that saieng Cursed is he that abideth not in all things that are written in the lawe Therefore he that teacheth the lawe is a minister of the lawe c. Luth. vpon the Gal. fol. 69. What the lawe of nature is The law of nature is that light and iudgement of reason whereby we doe discerne betwixt good and euill Thomas Aquinus saith that the law of nature is nothing els but the perticipation of the eternall law in a reasonable creature That definition indeede doth expresse vnto vs of whom this iudgement light of reason commeth vnto vs that is to say from the eternal law but what it is it declareth not And that parte in a reasonable creature maye comprise also Angells of whose nature heere is nothing in question Other doe define this lawe more largely in this sort The lawe of nature is the common sentence of iudgement wherevnto all men together assent and furder which God graued in euery mans minde appointed to frame mens manners withall c. Musc. fol. 30. What the lawe written is We call that the lawe written which God gaue to Israel by Moses and which Moses comprehended in his booke of Exodus and Leuiticus Numery and Deuteronomy This was deliuered vnto Moses by Angels and Steuen witnesseth saieng Ye haue receiued the lawe by the order of Angells And the Apostle saith The lawe is giuen by Angells in the hand of a Mediatour The same they doe commonly deuide and well inough for the purpose into the Morall precepts Iudiciall and Ceremoniall or into precepts statutes and iudgements By statutes they vnderstand all that pertaineth vnto rites ceremonies by Morall precepts the Tables by Iudicialls all those lawes which they vse in the matters and controuersies of the policies and for punishment of the offenders Musculus fol. 34. How the Lawe is our schoolemaister The schoolemaster is appointed for the childe to teach him to bring him vp and to kéepe him as it were in prison but to what ende and how long Is it to the ende that this straight sharpe dealing of the schoolmaster should alwaies continue Or that the childe should remaine in continuall bondage Not so but onely for a time that this obedience this prison and correction might tourne to the profite of the childe that in time hée might be heire and Prince For it is not the fathers will that his sonne should alwaies be subiect to the schoolemaister and alwayes beaten with roddes but that by his instruction and discipline he may be made able and meete to be his fathers successour Euen so the lawe saith Paule is nothing els but a schoolmaister not for euer but till it haue brought vs to Christ as in other wordes he said also before The lawe was giuen for transgressions vntill the blessed séede shuld come Also the scripture hath all vnder sinne Againe we were kept vnder shut vp vnto faith which should after be reuealed wherefore the law is not onely a schoolemaister but it is a schoolemaister to bring vs vnto Christ. What a schoolemaister were he which would alwaies torment and beate the childe and teach him nothing at all And yet such schoolemaisters were there in time past when schooles were nothing els but a prison and a very hell the schoolmaisters cruell tyraunts and very butchers The children were alwaies beaten they learned with continuall paine and trauaile and yet fewe of them came to any proofe The Lawe is not such a schoolemaister for it doth not onely terrifie and torment as the foolish schoolmaister beateth his scholers teacheth them nothing but with his rods he driueth vs to Christ like as a good schoolemaister instructeth and exerciseth his scholers in reading and writing to the ende they maye come to the knowledge of good letters and other profitable things that afterward they may haue a delight in dooing of that which before when they were constrained thervnto they did against their wils c. Luther vpon the Gal. fol. 163. How the lawe first entred The lawe entred first into the world by mans disobedience in Paradise was not so much giuen by Gods owne frée motion as by mans owne séeking wilfull procuring which neuer was nor neuer shall be in his power to perfourme Fox in his sermon of Christ crucified How the lawe was giuen in thunder The lawe was giuen in thunder lightening fire smoke and the voice of a trumpet and terrible sight Exo. 20. 18. So that the people quaked for feare and stood a farre off saieng vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and we will heare let not the Lord speake to vs least we dye No eare if it be awaked and vnderstand the meaning is able to abide the voice of the lawe except the promises of mercie be by That thunder except the raine of mercie be ioined therewith destroieth all and buildeth not The law is a witnesse against vs and testifieth that God abhorreth the sins that are in vs and vs for our sinnes sake Tindale fol. 118. ¶ The ceremoniall iudiciall lawes were reuealed of God to Moses by the Angells and by Moses to the people and by Moses at Gods commaundement they were inserted into a written booke But the lawe of the ten commaundements was not reuealed by man or any meanes of man but by God himselfe at the mount Sina and written not by the hand of Moses but with the finger of God in tables not made of matter easie to be dissolued but made of stone to indure for euer Bull. fo 111. Wherefore the lawe was giuen The lawe was giuen saith S. Austen that man might finde himselfe not to make his sicknesse whole but by his preaching the sicknesse increased the Phisition might be sought Wherefore the lawe threatning not fulfilling that thing that he commaundeth maketh a man to be vnderneth him But the law is good if a man vse it wel What is that to vse the law wel By the law to know our selues to séeke Gods help to help our health ¶ Héere we sée by S. Austen that the commandements of God giueth vs no strength nor yet declareth any strengh to be in vs but sheweth vs our dutie and weaknesse and also mooueth vs and causeth vs to séeke further for strength D. Barnes ¶ Of profiting to craue the grace of Gods helpe Augustine speaketh ofte as when he writeth to Hilary The lawe commaundeth that endeuouring to do the things commaunded and being wearied with our weakenesse vnder the lawe we should learne to aske the helpe of grace Againe to Aselius The profit of the lawe is to conuince man of his owne weaknesse compell him to craue the Phisicke of grace which is in Christ. Againe to Innocent of Rome The lawe commaundeth and grace ministreth strength to doe Againe to Valentine God commaundeth these things y◠we cannot doe that we may learne to know what to aske of him Againe The law was giuen
reproued of all men then fornication it selfe False Prophets false Apostles and false Priests sprang vp which vnder a counterfait religion deceiued the people the most part of them vnder the honest name of chastitie commit whooredome adultery incest commonly and without punishment The Bishops Priests of this time how do they endeuour to kéepe either in heart or in hody the holynesse of chastitie without which no man shall sée God They are giuen ouer into a reprobate minde and doe those things that are not conuenient for it were shame to vtter what these Bishops do in secret Againe he saith absteining from the remedy of marriage afterward they flow ouer into all kinde of wickednesse Againe such notorious filthynesse of lecherie there is in manye partes of the world not onely in the inferiour Clarkes but also in Priests yea in the greatest Prelates which thing is horrible to be heard Bar. de conuers ad cleri chap. 19. in ope triperti li. 3. cha 7. Huldericus the Bishop of Augusta in Germany wrote sharply against Pope Nicholas in this wise I haue founde thy decrées touching the single lyfe of Priests to be voyde of discreation thou séest that many followers of thy counsell willing vnder a feined colour of continēt life rather to please man then God commit hainous actes in the end he concludeth thus by such discipline of discretion as you know best roote this Pharesaicall doctrine out of Gods folde I beléeue it were a good lawe and for the wealth and safety of soules that such as cannot liue chast may contract matrimonie For we learne by experience that of the law of continence or single lyfe the contrarie effect hath followed for as much as now a daies they liue not spiritually nor be cleane chast but with their great sinnes are defiled with vnlawfull copulation whereas with their owne wiues they should liue chastly Therefore the Church ought to doe as the skilfull Phisition vseth to doe who if he sée by experience that his medicine hurteth rather then doth good taketh it cleane away And would to God the same waye were taken with all positiue constitutions SINNE The definition of sinne SAint Augustine in his 2. booke De consensu Euangelistarum saith Sinne is the transgression of the law Ad simpliciatum li. 1. Sin is an inordinatenesse or peruersenesse of man that is a turning from the more excellent creator a turning to the inferiour creatures De fide contra Manichaeus cap. 8. he saith What is it else to sinne but to erre in the precepts of truth or in the truth it selfe Again Contra Faustū Manicheū li. 22. ca. 27. Sin is a déed a word or a wish against the law of God The same Augustine De duobus animabus contra Manichaeus ca. 11 saith Sin is a will to reteine or obteine the which iustice forbiddeth is not frée to absteine And in Retract li. 1. cap. 5. he saith That will is a motion of the minde with copulation either not to loose or else to obteine some one thing or other All which definitions as I do not vtterly reiect saith Bullinger so do I wish this to be considered thought of with the rest Sin is the naturall corruption of mankind the action which ariseth of it contrary to the law of God whose wrath that is both death sundry punishments it bringeth vpon vs. Bullinger fo 478. What sinne is Sin in the scripture is not called the outward work only committed by the body but all the whole busines whatsoeuer acompanieth moueth or stirreth vnto the outward déede and that whence the works spring as vnbeleefe pronenesse readinesse vnto the déede in the ground of the heart with all his powers affections and appetites wherwith we can but sin So that we say the a man thē sinneth when he is carried away headlong into sinne altogether as much as he is of that poison inclination corrupt nature wherein he was conceiued and borne for there is none outward sinne committed except a man be carried away altogether with life soule heart body lust minde therevnto The Scripture looketh singularly vnto the hart vnto the race originall fountaine of all sin which is vnbeléefe in the bottome of the heart for as faith onely iustifieth and bringeth the spirit and lust vnto outward good works euen so vnbeleefe onely damneth kéepeth out the spirit prouoketh the flesh stirreth vp lust vnto euil outward works as it fortuned to Adam Eue in Paradise Ge. 3. For this cause Christ calleth sin vnbeléefe and that notably in the. 16. of Iohn The spirit saith hée shall rebuke the world of sinne because they beléeue not in me Wherefore then before all good workes there must néeds hée fayth in the heart whence they spring And before all bad déeds and bad fruits there must néedes be vnbeléefe in y◠heart as in the roote fountaine pith and strength of all sinne which vnbeléefe is called the head of the Serpent and of the olde dragon which the womans seede Christ must tread vnder foote as it was promised to Adam Tindale in his Pro. to the Rom. How euery sinne is mortall That euery sinne is mortall in that it is sinne is euident by the words of God himselfe who can best iudge in this matter In the. 18. of Ezechiel verse 4. saieng thus The soule that sinneth shall dye héere is no exception or difference made of sinne but any sinne in that it is sinne is deadly as Saint Paule sayth Rom 6. 23. For the reward of sinne is death Héere also you see that Saint Paule maketh no difference of sinne but that Mors death is the reward of sinne generally without exception And Saint Iohn sayth Euerie one that committeth sinne the same also committeth iniquitie and sinne is iniquitie Heere also you see that Saint Iohn sayth making no difference of sinne that sinne in that it is sinne it is iniquitie without exception Christ sayth that out of the heart procéedeth euill thoughts murthers adulteryes c. And againe hée sayth That whosoeuer beholdeth an other mans wife to lust after her hath already committed adulterye with her in his heart And Saint Iohn following his maister lyke a good scholler saith thus Omnis qui odit c. Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer So it is euident by the sacred Scriptures that all sinnes without exception are mortall and deadly I. Gough The Doctours saieng in this matter There were also before Christ worthy men both Prophets and Priests but yet conceiued and borne in sin Neither were they frée from originall and actuall sinne And there was found in them all either ignoraunce or insufficiencie in which they going astray haue sinned and haue néeded the mercye of God By the which béeing taught and instructed haue giuen thanks to God haue cōfessed themselues to haue lacked much of the full measure of
this sentence be interpreted For there could nothing be more foolish then this saieng of Iames if a man would thus interpret it that no man obteineth remission of sinneâ— but because his works are worthie of so great a benefit This interpretation who so sticketh frowardlie by vnderstandeth not what remissioÌ„ of sinnes is or how the coÌ„science ought to be comforted when it seeth that it bringeth no good works to God which are sufficient to please him And this interpretation is cleane contrarie to other open saiengs of the Scripture which teach yâ— remission of sins commeth fréely as yâ— Psalmist saith I said I wil acknowledge mine offence accuse my selfe vnto the Lord thou forgauest me yâ— wickednes of my sin And Ro. 4. 5. To him the worketh not but beleeueth on him yâ— iustifieth yâ— vngodly his faith is couÌ„â—ed for righteousnes What can be more plainlie then yâ— sinnes are forgiue to a wicked vngodly man yâ— worketh not yâ— is not for anie of his works but fréely To conclude if the gospel forgiue not sins but for our good works sake for our worthines it diffe reth not froÌ„ yâ— law it saueth no more theÌ„ yâ— law this I trust wil suffice yâ— good wise For as touching them yâ— bring nothing to this cause but a will to brawle chide wil neuer suffer themselues to be satisfied And yet if we would contend by the number of authorities this one place of Iames is ouerthrowne with many witnesses of Paule if men wil vnderstand by iustificatioÌ„ al one thing in theÌ„ both Therefore Paule saith Faith iustifieth vnderstand thereby yâ— faith causeth yâ— we be counted iust reputed righteous that our sins are not imputed vnto vs but forgiuen vs for Christs sake When Iames saith works iustifie he meaneth thus Works declare vs iust and shew euidentlye that we are righteous Thus shalt thou make them agree Tindale Ye shall vnderstand yâ— S. Paule S. Iames be not contrarie in this matter For Paule to yâ— Romanes Galathians disputeth against them which attributeth iustification to good works And Iames reasoneth against them which vtterlie condemne works Therefore Paule sheweth the cause of our iustification Iames the effects In Paule is declared how we are iustified in Iames how we are knowne to be iustified In Paule works are excluded as not yâ— cause of our iustification in Iames they are approued as effects procéeding thereof In Paule they are denied to go before them that be iustified in Iames they are said to followe them that are iustified Geneua Ioine yâ— liuâ—ly faith of S. Paule with the good works of S. Iames bring both these into one life and then hast thou reconciled them both and so shalt thou be sure to be iustified both before God by Paules faith before men by S. Iames works I. Fox How Faith is nourished If Faith as it is written come by hearing that is as it is added by the worde of God then followeth it of necessitie that there is nothing whereby faith is more nourished mainteined and confirmed then by conâ—tinuall reading and repeating of the worde of GOD. This thiâ—â— testified Tertulian in his Apologie where he saith That to this end holie assemblies are gathered together to heare the word of God The Philosophers saie that if faith be by the word of God then by the same also it is nourished We know moreouer that of workes often repeated are confirmed habits or qualities as contrariwise if a man cease off from actioÌ„s they waxe weake wherfore if a man cease to reade to heare or to repeate the holie Scriptures faith will waxe feeble mâ—him And they which thinke that a liuelie pure faith maie continue in Churches wouâ— often preaching doe excéedinglie erre Chrifostome hath a verie apt similitude of a light or Lamp that burneth which easilie goeth out vnlesse there bee stillâ— Oyle powred into it By the Lampe or Light he vnderstandth Faith and by Oyle the worde of Godâ— and this he there writeth of the Parable of the wise and foolish virgins Pet. Maâ— vpon the Rom fol 326. Faith is nourished by hearing the word of God for the word of God is the foote of Faith according to Saint Paules saieng Rom. 10. 17. Faith commeth by hearing Hemmyng How Faith without Charitie is nothing worth If I had all Faith so that I could moue mountaines out of their places 〈…〉 had no charitie I were nothing ¶ Of this do some gaâ—her that â—aith without charitie cannot iustifie But this cannot be gathered of Saint Paule for it is open that hee speaketh not of this thing whereby that men maie be iustified but only he teâ—heth how they yâ— be iustified must work with charitie It is 〈…〉 that he speaketh not of faith that doth iustifie 〈…〉 but of that faith that doth worke out wardlie the which is called the gift of the holy Ghost as the gift of tongues the gift of prophesies the gift of healing the gift of interpretation as it is open in the Chapter before now is this Faith not giuen to iustifie but onelie to do myracles wonders and signes by And therefore saith Paule If I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines c. Saint Paule deserâ—â—eth this faith calling it faith that worketh by charitie not that it iustifieth by charitie for he saith ther plainly it is neither circumcisioÌ„ nor vncircumcision yâ— is of valure in Christ Iesu but faith He doth heere plainlie exclude from iustification the highest worke of the lawe Circumcision setteth faith alone not the gift of faith that doth miracles but the gift of faith that worketh by charitie D. Barnes ¶ Faith is héere taken for the gift of doing miracles which the wicked may haue Mat. 7. 22. also for that faith called historicall which beléeueth the mightie power of Christ but caÌ„not apprehend Gods mercie through him this diuels haue Iames 2. 19. therefore is separated from charitie but the faith yâ— iustifieth in effect cannot As. 1. Iohn 2. 9. Mat. 17. 20. Geneua How faith â—gendereth charitie That which the schoole-men teacheth yâ— charitie is before faith hope is a madnesse It is faith yâ— first ingendereth charitie in vs how more rightlie doth Barnard teach I beléeue saith he yâ— the testimonie of conscience which Paul calleth the glorie of yâ— godly coÌ„sisteth in thrée things For first of al it is necessarie to beléeue yâ— thou canst not haue forgiuenes of sins but by yâ— pardoÌ„ of god Then yâ— thou canst haue no good workes at all vnlesse he also giue it last of all that thou canst by no workes deserue eternall life vnles it be giuen thée also fréely A little after be addeth yâ— these things suffice not but yâ— there be a certeine beginning of faith because in beléeuing yâ— sinnes cannot be forgiuen but of God we ought also beléeue yâ— they are not forgiuen vs till also we be perswaded by the testimonie of the
GOD And wée béeing regenerate it bringeth vs forth to battaile and vnto good workes Héerevnto Chrisostome addeth the lawe reproueth but loseth not from sinne Grace loseth from sinne and reproueth not The lawe reproueth sinne and increaseth it Grace forgiuing it suffereth vs not to be vnder sinne c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 134. How this following is vnderstoode And of his fulnesse haue all wée receiued euen Grace for Grace ¶ This sentence is sundrie wise expounded I will first shew you Saint Austens minde These be his words vpon this place That brethren all we haue receiued out of his fulnesse out of the fulnesse of his mercie haue we receiued what Remission of sinnes that we might be iustified by fayth And what moreouer Grace for Grace that is to witte For this Grace whereby we liue of Fayth we shall receiue an other Grace namelie Euerlasting lyfe But what else is it saue Grace For if I shall saie this is due to me I assigne somewhat to my selfe as to whome it is due But GOD crowneth the giftes of his mercie in vs. Thus yée sée Saint Austens meaning to witte that all good giftes and in the ende euerlasting lyfe is not a recompence of our merites but commeth of the frée liberalitie of God because it pleaseth him so to reward his former graces and to crowne his owne gyftes in vs. And so hée calleth faith whereby wée are iustified one Grace and euerlaâ—ing lyfe an other grace verye truelie and godlye to the confusion of the common Idolles Souldiers Other expounding Grace for Grace Grace vppon Grace teach that out of this fulnesse of his sonne GOD gaue to our Fathers vnder the olde Testament the spirite of feare whereby as children vndâ—r a Schoolemaster they were kept in and restrained that they shoulde not stray abroad after fleshlie lusts but be ledde foorth and framed to some goodnesse And in the new Testament hée giueth the spirit of fréedome whereby with more franke and free hearts with more ioifull courage by the motion of the spirit we doe the thing that pleaseth God not that our Fathers were altogether voide of this frée spirit but because of their childlie age they were kept more vnder by feare the spirite was not so richlie larglie giuen to them as to vs I meane vniuersallie touching gods ordinarie disposition For to some speciall person the spirit was larglie giuen and more larglie then it is nowe The exposition of other is that God loueth and fauoureth vs because of the loue and fauour that he beareth to his sonne as Saint Paule writeth That he hath made vs acceptable in the beloued For by nature we are the children of wrath the loue and fauour that we finde in Gods sight is for that of his own goodnesse he hath made vs the members of his most dearelye beloued sonne and so loueth vs as a parte of his sonnes bodie Other thinke that the meaning of these words is that GOD powreth all his graces into the Lorde Iesus and by him conueieth the same vnto vs as by a Conduct pipeâ— I leaue to your choise which of these expositions ye will take B. Traheron By grace vnderstand fauour The meaning is for the fauour that God the Father hath to his sonne Christ hath he receiued vs into fauour So as Christ is beloued of his Father euen so are we beloued for his sake Rom. 5. 15. T. M. ¶ All grace and all that is pleasant in the sight of God is giuen vs for Christs sake onelie euen out of the fulnesse and abundance of the fauour that he receiueth with the father Tindale ¶ Grace for grace That is God doth fauour vs and giue grace to so manie as beléeue in Christ are become his members The Bible note What is vnderstood by grace and peace Grace to you and peace from God By grace héere is vnderstood the fauour of GOD wherewith he fréelie forgiueth sinnesâ— By peace the tranquilitie of conscience prâ—céeding therof Tindale How these words Grace and Truth are expounded But grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. ¶ By grace some vnderstand that that maketh vs amiable and acceptable and getteth vs fauour before God and man By truth they vnderstand true sincere perfect sound and sure righteousnesse Other by grace in this place vnderstand forgiuenesse of sinnes by truth the fulfilling of all the figures and shadowes in Moses lawe in which signification you shall take the words the sâ—nce shall be good and godlie B. Traheron The grace saith Saint Austen which is giuen of the largnesse of God priuilie into mans heart cannot be despised of no manner of hard heart for therfore it is giuen that the hardnesse of the heart shal be taken awaie Wherefore when the father is herde within and doth learne that he must come vnto his sonne then taketh he awaie our stonie heart and giueth vs a fleshlie heart by this meanes he maketh vs his children of promise and the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared to glorie But wherefore doth he not learne all men to come to Christ because that those yâ— he learneth he learneth of mercie and those that he learneth not of his iudgement doth he not learne them These places following are alleadged of D. Barnes against Free will Saint Austen saith that there is no hardnesse of heart that can resist grace Dunce saith that there maie bée an obstacie in mans heart S. Austen saith that grace findeth the heart in hardnesse and obstinacie But Dunce saith that there is a mollifieng that precedeth grace which is called attrition Saint Austen saith when the Father learneth vs within then taketh he awaie our stonie hearts But Dunce saith that we can doe it by the common naturall influence that is wée can dispose our selues of congruence Saint Austen saith how all men be not taught to come to Christ but onelie they that be taught of mercie be taught and if it be of mercie then it is not of congruence by attrition The meaning of these places following For by grace are ye saued through faith ¶ So then grace that is to saie the gift of God and Faith doe stande one with an other to which two these be contrarie to be saued by our selues or by our workes Therefore what meane they which would ioine together things of so contrarie nature Beza And grace for grace ¶ This place is diuerslie expounded Some vnderstand the first grace to be that by yâ— which through faith we receiue remission of our sinnes the other grace to bée lyfe euerlasting the which kinde of Grace is giuen to the faithfull according to the saieng of the Apostle but the grace of God is eternall life Rom. 6. 23. But other some will haue the first to bée that which in the olde Testament was giuen to the Iewes The other to be more copious and large and giuen to all men But the simple sence
How the lawe is called a yoake Why tempt ye God to put on the disciples necks that yoake which neither our fathers nor we were able to beare ¶ He meaneth the holy lawe and not the ceremonies onely and calleth it a yoake not able to be borne because no man not the most holiest and perfectest that euer was Christ onely excepted was able to perfourme the same in all pointes both outwardly according the Letter and inwardly according to the Spirit The Bible note The difference betweene Gods law and mans Mans lawe onely requireth externall and ciuill obedience Gods lawe both externall and internall Who hath fulfilled the lawe Christ is the ende of the lawe for righteousnesse to all that beléeue ¶ That is Christ hath fulfilled the whole lawe therfore whosoeuer beléeueth in him is counted iust before God as well as he had fulfilled the whole Lawe himselfe The Bible note ¶ The ende of the lawe is to iustifie them which obserue it therefore Christ hauing fulfilled it for vs is made our Iustice sanctification c. Geneua How the Gentiles were not without a lawe Whosoeuer hath sinned without lawe c. ¶ It is not to be thought that the Gentiles were altogether without a lawe for they had the lawe of nature but not the lawe written which we call the Ten commaundements therefore they cannot excuse themselues from sinne Sir I. Cheeke How the lawe maketh all men sinners Whatsoeuer the lawe saith it saith it to them which are vnder the lawe c. ¶ In this place the lawe is taken for all the holy scripture as it appeareth by these places testimonies that be alledged héere before wherby it is made euident plain that all men without exception are sinners Sir I. Cheeke ¶ The lawe doth not make vs guiltie but doth declare that we are guiltie before God and deserue condemnation Geneua How the lawe maketh vs to hate God In the faith which we haue in Christ finde we mercie life fauour and peace in the lawe we finde death damnation and wrath moreouer the cursse and vengeance of God vpon vs. And it that is to say the lawe is called of Paule the ministration of death and damnation In the lawe we are proued to be the enimies of God and that we hate him For how can we be at peace with God and loue him seeing we are conceiued and born vnder the power of the diuell and are his possession and kingdome his captiues bondmen led at his will and he holdeth our harts so that it is impossible for a man to fulfill the lawe of his owne strength and power séeing that we are by birth and nature the heires of eternall damnation c. Tind in his booke named the wicked Mammon fol. 6. How the lawe is spirituall The lawe is spirituall ¶ The lawe is called spirituall because that it requireth the spirit that is to say the righteousnes and holinesse of the heart and not the outward workes onely How we dye to the lawe For I through the lawe am dead to the law ¶ The law that terrifieth the conscience bringeth vs to Christ and he onely causeth vs to dye to the law indéed because y◠by making vs righteous he taketh away from vs the terrour of conscience and by sanctifieng vs causeth the mortifieng of lusts in vs that it cannot take such occasion to sinne by the restrint which the lawe maketh as it did before Rom. 7. 10. 11. ¶ For I through the lawe am dead to the lawe that is by the lawe of libertie and grace graunted in Christ I am deliuered from the lawe of bondage ministred by Moses and from the burthen and cursse thereof Tindale To dye in the defence of the lawe If we do praise saith S. Austen the Machabees that with great admiration because they did stoutly stand vnto death for the laws of their country how much more ought we to suffer al things for our baptime for y◠sacraments of the body bloud of Christ. The meaning of these places following Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things which are written in the booke of the lawe to do them ¶ All the which meaning the things contained in the lawe since no man doth fulfill them it is manifest that no man can be iustified by the words of the lawe No man is iustified before God because saith S. Hierome no man kéepeth the lawe therefore it is said that the beléeuers must be saued by faith onely Moreouer he will shewe that no man canne be iustified by the workes of Moses lawe vnlesse he haue faith which giueth pardon to him that beléeueth in God neither yet he that beléeueth in Christ liueth without a lawe D. Heynes And I say the heire as long as he is a childe c. ¶ While we were yet younglings we had néede of the law as our tutours not that it should alwaies rule vs but so long till we come to mans state and haue the knowledge of Christ which knowledge when we haue we be deliuered from the seruitude of the law for Christs sake not for feare of punishment abstaining from euill but led by the spirit of God we are prepared made fit to fulfill all good works which the lawe commandeth D. Heynes ¶ The Church of Israel was vnder the lawe as the Pupill subiect to his Tutor euen vnto the time of Christ when she waxed strong and then hir pupilship ended Geneua ¶ Looke before where the Lawe is our schoolemaister An Argument of the Lawe If I cannot haue my sinnes forgiuen me except I kéepe and fulfill the lawe then the kéeping of the lawe iustifieth me Aunswere I cannot haue forgiuenesse of my sinnes except I haue sinned Ergo to haue sinned is the forgiuenesse of sinnes Tindale A disputation betweene the Law and the Gospell The Law saith pay thy debt the Gospell saith Christ hath payed it The Lawe saith thou art a sinner dispaire and thou shalt be damned the Gospell saith thy sinnes are forgiuen thée be of good comfort thou shalt be saued The Lawe saith made amends for thy sinnes the Gospell saith Christ hath made it for thée The Law saith the father of heauen is angry with thée the Gospell saith Christ hath pacified him with his bloud The law saith wher is thy righteousnes thy goodnes satisfaction the Gospell saith Christ is thy righteousnesse thy goodnesse and satisfaction The Lawe sayth thou art bound and obliged to me to the diuell and to hell the Gospell saith Christ hath deliuered me from them all Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. The nature and office of the Lawe and Gospell The Lawe sheweth vs our sinnes Ro. 3. 20. The Gospell sheweth vs remedie for Iohn 1. The Lawe sheweth vs our condemnation Ro. 7. The Gospell sheweth vs our redemption Coll. 1. The Lawe is the word of ire Rom. 4.
