hope and comming of the glorie of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue himselfe for vs to redeeme vs from iniquitie to cleanse vs a peculiar people vnto himselfe and followers of good workes Verses 14. 15. 16. 14 For he is our peace which hath made of both one hath broken the stop of the partition vvall 15 In abrogating through his flesh the hatred that is the lavv of commandemēts vvhich standeth in ordinances for to make of tvvaine one nevve man in himselfe so making peace 16 And that he might reconcile both vnto God in one bodie by his crosse staie hatred therby For hee is our

all the world and preach the Gospell vnto euerie creature The fruite of their peace made with God is also added which is that both of them to wit the Iewes and the Gentiles Haue entraunce vnto the Father by Christ and that in one spirit that is to saie by the selfe same spirit of Christ which maketh vs crie Abba Father Christ therefore is as it were a doore vnto vs whereby we come to the Father being reconciled and set at one with vs in faith and beliefe Now the holie spirit is our guide by whom we being ioined and vnited in Christ comming to the doore are let in and haue entrance to the father Hereto serueth that saieng of Iohn Amen Amen dico vobis c. Verelie Verelie I saie vnto you he that entreth not in by the doore into the sheepfold but climeth vp another waie he is a theefe and a robber And a little after Ego sum ianua ouium I am the doore of the sheepe Furthermore here are two places to be marked the one is what accompt we ought to make of the ministers of the Gospell who when they preach to vs the gospell Christ himselfe is said to preach vnto vs. Wherfore we ought no lesse to regard their voice than if we heard Christ himselfe speaking vnto vs. Herto serueth that saieng of Saint Paule Nomine c. Now then are we ambassadors for Christ as though he did beseech you through vs we praie you in Christs stead that ye be reconciled to God The other place is of the fruit of y e gospell namelie that such as beléeue y e gospel are reconciled vnto God through Christ by whom they haue entraunce vnto God The Apostle saith Iustificati c. Being iustified by faith we haue peace towards God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom also we haue entraunce c. Contrariwise who so hath not Christ that is beléeueth not in Christ he is void of the fruite of the Gospell and therefore is to be thought and taken for a wicked person and an enimie to God Verse 19. 20. 19 Novv therefore ye are no more straungers and forreigners but Citizens vvith the Saints and of the houshold of God 20 And are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles Prophets Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone Now therefore ye are no more straungers and forreigners but fellowe citizens of the Saints and of Gods houshold being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets the chiefe corner stone whereof is Iesus Christ himselfe THis is a generall conclusion of the whole Chapter wherin he reckoneth vp the principall points For first he sheweth what manner of people the Ephesians were before the grace of regeneration or new birth by them all other Gentiles likewise Secondlie he declareth what they haue gotten by grace Indéede they were aliants strangers before that is out of Gods houshold as we haue shewed alredie But now being made frée of the Citie common to all the Saints they are receiued into Gods houshold because They are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that is to saie because they are receiued into fauour and grace by faith which is their leaning staffe to rest themselues by vpon Christ their onelie foundation For no man can laie anie other foundation besides that which is alreadie laid which is Iesus Christ Now Iesus Christ is called The foundation both because the promise of saluation was made in him and also because Christ alone is the saluation of the Church vpon whom she staieth her selfe For without Christ the whole building of the Church shrinketh and falleth flat to the ground yea without him it cannot be so much as once begun He is also called The foundation of the Apostles and Prophets not onelie because the Apostles being built vpon that foundation obteined saluation but also and that much more in respect of the Church For the Apostles did build the Church vpon this foundation Moreouer when the Apostle addeth Iesus Christ himselfe being the chiefe corner stone he teacheth vs by what power vertue the building of the Church consisting of two diuerse people Iewes Gentiles continueth namelie because Iesus Christ himselfe is the chiefe corner stone For as the corner stone ioineth walles together and beareth vp the whole burthen of the building yea preserueth it euen so our Lord Iesus Christ by the doctrine of faith and by the efficacie and forceable working of his spirit knitteth the Iewes and the Gentiles in vnitie of faith and peace and so he himselfe vpholdeth and mainteineth this spirituall building This similitude is borowed of the Prophet Esaie whose words lie thus in order Ecce ego ponam in Syon lapidem c. Behold I will late in Syon a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a s●●e foundation He that beleeueth shall not make hast namelie to his owne counselles but shall attend and wait for the counsell and purpose of God which if he doe he shall not be put to shame The selfe same saieng of the Prophet Saint Peter reherseth the sense reserued but the words a little chaunged For thus saith he Ecce ponam c. Behold I will put in Syon a chiefe corner stone elect and precious and he that beleeueth therein shall not be ashamed Of this stone mention is also made in the Psalme Lapidem quem c. The stone which the builders refused is the head of the corner Beside that which is said we haue to gather out of Saint Paules words these specialties following The first is That of Iewes and Gentiles there is one Church of Christ made and ioined together as we haue shewed alreadie The second is That Christ alone is the foundation of the Church The third is That whosoeuer is without Christ he also is without the Church The fourth is That the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets alone ought to haue authoritie in the Church of God and is the onelie badge and cognisance of the true Church The fift is That Christ alone vpholdeth kéepeth and mainteineth the Church The sixt is That the Church is not without ministerie which preacheth vnto vs the same corner stone which Saint Paule commendeth vnto vs heere These specialties ouerthrowe manie errours of the Papists and chiefelie of them which will haue vs trust and betake our selues to mens merits and safegards and which also in the place of the Prophets and Apostles doctrine plant mens traditions and forgeries Let Poperie therefore be vnto all the godlie a thing most accursed which it behoueth all true Christians to auoid and flie from least they themselues be ill fauouredlie defiled therewith and being defiled be also cast off againe and forsaken of God Verses 21. 22. 21 In vvhom all the building coupled together grovveth vnto an holie Temple in the Lord 22 In vvhom ye also are built together to be the habitation of God by the