righteousnesse trusting in God haue not presumed to ascribe vnto themselues any societie or righteousnes of their owne No man can be without sinne so long as he is laden with the garment of the flesh the weaknesse whereof is thrée manner of waies brought in thraldome and subiection of sin to wit by déeds thoughts by words Lact. in his 6. b. de ver cul ca. 13. We may so long as we dwell in the tabernacle of this body are compassed about with fraile flesh measurably rule our affections and passions but cut them off quite we cannot by any meanes Hierom. in his Epist. ad Algasis It is to be demaunded if the nature of man be good which none dare be so bold to deny but Manicheus Marcion How then is it good if it be not possible for it to be without euil For that all sinne is euill who doubteth we answere both that the nature of man is good c. Sée the place August de per. iust li. Wherevpon S. Gregory saith he that gathereth vertue together without humility is as one that heareth dust into the wind For like as dust with a mightie blast of winde is scattered abroade so euery good thing without humilitie is with the winde of vaineglorie dispearsed asâ—nder And also it is much better to be an humble sinner theÌ„ to be a righteous man arrogant Which thing is plainly set forth by the Lord as the Publican and Pharesie are brought in for example as a certeine wise man saith Better is in wicked déedes an humble confession then in good déedes a proud boasting Gregory de donis spiri sanct cap. 2. How God ordeined sinne and yet is not the Authour of sinne To ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour worker of a thing is not all one as by these examples following He that setteth his wine abroad in the Sunne to make vineger ordeined it to be made vineger and yet he is not the proper cause of vineger but the nature of the wine and the hotte Sunne beames He that in Spaine cutteth downe grapes in the Summer layeth them in a Sunny place ordeineth them to be made raisons and yet he is not the proper cause of raisons but the nature of the grapes and the heate of the Sunne Finally to bring a plaine rusticall example he yâ— hangeth vp Swines flesh in a chimney ordeineth it to be made Bacon and yet he is not the proper cause of Ba 〈…〉 but the nature of the flesh and smoake Wherefore sith it is euident yâ— it is not euer all one to ordeine a thing to be the proper cause authour of a thing we may boldly say the scripture bearing plaine record and S. Austen and sundry other most excellent writers holdeth vp their hands to the same that God ordeineth sinne yet is not the authour of sinne Traheroâ— The cause of sinne is not to be layed vnto God God compelleth no man to doe euil but euery man willingly sinneth wherfore the cause of sinne is not to be laied on him For séeing he procreateth not in vs wicked desires he ought not to beare the blame if wicked actions doe spring out of a corrupt 〈…〉 of wicked affections yea the goodnesse of God is rather to be acknowledged which is present and so gouerneth the wicked affections that they cannot burst forth nor bee hurtfull nor troublesome to any but when he hath appointed to chastin some and to call them backe to repentaunce or to punish them Pet. Mart. vpon Iudic. fol. 167. How all sinne is both deadly and veniall We say that all sinne in that it is sinne is deadly And yet we say againe that there is not any one sin but that the same is both deadly and veniall Deadly if the offender repent not veniall if the same be vnfeinedly repented and by mercie craued at the hands of God in the bloud of Christ. For the same God that sayd in Ezechiel Anima c. The soule that sinneth shall dye sayth also in the same Chapter And when the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done doth the thing which is equall and right he shall saue his soule aliue Héere you sée like as all sin in that it is sinne is deadly So againe all sinne in that it is vnfeinedly repented is also veniall I. Gough How sinne is not of Gods creation in man Whereas sinne is in mans nature it is not of Gods putting in by creation but by reason that Satan did spread his naughtinesse farther abroad at such time as man was beguiled by his wilinesse to disapoint the benefit of God c. Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 16. How sinne entered into the world As by one man sinne entered into the world and death by the meanes of sinne c. ¶ Sinne is heere taken for the naturall inclination or readinesse to sinne which some doe call right-well the originall coruption of man which though it bee â—id in mans heart and declarâ— not it selfe vnto the manifest works of wickednesse yet it is able to condemne all men onely they being excepted whom faith in Iesus Christ doth saue This originall corruption doth manifest it selfe first by wicked and vncleane thoughts Second by consenting vnto the concupisence or thoughts Thirdly by committing the déede or fact Sir I. Cheeke But sin is not imputed so long as ther is no law ¶ Though man imputeth not sinne where there is no lawe yet it followeth not that God which from the beginning hath written in mens hearts the lawe of nature doth impute no sinne Foâ— sith that death which is the punishment of sinne did reigne ouer all men euen from Adam it is euident that sinne was impâ—ted Sir I. Cheeke How Christ is called sinne Whereas Christ is called sinne it might be vnderstood sayth Saint Augustin that he was the sacrifice for sinne For Christ was without sinne as S. Paule saith He hath made him sinne for vs which knew no sinne And againe God sent his Sonne in the similitude of sinfull flesh and not in sinfull flesh How no man can pardon sinnes but Christ. Sonne be of good chéere thy sinnes be forgiuen thée ¶ The same moued the Scribes that sinne should be pardoned by a man for they regarded and beheld nothing in Iesus Christ but manhood and that the lawe could not release that which was pardoned of him for onely faith iustifieth and afterwarde the Lord behelde inwardly their murmuring and said that it was easie for the Sonne of man to pardon sinnes in earth but neuertheles none can pardon sinnes but God only wherfore he that doth pardon them is God for none can pardon but God Hil. vpon S. Mathew in the 9. Canon To sinne against the Holy ghost what it is But whosoeuer shall speak against the Holy ghost c. ¶ To perseuer and continue in sinne of infidelitie to
A BOOKE OF NOTES and Common places with their expositions collected and gathered out of the workes of diuers singular Writers and brought Alphabetically into order A worke both profitable and also necessarie to those that desire the true vnderstanding meaning of holy Scripture BY IOHN MARBECK 2. Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to doctrine to reproue to correction to instruction which is in righteousness that the man of God maye be perfect instructed vnto all good workes Imprinted at London by Thomas East 1581. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND HIS ESPECIALL good Lord the Earle of Huntington Knight of the most noble order of the Garter c. Iohn Marbeck wisheth a most happie and prosperous estate with increase of vertue in the feare of GOD. AS THE CHILdren of Israel had inestimable cause to praise the great goodnesse of almightie God and to render condign thanks vnto him for his most mercifull deliueraunce out of their vile captiuity bondage which they so long had susteined vnder that proude resister of Gods omnipotent power king Pharao Euen so Right honourable are we no lesse bound to honour lande and praise the same God with immortall thanks which now of his entire loue pitie and compassion in this our last age of the world hath broken the yoke of our miserable seruitude vnder that proud exalter of himselfe the Romish Antichrist and of the bondmen and slaues of that tyrant hath made vs free men in his sonne Iesus Christ through the true knowledge of his eternall and euerlasting word For as the people that dwel in the country called Cimmeria do remaine in continuall darknes by reason they want the cleere light of the Sunne which is so farre distant from them So were we poore soules during the time of our thraldōe vnder the power of the Pope in like obscuritie shut pend vp as prisoners in the darke dungeon of his Antichristian iurisdiction and alwaies constrained to feed on the scraps of his owne vnsauery and most vnfruitfull traditions diuelish deuices for lacke of the wholsome foode of the Gospell of Iesus Christ whereof the least little sparke could not be permitted to put forth his light among vs. But now my good Lord seeing that all the sleights and grounds of the Popes inuentions which wholy consisteth in false superstitious worshipping filthy Idolatry fained hypocrisie foolish scrupulositie with other the like be cleerly sifted and boulted out from the boulting tub of his Canō laws by infinit godly learned writers especialiye by such as bee here expressed within this volume it shall behoue vs to embrace and lay sure holde on the profound saiengs of those so godly writers or rather vpon the truth vttered by their pens that being weaponed with such artillerie we may be able to resist ouerthrow whatsoeuer the whole Popish army shal assay to assalt vs with all For what is the cause that many at this present day do fall a lusting after Romish religion as did the Israelits to feed on the flesh pots of Aegypts gaine But that they despise to apparell themselues with the armour of Christ esteeming much better their old apparell of Popery although it seeme neuer so vile in the sight of God Which miserable and deceiued sort but yet truly most wilfull froward people that I might by the mercye of God in some measure perswade if not wholy conuert to the truth I haue the rather employed my diligence in collecting these common places sincerely expoūded by the authors themselues that in the reading and earnest study therof there may some sparke of Gods true knowledge kindle aright vnderstanding in them which the Lord graunt that his onely praise glory may therein be shewed And now Right honourable hauing as yet no help for the publishing of my Concordance which without speciall helpe is like to lye not onely helples but also fruitlesse inclosed in an huge volume of mine owne writing wherein I haue spent many yeres in purpose therby to profit the studies of the godly affected in the English tongue so that I am not able as my meaning was to exhibit the same vnto you I shall most humbly beseech your honor to accept and take in good part my simple trauailes in this other worke which God of his goodnes in these mine olde yeres hath now brought forth in me That I may not seeme altogethers vnfruitfull to the Church of God nor vnthankfull vnto you mine especiall good Lord but that at the least a testification of my faithfull hart to Gods people and of my good will to your honour may somewhat therein appeare For whom as dutie requireth I wil remaine during life a cōtinuall intercessour vnto almightie God that his blessings may be multiplied vpon you that abounding in all good gifts both of body and mind you may enioy vpon this earth a long life in perfect health and honour to his glory and to the profit of others and after the end of your race may be blessed for euer in the felicitie of the faithfull Amen THE TABLE A. AAron How long he was before Christ. Fol. 1. How hee is a figure of Christ. eodem A comparison betweene him and Christ. eod What Aarons bells signified eod Abaddon The name of Satan and of the Pope 2. Abhominable Who is abhominable eod Abhomination of Deso How it is vnderstood 3. Abimelech How he is put in the steed of Achis eod Of the vices of Abimelech the sonne of leroboam 4. Abrahā How he is the heire of the world eo What is meant by his bosome 5. How his lye to Abimelech is excused 5 How he did eate Christs bodie 6. Of y◠communication betweene him and the glutton 7. How God tried his faith eod How he is said to be a Prophet eod Of the doubting of Abraham eod Of Abrahams riches eod Absolution No mortal man cā absolue 7. How it standeth not in the will of the Priest 8. Abstinence What it is eod What differēce is betweene it fasting 8 Abuses By whom they ought to be reformed 9. Of whom they ought to be rebuked eo Achab. Of Satans deceiuing of him 10 Accident What an Accident is eod How it is not without his subiect eod Adam The first man y◠God created 11. Of things done by Adam and Seth. eod Cōparison between Adam Christ. eo How he did eat Christs body drāk 12 Of the first Adam earthly the second heauenly eod How Adā was not deceiued but Eue. 13. How the sect of the Adamits sprang vp 14. Adde What it is to adde or to take away eod Adoption How the Lawiers define it 15. Adoration What it is 16. Adultery What a dampnable sin it is eo How the adulterer repenting is forgiuen 17. Aduocate How there is no mo for vs to God but Christ. 18. Afflictiō How they are mesured to vs. eo The difference betweene the afflictions of the godly and vngodly
he is called Messias eod How he is called our Altar eod How Christ is called sinne eo How Christ is the Fathers word 190. How he is the Image is God eod How in his Godhead he is euery where eodem How he is not carnally present with vs. eo How he dranke of it himselfe 191. How he bare himselfe in his own hands eodem Of Christs name and offices eo Who they be yâ— come before Christ. 192. Of the right hand of Christ. eod Wherefore Christ is worshipped eod How we caÌ„not haue him here alwaies eo How Christ is our apparell our house our roote c. 193. How he was subiect to the lawe eod How to know Christ aright eod How he suffereth in his members eo How he is yâ— head of yâ— church militaÌ„t 194 How he doth call vs brethren eo His lieng in the stall expounded 196. How he is called the Rocke eod What it is to put on Christ according to the Gospell eod How Christ first loued vs. and not we hint 197. How his corporall presence is hurtful eo How Christ is God eod Certeine of the Arrians obiections that Christ is not God 202. What Christ hath done for vs. 203. Christian. The definition of a christiaÌ„ eo Where the name of Christian begaÌ„ 204. A christian after the Popes religion eo How he may warrant himselfe forgiuenesse 205. Church what a church or the church is 206 Of whom the Church began 208. Why the church is holy and catholike eo How it is made cleane by Christ. 209. How the Church hath spots and wrinckles eod How it is said aright that the church cannot erre eod How the Church is knowne 211. What is meant by the militant and Triumphant 213. Who is the true head of the true Church eo How the Church is vnspotted eo How the Church receiued not hir first preaching 214. How the Church is hid eo How it is not aboue the word of God 215 How it hath no authority to reforme the Scriptures eod How the Church moued Augustine to beleeue 216. How the Church is our mother eod How the Church is visible 217 Marks wherby the church is known eo Of the church of Antichrist the Pope eo Of the vniuersall Church 218. Circumcision What it doth represent eod what was meant by circumcision 219. How it is the signe of the couenant 220. Why Christ was circumcised eod Why it was marked in the members of generation eod How the Iews circumcise their chil 221 How the Aegyptians circumcise theirs eo Cloudes how God did couer himselfe with them 222. How they be called Gods pauilions 223 Cockatrice eggeâ— The meaning thereof eo Colde What it is to be colde 224. Coates of fire What the meaning is 225. Comfortlesse The meaning thereof eod Commaundements of God Impossible eo A reason of the Pelagians answered 227 A prophane example 228. Common how and when all things were common eod Common praier eo Communion Of the receiuing therof eod How it ought to bee receiued in both kindes 229. Receiuing in one kinde disproued eod Bucers opinion of the Commnion bread 223. Concomitantia Deuised of yâ— Papists 234 Concord A definition thereof eod Who is the mother of concord eod A praise of concord eod Concubine how she is taken in holy scripture 235. The difference betweene a wife and a concubine 236. Concupiscence What it is 237. How it is sinne eod Confession When it began 238. Of confession of God and against auricular confession 239. Of. 3. manner of confessions to men 241. A Monks opinion of confession 245. Confirmation What it was 246. Coniuring Of coniuring the Diuell 247. Conscience What conscience is 248. At a seared conscience eod Consecration What it is 249. Contempt how it is desined eo Contention Betweene Paule Barna eod Continencie What continencie is eo Cornelius how he was iustified 250. Corner stone Who is the corner stone 251. Corruption From whence our corruption commeth eod Couetousnesse What it maketh men to do 252. Councels Of a Councell before Christ reuealed eo A councell of the Scribes Phare 253 Of the high Priests and Paresies 254. Of the Scribes Pharesies elders eo Councels held of the Apostles eo Of certeine generall councels 255. How councels may erre 259. Of wicked councels 260. Creta The description of this I le eod Cry What it is to cry vnto the Lord. 261 Co crie from the ends of the earth eod Crosse. How it is not to be worshipped 262. How the crosse was esteemed among the Aegyptians and Romanes eo Of bearing the crosse eod Crowne of golde how it is vnderstood eo The crowne that â—ob speaketh of 264. Crueltie From whence it is deriued eodem Cubite What the measure of a cubite is eodem Cup. The sundry significations therof eo What the Cup of the new Testament signifieth 265. What is meant by the cup of saluation 266. Of the cup of blessing eod Taken for the drinke in the cup. eod By the cup is signified Christs passion 267. How it is taken for the crosse of affliction eod Of the Popes golden cup. eod Curse What it importeth eod Of two manner of curses 268. Of the curse of good men eod The meaning of the place eod What Gods curse is 269. Custome The definition of custome eod Of vicious customes and c. eod How customes must yeld to yâ— truth 270 Customes What customes are 271. Cut off What is meant by cutting off eo D. DAy How they were first called after chaunged 272. What is heere meant by day 273. How good daies are to be esteemed 274. why it was called the day of sweet bread eo What is meant by the day of MaÌ„dian eo Of the day of dome eod Of the obseruing of daies 276. Dagon What Dagon was eo Damnation How it is vnderstood eod Dan. Why yâ— tribe of Dan is left out 277. Daniel Wherefore he set open his windowe eo Wherfore he absteined froÌ„ yâ— kings meat eo Darknesse Of the darknesse of the land of Ievvrie 278. What is meant by darknesse 279. Dauid Of his praise to king Saule by Doeg 280. The cause why Dauid was knowne eo Of Dauids coÌ„mig to Ahimelech the Pr. eo Of Dauids lie to Ahimelech 281. Why the people flocked to him eod How Dauids adultery was punished 282 How Dauid is sayd to be righteous eod How he numbred the people eod Why Dauid and Abraham are first rehearsed 283. Where Dauid laid vp the armour of Goliah eod Daughters of men eod Daughters of Sion eod Dauncing How it is a cursed mirth eod Against dauncing vsed now 284. What daunces are honest what euil eo Dauncing taken in good part 285. The heathniks opinion of dauncing eo Deacons What the deacoÌ„s office was 286. Of the election of Deacons eod How deacons may preach and baptise eo Dead To be dead to yâ— law what it is 287 The dead shall heare how it is vnderstood 288. How
his kingdome howbeit this title should séeme more conuenient for the which after the Hebrewes is a distinct Psalme from this whereas the Latinists make this and the next both one ALTAR What an Altar is and how they began AN Altar is nothing els but a thing builded to offer Sacrifices on Altare is a Latin word which is so named as the Gramarians doe saie of Altitudo or height Not that an Altar is so great and high but because the Romaines before the receiuing of the true religion of Christ they made Altars in thrée sundrie places Some they called Altaria vpon the which they did offer Sacrifices vnto the supernall Gods Other Altars they had which were made beneath vpon the plaine ground vppon the which they did Sacrifice vnto the Gods on the earth And other Altars they made vnder the earth as were in Poules vpon the which they did offer Sacrifice Dijs infernalibus vnto Gods vnder the ground And these two last kinde were called Ara or Aâ—e but the high Altars were properlie called Altaria Thus much concerning the name of the Latin word Altare In all the newe Testament where we read this Latin word Altare as in the 5. of S. Mathew the first of S. Luke 1. Cor. 9. the 13. of the Hebrewes In all these places in the Gréeke booke is red 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which word is as much to saie in English as a Sacrificing place or a thing made to offer sacrifices on which is more plaine then the Latin word Altare is So that an Altar is nothing els but a sacrificing place or a thing made to offer sacrifices on When Noe was preserued from the generall Deluge with his wife and his thrée sons their wiues restored againe by the tender mercie of God to drie land he made an Altar vnto the Lord and offered all manner of cleane beasts and foules thereon for a sacrifice with whose doings the Lord was well pleased because he did it in the faith of Christ which was figured by the Altar and promised neuer to drowne the world anie more for mans wickednesse c. Upon the same faith did Abraham the father of all faithfull beléeuers make an Altar vnto the Lord what time as God promised vnto him that in his séede which was Christ should all the nations of the earth be blessed Likewise God commanded â—acob to build an Altar at Bethel in the remembrance that he had deliuered him from the hands and crueltie of his brother Esau. Thus in the lawe of nature Altars began But chiefelie they did flourish after the law of the ten commandements were giuen by Moses We read that God warned Moses to kéepe the people from making of Gods of gold or of siluer and to kéepe them the better from it thou shalt said he cause them to make an Altar not of gold nor siluer but make vp a litle heape of earth and therevpon do thou offer the burnt-offerings the peace-offerings And if the people be desirous to build an Altar of stone thou shale not suffer it to be made of hewen stone but of rough stone after the rudest fashion that the people take not a superstitious conceit reposing a confidence in the Altar it selfe and not in the thing that is signified by the Altar which is Christ. Yet all this while there wâ—re no perfect forme nâ—r fashion of Altars till the Tabernacle of the tastimonies was made When that was once made then Altars grewâ— to their perfection For then God commanded to make two Altars for the Tabernacle the one was called the Altar of incense which Altar was made of Sethim wood aboue couered ouer with fine gold The other Altar was made also of Sethim wood but aboue it was couered ouer onelie with Brasse and therefore sometimes it is called the brasen Altar This Altar was properlie called the Altar of burnt-offerings vpon this Altar was offered euerie daie two Lambes one in the morning and the other at night beside an innumerable sort of other Leuiticall Sacrifices Now marke in these two Altars ye must consider that it was a part of the Ceremoniall Lawe of Moses all which Lawe was but a figure and a shadowe of Christ the true light it selfe As the Apostle saith The Ceremoniall lawe was but a shadowe of good things that were then to come and giuen by Christ. But nowe hâ—erâ— maie bée thought séeing that Altars were vsed from the beginning of the world First in the lawe of Nature second in the law written by commandement giuen by Moses the man of God thirdlie frequented and vsed in Christs Church since the beginning and vsed to this daie in most places of Chrisâ—endome how is it then that the Church of England hath taken them awaie To this I aunswere that wheresoeuer Altars be vsed whether in England or in anie other places of Christendome they be an occasion of great Idolatrie blaspheming of Christs bloud and merits of his bitter passion For whereas by Christs one Sacrifice offered vpon the Altar of the Crosse we are all made cleane and inheritours of the kingdome of heauen our Altars did teach vs that he was offered vp there a newe euerie daie for our redemption by the worke of a priest which is most falâ—e and vntrue and most blasphemous iniurious to Christs merits and sacrifice offered once for all And to the end to plucke out this blasphemous opinion out of the simple peoples heads it ought to be iudged of all the Kings people as good a déede of the King and his Counsell to beate downe and destroie the Altars in England as that King Ezechias did when he brake and brent the brasen Serpent that Moses by the commandement of God did make because the people did worship it and so committed Idolatrie Though that Altars were well accepted at the handes of Noe Abraham Isaac Iacob and also commaunded during the time of Moses Lawe yet ye must vnderstand that that Lawe is now abrogated and vtterlie repelled The whole Lawe giuen by God to Moses for the people of Israel was deuided into thrée fortes lawes morall which is the lawe of the ten commaundements lawes Iudiciall or Ciuil lawes which we in the realme of England call temporall lawes The third kinde of lawes were Ceremoniall lawes The lawe of the ten Commandements doe stand in their first strength But the other two the lawe Iudiciall and the lawes ceremoniall are quite abolished and of no strength Since that Christ hath suffered his passion for our redemption And where as no nation vnder yâ— Sunne were so laden with Ceremonies as the Iewes were God did it for two purposes One was to kéepe the people from the idolatricall inuentions of their owne handes and of their owne heads The other was with pretie figures and shadows to induce the grose and stifnecked people to inbrace and beléeue the mysteries of Christes incarnation passion and resurrection which mysterie was principallie figured and sette out by
their shadowes and figures of the lawe So that there was not a ceremonie but it was a figure of Christ or his Apostles or els of his misticall bodie the Church all which Ceremonies and figures after that Christ had once suffered which was figured by them they were all banished awaie out of Christs Church because there was no vse for them For like as when it is darke the light of a candle is good but when the night is past the day is come why should we occupie anie longer a candle Euen so when Christ was come and had suffered which was the end of the lawe what shoulde we do with the Ceremonies and figures of Christ but vtterlie to cast them awaie as a burden not onelie necessarie but also as Saint Peter saith importable And now being deliuered from the seueritie of the Iudiciall Lawes And multitude of the Ceremoniall Lawes he that goeth about to retaine anie one or part of them to him maie well be spoken the words of Saint Paule If ye will néedes be circumcised Christ doth profite you nothing For hée that is circumcised is bound to keepe the whole Lawe so they that will haue Altars to stand by the force of Moses lawe they must by the same reason haue all the whole Tabernacle to stand with the furniture thereof which is a falling awaie from Christ. Ricâ— Tuâ—nar We haue an Altar whereof they haue no right to eate which serue in the Tabernacle ¶ Habemus Altare We haue an Altar is as much to saie as Habemus Sacrifiâ—ium We haue a Sacrifice But not such a sarifice as the Iewes had for they of their Altars did eate carnallie to the filling of their bellies but we doe eate Christ spirituallie by faith So that now when Saint Paule saith we haue an Altar whereof it is not lawfull for the Priests of Moses Lawe to eate he vnderstandeth by the Altar the Sacrifice that was offered vpon the Altar of the which the Priests did eate they did not eate of the verie Altar for then they should haue eaten stones and mortar but they did eate the Sacrifice offered vpon the Altar And as they had a sacrifice carnall wherof they did eate so haue we a spirituall Sacrifice which is Christ whom we doe eate by faith spirituallie And to the mysticall eating of Christ and drinking his bloud it skilled not whether the Table be of wood or stone Ric. Turnar ¶ They that sticke to the Ceremonies of the â—awe can not be partakers of our Altar which is thankesgiuing and liberalitie which two Sacrifices or offerings are now onelie left to the Christians Geneua How Christ is the true Altar They shall come vp to be accepted vpon mine Altar ¶ Because the Altar was a figure of Christ. Heb. 13. He sheweth that nothing can be acceptable to him which is not offered vnto him by this Altar who was both the offering and the Altar it selfe Geneua What Saint Austen did vnderstand by the Altar When Saint Austen and other holie Fathers did speakâ— of the Altar they vnderstood none other thing by it but the Table or boord that they vsed in their Communion which I say they called an Altar alluding to the Altars of the olde Lawe and hauing respect to the Sacrificâ— of praise and thankesgiuing that was offered by the Church in the Supper of the Lorde This was the state of the Church concerning this matter in Saint Austines time who was about foure hundred yeares after the Ascencion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ at the which time the Church beganne wonderfullie to growe out of kinde I. Veron Saint Paule doth compare the Iewish Leuits and the Preachers of the Gospell together saieng thus Doe you not knowe that they which minister about holie things c. Prouing thereâ—by as the Iewish Leuites serued the Altars and liued of the Altars that is of such things as was offered thereon euen so the Preachers of the Gospell ought likewise to liue of the Gospell S. Austen vpon this word Altar saith The Altar signifieth the Altar of the Iewes So that by this place the Papists cannot stablish their Altars That part that was burnt was deuoured of the Altar and the other was due vnto the Priests by the Lawe Geneua If thou bring thy gift to the Altar c. ¶ He applieth all this speach to the state of his time when as there was an Altar standing in Hierusalem And therefore they are verie foolish that gather héerevpon that we must build Altars and vse sacrifices but they are more fooles which drawe that to Purgatorie which is spoken of peace making and attonement one with another Beza AMATIST The description of an Amatist and what is betokened thereby THe twelfth an Amatist ¶ This â—â—one is as red as a rose and casteth out certeine little flames And it signifieth that the blessed sort are crowned with an vnapparable and flaming crowne of euerlasting life which shall continue alwaies as fresh and redde as a Rose tâ—â—e without ende Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 300. The Amatistâ— is purple violet and rose coloured and this betokeneth them that are seruent méeke and constant in the Lords truth and that hath bene alwaies readie to shedde their bloâ—d for it Such were the seauen bretheren in the Machabees with their most faithfull motherâ— So was also Iames the more and Antipas the faithfull witnesse None can shewe a more token of loue then hée which giueth vp his life for his friend This â—ort did Christ proclaime altogether blessed and said that the kingdome of Heauen was their owne Bale AMEN What this word signifieth AMen is an Hebrew word and signifieth euen so be it or bée it fast and sure approuing and allowing the sentence going before and when it is double it augmenteth the confirmation as in manie Psalmes and Iohn 5. and. 6. T. M. Euen so Amen ¶ Amen among the Hebrewes betokeneth commonlie an affirming or allowing of a thing Like as Etiam doth among the Latines and as yea or sobeit doth among Englishmen By which terme they meane that they agrée to the opinion of other men and subscribe their saiengs and also that they with the same thing with their heart which some forespeaker hath praied in words set together for the purpose So is that terme vsed in psalmes and praiers according as it is to be seene in the â— Cor. 14. 16. Howbeit among the Hebrewes their Amen importeth an assuring or oath according as wee sée the same terme vsed in the Gospell Marl. vpon the Apoc fol. 15. How shall he that occupieth the roome of the vnlearned saie Amen at thy giuing of thankes ¶ One onelie made the praiers and the rest of the peopâ—â— followed in heart his words and when he had praied they all said Amen Signifieng that they beléeued assuredlie that God wouâ—â— graunt their requests Geneua AMORITES What an intollerable custome they had IT was the custome of the Amorites that
saie as he that kéepeth the commaundements is entered into life For except a man haue first the spirit of life in him by Christs purchasing it is impossible for him to kéepe the commaundements or that his heart should be loose or at libertie to lust after them for of nature we are enimies vnto the lawe of God Tindale fol. 76. Obiection If our frée will saith fleshlie reason can doe no goodnesse what neede God to commaund so manie good things what néed God to giue those Commaundements that he knoweth wel to be impossible for vs and if they be impossible what right is in him that damneth vs for that thing that is impossible for vs to doe Aunswere It is a great presumption to enquire a cause of our makers will or to murmure against his holie ordinaunce which maie not be chaunged And if he do giue vs commandements which be impossible for vs by our owne naturall strength to keepe he doth it that we thereby might knowe our weaknes so to séeke and call to him for helpe As S. Austen declareth well in these words saieng If a man doe perceiue that in the commaundements is anie thing impossible or els too hard let him not remaine in himselfe but let him runne vnto God his helper the which hath giuen his commaundements to that intent that our desire might be stirred vp that he might giue helpe c. ¶ Héere we sée S. Austen saith that the commandements be impossible for our strength but we must call to God for strength D. Barnes Whereas S. Augustine hath these saiengs That God neither could commaund things that were impossible because he is iust nor would condemne man for that he could not auoide And that God would neuer condemne the slothfull seruaunt if he had commaunded that he coulde not atchieue And also that God who is iust and good could neuer commaund things that were impossible to be done yet in his booke of refractions whereas he better aduising himselfe writ on this wise All the commaundements saith he are accompted to be done when that is pardoned which is not done A reason of the Pelagians aunswered The Pelagians did recken that they had got a great victorie when they had made this carnall reason that God would condemne nothing that were impossible of this reson did they glorie and triumph and thought they must néedes haue some naturall strength and power to fulfill the Commanndements of God séeing that God would commaund nothing impossible to man Aunswere The Pelagians saith S. Austen thinke that they knowe a wonderfull thing when they saie God will not commaund that thing the which he knoweth is impossible for man to doe Euerie man knoweth this But therfore doth he commaund certaine things that we cannot doe because we might know what thing we ought to aske of him Faith is she that by praier obtaineth that thing the Lawe commaundeth Briefelie he that saith if thou wilt thou maist kéepe my Commaundements in the same booke a little after saith He shall giue me kéeping in my mouth Plaine it is that we maie keepe the Commaundements if we will But because our wil is prepared of God of him it must be asked that he maie so much will as will suffice vs to doe them Truth it is that we will when we will but he maketh vs to will that thing which is good ¶ Heere S. Austen saith that the Commaundements of God be impossible to our naturall strength and therefore be thâ—â— giuen that â—wée shouldâ— knowe our weaknesse aske strength to fulfill them for faith by praier obtaineth strength to fulfill the impossible commaundements of the lawe Héere haue we also that God moueth vs and causeth vs to be good willers and giueth vs a good will or els we would neuer will but ill D. Baâ—nâ—â— You saie Gods Commaundements are easie and yet ye are able to shewe vs no man that euer fulfilled them altogether Againe Sette not thy face against Heauen to mockâ— fooles eares with these wordes Bée and can be For who will graunt you that a man can doe that thing that no man euer was able to doe Iewel fol. 317. A prophane example Scelurus Scitha when he gaue his children euerie one a faggotte commaunding them to breake it knewe right well before that they were not able to doe it and yet in so dooing he did both fatherlie and wiselie to the intent his children might learne thereby to sée their owne weaknesse and not to trust to their owne priuate strength too much ¶ Looke Lawe Free-will COMMON How and when all things wer in common among the people WHen the Disciples of Christ were few in number and liued al in one place at Hierusalem they had all things coÌ„mon whiâ—â—order continued but a while as it doth appeare by S. Paul which he exhorteth the Corinthians to giue almes to the poore liberallie 1. Cor. 16. And also willeth Timothy that hée charge them which are rich in this world to be redie to distribute vnto the necessitie of their bretheren 1. Tim. 6. which néeded not at al if all things had ben common among theÌ„ D. Whiteg Of Common praier ¶ Looke Praier COMMVNION Of the receiuing of the Communion THe Canons of the Apostles do excommunicate them which being present at the Common praier do not also receiue the holie Communion And vâ—to the same agréeth the decrée of Anaâ—â—tus When the consecraâ—ion is done saith he let all such communicate as intend not 〈…〉 〈…〉 excommunicate H. Latimer Augustine testifieth of his owne time The Sacrament with he of this thing of the vnitie of the Lords bodie is some where dailie some where by certaine distances of daies prepared vpon the Lords Table is there receiued at the Table to some vnto life to other some vnto destruction And in yâ— first Epistle to Iannaâ—iâ—s some doe dailie communicate of the bodie bloud of the Lord some receiue it at certaine daies in some places there is no daie lette passe wherein it is not offered in some other places onlie vpon the Saterday and the Sunday And in some other places neuer but on the Sundaie But forasmuch as the common people was as we haue said somwhat slacke the holie men did call earnestly vpon them with sharpe rebukings least they should séeme to winke at such slothfulnesse Such an example is in Chrisostome vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians It is not said vnto him that dishonored the banket Wherefore didst thou sit downe But Wherefore didst thou come in Whosoeuer is not partaker of the mysteries hée is wicked and shamelesse for that he standeth heere present I beséech you if anie be called to a banket washeth his handes sitteth down séemeth to prepare himselfe to eate and then doth tast of nothing shall he not shame both the banket and the maker of the banket So thou standing among them that with praier doe prepare themselues to receiue the holie meate hast
when his Father was dead he laboured by the helpe of his kinred by his mothers side to be made king And to the end he might atteine vnto the crowne he slew 69. of his owne naturall brethren Nowe marke Gedeon was a iust and a godlie man high in Gods fauour he therefore would not and againe hauing so manie wiues of his owne he néeded not to haue kept Droma which is called his concubine as a priuie whoore Therefore it must be taken that Concubina is not taken In malem partem for an harlot and an whoore but euerie woman which is Serua aut ancilla a libero homine ducta in vxorem concubina dicitur For ye shall vnderstande that in the olde time bond men and bond women were counted so vile that they were neither taken nor vsed as men and women be but bought and solde as a bullocke or an horse is And if it so happened y◠a bond man a bond woman did marrie together it was not counted nor called matrimonie but Contubernium a companie kéeping as an horse and a mare as a bull a cow doth yet such companie kéeping if it were betwéene a man and a woman not prohibited by the law of God it were before him good and lawfull matrimonie but by the ciuil lawe of men it were no matrimonie because that the children begotten betwéene such a Father and such a mother were not in their power nor at the commaūdement of their parents but at their Lords commaundement And if they and their parents did get anie goods the children should not inherit but the Lord. And moreouer if a frée man did marrie a bond woman this lawfull wife should not be named a wife but a concubine and her children should not inherit their Fathers landes but onelie receiue such moueable goods as their Father would giue them by his Testament And after that sort did Abraham deale with the sonnes of Agar and Kethura which were no whoores but his lawfull wiues Neuerthelesse because they were bond women before he married them therfore they were called his concubines So likwise Salomon had 700. wiues that is 700. Quéenes which were frée women borne and. 300 concubines which were also his lawful wiues but because they were not frée women borne therefore they are called concubines R. T. The difference betweene a wife and a concubine Tooke to wife a concubine of Bethleem Iuda ¶ This difference was betwéene the wife and the concubine that the wife was taken with certeine solemnities of marriage and her children did inherit The concubine had no solemnities in marriage neither did her children inherite but a portion of goods or moneie was giuen vnto them The Bible note And his concubine called Reumah◠¶ Concubine is oftentimes taken in the good part for those women which were inferiour to the wiues Geneua CONCVPISCENCE What concupiscence is COncupiscence is that euil inclination and nature which we haue of the olde man which draweth vs to euill as GOD saith in Genesis The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Concupiscence is a motion or affection of the minde which of our corrupt nature doth lust against God and his lawe and stirreth vs vp to wickednesse although the consent or déede it selfe doth not presently followe vpon our conceit For if the déed doe followe the lust then doth the sinne increase by steps and degrées Bullinger fol. 325. How concupiscence is sinne Against concupiscence of the flesh Saint Paule is forced to mourne and crie out on this wise I sée an other lawe in my members fighting against the lawe of my minde and leading mée prisoner vnto the lawe of sinne And againe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death Saint Ambrose saith Non inuenitur in vllo homine c. There is not found in anie man such concord betwéene the flesh and the spirit but that the lawe of concupiscence which is planted in the members fighting against the lawe of the minde And for that cause the words of Saint Iohn the Apostle are taken as spoken in the person of all Saints If we saie we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Saint Austen saith also Concupiscencia carnis c. The concupiscence of the flesh against which the good spirit lusteth is both sinne and the paine of sinne and the cause of sinne Againe he saith◠Quamdiu viuis c. As long as thou liuest there must néeds be sinne in thy members One of the Popes principall doctors writeth thus Augustinus tradet hanc ipsam concupisentiam c. S. Augustine teacheth vs that this same concupiscence planted in our bodie in them y◠be not regenerate by baptime verilie in plaine manner of speach is sinne and that the same concupiscence is forgiuen in baptime but is not vtterly taken awaie Against Saint Paule and these holy Fathers S. Ambrose and Augustine the late Counsell of Trident hath decréed thus Hanc concupiscentiam quam Apostolus c. The concupiscēce which the Apostle Saint Paule sometime calleth sinne this holie counsell declareth that the catholike church neuer vnderderstood it to be called sinne for that it is so indéede and in proper name of speach in them that be baptised but because it is of sinne and inclineth vs to sinne And if anie man thinke the contrarie accursed be he So that by this degrée S. Ambrose S. Austen and other holie fathers that haue written the same are all accursed Iewel fol. 217. and. 218. CONFESSION When confession first began LOthernus Leuita a Doctor of Paris béeing once made Bishop of Rome and named Innocent the third he called together at Rome a generall counsell called Lateranense in which he made a lawe which Gregorie the ninth reciteth in his decretall of penance remission li. 5. chap. 12. almost in these verie words Let euerie person of either sexe after they are come to yeares of discretion faithfullie confesse alone at least once in a yeare their sins vnto their owne proper Priest and do their endeuour with their owne strength to doe the penance that is enioyned them receiuing reuerently at Easter at the least the Sacrament of the Eucharist vnlesse peraduenture by y◠counsel of their owne Priest for some resonable cause they thinke it good for a time to absteine from receiuing it otherwise in this life let them be prohibited to enter into the church when they are dead◠to be buried in christen buriall Of confession to God And against auricular confession Delictum meum cognitum◠bi iniusticiā meam non abscondi c. I haue reknowledged my sinnes vnto thée and mine vnrighteousnesse is not his ¶ S. Austen vpon this place hath a verie prétie saieng Marke saith S. Austen Quando homo detegit Deus tegitesi homo agnoscit Deus igno scit Whensoeuer man discloseth his sinnes then God doth close and
because through his manifest temptations he maketh men sin by which death raigneth c. Deering Of euerlasting death He shall neuer sée death ¶ What els is the meaning of this which Christ saith he shall neuer sée death but because he sawe another death from yâ— which he came to deliuer vs. That is to saiâ— the second death euerlasting death death of hell fire the death of damnation with the Diuell and his Angells that is death indeede Therfore neuer to see death is nothing els but to haue euerlasting life So that we maie note and learne héere that faith is the waie to immortalitie and that Christians doe trulie liue and neuer die although in this world they bee more like to dead men then to liuing men to die in bodie by other men For the saieng of Christ héere is most true to the which also agreeth this place Euerie one which liueth and beleeuth in me shall neuer die Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 329. How this place following is vnderstood Some there be standing heere shall not tast of death til they shall sée the Sonne of man come in his kingdome ¶ The same is to be vnderstood of his glorious transfiguration as if he should saie there are some standing among you which shall not die till they haue seene me in the same glorie and maiestie that I shall come in at the last daie of Iudgement Sir I. Cheeke This was fulfilled in his Resurrection and was as an entrie into his kingdome and was also confirmed by sending the Holie Ghost whereby he wrought so great and sundrie miracles The meaning of this place following In death there is no remembraunce of thée ¶ His meaning is that if he shall by Gods grace be deliuered from death he wil be thankfull and mindfull of it And he bewaileth that this power shall be â—erefte him if he should be taken out of this world because he should be no more conuersant among men so set out the praise of God But héerevpon doe some wrongly vnskilfullie gather that the dend are void of all sense and that ther remaineth no perseuerance at all in them wheras in this place he intreateth of nothing els but of the mutuall praising of Gods grace wherein men exercise themselues while they be aliue For we knowe wée are placed on this earth to this purpose thâ—â— wee shoulde with one consent and one mouth praise GOD which thing is the ende for which wée liue Now â—hen although that death make an ende of such praisings yet doth it not followe that the faithfull soules which are loosened from their bodies are bereft of vnderstanding or touched with no affection to God ward Caluine vpon the 6. Psal. ¶ He lamenteth that occasion should be taken from him to praise God in the Congregation Geneua In what respect the children of God maie wish death O that God would begin to smite me that he would lette his hand goe and take me awaie ¶ True it is that Gods children maie well wish death howbeit to another ende and for another respect then Iob doth héere like as all of vs must with S. Paule desire to be let loose from the bondage of sinne wherein we be helde prisoners Saint Paule is not mooued there with anie temptation of his flesh but rather the desire that he hath to imploie himselfe in Gods seruice without let seemeth him to wish that he might passe out of the prison of his bodie Why so For so long as we be in this worlde we must be wrapped in manie miseries and we cease not to offend God being so weak as we be S. Paule is then sorie that he must liue so long in offending God and this kinde of desire is good and holie and procéedeth of the holie Ghost Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 108. Of foure manner of deaths Beside the mortall and eternall death bée other two the spirituall death and the temporall death which be not so well knowen nor so soone espied of the simple as the naturall and eternall death is The spirituall death is when the bodie is yet liuing the soule is dead as the Apostles proueth by the widdowes that liue at pleasure béeing aliue in bodie and yet dead in soule The temporall death is when the affections lusts of the bodie are so killed that the spirit maie liue wherof the Apostle speaketh Col. 3. exhorting vs to mortifie our earthlie members to kill all the strength of our corrupt nature that striue against the spirite For by obaieng our lustes at the first came death into the world as it appeareth by Eue when she eate of the forbidden fruit M. Luther How death is not to be feared Example of a Panim I finde that a learned Panim wrote that we should neither care for life by it selfe nor yet for death by it selfe Hée saith that we should care to liue well and to die well and let life and death passe without care for life is not good but to liue well is good If Panims haue this right consideration of life and death what shame is it for Christen men to care for death Seeing Christ whose wordes cannot but be true so vehementlie forbiddeth vs the same that Panims sawe by reason to be done c. Lupset DEBT How debtes ought to be required and how not ESaie the Prophet seemeth to account it in the Iewes a great fault to aske their debt saieng Et Omnes debitores repetitis Ye chalenge and charge all your debters ye call all debts back againe Whie is it not lawfull for a good christen man to cal for his debts Yea and if neede so require to sue for them by the lawe God forbid else otherwise there could no good order no pollicie no ciuilitie nor Common wealth endure If buyeng and selling keeping of contracts couenants were not lawfull then all things should be common then we should liue like lawlesse beasts wée needed no king no maigistrate But yée must vnderstand that in a case charitie will not suffer right to call for her debt The case shall bée this My brother my neighbour is burnt with fire is lamed of his limmes is robbed of his sight at one word is so oppressed with pouertie that he is not able to paie In this case charitie will commaunde iustice to giue place and not to aske her debt but rather to giue more of their owne The Iewes were so hard hearted that they spared not forgaue no debters were they neuer so poore nor so pitifull And therefore Esaie layeth it to their charge saieng Omnes debitores vestros repetitis Ye cal vpon al your debters as wel them that be in extreame néede and vnable to paie as they that be wealthie and able inough to paie Beside this the Iewes had a certeine ciuill lawe giuen vnto them by God vnto the which we now are not bound The lawe was this Euerie seauenth yeare thou shalt kéepe a frée yeare
other Beholde the ouerboldnesse that hath alwaies reigned in the world which is that men will néeds be maister and make lawes at their owne pleasures and GOD must be faine to accept whatsoeuer they haue forged after that manner But contrariwse the holie Ghost telleth vs that wée must not lift vp one foote to go forward but onelie in the waie which God sheweth vs. Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 419. From whom popish deuotion sprong When men thought to serue God after their owne fashion and framed lawes for themselues saieng This will bée and such a thing will bée acceptable vnto God it was because they would make him like vnto themselues as though he delighted in all the small toyes which they had inuented That is to wit outward things and so doing they transformed God as though they would pull him out of his heauenly seate and drawe him downe hether or as though hée were a creature or a fleshlye thing For then we see all these fonde deuotions vsed in the papacie and tearmed their diuine seruice sprang of this namelie that they knowe not the highnesse of God for then would they haue concluded thus God is not delighted in the things which séemeth good in our owne eies for he is of an other nature then we bee he is a spirit and therefore must we serue him after a cleane contrarie fashion vnto that which pleaseth our nature neither must we in this case attempt anie thing of our owne heades but haue his lawe in which he hath declared his will vnto vs. Hée hath prescribed vs our rule let vs holde vs to that This is the sobrietie which God requireth by his worde and wherevnto he would haue vs to submitte our selues without swaruing anie thing at all there-from Caluine vpon Iob. fol. 399. DIFFERENCE To make difference of the Lords bodie what it is WHo so eateth drinketh vnworthelie he eateth drinketh his owne damnation making no difference of the Lordes bodie ¶ To make no difference of the Lords bodie is vnworthely to eate the Lords bread and to drinke of his cup c. Saint Austen in his 26. treatise vppon Iohn saith The Apostle speaketh of those which receiued the Lordes bodie without difference and careleslie as if it had bene anie other kinde of meat whatsoeuer Heere therefore if he be reproued which maketh no difference of the Lordes bodie that is to saie doth not discerne the Lordes bodie from other meates how then should not Iudas be dampned who came to the Lords table feining that he was a friend but was an enimie Bullinger fol. 1108. DISOBEDIENCE Examples thereof out of Scripture Through Adams disobedience we were all made sinners and subiect to death ¶ As by one mans disobedience manie wer made sinners so by the obedience of one shall manie be made righteous Rom. 5. 19. For as by Adam all die euen so in Christ shall all be made aliue ¶ Christ rose first from the dead to take possession in our flesh for vs his members And where he saith all shall be made aliue he meaneth the faithfull Geneua Lots wife for disobeieng the Lord was turned into a piller of Salt Of the plagues curses promised to the disobeiers of Gods word Read Deut. 28. and Iere. 29. The man that gathered stickes on the Sabboth daie was stoned to death Whosoeuer did not obeie the true minister of God and the Iudge was put to death Acan for his disobedience was stoned Iosu. 7. Saule for his disobedience was reiected and cast out of Gods â—auour The Prophet for disobeieng the word of the Lord was denoured of a Lion The Iewes for their disobedience were carried into captiuitie 4. Reg. 17. 23. Queene Vasthi for her disobedience was diuorced from the king Ahasuerus Iohanan disobeied the word of the Lord and carried the people into Aegypt Ionas for his disobedience was cast into the Sea Ionas 1. 15. Of disobedience to the Gospel Read Rom. 10. 16 the 16. 26 2. Thessa. 1. 8. and the. 3. 4. Of disobedience to parents Read Rom. 1. 30. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Exo. 18. Deut. 21. 18. Of disobedience to rulers Read 2. Pet. 2. 10. Iude. 8. DIVORCEMENT How and wherefore married folke maie be diuorsed THe same authoritie hath the woman to put awaie the man that the man hath to put awaie the woman Mar. 10. 11. 12. Christ saith there is no lawfull cause to dissolue matrimonie but adulterie For when the woman giueth the vse of her bodie to an other man shée is no more her first husbandes wife nor the husband no longer the husband of his wife then he obserue the faith of matrimonie with her Wheresoeuer the fault happen and can be proued by certeine signes and lawfull testimonies the persons maie by the authoritie of Gods word and ministrie of the magistrates be separated so one from the other that it shall be lawfull for the man to marrie an other wife and the wife to marrie an other husband And Christ saith Math. 5. 32. and. 19. 9. So that a man shall not néede to kéepe at home with him a woman that is no more his then an other mans neither the woman such an husband as is no more hirs then an other womans Mar. 10. 11. 12. Saint Paule 1. Cor. 7. 12. sheweth an other cause of diuorcement when one of the persons being married is an Infidell and of a contrarie faith If this person will not dwell with the other that is his fellowe in matrimonie and a christen man it is lawfull to breake the faith of matrimonie and marrie with an other So saith Saint Ambrose writing in the place of S. Paule Non debetur reuerencia c. The reuereÌ„ce of matrimonie is not due vnto him yâ— contemneth the author of matrimonie And in yâ— same place the contempt of God breketh yâ— right of matrimonie coÌ„cerning him yâ— is forsakeÌ„ least he should be accursed béeing married to an other Thus thou séest that the Lord Maâ— 5. and 19. giueth license for adulterie to diuorse and marrie againe Saint Paule for infidelitie Whooper Christ speaketh expreslie of the man that he maie for fornication put awaie his wife but he sheweth not whether the woman maie leaue her husbande if he commit whooredome the reason is because he doth onely answere vnto that was demanded of him But if a generall question be moued on this behalfe there is a common and a mutuall right of either parte euen as there is a mutuall knotte of faith and promise otherwise the husbande is the heade of the wife and the wife in subiection to her husband But as farre foorth as perteineth vnto chastitie of matrimonie and to the faithfulnesse of the bed the like lawe is prescribed vnto the wife The man saith Saint Paule hath no power ouer his owne bodie but the wife neither hath the woman power of hir owne bodie but the man There is like libertie therefore if the
267. What the feare of God is Wheras we speak of the feare of God we haue to vnderstand yâ— it is not a â—â—auish feare as men term it but it is so termed in respect of the honour which we owe for that he is our Father Masterâ— Doe we feare God Then it is certaine nothing but to honour him to be whollie his Doe we know him That must be in such wise as he hath vttered himself that is to wit that he is our maker our maintaines â—â—e that shewed such fatherly goodnes towards vs that we of dutie ought to be as children toward him if we wil not be vtterlie vnthankful Also it behoueth vs to acknowledge his dominioÌ„â— superioritie ouer vs to the end yâ— euerie of vs yeldâ—ng him his due honor may â—ern to plese him in al respects thus you see yâ— vnder this â—ere of god héere is coÌ„prehended all religion yâ— is to wit all yâ— seruice honor which the creatures owe vnto their God 〈…〉 4. They neiâ—her fâ—ared the Lord c. ¶ Not to feare the Lord is to liue carelesse and to serue their lusts and appetites and not to sette by God and his Lawe as is said Psâ—l 55 19. T. M. ¶ He meaneth this by the Israelites to whome God hat giuen his commaundements Geneua They feared the Lord but serued their Gods ¶ That is they had a certaine knowledge of God and feared him because of the punishment but they continued still Idolaters as do yâ— Papists which worship both God Iâ—ols but this is not to feare God as appeareth ver 34. Geneua How this place following is expounded Perfect loue casteth out feare â—I know there are some which interpret those words in this sense that they which loue God trulie are not afraid for pietie sake to put themselues in al manner of daungers neithâ—r doe they shame persecution but valiantlie stand fast in all manner of dangers which selfe thing Paule in the letter to Timothie writ in other words 〈…〉 We haue not receiued the spirit of fearefulnesse but of might of loue Wherefore he exhorteth Timothie not to be ashamed of the testimonie of the Lord nor of him being in â—andes for the Lords sake but couragiouslie to indure labours for the Gospels sake Although those things are true yet this is not it which this place of Iohn teacheth For it there maketh mention of the iudgment of the Lord of which he willeth the godly which loue God not to be afeard and he rendreth a reason for yâ— feare hath vexation ioined with it Wherefore I gladlie assent vnto Augustine which saith that Iohn speaketh of perfect Charitie which forasmuch as it cannot be had in this life we maie not looke to haue it without feare Further we mought in this place vnderstand that feare which is seâ—oined from confidence therfore driued men to desperation For they which beleeue loue God trulie vphold their feare with a liuely faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 208. Of feare that commeth of faith and of feare without faith He that fearth God trulie will eschew all things wherewith he knoweth he shall offend God and doe whatsoeuer hée perceiueth to be acceptable vnto him this feare hath his beginning of faith There is a feare of God in the vngâ—lie but it is without faith For they alwaies dread Gods iudgement against them and would rather there were no God then to bée punished for their wickednesse How we cannot vtterly shake off all feare so long as we liue heere Be not high minded but feare ¶ No man of the number of the faithfull ought to be in doubt of his saluation For the nature of faith is to make men assured of the promise of God Howbeit this is to be known yâ— it is not possible that so long as we liue héere we should not vtterlie shake off all feare for we are continuallie tossed betwéene two cogitations the one of the goodnes faith constancie of god The other of our corruption infirmitie pronesse to euill For when we consider how weak we are prone to euil coÌ„sider also the filthines imperfection of our workes though they be neuer so good therwithal the seueritie of the law in requiring euen to the vttermost the things which it commaundeth This consideration I saie if it be vehement cannot but excéedinglie make afeard the mind and deiect it But on the other side when we consider the clemencie goodnesse mercie of God his constancie in his promises therewithall remember that all the merits of Christ are communicated to vs we are refreshed and recreated and the feare is either lenified or els sometime vtterlie laide awaie And these effects where they are perfect vehement doe succéed the one the other for they cannot be both at one time or if they be both at one time then are either of them remisse not vehement But in what matter they giue place the one to the other we may by daily experience vnderstand For if a man be set vpon the top of an high tower if being ther his mind run vpon nâ—thing els but vpon the height of the tower what a déepe way he shuld fall so yâ— he cannot fall without danger of death it iâ— possible but yâ— his minde being still vpon this he should be altogether smitten with an errour but if he turne his eie aside to the barre or battlements which staie him vp that he cannot fall then will he plucke vp his spirits againe and put away al feare neither ought it to seeme vnto anie man straunge yâ— wée saie that faith expelleth that feare which is ioined with doubting of saluation when as in Iohn it is said That charitie driueth feare out a doores For it is most certeine that yâ— which the Scripture attributeth to charitie may be attributed to faith for charitie springeth of faith Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 355. FERVENT Of two sorts of feruentnesse THey haue a ferueÌ„t mind to God but not according to knowledge ¶ There be two manner of feruentnesse of minde two maner of good intents The one is grounded vpon a vaine or fleshlie opinion and not vpon Gods word this good intent is damnable before God The other procéedeth of faith and suffereth it selfe to be ruled by the wisdome and iudgement of the spirit of God Such feruentnesse was in Moses in Phinâ—hes and in Helias with other innumerable Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Looke Zeale FEASTES Feast of dedication wherefore it was ordeined THE feast of dedication ¶ That is to saie the feast of inuocation or renueng because the temple which was polluted by yâ— coÌ„mandemeÌ„t authority of Iudas Machabeus was coÌ„secrated a fresh And then it was appointed yâ— euerie yeare ther should be a feast daie of new dedication to put the people in minde of the grace and fauour of God who had taken from them
Geneua He brought the Groue from the Temple of the Lorde He remoued the Groue which Idolaters for deuotion had planted néere vnto the Temple contrarie to the commaundement of the Lorde Deut. 16. 21. Or as some reade the similitude of the Groue which was hanged in the Temple Geneua They worshipped Trées and Groues ¶ This worde Aschrea with the Hebrewes is a Trée and being in the plurall number Ascheroth as it is in this place it signifieth Trées anâ— of some it is translated Groues For it is a most common manner amonge the Idolaters to worshippe their Gods in Groues In Oken Groues they sacrificed to Iupiter And the Oke of Dâ—dome was in the olde time most famous by reason of the aunsweres which it gaue In woodes of Bayeâ—â—es was Appollo worshipped Dapâ—â—e also is notable where the Temple of Appollo was 〈…〉 was wonâ— to haue a temple among Oliue trées And lastlie we may mark both in Poets also in histories yâ— shadowie woods most large riuers and mountaines of exceeding great height were counted in the men of the olde time places most apt for Sacrifices to bée done vnto Idolls because such places dreweâ— vnto men no small admiration Wherefore they thought that such notable places had the power of God present Yea and Abraham also Isaac and Iacob and the olde Fathers offered Sacrifices vnto the true God vppon the high mountaines which custome was till such time vsed as God by a lawe ordeyned that they shoulde not doe sacrifice euerie where but in that place onelie which he himsâ—lfe had chosen Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 77. GVILE The definition of Guile â—Eruetus an interpreter of the Lawe hath thus defined euill guile namelie to be a subtile inuention or deuice for to deceiue an other by when as one thing is done an other thing dissembled Wheresoeuer therefore is guile there is deceite by some dissimulation c. Of good and euill Gule Some guile is good and other some is euill Wée call that good which is not hurtfull when as it hurteth none but sometimes profiteth but euill guile is hurtfull and euer hurteth some bodie c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. Halcion What Halcion is HAlcion was the daughter of Neptunus and wife to Ceyâ— whome shée beholding to bée drowned for sorrow prowned her self Wherfore the Poets write that they were both translated into birdes and called Halâ—ioâ—es Elioâ—o What the Halcions 〈…〉 bee Halcion is a kings fisheâ— It is said that in the most sharpe coldest time of the yeare these Halcions making their nâ—ast â— in the sea rocks or sand wil 〈…〉 their Egges hatch forth their Chickensâ— And therefore the same sea that haâ—bouâ—eth these â—oules thus sitting vpon their Egs wil be so calme stil to her guests for 〈…〉 daies yâ— men maie surelie saile without perill vpon her not shaken or moiested with anie storme or tempest nor yet the neasts of these birds so nigh the water not once shaken nor hurt with anie souâ—ges For the sea will not for yâ— time of these birds â—â—tting hatching disease her guests And therfore is this tranquilitie of the sea for that little time as a tâ—ewes taking in the Winter called the Halcions daies Melancthon vpon Danâ— HAND What the hand of God signifieth CHrist is called the hande of God for he is both his arme and his hande Moreouer Gods hand is taken sometime for his power Iere. 18. 6. Beholde the house of Israel ye are in my hand euen as the claie in the Potters Sometime for his scourge Soph. 1. 4. I will stretch out my hande ouer Iuda and Hierusalem and I will roote out the remnaunt of Siria Of the which scourge Iob. 19. 21. saith The hand of the Lorde hath touched mée Augustine Of the band that Balthasâ—r sawe The king himselfe alone sawe the handâ— wâ—itingâ— and not his guests as did Balaamsâ— Asse see the Angell which Balaam sawe not The hande came glittering foorth againstâ— the light and Candlesticke Rabbie Saadias saith That it was the hand of Gabriel But it was the hand of God and man to â—ée euen of Christ which is the mightie Angell of Gods counsell and hand of the Father c. Melancthon vpon Dan. What is meant by this place following Put thy hand vnder my thigh ¶ To put the hand vnder the â—high was an oath which theâ— Hebrewes vsed in such things as perteined to the Testament and promise of God As in Gâ—nâ— 47. 29. ¶ Which ceremonie declared the seruaunts obedience towards his maister and the maisters power ouer the seruaunt Geneua Hand writing what it was And hath put out the hand writing yâ— was against vs conteined in the lawe written ¶ The lawe is our hande writing in that the conscience setteth to her seale subse 〈…〉 and â—onâ—enteth that the lawe is iust and we sinners which lawe coâ—cerning dampnation is taken awaie through faith in Christ. Tindale The Apostle héere vseth a Metaphor of a writing or of an Obligation made where men are bound to fulâ—â—ll the writing or obligation made This writing is the lawe of God it requireth that all men shoulde fulfill the lawe no man fulfilled the lawe Christ onelie excepted wherefore all men were founde by the lawe guiltie and worthie of death because they haue not fulfilled the law that they were bound to kéepe This Lawe Christ not onelie for himselfe but for all that beléeue in him to the worlds ende did fulfill that it shall not bée imputed to them that beléeue in Christ anie transgression of the lawe and we by him and in him Christ is the perfection of the lawe to all them that beléeue in him L. Ridley vpon the â—oll HAPPIE The meaning of this place following HAppie or blessed are they which haue not séene and yet haue beléeued ¶ These wordes were spoken in reproch of the hard beliefe of Didimus that would not beléeue the resurrection of his Maister Christ by the report of them that sawe him risen notwithstanding he knew that Christ had promised before his death that he would rise againe the third daie but said he would first sée the faâ—â—eming of the nailes in his hands and put his finger into the holes and his hand into his side or he woulde beléeue But when he had seene and confessed saieng My Lord and my God Then said Christ to him Because thou hast séeâ—e me Thomas thou hast beléeued happie or blessed are they which haue not séene and yet haue beléeued meaning therby the Fathers Prophets of the old law which saw him not with the bodilie eies and yet beléeued all that they writ of him concerning his comming in the flesh which Thomas woâ—ld not beléeue till he sawe it This is the meaning of this place and not to applie it as the Papists haue done to the Sacrament counting them to be blessed that beléeue Christs bodie to be there and sée it not Crowley HARDEN How God is said
iudgement It meaneth not that the wicked shall not appeare in iudgement T. M. Whether a Iudge beeing guiltie in any crime may iudge an other accused of the selfe same crime Wherefore O man thou art in-excusable whosoeuer thou art that iudgest for in that thou iudgest an other thou condemnest thy selfe for thou y◠iudgest doest euen the self same thing ¶ Héere it seemeth such to be reproued which iudge others and that not amisse when as yet they themselues liue in the selfe same wicked actes Let vs sée whether their opinion bée vpright which thinke that such Iudges cannot nor ought not to giue sentence against others which are accused vnto them they themselues being guiltie of the selfe same fault but this were to ouerthrowe all publike wealths and vtterly to take away iudgements Neither doth Paule héere anie thing serue for the maintenaunce of this opinion but onelye sheweth that they most grieuouslye sinne which with a greate seueritie punish others and ouerpasse themselues They ought vndoutedly first to correct and amende themselues but yet Paule biddeth them not to forsake the office committed vnto them They vse also for this purpose to recite the saieng of Christ vnto them which accused the adulterous woman Hee which among you is without sinne let him cast the first stone at her But this sentence of Christ is not against iust punishments lawful iudgements Neither commaunded he them that they should not goe forward in accusing the woman whom they had taken in adulterie He himselfe was no Magistrate but the most high Preacher of God therefore that which was his office to doe he executed in perswading those hypocrits to repentance And he wold haue them first héerevnto to haue a regard by a liuely faith and repentaunce to deliuer themselues from the sins whereof they wer guiltie Neither forbad he but y◠they shuld execute y◠which the law of Moses commanded c. Pe. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 36 ¶ Héere S. Paule speaketh against those men onely who being themselues filled with all wickednesse impietie yet be of all other most busie curious in noting reprehending other mens faults not of anie godly zeale but to iustifie themselues and to bring others into hatred and contempt The Bible note Wherefore Iudges are called Gods In all causes saith God to Moses of iniurie or wrong whether it be Oxe Asse Shéepe or Uesture or any lost thing which an other chalengeth let the cause of both parties be brought before the Gods whom the Gods condemne the same shall paye double vnto his neighbour Marke the Iudges are called Gods in the Scriptures because they are in Gods roome execute the commmaundements of God in an other place in the sayd chapter Moses chargeth saieng Neither speak euill of the rule◠of the people whosoeuer therefore resisteth them resisteth God for they are in the rowme of God and they that resist shal receiue dampnation Tindale fol. 110. I sayd ye are called Gods ¶ Meaning of Princes rulers who for their office are called Gods are made heere in earth as his Liuetenants wherefore if this noble title be giuē to man much more it apperteineth to him that is the sonne of GOD equall with the Father Geneua Of the last iudgement The Hebrewes doe crake vppon a certeine number of thousandes of yeares in which this worlde shoulde be determined and they attribute these wordes vnto the Prophet Elias There shall be sixe thousande yeares of this worlde Two thousande shall bée voide so they doe call the time which went before the lawe two thousande for the lawe and two thousand for Christ. In déede this saieng doth serue well to confute the obstinacye of the Iewes whereas they doe yet stubburnelye denie that Christ is come but to proue the determinate space and ende of the worlde it canne bée of no authoritie at all Lactantius doth also determine this worlde at the sixe thousand Augustine doth confute them which doth determine the thousandes of this worlde according vnto the number of the dayes in the wéeke affirming that the eyght daye is a figure of the resurrection and ende of the worlde As for mée I am well contented to bée ignoraunt of that which God woulde not haue mée to knowe whereby I doe not allowe their coniectures and gessinges which had rather argue in this matter and search the secretes of God then according vnto the admonition of the Lord watch walke in the study and seeking of true godlynesse Musculus vpon his Common place fol. 449. IVST Who is a iust man HE that liueth vnblameable and honestly among men and harmeth no man but is gladde to doe good to all men to his power such is called a Cicero or rather of all men a iust or righteous man Such a one was Symeon and diuers other named in Scripture Hemmyng What is meant by the iust man To the iust man saith Saint Paule there is no lawe set but to the vniust and disobedient c. ¶ By the iust man héere is ment not he which neuer had disease but he which knowing his disease séeketh out the Phisition and being cured kéepeth himselfe in health as much as may from any moe surfets Notwithstanding he shall neuer so kéepe himselfe but that his health that is his new obedience shall alway remaine fraile and vnperfect and shall continually néede the Phisition Wher by the way these thrée points are to be noted First the sicknesse it selfe second the knowing of the sicknesse thirdly the Phisition The sicknesse is sinne the knowing of the sicknesse is repentaunce the Phisition is Christ. Booke of Mar. fol. 1115. ¶ Whos 's hearts Gods spirite doeth direct to doe that willingly which the law requireth so that their godly affection is to them as a Lawe without further constraint Geneua The difference betweene a iust man and a man iustified A iust man is he that is endued with the vertue of Iustice which may increase or diminish in him but a iustified man is he whose sinnes are forgiuen him and he accounted righteous not for his owne worthinesse but for Christs sake Or thus a iust or righteous man is he that exerciseth himselfe in the kéeping of Gods commaundements so neere as God shal giue him grace and the infirmitie of mans corrupt nature will admitte But a iustified man is he that hauing no Iustice or righteousnesse in him before is accepted of God for iust his iniquitie being pardoned and his sinnes couered ¶ Looke Righteous IVSTICE The definition of Iustice. MEn doe sundry wise define Iustice some man bringeth one thing and some another Aristides said It is not to couet any other mans goods In the definition of Iustice some man bringeth one thing and some another which rather belong to some parte thereof then whereby the whole is defined In my iudgement we must first see what it is to be iust that thereby we may come to the knowledge of Iustice
sinne wherefore hast thou made me such a one If thou be the preseruer of men â—hy shouldest thou condempne me so seeing it lyeth in thée to saue me But a man may well sée that this is not the naturall meaning And such as take it so neuer knewe the intent of the Holy ghost as touching this streine and moreouer they haue ill considered yâ— which is witnessed vnto vs concerning lob how he was patient howsoeuer the world went with him What is it then that Iob ment It is as if he should say Well I confesse my fault and I cannot escape the iudgement of God why so He is the kéeper of men But this word Keeper hath bene misconstrued for men haue taken it for a preseruer of mankind for one that shieldeth them vnder his protection It is certaine that as yâ— Gréeke Translater also hath well marked which thing he is commonly wont to doe Iob ment to say that God wayteth vpon vs that he watcheth vs and that he knoweth all as if a man should watch one to spye and marke all that euer he doeth and saith We sée then in what sence Iob applyeth this title vnto God that is The kéeper of men Cal. vpon Iob. fol. 135. KILL How the intent to kill is worse then the slaughter it selfe BUt ye goe about to kill me c. ¶ We are taught by this place that the minde and purpose to do any work is accounted for the worke it selfe Yea if thou consider well the intent to doe any euill thing is worse then the worke it selfe and the intent to doe any good worke is better then the worke it selfe Better is the desire to doe good to those that are in misery then the Almes déede it selfe And the intent to kill is worse then the murther it selfe The Almes déede may be so done that it may displease God concerning the which reade the 5. of Mathew verse 42. A murderous déede may be so done that it may please God as may appeare in the Leuiticus in Phinehes in Iehu and so refused that God may be displeased for the not dooing of it as we may sée in Agag Amalech whom Saule kept alyue But the desire and intent to do good cannot displease God euen as the desire to kill cannot please him Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 317 KING How and wherefore we are called Kings and Priests AS euery perfect beléeuing man in our Sauiour Christ are called Priests of offering of spirituall Sacrifices so are they â—alled Kings of ruling and subduing the temptations and suggestions of their sinfull appetites vnto reason and to the will of God vppon the perfourmaunce of this condition Moses doeth call vs Kings and Priests saieng If ye will heare my voice and kéepe my appointment ye shall be mine owne aboue all Nations For all the earth is mine ye shall be also vnto me a Kingdome of Priests and an holy people Ric. Turnar Of the Kings of Israel and Iuda how many were good Of all the kings that reigned ouer Israel and Iuda there were no mo but Dauid Ezechias and Iosias that continued perfectly vnto the ende of their liues in the true religion of God not that these thrée were men of such perfection that they did not notably offende the lawe of God in their life time But these wer such men that they wer neuer infected with the foule sinne of Idolatrie and wicked worshipping of straunge Gods Into other sinnes in déede they fell and from the same by true repentaunce obteined mercie and forgiuenesse aâ— Gods hand So that notwithstanding both the murther adulterie of Dauid the foolish vaine glory of Ezechias that shewed all his treasure and all his secrets vnto the Ambassadours of Babilon for the which Esay the Prophet did openly reproue him to his face Yet otherwise they stoode vpright kéeping themselues pure and cleane from the most detestable sinne of Idolatry And therefore Dauid strong in the armes and amiable of countenaunce and Ezechias which by interpretation is called the health of our Lorde and Iosias Fortitudo Domini the strength of the Lord These thrée doe beare the bell away and are preferred aboue all the Kings of Iuda as we reade in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus 40. Chapter where their praises are commended to endure to the worlds ende Ric. Turnar How Kings haue to doe in matters of religion Dauid commaunded Sadoch and Abiathar the Priests and the Leuites to bring the Arke of the Lord God into the place which he had prepared for it Salomon displaced Abiathar from the high Priests office put Sadoch into his roome Heare me O you Leuites and be sanctified cleanse the house of the God of your Fathers and take awaye all vncleannesse from the Sanctuary ¶ Thâ—se are not words of entreatie but flat commaundements as Lyra saith Ezechia cupiens renouare foedus c. Ezechias desirous to renue the Couenaunt with the Lord first did commaund the Leuites to be sanctified Second by them being sanctified the Temple to be cleansed Thirdly by those which were cleansed sacrifice to be made for the offence of the people Fourthly by sacrificing God to be praised Fiftly by cleansing the holye Burnt-offerings to bée offered vp ¶ Thus were all things done by his commaundement by his constitution and at his pleasure c. I. Bridges fol. 285. Nunc mihi debio c. I iudge it saith Constantine the great that this ought before all other things to be my scope that among the most holy multitude of the Catholike Church one faith and sincere Charitie and godlynesse agréeing together towards almightie God might be conserued I. Bridges fol. 117. Quanto subditorum gloria c. How much more saith the king of Spaine called Richardus we are exalted in royall glorie ouer the subiects so much more ought we to be carefull in those matters that apperteine vnto God Either to augment our owne hope or else to looke to the profit of the people committed to vs of God And as ye sée me in very déede inflamed with the seruice of faith God hath stirred me vp to this end that the obstinacie of infidelitie béeing expelled and the furie of discorde remoued I should reuoke the people to the knowledge of faith and to the fellowship of the Catholike Church who serued errour vnder the name of religion These be the wordes of this christen king which he spake openly in the third counsel at To-let before all the Bishops there assembled S. Austen sayth that the auncient actes of the godly kings mentioned in the propheticall bookes were signes of the like factes to be done by the godly Princes in the time of the new testament I. Bridges fol. 505. Of Iosaphats supreme gouernement ¶ Looke Iosaphat Carolus Magnus commaunded that nothing should be read openly in the Church sauing onely the Canonicall bookes of the holy Scripture And that the faithfull people should receiue
familiar signe among the Iewes so often as there was any solempne kinde of praier or blessing as when they offered sacrifice We haue also an example in Isaac more agreeable to the place when he laid his hands vpon his sonne Iacob as though he did consecrate and offer him to God that hée might be the promised heire That this was a common custome among the Iewes it is euident by another example of Iacob which blessed the two children of his sonne Ioseph namely Ephraim and Manasses But they were not wont to lay handes of any man which were not endued with some notable power and vertue or set in some high office Euen as the Apostle taketh an argument of the blessing of Melchisedech which blessed Abraham neither doth he faine the argument For it is oftentimes read that ther were Priests chosen which might blesse the people euen as though God were present to blesse himselfe The manner of blessing was prescribed vnto Moses by the mouth of the Lord when he said Ye shall blesse the Children of Israel and say vnto them The Lord blesse thee and kéepe thée the Lord make his face to shine vpon thee the Lord lifte vp his countenaunce vpon thée and giue thée peace The like we haue also in the 118. Psalme Séeing therefore that the laieng on of hands was an auncient solempne order of blessing among the Iewes it is no meruaile if the parents desire Christ to vse this ceremonie in blessing their children Marlor fol. 425. By the putting on of my hands c. ¶ As in the Baptime the outward ministerie or mysticall washing doth regenerate wash away sinnes cleanse and purge vs from our filthinesse so doth the imposition or laieng on of hands giue vs the gift of the holy Ghost But the outward and mysticall washing doeth onely represent vnto vs that in Christs bloud our sinnes are cleane washed away When Mathias was chosen by lotte it is not to be doubted but that the Apostles after their common manner praied for him that God woulde giue him grace to minister his office trulye and put their hands on him and exhorted him and gaue a charge to be diligent and faithfull and then was he as great as the best Act. 6. When the Disciples that beléeued had chosen vij Deacons to minister to the Widdowes the Apostles prayed and put their hands on them and admitted them without any more adoe Their putting on of hands was not after the manner of the dumbe blessing of our holy Bishops with two fingers but they spake vnto them and tolde them their dutie and gaue them a charge and warned them to be faithfull in the Lordes businesse as we choose temporall Officers and read their dutie vnto them and they promise to be faithfull Ministers and then are admitted Neither is there any other manner or Ceremonie at all required in making of our spirituall Officers then to choose an able person and then to rehearse him his duetie and to giue him his charge and so to put him in his roome Tindale And layed his hande vpon Ephraims head The putting on of hands was commonly vsed of the Hebrewes when they commended or offered any thing to God as Leuit. 1. 4. T. M. What is meant by laieng ones hande vpon his mouth Whereas Iob saith he will lay his hand vpon his mouth it is a signe of protestation that he will not procéede any further And yâ— manner of speach is rife in yâ— scripture And it serueth to do vs to vnderstand that we must refrain our foolish appetites And that when our flesh tickeleth vs to speake we must resist it as if it were by putting a mussell or bridle vpon our mouths to refrain them If a man were so wise of himselfe as he wold not be tempted to speake amisse he should not néede to laye his hande vpon his mouth for he would refraine of his owne accord and he should néede neither stoppe nor barre But now on the contrary part whereas it is saide that we must laye our hande vppon our mouth is to doe vs to wit that we haue to fight against our fonde lusts and likings which doe continually make vs too hastie in speaking insomuch that our tongue shall still bée sharpe set to cast foorth some thing or other that is nought woorth against God c. Caluine fol. 724. LAMPES What the Lampes and Oyle doe signifie THe foolish tooke their Lamps but tooke none oyle with them ¶ By Lampes without Oyle vnderstand works without faith which cannot shine because they are without light Tindale ¶ These Lampes do signifie all manner of outward things whereby we are knowen to be Christians The Oyle betokeneth the lyuely Faith which worketh by vnfained loue and charitie All the whole Parable speaketh of true and false Christians Sir I. Cheeke LANDE What is ment by the crieng of the lande BUt if case be that my lande crye out against me c. ¶ The lande cryeth against him when the husbandmen defrauded of their wages crye therefore against him So the hyre of the workman cryeth Iames. 5. 4. And the furrowes make lamentation when they that plowe the ground and make the furrowes are depriued of their duetie T. M. LAODICIA What the word signifieth THis Citie standeth in the lesse Asia not farre from Hierapolis and Collossus Of this Citie were the Laodicians of whom Paule hath spoken somewhat Coll. 4. 13. and 16. And this word Laodicia signifieth by interpretation a righteous people Marl. fol. 20. Of the strife that was in Laodicia for the keeping of Easter Melito the Pastor of the Church that was at Sardis maketh mention in his booke of the Passeouer with these words Under Sergius the Uice-president of Asia saith he at what time Sagadis was crowned with Martirdome ther arose a great strise at Laodicia about the kéeping of the Easter c. Read Eusebius in the 26. chapter of his fourth bóoke of Church matters concerning Socrates Eusebius Anatolius Stephanus and Theodorus Bishops of the same Church looke the same Eusebius in the 28. and 29. chapters of his seauenth booke of Church matters Marl. vpon the Apoc. fol. 66. LAST Of the last daye ¶ Looke Daye Who be the last and who be the first ANd the last shall be first ¶ He takâ—th away all desperation from the greatest sinner Whom the good man of the house may call into his vineyard to be a labourer when he will and giue him eternall life as to the théefe hanging on the Crosse which deserued no such thing Doe we not see that the Iewes boasting themselues in the lawe to be last and to be reiected And that the Gentiles which were last are now become first most acceptable vnto God to whome he hath giuen repentance vnto life c. Marl. fol. 440. ¶ Looke more in this word First Of the last farthing Looke Farthing LATRIA What this word Latria signifieth LAtria after the minde of Dunce is
called an exteriour honouring or a bodely seruice c. If that be true it followeth that they giue that honour to stocks and stones that onely pertaineth to God which doe any exteriour honour whatsoeuer it be This word Latria wherwith the simple people be deceiued is a Greeke word and after S. Austen it signifieth no more but seruice which cannot be denied is giuen to stockes and stones Thinke you that the Children of Israel with their high Priest Aaron could not haue made this Pope holye excuse that they were not so mad nor so foolish as to honor the golden Calfe but rather to referre the honour to the liuing God they had a good colour for them for they knew none other God nor Saint but him and yet this excuse was not lawfull nor could be allowed when Moses came with the word of God Marke also what hée was that made the Calfe not a foole nor ignoraunt person among the people or one of no authoritie but the most wisest man eloquent chiefe among them which was to kéepe the people together in good order He also made a Calfe with yâ— which thing all their Fathers had pleased God in dooing Sacrifice with them So that they might well thinke that it might bée acceptable to God to bée honoured in the Image of a Calfe before any other Image But all these colours is naked before the word of God D. Barnes LAVVE What the Lawe is and what is to be vnderstood thereby THe lawe saith Iustinian is a facultie or science of the thing that is good and right as Celsus ther defineth Or thus The lawe is a certaine rule or Canon to doe well by which ought to be knowen of all men Cicero de lege saith that the Lawe is a certaine rule proceeding from the minde of God perswading right and forbidding wrong So that the Lawe is a certaine rule a directory shewing what is good and what is euill what is vertue and what is vice what profitable and what disprofitable what to be done and what to be left vndone ¶ The Lawe is a doctrine that biddeth good and forbiddeth euill as the Commaundements doe speake Booke of Mar. fol. 1110. This word Law maye not be vnderstoode héere after the common manner as to vse Paules tearmes after the manner of men or after mans wayes that thou wouldest saye the Lawe héere in this place were nothing but learning which teacheth what ought to be done and what ought not to be done as it goâ—th with mans lawe where the lawe is fulfilled with outward workes onely though the heart be neuer so farre off but God iudgeth after the ground of the heart yea the thoughts of the secret moouings of the minde Therefore his law requireth the grounde of the heart and loue from the bottome thereof and is not content with the outward workes onely but rebuketh those workes most of all that spring not of loue from the lowe bottome of the heart though they appeare outward neuer so honest and good As Christ rebuketh the Pharisies aboue all other that were open sinners and calleth them hypocrites that is to say Simulars and painted Sepulchers which Pharesies yet liued no men so pure as pertaining to the outward deedes and workes of the lawe Yea and Paule in the third Chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians confesseth of himselfe that as touching the law he was such a one as no man could complaine on and notwithstanding was yet a murtherer of the Christen persecuted them formented them so sore that he compelled them to blaspheme Christ and was altogether mercilesse as many which nowfaine outward good workes are Tindale ¶ We vnderstand by the lawe these commaundements onely which God gaue by Moses in two Tables of stone wherein is comprehended all the rest of the doctrine of God contained in the holy Scriptures The good things which God alloweth and requireth of vs which we are bound to doe and the euill that displeaseth him which we ought not to followe and beside that it sheweth vs our offences and sinnes and how we stand debters vnto the iudgment of God and preacheth vnto vs nothing els but the very wrath and cursse of him which we haue deserued in offending of him By the law we are all condemned before God as transgressors of all his commaundements and thereby declared worthy of death and eternall damnation So that the law serueth rather to condemne then to saue vs. And yet there is no fault in the law which is good holy and iust but the fault is in vs which are wicked of nature and doe not accomplish the law The law doth vtter our sinnes and sheweth vs plainly our disease and how daungerous it is as the Phisitions doth but it cannot heale vs but sendeth vs to another which is able to heale our disease and none but he one Christ Iesus our Lord. The law is deuided into two parts The first Table pertaineth to God which is this Thou shalt haue none other Gods but me Thou shalt make thée no Image nor likenes c. Thou shalt not take the name of God in vaine c. Remember to sanctifie the Sabboth day c. The other Table pertaineth to our neighbour which are these Honor thy father thy mother c. Kil not Commit none adulterie Steale not Beare no false witnes against thy neighbor Couet not thy neighbors house nor his wife c. And all the doctrine comprised in these two Tables Christ reduced into ij points which are these Loue God aboue al things thy neighbor as thy selfe for all the law the Prophets depend vpon these ij commaundements Then whatsoeuer ye wold that men should do vnto you do ye the same vnto them P. Viret Platoes definition of the Lawe Plato in his Booke of Lawes of a Publike wealth and in Minos séemeth thus to define the lawe namely That it is an vpright manner of gouerning which by conuenient meanes directeth vnto the best ende in setting foorth paines vnto the transgressours and rewardes vnto the obedient This definition maye bée most aptlye applyed vnto the Lawe of God yet there can be no such Law vnlesse it be of God Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 137. What the office and vse of the law is The vse and ende of the lawe is to accuse and condempne vs guiltie such as liue in securitie that they may sée themselues to be in daunger of sin wrath death eternall that so they may be terrified brought euen to the brinke of desperation trembling and quaking at the falling of a leafe And in that they are such they are vnder the lawe for the law requireth perfect obedience vnto God and condemneth all those that doe not accomplish the same Now it is certaine that there is no man liuing which is able to perfourme this obedience which notwithstanding God straightly requireth of vs. The law therefore iustifieth not but condemneth according to
another place The Sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost And in Saint Lukes Gospell concerning the conuersion of Zacheus The Sonne of man is come to séeke and to saue that which was lost Therefore it ought to be no discomfort vnto vs to confesse that wée are vtterlye lost séeing thereby that we are assured that wée appertaine vnto Christ who came of purpose to séeke and to saue that which was lost O the wonderfull wisedome power and mercie of GOD shewed vs in CHRIST that euen then when we feele our selues lost we are founde when we sée our selues destroied we are saued when we heare our selues condemned we are iustified onely in beléeuing these words The sonne of man is come to saue that which was lost Let vs therefore with inuincible courage of faith take holde of these generall promises of God and apply them vnto our selues as the poore woman of Canany did and we shall finde it to be true which our Sauiour Christ saith vnto vs There is nothing impossible to him that beléeueth Doct. Fulke LOTTES How they may be vsed lawfully TO speake of lottes how farre foorth they are lawfull is a light question First to vse them for the breaking of sâ—riâ—e as when partners their goods as equally deuided as they can take euery man his part by lotte to auoid all suspition of deceiptfulnesse And as the Apostles in the first of the Actes when they sought another to succéede Iudas the Traitour and two persons were presented then to breake strife and to satisfie all parties did cast lottes whether should be admitted desiring God to temper them and to take whom he knewe most meete séeing they wist not whether to preferre or happely could not all agrée either is lawfull and in all like cases But to abuse them vnto the tempting of God to compell him therewith to vtter things whereof we stand in doubt when we haue no commaundement of him so to doe as these Heathen héere did though God tourned it to his glorye cannot bée but euill Tindale fol. 27. ¶ Which declareth that the matter was in great extremitie and doubt which thing was Gods motion in them for the tryall of the cause and this maye not be done but in matters of great importaunce Geneua LOVE Of the order of Loue. SOme in seeking for an order in loue doe determine by the authoritie of S. Austine that first we must loue God secondly our selues thirdly our neighbours and bretheren and fourthly our owne body and our neighbours But there is nothing in Scripture touching any such order Indéed Christ doth saye that the first Commaundement doth stand in the loue of God but he doth not giue the seconde place to the loue of our selues but vnto the loue of our neighbour where as he saith in Mathew the second is like the first So that there is a double error committed héere by them which doe vncircumspectly and vnadâ—isedly follow Augustine One in that they do recken the loue of our selues amongst the kindes of loue commaunded vs whereas there is no Commaundement touching the same for it is naturally giuen to vs all to loue our selues and that there is no néede to giue any commaundement concerning this manner of loue And whereas the same is corrupted by the sin that dwelleth within vs in our flesh that corruption is not reformed by commaunding vs to loue our selues but by the loue of God of our neighbour and bretheren which is prescribed vnto vs by expresse precepts to reforme the naturall affections of loue in vs and to direct them after a good order wherefore it is not to be feared that he which doth loue God his neighbour and bretheren aright can neglect and cast away himselfe albeit that he doe wholly denie and refuse himselfe and be addicted full and whole to the glorie of God and the saluation of his neighbours The other errour standeth in that they place the loue of our selues next vnto the loue of God whereas Christ doth assigne the second place expressely to the loue of our neighbour Musculus fol. 471. How Loue is the fulfilling of the lawe Paule Rom. 13. affirmeth that loue is the fulfilling of the law and that he which loueth doth of his owne accord all that the law requireth And first Tim. 1. 5. he saith that the loue of a pure heart and good conscience and faith vnfained is the ende fulfilling of the lawe For faith vnfained in Christs bloud causeth thée to loue for Christs sake which loue is the pure loue onely and the onely cause of a good conscience for then is the conscience pure when the eyes looketh to Christ in all hir deedes to doe them for his sake not for hir owne singular aduauntage or any other wicked purpose And Iohn both in his Gospell and also Epistles spoaketh neuer of any other law then to loue one another purely Affirming that we haue God himselfe dwelling in vs and all that God desireth if we loue one another Tindale fol. 36. Againe Loue of hir owne nature bestoweth all that she hath and euen hir owne selfe of that which is loued Thou néedest not to bidde a kinde mother to be louing to hir onely sonne Much lesse spirituall Loue which hath eyes giuen hir of God néedeth mans lawe to teach hir to doe hir dutie And as in the beginning he did put foorth Christ as the cause and Authour of our righteousnesse euen so héere setteth he him foorth as an example to counterfaite that as he hath done to vs euen so should we doe one to another Tindale fol. 49. How we ought to loue God This doe and thou shalt liue ¶ That is to say Loue thy Lord God with all thy soule with all thy strength with all thy minde thy neighbour as thy selfe as who should say if thou doe this or though canst not doe it yet if thou féelest lust therevnto and thy spirit stirreth and mourneth longeth after strength to doe it take a signe euident token thereby that the spirit of life is in thee that thou art elect to life euerlasting by Christs bloud whose gift and purchase is thy faith and that spirit that worketh the will of God in thée whose gifte also are thy déedes or rather the déedes of the spirit of Christ and not thine and whose gifte is the reward of eternall life which followeth good workes Tindale fol. 78. ¶ Ye haue not the loue of God in you ¶ The loue of God is héere taken for the whole féeling of godlinesse For no man can loue God but he must also honour him and must submitte himselfe wholly vnto him euen as where is no loue of God there is no obedience in consideration Moses maketh this the summe of the lawe that we loue God with our whole heart c. Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 181. Why Loue hath the chiefe place aboue Faith and Hope Now abideth Faith Hope Loue but
wine is to vs which thing appeareth more plaine by the words of Saint Austen following which be these Manducauit Moses Manna c. Moses did also eate Manna Aaron Phinehes did eate of it which pleased God are dead wherfore because they vnderstood yâ— visible meat spiritualy They wer spiritualy an huÌ„gred they tasted it spiritualy yâ— they might be spiritualy replenished They did all eate the same spirituall meate and all dranke the same spiritually which we doe and they all did drinke the same spirituall drinke They dranke one thing and we another but that was in the outward appearaunce which neuerthelesse did signifie the same thing spiritually How dranke they the same drinke They saith the Apostle dranke of the spirituall stone following them and that stone was Christ. And thereto Saint Bede addeth these words Videte autem fide manente signa variata Behold that the signes are altered and yet the faith abideth one Of these places it may plainely be perceiued that it is no Article necessary to be beleeued vnder paine of damnation that the Sacrament should be the naturalll body of Christ seeing the olde fathers neuer beleeued it And as they were saued without beleeuing that Manna was altered into Christes body euen so shall we be saued without beleeuing that the substaunce of bread is turned into his naturally body for the same faith shall saue vs that saued them And we are bound to beléeue no more vnder paine of damnation then they wer bound to beleeue I. Frith MARANATHA What this word Maranatha signifieth LEt him be had in execration Maranatha ¶ By these words is betokened the seuerest kinde of cursse and excommunication that was among the Iewes and the words are as much to say as our Lord commeth So that his meaning maye be this Let him be accursed euen to the comming of the Lord that is to say to his deaths daye euen for euer S. Hierome doth expound this word Maranatha the Lord commeth as if he should say If a man doe not beleeue our Lord Iesus Christ let him be accursed and let him be sure that the the Lord against whoÌ„ no hatred can preuaile doth come Some againe doe expound it thus Let him be as a rotten member cut off and perish vtterly Sir I. Cheeke ¶ Maranatha a word wherewith the accursed or vyle person in the extreame degrée is signified The Bible note MARCION Of the damnable heresies of this man MArcion of Pontus encreased the doctrine of Cerdon He liued in the time of Iustinus Martir which wrote a booke against him He met Policarpus and asked of him Knowest thou vs Policarpus I knowe thée for the first begotten of Satan Euseb. li. 4. cap. 11. 14. He said the soule onely should bée saued and not the body He thought that Cain with the Sodomites Aegyptians c. were saued when Christ went downe to Hell Irenaeus li. 1. ca. 29. Epiph. haeres 42. writeth of him that he was a Bishops sonne who when he had deâ—â—oured a Uirgin was by his own father excommunicated the church afterward he fled to Rome Being there because they admitted him not into the Church he began to preach detestable doctrine That there were three beginnings good iust and euill That the new Testament was contrarye to the olde He denied the resurrection of the body A comparison betweene the Marcions doctrine and the Popes The Marcions receiued no man to be a Christen man except he would refuse mariage The Pope receiueth no Priests except they fo rs weare mariage So that there is no diuersitie betwéene these heretikes and the Pope but that these Heretikes doth except a greater number then the Pope doth and speaketh more generally but the thing is all one For the Marcionites indgeth mariage vncleane for their sort and so doth the Pope for his sort Farther more Marcion saith that among christen men may be no temporall mariage but all conjunction must be turned into a spirituall mariage And the selfe same thing saith the Pope of his Priests wherfore seeing yâ— they do graunt how that S. Paule and also holy Fathers hath condemned this heresie of the Marcionites it must néedes followe that the opinion of the Pope is likewise damned But héere will some obiect and say as Eckius hath written that the Pope doth not condemne mariage but he causeth men alonely to keep his vowe Aunswere First the Pope compelleth them and if they will be Priests to vowe fo rs weare mariage For if ther wer no statute made afore of the Pope yâ— all Priests shuld fo rs weare mariage theÌ„ shuld ther no vowes he made of priests against mariage but the thing shuld be frée So yâ— the vowe commeth out of the Popes decrée prohibition not the decrée out of the vowe Ergo the prohibition goeth before the vowe wherefore this euation can haue no place Example The Emperour maketh a statute that no man shall be admitted into his seruice except he first sweare to be an enimie vnto the Kings grace of England Is not now the Emperour first an enimie vnto the Kings person and then also a forbidder of loue and fauour towards the Kings grace of England I thinke his grace will take his acte none otherwise For though he doe not nor cannot make all men the Kings enimies yet he maketh all that appertaine vnto him to be the kings enimies So likewise the Pope though he doe not forbidde all men mariage yet he forbiddeth as many as will be Priests yea and he will admit no man to be Priest except he first forswears mariage So that the vowe is first made or the Priesthood bée giuen D. Barnes A notable example of Marcions chast life Marcion and Montanus two ranke Heretikes anone after the Apostles daies sprong vp and fained such a chaste holinesse of life that they forbad and damned mariage But Epiphanius writeth that Marcion when he was receiued as a guest in the house of a certaine Deacon in Cipres he caried away his Hosts wife deceiued with his holy pretence of his new chast religion And when Doctor Marcion had taken his pleasure of hir and cast hir vp the miserable woman constrained to returne to hir husband lamenting hir fault asked him forgiuenesse This carefull woman saith Epiphanius was afterward a good warning for many other women monishing them to beware of Bishop Marcion his doctrine This Marcion and Montanus were the onely beginners of the lawe of wiuelesse and husbandlesse chastitie and the first authours and patrons of the Monkes religion Melancthon MARCVS The dâ—testable heresies of this man MArcus of whom Marcosij Colorbasus of whom Colorbasij and Heracleon after whom the Heretikes are called Heraâ—leonites sacrificed with witchcraft to amaze their auditory they pronounced Hebrue words they said vnto the women open your mouthes and prophecie through the power which commeth from vs. Many women came to the Church and vnder colour of prophecie confessed
that no man did know his sepulcher vnto this day The sepulcher of Moses God would haue it vnknowen least the Iewes which counted Moses for such a great and holy prophet shuld commit Idolatry set vp Idolatry vpon y◠sepulcher of Moses worship Moses as God for y◠Iewes were redy to Idolatry Of this doth y◠cōtention appeare to be sprong betwéen Michael the diuel of the which cōtention Iudas héere speketh of The diuel wold y◠body of Moses to haue ben shewed to the Iews that it might haue ben vnto them an occasion of Idolatry Michael would it should not haue bene shewed vnto them that they should haue hadde by it none occasion of Idolatry but that all Idolatry should be vtterly extincted and put away Héere you may learne the desire of the Diuel which is to mooue to Idolatry to iniquitie and sinne Good men then alway doe disswade from Idolatry sin◠taketh away all occasion by y◠which passage may be made to Idolatry sin S. Iohn Apo. 12. doth speake of a certaine battaile betwéene Michael the diuell He saith there was made a great battaile in heauen Michael the Archangel his Angels did fight with a Dragon and the Dragon and his Angells did fight with Michael but they haue not preuayled nor yet no place of them was founde any more in Heauen But the battayle of which it is heere spoken was of the body of Moses which the Diuell woulde haue had worshipped that the Iewes might haue committed Idolatry on it Michael did resist him This is the meaning of this place saith the Author after my opinion if it be the true meaning of Iude take it if not take their mindes that can bring a better sense and I my selfe will be glad to learne of better learned then I am for I am of the least the true vnderstanding of this place Accept mine opinion in good worth till thou heare a better Biblian vpon Iude. It is most like that this example was written in some of those bookes of the scripture which are now lost Nu. 21. 14. Io. 10. 13. Who be Michaels Angells Michael and his Angells fought with the Dragon ¶ Michael who in the Prophet is called a great Prince is said to stand in Gods people side Dan. 10. 21. representeth vnto vs Christ whose Angells be both those holy seruiable spirites and also among men the godly Princes and Magistrates together with the Ministers of Gods word which serue Christ in vanquishing the huge powers of Antichrists hoast Marl. vpon Iohn in the Apoc. fol. 174. MICHOL Diuers doubtfull places of this woman made open plaine MIchol being Dauids wife was afterward giuen by Saule hir father to one Psaltiel y◠son of Lais which Psaltiel being a good man and a Doctour of Lawe did not yet vs◠hir for hée knewe hir to bée the very wife of Dauid and that hée had not forsaken hir for the which cause Dauid after ward receiued hir againe which he would not haue done if she had ben known of Psaltiel euen as he went no more into his wiues which Absosolom knewe Lyra. And whereas it is sayd that Michol had fiue sonnes by Adriel it is to be vnderstood that they were the sonnes of Merob her sister which was the wife of Adriel for Michol had no naturall childe borne of her nor was the wife of Adriel But bicause Michol did nourish and bring vp the children of Merob shée being dead euen as they had bene her owne naturall children therefore were they called the sonnes of Michol which were not her naturall sonnes but her sonnes by adoption Ly. And the sonnes of Michol the daughter of Saule whome shée bare to Adriel ¶ Héere Michol is named for Merob Adriels wife as appeareth 1. Reg. 18. 19. For Michol was y◠wife of Psaltil 1. Reg. 25. 44. and neuer had childe 2. Reg. 6. 32. Geneua And where it is sayd how Psaltiel went after Michol his wife wéeping what time as she was restored againe to Dauid It was thought that he wept for ioye that she was reduced to her owne husband againe and that he had not touched her but kept her as his owne sister for he béeing a doctour in the lawe knew that it was not lawful for him to touch her carnally Dauid being aliue Lyra. MICHTAM What this word Michtam signifieth Michtam of Dauid ¶ That is nobilitie or honour of chiualrie or an instrument of Musicke T. M. MY DAY The meaning of this place following ABraham was gladde to sée my day and he sawe it and reioysed ¶ To sée my day which was to sée the comming of Christ in the flesh which thing Abraham sawe farre off with the eyes of faith Geneua ¶ All the holy Fathers that were before the comming from the beginning of the world had the same fayth of Christ that we haue which be called Christians Tindale MY GOSPELL Wherefore Paule calleth it his Gospell According to my Gospell ¶ He calleth it his Gospell partly because he tooke much labour in preaching it partly for the great affection that he had towards it and for that he was appointed to the publishing of it abroade Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fol. 44. MILKE What is meant by milke and strong meate SUch as néede of Milke not of strong meat ¶ By Milke are vnderstood things easie to perceiue By stronge meate such as are hard and obscure Tindale ¶ That is called Milke which agréeth to beginners such as haue little experience That is called strong meat which is for old practitioners such as haue wisdome to iudge betwéene truth and falsehood Deering MILSTONE What is meant by this Milstone THat a Milstone wer hanged c. ¶ He maketh mention héere of a great kinde of punishment which the Palistines vsed as Saint Hierome saith to punish notable offences and wicked actes The Latine text for a Milstone hath Mola asinaria which signifieth the great stone that lyeth vnderneath in the Mill the which stone in Gréeke is called Asinus an Asse of the which commeth Asinaria S. Hillary saith that it is called Mola asinaria or the Asse stone because the Asse did vse to turne the same about at such times as any thing should be ground according to the manner of those Mils which we haue in these daies in the which an horse being blindfolded turneth the stone going still round Marl. fo 397. What is meant by the taking of the Milstone to pledge NO man shall take the neather or the vpper Milstone to pledge for then he taketh a mans life to pledge ¶ Ey the neather or the vpper Milstone is signified anie thing which is necessary required to a borrower or a debter whereof he nourisheth and susteyneth himselfe that maye no creditour take from him in especiallye his craft and occupation whereon he chiefelye liueth maye hee not by imprisonment which some most cruelly doe kéepe
defused in all things to the which he hath bene accustomed to be made lesse to walke the narrow way whereby he shal finde such an heape of temptations and so continuall that it shall bée impossible to endure or to stande but by prayer and stronge faith Tindale ¶ Looke Straite gate NATVRE What Nature is NAture saith Plato is that thing that God will His meaning is that nature is subiect and obedient ot God and that there is neither chaunge nor necessitie in the course of nature but al things are ordred by Gods omnipotencie natural causes are onely the instruments of Gods will It was Gods will that Christ should take the natural substance of mans body that in al things he shuld be like vnto his brethren that his body should be a creature And as S. Austen saith should be in one place This is Gods knowne and expresse will Therfore by Platos iudgement this is nature Nature is sundrie waies defined Some doe take it to be a certeine strength voide of reson stirring vp necessarie motions in our bodies Againe some doe iudge it to be a strength which hath reson order as procéeding some certein way declaring what the cause of euery thing worketh what followeth the quicknes actiuitie Wherof no art nor hand neither workmaÌ„ is able to attaine vnto by immitation or following it Epicure doth call all thinges by the name of nature Augustine defineth it after this manner Nature saith he is a certein strength power put into things created by God which giueth to each that which belongeth vnto it Surely the very word séemeth to signifie that nature is called to be the same which is proper vnto euery thing that as grafted bred in it at the verye beginning so yâ— whatsoeuer any thing is of the birth as it were yâ— is the nature therof Lactantius saith yâ— nature is termed of the latin word Nascendo which is of birth My opinion saith Lactantius is not yâ— nature is the thing it selfe but the proper peculiar strength of the thing naturally giuen vnto it straight way froÌ„ the beginning therof whereby it receiueth yâ— qualitie which it hath not only of being but also of doing bearing begetting c. What the nature of Gods word is The nature of Gods word is yâ— whosoeuer readeth it or heareth it reasoned disputed before him it will begin immediatly to make him euery day better better till he be growne to a perfect man in the knowledge of Christ loue of the lawe of God or else make him worse worse till he be hardned yâ— he openly resist the spirit of God and then blaspheme after the example of Pharao Coran Abirâ—on Balam Iudas Symon Magus such other Tindale What the nature of God is Of the nature of God Augustine writeth on this wise All natures either is God who hath no beginning or is not God because he is the beginner therof As for yâ— which hath God for yâ— beginner of it by whoÌ„ it is some is not made some is made That which is not made yet for all that is of him either is begotten of him either procéedeth froÌ„ him That which is born is the onely sonne That which procéedeth is the holy spirit and this trinitie is of one and selfe same nature For these three be one each of them is God altogether one God immutable euerlasting without any beginning or end of time But nature which is made is called a creature God is called a creator I meane the Trinitie Musculus How the nature of any creature in it selfe is not euill howsoeuer it be vsed When Hierico was destroied all things accursed not lawfull for the Israelites to touch any thing therof yet was the gold the siluer their brasse yron vessels carried into the tresure house of the Lord and consecrated vnto him Gedeon was commaunded to take sacrifice that Oxe of his Fathers to God which his Father had sed brought vp to be sacrificed vnto Baal yea to burne that Oxe with yâ— selfe same wood that was consecreated and dedicated vnto the Idoll Bucer saith yâ— for any thing to be a note of Antichrist is not in the nature of any creature in it selfe for to yâ— end nothing was made of God but it hangeth altogether of consenting to Antichrists religion and the professing therof the which consent and professing beeing chaunged into the consent and professing Christianitie there can sticke in the things themselues no note or marke of Antichristes religion The vse of Bells was a marke of Antichristianitie in our Churches when the people by them were called to Masses and when they were ronge against tempests Now they are a token of Christianitie when the people by theÌ„ are gathered together to the Gospel of Christ and other holy actions c. Of three natures of men There are thrée natures of men One altogether beastly which in no wise receiue the law writteÌ„ in their harts but rise against Princes and rulers whensoeuer they are able to make their partie good These are signified by them that worshipped the golden Calâ—e for Moses brake the table of the lawe ere hée came at them The second are not so beastly but receiue yâ— law and vnto them the lawe commeth but they looke not Moses in the face for his countenaunce is too bright for them that is they vnderstand not that the lawe is spirituall and requireth the heart they looke on the pleasure profit and promotion that followeth the kéeping of the law and in respect of the reward kéepe the lawe outwardly with workes but not in the heart For if they might obteine like honour glory promotion dignitie and also auoide all inconueniences if they breake the lawe so would they also break the law and follow their lusts The third are spirituall and looke Moses in the open face and are as Paule saith a lawe vnto themselues and haue the lawe written in their hearts by the spirit of God These néed neither of king nor officer to driue them neither that any profer them any reward for to kéepe the lawe for they doe it naturally The first work for feare of the swoord The second for reward The third worke for loue Tindale Of two natures in Christ. ¶ Looke Christ. NAVEL What the Nauell doth signifie IN the day of thy birth when thou wast borne the string of thy Nauell was not cut off c. ¶ The Nauell signifieth the desires and delectations of man which are healed by the worde and feare of God as it is sayd Prouerbs 3. 8. But feary yâ— Lord and depart from euill so shall thy Nauell be whole The learned expound this whole sentence of the tribulation that Israel suffered in Aegypt and after among the Chaldes After the death of Ioseph when Pharao knew them not Exo. 1. wer they most abiect and vile and no man
as the Romaine Emperours were called Caesars or Augusti But wherehence that word was deriued at the beginning this we may by coniecture gather This Hebrew word Pharao amongest other thinges signifieth to auenge and especiall in the coniugation Hiphil Wherefore I thinke that the wise men of the Aegyptians in those auncient times meant by that surname to signifie what manner a thing the function power of a king is namely that that the Prince is the minister of God who as Paule sayth to the Romanes Beareth the swoorde and is auenger agaynst those that doe euill Wherefore the king of Aegypt so often as hée heard that his might cal to memorie that the auenging of sins and wicked factes perteined vnto his office And the subiects being terrified by that name might be kept in true obedience if yet it may be admitted out of the Hebrew tongue to deriue the Etimologie of an Aegyptian worde c. Pet. Mart. vpon the Rom. fol. 264. How Pharaos heart was hardened both by God and himselfe Suppose that there were a Carter hauing many horses which is continually whipped forwarde neither suffereth hée them to stand still They being driuen forwarde must néedes moue and as many as are whole and sound of legges goe vprightly but if there be any amongst them that haue lame or diseased féete or legges they also goe when they are whipped forward but yet slowly and euill fauouredly for they halt but that halting should not be vnlesse they were driuen forward For when the horses stand still the halting is not perceiued but the beginning of halting that is the disease of lamenesse of the legges the horses haue in themselues and receiue it not at the Carters hand So God forsomuch as he by his mightie working perpetually moueth and stirreth vs vp maketh vs to light vppon diuerse occasions which we for that we are euill cannot vse well But in this similitude this difference ought to be noted that it lieth in the hand of God by his liberal grace and spirit to deliuer vs from sinne graffed in vs by nature when it lyeth not in the power of the Carter to heale the diseased féete of the horses c. Pet. Mar. vpon the Rom. fo 265. Why Pharao was called Leuiathan Thou brakest the head of Leuiathan ¶ I am of opinion saith Caluine that Pharao his army are betokned by way of a Metaphore because such manner of speach is verie rife among the Prophets specially when they intreate of the Aegyptians whose land was susteined with fish of the Sea and the riuer Nilus running through it Not without cause therefore is Pharao termed Leuiathan by reason of the commoditie of the Sea because he reigned there as a Whale in the water Caluine PHARISES What the Pharesies were THe Pharises were among the Iewes certeine men which professed a forme of liuing more straight and deuout then other of that people and were therefore called by that name for Phares in the Hebrew tongue signifieth deuided They professed continence virginitie fast and abstinence from meat twise in the sabboth daies They slept onely vpon boords some vpon stones or else on thornes to kéepe them from stirring of fleshly appetite They ware in their foreheads scrowles of parchment wherein were written the tenne commaundements giueÌ„ by God to Moses which they called Philaterias They had in great reuerence their elders insomuch that they would not with a word displease theÌ„ Notwithstanding they beleeued that all things happened by constellation and yet tooke they not away frée will from man They affirmed that soules are immortall and that God shall come to iudgement Héereby they came into wonderfull credence with people wherby they drew to them great multitudes and of them were diuerse good men among whom was Saint Paule Nichodemus and other which afterward were Christs Disciples although the multitude taking the profession for vaine glorie peruerted that honest forme of liuing into hypocrisie deceiuing the people whome Christ sharpely rebuked and declared their folly And yet with some of them which by likelihood wer good men he dined otherwise vsed them familiarly Eliote As concerning the Pharises Saduces and Esses read Iosephus in his second booke De bello Iudaico These were speciall sectes among the people The Pharises professed the more surer knowledge of right and customes of the lawe they were had in great vneration and reuerence of the people and they gate vnto themselues the greatest part of dominion and rule Neither did they onely oppresse the people with the burden of the prescript lawe but also with their owne traditions in the which thing the Saduces were greatlye against them as we read in Iosephus But they are deceiued which thinke them to be so named of the diuision as though they being seperated froÌ„ the order of the common sort of people might take a degree proper vnto themselues They were called also Pherussâ—â— that is to saie Interpreters because not being content with the simple letter they profesied that they had the way to vnderstande secret mysteries Whereof theâ—e arose a wonderfull mixture confusion of errours when as they taking to themselues the dignitie of maistershippe did with their wicked lust and sense and also with wonderfull pride thrust in stéede of the truth their owne inuentions c. Read Act. 23. 6. Marl. vpon Math. fo 45. When the sect of the Pharises began About the yeare before Christ. 150. through the warres and descention of the Iewes there arose among them sundry sectes and opinions in their religions of which ther were thrée sorts The first were called Pharesei that is segregate or chosen They vsed certeine constitutions of men beside the lawe of Moses by which they were segregate from the residue of the people They reputed themselues better then all other They obserued fained fastes praied commonly in the stréetes that they might be séene and called maisters Their learning was somewhat better then the others for they taught the immortalitie after this life that God wold punish sin They beléeued also Messias to come to saue such as beléeued to iudge such as sinned Lanquet Tindale supposeth the Pharesies were righteous men which had professed not as nowe one Dominicke the other Fraunces and an other Barnardyns rules but euen to holde the very lawe of God with praier fasting and almes déede and were the floure of perfection of all the lawe As Saint Paule reioyseth of himselfe Phil. 3. 5. saieng I am an Hebrewe and as concerning the lawe a Pharesie and concerning the righteousnesse of the lawe was faultlesse Tindale fo 201. What the wickednesse of the pharesies was The wickednesse of the Pharesies was the leauen of their Gloses to the morall lawes by which they corrupted the commaundements of God and maketh them no more Gods and their false fayth in the ceremonies that the bare worke was a sacrifice and a seruice to God the significations lost and opinion of false righteousnesse in their
and vnder that pretence to deuour and spoyle the houses of widowes c. ¶ What doest thou séeke an apt and holy place when thou wouldest pray vnto God Cleanse thine own inward partes in scouring out all naughtie desires from thence prepare thy selfe a secret corner in the quietnesse of thy heart When thou praiest in the Church pray within thy selfe and so doe alwaies that thou maist be the Temple of God for there God doth heare where he doth dwell Thus saith he by which words it appeareth sufficiently inough that euen in his daies many of yâ— Christians were so fallen backe to the superstitions of Temples Churches not onely in seruices but in praiers also that they thought the prayers were more effectuall in Churches then in other places which they tooke to be as prophane and not meete for prayer Musculus fol. 489. How prayer for the dead auaileth not When we be once departed out of this life there is no more place of repentaunce there is no more effect or working of satisfaction life is héere either lost or wonneâ— euerlasting saluation is héere prouided by the due worshipping of God the fruites of faith Then he shal be without fruite of repentance and griefe of paine In vaine shall wéeping be and prayer shall be of no force nor effect Cypr. in his first treatise against Demetrius We know in this world we can be helped one of another either with prayer or with counsell but after we be come once before yâ— iudgment seate of Christ neither Iob nor Daniel nor Noe is able to pray for any body but euery man shall beare his owne burthen Hierom in his 13. questi c. 2. chap. When thou doest heare that our Lord did rise againe naked cease I pray thee from the mad expence of the burieng what meaneth this superstuitie and vnprofitable dispence which vnto them that make it bringeth hurt and no profite to the dead but rather harme Chrisost. in his 48. homil vpon the 20. of Iohn For if he had not hoped that they which were slaine should rise againe it had bene superfluous and vaine to praye for the dead ¶ From this verse to the ende of this Chapter the Gréekes text is corrupt so that no good sense much lesse certain doctrine can be gathered thereby Also it is euident that this place was not written by the holy Ghost both because it dissenteth from the rest of the holy Scriptures also the Authour of this booke acknowledging his own infirmitie desired pardon if he haue not attained to that he should And it séemeth that this Iason of Ceronean out of whom he tooke this Abridgment is Ioseph Bengorion who hath written in Hebrue 5. bookes of these matters intreting this place maketh no mention of the praier for the dead And though Iudas had so done yet perticular example is not sufficient to establish a doctrine no more theÌ„ Ziphorahs was to proue that women might minister the Sacraments Exo. 4. 25. Or the example of Razis that one might kill himselfe whom this Author so much commendeth 2. Mac. 14. 41. Geneua Truly I thinke that Iudas beléeued that ther shuld be a resurrection as the text praised him saieng Thinking well and denoutly of the resurrection of our flesh they that beleeued wer yet so rude ignorant that they thought they shuld rise but to obtaine a carnall kingdome and haue their enimies subdued vnder them without rebellion And thereto sticke the Iewes vnto this day And it is most lyke that this should be his meaning we shall all rise againe and possesse this lande in peace these men which are slaine are out of the fauour of God because they haue contrary to the lawe Deut. 7. tooke of the Idolls oblations therefore it is best that we send a Sacrifice to Hierusalem to pacifie the wrath of God towards theÌ„ lest when they rise again the Lord shuld send some plague among vs for their transgression which they committed while they were héere liuing If any man can better gesse I am well content to admit it But this is plaine though he thought that this sacrifice coulde not helpe them before they should rise againe which doth fully destroy Purgatory for where he saith that it were void vaine to praye for the dead except they shoulde rise againe is euen as much to say vnto him that hath any wit as that this prayer sacrifices can doe them no good before they be risen againe froÌ„ death for els wer it not in vaine to pray for them although they should neuer rise againe As by this example if I say to a man that he shall neuer obtaine his purpose except he shuld sue to the kings grace it is euen as much to say to a man that hath any wit he shal neuer obtaine his purpose before he hath suâ—d to the Kings highnesse I. Erith It wer an hard matter for a man to teach the ther wer any sacrifices praiers vsed in the Apostles time for the faithfull wheÌ„ they were departed But afterward it fell out by the good zeale of the Bishops yâ— ther was a solemne remembrance kept of theÌ„ which died in the Lord specially of Martirs ther were also sacrifices offered I meane of thanks-giuing but they wer not done for the dead to auaile to their saluation but for yâ— faithful yâ— wer aliue that their hearts might be the better confirmed in the faith of Christ. Of these sacrifices Cypriane maketh mention how they vsed to offer sacrifices for the martirs LaureÌ„tius Ignatius yâ— rest Wherefore it appeareth that they had not the same manner of Sacrificing for the dead at that time as it is now vsed in the Popery They did sacrifice for the Martyrs but so that they did not pray for them at all as Augustine doth also testifie so that this sacrifice for the dead had no praier for them ioyned withall but for the faithfull which were alyue Musculus fol. 493. To leane saith Ireneus vpon the holy Scriptures which are the sure and vndoubted truth is to builde his house vppon a sure and strong Rocke But if leauing it I meane the trueth of the Scriptures any man doe sticke to some other doctrines the same is to build his house vpon the vnstedfast Sand where it shall easely fall ¶ The Canonicall Scriptures make no mention at all of the praieng for the dead therefore saith Ireneus if we doe follow the doctrines of men in this point it is none other but to build vppon the vnstedfast Sande I. Veron We doe saith Ambrose condemne by right all newe things that Christ hath not taught For Christ to the faithfull is the way if Christ therefore hath not taught this that we teach we doe also iudge it detestable ¶ If it cannot be prooued by Christs holy Gospell and word that he hath not taught vs to praye for the dead then whosoeuer teacheth that doctrine we
What a Proselite is IEwes and Proselites ¶ By the Iewes he meaneth them that were both Iewes by birth and Iewes by profession of Religion though they were borne in other places And they were Proselites which were Gentiles borne and embraced the Iewes religion Theo. Beza And Proselites ¶ To wit such as were conuerted to the Iewes Religion which were before Panims Idolaters Ge. PROTESTANTS How the name of Protestants came vp THe originall of the name of Protestants began in Germany about a decrée that was made at Speres against y◠Gospell Anno. Dom. 1529. which Decrée the Princes electours of Germany resisted vnto whose protestation certain of the chiefe Cities to the number of 14. did subscribe with them The number of the Protestants 7. Princes 24. Cities Sledane PROVIDENCE Of the prouidence of God what it is PRouidence is not onely that vnspeakable power whereby it commeth to passe that God hath foreséene all things from euerlasting and most wisely prouided for al things before hand But also that eternall decree or ordinaunce of the most wise righteous God whereby that euery thing that hath bene hath bene and euery thing that is is and euery thing that shall be shall be according as it liked him to appoint from euerlasting Beza We meane by the prouidence of God that euen as he is creator of all things he is also the conseruer which doth by his eternall power and wisedome guide and gouerne them and by his souereigne goodnesse in such sort that nothing commeth by aduenture neither in heauen nor in earth without his counsell and ordinaunce and his most iust will be it in generall or in perticular Peter Viret No good or euill doth happen without a cause or by fortune without Gods prouidence but all things doth happen after his iudgement Hierom. vpon Eze. Prouidence is Gods appointed vnmoueable and perpetuall administration of all things Pet. Mar. Prouidence is sometime as much to say as knowledge and foreknowledge of things to come Sometime it signifieth an ablenesse to foresee for others of things necessary so it is sayde that God in heauen doth foresee and care for all Againe some doe define the prouidence of God after this wise Prouidence is the euerlasting and vnchaungeable kingdome and administration of all things They doe meane saith Musculus by the word of kingdome dominion and power and by the word of administration the temperature of the dominion which they added because of the finding and giuing of all things vnto vs which séemeth in shewe to be a condition of ministery as well as of dominion Musc. fol. 425. and. 426. Gods prouidence we call that souereigne Empire and supreme dominion which God alwaies kéepeth in the gouernement of all things in heauen and earth contained And these two that is prescience prouidence we so attribute vnto God that with the Apostle we feare not to affirme that in him wée haue our beeing mouing and life We feare not to affirme that the way of man is not in his own power but that his foot-steps are directed by the eternall God That the sorts lots which appeare most subiect to fortune goe so soorth by his prouidence that a Sparrow falleth not on the ground without our heauenly Father And thus we giue not to God any prescience by an idle sight and a prouidence by a generall mouing of his creatures as not onely some Philosophers but also moe then is to be wished in our dayes doe but we attribute vnto him such a knowledge prouidence as is extended to euerye one of his creatures In which he so worketh that willingly they tende incline to the ende to the which they are appointed by him c. Knox. fol. 21. Because we knowe not all things saith S. Austen which God doth concerning vs in most good order that therefore in only good will we do according to the law because his prouidence is an vnchaungeable law Therefore sith God doe claime vnto himselfe the poore to rule the world which is to vs vnknown Let this be a lawe to vs of sobernesse and modestie quietly to obay his souereigne authoritie that his wil may be vnto vs the onely rule of Iustice as the most iust cause of all things I meane not that absolute will of which the Sophisters doe babble seperating by wicked prophane disagreement his Iustice from his power but I meane that prouidence which is the gouernesse of all things from which proceedeth nothing but right although the causes be hidden from vs. Caluine 1. booke chapt 17. Sect. 3. PROOVING What proouing and examining of a mans selfe is THis proouing and examining of a mans selfe is first to think with him with what lust desire he commeth to the Maundie and will eate that bread Whether he be sure that he is the childe of God and in the faith of Christ and whether his conscience doe beare him witnesse that Christs body was broken for him And whether the lust that he hath to prayse God and thanke him with a faithfull heart in the middes of the bretheren doe driue him thetherward or els whether he doe it for the meates sake or to kéepe the custome for then were it better he were away For he that eateth and drinketh vnworthely eateth and drinketh his owne damnation because he maketh no difference of the Lordes bodye that as it is sayde before he that regardeth not the purpose for which it was instituted and putteth no difference betwéene his eating and other eating for other eating doe onely serue the belly but this eating was instituted and ordeined to serue the soule and inward man And therefore he that abuseth it to the flesh eateth drinketh his owne damnation c. I. Frith ¶ Looke Trye Examine PTOLOMEVS Of this mans hereticall opinions PTolomeus of whom Ptolomei are called taught the hereticall opinions of the Gnostici and of Valentinus adding therevnto of his owne certaine heathenish doctrine out of Homer He wrote vnto Flora a woman of his faith and indeuoured to peruert hir Epiph. haere 33. PVBLICAN What the Publicans were The Publicans bought in great the Emperours Tribute and to make their most aduauntage did ouerset the people Tind Of their receiuing before the Iewes The Publicans and Harlots shall come into the kingdome of God before you ¶ The Harlots and Publicans repenting truly and with amendement of life submitting themselues to the mercie of God are more acceptable vnto God then the proud workmongers that trust in their owne righteousnesse S I. Ch. PVNISHMENT How the punishment of the law doth not satisfie for sinnes MOses in the law commaunded that such should be stoned ¶ They recite the law out of the. 20. chap. of Leuit. where it is said the man that commiteth adulterie with another mans wife because he hath committed adultery with his neighbors wife the adulterer the adultresse shal both dye the death But the law doth not therefore punish
saith S. Austen that the manners of euill men hinder not the sacraments of God that either they vtterly be not or be lesse holy but they hinder the euill men themselues so yâ— they haue the sacraments to witnesse of their damnation not to helpe of their saluation And all processe spoken there by S. Austen is spoken chiefely of Baptime against the Donatists which said yâ— Baptime was naught if either the Minister or receiuer were naught Against whom S. Austen concludeth that the sacraments themselues be holy and be all one whether the Minister or receiuer bée good or bad Cranmer fol. 63. What the olde fathers doe teach of the sacrament Ireneus S. Agustine and other auncient Doctors yea and the Canon law doth teach there must be both the outward Element which in Baptime is water and in the Lords supper bread and wine and the outward grace as the two principalls thereof Take away the bread and wine and then it is no sacrament How the sacrament is our body Because Christ hath suffered for vs he hath betaken vnto vs in this sacrament his body and bloud which he hath made also euen our selues for we also are made his body by his mercie we are euen the same thing that we receiue And after hée saith Now in the name of Christ ye are come as a man wold say to the Chalice of the Lord there are ye vpon the Table and there are ye in the Chalice ¶ Héere ye may sée that the Sacrament is our body and yet it is not our naturall body but in a mysterie I. Frith If you wil vnderstand the body of Christ heare the Apostle which saith Ye are the body of Christ members 1. Cor. 12. 27. Therefore if ye be the body of Christ members your misterie is put vpon the Lords Table ye receiue the mysterie of the Lord vnto that you are you aunswere Amen and in aunswering subscribe vnto it ¶ Héere we may sée the Sacrament is also our body and yet is not our naturall body but onely our body in a mysterie that is to say a figure signe memorial or representation of our body For as the bread is made of many graines or cornes so we though we be many are bread one body for this propertie and similitude it is called our body beareth the name of the very thing which it doth represent and signifie I. Frith As the sacrament of the Altar is our body euen so it is Christs First vnderstand ye that in yâ— wine which is called Christs bloud is admixed water which doth signifie the people yâ— are redéemed with his bloud so that yâ— head which is Christ is not without his body which is the faithful people nor the body without the head Now if the wine when it is consecrate be turned bodely into Christs bloud then it is also necessary that the water which is admixed be bodely turned into the bloud of the faithfull people for wheras is one consecration must folow one operation whereas is like reson ther must follow like mysterie But whatsouer is signified by the water as concerning the faithfull people is taken spiritually therefore whatsoeuer is spoken of the bloud in the wine must also néedes be taken spiritually This is Bartrams reason vpon a. 700. yeares since How in the sacrament there can be no accident without his substance In the sacrament of the Altar saith I. Puruay after yâ— consecration ther is not neither can be any accident with yâ— substance but ther verely remaineth the same substance the very visible incorruptible bread likewise the very same wine yâ— which before yâ— consecratioÌ„ wer set vpon the Altar to be consecrate by yâ— Priest likewise as wheÌ„ a PagaÌ„ or Infidel is baptised he is spiritually coÌ„uerted into a meÌ„ber of Christ yet remaineth yâ— very same maÌ„ which he before was in proper nature substaÌ„ce B. of M. 649. Of a new article inuented in the sacrament Innocentius the third Pope was the head of Antichrist who after the letting loose of Satan inuented a new Article of our faith a certaine fained veritie touching the sacrament of tâ—e Altar that is to say that the Sacrament of the Altar is an â—â—cident without a substance But Christ his Apostles do teach manifestly yâ— the sacrament of the Altar is bread the body of Christ together after yâ— manner yâ— he spake And in yâ— he calleth it bread he wold haue the people to vnderstand as they ought with reason that it is very and substanciall bread no false nor fained bread In the b. of Mar. fol. 649. Of the sacramentall chaunge Of the sacramentall chaunge S. Bede which was about 900. yeres agoe saith thus The creature of the bread wine by the ineffable sanctification of the spirit is turned into the sacrament of Christs flesh and bloud In sacraments saith S. Augustine we must consider not what they be of themselues but what they doe signifie S. Ambrose saith What sawest thou in thy Baptime water no doubt but not onely water Againe he saith Before the blessing of the heauenly words it is called another kinde but after the consecration the body of Christ is signified Of the sacramentall word Let the word saith S. Austen be added to the element and there shall be made a Sacrament For whence commeth this so great strength to the water to touch the body wash the soule but by the word making it not because it is spoken but because it is beléeued For in the very word it selfe the sound which passeth is one thing the power which abideth is another This is the word of faith which we preach saith the Apostle whervpon in the Actes of the Apostles it is said By faith cleansing their hearts c. Cal. in his Inst. 4. b. chap. 14. sect 4. How in the sacrament remaineth bread wine That which you sée saith S. Austen in the altar is the bread the cup which also your eyes doe shew you but faith the weth you further the bread is the body of Christ the cup his bloud ¶ Heere he declareth two thingâ— yâ— in the sacrament remaineth bread wine which we may discerne with our eyes that the bread and wine be called the body and bloud of Christ. He that called his naturall body saith Theodoretus wheate and bread and also called himselfe a Uine the selfe same called bread and wine his body and bloud and yet chaunged not their nature And in his Dialogue he saith more plainely for saith he as the bread and wine after the consecration lost not theyr proper nature but kept their former substaunce forme figure which thâ—y had before euen so the body of Christ after his Ascention was chaunged into the godly substaunce Of the sacramentall eating ¶ Looke Eating What is to be wondred at in the sacraments The wonder is not
the sorrowful affliction of his poore flocke being so long vnder persecution the space of 300. yeares and so to asswage their griefes and torments which is meant by binding vp of Satan worker of all these mischiefes Understanding thereby that for so much as the Diuell Prince of this worlde hadde now by the death of Christ the sonne of God lost all his power and interest against the soule of man shuld turne his furious rage and mallice which he had to Christ against the people of Christ. Which is ment by the héele of the seede Gen. 3. 15. in tormenting their outward bodies Which yet should not be for euer but for a determinate time when as it should please the Lord to bridle the malice and snaffle the power of the olde Serpent and giue rest vnto his Church for the terme of a thousand yeares Which time béeing expired the said Serpent should be suffered loose againe for a certaine or a small time In the bo of Mart. fol. 493. SATISFACTION What is vnderstood by this word satisfaction AS pertaining to satisfaction this wise vnderstande that he that loueth God hath a commaundement as S. Iohn saith in the. 4. chapter of his first Epistle ver 21. to loue his neighbour also Whom if thou haue offended thou must make him amends or satisfaction or at the least way if thou be not able aske him forgiuenesse and if he will haue mercie of God he is bounde to forgiue thée If he will not yet God forgiueth thée if thou thus submit thy selfe But to God ward Christ is a perpetuall an â—uerlasting satisfaction for euermore As oft as thou fallest through frailtie repent and come againe and thou art safe and welcome as thou maist sée by the similitude of the riotous son Lu. 15. If thou be lepen out of sanctuary come in again If thou be fallen from the way of truth come thereto againe and thou art safe If thou be gone astray come into field againe the shepheard Christ shall saue thée yea and the Angells of heauen shall reiâ—yce at thy comming so farre it is that any man shall beate thée or chide thée If any Pharesie enuie thée grudge at thee or rayle vpon thée thy father shall make answere for thee as thou séest in the fore-rehearsed likenesse or Parable Whosoeuer therefore is gone out of the way by whatsoeuer chaunce it be let him come to his Baptime againe and vnto the profession thereof and he shall be safe For though that the washing of Baptime be past yet the power thereof that is to say the word of God which Baptime preacheth lasteth for euer and saueth 〈…〉 As Paule is past and gone â—enerthelesse the Lord the Paul preached lasteth euer and saueth euer as many as come theretoo with a repenting heart and stedfast faith Héereby seest thou that when they make penaunce of repentaunce and call it a Sacrament and deuide it into contrition confession and satisfaction they speake of their owne heads and lye falsely Tindale fol. 149. How hurtfull the doctrine of satisfaction is The Schoolemen doe call satisfaction the worke of peâ—ance enioined by the Priest after the Auricular confession And héere they make much adoe that the satisfaction be neither lesse nor lighter then counteruaileth the waight of the sinne This doctrine of satisfaction doth excéedingly darken the clearenesse of the grace of Christ it doth make mens consciences either falsely assured when they suppose that they haue satisfied either it doth piteously torment them when they cannot tell by what time they haue satisfied in the sight of God for one sinne much lesse for all their sinnes Beside that it hath not opened one gap but all dores windowes and arches c. to the Popes markâ—t to gape vpon pardons and for the traffike of Priests Masses to deliuer soules out of Purgatorie wherefore all godly doe worthely abhorre it The doctrine of the Gospell doth denounce vnto vs pardon of our sinnes by the bloud of Christ by the shedding whereof there is satisfaction made not onely for ours but for the sinnes of all the world And wheresoeuer this grace doth take place that satisfaction hath nothing to doe we could beare with them if they said that like as the faith in Christ is reputed for righteousnesse to the beléeuers according to the example of Abraham so repentaunce is of mercie and frankly imputed for satisfaction As we maye perceiue it was in the prodâ—gall sonne whose returne and repentaunce his father of his right fatherly clemencie did accept for a most sufficient satisfaction and sought nothing further of him This meaning of satisfaction doth derogate nothing from the grace of God but doth excéedingly aduaunce it It maketh nothing for the gaine and iuglings of the Popes markets but it maketh much to the quieting of our consciences Wherefore we will sticke vnto it and we wil leane the trumpery wares of counterfaite satisfactions to the Pope and his Priests and Friers Musculus fol. 219. Of two manner of satisfactions There are two manner of satisfactions the one is to God the other to my neighbour To God cannot all the world make satisfaction for one sinne insomuch as if euery grasse of the ground were a man as holy as euer was Paule or Peter and shuld pray vnto God all their life long for one crime yet could they not make satisfaction for it but it is onely the bloude of Christ that hath made full satisfaction vnto God for all such crimes Heb. 7. or els were there none other remedie but wee should all perish There is another satisfaction which is to my neighbour whom I haue offended whom I am bound to pacifie as we can agrée and as the Lawe of the Realme determineth betweene vs as if I had defamed him then am I bounde to pacifie him and to restore him to his good name againe If I haue murthered any man then by the lawes of the Realme I must dye for it to pacifie my neighbour and the Common-wealth but yet I am sure that Rastal is not so childish as to thinke that this eiuill satisfaction is the very satisfaction which pacifieth Gods wrath for breaking his lawe for if thou murther a man and should dye an hundred times for it yet except thou haue satisfaction in Christs bloud and so I speake that no temporall paine was instituted of God for the intent that wée should satisfie Gods wrath thereby c. Frith fol. 74. SATVRNINVS Of his opinions THis man was of Antioch he taught in all points as Menander did before him He affirmed that Christ had no true body but a phantasticall body and that there was no resurrection Adding moreouer that marriage and procreation was of the Diuell Ireneus lib. 1. cap. 22. Eus. li. 4. cap. 6. SAVIOVRS How that there is no moe Sauiours then one AN aunswere to those that asketh whether Paule goe about to make manie Sauiours doe this and then thou shalt saue thy selfe and other ¶
Si quis dixerit c. If any man shall say that the Sacraments of the new lawe were not all ordeined of our Lord Iesus Christ or that ther be fewer or mo then seauen or that any one of the same verilye and in proper speach be not a Sacrament accursed bée hée Councell of Trident. Sessio 7. Two manner of Faiths Looke Faith What the two Lambes doe signifie Two Lambes of a yeare olde without â—pot ¶ The Iewes say that by the beast that is sacrificed the sinner is vnderstood For when the beast is lead to be killed the trespasser ought say they to thinke as though he for his offences were lead vnto the same and thus to confesse O Lord I am guiltie of death I haue deserued to be stoned for this trespasse not this beast or to be strangled for this transgression or to be burnt for this crime But these Sacrifices doe by shadowe signifie Christ the true lambe of God who would afterward cleanse our sinnes and pay the price of them How grieuous therefore should we acknowledge and confesse our sinnes to be for the which no beast but the innocent sonne of God hath died For the Father sparing vs hath yéelded his sonne to death The Bible note How the priuiledge of two wiues came in Which had two wiues ¶ With the promise of multiplication of séede came in the priuiledge of two wiues The promise performed and ended in Christ the priuiledge ceaseth Gods lawe taketh place which ioyneth two in one flesh and no mo Gen. 2. 24. Geneua Two tyrants and what they be The Scripture speaketh of two huge and cruell tyrants which shall destroy christendome before the last day of iudgement One through false doctrine and that is as Daniel and Paule both doth prophesâ—e the Bishop of Rome The other by power and force of armes that is the Turke of whom Daniel in the. 7. chapter speaketh where he doth attribute vnto him 3. hornes only which he shuld plucke of from the. x. hornes and those 3 are Asia Greece Aegypt which he hath plucked off long since and kéepeth them in possession within the which limits the Prophet hath included him for although he be busie in Hungary readie to inuade Germany yet he cannot think that euer he shall haue them in quiet possession as he hath Asia Greece Aegypt for the Prophet is plaine and manifest Sleadane in his Chronicle Of two natures in Christ. ¶ Looke Christ. Word Vagabunds What these Vagabunds were TOke vnto them certeine vagabunds ¶ Certein companions which doe nothing but walke the stréets wicked men to be hired for euery mans money to do any mischiefe such as we coÌ„moÌ„ly call the rascals very sinks dunghil knaues of all townes and cities Beza VAILE What the vaile and renting of the temple did signifie AND the vaile of the temple did rent in two péeces ¶ This vaile was a certeine cloth that hanged in the temple diuiding the most holy place from the rest of the temple as our cloth that is hanged vp in Lent diuideth the altar from yâ— rest of the Church The renting of which vaile signified that the shadowes of Moses lawe shuld vanish away at the flourishing light of the Gospell Tindale VALES II. What they were VAlesi were heretikes which had their originall of one Valens that liued in Bacathis a couÌ„try in Philadelphia Their manner was to geld themselues and as many straungers as lodged among them they abused the sâ—ieng in the Gospell If thy member offend thée cut it off c. Epiphan haer 58. VAINE GLORIE A good remedy against it IF thou be tempted to vaine glory for thy good déeds then looke of thine euill héereto and put the one in one ballance and the other in the other And then if thou vnderstand yâ— lawe of God any thing at all tell me whether weigheth heauier Tindale VAPOVR What Vapour is VApour is a dewie mist as the smoke of a séething pot Tind VESSELL What is meant by this vessell NEither would he suffer that any man should carry a vessell through the temple ¶ That is any prophane instrument of which those fellowes had a number yâ— made the court of the temple a market place Beza VINE What the Allegory meaneth I Am the true vine ¶ This Allegory is taken out of diuers writings of the Prophets who in diuers places compare the Church to a vineiard and men in the Church to vines and the works of faith of loue and of righteousnesse to grapes Therefore when the Lord calleth himselfe the true vine wée must not so vnderstand himâ— as if he were naturally and substantially a vine for naturally and substantially he is God and man not a vine but representeth the true vine Therfore it is called a vine by similitude not by propertie euen as he is called a Sheepe a Lambe a Lyâ—n a Rocke a Cornerstone such lyke from which such similitudes are brought Marl. vpon Iohn fol. 500. What is heere meant by the vine And hée shall binde his Asse sole vnto the Uine ¶ A country most abundant with vines and pastures is promised him Geneua How Israel is compared to an empty vine Israel is an emptie vine ¶ As the vine spoyled of her grapes beareth new the yeare following so the Israelites enioyeng rest after afflictions renued their former wickednesse and Ioolatrie The Bible note ¶ Whereof though the grapes were gathered yet as it gathered new strength it encreased new wickednesse so that the correction which shuld haue brought them to obedience did but vtter their stubburnenesse Geneua VINEGER Of the propertie thereof VIneger of it selfe is sharpe sowre and tart and is no fitte drinke to moisten a man that is a thirst For though vineger be colde in operation yet is it dry and hath vertue exicatiue Therefore vineger is a sawce and no proper drinke And if it be dronken of him that is moist it maketh him drye But if he be drye afore it killeth him quickly at yâ— least if it be stroÌ„g vineger And specially if it be such vineger as was giuen to Christ hanging vpon the crosse which as S. Mathew saith was mingled with Gall. Saint Marke calleth it Vinum mirlatum Wine mingled with Mirre Whervpon the worshipfull Clarke Saint Bede doth gather vpon the wordes of S. Marke that they gaue vnto Christ wine mingled with Mirre Mirre is the Gumme of a certeine trée growing in Arabia called Mirre which Gumme is both gréene and bitter like vnto gall This bitter tart drinke giuen vnto Christ did both fulfill the prophesie which was that the Iewes should so vse Christ in the time of his thirst and also it made a spéedie end of his life For as soone as he had tasted of that tart and strong vineger he bowed downe his head and sayd Consummatum est All is done All the things which the Prophets haue fortold
causes of true repentaunce that bringeth forth wéeping One is for because we haue through negligence omitted many things which we ought not to haue done These are commonly called sins of committing omitting And in the same place he interpreteth this sentence Bring forth worthy fruit of repentance after this manner that wee should wéepe for the sinnes already committed and we should take héede that we doe not the same againe Chrisostome also vpon the Epistle to the Collossians the. 12. homely complaineth that the christians abused teares And when as otherwise teares are good creatures of God they defame them in adioyning them to those things which deserue not weeping Sinnes onely sayth he are to be wept for not onely our owne sins but other mens also Which Paule performed in very deede who in the second to the Corinthians sayde That he was afraide not to come vnto them but so that he was deiected and compelled to wéepe for very many which had fallen and not repented Yea and hée exhorted the same Corinthians to wéepe for other mens sinnes when in the first Epistle he sayd Ye are puffed vp and ye haue not mourned namely for the grieuous crime of an incestuous man And Dauid in his 119. Psalme writeth Mine eyes haue brought forth riuers of waters because they haue not kept thy lawe That holy Prophet wept because of yâ— publike transgressions of the lawe when he sawe the same transgressions perpretated he abundantly powred out teares c. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 63. How godly men doe easilier weepe then laugh Ezechiel in the. 8. chapter commended certeine which wept for the wicked acts of other men And héereof it commeth that when holy men sée horrible spectacles of sinners oftentimes to happen they easilyer burst forth into teares then into laughter for so Christ vsed whom we read to haue oftentimes wept but neuer to haue laughed which selfe same thing also we must doe at this day when as so great and euill an haruest of sins doth on euery side offer it selfe vnto vs. Pet. Mar. vpon Iudic. fol. 63. VVHY Why God doth this or that we ought noâ— to aske WHen it is asked saith S. Austen why God did this thing or that thing we must aunswere that he did it because yâ— it was his will so to doe If thou goest any farther asking why it was his will so to doe thou doest aske a thing which is both greater and higher then the will of God which thing cannot be found out Aug. cont Mad. li. 1. cap. 3. Why God doth more for one then for another If a man doe aske why God doth shew mercye more to one then to another S. Austen maketh aunswere by an apt similitude on this wise If a man haue many debters that doth owe vnto him the like sum of money doth it not lye in his power to forgiue some of them the whole debt to call vpon the other for the whole sum who can lay any thing to his charge for so doing Then marke saith he we are all debters vnto God and haue all deserued euerlasting damnation that he doth then of méere mercy and goodnesse forgiue some and to some againe he doth according to righteous iudgement who shall be so bolde to blame him for it I. Veron Why doth not God will some say giue his grace to all alike when his word is preached but suffereth some to receiue it other to despise it S. Luke in the Act. 13. 48. And they saith he did beléeue yâ— were ordeined before to life euerlasting Againe he could doe it saith S. Austen because he is almighty and why then doth he it not because saith he that he will not And why he will not that doe we leaue vnto him Veron ¶ Looke Predestination Will of God Vaine Questions VVHITE What is vnderstood by the white horse BY the white horse may be vnderstood the first state of the christian Church without blemish By the second seale red horse vnderstand the state of the kingdome of Christ in yâ— time of yâ— martirs By the third scale the beast yâ— black horse ballance measure vnderstand dearth want of victuals with the portion that was allowed for one man for his dayes spending which happened to all the world either when Claudius or â—raianus raigned Emperours By the fourth seale the beast the voyce and the pale horse vnderstand the heretikes which diuers waies vexe the holy Church with false doctrine The fift seale may signifie the right godlye Christian men The sixt seale the great misery affliction which shall rise be procured through Antichrist Marl. ¶ Looke Seale ¶ By the white horse is signified the Apostles and the first disciples of Christ for why yâ— scripture doth so call them These horses were white they were made pure righteous cleane by Iesus Christ and bare him by their preaching the world ouer Such a white horse to the glory of God was Paule when he bare the name of Christ before the Gentiles the Kings the Children of Israel c. Bale What is meant by the white stone And will giue him a white stone ¶ Arethas writeth that such a stone was wont to be giuen to wrastlers at games or els that such stones did in olde time witnesse the quitting of a man Beza ¶ By the white stone is signified the election before God also euerlasting peace and confidence in the grace and fauour of God vnto euerlasting life Sir I. Cheeke ¶ I will also giue him for a token of perpetuall peace and loue that pure and precious stone Iesus Christ so white as the Lily â—loure innocent and cleane from all contagious vices to be his onely and whole wisedome righteousnesse light health and redemption Bale VVHOLE BVRNT OFFERING Wherefore it was called a whole burnt offering ¶ Looke Burnt offering VVHOREDOME How whoredome is taken in the Prophet Ose. THe vse of whoredome or fornication throughout the Prophet is to take another God beside the true God to serue Images and beléeue in them T. M. How whoredome was punished by death Bring ye hir forth let hir be burnt ¶ We sée that the law which was written in mans heart taught them yâ— whoredome should be punished with death albeit no law as yet was giuen Geneua How whoredome being suffered spreadeth abrod Whoredome saith Basil stayeth not in one man but inuadeth a whole Citie For some one young man commeth to an harlot and taketh vnto himselfe a fellowe and the same fellowe taketh another fellow wherefore euen as fire béeing kindeled in a Citie if the winde blow vehemently stayeth not in yâ— burning of one house or two but spreadeth farre and wide draweth a great destruction with it so this euill being once kindled spredeth ouer all parts of the Citie Pet. Mar. vpon Iudi. fo 233. How whoredome is spued out As it spued out the people that were before you ¶
for all that we can doe is gone after him Tertulian sayth The greatest crueltie that ye can deuise is an entisement to our sect how many of vs so euâ—r ye murther when ye come to the view ye finde vs moe and moe The séeds of this increase is christian bloud For what man saith he beholding the paineful torments and the perfect patience of them will not search and inquire what is the cause And when hée hath found it out who will not agrée vnto it who will not desire to suffer for it Thus saith he this sect will neuer dye which the more it is cut downe the more it groweth For euery man séeing and wondering at the sufferance of the Saint is moued the more thereby to search the cause in scarching he findeth it and in finding he followeth it S. Austen saith they were scattered they were imprisoned they were beaten they wer ract they wer burnt yet they multiplied Aug. de ciuit li. 12. cap. 6. Nazianzen sayth By death it liueth by wounds it springeth by diminishing it increaseth Nazian inâ— reditum suum ex agro How the word and flesh be not both of one nature If the word and flesh were both of one nature séeing that the word is euery where why is not the flesh then euery where for when it was in earth then verily it was not in heauen now when it is in heauen it is not surely in earth And it is so sure that it is not in earth that as concerning it we looke for him to come from heauen When as concerning his eternall word we beleeue to be with vs in earth Therefore by your doctrine saith Vigelius vnto Eutiches who defended that the diuinitie and humanitie in Christ was but one nature either the word is conteined in a place with his flesh or else the flesh is euery where with his word For one nature cannot receiue in it selfe two natures and contrary things But these two things be diuerse and farre vnlike that is to say to be conteined in a place and to be euery where Therfore insomuch as the word is euery where and the flesh is not euery wher it appeareth plainely that one Christ himselfe hath in him two natures and that by his diuine nature he is euery where and by his humanitie he is conteined in a place that he is created hath no beginning that he is subiect to death and cannot dye Whereof one he hath by the nature of his word whereby hee is God and the other he hath by the nature of his flesh wherby the same God is made man also Therefore one sonne of God the selfe same was made the sonne of man and hée hath a beginning by the nature of his flesh and no beginning by the nature of his Godhead He is comprehended in a place by the nature of his flesh and not comprehended by the nature of his Godhead He is inferiour to Angells in the nature of his flesh and is equall to his Father in the nature of his Godhead He died by the nature of his flesh died not by the nature of his Godhead This is the faith and catholike confession which the Apostles taught the martirs did coâ—oborate and faithfull people kéepe vnto this day Cranmer fol. 113. How the word of God ought not onely to be read to the people but also to be expounded vnto them Esdras the Priest brought the lawe the booke of Moses and stóod vpon a Turret of wood that is in the holy Pulpet And Esdras opened ye. booke before the congregation of men womeÌ„ and whosoeuer else had any vnderstanding And the Leuites stood with him so that he read out of the booke and the Leuites instructed the people in the lawe and the people stood in their place and they read in the booke of the lawe distinctly expounding the sense causing them to vnderstand the reading Héere it appeareth that the lawfull and holy ministers of the church of God did not onely read the word of God but also expound it And this our Sauiour Christ practised himselfe when he entered into the Sinagogue at Nazareth expounded a certeine place out of the. 61. Chapter of Esay And also after his rising from death he appeared to the two Disciples which went to Emaus expounding to them whatsoeuer was written of him in the Scriptures which example in expounding the word of God all the Apostles followed c. Bullinger fo 24. VVORKES How the deeds and works of the lawe iustifie not BY the déeds of the law shall no flesh be iustified ¶ God in his lawe doth not onely require of vs outward righteousnesse but also an inward perfection that is to say we are not onely bound to fulfil the works of the law outwardly in our liuings but also inwardly in our hearts to be most sincere to loue entirely aboue all things and our neighbour as our selfe But our nature is so corrupted that no man liuing is able to do the same wherefore no man can be iustified by the works of the lawe Sir I. Cheeke ¶ He meaneth the lawe either written or vnwritten which commandeth or forbiddeth any thing whose works cannot iustifie because we cannot performe them Geneua ¶ He includeth heere the whole law both the ceremonial morâ—all whose works caÌ„not iustify because they be imperfect in all men The Bible note No man is iustified by the déeds of the lawe but by yâ— faith of Iesus Christ. ¶ This S. Paule proueth by the words of the Prophet Abacucke 2. 4. A righteous man liueth by faith If he liue by any part of workes then liueth he not by fayth but partly by works and then were Saint Paules probation vnperfect which cannot be With this agréeth Athanasius prouing that fayth alonely hath the vertue in him to iustifie before God Before man peraduenture they may saith he be reckoned righteous that sticke to the lawe but not before God D. Barnes Good workes make not men righteous but followeth him that beléeueth and is already become righteous in Christ. Like as good fruite maketh not a trée to be good but a trée is knowne to be good by the good fruite of it Beza Ye see then how that of déeds a man is iustified and not of faith onely ¶ When we reade in S. Paule that we are iustified through fayth without the workes of the lawe it is to bée vnderstood that through faith whereby we take holde of the mercy of God so plentifully declared vnto vs in our Sauiour Iesus Christ we are without any demerites or deseruings of ours counted iust and righteous before God so that our sinnes shall be no more imputed vnto vs. Héere in Saint Iames to be iustified is to be declared righteous before men and that by good workes which are infallible witnesses of the true iustifieng fayth and therefore he sayth Shew me thy fayth by thy déedes Againe he bringeth the example